For a brief time Ultimecia had felt impressed with the other woman. But that feeling all too soon left as she made a displeased pout with an accompanying “Hmmh.” Yes, Ultimecia could see that it were her very actions that led to her fate. She knew that deep-down she only existed to serve as a catalyst. To become the sole reason for Garden’s founding and to that end, existed only to perpetuate her own death. Such cruel irony that fate had cursed her with! And yet somehow, through nothing short of a miracle, she had somehow survived her predestined death and now walked among the very people she despised. She did not know how that came to be. Perhaps something so tiny, so seemingly insignificant, had happened somewhere down the intricate line of history so that it would spare her. Whatever the reason, it had instilled some degree of confidence in her. If she was able to somehow struggle out of death, then perhaps there would be another timeline yet where her self would prevail over the SeeDs.
It made for a comforting thought at the very least.
“What would it have mattered?” Ultimecia criticized. “You, as a sorceress, should already know that we witches have been hunted since the beginning of our existence. And for no more than what we were gifted with! Once I used to be like you – content, hopeful, and full of dreams. But then I was forced to wake up when the fools decided I was threat! Even if I hadn’t acted, I would still be hunted just the same!”
“It truly is ironic, isn’t it?” Her frown contorted into a wicked, proud grin. “You say that I have ‘sabotaged’ myself, but it was those fools who’ve done it to themselves! They wanted to see the evil, tyrannical witch of their daydreams. And what is exactly what I gave them!”
Though Edea was someone who endeavoured to see the good in everyone, even she was struggling to see that light within Ultimecia. Perhaps her sister was too far gone, too deep in her own fear and delusions of grandeur that there was no coming back from it? And thought she had said that once she had been much like herself, filled with dreams and hopes of a better future, Edea found it difficult to believe.
If that were true, why didn’t she fight harder to show the masses that there was another way to view their kind? That they were not a threat and instead were a gift from Hyne himself? Without knowing the full story of her life before becoming what stood before her in this very moment, Edea couldn’t fathom how she had allowed herself to fall into such a deep pit of despair.
What of her knight? Why hadn’t they protected her? Kept her from drowning in this darkness?
❝ I’m aware of what has befallen us in our past. But do you not see that by giving them their worst fears that you are only setting yourself up for a life of misery? There is another way, sister. ❞
True, the road would be hard and it would be long, but with dedication and patience, they could overturn their fates and become much, much more. Why could she not see this?
❝ --You could have acted in a different way, shown them another way of co-existing with us. For generations we have hidden and lived in fear of the masses, and now... they fear us so greatly that they have rallied against us. Do you not tire of this cycle? The misery, the loneliness... the fear? I only know of one cycle and already I tire of it. Please, see that there is more to life than orchestrating your own demise! ❞
