Yuseirra Tales

In the beginning, the gods of Time and Light were born from darkness. Hand in hand, they emerged from the rifts in the void and surveyed their surroundings.

The god of Light spoke: "In this empty darkness, all feels hollow. Here, there is neither chaos nor order. Nothing holds meaning."

Facing them, the god of Time replied: "Yesterday is the same as today. Nothing changes or grows. Only we know of this emptiness—such a shame."

Together, they stood and declared: "I will bring light to this place." "Then I will bring order to this place." "So that all may know what is up and what is down." "So that all may know when is yesterday and when is tomorrow."

Thus, they scattered pieces of themselves into the darkness, and from these fragments, the world was born. Now, the world turns under the light and flows within the bounds of time, bound by set laws.

The magician is the only being who diverges from the world’s rules. All the more so, they are warned to refrain from meddling. For they are mere byproducts of fragments that should have faded away after creating the world. Their existence does not align with perfection.

Many magicians have already disappeared. I will, too, in time.

***

“Are you a magician, mister?”

Those were the words of a young child, eyes wide with innocence, that sparked everything. Without thinking, I answered, "Yes, I am."

There was no need to hide it. Still, magicians rarely revealed themselves. It was an unspoken rule that kept them from unnecessary entanglements with the world.

"I’ve lived for a thousand years, or maybe ten thousand… perhaps even longer. I’ve been here since the world began."

But something about this child—the innocent curiosity and the refreshing boldness—compelled me to answer, and I responded with a hint of humor, speaking in a slightly exaggerated tone.

"I am Laden, the Magician of Crossroads."

Surely, she would soon forget. And even if she didn’t, a human child is born only to return to the earth swiftly. If it became bothersome, I could simply disappear for a while as I had before.

Or so I thought back then.

To be saying this now means, in the end, things didn’t go as planned.

***

Despite their abilities, magicians do not live among people or flaunt their powers. It’s simple—they were not made for that. Because magicians are fragments of the gods who should have built and then vanished from the world, the more they use their powers, the more they lose their will, gradually becoming part of the world itself.

When the world still remembered the gods, magicians were revered. Called “fragments of the divine,” they would step forth, nurturing the creations beloved by their gods and fading only after fulfilling their roles. Those who wished to interfere excessively with the world were either stopped by other fragments or disappeared naturally, following the flow of cause and effect.

And those who vanished—only other fragments retained any memory of them. By now, few remember, and only the fragments who value quiet, solitary lives remain.

In a world where the divine is no longer remembered, they became known as "magicians," existing only as ghostly tales or ancient legends.

If no one remembers you, are you truly there? If no one acknowledges your existence, are you truly alive?

We exist. We were here. But if all of us disappear, if that day comes… then, our existence would be as if it had never been.

Was it too greedy to hope that someone would remember us? Some grew attached to humans, hoping they’d be remembered, though in the end, it was all in vain. Still, I think, in their final moments, they were happy.

How do I know? Well, wouldn’t you know better?

Oh, don’t play innocent. If you don’t know, then who would? You, of all people, should know how to make a choice without regret. You, the Magician of Crossroads. Yes, you.

***

The meaning behind the title "Magician of Crossroads" might make you curious. To put it simply, it means this: “Foreknowledge.”

As a fragment of the god of Time, I can see the future—more precisely, I know the outcome of my actions. Thus, in moments of choice, I can decide in advance what action will benefit me.

Though faint, this power is indeed akin to divine authority, a gift bestowed solely upon me. It’s why I’ve survived for so long and why some even call me the greatest magician. But this ability is also a curse. There are inevitabilities one cannot avoid. What good are crossroads if you cannot choose either path? This power merely offers a chance to select the lesser evil, forcing me to walk a road of despair, fully aware of the outcome.

And there’s another flaw: though I see the outcome, I cannot see the path that leads there.

So, when I unwittingly glimpsed the child’s future, I was struck with alarm.

Because from the moment she became entangled with me, this child’s fate—regardless of the form—was sealed to end in death because of me.

That was something I realized after our third meeting. Despite my warnings, she somehow managed to find me, even as I secluded myself deep in the forest. Exasperated and unsure how to shake her off, I resorted to my power.

Yet an entirely unexpected result came forth. Normally, I’d see only the near future consequences of my actions. But this time, I saw nothing at all—just a clear end of death at the end of all possible paths, with no way to avoid it. It was a prophecy, absolute and inescapable.

But why? How could it be? There was no way for me to understand what could lead to such an outcome. It was something beyond my control.

In disbelief, I tried using my ability again, only to find the same result.

It had been a long time since something shocked me like that. The child, oblivious, had approached and tugged on my sleeve.

"I found you."

So carefree. Out of sheer curiosity, I tried using my power once more, imagining I might run far and hide.

The outcome?

She stumbles in the forest, meets her end in an accident.

Unbelievable.

"Do you like hide-and-seek that much, mister? You made it hard to find you this time!"

If I erased her memory of me, what would happen? Is there still one who could do that? No—she might die before I even find such a person.

"And you know, mister, your head sparkles so bright! I can see it from far away!"