Text Afterworld

[KHLegendIII 709]

This was interesting to read.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

To KHLegendIII, thanks, I'm glad you liked the chapter!

 

Good evening everyone, I hope that all of you are doing okay! So then, now with the stage set for a crucial part of the story, we’re going to be seeing how each of the characters from Zaria’s company fare in facing themselves. What they will come across is yet to be seen! The first of whom we’ll see what happens is with old Grim! So I invite you to take a seat, relax and enjoy the chapter! Enjoy, my loyal followers!

 

Chapter Twenty Nine: A Hard Life

 

                “What is this…where am I?” Grim asked aloud, as he found that he couldn’t see at the moment. All he could see was a blinding light, and so he had to avert his gaze. Suddenly, he felt a soothing breeze pass by him. That’s when he uncovered his eyes, and he saw before him something that he hadn’t seen in a long time…in fact, something he hadn’t seen since his younger years!

 

(Start Song Here)

                “Is this…?” he thought, as he let the rest of his thoughts play out in his mind. He walked through an expansive field that was neatly trimmed, with a pathway leading to a house that was shaded by two big trees that extended long and had many leaves! He walked towards the house and walked up to the porch, and he touched the texture of the pillars and the stairs.

 

                “How can this be…? This…this is my home!” he thought to himself. He then reached out for the door and opened it, and once inside the house, he found that everything was emptied. There was nothing but the empty feeling of solitude emanating from the walls. Then he felt someone behind him, and he quickly turned around, only to see that it was the light, who was standing in a corner of what used to be the living room.

 

                “This is a place from your memory…your home, it seems. It looks beautiful.” the light contemplated, as she looked towards the ceiling and saw a small candelabra looming above, dusted and filled with cobwebs. She also noticed that the walls had webs sticking at the corners.

 

                “Yes…it was a beautiful place. I had a family once…well, a wife, but still, she was family. She was my whole world…” Grim said, as he reminisced of this woman.

 

                “And what happened to her?” the light asked. Grim remained silent for a moment, almost as if he couldn’t speak. He cupped his face in his hands, and he could feel the tears coming. But he stopped and held the tears. He shook his head, and as he continued to walk, heading towards the hallway, he noticed that the imagery and the environment were changing! Of course, Grim knew that this was an illusion, so it didn’t really take him by surprise!  Soon, the environment changed to a hospital. It was Eternia Glade’s top hospital, and there, in a blackened hallway, the only light emanating was the one coming from one singular hospital room. The door was wide open, and there was someone laying on a bed. Grim began to shake, and he took a few steps back.

 

                “No…it can’t be…” he stammered, but then, he felt the light placing a hand on his shoulder.

 

                “She is the one whom you were referring to, am I right?” the light inquired, searching his face for an answer. Grim remained quiet, and instead of answering, he walked towards the door. Curiosity had gotten the best of him, and if this was truly her, he had to look at her again, for one last time!

 

                He slowly walked into the room, and there she was. A beautiful woman with raven black hair that curled at the bottom, reaching all the way to her thighs. Her skin a creamy, soothing white, and her face, fair and entrancing, but filled with sadness. She looked to be asleep. There was a chair near the bed, and Grim pulled it up and sat beside the woman, looking at her but not daring to touch her. The light remained in the corner of the room, and she looked at Grim as he looked at his sleeping wife.

 

                “Tamara…she and I wanted to have a baby. Boy or girl, it didn’t matter. We wanted to raise a family. Back then, the two of us were busy setting up our home. The house that we saw just previously…I was just starting out at my job, serving under Lady Ilia, and Tamara worked at gardening, and she would also work right here in this hospital. One time, when I came injured from battle, Tamara was here to treat my wounds. At first, we didn’t talk much. It was just a simple patient-doctor treatment. She’d come in and check on me, and after everything was good to go, I’d be let go. I didn’t think much about it.” Grim said, speaking with a calmness in his voice and a soothing expression on his face, remembering Tamara with such fondness, that the light couldn’t help but notice his noble nature.

 

                “Then, after a few more visits, she nagged that I risked myself too much in the battlefield. I laughed at that and I just shrugged. After that, we began to talk. It was simple conversations at first, nothing too fancy. After I was let go, I began to see her more often, and one time, she even came to visit me when I was working for Lady Ilia. We got to know each other better, and as months went by, well, I fell in love. Every time that I would get out of work, I’d go see her, or if I was too busy, she’d come see me. And whenever I’d get wounded in battle, I’d make sure to request that Tamara would be the one to check on me.” Grim said, chuckling softly, as he sat there, looking at the sleeping Tamara.

 

                “Then we started going out on dates. Our trust and our bond grew deeper the more time we spent together. And after a few years, we got married! Having her as my wife was the happiest thing to happen to me…and after all that, we still had our same jobs.  When the time came, we decided it was time to have a baby. That’s when we bought the house, and that’s when…what would have been the best part of my life, became troubled.” Grim said, and then he stopped, his eyes welling up with tears again.

 

                “What happened?” the light asked, for she wanted to hear the end of the story.

 

                “Tamara started to get sick…and she was already with child. The doctors couldn’t even make out what was happening to her…all that they knew is that it was an uncommon sickness. Even Lady Ilia coulnd’t do anything about it…and that’s when I began to slip. I’d lose focus on my job, my thoughts would be heavy all the time, but every day, when I’d get out of work, I’d go to the hospital and stay with Tamara. I always slept in the room, on this very chair I’m sitting on…”

 

                “As time passed, her sickness became worse, until one day, her body heated up, and she lost her pulse…and she slipped away. It turns out that whatever illness she had borne, it had put her in a coma…and so she and the baby died…and that devastated me.” Grim finished, as his face bore an expression of despair. He reached out to touch Tamara’s face, but her body then faded away into light, and then the imagery distorted again, and it now changed to a battlefield. It was one of the many places surrounding Eternia Glade, and Ilia’s soldiers were figihting head on against enemy troops that were rebelling against Ilia. Grim stood there, watching the chaos.

 

                “Your life was devastated…and this added to your devastation?” the light asked, seeing as Grim looked on the battlefield with lifeless eyes.

 

                “I went through hell…” he murmured to himself, and then, that’s when he got lost in his thoughts.

 

                Then, almost as if a sheer thunderclap had resounded, Grim was now thrust in battle! Before he knew it, he was involuntarily fighting against mirages. He knew these were mirages…but why did they seem so real? He looked left and right, and he saw that the light was nowhere to be found.  Whatever was happening now, the only way he figured he’d get out of this is if he continued fighting.  And so, he took arms, and he fought against the illusions, pushing through them, letting out his repressed emotions!

 

                “Losing Tamara and our unborn child changed me…and war only made things worse…” Grim thought to himself, as he battled on, become filled with rage with each passing second! He felt his heart accelerating, and then, he soon summone forth giant thorns from the ground, impaling numerous foes at once, and then he summoned forth Eluzia, whom pounced up from the ground and charged at all foes, unleashing a powerful frenzy of bites and claw marks on them! He then summone forth a sharp, thorn lance, and he thrust through the hordes of enemies, his mind no longer ascertaining whether this was reality or not!  And just when he was about to strike down another foe, he found that the imagery changed again, and this time, he felt dizzy, and his vision blurred, as everything changed again.

 

                “I don’t want to do this anymore…please…don’t remind me of this pain…” Grim whispered, his voice breaking. Then, there was a sudden silence. When he looked up, he noticed that everything was pitch black. He could feel a stiff air about him, and he could feel a looming shadow weighing down on him.

 

                “Wherever you are, stop this…” Grim said, calling out to the light, who was nowhere to be seen…

 

                As he walked through the darkness, he heard something, footsteps! And then a slow creaking of wood. When he looked to the right, he saw a window, and there he saw none other than himself, sitting on a chair, slumped, looking out the window with a grim silence.

 

                And there he stood, silent, watching himself on that chair. He wasn’t even surprised anymore. He was staring down a well that he had forgotten long ago. The wellspring of pain from which he was drowning. The loss of Tamara and their unborn child had been too much for him, and as the months went by, he also had the added pain of losing many close friends in battle.

 

                “Seeing their lives end, their dreams come to a close…after everything they wanted to achieve, and everything they wanted to fight for…they all came crashing down beneath my feet.” He thought to himself. “After all of this, I started to question what I was doing in the first place. I was fighting in an endless battle, and I knew that Lady Ilia wanted peace, but the way that things were going on in the world, peace was far off and beyond our reach. I began to cave in to the darkness and despair that constant battles brought to my life. I felt myself sinking into depression, the heavy weight of all the lives lost bearing down on me.”

 

                He approached his other self and stood right by his side, and he took a look at his face. His eyes were dry from all the tears he had shed, and his eyes seemed lifeless, his body looking like it could decompose at any moment.

 

                “This was how I was…” he thought to himself. Then, he noticed that his younger self slowly shifted his eyes towards him! At that, Grim got startled, and he stepped back!

 

                “You…you carry all of this hurt within you…you carry all of this pain, and you carry the uncertainty of whether life is worth living or not…you bear a weight that is immensely heavy…all the pain I’ve been through, it’s because of you!” his younger self exclaimed, pointing at him!

 

                “I-I…” Grim stammered, trying to speak, but his younger self wouldn’t have it!

 

                “No, you don’t get to talk! You think that you’ve put this all behind you, but you always think about this every single day! I’m getting tired of this! I’m decaying away because of you! Your fear of death, the constant replay of all of your memories, of our memories…it tears me apart every single time I have to relive them! You may think that you have gone passed this, but you carry the shadows of regret in your soul…you regre the way things have turned out! You regret having been exposed to all this sorrow…you regret that you had to be born into this world…” his younger self continued, expressing his rage and discontent!

 

                “N-no, that’s not true!” Grim exclaimed, trying to make his voice heard!

 

                “No! You lie! You are nothing but a liar! Take a good look at yourself, and take a good long time to think upon your life! You are just looking for an excuse to die! You want to die, you have been seeking death for a long time now…just admit it!” his younger self proclaimed!  At that, Grim remained silent, casting his gaze down in shame.

 

                “That’s right…you have nothing to say. As I thought…” his younger self expressed. But then Grim looked to his younger self, and his eyes were now filled with anger.

 

                “You don’t think that I know all this!? You don’t think that I don’t know my own pain!?” Grim burst out! At that, his younger self now remained quiet!

 

                “It’s true that I’ve lived with the pain of losing my loved ones, and I know that it’s been too much for me to bear! I know that I’ve put myself through hell, reminding myself of my pain! Even though I learned to hide my suffering from others, I still felt that aching pain in my heart! I know that!  And there have been times when I have wanted to kill myself…maybe ending myself is what would end the aching in my heart…” Grim stated, as he then trailed off.

 

                “Hmph, a pathetic way to think…” his younger self replied.

 

                “Yes, I know.  But aftwards, I began to realize that this pain..the pain that I carry in my heart…that’s what makes me strong!” Grim said, and at that, his younger self seemed to have entered in a bit of a shock, for he didn’t expect that kind of answer!

 

                “That’s right! The experiences I’ve been through, the loved ones I’ve had to see die, the pain that I’ve had to endure…all of that has ensured that I would become stronger, so that I could be able to gain new strength…strength to protect everything that I care about!” Grim proclaimed defiantly!

 

                “And what is that, precisely, if you’re so confident about it?” his younger self asked.

 

                “Zaria, Laren, Tatsumaki, Bane…Lady Ilia, and all of the people with whom I’ve shared my feelings with. The people I’ve made bonds with and have shared my heart! They are the people I care about, and to protect them, I will continue to keep thriving on my pain to give me strength! I won’t let them suffer what I’ve suffered! That’s what’s in my heart!” Grim answered with utmost confidence and strength and great willpower! His younger self then smirked and closed his eyes.

 

                “Heh, it seems that you got it. I really didn’t think that you had it in you.” he said.

 

                “What do you mean?” Grim asked.

 

                “That whole speech just now. You just proved that you look at your past head on, and even though it brings you pain, you use that pain in order to become strong and protect others. Heh, it looks like I turned out alright in the end…” his younger self answered, as he slowly started to fade into light, as the environment around Grim began to change again!

 

                “Yeah…you may be right.” Grim said, as he closed his eyes and embraced the light that was coming to him now.

 

                “That is truly impressive. I did not expect for you to have such strength of heart.” the light spoke out.

 

                “Well…I didn’t expect it myself, either. I guess…I still had my doubts.” Grim replied, as he opened his eyes and saw the light floating among a distorted environment that Grim couldn’t make out.

 

                “I watched as everything unfolded within your own consciousness. You have lead a very hard life. I know that you have been through much pain. I find it admirable that after so much pain, you still have the strength to keep on going. Not everyone has that kind of willpower. I’ve observed people over the years, and I’ve seen how many have given in to despair or have lost their way. But you, Grim. You have proved different. You have known how to use your pain in a way that makes you grow. It is why you have endured so much, the reason why you have lived so long and have survived so many battles. You are here to pass on your strength for the coming generation.” the light explained.

 

                “Like passing the torch, eh?” Grim asked.

 

                “Precisely.” the light agreed.

 

                “Well hey, I may be old, but I’m still a bit far off from passing any torches! I can still hold my own!” Grim exclaimed. At that, the light let out a gentle giggle, and she clasped her hands together.

 

                “Hehe, yes, I see that.” she beamed.

 

                “Well, at any rate, it’s as you said. With my strength, I’ll ensure that this world lives on, and future generations can be able to learn from this, learn to use their pain to grow, and to become better people. I hope that at the very least, that can be a good enough legacy to leave behind for when my time is come.” Grim said thoughtfully, as he looked at his hands and closed them into fists. The light smiled, watching and witnessing his conviction.

 

                “Grim, you are worthy.” the light said.

 

                “You think so?” Grim asked. The light nodded.

 

                “Yes. I have seen your conviction, and your heart is noble, yearning to be able to help others at the expense of yourself. You have faced yourself and have triumphed. And so I grant to you my blessing, and the passing of the power shall be done. Now, extend your hand.” the light said. Grim did so, and then, she waved her hand over his, and an orb of light appeared in thin air! The light floated above Grim’s hand, and he looked at it, sensing a powerful energy emanating from inside.

 

                “So…what do I do now?” he asked. The light then grabbed his hand and gently closed it with her own.

 

                “Now, you take a piece of me, and use it for the betterment of the world, and for the future that lies ahead.” the light answered, and then, she summoned forth a door, and then she opened it. “This is the exit. Come, follow me.” she said, and as she went outside, Grim went as well, and a blinding light coursed through him! Afterwards, he found himself where he was, and he saw his door vanish, while the other four doors still remained.

 

                “So, the others aren’t finished yet, huh?” Grim wondered. The light nodded.

 

                “Indeed. You were the first to finish, and so you shall wait here with me while the others face themselves. If they are like you, then I am sure they will persevere.” she said with confidence. Grim followed that statement with a reassuring smile.

 

                “Knowing them, they’ll all be deemed worthy, miss.” he replied, firmly believing that his friends will make it through like he did!

 

                “Then we have nothing to fear.” the light replied, feeling reassured by Grim’s words.

 

                All the while, Grim placed his hand on his chest, and he felt his heartbeat, but this time, he felt something stronger behind it. He felt as if he had just relieved himself of a great burden on his shoulders. Having experienced this really helped him become a better person. And so, even though everything is on the verge of chaos, he’s grateful that in this darkest of moments, he was able to find himself, and he was able to make peace with himself and his heart. He would forever be greatful for that.

 

                “We can do this, everyone…we can save the world!” he thought, holding out hope that his friends are doing okay.

(End Song Here)

 

----------------------------------------------

 

With Grim having passed his trial, now he has been passed the power of the light, and with it, he’ll help forge a path into the future! Will the others be able to attain this power as well? Or will their resolve waver? Stay tuned for the next chapter, as we now see Tatsumaki go through her trial in Chapter Thirty: “Through Hopelessness.”

 

Well everyone, that was the chapter! I’m sorry that it was short, but it conveyed what I wanted for it to happen, and I think that seeing into Grim like that was great! I decided to leave this as it was, for there was no need to elongate his trial. He was able to go through it in the way I designed! This is more or less the approach that’ll go for the others. Some may be short, some may be long, but they’ll face themselves, and we’ll see if they can all attain the power of the light! Thank you all for your continuous support, and as always, let me know what you thought about tonight’s chapter! Well then, until next time, stay tuned for the next one!

[KHLegendIII 709]

This was a nice chapter.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

To KHLegendIII, thanks, I'm glad you thought so! I'm sure you'll love the next one as well!

 

Good evening everyone, I hope that all of you are doing okay! So then, here’s the next chapter, which I’m sure you’ve all been looking forward to! Grim has already passed his trial, can Tatsumaki hope to do the same? Let’s take a look and see!

 

Chapter Thirty: Through Hopelessness

 

                Tatsumaki was struggling to open her eyes. It was though the harder she tried to open them, the more she felt they were being glued shut! She started to panic, but at the same time, she tried to retain her composure. This was part of a test, after all, and she wanted to make sure that she could overcome herself. The fate of the world pretty much depended on it, so now was no time to panic.

 

                “Come on, you can do this, Tatsumaki, you can do this! Just breathe…” she repeated to herself, as slowly, she found that she could open her eyes! When she did, she found that she was in a barren wasteland, completely devoid of any life whatsoever. She was a bit stunned by this, and puzzled. What was this strange nothingness that surrounded her?

 

                “What should I do…?” she thought to herself, for she truly didn’t know what to do next. She figured that she should walk, and so she did. She noticed that with every footstep, there was no noise. Just empy silence and the mark of her footprints on the ground. Then, as she looked at the ground, she saw the cracks the ground had, and she noticed that she was in a desert-esque plain, only that the sand was a chalk white. She clenched her fists and felt a sudden heaviness in her heart.

