True Regret

"True Regret" is the eleventh and last episode of the first season of Decay and Rebirth.

Synopsis
Zircon sees what has become of Homeworld with the attack of the Cluster Disease and begs Zultanite.

Story
There was a door. A former grand door that had been entered and exited more than a thousand times. A door devoid of guards. A door stripped and burned of it's decorations. A door locked and barred against any intruders. One would say it was a barbarian's door, if they didn't know who was inside...

There on a broken old golden throne sat a gem of legendary age, even for a gem. He was a olive green colour, mixed with a bit of light amber. His name was Zultanite. Zultanite, a former legend until the Great Diamond Authority found the truth of his loyalty and stripped him and his doors of everything luxurious. Yet, he had not been shattered. They said he would be useful. In whatever way, he did not know, and did not have enough will to know. Zultanite did not want visitors. He, for his last remaining days, wanted to be alone to endorse himself in his own thoughts and mistakes.

"Hah! I should not have dipped my finger into that techno goop! The nobles realized! Hah!" Zultanite said, muttering to himself. "And when I said 'Cowabunga'? I should've done it without an accent to lower suspicion of mockery!" He hastily added. Zultanite was about to ramble on when he heard a sudden knock at the door. "Who is it?!" Zultanite snapped. He didn't care anymore, even if it was the Diamonds themselves. "S-Sir, it's Zircon." A young and scared voice called out. Zultanite sneered and laughed. "Zircon? Hah! My boy, you are my very death. Yet you expect me to let you in this glory-stripped doors? And would it not be  'embarrassing to see such an old hag that has dropped out of society'?" Zultanite said, his voice laced with a taunting edge. Zircon, however, did not respond. He simply knocked on the door once more. "Zircon, are you teasing me? Teasing me until my death? Amusing me with your fake attempts of... whatever you're attempting?" Zultanite said. "Redemption." Zircon replied, with the voice of a child who had done wrong. "Redemption. Such a distasteful yet brilliant word. Re-demp-tion." Zultanite said, slowly spelling it out. "Please, open the doors! Open the doors for me... Master." Zircon pleaded. At this, Zultanite's temper flared. "You dare call me Master? You dare? You are everything I never wanted you to be! Ignorant, cruel, cold, and obedient to the Diamonds! They have already gobbled you up and there's no going back!" Zultanite shouted with all his might. There was a short silence, and then Zircon tried again. "I beg you master, open the doors for me one more time!" Zircon begged. Zultanite gained control of his temper and sighed. "Enter."

Zircon walked through the barren doors, slowly making his way up the stairs to the throne. "Since you of are such high rank, why don't you just steal this throne from me? Go on! Oh, and steal my metal robe as well. You may as well sell it for a pearl!" Zultanite said snidely. Zircon backed away slightly, bowing his head. Zultanite growled. But, to Zultanite's surprise, Zircon knelt at Zultanite's wrinkled feet, swaying back and forth. Zultanite snorted loudly. "Zircon, you've gone too far. There's no going back." He said, just the tiniest of a hint of kindness hidden in his gruff voice. "Master, master, master... What have I done? What have I done?!" Zircon blurted out suddenly. "Done what?" Zultanite asked. Zircon started to sob. "Nuummite has contracted the disease and everyone's shattering..." Zircon cried. Zultanite remained silent for a short period of time as he watched the tears fall from Zircon's face. Zultanite's gaze softened. "Zircon my boy... It's too late. As I said, there's no going back." Zultanite murmured softly. "There has to be! Nuumm was fine the day before!" Zircon cried out, burying his face with his hands. Zultanite stood up from his throne, the first time in days, and walked over to a nearby window. "There is a prophecy. They said it was hilarious and unreliable. Assumed it was gobble-wobble. Assumed the words of it were of not much more worth than the sounds of silence." Zultanite began. "But, can silence not be turned into something wonderful? Peaceful? Focusing? Relaxing? The words of the prophecy do not rhyme. In fact, it's more of a story rather than a prophecy. A prediction. Sit here, my boy, and let me tell you about one of Moss Opal's dreams, around three centuries ago...

''Moss Opal was standing on a mountainside in his dream. He turned around to face the sun, burning his back. ''

''He looked up at it, trying to figure out how such a beautiful thing could hurt and burn. His dreamt up thoughts, however, were interrupted by a passing butterfly, which amazingly flew right through him.''

''Now he knew he was in a dream. He looked at the sun again, and walked toward the seaside, trying to enjoy the dream while he could.''

''Suddenly, the butterfly came back and raced into where his heart would be, if he was human. ''

''He gasped as the butterfly dragged him through time, catching glimpses of terrible events. One of them was the rise of the Cluster Disease. ''

''It wiped out dozens, hundreds, thousands, and would not be stopped. However, the butterfly morphed into a strange peridot.  ''

''Now, he was confused. As he reached out to touch the butterfly, the butterfly morphed into a pearl, then split into many small particles. ''

He woke up.

At the end of the story, Zircon was looking slightly more hopeful. "A.. A strange peridot? And a pearl? T-They must be the ones who shall save us from this terror! Yes, yes, yes!" Zircon said, laughing with joy. Zultanite's expression grew grave. "You are too giddy right now and you are assuming too much..." Zultanite said sadly. Zircon's happiness died immediately. "Oh..." He muttered disappointedly. "Do not lose all hope." Zultanite replied, trying to cheer his apprentice up a bit. "O-Ok." Zircon sighed.

[Continued in 'Chaos Begins ']