stefan3B went outside after washing his face. The city felt hollow as everyone already bunched together at the celebration. He let out a soft sigh as he put his hands in the pockets of his pants then began walking towards the aforementioned place.

  “Why. Why do I have to go there? Didn't they cause me enough pain? I've gotten what I wanted, what more would they want from me? The world is saved. They don't need me anymore, do they?.” stefan3B thought to himself as he zoned out while walking.

  After a few minutes he eventually reaches the gathering. Right before he took the corner, he saw the thousands of gathered elementalists, the stage, the wizards, Ares, Darius and… a big green board. On that board, the names of the Royal Guards were written alongside dozens of celebratory chants. ‘Radu’, ‘Darius’, ‘Ares’ and… ‘stefan3B’...

  stefan3B’s eyes widened instantly upon seeing the way his name was written. It felt off. It was off.

  “Why does my name start with…”

  And then it all connected.

  “The name of an object… doesn't start… with a capital letter…” stefan3B said to himself, with widened eyes upon realizing this.

  With his left hand he supported himself against the building, his right arm clenching around his heart.

  “They see me… as a weapon… it's true…”

  stefan3B frowned, his body shaking with a weird sense of anger. Suddenly, he forced himself to stop. He stood straight and turned around, ready to leave. Radu was arriving at the celebration as well. He walked in front of stefan3B. stefan3B raised his eyes to meet him. Radu, seeing the saddened expression on his face, knew that he wouldn't be attending the celebration, and so, he didn't want to try to convince him to come. Instead, Radu nodded softly with a stern expression before walking past him. stefan3B clenched his hoodie within his hands as he began to shed tears again.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “A tool… a weapon…” stefan3B repeated in his mind before wiping off his tears.

  Radu walked over straight to Cat, standing in front of him.

  “You might want to go talk with him.” Radu said as he looked down at Cat.

  Cat looked up at Radu, surprised.

  “Me?... That guy probably hates me. What am I supposed to do about it?”

  “Just go. You're supposed to be the wise one here, not those… those clowns in robes behind me…”

  Cat's expression turned serious. He nodded before hopping off and floating away to stefan3B.

  stefan3B began walking away from the gathering, when he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

  “Hey.”

  stefan3B suddenly froze. With his memories brought back, he knew exactly who he's dealing with.

  “You used me. You placed this curse upon me.” stefan3B said with hatred in his tone.

  “It was a necessary evil. No one other than you would've been able to do it.”

  None of them replied for 3 seconds.

  “Then…” stefan3B said before looking over his shoulder. “...I would've preferred to see this world crumble to dust.”

  Cat looked at stefan3B with a soft expression, knowing that he was a great cause for the state he's in.

  “How can I make up for it?”

  “You can't. But, the least you could do… Is to send me back there.”

  “In Purgatory?”

  “Yes. In Purgatory.”

  “Why are you so fond of that place to begin with?”

  stefan3B chuckled.

  “Wouldn't you like to know, robot boy~?”

  Despite stefan3B smiling, Cat couldn't bring himself to do so at all.

  “Alright then. If that's your wish… I will grant it.” Cat said before opening a portal to his workshop.

  Both of them went through it before closing. stefan3B stepped on the teleporter carpet.

  “This place smells like shit. Your coffee is disgusting.” stefan3B said with a cheeky tone.

  Cat floated over to the machine, with the same sad expression. He turned to stefan3B and then silently pulled down the lever.

  END OF SEASON 3: ADAPT