 

                “What is this that I’m feeling? Why am I feeling this in some place I don’t even recognize?” she thought to herself.  Then, towards the distance, she could swear that she saw a silhouette. She cautiously moved back, and she noticed that as she did so, the silhouette took a step forward. For every step she took back, the silhouette stepped forward, following her with grim movements.

 

                “I really don’t like this…” she thought to herself, and she thought of throwing a wind dagger, but immediately dismissed the thought. What good would it do to harm a figment of her mind? She’d only probably cause an effect that would hurt her instead!

 

                “I have to play this smart…I have to play this as best as I can. I can’t be too hasty here…” she thought to herself, trying to use her smarts to get out of this predicament. For the moment, all she could do was remain still, and she noticed that the silhouette did not move at all while she was still.

 

                “So…this thing is like a shadow, huh?” she thought. She looked around to see if there was anything that could break her shadow, but she found that there was nothing. What could she do? What should she do? “There’s no other way to go about this, it seems…I’m going to have to take on that thing head on.” she concluded, and she took a deep breath.  Slowly, she started to move forward, moving from a walk to a sprint, until she started to fully run! Just when she got within inches from the silhouette, she blacked out instantly, as if a thunderclap had struck through her!

 

                A moment later, she flashed her eyes open out of instinct! She quickly rose to her feet, but she found that there was nothing around her. She noticed that she was on a floating platform, and nothing but darkness surrounded her. She had no clue what was going on, and she didn’t know what to make of it!

 

                “What kind of a test is this!?” she thought to herself.

 

                Then, in the distance, she saw something that looked like a portal. With nothing but the platform she was on to support her, she floated slowly towards the portal, using the slightest bit of gust to propel her forwards. She didn’t want to overdo it. She kept pushing forward until she was mere inches away from the portal! She saw that it was a swirling purple mass that sparkled at the center. She suddenly felt an urge to touch it!

 

                “Will this show me the way…?” she thought to herself. When she outstretched her hand and touched the portal, it opened wide instantly, and beyond the portal, she could see something, and that’s when she noticed a little girl. On instinct, Tatsumaki quickly went towards the little girl, but stopped herself, and then her face grew grim. She remembere this place now.

 

                “This is…” she thought, not being able to finish her sentence. The little girl stood up and turned around, and it turned out that this girl was a younger version of herself! Tatsumaki was in disbelief at this moment, not believing that she was actually looking at a younger version of herself. She bit her lower lip and dared not speak.

 

(Start Song Here)

                “You thought you had put this behind you…didn’t you?” her younger self asked in a melancholic tone. Tatsumaki gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.

 

                “I don’t know what you’re talking about…” she replied.

 

                “That’s a lie…you can’t lie to yourself…because I am you. You don’t want to remember this stage of your life, don’t you? You don’t want to remember the pain…” her younger self went on, while Tatsumaki was trying to not let the words get to her.

 

                “What kind of hell is this…what kind of a test is this!?” Tatsumaki growled in frustration, as she then let out a powerful wind gust that transformed into a tornado and wrecked the very fabric of the place they were at now, which was the desert she was in before, but in daylight! Her younger self remained there, unfazed by Tatsumaki’s burst of anger.

 

                “No matter how much you push me down, you can’t hide from me. I’m you.” her younger self replied. Tatsumaki then knelt on the floor and put both her hands on her ears, trying to ignore her younger self’s words, but she could still hear her voice, ringing ever presently in her mind constantly!

 

                “Stop it…just stop it! Stop talking!” Tatsumaki screamed, her eyes filled with tears!

 

                “But why? What have I done to you? I’m only your mirror image into the past…a past that you want to forget…” her younger self replied. Tatsumaki shot forth a fatally sharp wind dagger to pierce through her younger self, but it simply went right through her, having no effect whatsoever! She then started to fire off a barrage of wind daggers, but none of them had any effect! This was proving exhausting and stressful, and so Tatsumaki stopped, and she gritted her teeth again. She knelt on the floor and looked at the sand beneath her. It seemed so smooth, but the smoothness was treacherous. And she could see the shadow of her younger self approaching her.

 

                “Stay away!” Tatsuamki commanded, and then, the light appeared in between the two, and she looked at Tatsumaki, her eyes brimming with curiosity.

(End Song Here)

 

                “You are an interesting case. You appear to be bubbly and happy on the surface, but inside, you are carrying much sorrow. Sorrow from a time long past…” the light said aloud.

 

                “You! If this is your way of testing me, it’s an awful way of going about it! How dare you peek into my subconscious like that!?” Tatsumaki said as she crossed her arms, clearly angered!

 

                “Because in order for me to find out if you are worthy, I need to know more about you and your conviction. So far, I see that you have been hiding this sorrow from the world. There’s only one person who knows about your pain, am I right?” the light asked. At that, Tatsumaki blushed, and she looked away.

 

                “Laren…” she whispered in reply.

 

                “That’s right, only he knows what happened.” her younger self added in. “You see, before I met him, I was alone in the world. I had no parents, I had no family, I had no one but myself. I had to try to survive the harsh bitterness of the cold world by myself. I had to steal in order to survive, in order to be able to eat and sleep under a roof. And everyone that I ever met always ended up abandoning me. Just when I thought that I could trust someone, I’d be brought down by something or other. It was all because of my powers. They thought I was some kind of monster…” she went on to say, Tatsumaki remaining silent, and only looking down to the ground.

 

                “I came close to having a family. At that point, I had hidden my powers from the world, because I wanted people to accept me. I wanted to be a part of people’s lives. I didn’t want to be a forgotten outcast that was judged for being a monster. But when they found me out, they cast me aside like I was trash. I wandered the world, surviving as best as I could, trying to live day by day without knowing the love of a mother…a father, a brother or sister…not even a friend. And then…”

 

                “Just stop!” Tatsumaki shouted, interrupting her younger self, and immediately, the desert vanished, and the entire environment warped and changed, and now, she and the light were floating down a hole similar to the one she and her friends had jumped into in order to escape the Shadow Blights! Only that this chasm had a different color to it. It was silver, and had the raging fury of a storm wind. Tatsumaki looked up and saw the light from above diminishing, and darkness opening up below.

 

                “So this is how you felt when you were alone, I take it?” the light asked, as she was floating beside her.

 

                “I thought I was meant to just fade away…” Tatsumaki admitted under her breath.

 

                “You thought you were worthless, and that you had no purpose. That is a strong pain to carry with you. Your childhood must have been difficult indeed.” the light pondered.

 

                “Yeah…” was Tatsumaki’s only reply. She really didn’t want to talk about her past. She just wanted this to be over, but she knew it wouldn’t be untl she faced herself. But she didn’t even want to do that either.

 

                “I wish I didn’t have to do this…” she thought to herself.

 

                All of a sudden, the environment changed again, and this time, she and the light landed on what seemed to be a transparent floor. It was almost like walking on water! Above was a starlit ceiling, billions and billions of stars gloriously going about the night sky, and a beautiful stream of lights floating in between the ground and the sky! On the very top of these streams, Tatsumaki’s younger self stood, looking up to the sky. She pointed towards one of the stars.

 

(Start Song Here)

                “Every night, I’d take a look at the night sky, and I’d get lost in the beautiful stars. Each one felt so unique and special, each one of them having a place to belong. Every night I’d wish that I could be like a star. That I could find a place to belong, and that I could be able to shine so everyone could see me! I wanted to be noticed, to be seen and heard and not feared…” she explained.

 

                “Damn it, not this again…” Tatsumaki muttered under her breath.

 

                “And so you took it upon yourself to learn everything that there was to learn of this world, am I right?” the light asked.

 

                “Yes. I’d read as many books as I could, and I’d hear stories from travelers that I’d come across. I’d learn more about the world and about the universe and many other things. The more I learned, the more hope I had that one day, I could be able to do something extraordinary, or that I could be able to make something of myself. But it was never enough…”

 

                “The more I learnd, and the more I tried to connect with people, it seemed they would only push me away further. It got to the point that I got fed up and stopped trying. I took to being a criminal…I took my bitterness out on the very people that scorned me…” her younger self said with great resentment. Tatsumaki then began to cry.

 

                “So you thought that since you could not be able to find love, and you could not be able to find acceptance, you could let out your sorrow by causing others to feel sorrow as well?” the light asked.

 

                “Yes. I wanted to make them suffer…I stole from them…but I also wanted to kill them. And yet, despite my best efforts, I couldn’t bring myself to kill people. It just wasn’t in me. Instead, I would just steal or destroy their houses, I would make their lives a living hell, just like they had made mine. Even if I couldn’t kill them, I could at least make their lives impossible. That was my mindset all those years ago.” her younger self mused, reminiscing those days.

 

                “Just stop…” Tatsumaki pleaded, crying. She didn’t want to hear any more of this. “I’ve tried so hard to keep this away from my heart…and now it’s all coming back so harshfully…I hate this! I hate this so much!”

 

                “You hate your past…but there’s no reason to hate yourself for it.” the light said.

 

                “How can you say something like that? This isn’t something that I should be proud of, just so you know!” Tatsumaki replied.

 

                “But it’s a part of you…” her younger self said.

 

                “A part I don’t want anyone else to know about…” Tatsumaki glared.

 

                The more that Tatsumaki tried to look away, the more she felt a burning sensation in her heart. She knew that as long as she was in this illusion, she wouldn’t be able to truly escape herself. All she wanted to do was scream and beg for it to be over, but she couldn’t do that. Then, at the corner of her eye, she saw someone! She quickly darted her head to the left, and there, she saw a younger version of Laren looking at her!

 

                “I-it’s…” she thought to herself.

 

                “You were in pain when I found you. You were hurting, and all you wanted to do was just let the world know that you existed. That’s all you ever wanted.” the young Laren said. Tatsumaki burst into tears.

 

                “Please, stop…” she pleaded.

 

                “You wanted to show the world that you could be a person worthy of their love and admiration. You wanted to show them that you could protect them from danger, that you could be a force for good. But no one ever gave you the chance. They feared you, and they dared not give you a chance. They scorned you and resented you.” young Laren continued.  At that, Tatsumaki only remained silent, looking down, whispering to herself.

 

                “You may hate yourself for the past, but I never hated you. From the very first time that I laid eyes on you, I never looked upon you with fear.” young Laren said. At that, Tatsumaki smiled and put her hands to her chest, clasping them together.

 

                “That’s right…you were the only person that was willing to reach out their hand to me…you, Laren.” she said, her voice shaky.

 

                “Yeah. When others saw a monster, he saw a normal human being. He treated me the way I always wanted to be treated.” young Tatsumaki said with a smile.

 

                “You told me all about your suffering, about your sadness, and about the things you did. You know that I never judged you, you know that I never scorned you for what you did. I just listened to all your troubles. I listened to what your broken heart had to say.” young Laren said, his smile radiant and full of hope and comfort. Tatsumaki blushed and then looked at him and her younger self.

 

                “I guess that from that day…when you took me into the Stormtracers…I felt a closeness to you. And when I was accepted into the Stormtracers, and when I made so many friends, I felt such a swirl of emotions inside me. Emotions I thought I would never get to feel! I found myself feeling happier than I had ever felt in my life! And all because you chose to gave me a chance when no one else would. Even when I couldn’t give myself a chance, you came through for me…and over the years, my admiration for you became love…and I yearned for you…” she said, her voice drawing to a whisper at those last words. At that moment, her younger self disappeared, and young Laren shifted into his older, current self. At that, Tatsumaki blushed even more.

 

                “And you haven’t even bothered to tell me, I take it?” he asked.

 

                “Right…this Laren is just an illusion…I had almost forgotten.” Tatsumaki remarked to herself, feeling a bit flustered.

 

                “I wouldn’t know where to go off…I don’t know if he feels the same way for me…the way he is, it’s hard to read his feelings, though I have seen him at his worst moments…in fact, I think I’m the person he’s most opened up to…but anyways, that’s not the point.” Tatsumaki said, as she shook her head and grasped herself back into her current situation.

 

                “But how can I tell him, anyway? And how can I come to bring myself to accept myself? I play the cheerful, tough act on the outside so that no one sees my inner pain…how do I overcome that?” she asked, looking into Laren’s eyes.

 

                “It’s quite simple, really.” he replied.

 

                “How so?” Tatsumaki inquired.

 

                “In order for you to move on with your life, you need to be willing to forgive yourself. No matter how much love you receive from the world, it isn’t worth a thing if you don’t love yourself. If you mistreat yourself and give in to your doubts, you will never be happy.” he answered.

 

                “Forgive myself…” Tatsumaki said, with a bit of hesitation.  “Can I do such a thing?”

 

                “It’s all up to you.” Laren said, as he then faded away, and everything went black again, but quickly shifted into a giant, white landscape, with a silver platform at the center! Tatsumaki landed on the platform, and then she saw her younger self transform into a mirror image of her!

 

                “So, what’s it going to be, huh?” her reflection asked, as she cast powerful wind gusts that sent Tatsumaki flying almost over the edge of the platform! Luckily, she was able to regain herself by creating a small platform of wind underneath her feet so she could jump and land back on the platform! Her other self then began launching powerful wind lances infused with lightning energy!

 

                “What’s it going to be, huh? You going to keep playing soft on me!?” she shouted! Tatsumaki dodged each lance, and she even caught one and launched it back, creating a giant riplle that crackled the platform the slightest bit, causing a crack to form in the center.

 

                “I..I don’t know…” Tatsumaki replied, as she landed on the platform again.

 

                “Not a good enough answer! Try again!” her other self shouted, as she then slammed her fist on the platform, causing huge wind spikes fo form! Tatsumaki leapt up and kept herself propelled by creating wings made of wind! She flew above her other self and launched a barrage of wind daggers, trying to see if she could land a hit! But she landed none, for her other self dodged and blocked each dagger perfectly! Of course she’d do that! She is herself, after all!

 

                “Stop holding back! Stop withholding your power! Let it all out, accept who you truly are!” she shouted, as she formed a wind chain and managed to wrap it around Tatsumaki’s ankle, then proceeding to pull her down forcefully, as she then landed on the platform with a thud, causing the crack in the center to stretch out towards the northernmost corner!

 

                “If this platform breaks…does this mean that I’m done for?” she thought.

 

                “Stop daydreaming!” her other self shouted, and Tatsumaki snapped back just in time to dodge a powerful punch that landed just beside her face! Immediately, Tatsumaki retaliated by creating a pressurized gust of wind that struck her other self right in the stomach, causing her to be flung upwards! With that momentary window of opportunity, Tatsumaki propelled herself upward, and she proceeded to unleash a frenzy of attacks with her wind blade, striking her other self as much as she could!

 

                “You want my answer!?” she shouted, as she struck her other self down, making her crash down on the platform, causing it to crack even more, dangerously to the point of it breaking!

 

                “Well, here it is!” Tatsumaki shouted, as she then summoned forth a gigantic gust of wind that tore the platform apart, making it crack completely into millions of small shards! Now, there was no ground to count on, no place to stand, just the ever expanding abyss leading to the darkness below! Her other self kept falling down, while Tatsumaki propelled herself behind her!

 

                “I don’t understand! What is this!?” her other self shouted, as she saw Tatsumaki getting closer to her! Then Tatsumaki took hold of her other self’s hand, and then she held on tight.

 

                “Instead of fighting my past…I’ll pierce right through it!” Tatsumaki said. “That is my answer!”

 

                And with that, she pierced through the darkness, sinking into it immediately! And instead of feeling the darkness taking a hold of her and swallowing her whole, she found that she felt at peace and free! Soon, she felt the blazing speed of her fall soften to the mere feeling of floating in emptiness. She looked to her other self, who was smiling.

 

                “So, does that mean you can finally live with me inside you?” she asked. Tatsumaki at first remained silent, but then gave a triumphant smile.

 

                “We all have our crosses to bear. I just needed to adjust mine properly. Now I can carry the weight, for sure!” Tatsumaki answered. With that, her other self nodded and slowly faded away, and the darkness gave way to a completely white space! Tatsumaki was slightly overwhelmed by the brightness of the white, but she deduced that this probably meant that her trial was over. She looked around, and eventually enough, the light appeared a few feet away from her and floated towards her.

(End Song Here)

 

                “So…I take it that I’ve passed my trial?” Tatsumaki asked. The light nodded slowly.

 

                “Yes. You have successfully faced yourself, and you have decided to live with what you did in the past, therefore finally accepting yourself for everything, including your flaws. You were able to look within and come to peace with your pain. That’s not something that just anyone can do. You have indeed passed your trial, young one. I deem you worthy.” she explained.  “Now, hold out your hand.” she expressed, and Tatsumaki did so.

 

                “So…what happens next?” she asked.

 

                “Simply hold out your hand, and don’t be afraid.” the light expressed, waving her hands above Tatsumaki’s, while she watched in silence.

 

                And so, the light summoned forth a small sphere of light that was radiating with powerful energy! Tatsumaki could feel its power, and she felt overwhelmed, but at the same time impressed!

 

                “Whoa…that power packs quite a punch, I can tell just by feeling it as it is now…” Tatsumaki remarked.

 

                “Indeed, young one. Now, clasp onto the light, and receive the fragment of my strength, so that it can become yours.” the light instructed. Tatsumaki did as she was told, and she clasped the light into her hands, and immediately, she felt a course of riveting vitality and power course through her whole body! It’s as if she had been imbued with unnatural strength! The power was overwhelming for a bit, but she quickly adjusted to her newfound sense of power! Tatsumaki then shivered a bit, and when nothing else happened, she guessed this was it.

 

                “So…it’s over now, right? I can go out now?” she asked. The light nodded and summoned forth a door, leading to the outside.

