Midra Lux, Closed Tower, Forbidden Sector of Atlantis,
Fitran did not merely occupy space—he manifested it, drawing the very essence of the world around him into existence. When Romeo finally navigated through the labyrinth of three intricate layers of illusions, five formidable layers of protective spells, and one haunting layer of doubt, he found himself standing before a figure cloaked in deep grey-black. This shadowy presence mirrored the depths of his own uncertainties, situated in the center of a mesmerizing circle of water mirrors that spun slowly, reflecting the turmoil of his inner thoughts.
Enveloping them were the towering walls of the structure, expertly hewn from glossy black stone. These walls bore intricate carvings, each telling a poignant tale of love and betrayal, their artistry subtly illuminated by the ambient light. The dim glow filtering through the stained glass windows painted the floor in kaleidoscopic hues, evoking the shattered dreams and fragmented hopes of his heart. Each chilly gust that swept through the space pierced his skin, carrying with it the damp, musty scent that whispered from tiny fissures in the walls—remnants of the burdens he bore and the gravity of his situation.
A magical vibration enveloped the room, resonating like the slow, rhythmic beating of a heart. This ethereal hum created a symphony of despair that deepened the sacred atmosphere surrounding him. With each heavy breath, Romeo felt his chest quiver—a fierce battle waged within him between his profound love for Fitran and the suffocating responsibilities he bore as a Montague. In the poignant stillness of the room, his fingers formed a tight fist, as if attempting to contain the tumult of swirling emotions inside him. His face, etched with lines of anguish, revealed the struggle, while his gaze shimmered with both hope and sincerity. This space, adorned with elegance yet shrouded in uncertainty, mirrored a soul caught between two worlds—the pure love that elevated him and the cruel politics that sought to bind him.
"I did not come for the politics," Romeo declared, his voice heavy and burdened, each word laden with the weight that pressed down on his heart.
"But you come bearing the weight of politics in your heart," Fitran responded, his eyes fixed on a distant point, as if to avoid the intensity of Romeo's gaze. The room felt suffocating, the atmosphere thickened with profound silence, causing every heartbeat to resonate throughout the space, seemingly trapped in the tension that held them captive. Their voices collided forcefully against the stillness, creating echoes that reflected their inner turmoil and deep uncertainty.
Romeo fell to his knees, the weight of despair pressing down on him as if the very earth conspired against his spirit. A solitary tear traced a path down his cheek, a silent testament to his anguish, as he clutched the cold, unyielding ground beneath him. "Separate me from my legacy. Let Juliet love me free from the shackles of being a Capulet-Montague. Allow us to exist beyond the confines of the mines, the brittle agreements, and the blood-soaked scripts of our families."
Fitran slowly turned his hands, and as though conjured from the depths of the heavens, a vision unfurled from the shimmering surface of the water: a regal Juliet, adorned with a crown, her expression frozen like an eternal winter, devoid of warmth. In stark contrast, Romeo stood alone on a desolate battlefield, the Montague banner fluttering defiantly in his grasp, a solitary figure amidst a cacophony of clashing enemies. In the distance, a modest house nestled on the tundra, where two small figures danced and laughed, a fleeting glimpse of memories forever out of reach.
Fitran finally cast his gaze upon Romeo, and within that deep stare lay an endless black ocean—not darkened by its abyss but rich with all the unrealized possibilities—waves of hope crashing against the shores of peace he had long sought yet never found.
"I can erase your name from the Montague family tree. I can expunge your face from the annals of political memory. I can render you 'stateless'. But…"
"But?" Romeo's voice trembled, a fragile whisper laden with sorrow that pierced the air like the sound of leaves surrendering to the ground as the wind shifts unexpectedly.
"...every departure from this world signifies the profound loss of the ability to safeguard it. Should you surrender yourself to the realm of a ghostly love, you may find yourself unable to protect Juliet from the impending storm of war that threatens to consume us all. In that fate, you would become an ethereal presence, indistinct and intangible... even to the one whose heart you cherish most."
