Choi Han and the others were preparing themselves since Cale had shown willingness to meet them again the next day. The children were excited and they went to the city to buy some souvenirs and snacks for Cale. Raon, Ohn and Hong were happily shopping with Eruhaben as their guardian. The golden dragon was also looking forward to their meeting again. After all, Cale helped him in prolonging his life. The three children bought all the snacks and things Cale liked using the money they earned.

"Noona, will human love these?" Raon asked, his excitement was visible in his eyes.

"Yes, Cale-nya will definitely love them," Ohn responded.

"I'm so excited to see him again!" Hong said as he leaped from joy. The two other children laughed.

Ron and Vicross were finishing their tasks in their revived household. Vicross wanted to prepare Cale's favorite foods to lift his mood.

Alver was the same. He crammed every paperwork he had so he could have time to spend with Cale the next day. He hadn't seen them for months, Rok Soo really locked Cale up inside the Super Rock Villa. He didn't let any of them, even Cale's family, come to visit them. So all they had to do was wait for Cale to let them in.

Deruth and his family were also the same. They wanted to assign the next day as a special day for him and his family. After the fire, Deruth didn't get a chance to speak with his son again after that. He wanted to apologize. He knew it was already too late but he was somewhat hopeful Cale would forgive him. He wanted to make up for all the days and times they lost.

On the other hand, Choi Han was currently training inside the Palace of Joy. He was extra enthusiastic with his training, even the knights of the highest grade couldn't stand a chance. He was smiling as he sparred with them. Choi Han could finally see Cale again after a long time. He certainly longed for his existence.

All of them planned for what they wanted to talk about and what they and Cale would do to make him happy. Everything was going well until they suddenly felt an extreme headache infesting their minds.

For killing my child, I will grant you the honor of looking at his own memory. You, humans, have the audacity to question his feelings towards you. See for yourself how much my child had to suffer because he believed and loved you, a voice echoed inside their minds.

"Ugh, what is this?" Deruth crouched down. Violan and their children couldn't approach them as they too felt something heavy inside their hearts and minds. Then, memories began popping out inside their heads.

It was Cale Henituse's memories. It started appearing one by one. It also contained memories they weren't familiar with. In every memory shown to them, it was filled with pain, despair, sadness, and betrayal. Yet, Cale's heart remained stubborn.

Every single one of their allies received his memories. In every lifetime Cale had, all of them were happy and free, except for him. He was the only one suffering after they defeated the White Star and the Sealed God.

Cale's screams resonated inside their minds. His begging was endless. His tears seemed bottomless. They all smiled and laughed while Cale was crying and enduring all the pain they inflicted. The heartbreaks, the physical pain, the shame and humiliation—he endured it all. He kept begging and begging for them to release him and listen to him. But not even once did they ever believe him. He was once trash, so they thought he would do those things. But they were gravely wrong.

All of them pushed the most innocent person to his own death. They killed Cale, not just once but plenty of times. Twenty at most. In every lifetime, they abandoned Cale despite him lending his ears and hand when they needed it the most. When they were on the verge of breaking, Cale was there to help them up and encourage them. Cale was weak, that was why at one point they vowed to protect him. However, not all vows were made to keep. They betrayed their own vows and killed Cale Henituse with their own hands.

Then, they saw how Cale was shamed and his pride tainted when he was violated by the knights Alver trusted. They couldn't imagine how painful it was. If it were them, they probably had killed themselves. But Cale was different. He was still hopeful.

Hopeful for the future that doesn't exist.

Hopeful for the love his trusted people would never give him.

Hopeful for a time where they would listen to him.

Hopeful for a moment where they would finally look at him and take their time to keep him company and understand him.

However, they never did. Cale Henituse was unjustly killed over and over again.

Then, a memory locked up deep inside their mind resurfaced. It was Cale's words to them. They couldn't help but tear up to Cale's soothing and comforting voice.

"Dad, don't worry. I am still here, I will not leave you," little Cale said as he embraced his grieving father. Deruth hugged him back as he cried on his son's small shoulder.

Deruth cried. He didn't know how he could atone to his mistakes. His son suffered so much. The voice told him it was his son's memories. I killed my son so many times yet I continued to hurt him when we took him back.

"Ohn, Hong, Raon, you are my precious children. All of you have the right to choose your own happiness. Regardless of what it is, I will be here watching and cheering for you. After all, I love you," Cale smiled as he patted the heads of the three children. Ohn, Hong and Raon smiled at him and hugged him. Cale planted a gentle kiss on their heads.