 

                “Yes. You may exit now.” she replied. And so, Tatsumaki approached the door, and as she opened it, she saw Grim on the other side, and so she headed out beyond the door, and now she found herself with Grim and the light, both standing where there were now only three doors left!

 

                “There we go! I knew that you’d make it!” Grim said with great relief and enthusiasm!

 

                “Heh, for a minute there, I thought I wouldn’t make it…but I’m pretty jealous, because you were out here before any of us! So you’re the one that deserves the round of applause!” Tatsumaki beamed with a smile.

 

                “Heh, well, old timers still have that spark left, wouldn’t you say?” Grim teased.

 

                “That seems to be the case!” Tatsumaki replied. The two of them laughed, and then they looked towards the remaining three doors, and then they looked towards the light.

 

                “So, you just came out here at the same time as me?” Tatsumaki asked.

 

                “Actually, she’s been outside here with me the entire time!” Grim answered. At that, Tatsumaki drew a blank and got confused.

 

                “But wait, weren’t you in there with me in my trial just moments ago? What gives?” she asked.

 

                “Remember, young one, I am the light, and therefore, my power can be able to manifest itself in numerous places, not just in one physical plain. So while I am here, I am also with your three friends, overseeing their trials, and seeing how they fare.” the light explained. “And so far, at least you two have overcome your trials. It seems that your other friends are taking longer than expected.”

 

                “But hey, it the two of us made it, they’ll make it too! Even if it takes a bit longer, I’m sure they’ll come out of this okay!” Tatsumaki reassured!

 

                “That’s right! We have faith in our friends!” Grim reassured.

 

                “Then let it be that faith that continues to give them strength as they push forward in their trials!” the light said. Tatsumaki looked at the remaining three doors eagerly!

 

                “Come on guys, I know you can make it!”

--------------------------------------------

 

Grim and Tatsumaki have overcome themselves, but three doors still remain! Will our remaining heroes be able to face themselves and be deemed worthy by the light? Or will they lose themselves in despair? The world continues to spiral into disorder, and so, our heroes must make haste, for time is running short! Be prepared for the next chapter, as Laren comes face to face with his internal struggles in Chapter Thirty One: “Emotions.”

 

Well everyone, that was the chapter! So, that’s two trials so far, with three more still to go! Let’s see how this all ends up! So far, Grim and Tatsumaki have made it out, and they’ve been blessed by the light’s power! Let’s see if our other three remaining heroes are just as lucky! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and as always, thank you very much for your love and support! Be sure to comment on what you thought about tonight’s chapter, and until next time, stay tuned for the next one!

[KHLegendIII 709]

This was interesting to read.

[Keyblade101 526]

Amazing chapters as always! :smile:  Keep up the good work!  :smile:

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

To KHLegendIII, thanks, I'm glad you thought so!

 

To Keyblade101, as always, thank you for the praise, my man! If you've loved these chapters, you'll love what's yet to come!

 

Good evening everyone, I hope that all of you are doing okay! So then, we’ve already gone through Grim and Tatsumaki’s trials, and now, we have Laren, Bane and Zaria remaining! Just what will be in store for our three remaining heroes? Time will tell as we continue along the chapters! Be sure to stick around to see what happens next! Anyways, here’s the chapter, enjoy!

 

Chapter Thirty One: Emotions

 

                “This is a test…a trial that I must overcome. Therefore, everything and anything that I see in here is an illusion created by the light in order to test me psychologically…I will overcome this. I know I will. I have to, for the sake of the world! Too much is at stake for me to give in to illusions…I can do this.” Laren said to himself, reassuring himself that everything would turn out for the best. He needed to push through, especially with time being so dire and short as it was.  The light instantly appeared by his side, and he was not fazed by her appearance.

 

                “So, it seems that you have this all figured out, correct?” the light asked, curious about what Laren’s response would be. He only nodded and crossed his arms.

 

                “As a soldier, I have been trained for all kind of physical and psychological events, and right now, I have to put all that training of mine to the test! Looking at it right now, I’m in something that I would not even consider reality. Prior to this situation we’re currently facing, I wouldn’t have thought that this was possible. But given the state of things, anything is truly possible.” he explained, keeping a calm composure that emanated from his entire being. The light noticed that he was indeed a calm man, like a calm sea before a storm.

 

                “Very well…I’ll leave you to it, then.” the light replied, as she then vanished just as quick as she had come! Laren then looked around, for he was in a wide grassland, with a hill that bent downwards towards a beautiful valley below. Laren kept repeating the same words from earlier. He wasn’t going to be sucked in by the illusions.

 

                “Now then, let’s do this…” he said, taking a deep breath and heading down the hill. He recognized this place instantly. It was a place that was always at the back of his mind.

 

                “Home…” he whispered. And a beautiful home it was.

 

(Start Song Here)

                His house rested near a river that flowed southwards and curved towards the west along the horizon. His house was also close to the woods, so it was quite the peaceful and ambient space. He saw the house just as he remembered it. Made of wood and cement, firmly built to weather out a storm, and comfortable enough for good living. He saw the door open, and then he saw his younger self coming out to play with some toys. Afterwards, two more people came out. It was his parents. They came out to watch him play, and they sat on a bench that was under the shade of a great, grand old tree! Laren smiled as his memory played back. He was blissfully playing with his toys, going on adventures and becoming a brave knight. He loved to use his imagination. He then looked at his parents, who watched him play.

 

                “It’s been such a long time since I had seen their faces…almost too long…” he thought to himself with a sigh. He walked around the house slowly, running his hand along the walls, reminiscing of all the days he lived there. For an illusion, it seemed very real, but Laren knew this was only his mind, not reality.

 

                “Childhood is a memory long past…” he whispered to himself. He sat down just outside the back door of the house, where his younger self and his parents had come out, and he watched them. Looking at his parents, he saw that his mother was smiling, and yet she looked sick. His father held her hand tightly, and they both put on brave faces. They never wanted Laren to face any pain. They never wanted him to suffer.

 

                “You two truly were brave souls…” he thought, as he closed his eyes. A lone tear fell down his cheek. He felt it run down, and he rubbed his hand along it. He rarely cried, but when he did, he always found the sensation of tears as odd. Then, the environment slowly started to change around him, as it distanced the image of his home away, and through brief darkness, brought him upon another sight.

 

                “Ah, another memory…” he thought, as he saw the training grounds of the Stormtracers come into view. The ground was gray, like a courtyard, but there were trees scattered about across the four corners of the large expanse of concrete. There, many Dragoons were clad in armor, and they were either talking, demonstrating their armor, or training in sparring matches! He walked and saw many old faces he hadn’t seen in a while, friends he had made. Then he saw his younger self, with eyes full of determination, and he saw Saphira smiling at him.

 

                “Laren, I know that you’ve worked hard. You’ve trained just as hard as anyone else here, and so I know how badly you want this. You’ve proven that you have what it takes to be a Dragoon!” Saphira acknowledged with a smile. Young Laren’s eyes lit up wit hope at the mention of her words!

 

                “Lady Saphira…I, I don’t know what to say! I, I can’t believe this! Thank you very much for this opportunity!” he said, bowing down in appreciation to her.

 

                “You’ll make a find soldier. And a fine young man.” Saphira replied, as she bid farewell with a smile on her face, leaving Laren to train with the other Dragoons.

 

                “I remember this day well. It was the day that I had become a Dragoon. I was accepted into the ranks of the most elite of Stormtracers…I had a lot to prove, and I had much to show the world of my abilities and strength…most of all, I had a means of helping my parents.” Laren recounted, noticing the light was behind him.

 

                “So you noticed my presence. Impressive.” the light spoke.

 

                “Becoming a Dragoon…” he continued. “It was the step that I knew was necessary in order for me to turn things around.”

 

                “Around? From what, exactly?” the light asked. And that is when the environment changed anew, and it returned once again to Laren’s home, except that this time it was inside, and it was in his parents’ room. He burst in, and he showed his armor to his parents, surprising them with the revelation that he had been named a Dragoon!

 

                “Son, that’s wonderful…I’m ever so happy for you!” his mother applauded with a sweet smile.

 

                “We’re very proud of you, my boy.” his father noted, patting Laren on the back. “That’s some impressive armor!”

 

                “Yeah! And now that I’m a Dragoon, I’ll be able to help you guys!” young Laren said with bright eyes! This caught them by surprise.

 

                “What do you mean, son?” his father asked.

 

                “I mean, I’ll be abel to help with mom’s treatment! I know that the last couple of months have been rough because of mother having cancer…and I know that we’ve had it rough when it comes to okane and getting by…but now that I have this job, we can finally start pushing forward again! I promise that I’ll do my part and help you guys so that you can get back on your feet again, and with enough okane, we can get mother completely healed up! It’ll take a bit of time, I admit, but I promise I’ll work hard!” he said, his voice filled with determination and hope! His parents were breaking into tears, and they both stood up and embraced him.

               

                “We’re so proud of you, sweetie!” his mother said, hugging him tightly and crying into his shoulder.

 

                “You’ll become a fine young man, son. You have a noble heart, and a fighting spirit. You have courage, which in turn, gives your mother and I courage as well!” his father expressed. Laren hugged them tightly.

 

                “I promise I won’t let you guys down!” he said, putting his hand to his chest as symbol of his promise. Laren himself put his hand on his chest, and he looked down at his hand, remembering the promise, and then clenching his hand into a fist.

 

                “I was naïve back then…I thought that I could change everything with just a swipe of my hand. It was never that simple. I would never be that simple. I’d learn that the hard way.” Laren said, his voice still retaining the same composure.

 

                “Your parents meant the world to you, I imagine.” the light added in.

 

                “Yes. They raised me to be a person of strong virtues, an example to society about how a kind heart can bring about change. They raised me with great love and care, and I wanted to give back all that love and care with love of my own to them. With my blood, sweat and tears, I wanted to show them that I was the person I was because of them. How I am now, they have a great hand in it…even to this day.” Laren expressed. “They influenced me greatly.”

 

                “So they were your inspiration to continue being a Dragoon, correct?” the light asked. Laren nodded.

 

                “Yes…they were the reason I chose to go down this path…” he answered, and then his mind seemed to have wandered off, for he remained silent for the next couple of minutes.

 

                Then, the surrounding environment began to distort anew, and this time, another different scenery unfolded slowly. Now, he saw himself, about two years older, at least, and he was in a dark, dim lit room with his parents. His father was sitting in a chair. His mother was in bed, and she looked terribly ill. Young Laren stood there, holding back his tears!

 

                “Mom, it’s not fair…after everything we’ve been through, and after all the treatments, you can’t tell me that you’re going to die! You just can’t!” he protested.

 

                “Son, there’s nothing more that the doctors can do. Her cancer has spread throughout her entire body. It’s…it’s too late. Even though we managed to hold the illness at bay for two years…there was just no stopping it for good. I’m sorry, son.” his father spoke, trying to make Laren calm down, but he wouldn’t have it!

 

                “No…those doctors didn’t do a good enough job! They should’ve done better! They should’ve…” Laren said, his voice breaking as he then broke down into tears, kneeling at the foot of his mother’s bed, rubbing her feet and crying into the blanket that was covering her. Then, he saw that she slowly sat up on her bed, and she signaled Laren to come closer.

 

                “Mother…?” he asked. Then, she pulled him into an embrace, and it only made Laren shed more tears. Why did life have to be cruel to the people that least deserved it, he thought. It was a question that ate away at his mind, for he couldn’t comprehend it. He just couldn’t understand!

 

                “My dear Laren…you are such a special young man…I knew, along with your father, that you would grow to become a man of noble and special virtue. You’ve become into so much more. You are the symbol of a bright future for our people, and for the world! We both wanted you to be born into this world very much, so you were a very looked forward to baby. We can’t express how happy we are that you came into our lives. Never forget that, my son.” she spoke, and Laren only remained silent, wanting to hear his mother continue to speak.

 

                “There are many things in this life that you will have to face, and you’ll have to face them head on. There will be times when you doubt yourself, when you curse the world for the state its in, for anything that may arise…and I won’t be here to help you. I’ve come to terms with that now. But I want you to know that I will forever live on in your heart, as will your father. We’ll always be there, so please, I beg you that you never lose touch with your emotions.” she asked.

 

                “M-my emotions?” Laren wondered.

 

                “Yes…being the special boy you are to us, your emotions also carry with them great power. You have a heart that seeks to heal and nurture downtrodden souls. Never lose that part of yourself, for in time, it will be of great help in healing the hurts of the world. So please, my son, please never forget this. I beg of you, as my last dying wish!” she pleaded. Laren embraced her tightly and kissed her forehead multiple times.

 

                “Yes, mother, I swear to you that I will never lose touch with my emotions. You have my word!” he declared!

 

                “And did you keep that promise?” the light asked all of a sudden, pulling Laren out of the current memory that he was seeing play in front of him.

 

                “I…have been rather cold…I normally don’t express my feelings out to anyone…so really, I actually failed mother’s wishes…I…I failed her…” he said, as he then cast his gaze down.

 

                “How could you forget such an important promise?” the light wondered.

 

                “Because of life…you see, after mother died, I took care of father. For a long time, we were living well together, and we always had each other’s backs. But then one day, he began to show signs of illness. His symptons grew worse with each passing day, and when I tried asking the doctors what was wrong, they couldn’t discern what was wrong with him. I was ready to pay any kind of okane I could in order to ensure my father would make it out of this…but he didn’t want to be treated. He wanted to die in peace at home…and so, I took care of him until his death.”

 

                “Afterwards, I started to become distand with my emotions. Losing both of my parents changed me, and while I tried to face the hardships of every day life on my own, I found myself falling every time. I would break down, I would feel desperate, but I had no one to truly talk to when it came to my feelings…no one to lean on. I started to lose touch my emotions…and I guess that from that moment on, I blinded myself, and in doing so, I broke mother’s promise.  I see that now…” Laren said, as he then clenched his hands into fists. “I’m such an idiot!”

 

                “You have been through much pain in your life…you managed to keep all that pain inside you, I assume.” the light spoke.

 

                “Yes, that’s right.” Laren concurred. “The only person who I found myself talking to often after all this was a girl named Tatsumaki. When I had met her back when we were children, I had no idea the impact she would have on my life. In small and big things, she helped me get by, and even though I still behave rather coldly…slowly, I have begun to regain myself in terms of emotion. She’s changed me greatly, and I am grateful for that.”

 

                “But you still have your doubts. You still harbor heavy feelings upon yourself for not overcoming your circumstance. You have anxiety and distrust in yourself.” the light said, as Laren grew silent again, and he remained as such for a bit.

 

                “I will admit…there are many things that to this day I still don’t understand.” Laren said. “There are probably things that I will never come to understand, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to stop myself from doing what’s right. I won’t stop myself from helping people, from protecting them, I won’t stop until the world’s hurts are mended…and to that end, I am prepared to continue fighting for the rest of my life, if that’s what it takes!”

 

                “You definitely have the determination in your eyes. It’s quite apparent that you are resolved to spend the rest of your life in servitude to the world.” the light expressed.

 

                “If that is my fate, then so be it…” Laren said.

 

                “But surely there is something more beyond your life than that?” the light questioned. At that, Laren couldn’t find an answer immediately.

 

                “I…haven’t given much thought to that…I guess that I’ve never really thought of things that way…” Laren said, closing his eyes and stroking his chin.

 

                “Is all your life meant to be a service to others? Without thinking about yourself?” the light inquired, causing Laren to think upon her words.

 

                Then, all of a sudden, the environment around him went dark, and this time, Laren felt like he was in some sort of hallway. He could see a dim light that was coming from beyond him, as it seemed as though a door was slightly creaked open. Light was shining from beyond it, he knew, but for some reason, he couldn’t step closer to the light. It was as if he was frozen in place! He started to feel alarmed, and he struggled, trying to get himself to move. Then, he felt something behind him, and when he glanced over his shoulder, he saw his younger self looking at him, almost as if he was contemplating his adult self.

 

                “And what are you looking at…?” Laren asked. His younger self simply smiled.

 

                “So, this is the man I’ve become, huh? I must say, I’ve definitely become stronger, but I lack  a bit of strength of heart, strength of fortitude…breaking mother’s promise broke you, didn’t it?” his younger self asked, to which Laren remained silent. He gave no answer, and instead bowed his head down, looking at the floor.

 

                “I know life has been cruel to us. I know better than anyone, because I am you, after all. So I know that you’ve become like this due to harsh circumstance and the state of the world. But don’t you think that should’ve been more reason to strive to push yourself forward, in order to make mother’s wish into a reality? Couldn’t you have used all this negativity as drive to push yourself to make your emotions stronger? What changed in you, I wonder?” his younger self went on, as he paced back and forth.

 

                “I just…don’t know…” Laren replied, sounding disheartened.

 

                “Would you like to able to reclaim yourself, the way you were back when you were younger, like me?” his younger self asked. At that, Laren turned around to face him.

 

                “How would such a thing be possible?” Laren asked, for he questioned all this. He knew this was an illusion, but how could an illusion be this detailed and ask such questions?

 

                “It’s easy. You simply have to look inside yourself, and reclaim what you lost. Find yourself again, and find your emotions. Doing so will empower you and your friends. I know it will. And I know Tatsumaki will thank you for it.” his younger self explained.

 

                “Tatsumaki…?” Laren trailed off.

 

                “Don’t tell me you’ve ignored that part of your emotions as well! Tatsumaki! She’s the one who looked inside you when no one else knew how to!” his younger self answered.

 

                “That’s true. When I met her, I knew that there was something about her, something special, but I couldn’t place my finger on it. And simply out of instinct, I felt like I could just talk to her freely. I’m surprised I ended up telling her my story, telling her about my life. It felt natural to talk to her.” Laren said.