Romeo bit his lip, his eyes shimmering dimly like distant stars reflecting the tumult of emotions brewing within him. The towering walls of the Tower of Seclusion loomed ominously overhead, adorned with intricate carvings of mythical creatures that seemed to whisper echoes of confusion and despair, mirroring the turmoil within his heart. Each elaborate detail sparkled faintly, as though kissed by the warm glow of hanging lanterns, casting a mesmerizing dance of shadows across the cool stone surface. The air around them was heavy and tinged with a slight chill, vibrating with a palpable magic that enveloped their words, as if the very room responded with a gentle rumble to the escalating conflict between Romeo's fervent love and his heavy mantle of Montague duty.
"Then… reshape the world. Create a world where love does not have to be a political sacrifice," he said, his voice trembling with an ember of hope, flickering against the heavy air that surrounded them.
Fitran's lips curled into a faint smile, a glimmer of warmth amidst the tension. For the first time, the aroma of burning candles entwined with the earthy scent of herbs lingered in the space, evoking memories of sacrifices made in the name of love and power. The flickering light cast dancing shadows across his face, imbuing the moment with a sacred quality that sharpened the contrast with the anxious expression etched on Romeo's features. He stood on the precipice of a chasm, caught in the tension between love and duty. As time dragged on, each passing second constricted his heart, the atmosphere tightening around his aspirations like a vise.
"You speak like a poet, not a diplomat. The world you desire… it might exist. But only if you are willing to forsake everything you know about love," replied Fitran, his gaze piercing as if he sought to delve into the fragile heart of Romeo.
"I don't care about the form of love… as long as Juliet can still see me as me," Romeo replied, his voice trembling and face paling, a palpable expression of the turmoil that ripped through him, caught in the relentless tug-of-war between yearning and obligation.
Silence enveloped the room. The water, which had been swirling with a chaotic energy, suddenly stilled. In the cradle of this quietude, a gentle vibration reverberated beneath their feet, carrying whispers of the past, reminders that every tremor within the Closed Tower is forever etched in its ancient stones. Caught between the proud stone walls, the weight on Romeo's soul intensified, pressing down like an anchor dragging him into the depths of despair.
Then, Fitran raised his hand—a subtle motion that ignited a flicker of hope. Yet for Romeo, that spark appeared as an elusive mirage, tantalizingly close yet forever just out of reach, like a distant star fading against the darkened sky.
"Then let us reshape destiny… not to separate love from politics, but to create a love stronger than the system," Fitran declared, his voice resonating with a cold resolve, as unyielding as a steel pillar standing firm against the fiercest of tempests.
With a gaze as piercing as an arrow shot straight through Romeo's heart, the atmosphere around them quivered, reminiscent of ancient wooden walls straining under the oppressive weight of forgotten memories. Romeo felt as though his heart was ensnared in shadows; even as love yearned to flare to life, his obligations as a Montague suffocated his voice, chaining him in silence. He bit his lower lip, trying to suppress the agony radiating from his core, every heartbeat a relentless reminder of the unending conflict within.
"But…"
"That is what I might have done if I were the one back then," Fitran continued, his gaze drifting far beyond the window, lost in a landscape of memories from a past that could never return. He firmly rejected Romeo's request, an echo of his deep disappointment resonating in the chilly air. His cold demeanor matched the stark, snowy expanse outside, highlighting the vast chasm that had formed between them. Inside, turmoil raged on, blurring the delicate lines that separated love from duty.
"I give you this copy so that your love can endure, even in these forced circumstances," Fitran said, his voice trembling with intense emotion, as if each word strained against the weight of his resolve. He earnestly endeavored to convey his reasoning, "This is an act of gratitude I wish to express to him—a bridge to connect the separated souls, a flicker of warmth amidst the coldness of their fates."
"Marry Juliet-Sensei," Fitran stated, his voice resonating like the rich tones of a soulful violin melody that echoed through the stillness of the night. His words appeared to rouse Romeo from an extended slumber, infused with an earnest power that stemmed not from magic, but from deep-seated hope and an overwhelming yearning.
Fitran recalled a cherished moment, a request that indeed came before Juliet and Romeo's fateful meeting.
It was a late afternoon in the enchanting garden behind the ancient temple, Al-Hazard, nestled within the vibrant city of Thirtos.