"Human," Raon cried as big orbs of tears continued to fall from his eyes. Ohn and Hong were the same. The three of them saw how horrible Cale's life was with them. They repaid Cale's love with so much heartbreak. It even cost him his own life.

"Hyung, what do you call this dish? This tastes really great! Can you be my own chef, hyung? I love your cooking!" Little Cale jumped in joy when Vicross nodded. The redhead certainly loved his cooking. When Cale grew up, it took him a lot of courage to call his cooking crappy. After all, Cale loved his food.

"Ron, you're all I have. Father abandoned me. He left me to be with his new wife and son. I don't have a place here anymore, so don't leave me here alone," the little Cale cried in the arms of his butler. The young child would always keep himself inside his room not letting anyone see his vulnerable state. But Cale showed it to Ron. However, the butler broke his promise to come with Choi Han to accomplish his and his son's initial goal leaving the broken and battered Cale inside the home that made him feel alone.

Ron's heart broke as he remembered his precious Young Master's words. He regretted not being able to stay by his side when Cale needed him the most. Even though he treated his Young Master as his own son, he also abandoned him like what Deruth had done. Thoughts swirled inside his heart and mind. Am I still worthy of my young master's trust and love?

"Choi Han! You're bleeding! Come here for a moment!" Cale's voice resonated inside the swordmaster's head.

"We have to treat this as soon as possible. I don't have potions at the moment, ask for Rok Soo-hyung later okay? We cannot let you in that battle with these injuries. You are important in our force. If you die, many people will be sad," Cale continued as he wrapped the bandages in Choi Han's torso and arms.

Choi Han remembered it well. It was the time where he got badly injured and Cale was there to tend to his injuries, even though he badly beaten up Cale before. The redhead showed him kindness and he thought it was his way of making up to his mistakes.

"We won! As expected of Choi Han!" Cale smiled at him. It was the same smile that made his heart flutter. Cale's hair swayed lightly as they welcomed a new dawn. His appearance was ethereal as he basked in the dawn's glow.

Choi Han saw Cale's memories as well. Now he understood why Cale reacted to them like that. He felt rage, not only to himself but everyone who caused him pain. He walked fast and looked for the people who violated him. He was angry beyond belief, not even their enemies had seen this kind of Choi Han.

"Alver-hyung, you should take a rest. You've been working nonstop, you might collapse at this rate," Cale told Alver one night when he snuck inside the Crown Prince's room.

"Why, Cale? Are you worried about my well-being?" Alver asked.

"Of course! Who would fund Rok Soo-hyung if you get sick? Hurry up, sleep here," Cale said as he sat on Alver's bed and patted the space beside him.

Alver indulged the younger one's request and laid on his bed. The Crown Prince held Cale's hand as he felt the redhead's presence comforting despite being deemed as trash by everyone.

"Cale, stay beside me ... forever. Don't ever leave my side. I like you, Cale Henituse," Alver said as he buried his face in Cale's embrace. "Stay within my reach, I can no longer live without you."

Alver froze from the memories shown to him. He told and promised Cale he would love him for all his life, yet he was the one who gave the death sentence. He told Cale he couldn't live without him yet he was the one who removed Cale in his life. In his world.

The Crown Prince, now Emperor, treasured Cale Henituse as if he was a national heritage. He loved him dearly. He spent his time with him. He respected Cale's boundaries. Cale Henituse was different from the rumors he spread so he came to love him. He treasured and worshiped him yet he betrayed his own love.

He was devastated seeing his lover violated like that. He never once touched Cale that way, he waited and asked for his consent. Even kissing was difficult to get permission to.

"I love you, Alver," Cale said with the warmest smile. Alver cried and swore he would kill those bastards who disrespected him.

Then, Alver and Choi Han met. Behind the swordmaster, a group of knights Alver was familiar with. They were the ones in the memories who assaulted Cale. Alver imprisoned them, but they didn't kill them immediately. Those knights needed to suffer the same way Cale suffered.

The group met up inside the Super Rock Villa, they wanted to see Cale. They wanted to apologize for what they've done. The children were crying as they walked, the same way with Cale's siblings, Cale's parents were trembling, Alver and the others were also the same.

As they entered the fifth floor, what welcomed them was their treasured individuals' dead bodies.

Blood curdling screams filled the Super Rock Villa. The children and Cale's family rushed beside them as they cried loudly trying to wake them up. However, their bodies were already cold. They apologized countless times but it all went to deaf ears as the person whom they were apologizing left them forever.

