Sitting alone on the bench, Solomon stared down at his own feet after everyone had left to their own devices, leaving himself in this place with nothing but his thoughts as company. He hadn't realized how cold and quiet it had been since he was too preoccupied by everything that transpired this day.
There was a gentle breeze in the air, carrying a slight chill from the mountains. The sky above was a mixture of pale pink and orange hues, signaling the impending sunset. The faint sounds of birds chirping in the trees could be heard in the distance.
As the sun sank lower and lower in the sky, the temperature began to drop, and the scent of freshly cut grass wafted through the air for each breath he drew. Solomon felt the coolness of his breath on his lips and nose. The wind seemed to carry an almost sweet aroma, which complimented the crisp smell of damp leaves falling down near his side.
What is the point of this? Revenge is an option, but then what? His father figure wouldn't want him to continue a path of vengeance but peace and self-reflection. And even then, if he decides to go through it, killing them won't bring his friends back.
While he clearly missed Seth the most, Genno and the traitorous Bruno still hold a special place in his heart. All of them are like good friends, despite not being very close with the other two. Although Bruno was a difficult part to think of,.
"That bastard," gritting his teeth, can't believe in that moron. "Why did you do it?" He doesn't understand the poet's motivation for betraying their trust like this and doing something so unforgivable as if he is doing this out of some sick entertainment.
Perhaps Bruno was interested in power or knowledge in some form. Maybe he is doing this to appease Cinder, who is pulling the strings here, or maybe it is just some odd notion to prove a point that he is better than the rest by taking matters into his own hands. Whatever the case may be, Solomon is angry at having his trust broken.
But Seth has told him to forgive others, so by doing so, God will forgive him of all of his sins. Thinking it through, it will be wise to do so after everything has happened, for that man is already dead and buried somewhere.
Yet, it doesn't feel right in any way, knowing how it will bring him deeper into sin and pain if he chooses this route of hatred and rejection alone. None of this is good to have, after all. "So what should I do then?" He wondered to himself, looking up to see the now-raised moon in the nighttime.
Above him, there is a vast expanse of twinkling stars. They lit up the heavens and reflected his own eyes, twinkling and shining down upon Solomon's weary heart as the celestial bodies twinkled and danced across the night sky, creating a majestic symphony of light against the darkness of space.
From far away, the night seemed tranquil and calm, with no hint of danger lurking in the shadows, but up close, things were anything but quiet. There is no sound of crickets chirping or cicadas buzzing as one might expect during a spring night; instead, there are only noises of the calm breeze blowing through the open area all around.
Sadness engulfed his heart once more when it brought him back to the days of happier times, when everyone was alive in Lighthaven and Judith was alive. He is cursed to rethink the possible scenarios of changing everything, reflecting how he should've done something else that would have prevented situations like this.
Now he has to accept the things he can't control, and it pains him to know that. The world itself is extremely unfair, cruel, and unjustified, for while Solomon can change some things, the past cannot be changed by him or anyone else.
Sighing terribly, he lowered his head and stood up before approaching the large pond in front of him, stopping just close enough to see his own reflection on its watery surface. The ripples in the water slightly distorted his image, which he found to be slightly amusing.
He was exhausted, sad, and unable to let go of the possible things he could have changed to prevent any of this from happening. It is the first time in a long time that Solomon finally broke down and sobbed miserably while being forced to stare down at his own depressing reflection.
Tears were rolling down his cheeks as the guilt consumed his very being, and his heart ached so badly that he swore it would burst at any minute. No matter how much he tried to ignore it or push it aside, the feeling always lingered in the back.
What if he did that or did this? What if this had never happened? What if he had discovered Bruno's plot before Seth's execution? There were so many questions and so many possibilities that he wished were true, yet none of them actually mattered.
This is real life, and it's excruciating to accept it. The bitter truth is that no matter how much one wishes otherwise, bad things do happen regardless of what choices he makes, and things have consequences for actions that affect others.
Just the mere thought of these things makes him want to die again. Feelings of weakness, vulnerability, and insignificance gnawed at him like a starving predator, begging him for release. He is trapped in this boring world, lost within the tangle of his own emotions while being alone.
He wants to die already; he can't fathom wanting to live anymore. More deaths was too much, but now another? Its beginning to make him consider what choice will make him less miserable while he is growing tired of this.
Covering his mouth, he watched his own teary eyes fall lots of water down at the pond like a moving river while his chest rapidly rose and fell as sobs ripped themselves free from his lungs. With each passing second, his agony grows greater and greater; each drop of salty liquid burns his face like molten metal, eating away at his skin.
"I want to see you one last time."
When he said those words, a bright light suddenly manifested in front of him at the very pond itself, stopping his bewailing from this intrusion. "What...?" Lifting his head slightly, he noticed that the makeshift structure that Cyan had made was mysteriously gone.
