Chapter 120: Those Deep In Our Hearts

While they marched through the damp lands, Jacob held on to Maria’s hand tighter than he ever has before. Even if he was acting tough, the fight he had to partake in was taking a toll on his mental well-being. He was forced to kill the love of his life with his own hands. The sounds of his punches hitting her, her voice pleading for him that she loves him, and the looks she gave him were all burned into his brain. Even though he knew it was just a trial, that it was all fake, he couldn’t help but feel ashamed.

Everyone in the group seemed to share the same feeling of guilt, but no one was willing to share what had happened to them... until Lidia finally broke the silence.

"I had to fight my own daughter in my vision. I know Squabee said that we had to fight someone who was closest to our hearts. For me, that was my late daughter Iris."

Small tears welled in the corner of Lidia’s deep brown eyes.

"I don’t know how the thing managed to look so much like her. It got her way of talking wrong and her eyes were shaped differently. Even with these imperfections, it still looked so much like her. I still had to... you know. But I can’t hide it from anyone. I’m still guilty. You all need to know how much of a monster I am. I snapped my own daughter’s neck. He body went limp in my hands. I knew she wasn’t real, but it still felt so wrong. I can’t hide something like that from my friends. There’s no way I can."

Lidia started sniffling as she walked. Jacob walked up to her and patted her back before looking at the ground.

"I saw Maria. I knew it wasn’t her the moment I saw her eye color. Her mark was also missing on her left arm. Even so... it came at me with my own sword. I tried my best not to fight it. Eventually, I couldn’t bear seeing myself hurt someone who looked like her, so I blindfolded myself to do it."

Jacob sighed deeply before he continued.

"Forty-one punches, twenty-three kicks, a hand through the eye, a broken jaw, and a broken neck. It choked to death on my blood leaking from my missing nose as my hands closed on its throat. That’s what it took for me. If anyone’s the monster, it’s me. Even though I didn’t see it, I still feel the blood on my hands from the fight."

Maria joined in the conversation.

"I saw Jacob. Four broken limbs, knocked all his teeth out, shattered his ribs, and gave him a concussion. He ended up seizing to death before I could finish the job because I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t look at him and do it. I should have been more merciful. I’m so sorry."

Doc’s voice rang low behind them. He strangely refused to look at Jacob while everyone talked. Lidia asked everyone else who they saw or if they were willing to share their experience.

"If you all tell us, it may make the burden feel lighter. I can tell you for certain I feel a little more at peace, if not better."

Doc scratched his head and exhaled loudly.

"I saw Rose, Jacob’s mom. Except, something crazy happened in mine."

Jacob was suddenly extremely interested and looked back at Doc with awe.

"What is it? What happened?"

"The creature was somehow affected when it copied Rose. It was like she was really there. Sure, there was a flaw in her appearance with a missing eyebrow, but it was able to speak fluently and sounded just like her. But that’s not the crazy part."

Jacob walked slowed down and put his hand on Doc’s shoulder.

"Are you sure you want to share?"

Doc nodded his head.

"I’m sure."

When Doc was knocked down by the large purple explosion, he tried his best to stand up as fast as possible and see the condition everyone was in. However, when he stood up, everyone seemed to completely disappear. He was the only one in the marsh. He studied his surroundings more, even looking into the lake to see if they fell in. However, there wasn’t as much as a ripple on its calm surface. Then he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Uncle Sam?"

Doc turned around and saw his niece, Rose, standing before him. She was wearing a decorated white dress with red highlights and long sleeves. A beautiful skirt covered her legs as she walked. Her smile, her eyes, her hair, everything about her seemed to be real. However, she was missing an eyebrow.

"Rose? Is it really you?"

Rose seemed to study herself.

"I think it’s me. Hm. I’m not supposed to be here, am I?"

Doc seemed to pale hearing her say this.

"What... how is this possible? I thought you died. Why are you here? Where is Jacob and everyone else?"

Rose looked at him confused.

"I’m not sure what you’re talking about. It’s only me here. But you are right. I am supposed to be dead. I wonder why I’m here."

Rose walked over to the lake and studied her reflection. She smiled brightly seeing her missing eyebrow.

"I see. So, I’m not supposed to be here after all."

She looked over at Doc with a bright smile.

"You got yourself in quite a pickle, Uncle Sam. Why are you exploring so far outside the kingdom?"

Doc looked at her in disbelief.

"What’s going on? How do you know my name?"

"I’m a trial, silly. It looks like you messed with those weird, masked people or something. Only they have trials like these as far as I’m aware. I’m very flattered that you care so much about me!"

Doc still stared at her at a loss for words.

"Oh. Sorry, I’ll explain for you if you would like."

She walked over to Doc and sat down with him while staring at the quiet river.

"I can’t believe this is happening. It just doesn’t feel real."

"I can’t believe it either. However, we don’t have a lot of time so I would recommend you say whatever it is you want to say to me as soon as possible."

"Why don’t we have a lot of time?"

"This trial will kill you if you can’t kill me by the time that fake sun sets over there."

"You keep saying trial. What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, I have to die or you can never leave this fake space you were put in. It’s supposed to be some loyalty thing or something to show if you are following them, you need to kill what’s close to you to find them. Crazy bastards."

Doc stared at her incredulously.

"You have to die?! But I can’t kill you! There’s no way I can bring myself to do that!"

Rose smiled and slowly stood up.

"Which is why you won’t."

Doc watched her walk towards a thick tree that was hidden in the marsh behind tall grass, grab a stick, and started sharpening it against a rock.

"All your friends are probably going through a similar trial. I’m happy to hear you made some friends outside of Arthur. They must mean a lot to you for you to be travelling with them outside the kingdom."

"They do mean a lot. They’ve showed me many wonderful things and have tested my patience beyond anything."

Rose laughed hearing this comment.

"It seems some things never change."

She pushed her finger against the end of the stick to test its sharpness.

"Please, if a trial like this ever comes up again, you have to kill me. I’m not real."

"I just don’t understand. You are talking, you are aware, how are you not real?"

"Because the real me would never do this. I’ll tell Arthur you said hi. Goodbye, Uncle."

Right as she finished talking, she drove the stake through her own eye and went completely limp. Doc rushed over to try and help her, but the illusion was already fading. All he could do was watch in horror as his niece bled to death on the marsh grass before disappearing for good.