THE IMMORTAL'S FRIEND

Chapter 24: The Real Goal

The next day, when afternoon came, I decided to bring Iris to the mountain called Equal so I could finally tell her about the 12 celestial keys I've collected once we already reached the top.

I was holding her hand to guide her while climbing. After fifteen minutes, I could see that she's already tired because of the sweat on her forehead so I asked her if she wanted to take a rest first.

"I can still climb, don't worry about me." She answered with a smile.

"Do you want me to carry you on my back?" I asked. I can't help but to get worried about her.

She shakes her head as an answer of no.

"You don't need to do it, Galen. I can manage myself." She replied.

Because I know I can't convince her, I didn't ask her anymore and just agreed to climb more. I am still holding her hand while my other hand is holding the book. When we already reached the middle of the mountain, that's when the rain started to pour down.

The way up will be more slippery. It's also getting dark so I told her that we'll just continue to climb tomorrow because we won't be able to reach the top of the mountain tonight. For now, we'll just stay here.

We walked through the middle of the mountain and search for a spot where we could rest. I remember that I need to tell her today about the 12 celestial keys I'm keeping. I was planning to tell her about it once we reached the top of this mountain, but I don't think I can still wait until tomorrow.

I need to tell her the truth now.

"Iris..." I called her name to get her attention.

I succeeded to get her attention when I heard her hummed in response. I gathered all of my courage to tell her the truth, but I didn't get to do it when she noticed something behind me and started to ask about it.

"Look, what is that?" She asked curiously.

Turning my head to where she's pointing at, I also got curious when I saw what it is. It is a big curve stone.

"It looks like a grave." She said.

Out of curiosity, we both walked towards the big stone and stared at it for a minute. There are 3 letters carved on the middle of that stone and all of them are in capital letters.

'A.G.E'

I got frozen from my feet and suddenly can't move. Iris also got frozen when she realized what it is.

"A.G.E?" She questioned.

How can the letters written there are the same as the title of the important book I'm holding? I stared at the big stone for a while until the book on my hand lit up.

"Maybe it's just a coincidence..." Iris said with a force smile after looking at me.

I also want to think that it's just a mere coincidence, but I felt something weird towards that grave and the book that I've been keeping for many years.

Come to think of it. The book doesn't have any words written on it, but I'm still keeping it until now.

Is it really a coincidence? Or is it my fate?

I stopped thinking hard when I felt Iris' warm hand holding mine. I can see in her eyes that she looks troubled because of what's written on the grave, but she smiled to hide the trouble she's feeling.

"Don't mind that grave and let's sleep now. The rain is still pouring. Like what you said, l-let's just continue climbing tomorrow." She said with a low voice.

I agreed with her and we walked 25 steps far from the grave. I saw her used her backpack as a pillow while lying down on the ground.
I don't know how many minutes or hours have passed. My eyes are closed but my mind is awake.

I kept on thinking about the book and the grave as the time passed by and after a few moments, I heard a familiar voice talking to me.

"You should open the book you're holding. You need to read it now, Alios..." the voice said.

I felt my forehead crumpled.

Alios?

Did the voice just called me Alios?

Slowly, I opened my eyes and saw a figure of a girl sitting beside me. Her face was blurry but after a few minutes, I could finally see her face clearly.

Her hair is in pigtails and she's wearing a floral dress now. I can recognized her. She's the same girl I met when I turned into a vampire 7 years ago. She's the one who told me to go to the black forest and the same girl who told me about this mountain and the celestial keys.

Who is she again? I remember that she'd told me her name before but I can't recall it. All I can remember is the name she called me 7 years ago and the same name she calls me now. Alios.

Who really is that Alios? Why does she keep on calling me that?

I looked at Iris who is currently sleeping on my side. Carefully, I opened the book in my hand and my mouth parted when I saw that there are already words written there.

I looked at the girl in pigtails in surprise but she just smiled at me before telling me to read it.

When I started reading the book, I got so confused. It seems like I'm reading a sad tragic story. I don't want to believe everything that's written there. I could feel my heart shattering into pieces as I read each and every word written on its pages.

I have so many questions in my head and even though I want to stop reading it, I still continue until I finally reach the ending of the story.

So those dreams are not just dreams. They are real as they are part of my memories.

I took a quick glance at Iris and wiped the tears that's tempting to fall down from my eyes before I stood up and walked towards the grave carefully—not wanting to wake Iris up.

I stopped in front of the grave and stared at the 3 big letters carved on the middle of the stone.

A.G.E

My chest tightened. I feel like my heart was being pierced by a millions of needles at this very moment.

The 3 big letters on that stone are the same as the title of the book I'm holding.

It is not just a coincidence.

Everything that happened from the very start is all fated. Like the characters in a book that doesn't have any choice but to accept the endings that the author prepared for them.
So that was the reason why I am here at the black forest now...

Alios Galen Eagerton, that's my full name... and this grave in front of me is my own grave. The letters A.G.E stands for my name.

I can finally understand it now. I can now remember my real goal.

I am not here to turn back the time. I don't have any sister to begin with so I'm also not here to search for Shira.

I am here to bring someone back from the dead. That was the reason why I met Iris at this forest.