 

                “And why do you think that is?” his younger self asked with a smile. And at that, Laren knew the answer.

 

                “Because…I felt emotion with her, and over the years…I began to have feelings for her…” Laren whispered.

 

                “Right on the nose, grown up me! Little by little, Tatsumaki helped to regain yourself! Remember that time that you were in that underground research laboratory, foiling the old lady’s plan? You felt a surge of emotion, frustration over the fact that innocent people were being used for wicked things. You always felt sympathy for others, but at that moment, for the first time in a while, you let your feelings out instead of keeping them in. You did that, Laren.” his younger self said, refreshing Laren’s memory.

 

                “Yes, I remember…and having Tatsumaki by my side…she’d always give me strength when I wouldn’t have any…” Laren said to himself. And in that moment, the door beyond Laren creaked completely open, and light shone through the hallway, then transforming it into a spaceless plain, in which a golden essence floated everywhere, and Laren himself felt like he was drifting in midair! The hall that had been darkened was now beaming with golden light!

 

                “W-what is this?” Laren asked, looking all around him, bewildered by the light.

 

                “This is your light, your emotion. It’s just about to finally be freed from inside your heart. But there’s still something more you have to do before that happens.” his younger self said. At that, Laren immediately understood what he had to do.

(End Song Here)

 

                “Well then, on with it! Bring me the final step of my trial!” Laren called out. His younger self smiled, and then his body began to become consumed by darkness, his eyes becoming yellow! Laren became unsettled as he saw his younger self become distorted! Then, he was consumed in a sphere of darkness, and then it grew to an exponential size, until it burst, and a giant creature of shadow emerged! It looked humanoid, but with large arms and razor shap claws and long legs with fiercely sharp talons, yellow eyes beaming and mouth agape with sharp teeth!

 

(Start Song Here)

                “This…is my negative emotion? It’s this strong? All that I’ve kept inside has formed into this monstrosity…?” Laren asked to himself. If this was the case, then he was definitely surprised by what he was seeing. Even he did not expect to face something such as this!

 

                “Let your emotion flow…”

 

                “Free yourself from darkness….”

 

                “The time is now…”

 

                “Break free or lose yourself forevermore…”

 

                Laren continued to hear these voices, and each time he heard them, they became louder and rang in his head all the more, almost causing him to have an unbearable headache! But he wasn’t about to let this stop him, not when there was work that he had to do!

 

                “This is where I make my stand! I will not falter!” Laren cried out in defiance, summoning forth a wind lance into his hand!

 

                “Come then, the time for battle is now!” Laren shouted, as he dashed forward without hesitation, with determination brimming in his eyes! He clashed against the creature, as it blocked its attack with its long left arm, and then swiped him away with his right arm! Laren was flung back quite a ways, but he was able to regain himself by adding wind propulsion to his feet so balance himself out in midair! He then propulsed himself like a bullet towards the creature, and he landed right at its feet, then proceeding to deliver a devastating upward slash that cut across the creature’s chest! It spewed out strong currents of darkness, but the giant wound in its chest quickly sealed up! Laren backed off a bit and caught his breath. He analyzed the situation as it was currently standing.

 

                “Are my negative emotions that strong? Is it that hard to cut through all that darkness…?” Laren thought for a moment, doubting himself. But he quickly shook his head. “No, I will not doubt! I must continue!” he shouted, as he then dodged a low kick sweep that the creature delivered. Afterwards, Laren dashed towards the creature’s leg and then began scaling up, reachings towards its waist and then proceeding to deliver a fatal flurry of attacks that significantly cut the creature, sending it stepping back a bit!

 

                “Now you fall!” Laren shouted, as he then charged up his wind energy and made his lance increase in size, until it became as gigantic as the creature itself! He then flung his lance with all his might, the power of pure wind piercing through the creature, creating a wide, gaping whole that could clearly be seen from miles away! The creature spewed out black blood from its mouth, and it roared in fury! But it looked like it wasn’t about to die yet! Slowly and then rapidly, it’s giant wound sealed shut, and Laren was forced to dodge a great many attacks that the creature delivered, now that it was in a frenzy!

 

                “Damn…this is more difficult than I thought…” Laren thought to himself, as he was getting closer and closer to being hit by his foe! Then, one of the attacks landed and hit Laren hard, making him shoot throughout the environment at blinding speed! The force and power behind the hit was so much, that when Laren landed on the floor, he tumbled a good, long while, crashing along the ground, his body being bruised and scraped all along the way! Eventually, he came to a stop, and then he winced in pain as his back and body were hurting like never before!

 

                The creature was coming already, even though it was far away! He could hear its roar like if he was right next to it! Despite the pain he was feeling, he stood up on both feet, and he ignored the pain his body was going through. He wasn’t about to give up now, not when he was so close to freeing himself from his own doubts. He needed this! He needed to overcome himself!

 

                “Come on, creature! Bring me your worst!” Laren challenged!

 

                And almost as if the creature had heard Laren’s statement, the creature immediately appeared behind him, apparently having teleported, and then, it gripped Laren tightly in its clawed hand! The creature’s claws slowly sank into Laren’s skin, and he was trying to ignore the pain! If he didn’t free himself from the creature’s hold, he’d surely be a goner!

 

                “I will not falter, not here!” Laren shouted, as he then summoned forth wind energy into his hands and then shot wind spheres straight at the creature’s eyes, temporarily blinding it and forcing it to let go of Laren, as he landed on the ground! He then stood cautiously, as the creature tried to soothe its pain, but was unable to, as it constantly shook its head, its eyes pulsating violently!

 

                “What is that…?” Laren thought to himself, as he could’ve sworn that he saw a small chunk of the creature’s body brimming with light! At that, Laren began to wonder if he was starting to gain victory!

 

                “I can’t think upon it too much. I must focus all of my energy on this battle!” he thought, as the creature soon recovered from its blindness and then headed in on the offensive again! This time, the creature got on all fours and sprinted like a rabid beast, rapidly dashing towards Laren without even a second’s thought! Laren was barely able to hold off the creature with a wind shield that he summoned forth! The shield itself was about to break, but luckily, Laren was able to summon forth a wind bow, and then he prepared wind arrows as quick as he could, and he charged them with electric energy!

 

                “Away, foul beast!” he shouted, as he shot forth the thunder imbued wind arrows, piercing through his shield and landing on the creature’s face directly! The creature roared in pain, and it was now gritting its teeth in frustration! It apparently got fed up, and then it caught Laren by surprise, grabbing him by his feet and then flailing him around as if he were some toy! He was then smashed on the ground and relentlessly struck with the creature’s sharp claws! He could feel the claws piercing his skin, the blood coming out everywhere! He was startled and shaken by just how real this all felt!

 

                “For an illusion…this is quite startlingly real…any more pain like this, and I might actually die…and I cannot have that happen!” Laren thought, as he then repelled his foe with a wind burst he pushed forth from his entire body! The creature was flung back and even tumbled along the floor, apparently not expecting this counterattack from Laren! Then he noticed it again!

 

                “Another fragment of the creature’s body…has turned into light!” Laren analyzed, as he now saw another chunk, near the creature’s torso, clearly shining bright!

 

                “This is it! I’m going to make it through!” Laren shouted out, and he noticed that he sounded excited when he said that. He was startled at his very own reaction! Then he recalled what his younger self had said, about him keeping his emotions away. “Is this what he meant…?” he thought. He then shook his head, and prepared to take on another onslaught, as the beast got back on its feet and ready to deliver another beating!

 

                “Can you do it…?”

 

                “Can you erase pain…?”

 

                “Are you nothing more than a sham?”

 

                “Are you hopeless…?”

 

                Laren heard these voices ringing through him again, but this time, he was not as affected. This time, he felt more confident in himself, and he just faced forward, clashing against the beast, the two of them locked in frenzied combat! Soon, the environment around them began to become affected by their struggle, as the earth started to crack, and the sky was starting to turn red!

 

                “I will defeat you!” Laren proclaimed, as he delivered a powerful thrust of his wind lance to the creature’s chest, as it roared in defiance!

 

                The creature then suddenly drew back, and within a few seconds, it started to draw in power from everywhere! The entire environment was distorting and collapsing towards the creature, as everything around them turned into energy in its hands! It held the sphere it was charging with both hands, and it started to slowly grow in size, a bright blue color shining brightly! The creature’s eyes gleamed with defiance, signaling that it wasn’t going to back down! Laren glared at the creature with the same intent, as he leapt up in the air and started to draw forth the power of wind all towards himself!

 

                “If this is where we finish it, I will do so with all my power!” Laren shouted, as a bright silver aura started to emanate from his body, followed by a sphere of wind that formed from his chest and started to expand, enveloping him as he absorbed more wind energy from his surroundings! By now, the two combatants were practically breaking the fabric of the light’s illusionary reality, and Laren could feel that this was the breaking point of his trial! Either he passed, or he would fall!

 

                “This won’t end here!” he shouted, as the two of them charged their attacks until their powerful spheres were the size of skyscrapers! And in a split second, the two of them launched their spheres at each other at the same time, and the collision of power was so much, that a blinding light emanated that tore through the very fabric of the environment itself! Laren could not see and could not hear, as a deafening sound pierced through his head, and he struggled to regain consciousness! And then, darkness…

(End Song Here)

 

                Suddenly, Laren opened his eyes, and at first, his vision was foggy, but within a few seconds, he could see clearly. He saw the massive destruction that his and the creature’s attacks had left on this illusionary place, and when he looked around to see if the creature had survived, he notice that the creature was no more! Rather, his younger self was beaming with light. He was smiling at him, with what seemed to be a satisfied look on his face.

 

                “Did I…?” Laren asked, and his younger self nodded.

 

                “Yes. You’ve finally done it. We’re free of the shackles we created within ourselves.” he replied. And indeed, Laren felt a much lighter essence in himself, as if a heavy chain had been unbound from him.

 

                “Is this how it feels…to be rid of negative emotion?” Laren asked.

 

                “Yeah…now we can finally fulfill mother’s promise…” his younger self said, as he closed his eyes and smiled, stretching out his arms and fading away, content and at peace. Laren stood there alone for a moment, and then, the light appeared in front of him. She had an air of contentness on her.

 

                “So you too, have passed your trial. That makes three of you whom have passed!” the light explained.

 

                “Who are the other two who have passed?” Laren asked in surprise!

 

                “Grim and Tatsumaki. They are outside, awaiting you and the others to complete your trials.” the light answered.

 

                “I see. Well, I’m relieved.” Laren said, as he literally gave out a sigh of relief. At that, the light giggled softly.

 

                “So, it seems you really have gotten back in touch with your emotions. That’s good to see.” she said.

 

                “Hmph, it was one heck of a test though, I’ll say. All this time, I knew that all of this was just mere illusion, but the way you can make things appear so real is startling…at one point, I actually thought everything I witnessed was real!” Laren said.

 

                “Well, in a way, it was real. It was real in the sense that you were facing the conflict residing within yourself. The things you saw were indeed things that had happened. Everything that occurred to you here made me see that you are worthy of being bestowed with my power. You have a strong light that is difficult to snuff out, so I know that you will be able to lead your friends out of darkness should anything dire happen. You are the light that will guide them all home. Now then, come closer.” the light beckoned, as Laren approached unquestioningly.

 

                “Stretch out your hands.” she said, and so he did so. When he did, she placed her hands on his, and after a few seconds, a sphere of light formed from out of thin air! Laren could feel a powerful essence within this light, like a raging stormwind! He grabbed hold of the sphere, and its power went within him! Then, he looked at the light, not sure of what to do next.

 

                “So then, what now?” he asked. The light then proceeded to summon a door to exit this place.

 

                “There is the exit of your trial. You’ll find yourself with Grim and Tatsumaki, and we shall await your two remaining friends to see if they finish their trials.” the light said. Laren nodded, and then he opened the door and went through it, and when he did, he saw Grim and Tatsumaki, with relief and happiness in their faces knowing that Laren made it through!

 

                “Glad to see that you made it through!” Tatsumaki hummed as she smiled at Laren.

 

                “Heh, you think I wouldn’t? Do you have that little faith in me?” Laren questioned sarcastically. At that, Tatsumaki and Grim were taken by surprise!

 

                “Wait, did you just talk sarcastically…?” Grim asked, confused.

 

                “Who are you, and what have you done with Laren?” Tatsumaki chuckled, not believing this either. Laren smiled and shook his head.

 

                “I just realize that this was something I needed. I reclaimed back something I had lost a long time ago…” he responded, to which Tatsumaki knew what he was talking about, and she only smiled, knowing what he had meant. Laren then looked towards the two remaining doors, and he closed his eyes.

 

                “I hope you two can make it just as we have, my friends.” Laren thought to himself.

------------------------------------

 

Three of our heroes have overcome their trials, and now, only Bane and Zaria are left! Will they be able to come out of their trials as victors, or will they be denied the power of the light? Be prepared for the next chapter, as we take a look into Bane’s mind in Chapter Thirty Two: “Forever Is Not A Blessing.”

 

Well everyone, that was the chapter! I hope that you enjoyed Laren’s trial! I’ve tried to ensure that each character’s trial stands out from the rest, and well, I hope I’ve succeeded in that regard! With only Bane and Zaria left, I know you’re all probably expecting even better things, so I’m going to do my best to live up to your expectations! I’ll do all within my power to make the story even more exciting! Anyways, thank you all very much for your love and support, as always, and let me know what you thought about tonight’s chapter! Until next time, stay tuned for the next one!

[KHLegendIII 709]

This was a fun chapter.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

To KHLegendIII, thanks, I'm glad you thought so!

 

Good evening everyone, I hope that all of you are doing okay! So then, here is the latest chapter of my story! I know it’s taken a while, but a few factors have contributed to that, and so, due to many things, I was delayed a few days, which resulted in this chapter coming out a tad bit late! But anyways, I don’t like to let my followers go on too long without a chapter, so here’s the latest and greatest from yours truly! Enjoy!

 

Chapter Thirty Two: Forever Is Not a Blessing

 

                Bane was staring at darkness itself. He was silent and unflinching. He simply stood there, doing nothing and saying nothing. Even the silence surrounding him seemed to grow stiff at his presence! His eyes had adjustd to the pitch black of the darkness, and as he eyed his surroundings, he noticed that there was nothing around, and he was simply in a dark recess of his mind. He knew that. And he knew he wouldn’t get out of this silent ambience until he finished his trial.

 

                Just as Bane starts to ponder to himself, the light suddenly appears before him, and she looks at him with what seems to be intrigue and wonder. She closes him and stares right into his eyes, and he looks back, though he seems unfazed. But he does wonder why she keeps staring.

 

                “What…?” he asked, trying to break the silence. The light then flung herself back gently and let out a small chuckle.

 

                “Oh, nothing. You just seem like such a curious case. You aren’t like the others. You are much different. Your circumstances are different from them quite considerably. Did you always want this?” the light asked.

 

                “You mean my current form?” he asked.

 

                “Current form? As in, you’ve had others…?” the light asked right behind him. Then, just as Bane was about to speak, the darkness around him began to give way to light, and then that light gave way to a familiar sight that he hadn’t bore witness to in quite some time. He saw himself, laying in a bed in what seemd to be a prison cell. His hair was slightly longer back then, and his face had a visible scar that started from above his right eye and then coursed all the way down near to his jawline. He was between tanned and white, and he was fit, even back then. He looked at the ceiling, seeming to not really hope for much.

 

                “A prison?” the light couldn’t help but ask.

 

                “This is where I was born…” Bane answered, in a way that indicated that he wasn’t going to say much, and that he was going to let this illusionary memory play before him.

 

                Seeing his younger self, he soon sees that the warden comes and knocks on his cell. He doesn’t respond, and then the warden knocks again.

 

                “What…?” he asks, uncaring.

 

                “You have a visitor, so hurry it up!” the warden growled. Apparently, he wasn’t too fond of Bane.

 

                “Right…” Bane said to himself, as he then got up and got out of his cell, and then he was escorted towards a small room where other inmates were talking with loved ones or friends who had come to visit them. An empty seat remained, and this was for Bane. He sat down and saw who was waiting for him.

 

(Start Song Here)

                “Ellene…you didn’t have to come…” Bane said with an utmost serious tone. That just made Ellene look upset.

 

                “How can you say that, Bane? How can you say that without the slightest care in the world? You’re my brother, how wouldn’t I be here? What did you expect me to do, forget about you?” she exclaimed.

 

                “This doesn’t have anything to do with you…I don’t want you to go through any more pain…” Bane said, remaining in his cold, uncaring attitude. This obviously upset Ellene, as she seemed to be on the burst of tears, but she held on strong, for she had an unshakable will behind those teary eyes.

 

                “Well, it’s too late for that. I know everything, and I know what you want to put yourself through, and if you think that it’s going to solve anything, well, you’re thinking wrong! It won’t do any good! How can you think this is a solution to your problems?” she said, trying to talk some sense into her brother. “You think that what you did is something that is horrible, but I know that those people had it coming. Those people were scumbags who deserved to die! They were terrorizing people, you damn well know that, and yet you’re here, when you id nothing wrong!”

 

                “Ellene…this is just how the world works. Not everything in life is fair, and sometimes, you just have to deal with the hand that’s been dealt. It can’t be helped. I’m ready for whatever comes next…” Bane answered, still remaining cold.

 

                “Big brother…how can you say such things…? I just…I just can’t believe you!” Ellene said, as she started to pace. She didn’t know what to think, she didn’t know what to do, and she knew that time was running out. And she knew that whatever she’d say, she wouldn’t be able to change Bane’s mind. “Bane…please tell me that this isn’t how it ends. Please tell me that you’ll at least think of reconsidering. You don’t have to throw away your life like this!” she pleaded anew.