The sky was an intricate tapestry woven with gathering purple clouds, casting an ethereal glow as dusk settled in. The delicate cherry blossom leaves, typically bursting into bloom during spring, fell like unseasonal snowflakes, creating an enchanting yet disconcerting spectacle. Within this blend of beauty and peculiarity, Juliet beckoned Fitran to join her for what would be their final rendezvous.
"Isn't this forbidden? A bride-to-be inviting another man out," Fitran pondered playfully, his tone laced with charm, though beneath it lingered an undercurrent of doubt.
Juliet stood alone amidst the tranquil embrace of the night, the silence embellished by the soft susurration of the breeze and the gentle symphony of nature awakening. In this poignant ambiance, she whispered a name that dwelled solely in her thoughts, a name that once filled the chambers of her heart, now tumultuous with conflicting emotions.
"Fitran."
He knew that name wasn't tethered to any known lineage, yet it echoed with the enchanting whispers of magic, resonating with unrecorded melodies in the fabric of the world. As he had foreseen, a figure emerged from the shadows of the dimly lit garden, gliding with a grace that seemed to transcend time and space, each movement as silent as a breath of air. Drawn by an unseen force, his presence ignited a flicker of curiosity and unspoken hope in the stillness of the night.
Fitran sensed a heavy wave stirring within Juliet's heart, a tumult of emotions surging with such intense poignancy that it stung sharply, weaving an intricate tapestry of complexity between them.
"You called me before the binding day. Why?" Fitran inquired, his voice shifting to seriousness, each word laced with an unmistakable tension.
Juliet clasped the pendant that hung around her neck—a relic not of enchantment, but a cherished belonging of Romeo. It was a simple object, yet it radiated the essence of humanity and the profound depth of genuine love.
"Because I know you have woven the threads of fate around us. I know Romeo… will ask you to alter his memories," she replied, her voice imbued with weight and profound significance, each syllable punctuating the air with urgency.
Fitran remained silent, his quietude serving as both acknowledgment and a reluctant admission of the bond that had already been forged in the shadows of fate.
Juliet advanced step by determined step, conviction evident in every stride. Their eyes locked in a gaze of fierce intensity, devoid of fear, only sharpened resolve, as if they held the power to pierce through the unseen barriers that divided their hearts.
"Don't continue," she whispered, her voice trembling like a fragile leaf rustling in the stillness of the night.
"If he is forgotten, then this marriage is merely a charade of two empty shadows. Stripped of its wounds and history, my love for him is nothing but an illusion—one that you have created," she continued, each word cutting through the silence with painful clarity.
"I beg of you, the one who once filled the void in my heart," she implored, her voice soft yet heavy with the weight of unresolved emotion.
Fitran stared at her, his gaze penetrating and profound, as if he were peeling back the protective walls surrounding their hearts. In that moment, his eyes seemed to capture the essence of both illusion and reality, revealing echoes of the past, the fragility of the present, and the tangled uncertainties of the future.
"If I retreat now... then he will carry the heavy burden of a love deemed wrong by the world. He could be destroyed by the mines, by family drama, or by the relentless tides of history that alter everything," he articulated, his voice steady but quaking beneath the surface of his sorrow.
Juliet bit her lip, a surge of anguish swelling in her chest, and after a moment of struggle, she declared with fierce devotion:
"I would rather love the one who is shattered than the one who appears whole in a way that isn't mine."
Now her eyes sparkled with the dew of unshed tears, each droplet shimmering with the weight of the uncertain future she dreaded. Within her, sadness surged like an unrelenting river, sweeping away hope and drowning every dream she longed to attain. Her heart felt heavy, encumbered by the profound loss that would shadow her every moment if Fitran chose to follow through with his plan.
As tears began to cascade down her cheeks, she uttered her final words—meaningful yet resolute:
"Do not take that memory away," she breathed, her voice a whisper choked with deep emotion.
Juliet felt as if time had suspended in its relentless march, trapping her in a labyrinth woven from sorrow and shattered dreams. That night, the moon appeared shrouded in a veil of clouds, as if it too was aware of the chaos in her heart, unable to articulate the secrets of a forbidden love hidden in the shadows. The once vibrant glimmer of hope diminished to a mere flicker at the end of a dreary tunnel, caught between the possibility of revival and the threat of deeper despair.