"Cale, my son, I'm so sorry. I am sorry I failed you again," Deruth cried as he cradled his son in his arms. The children gathered by Rok Soo's side as they tried to nudge him.

Alver, Choi Han, Vicross, Ron, and Eruhaben flared with anger. Raon was also the same. The anger and despair deep within their souls burned.

The people who saved them from further despair are gone now. The person who loved and cared for them unconditionally left them. The person who treated them equally despite their differences in races and statuses followed the person he loved and treasured the most, leaving them with no one to care and love for them. They hated it. They truly hated it.

It was painful.

It was gut-wrenching.

They all cursed the gods for doing this scheme.

It was unbearable.

They all cried, apologizing to the air. No matter how much they wished for it, Cale Henituse and Kim Rok Soo will never come back.

"This is all your fault," Choi Han whispered with ill-intent towards Alver. The Emperor turned towards the swordmaster.

"If you didn't order for him to die in the first place, this wouldn't happen!" Choi Han said.

"Why are you only blaming me?! Am I the only one who hurt Cale? You and Vicross tortured him every single day before his execution, remember?!" Alver rebutted.

Alver and Choi Han glared at one another.

"All of us here are to blame, you know! Don't blame me as if you didn't do anything to hurt them, stop pretending you offered him kindness. More than anyone here, you hurt Cale more than we have!" Alver said in contempt.

"If you didn't order for his execution, he wouldn't disappear like this and Rok Soo wouldn't follow him! You spend time with him, he opens up to you compared to any of us! You always bragged how much you love him yet you killed him," Choi Han responded. Alver grabbed the swordmaster by his collar.

"You are just jealous Cale never chose you," Alver whispered.

This made Choi Han throw the Emperor away from him. He was about to unsheathe his sword when Eruhaben came in between them.

"This is not the time for your mundane quarrel. We need to give them a proper funeral, that's the least we could do," the golden dragon said.

The tension halted when the golden dragon used his Dragon Fear. Meanwhile, outside the Super Rock, every single person regained their memories of Cale Henituse. Many people felt sick from the memory. Some even questioned the naivety of the redhead, saying if that happened to them, they'll definitely abandon whoever hurt them. But Cale has always been different from the rest. Majority of their allies did everything they could to release the frustrations and heartbreak they were feeling.

Everyone suddenly got busy preparing for the funeral of Cale and Kim Rok Soo. All their allies mourned for their deaths, some of them didn't know the exact reason how and why the two had to die. Choi Han and Alver remained distant from one another, one cannot even spot them in the same room. Vicross and Ron prepared all the things their former young master's favorite things to place on his coffin. The children did the same thing for their Kim Rok Soo.

It was a gloomy and rainy day when the funeral was held. The whole western and eastern continents mourned for the loss of the heroes. They apologized but the person they were sorry for could no longer hear their regrets. All they could remember was the sweet smile and laughter of their Cale. Some couldn't blame Rok Soo's decision, they all knew Cale was a precious entity to Kim Rok Soo. They knew Rok Soo will never leave the redhead's side, be it in the mortal land or in the afterlife.

After the funeral, everyone had to go back to their normal routine. However, all the people close to the two kept having nightmares. They kept seeing Cale in their dreams and Rok Soo blamed them. They could hear the redhead's cries and pleas, they could hear his screams and begging for his tormentors' mercy. They could see the clear faces of the people who hurt him: Vicross, Choi Han, Alver's knights, Deruth and many more. They could see their supposed friends and allies cold stares towards Cale Henituse. The face Cale made when his judgment was passed down was something they could never forget. It was etched inside their brains and hearts. This agony continued for so many days.

Then days turned to months, it was always the same. Most of their performances dropped significantly due to sleepless nights. No matter how much they forced themselves to forget everything, it was futile. Raon was not doing fine, he had it worse. Eruhaben was looking after him and he was afraid that if this continued the black dragon might go berserk. Ohn and Hong were no better, they started getting aggressive and their temper took a turn for the worse.

Most of their allies don't have any more qualms killing off people to release some steam. Choi Han kept the knights who violated Cale alive, he beat them up everyday then when they were about to die, he would give them potions to recover. People kept pointing fingers at who was at fault, every single person in the continents were walking on eggshells. They just acquired the peace on the land, they couldn't risk starting war again.

A year after Cale and Rok Soo died, all hell broke loose. 

... to be continued