"Why do you want him dead?"
Zaire kept badgering Amelia.
Amelia, who was wolfing down crisps and other processed garbage with a satisfied smile, immediately rolled her eyes.
Zaire had asked the same question for the fifth time now.
"Just because."
"You're telling me to kill someone... and... and I've never done anything remotely close to that before. I can't even fathom how I'll feel taking the life out of someone, regardless of who or what kind of person he is... I just want... I don't know, anything to grasp at to help me deal with the... conflict... ahh, forget it. I don't know what I'm talking about."
Zaire rubbed his eyes in frustration. He didn't know how he felt right now.
He wanted some counsel to help him process the current queasiness.
But by the end of his request, he realized one thing: Amelia wasn't the one to give him that grace.
Amelia looked at Zaire.
The 'killing of Messiah' was struck to him.
Zaire was a young guy. Amelia thought that a young guy who wanted to meet his loved one would find it easy to deal with the idea of killing someone—at least until the deed was done.
But seeing Zaire freaking out like this really made her question: Will he ever find the resolve to kill Messiah?
Thus, she made up her mind.
She made up her mind to guide Zaire to the resolution she wanted him to arrive at: Messiah bad.
"Zaire, he will rape me. He has the intent, and there's no stopping him. Forget about this fucked-up world—even in a normal society, it's expected for a completely sensible person to kill a rapist to save a victim. I am the victim in this scenario."
"You're not, though. Why are you like this? You clearly stated earlier you two had an agreement... Of course, I understand the power imbalance; that's why I'm entertaining the idea of killing him. Of course, I also understand that his skills could grow and the concept of consent loses value... and he's already... AAHH! It's just that... you're a terrible human being. And he can be confined. Crippled. Why killed?"
Amelia smiled hollowly.
The conversation wasn't going anywhere. It was pointless.
Clapping her hands, she stood up.
"This is the final thing I'll say. He's a god's apostle. I will take no chances... You signed a contract. You follow through. Tomorrow, I've arranged for you, me, Bright, and Messiah to go scout the Bay Fig. We kill him then and there... I mean you, haha."
"What about Bright? And why can't we just poison Messiah? Be done with this bullshit discreetly?"
"Poisoning I tried. Failed, obviously. And, to show my good will, I'll go out of my way to make sure Bright doesn't intervene."
"How?"
Amelia flashed her whites and replied,
"How? Well... voilà—you don't need to know every-fucking-thing."
*****
The sun was down, and the waxing moon illuminated the otherwise black sky.
The purple blot was still there, but much more restrained.
Zaire was currently driving a bike.
A sport bike.
He was going around 100 km/h.
Extremely risky, especially in the current state of the roads.
But he couldn't care less.
His mind was buzzing, making noises he wanted to drown out. And what better way than a motorbike's growling engine?
Zaire was going to an important place of his.
The place he'd cremated Ari.
The place where he'd really connected with Nala.
The scenic spot that had helped him grow.
Tomorrow was going to be another pivotal day for him.
He would grow. Good or bad? He didn't know.
But he would brace for it. With his best friend, Ari.
A quiet place with his favorite bud.
What's not to love about that?
*****
Dear Zaire,
Hopefully you come here, and hopefully you get this message.
If you are not named Zaire, please don't read further. If you do, your mother failed to raise you well.
Anyway, Zaire,
I am fine. I really am. Don't let others manipulate you using my name.
I hope you are well, too. You probably are if you're here.
Talking like this is rather confining, but yeah, Zaire—I will be there for you.
Hopefully you understand the following text:
I can vanish.
I vanished, and people whispered.
The Habsburg and the Empress.
The Empress is your champion and the nurse.
I was the bargain for the Habsburg's dirty desire.
I had to vanish.
And I did.
In Teal City I am for reinforcement.
The vanisher is coming for you.
Sit tight, dress well, and be ready.
Okay, I will be disappointed if you can't connect the dots.
Also, don't you dare cringe while calling me corny.
You're doing exactly that, aren't you?
Fuck you,
Love,
Nala
Zaire leaned against the tree near the pyre.
Currently, he was cringing hard reading the poem.
On everybody's life except mine, I will pull her leg for this.
The warm smile he'd worn reading the letter for the fourth time finally disappeared.
The giddiness of finding Nala's letter vanished, and realization struck Zaire.
Amelia had duped him.
Nala was safe.
The biggest reason for Zaire to kill Messiah had suddenly disappeared.