 

                “Ellene…my mind is already made up. If that’s all, we’re done here…” he said as he stood up and turned to walk away, as he was escorted by a guard. Ellene was going to call out to him, but she stopped herself and bit her lower lip. She felt frustrated, and she knew that Bane knew how she was feeling. He wanted to look back, but he hesitated, and instead kept moving forward.

 

                “Geez, some family man you are…” the guard scoffed at him.

 

                “Just take me back to my cell already…” Bane said, ignoring the guard’s comment.

 

                And so, the guard took Bane back to his cell and locked it tight, and Bane again laid down on his bed and looked at the ceiling. He appreciated the concern Ellene showed, and he loved her beyond belief. But he had already made up his mind, and he wasn’t going to be swayed by anyone or anything. He had already decided to himself what his next course of action would be. It would change his life, for better or for worse.

 

                Slowly, the scenery started to change, and now, the environment that stretched out before Bane and the light was just outside of the prison. It was a wide courtyard, and there was no one in sight! All the other prisoners were looking through a fence that divided up the complex and the courtyard. They were all curious to see what was going to happen to Bane. The warden, along with a few guards and what looked to be some scientists, had strange machinery that was being placed on either side’s of Bane’s restrained body. They were attaching his arms and legs so that they spread wide equally. He was now irrevocably bound, and there was no way for him to escape. The warden then turned around and looked towards the other prisoners, who were looking onward in silence.

 

                “Heed me, all of you! What you are about to witness now is what will happen to those who refuse to obey our rules and try to get out of line! You will go through the same suffering as him!” the warden proclaimed, pointing towards Bane, who looked indifferent about the whole situation.

 

                “The procedure is about to begin, sir. Would you like to say any final words before proceeding?” one of the scientists asked of Bane, whom only shook his head.

 

                “I have nothing to say.” was all he replied, as he fell silent and looked towards the fence, looking at no one or nothing in particular. In truth, his expression looked like he was far gone. He seemed to not care all that much about what was happening currently. The warden then walked closer to Bane, and then he looked at his face, and he shook his head.

 

                “To think that this is how your life will end. Are you sure that you won’t reconsider? Your sister has been pleading me to release you…I know that you aren’t guilty of what was accused of you, but you insist on being labeled as guilty. For the life of me, I can’t even think why. Why would you choose death over life?” the warden whispered to Bane, confused and trying to find an answer to this. Bane only shook his head.

 

                “There’s nothing more to talk about here…” Bane said. The warden sighed and then he nodded towards the scientists, giving them the green light to proceed. And so, the warden backed off, and the scientists started to work with their machinery, setting it to what it seemed to be its maximum setting! Within seconds, Bane started to scream in undeniable pain, as his eyes widened and his body jerked and struggled against the restraints put upon him! He yelled from the top of his lungs, and his body was being electrocuted mercilessly! He could feel his entire body going numb, but at the same time, he could still feel the pain, despite his body becoming heavier and heavier by the second!

 

                Soon, he saw how the machinery began to take apart his body, tearing his limbs apart like if they were nothing more than plastic! Blood was spraying and dripping everywhere, and Bane noticed the expressions of horror, disgust and fear written across the faces of the other prisoners.  He felt like his very life force was being ripped away from him! His body was then being reconstructed right then and there by the machinery, as his missing limbs were replaced with robotic counterparts! They fit into place, and the scientists ensured to stop the bleeding caused from the removal of the limbs before putting on the new, robotic replacements! Other portions of Bane’s body were being modified, and he felt like his skull was being ripped apart! No longer being able to take any of the pain, Bane fell into unconsciousness, or as he would have thought, death.

 

                But death held no welcoming arms for him. In fact, he awoke much, much later.

(End Song Here)

 

                “And what is this, if I may ask? You willingly wanted to become a being that was not human?” the light asked, bewildered by what she had just seen! But Bane only remained silent. He and the light looked on, as memories of Bane’s life continued to float in and out of this illusionary plain.

 

                As the memories continued to pass on by, the light saw Bane’s life, and it was something that truly puzzled her. After becoming robotic in appearance and in nature, Bane took to being a sort of enforcer, a bodyguard to different kinds of people, be they good or bad. He was feared for his cold eyes and his robotic body, but after a time, he began to put bandages on himself and conealed his face and his body, so that no one would know of his enhancements. Over time, he stopped working altogether for other people, and then he struck out on his own. It seemed as though he had some other plans in store!

 

                “And what happens here?” the light asked, looking at Bane.

 

                “This is where it all goes downhill…” he answered softly, almost in a hum. The light then proceeded to keep looking at the memory playing out before them.

 

                With the memories continually shifting, the light saw how Bane began to lose touch with all other people, and he began to act more and more like a machine! Whenever he was besieged by unknown assailants, he’d slaughter them without the slightest hesitation. Moving forward, people began to hear about him, and whenever he walked by, he was the subject of great fear among others. No one dare approached him, and they wanted to just leave him in peace.

 

                “Sister…” he kept repeating to himself constantly. It seemed that during all this time, he was searching for his sister. He searched far and wide and didn’t find her.

 

                After that, he continued on through long stretches of time, happening to walk into different battles and wars, where he’d massacre anyone who would stand in his way. At one point, people from different countries put a bounty on him, in the hopes that they could attain his power and use it to tip the scale of power between the nations of the world. But even the mightiest of bounty hunters didn’t dare to hunt him down. They knew of his abilities, and they knew of his cold and uncaring self, and they preferred to pass up on the reward money, instead wanting to continue living their lives.

 

(Start Song Here)

                “The reason I became like this…was so I could be at my sister’s side and protect her, watch over her and see her grow and have a family. All the while, I would want to protect her, and with a normal human body, I’d grow old, and my strength would wane. But with my enhancements, I could have constant strength, and even when my sister would age, I would still be strong enough to protect her from harm. That’s the reason why I went through with this hell. She was the only family I had left. All our other family members died either of sickness, war or family betrayals…because our family was not a perfect one.” Bane explained calmly. “All that I did, I did for the sake of my sister. I didn’t care about anything else, only my desire to protect her is what would shine through…”

 

                “I had…no idea…” the light said, feeling touched and saddened by Bane’s story. She watched and saw a memory where Bane had arrived at a nearby town. He had grown weak after many days of travel, and he needed to rest up, so he decided to head into a nearby town. But people would turn him away, terrified that they’d meet a grisly fate. So Bane did the only thing he could. He kept going onward.

 

                Then, the most curious thing happened!

 

                He came upon a small inn that lay almost at the town’s exit, and there, he saw the innkeepers looking at him through the window shutters. Apparently they were afraid as well. He then saw two children playing just outside the inn, and their parents whispered to them to head inside, but they didn’t listen! Bane walked and stopped when he came upon the children, who noticed his presence!

 

                “Oh wow, you’re so tall, mister!” one of the children, a little girl said. She then tapped her brother on the shoulder, and he turned around and saw Bane, and he looked at him with great awe and wonder!

 

                “Wow, are you some kind of giant!?” the boy asked. Bane was a bit overwhelmed by this. It had been a long time since he had actually stopped to talk to someone, that this all felt new to him again. He didn’t know what to answer, and the parents of the children looked at him uneasily, and they were just outside, concerned for their children and at the ready in case Bane tried to do something funny. He then knelt down to be at eye level with the children, and he looked at them and saw that they weren’t afraid in the slightest, which was pretty strange for Bane, since everyone cowered away at the sight of him!

 

                “So…you two aren’t afraid of me?” he asked.

 

                “Nope. Should we be?” the little girl asked.

 

                “It’s not like you’re the boogeyman or anything. You just happen to be a really big guy! Why should we be scared?” the boy wondered. Bane scratched his head, for he was at a loss with these children.

 

                “You two really are different, it seems. So tell me, do you think I could stay in that inn behind you?” he asked them.

 

                “Sure! Mom and Dad would gladly welcome you, isn’t that right guys!?” the boy asked, waving at his cautious parents, who slowly approached Bane.

 

                “Y-you’re welcome to stay, if that’s what you want…” the mother said, though she avoided eye contact with Bane.

 

                “I’ll only be staying the night. By morning, I’ll be gone.” Bane assured. Then the man, the father of the children, nodded and cleared his throat.

 

                “Well then, if you’ll follow me, we’ll discuss payment.” he said. But Bane merely took out what seemed to be an entire backpack that held okane that weighed like bricks.

 

                “This will be more than enough, I assume?” Bane asked. At that, the innkeepers looked at the bag, overwhelmed by its wait, and after inspecting through the contents, indeed found that this was okane!

 

                “B-but sir, this is more than what we charge, we can’t accept all this money!” the mother exclaimed.

 

                “That’s right! This is way too much, please, only a small fragment will do!” the father said, but Bane shook his head.

 

                “I don’t need it. You do, more than I.” he said. “Anyways, I’m going up to my room, if that’s alright…” he replied, and so he made his way towards the entrance of the inn, when the innkeepers stopped him at the door!

 

                “Well, if you insist on giving us all this payment, then at least let us treat you to a fine dinner! It’s the least we can do after such generous kindness on your part!” the mother requested, bowing humbly.

 

                “Yes, it would be our honor! We haven’t had any customers in quite some time, so we were falling behind on bills and whatnot…but now with all this okane, we’ll make more than enough for the payments! We can even remodel the place! So please, join us for dinner!” the father agreed.

 

                “Yeah, yeah, come and eat with us, giant man!” the two children cheered in unison. Bane thought about it for a bit, and then he gave in.

 

                “Alright…I guess I can make time for dinner.” he replied.

 

                “Great!” the innkeepers replied with glee. “We’ll begin making dinner at once!” they said, as they headed inside the inn and darted towards the kitchen! Bane, in the meantime, went up to his room. He closed the door shut and lay on the bed that was provided in the room. It was comfortable enough, just enough for him to rest up for a bit. As he lay on the bed, he found himself staring at the ceiling, and remembered the time he had been in prison. Things had changed since then.

 

                A while passed, and Bane heard a sudden creak coming from the door. He ignored it and just kept looking at the ceiling, but when he heard the creaking again, he sat up on the bed and then he looked towards the door, and he noticed the two children peeking into the room, looking at him!

 

                “What do you want…?” he asked. The children, startled that they were discovered, tripped and fell on the floor, causing the door to creak wide open! They quickly stood up and bowed apologetically.

 

                “We’re sorry for peeking in on you like that, mister giant man!” the girl apologized.

 

                “Yeah, we were just wondering where you’re from!” the little boy stated.

 

                “Where I’m from?” Bane asked.

 

                “Yeah!” the two children nodded in unison. “You obviously aren’t from around here, and you have that strange clothing on you, wrapped in bandages all around! Why is that? Did you burn your whole body, mister giant man?” the boy wondered. Bane couldn’t help but chuckle at the boy’s curiosity, and he shook his head.

 

                “No, I wasn’t burnt…I was…enhanced.” he answered a bit hesitantly.

 

                “Enhanced? What does that mean?” the little girl asked.

 

                “It means that he’s got strong hands, right, right?” the boy asked excitedly. At that, Bane couldn’t hold back a joyful laugh, and that’s when he noticed that it was the first time in a very long time tha the had laughed this hard! The children looked at him with curious expressions, as apparently, they were amused by his laughter.

 

                “You two kids are something else…but no, it doesn’t mean that I have strong hands…it’s more like my body is stronger…but I am not all that human. Not anymore, at least.” Bane explained.

 

                “Not human? So does that mean you’re a monster!?” the little girl gasped!

 

                “Nah, if he were a monster, he’d be furry! I think he’s a robot!” the boy guessed.

 

                “More or less, kid.” Bane confirmed. “But this isn’t something you children should see…there are some things in life that you just can’t be witness to yet. Especially with your young minds.” he stated.

 

                “If that’s how it is, then how come you wanted to become a robot, mister giant man?” the little girl asked. At that, Bane remained silent for a bit, and he looked out the window. He pondered on the question. He hadn’t expected these kids to engage him in such conversation, but now that he was definitely in this, he felt that he should tell them why he decided to go through with his enhancement.

 

                “Because I wanted to become stronger…to protect someone important to me.” he answered.

 

                “Oh wow, so that means that you’re a superhero!” the little boy mentioned in awe. But Bane shook his head slowly.

 

                “Far from it. I’m not someone that would be considered a hero.” he replied, as he lay back down in bed and looked at the ceiling. The children crawled up to bed and sat beside him.

 

                “But mister, you wanting to protect someone close means that you are a hero! Maybe you don’t see it yourself, but that’s a good reason to do what you did! If it’s for someone you care about, the things you do are worthwhile!” the little girl mentioned.

 

                “Hmph…you’re right.” Bane agreed. “You know, you two are smart for your age. What are your names?” he asked.

 

                “Mui!” the little girl proclaimed!

 

                “Shu!” the little boy answered.

 

                “Well then, Mui, Shu, you two have entertained me all the time I’ve been here. You two are very special kids. You could end up doing great things when you grow up. Don’t let that light inside you burn out, you hear?” he asked of them.

 

                “Light? What light?” Shu asked, puzzled.

 

                “Silly, he means the thing that makes us special, right mister giant man?” Mui asked. He nodded.

 

                “Right.” he replied. Then, the innkeepers called from downstairs.

 

                “Ooh, sounds like dinner is ready! Come on down, mister giant man!” Shu said, as he and Mui raced down to the kitchen to get their bit to eat. Bane stayed in the room a bit, and then he stood up and went downstairs, making his way from his room to the lobby. He then followed the smell of food to the left, until he reached a small dining room that looked cozy and nice. He saw that Mui and Shu were already enjoying their meal, and the innkeepers were waiting for Bane to sit so that he could be served.

 

                “Please, have a seat, friend.” the father greeted.

 

                “It’s Bane.” Bane said.

 

                “Right, Bane. Take a seat.” the father said, as he pulled up a chair so Bane could sit on it.

 

                “So, who should I thank for the meal?” Bane asked, as the food was being served to him. The innkeepers then bowed and presented themselves.

 

                “I’m Nuka!” the father said.

 

                “And I’m Hina. Well then, be sure to eat your fill, Bane. Again, thank you for your generosity.” the mother said, as she served the food. It was a nice, steamy plate of noodle soup, accompanied by some loafed bread and a potato salad on a separate bowl. There were also fried chicken breast fillets put on the potato salad. It all looked very appetizing, and Bane bowed his head in appreciation.

 

                “Thank you for the food.” he replied, as he unwound the lower part of his bandaged face, revealing his mouth, and he began to eat. The family looked at him, eager to see his reaction to the food! His eyes lit up immediately, and he found the food very much to his liking! He looked up at them and then to the food again, and then he chowed down with full enthusiasm!

 

                “Yay, mister giant man likes the food!” Mui cheered on!

 

                “Hey, didn’t you hear? His name’s Bane!” Shu scolded.

 

                “But I like calling him mister giant man! He doesn’t mind, right?” she asked with puppy dog eyes. Bane chuckled and shook his head.

 

                “No, not at all. You can call me what you like.” he replied.

 

                “See? I told you so!” Mui said to Shu, sticking out her tongue at him!

 

                “Now, now, children, where are your manners? Let’s eat our dinner with our guest peacefully, you hear?” Mina urged. And so, they all treated themselves to the meal, and they kept conversing well into the afternoon, until evening started to settle in. Bane learned a lot from this family, and he saw that they were humble, kind people. He looked at them, and he felt a warmness inside, one that he hadn’t felt in a very long while.

 

                “They helped me find myself…” Bane said to himself, as the light continued to be by his side.

 

                They both looked onward, and as Bane and the others finished eating their meal, he thanked them for the hospitality and turned in for the night.  But things were about to take a turn for the worst…

 

                Bane suddenly woke up in what could have been half past midnight. He could smell smoke coming from down below, and he heard screams coming from different directions! He immediately thought of Mui, Shu and the others, and he darted downstairs like a violently rapid wind, and when he got downstairs, he saw that the inn was on fire! He looked around in alarm, searching for the innkeepers and their children!

 

                “Mui! Shu! Nuka! Hina!” he shouted, as his eyes shifted around desperately. His cries were answered by shrill howls, and when Bane turned around, he saw three bulky Shadow Blights staring at him. No doubt that they were considering him to be their next meal!

 

                “Oh no you don’t…” Bane thought, as he darted towards the first Shadow Blight and slammed its head against the floor, crushing it and making it dissipate! He then proceeded to take out the other two with ease! He then went outside and saw people running, fleeing the town! He looked to his left, and he saw a considerable amount of Shadow Blights lurking around, scavenging for any dead bodies! Among them was someone, a human, who was walking among them. A female, from what Bane could tell. As the woman got closer, Bane’s eyes opened wide when he noticed who it was.

 

                “No…it can’t be!” he thought. But sadly, it indeed was. It was Ellene! She was among these creatures, and a closer look at her revealed that she had a grim face about her, a cold expression that mirrored Bane’s. She had the same coldness, and that made Bane wonder…

 

                “Did she go through the same enhancements I did…?” he asked to himself. Then, he was warped out of his thoughts when he heard the screams of children! It was Mui and Shu!

 

                “Mommy, daddy!” they yelled in horror. On instinct, Bane leapt onto the scene, but he arrived just a split second too late, as the Shadow Blights devoured Nuka and Mina alive, their screams of pain and agony being marked on their poor children, as the shock of seeing their parents die before them made them lose themselves. They were the next victims!

 

                “No!” Bane shouted, as he swept the children away and then darted towards safety. He ran and ran, and he continued until he was out of town. He held Mui and Shu close to him, and he kept on running, not daring to look back!

 

                After a while, he was at a safe enough distance, and he felt that Ellene was not going to catch up to them, at least for a while. He set down Mui and Shu, and he looked at them. Their faces were still plastered with the horrors they had witnessed, and they were dead silent. Bane clenched his fists and felt powerless. He had been shown kindess and hospitality by these children, and he hadn’t been able to save their parents. It was something that was digging into his heart with each passing second.

