[Fern]

ENTRY 1

 
Several years ago...

---

 

"That 'pure-hearted care' for others, that willingness to bend your back for someone... it's going to get you killed..."
 
"Julia."
 
I look into my sister's pained eyes as I feel a knot in my throat. Her sobbing is like an agonizing song to my ears, I couldn't stand seeing her get like this every time his miserable face decided to berate her for seeing the wrong thing.
 
"It's... alright. I can understand not wanting to look at someone like me. Compared to you, I'm very stupid. I'm always dragging you down, Civerd..."
 
She smiles at me in a way that wouldn't convince anyone with even the slightest awareness.
 
"Come on. You need to rest."
 
...
 
We were born as Oracles and much later on made consultants by a wealthy Zeran. It was a financially efficient source of income, but not the most pleasant one. After all the guy was an absolute asshole that thought having a pair of stupid horns made him more valuable than any creature in the world. He would always try to use us to figure out the best plan for his next move, and where he should and shouldn't spend his money. What kind of people should serve under him, amongst many other things that would benefit him.
 
My sister was very beautiful, with long light blue hair that extended past her waist and emerald eyes that could make most men get lost in them. But the way she saw herself was like someone that had no place, no worth and no meaningful purpose in existence. In other words... she thought she was trash.
 
We both had visions, whether we liked it or not. But what she kept seeing was very inaccurate, or otherwise not helpful to Curtis. My future sight was either very lucky or very capable, allowing me to witness many circumstances that turned out to be very precise predictions more often than I'd expect. I wouldn't know if either was actually the case. I just knew I hated it.
 
Because nearly every single time I got something right, it was something wrong for her, and it would make Curtis look at her like she was the most useless tool he had ever seen. He didn't treat us well in general... us Corrupted were only defiled beings in the presence of his so-called "gorgeous" blessing after all.
 
We were often seen as freaks, not just by him, but a lot of the people we encountered on the way. Despite that, some others tried to convince us to abandon Curtis and join them as their consultants instead. But none of them looked any better an option - they looked like they were worse. And knowing the Zeran we serve under, we're not exactly in a position to leave him. He'll just try to take us back by force, or worse, punish us.
   
This is hell we've ended up in. And there's no getting out.
 
...
 
"Useless pig!"
  
I arrive to Curtis' room and find my sister crying on the ground. A shiver runs down my spine once I notice a bruise on Julia's arm and I move over to her, getting on my knee and pulling her close.
  
"He did not make an excellent bodyguard! You said that I could get an excellent bodyguard that day, and yet the fool ended up stealing my gold rather than protecting it! Get out of my room!"
  
Curtis' turns away from us after raising his voice and begins marching away. I attempt to reassure Julia that everything will be fine, and take her to our room as soon as I can.
  
"Julia, I--"
  
"Let me go..."
  
"Of course I won't, he hurt you!"
 
"Civerd."
  
My eyes widen as heat rapidly fills up my head. I can feel the sweat running down my face.

 

"You are really amazing. You have always been able to plan ahead for so many things, you know so much about the world and things I don't really understand. It's no wonder that your future sight is the way it is..."

 

No, you're wrong...

 

"People like me only tend to get in the way of those that are special. I wanted to make people smile, not hate me. I want everyone to be happy."

 

"You can't please everyone, Julia. Curtis is just a rotten bastard--"

 

I'm unable to finish what I'm going to say, stopped by my sister's dim eyes looking at my own. She gives me one of the most vacant smiles I have ever seen.

 

"You're so smart, brother. I love you."

   

I grit my teeth and wrap my arms around Julia as waterfalls begin streaming down my cheeks, spending a silent night with my only family.

 

...

 

"CURTIS!"

 

I kick down Curtis Alden's door and stomp my way towards him. My head feels so hot, like it's about to explode.

 

"What do you want? I am occupied."

 

"She poisoned herself!"

 

"...What?"

 

"SHE TOOK HER OWN LIFE!"

 

He quietly stares at me with wide eyes, blinking a pair of times before shifting them towards nowhere in particular.

 

"Well, it doesn't change much. She hasn't really offered me anything sensible. I supposed I should've expected that from someone inhuman, though."

 

His words dig into my brain like drills. I feel my chest burning and my entire body sweating as my teeth grinds against itself, my eyes remaining locked upon the garbage standing before me.

 

"...CURTIS!!!"

 

I need to release this feeling inside of me. I need to get it out... I need to make him understand everything she went through. I need to make him pay for everything he's done.

 

I charge straight towards him only to be pulled back by one of his more formidable guards, restrained by a mighty force while hopelessly trying to break free.

  

"Iahsus must be causing a tantrum. Get him out of here."

 

I'm forced out of his mansion against my desire to break his skull...

 

Julia, I...

 

...

 

I stare at my miserable reflection in the water, sitting alone in the park at night as rain falls upon me. Memories of the moments she has spent with me barrage my mind and instill my soul with unforgettable pain.

 

I hate all of them. Every single person that frowned upon our existence for simply being born different, every single one that thought they were any better for us for being 'blessed' by some stupid god. None of this would've happened if those imbeciles never ridiculed her image. None of this would've happened if I found some way to escape that nightmare of a monster with her...

 

If only I could do something about it all...

 

"Hello."

 

A man with an umbrella smiles at me.

 

"Who... are you?"

 

"I am ██████████████. I have heard of your misfortune, Civerd... it is a shame."

  

I don't even know this man.

 

"What do you want?"

 

He chuckles.

 

"I'll be straightforward. I've taken note of your potential as an Oracle and would like to see if you're interested in lending me your aid."

 

"Aid...?"

 

"Yes. I would like you to be part of Strega. We seek to erase divinity from existence."

  

I cannot fathom how a man like himself can suddenly approach me and say something like that in such a straightforward manner. I don't understand...

 

"Erase divinity...? Are you insane?"

  

"Perhaps. It is a long-term process, you could say. We will create a large organization that will attempt to seize the Sigrogana Empire and utilize it as a starting point to begin attaching the other nations. Once we've gained such might, we will show our power and force the others to cooperate. All non-human, non-corrupted races will be eliminated so that we may weaken the source of power behind the remaining gods."

 

I cannot believe what I am hearing.

 

"Genocide...?"

 

"Correct."

 

"But... what will you do if the empire can't be conquered? They're a ridiculously strong force."

 

"██████████████"

 

My eyes widen as I hear such revelation. I take a moment to process everything I've heard until this moment.

 

Back then, I wouldn't have had any reason to think about any of this. But all of my family's misery... my own suffering has been caused by those blessed by divinity. Those that haven't been tainted by some unknown force that renders you susceptible to the Hanging Star's whims.

 

My hatred for such scum has immensely grown ever since. Curtis was the match in the powder barrel. This is a chance...

 

A chance to get back at all of them for everything they've done to me. A chance to spit at society and everything it stands for.

 

A chance to release this agonizing emotion inside of me...

 

"Well? Will you join us?"

 

He keeps a smile and extends his hand. My hands curl up into fists and shake.

 

"I..."

 

  

---

A few days later, Curtis Alden was found mysteriously dead in his room, with a sizzling stab wound made by an attack that struck his heart.