Villain's Second Heart: Trapped in A Fantasy Novel (BL)-Chapter 75: Are We Villains?

"Ezra, I want to end this world."

The words hit Ezra like a misfired spell straight to the gut. He froze in place. The night air, cool and calm, suddenly felt too thin to breathe. His skin prickled, not from fear, but from the bomb that Rav just dropped.

"W-what?"

Rav blinked several times, still staring into the distance. He wouldn’t look at Ezra.

"But why? Everything you’ve done here - you saved the world! Oberyn, me, Deek - you’d..."

"This world is sick, Ezra. You know it. I know it. It’s the reason you came here, is it not? To live in a fantasy?"

Rav’s words were precise, intentful - they weighed on Ezra like lead.

"When I was fourteen, I was just a stupid kid," he mused. "And now, nearly ten years later, I realize my folly. This world shouldn’t have been saved. I was just another puppet for her to use. The Storyteller."

Ezra had a visible reaction to the name - the Storyteller. His feelings were mixed about her, sure - obviously she was an eldritch abomination of pure evil. But...she gave him a new life. She gave him purpose.

"Once Alcor left to become her plaything. That was when I decided. And it’s what I told him when I knocked you unconscious, the day we met."

"Alcor supported this?"

"No," he smirked. "Of course not. He supports the Storyteller. He believes he’ll get his body back. And even now, he’s listening intently, I’m sure."

"But...I still don’t understand why you would want such a horrible thing. Isn’t a broken world better than nothing at all?"

Rav raised his head to the dark sky, his cerulean eyes glimmering with untold emotion. This was no impulse decision, Ezra could tell. Rav had given this much thought and consideration. This was his answer to the issues that plagued their shared world.

"A broken world is better than nothing, yes," Rav said wistfully. "But the end of this world is not the end. For you see, Ezra. There is a world beyond this one. You know it well. It is your Earth."

Another bombshell. Ezra staggered backward.

"At first I thought it would be as simple as killing the Storyteller," Rav explained. "But I do not believe she can be killed. So the way to end this world would be to bring it to a definitive end. Once the story ends, so too does the Storyteller. Does that make sense?"

"But what becomes of us, then?"

A smile hovered on Rav’s lips. "Salvation."

More silence. Though neither of them moved an inch, Ezra never felt further from Rav than he did in that moment.

"Why help me, then? You must know that I want no part in this."

"Oh," Rav said. "But that’s where you’re wrong, Ezra. I prayed to whatever cursed god would hear me for someone like you. Someone from the true world - a wildcard like yourself. Someone with the power to alter fate itself. And look at you. Here. In my ex-lover’s body, no less."

"Rav..."

"I won’t force you to do anything."

His tail swished back to life, curling in an arc behind him.

"But I believe some day you will be the one who decides. At first, I thought it was simply a coincidence. But when I saw you use that power on Oberyn...once you and Alcor explained it to me. I knew for certain."

"I’ve already decided. This is my home. And Oberyn is the one I love. I’m not ending the world, Rav."

"Not today. Not tomorrow."

"Not ever."

"We had this conversation much earlier than I was planning, Ezra. But I am a man of my word. You asked, I answered."

"I don’t want to become your enemy, Rav."

"Nor I, yours," the Ferin replied. "One day, you and I will see eye-to-eye. Whether you convince me to believe in this cursed world again...or whether you come to the same realization I’ve had."

Ezra’s mind raced a million miles a minute. This was all inconceivable. His staunchest ally...wanted the world to end?

It defied logic and common sense, and yet he knew that Rav was serious. Every good deed he’d performed...it was all building toward something.

Was that the reason Rav acted so callously - even lazily, at times? Had he already decided the road to the end was meaningless, and he was just patiently trodding to a definitive end to everything?

Ezra couldn’t believe it. Rav was overindulgent and dismissive, but he wasn’t nihilistic. He was too wise for that...too powerful...

He was also a level 81 Magician known as a Sage in reverence to his power.

He couldn’t stop Rav - not as he was. But was Rav the villain, here? His ultimate goal?

If he was...could Ezra be a villain, too?

"It was never my intention to mislead you, Ezra," Rav said, life returning to his face as he forced a smile. "I’m still the same charming Ferin who you’ve always known, hm? Let’s not fuss over such things. I’m not blowing anything up, not killing anyone. Let’s stick to the original plan, and put this conversation behind us, hm?"

Ezra hesitated. He wasn’t sure if he could push aside such a serious confession.

"Rav. I can do that. But I disagree. I refuse to accept what you’ve said. The world ending...that couldn’t be farther from what I want. This world is beautiful and magical. My world is dark and full of pain. You’ve never been there, you don’t know. Even if there was a way...compared to my world, this is paradise."

"Alcor used to say that, too," Rav smiled. "Until he realized what this world truly was. But by then, he was powerless to stop it. He might still exist, Ezra. But his free will is gone. He belongs to the Storyteller."

A cool breeze blew past them, causing Ezra to tremble slightly from the cold.

"I’d like to stay here for a while, if you don’t mind," Rav said. "Go check on your man. I’m sure he’s wondering where we are by now."

Ezra nodded, taking a step away from Rav.

"Your way isn’t the only way, Rav. I’ll make you see it."

"You’d have to lay out quite a convincing argument," Rav chuckled. "But a certain human and Nephilim duo might be enough to keep me distracted from my goals if I can focus on some other things..."

"Still perverted as ever, Rav."

He swished his tail, waving goodbye.

"One should never blame someone for making their desires known, Ezra. Isn’t that your whole schtick? Catch you later."