 

                “Mister giant man…mommy and daddy are gone forever, aren’t they…?” Mui asked, her voice breaking. Bane only looked down.

 

                “W-what are we gonna do now?” Shu asked, startled and feeling distraught! Bane felt his heart clench, and he felt frustrated that he couldn’t find anything to say. Instead, he just put Mui and Shu to their feet, and they started to walk together. They felt safe with him, so they didn’t say a word.

 

                They traveled onward for quite some time, and they covered a considerable distance. When Mui and Shu got tired, Bane carried them as they fell asleep on his back. He still couldn’t let go of the guilt he felt, of not having been able to do anything! He should’ve just kept moving on and not have stayed in that inn.

 

                Soon enough, Bane saw some people in the distance. At first, he was hesitant of proceeding, because he thought they might be enemies, but then he noticed one of the people coming towards him. He looked like a guard.

 

                “Excsue me sir, did you come from the direction of the destroyed town, by any chance?” the man asked. Bane nodded.

 

                “Yes…it’s chaos…I rescued these two children from the Shadow Blights.” he explained.

 

                “Goodness! The poor things!” the man stated, as he saw the children resting on Bane’s back. “Well then, we’ve been sent to rescue any fleeing people from said town. We will need you to hand the children over to us.”

 

                “Of course.” Bane said, as he gently placed the children in the guard’s arms.  “Take care of them…they’ve been through hell…” was all he said, as he passed the guard by and continued on his way.

 

                “Thank you for saving them! I’m sure these kids see you as a hero!” the guard proclaimed. Bane stopped for a moment and clenched his fists. He glanced back and scoffed.

 

                “I’m no hero…” was all he said, as he then disappeared into the night. After that, everything turned to black, and now Bane was standing again in pitch black darkness alongside the light.

(End Song Here)

 

                “You have been through a lot, Bane.” she said, feeling sad after everything she saw. “I’m sure this is something that eats away at your heart…”

 

                “I’ve learned to live with it.” Bane said, without any hesitation in his voice. “I wasn’t able to save those children’s parents, and so that was on me. I could’ve been able to save them if I had just gotten to them on time. But these things happen, and I can’t beat myself up over something that was out of my hands. The important thing is that I was able to get Mui and Shu out of there…they were already witnessing hell, I didn’t want them dying in said hell. They didn’t deserve that. Not after the kindness they had shown me…” he explained.

 

                “You could have just left without saying a word. You could have just let the children die, and you could’ve avoided getting into contact with your sister. But you decided to save those children, and even though you don’t think of it the way that guard did, you truly were a hero to those kids. I could tell that they admired you, even though they had just met you.” the light said.

 

                “Well…as long as they’re alive, that’s what matters…and I hope they’ve been able to overcome the horrors of that night.” Bane replied. At that, the light smiled.

 

                “Bane, you have a noble heart, despite all the changes that have come over you. You are worthy of my light. Hold out your hands, and close your eyes.” she said. Bane did as he was told, and he awaited whatever the light had in store for him.

 

                She placed her hands  on his, and he could feel a powerful surge of energy go through him. When he opened his eyes, he saw that in his hands was shining a bright orb of light, and when he closed his hands, the orb disappeared into him. He immediately felt reinvigorated with new strength. The light then summoned forth the door that would lead to the exit of this illusionary plain.

 

                “Come, the others await.” the light said. Bane nodded, and he slowly walked towards the door and opened it, and on the other side he saw Grim, Tatsumaki and Laren! They were relieved to see him have come out of his trial, and they were definitely happy that he was among them now!

 

                “Good, you overcame your trial, too!” Tatsumaki beamed.

 

                “It seems so…” Bane said, and then they all looked towards Zaria’s door, which was the only one remaining.

 

                “Is Zaria doing okay?” Grim asked to the light, and they all looked at her with nervous expressions on their faces. Bane kept looking at the door.

 

                “She’s been in there the longest of us all…I hope she’s okay!” Tatsumaki said with concern.

 

                “For the sake of the world, let us hope so.” the light said.

 

                “You can do this, Zaria…” Bane thought to himself. He was confident that she’d pull through!

 

--------------------------------------------------------

 

Now, with only Zaria remaining to face her trial, the fate of the world rests upon her succeeding! Will she be able to overcome herself, or will the last hope of the world fall? Tension rides high, as our heroes face the issue of time rapidly running out! Be prepared for the next chapter, as Zaria faces her trial in Chapter Thirty Three: “A Place To Call Home.”

 

Well everyone, that was the chapter! Boy, working on these trials has been quite the adventure for me! I hope that I’ve been able to make them interesting enough for all of you readers out there! Just one more trial to go, and things get even more intense! I hope you’ll all look forward to what’s in store! Thank you for your patience and support, as always, and let me know what you thought about tonight’s chapter!  So then, until next time, stay tuned for the next one!

[KHLegendIII 709]

This chapter was intense.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

To KHLegendIII, thanks man, I'm glad you thought so!

 

Good evening everyone, I hope that all of you are doing okay! So then, here we are! The final trial that the light has put upon our remaining heroine, Zaria! Grim, Tatsumaki, Laren and Bane have endured and overcome their trials, and now only Zaria remains. What do you all think will happen? I bet all of you are itching to know more about Zaria, since she’s been sort of an enigma herself for the entirety of the story, huh? Well, here you go everyone, and enjoy the latest chapter!

 

Chapter Thirty Three: A Place To Call Home

 

                “Huh…? What is this?” Zaria asked herself, as she felt like she was floating! She had her eyes closed, so she couldn’t tell where she was. So she decided to open her eyes, and when she did, she found that she was slowly floating down what seemed to be a sort of giant whirlpool! But strangely enough, it wasn’t water, but more of a sort of ethereal material, something that she touched and had an ectoplasmic feel to it. She immediately felt cold when touching the ripples in the whirlpool, so she decided to keep her distance from it. She wondered if this was part of her trial. If it was, then she didn’t find the sense of it. Or rather, she was still trying to discover what sense there was to be made!

 

                “Hey, light! Wherever you are, show yourself! If I’m going to pass my trial, I have to know exactly what it is what I’m up against, because now I’m pretty clueless!” Zaria shouted, expecting the light to appear instantly. But strangely enough, there was no response. “Pfft, great. You send me here, but then you ignore me when I call you…just great.”

 

                Soon enough, Zaria landed at the bottom of the whirpool, and when she felt her feet touch ground, she felt relief! She let her feet take in the sensation of the ground, and then she looked up and saw a very tiny dot way high up! She guessed that was where she had come from. The door she had entered that the light had summoned.

 

                “Gee…long way down.” she thought. With nowhere else to go, Zaria decided that she would just try to find a way out for the time being. When she took her first step, she saw something, or rather, she thought she did. But there was nothing around her, except for the whirlpool. She kept herself on edge, cautious and making sure that she wouldn’t get the jump on! Then, a fog started to form, and at that, Zaria reached for her hip, but she remembered that her sword had been broken, so it was useless!

 

                “No matter, I still have my fists!” she thought to herself, as she clenched them hard and prepared for whatever came next! She saw the fog increase and surround her. It was dark gray, almost like the kind you’d see when someone would burn wood, or smoke from a volcano would rise. Then, Zaria could definitely see a silhouette of someone within the fog. The person was female, and then Zaria looked around, and she saw four other silhouettes, and they were surrounding her!

 

                “Who are you!? What do you want with me? I warn you, I won’t go down without a fight!” Zaria declared, just in case these people had ill intent.  She was only received with silence, which was unsettling, and pissed Zaria off.

 

                “Damn it, I hate it when people ignore me…” she thought, and as she attempted to get into the fog and reach for one of these people, her surrounding environment dissipated, and only the silhouette remained. Zaria couldn’t make out who it was, but now it was just her and the silhouette.

 

                “You do all this to ease the loneliness you feel inside, don’t you?” the silhouette called to her. At that, Zaria’s eyebrow twitched.

 

                “What was that…?” Zaria grunted.

 

                “You heard me. You do all of this to ease the loneliness you feel in your heart. I should know, because I’m you.” the silhouette said, as she appeared and turned out to be Zaria herself, only that she looked more composed! You could say, almost the entire opposite of Zaria!

 

                “Wait, you’re me…? But how’s that possible!?” Zaria asked, bewildered.

 

                “Well, that’s simple. I am one of your many personalities. I am your composed side. I’m the logic when there’s need for logic. Your normal self is mostly explosive.” her other self explained.

 

                “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean!?” Zaria exclaimed!

 

                “Case in point.” her other self replied. “Anyways, moving on, it seems there’s work to do.”

 

                “Work? Oh, right, my trial! Do you know what I have to do?” Zaria asked, only to see her composed self giver her a slight smile.

 

                “Oh, you know what you have do to. Or rather, you’ll be finding out as you go along.” she answered. At that, Zaria frowned.

 

                “So…you’re gonna keep coming at me with the cryptic messages, huh? Well, I guess I’m going to have to keep it up if I’m going to pass my trial.” Zaria thought.

 

                And so, she followed her other self, and as she did so, she saw numerous flashes of her life passing her by. Different moments, different encounters, pleasant and unpleasant experiences. It was like she was viewing everything in multiple screens, as if there were many different movies playing out! She was looking left and right, and there were many things in these memories, things that she held fondly to her heart, and things that she had forgotten she had experienced! Among these many memories were the ones formed with her new friends, and she smiled when she saw them. She truly loved them. As she was about to reach out, immersed in one of the memories, she was yanked back all of a sudden, and then she was thrust upon the ground harshly!

 

                “Ugh! Hey, what!? What was that for!?” Zaria exclaimed, only to find herself in a cementery. She immediately knew where this was.

 

(Start Song Here)

                The sky was overcast, and raindrops were falling here and there. The cementery was empty, all except for a single grave that stood at the edge. A little girl was there, and she was on her knees, tending to the grave and leaving flowers. The names of the little girl’s parents were etched into the gravestone, and the little girl was surprisingly silent as she was tending to the gravestone. Zaria’s face grew dim, and she clenched her fists. This was one moment of her life that she didn’t want to think about.

 

                “Of all the things I have to remember, why does it have to be this…?” she thought to herself. But she had a feeling she couldn’t look away, even if she wanted to, so she had to face this…

 

                She saw the little girl then stand up and make her way out of the cementery, alone. Rain started to pour down heavily, but the little girl didn’t seem to mind it at all. She paid no heed to the rain, and she walked normally. No one else took notice of her. She was just like a stranger, passing by like a momentary wind. The way this girl looked was a sad sight to see. She looked distant, and she looked like she had been through a lot, despite her age. Soon enough, she walked through town and eventually ended up walking into an orphanage. Once inside, she slipped past the caretaker without a word, and she went up to her room and locked herself in, and then she sat on her bed, looking out the bedroom window as the rain continued to pour outside. Silence was all the room offered.

 

                “Mom…Dad…I miss you so much…” the little girl whispered to herself, as she grabbed her pillow and cried into it. Zaria clenched her fists, and she wished that she didn’t have to see this. Reliving this just made her eyes water up, and she found herself breathing heavily. The pain of this memory was too real…

 

                “You always felt isolate from the world, didn’t you?” the little girl asked, as she looked at Zaria.

 

                “Well, at the time, mom and dad had died, so what do you think I’d expect from the world?” Zaria answered. Then, her younger self got off from the bed and walked towards the window, and she remained looking at the raindrops that were falling on it, slowly making the window look all misty.

 

                “It’s been a long time since I’ve been a part of your memories. You almost forgot all about me.” her younger self said casually.

 

                “This isn’t something that I wanted to remember…so of course I didn’t want to think about this…” Zaria answered grimly. That’s when her younger self looked at her curiously.

 

                “But don’t you see? This is what makes you stronger! The way you are today is because of the events that molded you in the past, like this point in time, for instance.” she explained.

 

                “Oh, so having been alone for most of my childhood with no one adopting me is something that was supposed to make me strong? Because all it did is make me feel weak…it made me feel like I couldn’t do anything, that I couldn’t do absolutely anything to change my fate. I hadn’t ask for any of this to happen to me, I hadn’t asked for all these problems to pile up on me…it just happened. And there’s nothing I could have done to stop it, so of course I had to suck it up and push through…I had no other choice!” Zaria said, feeling her heartbeat increase in speed.

 

                “That’s where you’re wrong. You could have done many things. You could have killed yourself…you could have ended up being a monster…I honestly don’t know…” her younger self said, sounding even more melancholic. This, from what Zaria could tell, was her depressed side. If it wasn’t already obvious from the memory that was playing back because of it.

 

                “Look, whatever…I don’t want to see anymore of this. Just please change up the scenario or something…” Zaria asked. And soon enough, the scenery dissipated and faded into nothingness before her very eyes, as her consciousness was swirling and forming a new scenery. It was no doubt another painful memory that Zaria had to relive, but as long as it wasn’t anything regarding her childhood, she’d take anything else!

 

                “Gee, I wonder what I have to look at now…?” she thought to herself.

 

                Soon enough, she saw something that she was familiar with immediately. It was a small, abandoned town. In fact, Zaria remembered precisely what this memory was. According to her, this was one of her early missions as a mercenary. She had been hired to investigate the disappearance of the townsfolk, and she was warned that there could be dangers awaiting in the abandoned town. She sat on the ground and waited for what was coming. It would be interesting seeing this memory play from a different perspective. At first there was nothing but silence, but then, soon enough, she heard a rumble here and a rumble there. She darted her eyes left and right, and she noticed two large palm trees falling down! That’s when she saw herself leaping back a considerable distance, as an enormous Shadow Blight was giving chase! It looked like a werewolf, and it had a long tail that was spiked at the end!

 

                “Oh, I remember this bastard…” she mumbled to herself. She kept looking, and she saw herself running away from the creature, huffing and puffing for breath! She tripped on a rock and fell to the ground instantly, and she scraped her knee! She winced in pain, and she was starting to panic, as the creature was coming upon her! She closed her eyes, ready to accept her fate, when another mercenary with a giant sledgehammer, came in and batted the creature’s head clean off! Zaria opened her eyes and she saw that she was alright, and she saw the mercenary standing over her, and he offered her his hand.

 

                “Time to get up, kid.” the man said, his face concealed with a helmet.

 

                “Thanks, Cole…I’m sorry that you had to come cover for me…again.” Zaria apologized, bowing her head.

 

                “Well, you’re still a rookie, so naturally, these kinds of things happen.” Cole mentioned, as he took out a small towel from his pocket and used it to clean his sledgehammer, as he always did whenever he’d take down an enemy or a hunting target. “But, you have to start taking better care of yourself if you’re going to be a good mercenary.”

 

                “Yeah, I know that. I’ll learn as quickly as I can…I have to.” she said.

 

                “Good. Then let’s go, it’s getting late.” he mentioned, as the two of them set off to go to a nearby town and check into an inn to rest for the night. When they arrived, Cole said he’d go into town to find their client and ask for the payment for the job they had taken, so Zaria went ahead and took a bath in her designated room, and when she finished, she put on her pajamas and then headed to bed. She sat on the bed and put her knees up to her chest and she buried her head in them. She looked depressed and frustrated.

 

                “I was scared of dying. If it hadn’t been for Cole, I would’ve died. For the first couple of months, life as a mercenary as hard, wouldn’t you say?” she asked, then turning her head to Zaria, who was watching her.

 

                “Yeah…I was always afraid that I’d end up dying…but with time, I got used to the danger, and thanks to Cole, I got better and better at fighting. It eventually became all that I knew, what would sustain me as I went about living on my own…” she responded.

 

                “That’s right.” her other self nodded.  “But even though you learned to accept death, that didn’t mean that you were done being scared of it. You’re still scared, even now.”

 

                “Where do you go off telling people how they feel, huh!?” Zaria exclaimed, annoyed, to which her other self jolted in a startle.

 

                “D-don’t talk like that…you scared me!” her other self urged. Zaria rolled her eyes.

 

                “Was I seriously always this scared…? Geez…” she thought to herself, embarrassed.

 

                “It’s alright to be scared. Fear is what keeps us on edge, it’s what keeps us cautious and ready for anything. Fear means having a strong heart. Because within that fear, you find the courage to push onward and make sure to keep yourself alive. You’ve always been a survivor, Zaria, you’ve always clawed your way out of situations, no matter how fearful they could be. You’ve done well to come this far.” her other self said.

 

                “Except…it’s not over yet.” Zaria said, her voice ever so slightly shaking.  “There’s still more to do…the world is screwed up, and if nothing is done, everything will end. It’s not myself that I’m fighting for, but for the sake of my friends and everyone else. Knowing all of that…it just puts my mind out of sorts. It…scares me.” Zaria said, though she hated to admit it. But, she was telling this to herself and not anyone else, so there was that, at least.

 

                “See? Even now you have fear. But it’s the kind of fear that makes you want to strive to do something. That’s what you use fear for. To give yourself the confiden to move forward, despite what may lie ahead. It looks like you accept your fear, from the looks of it.” her other self pointed out.

 

                “I don’t know…” Zaria thought. Before she could say anything else, she found her surroundings changing anew! This time, everything turned pitch black, and then it slowly started to clear into a dark red that swirled all around Zaria. She didn’t know what to make of this, but she knew that her fear had suddenly turned into something hotter, something boiling and strong. Something that would sometimes be unstable.

 

                “I feel…rage…” she thought to herself, as she clenched her fists and her eyes narrowed into a frown! She didn’t know why she felt this way, but her entire being suddenly flared up in intense rage! She then saw the dark red slowly clearing up, and this time, it was another memory playing back. It was another one that Zaria remembered as well, hence that feeling of rage that had built up inside her!