But that isn't his main attention; the radiating figure standing on the pond was none other than Seth, who now wore a bigger, sleeved scarlet robe. Radiating with royalty as it covers his entire body except his own head and face for his once-worn crown was replaced with shining gold one instead.
Blinking, Solomon wasn't sure if he was dreaming or if he was just hallucinating. "Am I asleep?" Confused by the mere sight, "Are you...real?" He is unsure if this is just a figment of his imagination or not due to the overwhelming sorrow he is experiencing.
"What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?"
A smile then grew on Seth upon his own spoken words, "If he finds it, most certainly, I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray. Even so, it is not the will of your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish," causing the boy to cry out of his lungs as he rushed towards him despite the fact he was on water.
Spreading his arms, Solomon immediately wrapped around Seth in a warm embrace, sobbing uncontrollably as the weight of the whole day crashed down upon him along with all the emotions that had built up in his heart. "It's you. It's really you." He said while using the man's robe to wipe away his own tears.
Seth smiled and nodded, patting his head in comfort while allowing the boy to weep freely. "Do you think I would abandon you and those who believe in me?" Stating that question aloud to his son as he gently ran his fingers through the child's soft, messy hair, he said, "I will never forsake anyone who places their faith in me; I love each one of you equally in my eyes, and I will be with you always."
The holy man's kindness and comfort had made Solomon take a step back to give them some space. "Since you are here, that means we can get out of here and settle down to peaceful village, right?" Solomon asked with renewed hopefulness in his eyes, "We can be father and son like before!"
A sudden, sharp sting pierced his heart, forcing the holy man to lower his gaze away in order to avoid the child's questioning stares. "Solomon..." Shame and remorse filled Seth's being when he met his son's innocent orbs. "I cannot stay with you in this world, unfortunately."
Disbelief, betrayal, anger, confusion, and many more negative feelings combined in the poor boy's mind while hearing Seth's words echo throughout his entire mind: "What?" Putting all of his shattered hope aside, he does not understand how any of this can be possible.
Shifting uncomfortably, Seth felt his heart breaking more if he said the truth, but it is needed for a child to grow and accept what is inevitable. With great reluctance, the holy man knelt down and carefully placed a hand on the boy's shoulder as to not cause any alarm whatsoever. "I have to go somewhere," he said, trying his best to not break eye contact between them both while remaining composed.
"I-I don't understand!" Solomon's voice trembled with a mixture of outrage and horror. "Where are you going?!" He doesn't understand; none of it is beginning to make sense anymore.
Unable to utter any words, Seth averted his gaze from the boy as tears streamed down his cheeks. "I am returning to my heavenly father soon," pointing upwards above them both into the endless night sky, "to where I belong and the others who died with me."
The boy wanted to scream, shout, and scream at the top of his lungs; it felt like another betrayal again. "After seeing you, your now planning to leave?!" Pain was evident in his eyes while watching Seth's pained expression at such an answer.
"Its the will of God and myself; that is how I must move on in order to find my purpose once more," the holy man stated weakly, holding back his sadness to keep strong composure at the grieving child in front of him. "I pray that one day you will forgive me for that."
Pushing Seth's hand away from him, he took several steps backward. "How...I can't...what..." He doesn't know how to process anymore after hearing these painful news stories. He had grown attached to Seth after all these years, ever since his own mother met him, yet it feels like he was torn away from him.
"Don't worry, little one," standing up with a brave smile, "even after I am gone, my spirit shall always remain with you and everyone else, sharing the troubles and uncertainty of life that throws against you." This brought some comfort to the poor boy who was trying to hold back his own tears at such a realization: "I believe that you can overcome any adversity that stands in your way."
Overcome any adversity? "I...can overcome?" Can he really fight these inner demons alone? Can he not simply rely on Seth to solve these problems for him? "But I can't do this without you! You are the only person, aside from my mother, who I considered to be family!"
Seth understood every single one of the boy's word: "I know, child, I know," softening his gaze to the troubled teen. "Being part of life is growing up and finding the courage to walk your own path," he said, taking a step closer towards the hesitant Solomon. "It is only when you find that path that you can truly begin to experience that which makes living worthwhile. So be at peace in yourself and the world around you, for it is a gift that God has given unto each and every one of us."
With his head down, It wasn't what he wanted to hear, though deep inside he knew that Seth was right. Solomon must face his problems by himself, for he won't always be cared for or protected by someone. He needs to grow up and learn how to become an independent person.
"Do you promise..." Raising his head up, his sorrowful face slowly becoming a bit calmer with a newfound strength emanating from his heart, "that you will never forget me and be with me always?" Wanting at least someone to be with him in this harsh place they call reality.
"I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you."
