No Good Person

Chapter 9: The Play

My eyes opened to reveal Ragniel as he looked over me.

He smiled.

I pulled up and tried to punch him, but my hand slowly stopped just before it hit his face.

Ragniel sighed.

"I know things up to this point haven't exactly been... well I..."

Ragniel helped me sit up.

I'm in a bed?

I am shirtless... and covered in bandages...

Ragniel stepped away from the bedside.

"You were... it wasn't planned for you to be abandoned in such a way... but be sure I have taken punishment into my own hands. Regardless... how are you?"

I stayed silent for a moment.

How am I...?

Heh... heheheh....

"Don't you see the bandages?

Ragniel closed his eyes.

"It's hard not to..."

I sat up onto the side of the bed as I stared at Ragniel.

"So... what now...? Need me to kill more innocent people?"

Ragniel shook his head.

"I understand your concern, however-"
"WHAT?"
Ragniel sighed deeply.

"Beginning of Act 2, the Valiant. 'As the three brothers slowly began to drift apart, to each they had their goals. The youngest stayed with the old-whilst the middle child was left alone with the few who followed him. Three brothers, three coffins, waiting at the end of the line. If one was to tie the rope around the neck, the other would surely push them off the end of the gallows. Death follows the Valiant, for one who is Valiant is one who is dead and can no longer be corrupted."

I looked at Ragniel with a sharp stare.

"How... just explain to me... why do you know my grandfather's play?"

Ragniel stayed silent but picked up three small booklets from the table next to him and threw them at my feet.

These-?!

Ragniel looked at them in despair.

"Yes... these are the original copies of acts one through three-of course... how would I get them?"

My grandfather died five years ago... in that accident...

Some say he was murdered... but I thought... was it no accident?

Was my grandfather and I...

Why can't I recall-?

"How did you get these...? You shouldn't have these!"
Ragniel closed his eyes.

"I'm afraid you don't see the connections from one reality to another. The play... the one your 'grandfather' wrote is simply a parallel from this world to the one described in the book-however the one in our own world is in a much... a much darker one..."
"I don't get what you're saying..."

Ragniel covered his face with his hand.

"Three brothers... one wanted to marry the princess to take over the kingdom and use it to make himself great, and another only wanted to marry the princess so he could control the kingdom as a ruler... whilst the last didn't want the kingdom, but the girl and his brothers. So... let's say that your grandfather is the youngest. In this cast of characters who would I be?"