 

                “Oh God, I remember this…” she thought to herself.

 

                This was in the outskirts of Pyros, and the job was to secure a crate that contained valuable goods. Zaria had agreed to the job, but what she didn’t know is that instead of valuable goods, the crate contained a human child! A little girl, probably around three to four years old! Zaria had come upon this discovery when she had been beset by thieves who had been trying to make away with the crate! She noticed that it had been nicked a bit, and then she opened it, for she swore that she saw something looking back at her! When she opened the crate, she saw the little girl, and she was awash with shock! She hadn’t signed up for this.

 

                “The bastard who had hired me had failed to tell me that I was kidnapping someone. I hadn’t signed up for that…” she thought, as she continued watching this memory play.

 

                After coming upon this discovery, Zaria returned the child to her home without anyone else noticing. Everyone had been looking for the child, so Zaria knew that she’d be drawing way too much unwanted attention to herself if she just waltzed in with the child, so she simply returned her where there were lots of people, and then she left just as quickly as she had come! Afterwards, she went and hunted her employer down. She was going to give him a piece of her mind!

 

                Arriving to her employer, he had been expecting results, but saw that Zaria had come empty handed. He didn’t like this one bit, and when he answered what had gone wrong…

 

                “You bastard, you tell me! You didn’t bother to tell me that I was retrieving a child! If this was some sort of artifact or treasure or okane or anything of the sort, I would’ve brought it here without question…but you’re talking about a human life! Why the hell would you put me up to this!?” Zaria asked, infuriated and demanding to get an answer!

 

                “It was to my understanding that you would do any job that is asked of you…no questions asked. And yet here you are, mercenary, failing to deliver me my prize. It looks like you’ll be getting the short end of the stick.” her employer said, as he snapped his fingers, and from the corner of the room, five considerably strong looking men emerged, weapons at the ready. Zaria cursed under her breath, and before anything else happened, Zaria had already slain the men without as much as having to unsheathe her sword! Upon seeing his dead men on the floor, the employer quickly fell down to the floor on his back, panick in his eyes!

 

                “W-who the hell are you!?” he demanded, trying not to stutter!

 

                “Shut the hell up! Trash like you deserve to die…” Zaria said through gritted teeth, as she then dragged the man by the collar of his neck, and then she tied him up to a nearby pillar supporting the wall. She then drew out her sword and cut him in multiple different spots, making sure not to hit any vital points. The man was panicking as he was seeing all the amount of blood that he was losing!

 

                “No…n-no, you bitch, no!!! You’re going to leave me to rot here!?” the man exclaimed, his eyes darting with panic! Zaria sheathed her sword and then glanced back with an eerie glare.

 

                “A quick death doesn’t suit you. Leaving you here to bleed to death will make you understand the gravity of what you wanted to accomplish.  Good riddance…” she said, as she left before anyone would notice that something had happened! After that, everything faded to black again, and Zaria found herself feeling conflicted with herself, wrestling with all the different feelings inside of her.

 

                “All I’ve known in this life is to do the next mission. All I’ve known is to kill to live, to do things that question my humanity. Whenever trafficking people was involved, I’d avoid those jobs at all costs…that wasn’t what I was going for. Killing people, I could handle, but using them as objects, bargaining chips…it’s inhumane! And not just that, but over the years, I continued traveling the world alone. I felt an emptiness inside, and no matter where I went, I never felt like I had a home. I was always moving from place to place, so really, the road was my home…and nothing else. I…steeped myself in despair, thinking that this is what my life would always be like.” Zaria said, remembering everything she’s lived through. And then, she lifted her head up, and her eyes seemed to hold a peaceful calm.

(End Song Here)

 

(Start Song Here)

                “But then…I meet them.” she spoke, and that’s when another image flashed in front of her, the pieces slowly forming together to paint the full picture.

 

                “My friends…” she thought to herself, as she saw herself with them, and the smiles they all shared together. Seeing them warmed her heart, and just looking at the bond they had formed was enough to push away any negative emotions that she had in hear heart. Having them in her life was something that had changed her completely.

 

                “Ever since you met them, your whole life changed! You didn’t feel alone anymore, and slowly, you felt like you had finally found your place in the world! Am I wrong?” her happy self said to her, as she withdrew from Laren, Tatsumaki and the others. Zaria nodded in agreement.

 

                “Yes…with them, I’ve learned how it feels like to have true friends…a family. With them, I truly feel like I have a home. I feel happy having them in my life…and I don’t want to lose that!” Zaria said, as she put her hand to her chest and felt her heart beating. “I’d do anything for them!”

 

                “Would you, really?” her other self asked.

 

                “Yes…I’d give my own life for them!” Zaria replied, with no hesitation or doubt in her voice!

(End Song Here)

 

                “Heh, well, it looks like you’re determined enough…but do you have the fire?” her other self asked, as she disappeared, and everything gave way to a swirling maelstrom of darkness! Zaria was pulled into the maelstrom, and before she knew it, she found herself spinning and spinning and spinning! She felt like she would slip away at any moment!

 

(Start Song Here)

                “What the hell is this!?” she exclaimed, as things had taken an unexpected turn! A few seconds passed, and Zaria then landed down at the bottom of the maelstrom, it’s raging tide of darkness swirling around her! From that darkness, she saw two yellow eyes looking back at her!  The creeping creature slowly came out of the maelstrom, and it was a massive form of darkness that had long arms and sharp claws, and it looked as though it was some kind of cloaked enemy! Zaria prepared herself and glared at the foe standing before her!

 

                “So, you’re the final thing that’s in my way, huh? Well, I better get rid of you before you get too annoying for me to handle!” Zaria said. The enemy gave out a distorted hiss, and it summoned forth a dark blade!

 

                Without wasting another moment, Zaria propelled herself forward, running towards the foe with great speed, and when reaching the enemy, she dodged a sword strike and summersaulted behind it, attempting to punch through the creature’s back! But it quickly disappeared, its form dissipating within the darkness, and then it formed again and thrust towards Zaria, trying to reach for her with its claws! Zaria barely managed to avoid a scrape, and then she pushed forward and attempted to break the blade the creature was wielding, but she found the effort futile, as the blade did not break in the slightest!

 

                “Geez…you’ll be hard to take down…” she thought. Then, all of a sudden, from within the maelstrom, another sword appeared! It was wreathed in darkness, and yet Zaria felt the urge to take the sword and use it against the enemy! On instinct, she grabbed the hilt, and then she held the sword with both hands, its form adapting to Zaria! The darkness then faded away, and revealed an elegant, slightly curved blade with a red jewel at its hilt! The creature glared at the blade, and gave out a distorted howl!

 

                “Let’s dance!” Zaria smirked.

 

                And so, the two clashed, each of their swings meeting with each other, their blades creating sparks and strings of light and darkness as they clashed! As they fought, Zaria could feel all the negativity coming from this creature, all the sorrow, anger and fear emanating from it. She realized that this was a manifestation of her feelings, of the negative emotions she had kept inside herself for a long, long time. It had been long overdue for her to come to terms with herself, and it seemed like now was as good a time as ever to resolve things! And so, the two clashed, each swing followed by a powerful gust of wind! Even though Zaria had no power like her friends, she still had her strength and her willpower, and she knew that’d be enough for her to get through this!

 

                “Still…sometimes I wish I had some powers…” she thought to herself, as she was dodging a relentless thrust barrage from the enemy’s blade! She quickly ran atop the enemy’s blade in an attempt to counterattack, but before she could manage a strike, she was flung back by the enemy, and she even went through the dark maelstrom! The force and pressure of the darkness threw her around for a bit, but eventually, Zaria was able to find a way to get herself out of the maelstrom, and when she did, she came out like a bullet! She directed herself towards her foe, and as it prepared to fire forth a beam of darkness, Zaria swept down and delivered a one swipe attack that managed to cut through some of the foe’s dark body! Darkness stopped flowing to that area, and the creature, noticing that it had been wounded, then got in a more defensive stance! It wasn’t about to let itself get defeated that easily!

 

                “Heh, I figured as much…” Zaria thought.

 

                The two of them stared each other down, and it was all a tense situation. Just as the foe could feel Zaria’s light and determination, Zaria could feel the foe’s hatred and disdain. Eventually, the two proceeded to clash anew, and this time, their strikes and movements were faster and more fluid, and it appeared as though they were two master swordsmen, gracefully combating each other, almost as if they were dancing! The display of light and dark streams followed their every strike, and Zaria could feel the power and energy behind these strikes!  The battle dragged on, and Zaria knew she had to wrap this up as soon as she could, for time was being wasted, and she couldn’t afford to keep her friends waiting!

 

                “I don’t know about you, but I prefer that we’d wrap this up quickly! I have things to attend to on the outside!” Zaria exclaimed, as she pushed her foe back with a mighty swing from her blade! The foe fell back, staggered, but quickly regained its footing, and it gave out a distorted hiss! It’s eyes were now glowing with ever more intense and powerful killing intent!

 

                “Come at me!” Zaria shouted, ready for another attack!

 

                This time, the creature disappeared entirely, catching Zaria off guard. She looked everywhere, her eyes darting in all directions, but she saw no traces of it! Then, she found that the floor was getting pitch black! When she looked above, she saw that the eye of the maelstrom high above was being eclipsed! And she found that it was the creature, who was preparing for a fatal strike! Zaria planted her feet firmly in the ground, for she knew there was no escaping this! She mustered all the strength she could and she positioned herself to block the creature’s attack! And then, in a split second, she was bombarded by a titanic force of power coming from the strike of the creature’s blade, causing a huge shockwave to surface and ripple throughout the entire plain they were fighting on! Zaria almost lost her footing, but she was able to keep herself firm, despite the harrowing circumstance!

 

                But then, just as Zaria was to prepare a counterattack, the creature grabbed her by the throat, and then it started to choke the life force out of Zaria’s body! She struggled, winced and tried to squirm her way out of the creature’s hold, but its grip was too tight! There was nothing that Zaria could do at the moment! And then, she felt a cold sharpness pierce through her stomach! When her eyes trailed down, she saw that the creature had run its blade through her! Zaria then coughed up blood, and she felt herself falling into unconsciousness. She began to feel cold, and her vision began to get blurry!

 

                “N-no…this can’t be…how it ends.” she thought. “It just can’t end in darkness!”

 

                But her eyes were growing wearier and heavier, and eventually, she closed them. And when she did, she was greeted by cold darkness. And even though she felt the cold embrace of death, she still felt alive! For some reason, she felt as though she wasn’t finished yet! Then, memories of the time she spent with her friends began to come to her. Those memories filled her heart up with strength. These memories filled her with light…and then, she managed to break free of the creature’s hold, and she immediately broke the dark blade that had pierced through her! The creature was frozen in place by surprise, for it hadn’t expected Zaria to come back like this! She leapt back, and her wound began to close slowly!

 

                “You may think that the darkness has a hold on me. You may think that I would give in to despair…” she began. “But I can’t die here! I can’t die without resolving everything that’s happening! I can’t allow myself to die, not when my friends are counting on me!” she said in defiance, as spiritual illusions of her friends appeared by her side! The creature looked at Zaria and saw her fearless resolve, and Zaria could have sworn that she felt the creature give a smile!

 

                “You are done!” Zaria shouted, as she ran forward and thrust her sword into the creature’s chest! A dark explosion occurred, and Zaria covered her eyes as she felt the powerful dark energy coursing out! When it dissipated, she looked, only to see that the darkness was giving way…for Zaria to see that she had been fighting herself!

(End Song Here)

 

                “B-but I thought I was facing the manifestation of my feelings, not…myself!” Zaria said in surprise! Then she recognized that this was the calm, composed version of herself, and she only smiled back without a care in the world.

 

                “You’ve done it, Zaria. You’ve broken the shackles binding yourself, and you’ve only reinforced your strong heart, and you’ve become stronger because of it. Your work here is done.” she said, as she slowly faded away. Zaria was left speechles, and she didn’t know what to say! The light then appeared before her, with arms behind her back.

 

                “I have to say, this was very interesting to watch!” the light said.

 

                “Hmph, looks like you probably enjoyed watching us all go through this hell! I can tell you have a smug smirk on your face behind that robe!”  Zaria glared. The light only gave out a small chuckle.

 

                “No, not at all. This was necessary in order to prove to me the strength each of you contains within. And I have to say, I am very impressed by you all. You have faced yourself and won, Zaria. You are worthy of my power. Now, close your eyes and reach out your hands.” the light instructed.

 

                “O…kay.” Zaria said, unsure of what was going to happen next, as she closed her eyes.

 

                When she closed them, she felt a powerful gust of energy blow on her face, and she could feel immense power being poured into her!

 

                “Now, open your eyes.” the light said.

 

                And so, Zaria opened them, and she saw in her hands an orb of light that gleamed with great power! She closed her hand into a fist, absorbing the orb, and she could feel an immense energy flowing inside her veins! It’s almost as if her strength had been increased!

 

                “Whoa…that’s some power boost! So…what now?” Zaria asked. The light then proceeded to summon forth a door.

 

                “Your exit awaits.” the light said. Zaria nodded, and she walked over to the door and opened it, and when she passed through, she saw her friends waiting for her! They all had smiles on their faces, relieved and happy in knowing that Zaria had passed her trial!

 

                “We all did it! We’ve beaten our trials, and we’ve been blessed by the light!” Tatsumaki cheered!

 

                “I can’t believe that we actually went through all that…it is quite impressive that we posess such will within ourselves.” Laren said.

 

                “And now that we’ve overcome ourselves, we’ve become all the stronger for it. Now nothing can stop us from reclaiming our world!” Grim proclaimed with determination!

 

                “The next step is to take down Chozetsu.” Bane declared. The others nodded in unison, and then, the light appeared before them.

 

                “To all of you who underwent my trials, I congratulate you on having passed them. I know that this cannot have been easy for you, as you had to face psychological and physical limits that you would have probably never had to face otherwise. Given the time and the situation, you all performed admirably, and you have all showed signs of strong hearts and determined souls. This is why I passed on my power to each of you. I have full faith that all of you will be able to restore the world to what it was. I’m sure of it.” the light spoke.

 

                “And what exactly is the power you bestowed upon us? You haven’t exactly told us yet!” Zaria pointed out.

 

                “That is something that will be revealed to you when the time is right. For now, trust that you will be able to push forward. My power…is waning. My presence can now only be limited. I shall save my strength and be there for you all…when the final battle draws near. Until then, be sure to survive, as you are the last hope this world has at being whole…” the light said, as she slowly vanished. The others remained silent, and when the light vanished completely, they all gathered together, and then, they were transported somewhere else! When they realized where they were, they saw that they were back in the distorted plain again! At least no Shadow Blights were around!

 

                “Well, it looks like we’ve avoided trouble for now…” Bane said.

                “Well, we’ve gotta march forward. Chozetsu’s going to screw things up worse if we just sit around and do nothing. Let’s go.” Zaria said, as they all pushed forward, ready to continue their journey, to end things once and for all!

---------------------------------

 

And so, our heroes have been bestowed by the light’s blessing, and now, they push forward, to keep the last flames of hope for the world burning alive! What awaits them, and what battles will come their way? Will they be able to save the world from destruction, or will they meet their ends? Stay tuned for the next chapter, as things start to get even more intense in Chapter Thirty Four: “The Meaning Of Existence.”

 

Well everyone, this concludes the trials for our main characters! I’m sure that all of you were emotionally punched on more than one occasion, and if that was the case, then I’m glad my story could do that to you! Now, we keep approaching what will be the final battle for our heroes! The story is drawing forward to its breaking point, and I hope all of you are ready for the ultimate ride! Thank you all for your love and support, and let me know what you thought about tonight’s chapter! And as always, see you all around for the next one!

[KHLegendIII 709]

This was deep.

[Keyblade101 526]

That was an amazing three chapters! :smile: Keep up the good work!  :smile:

 

P.S. You gotta love it when mercenary characters have their limits on what jobs they'd do! No kidnapping kids allowed!  :smile:

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

To KHLegendIII, indeed it was, my friend!

 

To Keyblade101, thank you, I'm very glad you liked the chapters! And yeah, I like for my characters to have that sense of humanity in them, in Zaria's case, she has a soft spot for kids!

 

Good evening everyone, I hope that all of you are doing okay! So then, after all the trials our heroes had to endure, now they finally march forward, as they continue their journey to stop Chozetsu from changing reality as we know it! It’s been a long journey, and now, we are beginning to witness the beginning of the end! Come along with me, as we explore what will soon be the final chapters of this story! Without further ado, here’s the next chapter! Enjoy!

 

Chapter Thirty Four: The Meaning Of Existence

 

                And so, they all ventured forth in the distorted, unstable world that looked so bleak and unfamiliar now. Darkness was spreading far and wide, and debris of countless houses and buildings, crumbling boulders, disjointed trees, and all manner of dismembered objects were floating around, as streams of an eerie green glow flowed here and there. Oddly enough, there were no Shadow Blights to be seen, and while this was some sort of relief, at the same time, it kept everyone with great unease and with a sharp eye and even sharper ears! Anything could be awaiting them just around the corner! They had to keep themselves vigilant and ever cautious!

 

                “Well, the light blessed us with her power, but where exactly are we headed? It’s not like we know where Chozetsu’s going to be…” Tatsumaki mentioned, as the others stopped. They were climing up a steep, rocky hill.

 

                “Considering that we’re the only people here, and that Chozetsu and his people are also the only ones, I’m sure it won’t be hard to find them. Rather, I’d gather that they might be looking for us as we speak!” Grim added. The others looked at him.

 

                “And why’s that?” Zaria asked.

 

                “Well, think about it. Chozetsu did this to change the world, and as such, there’s no way that anyone could have survived this cataclysmic event. But I’m figuring that someone he’s sensed our presence, and now that we have the light’s blessing, I’m sure that he’s sent for people to come after us. He wants to eliminate any threat to his plans, so that’s an obvious strategy.” Grim explained, and the others understood what he said.

 

                “That means that the element of surprise is left out of the equation…which means we’ll have to confront this man, and whoever else is with him, and face them with all our strength!” Laren said, as he clenched his fists.

 

                “Well, let’s not linger around here any longer. All this silence around us gives me a really bad feeling…” Zaria urged, and the others agreed, and so they continued their ascent of the hill, until they reached the top, and they noticed that they were now above high ground. They could see an immense valley below them, but it looked void, with nothing of life even showing remote signs! It was more of a crater than a valley. It looked quite ominous, and it looked like just the kind of place that could be a trap! Slowly, the party descended downwards, ever cautious!

 

                “Be on your guard, everyone. Remember that the landscape is our greatest weakness right now…” Bane said, as he scanned everything around him. There were no visible threats present. After a while, they all stopped, and they were at the middle of the crater, and they looked around themselves, wondering where to go next.

 

                “It’s so disorienting when the world’s out of whack! I can’t even make out where north and south are!” Zaria exclaimed, rubbing her head in dismay!

 

                “Now, now, I’m sure that we’ll be able to make sense of where we have to go.” Grim said, trying to reassure the party. Then they were all hushed silent by Bane, who raised his hand in a cautious gesture.

 

                “Someone’s coming…” he said, almost in a whisper.

 

                “There’s nowhere to hide to at least come up with a plan! What’ll we do?” Tatsumaki asked. But before anyone else said anything, they noticed that Bane felt dead silent. He clenched his fists, and his body in general seemed to tense up. They all looked the direction he was facing, and they saw someone coming towards them. A woman!

 

                “Wait, she’s…” Zaria started.

 

                “Ellene…looks like we meet again…” Bane said.

 

                “She’s the one who almost killed us not too long ago! Come on Bane, let’s take her down, once and for all!” Zaria said, prepared to go all in on this fight, but Bane extended his arm towards her and shook his head. He glanced back at everyone, and just with his eyes, he conveyed the message he wanted to deliver. Everyone else backed up a ways, and Zaria too, noticed this, and she backed off as well, but she wasn’t necessarily happy doing so. Ellene kept walking until she came to a full stop.

 

                “So, this is what it’s come to, it seems…” she spoke, seeming cold and uncaring.

 

                “Seems so…sister.” Bane said, and at that, Zaria immediately understood why he wanted to handle this alone. Everyone took this by surprise, for they didn’t know that Ellene was Bane’s sister! But like Zaria, knowing this fact made them understand why Bane alone had to deal with this. And so, they remained silent, putting faith that Bane would overcome this battle!

 

                “The rebirth of the world is at hand, and you really want to stop what’s coming? You really want to stop what could essentially be a fresh start, a reset button for everyone and everything?” Ellene asked. “Answer me that, big brother…”

 

                “What you think is a new beginning will be nothing more than destruction and endless spiraling into chaos. The world needs to be restored to the way it was. The way things are now is unnatural, and you know this. I don’t know why you decided to inflict harm upon humanity…I don’t know why you decided to side with Chozetsu…but rest assured, I will stand in your way…” Bane said, clenching his fists tighter.

 

                “Oh, I know that. I’ve expected nothing less. So I don’t expect you to hold back, as neither will I.” Ellene declared, as she got into position, ready to battle! “It’s time to end this once and for all, and you are in my way!”

 

---

 

                Meanwhile, Vincent and Ilia were far off from the battle that was about to take place. They were at the root of a great tree that had somehow managed to survive the chaos that had been wrought upon the world. They both had their backs to the tree, and Vincent was silent. Ilia had finally come to recognize him, and shortly after, she had fallen unconscious. Now, Vincnet was waiting for her to awaken. He looked at her and saw the state that she was in. She looked deathly pale and ill, and she seemed so fragile that even the most delicate wind could blow her away! Vincent clenched his fists and he looked up at the distorted sky, as streams of darkness slowly flowed in all directions. He sighed and closed his eyes. He just wanted this nightmare to be over. He had no idea that the world would be destroyed as it was. Seeing how everything went down, it tore him up inside. And he didn’t even know if Seth, Audrey and the others were even still alive. Not knowing what fate had befallen them unsettled him greatly, and he wished that he could somehow, someway know that they were indeed okay!

 

(Start Song Here)

                “How did it all come to this…?” Ilia whispered softly. Vincent jolted and quickly tended to her.

 

                “Ilia, you’re awake…” he said. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him, and she gave him a soft smile.

 

                “I’m glad to see that you are okay, Vincent…I was so worried about you…” she whispered, her voice trailing off slightly!

 

                “Ilia…look at you! You’ve wasted yourself away…if I hadn’t gone off to try and fix things myself, things would have been different!” Vincent said through gritted teeth, frustrated. But Ilia placed her hand on his, and she shook her head slowly.

 

                “You only wanted what was best for your people, nothing more and nothing less than that. In your shoes, I would have probably done the same. You only wanted to stop your people from suffering. Anyone would do the same as you. The unfortunate thing here is that we, as fellow leaders…no, as friends…we didn’t help you when you reached out to us. That was our undoing, and that’s what caused all this to happen. Our division made us fall…” Ilia said.

 

                “But I didn’t think about what would happen to you or the Lifespring! I didn’t know that the damage would be so severe! I didn’t think that you would be in such bad shape…which means that now that we Scorched are no more…your people will die. This is…my fault.” Vincent lamented, as he bowed his head in shame.

 

                “No, Vincent…I could have just tried to find another way, another source of life to give us the energy, the light that we needed. If anything, we were using your people…to give us life at the exepense of theirs. It was an unfair exchange. I should’ve tried harder to change things…but I suppose it doesn’t matter now. The world is ended, anyway.” Ilia said, as she looked around her and felt a sinking feeling of despair, seeing everything so lifeless and void.

 

                “I’m sorry…” Vincent said, as he cried softly, his tears falling on Ilia’s hands. She gently cupped his face with her hands, and she put her forehead on his, and she closed her eyes.

 

                “Don’t beat yourself up. Please, I beg of you. I don’t want you feeling guilt at my expense. As I said, this was all our undoing…please don’t despair on my account.” Ilia said softly. Vincent looked at her, and he saw that she was half conscious. It was almost as if she was pushing herself to speak out of sheer force of will! Vincent then stood up and gently picked up Ilia and held her close to him.

 

                “Come on…we’re going to find a way to get you back on your feet. I won’t let you die here, not like this! After everything that’s happened, I at least owe you this! We’ll go together. We’ll find some way out of this mess!” Vincent said. Ilia said nothing, and she simply smiled, as she felt the warmth of Vincent’s heart. She simply walked alongside him, as he held her to ensure she wouldn’t fall.

 

                “If only things had gone differently…we could have…” she thought, her mind trailing off as she fell unconsciouss.

(End Song Here)

---

 

(Start Song Here)

                Back at the crater, Bane and Ellene were standing silently across from each other, the both of them ready for combat, but neither of them making a single move! They were trying to determine who would go first, and react accordingly from thereafter! Eventually, the two of them darted off at once, and they ran quickly and clashed fists! Once they did, the sound of metal and screeching emanated, and then, the two of them exchanged powerful and mighty blows! They were quite adept at close combat, and for each strike they inflicted upon each other, they would counterattack and constantly block each other out! It’s as if they were reading each other’s movements!

 

                “That’s right…Bane…he’s not completely human.” Grim uttered.

 

                “What do you mean…?” Zaria asked, having caught what Grim said.

 

                “Wait, that’s right! We didn’t tell you guys!” Tatsumaki exclaimed! “You see, after the whole destruction of the world, Grim, Bane and I were the first to wake up, and you two guys were still unconscious. Grim…he was dying, and dwell, things looked bleak! But then, Bane came to him, and with his hand, he seemed to emanate a sort of power that resembled that of a Scorched! And his hand was metallic! Which means he probably has enhanced body parts! It might explain why he has his face covered…” she said. Laren and Zaria listented closely, and were quite surprised by the revelation.

 

                “Does that mean that the woman fighting him now…his sister, is also enhanced? For she seems to have that same cold essence as him.” Laren deduced. Grim and Tatsumaki nodded.

 

                “It would seem so.” Grim said, and so they looked on, as Bane and Ellene continued to battle!

 

                “You are nothing but an obstacle, and I shall get you out of the way…” Ellene said, as she leapt back and then placed her hand forward, and then her hand transformed into a cannon, and she shot forth three, heat seeking missiles that started to follow Bane rapidly! He made a run for it and attempted to outrun the missiles, but when he saw that they were gaining on him, he used his hand to summon forth an enflamed whip! With it, he was able to make the missiles explode at a distance, and thus he was in the clear for now!

 

                “Hmph, impressive…” Ellene comented, as she then decided towards him anew, and her arm materialized into a sword, with which she swung with great precision and speed! It was becoming a bit difficult for Bane to keep up!

 

                “You won’t get ride of me that easily…” Bane said, as he blocked the sword with his arm, and then he counterattacked by performing a quick arm thrust, but Ellene darted back, dodging, and then she performed a summersault. When she landed, she saw Bane heading towards her with great speed, and then he started to deliver a series of punches and kicks, all of which Ellene either blocked or evaded. She then pushed him away and leapt back, and then she clasped her hands together, and she summoned forth a long katana.

 

                “Clearly, it’ll take more than I thought to bring you down…but I won’t back down from this. Not now, big brother…” Ellene said coldly. Bane said nothing, and he summoned a longsword, and the two clashed, their sword strikes strong and fierce, so much so that their feet slightly sank into the ground every time they clashed! It was to the point that the sound of metal clanging was far stronger than usual. Zaria and the others looked on, and while they were worried, they had faith that Bane could be able to pull through this. He had to!

 

                Eventually, the two of them reached a stalemate, and Bane put pressure on his side, trying to make Ellene kneel!

 

                “Ellene…all I wanted was for you to be safe. I didn’t want any of this. I wanted to avoid anything bad happening to you…it was never my intention for you to become this…” he said, which seemed to trigger something in Ellene, and instead of a cold expression, her face gnarled with rage!

 

                “You didn’t want this for me!? You didn’t know what I wanted, brother! After everything that happened, I only wanted you to be by my side, I wanted to have the only family I had left to be with me! But you had to take the blame for something you didn’t do! Why did you have to do that!?” she exclaimed, demanding to be answered! She pushed hard upon her katana, now making Bane slowly kneel.

 

                “You don’t know how much I’ve suffered, you don’t know all that I had to go through…all because of you…” she whispered. Bane fell silent for a few instances.  He then pushed back with his sword, slowly rising to his feet again.

 

                “I did what I did to protect you. I had found a way to gain new strength, and I had to seize the opportunity. After being robbed of havhing a normal life, I wanted to be able to ensure you that you would be able to have a full life, a happy life. Gaining this strength was the only way I could help you…I could have looked after you, protected you from the shadows…so that you could live a full life…but nothing ended up the way I had planned. Not at all…” Bane said, his voice ringing with regret.

 

                “Bane…” Zaria thought, as she and the others were hearing everything. She could feel his pain, and she could also feel the pain Ellene was going through. This was a sad, intense struggle between siblings. It was something that had been a long time coming…

 

                “I didn’t need your protection, brother…all I wanted was for you to be my brother, simply and plainly as that. After everything, I went to search for you. I just knew that you couldn’t be dead, I knew that you couldn’t be gone, so I went off on my own to search for you. Looking for you all over the place slowly ate away at my body, as I became sick…a strange disease started to take over me, and I didn’t know how to counteract it. Soon, I found myself bedridden, and I was facing death…when Chozetsu came.” she said, recalling the moment she had met him. She and Bane broke their stalemate, and they stood a few feet apart from each other!

 

                “Chozetsu offered me an escape. He offered me a new chance, so that I could be healed and I could continue my search for you. And I accepted his offer. I became a subordinate of his, and I carried out his wishes, no matter what they would be…” she explained.

 

                “Burning villages and slaughtering innocents…you would follow such orders…?” Bane asked, remembering the bitterness of what had happened to Shu and Mui’s family. That’s when Ellene’s face darkened again.

 

                “I understood what I had to do. The world is poisoned, and it was needed for a group of people to help purge the world in order for its purification. That’s where Chozetsu and the others came in, and that’s how I contributed. By carrying out his orders and opening the path to what we are currently at…the final phase.” she answered. The way she said this made Bane’s blood boil, and on instinct, he darted towards her, holding his longsword with both hands, and he delivered a powerful cleave that Ellene managed to avoid! When his sword hit the ground, it shattered beneath him and created a large crack that made many tiny pebbles spring from out of the ground! Ellene was surprised, and when she landed, she tried putting distance away from Bane, but she found that he was quickly gaining on her!

 

                “I have no time for this! Perish now!” Ellene shouted, as she opened up the palm of her hand and shot forth a massive, scorching ball of flame! She fired it directly at Bane, and he ran towards the attack, taking it head on! Ellene smirked and shook her head.

 

                “Hmph, idiot, you can’t hope to survive my flames.” she said, but then she was surprised when she saw that Bane had absorbed her attack completely!

 

                “My turn.” he said, as he clapped both hands together, and they merged and formed a large cannon, and from it, he fired off an even more powerful ball of flame, concentrated with his energy and the energy of Ellene’s failed attack! He shot it forth, and the flames created streaks in the ground and left behind an ashen path! Ellene, not knowing what else to do, braced for the attack, and when it hit, it hit her with full impact! The explosion created a bright light that blinded everyone else, and when it died down, Ellene still stood, but her body was severely burnt! The others looked on in shock, but Bane didn’t seem to have such shock in his face.

 

                “I admit…that was effective. But just as with you, I won’t be easy to put down!” Ellene said, as her body immediately began to heal, as it was being surrounded by a bright, green aura!

 

                “What…what is that?” Tatsumaki asked.

 

                “That’s Lifespring energy. It looks like she can be able to use it just as we Lifespring can to heal ourselves. She’s using it to heal her burnt body.” Grim said, recognizing the healing technique. It was a sort of full body healing, but it would leave the person using it vulnerable during the period the aura would glow.  “Strike now while you can, Bane!”

 

                “Already on it…” he said, as he shot forth fiery bursts of energy towards Ellene! But just when they were about to hit her, a wall of wind blocked the attacks, therefore providing her with protection!

 

                “Damn, she’s got Stormtracer power as well!” Laren exclaimed!

 

                Bane and Ellene again stood apart from each other, and they stared each other down. It was clear that the two of them were thinking upon their next move, as they were evenly matched in strength. This was starting to trouble Bane greatly.

 

                “She’s become stronger…” he thought to himself, as he scanned her for any sign of a surprise attack. But she remained in place, for it seemed that she was also being cautious!

 

                Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to crack! Bane thought that this was Ellene’s doing, but he saw that she had let her guard down. It seemed this was something that the earth itself was conjuring up! The crater slowly opened up a small crack that then extended into a fissure! Soon enough, Bane and Ellene were separated by the giant gap that the fissure had left between them! They stared each other down, and then they propelled themselves towards each other with great strength! When they clashed, they fought in the middle of the wide fissure that had opened up, and they managed to stay aloft due to the Scorched power they had that was powering the boosters beneath their feet, which were keeping them hovering! Bane transformed both arms into a minigun, and he let off a barrage of bullets that rained down on Ellene like hail! But she quickly transformed her arm into a giant shield that covered her entire body! She kept herself evenly hovered as the bulletstorm rained down upon her! As soon as it subsided, she dispersed the shield into small, sharp shards, and then she launched them at Bane as her counterattack!

 

                Having to think on the spot, Bane had no choice but to use his boosters with slightly more power! He propelled himself and glided over the chasm in a circle, until he was able to circle behind Ellene! Then, he propelled himself forward and summoned forth a Craftsmen sledgehammer, melded with iron and stone! He slammed the weapon on her, but she managed to block it with her arm, though it did get damaged, as the sledgehammer, crunched her arm and caused some wires to jut out and short circuit! Ellene let out a groan and she winced sharply, but she kept herself firm, not giving way to the attack, and not letting her guard down for any instant!

 

                “Tell me, brother…” she managed to say as they reached a stalemate. He looked into her eyes as she spoke. “…what is the meaning of existence?” she asked. Bane didn’t know what had brought this on.

 

                “What?” he asked, and they immediately broke the stalemate and then hovered a distance away from each other!

 

                “In this life, many people wonder what they are supposed to do. Oftentimes, many never find their true purpose, or they don’t seek it out, and they remain stuck in time, a cog that never worked, a cog that didn’t move forward. Those that never find their meaning of existence lose themselves. Did you lose yourself, brother?” she asked. Bane clenched his fists, and he frowned at the question.

 

                “What kind of question is that!?” he exclaimed! “I explained it to you! All I wanted was to ensure that you could live the life that our family was never able to live! I wanted you to move onward and live for yourself! If anything, you’re the one who lost yourself, sister!” he clarified. Ellene scoffed.

 

                “I did what I did to myself, and I did what I had to do, because I wanted you to be by my side!” she exclaimed. “It looks as though we both misunderstood each other’s intentions…and now look at where we’ve arrived. What meaning does this battle have?” she asked.

 

                “The meaning is so that I can be able to save the world from its fate. The world doesn’t deserve to suffer the consequences of the actions that we set into motion! I am going to set things right, and if I have to strike you down, then let that be what it takes!” Bane declared with utmost confidence and no hesitation whatsoever in his voice. This seemed to strike Ellene, for she remained silent for a while. The others down below were getting nervous, and they were anxious to see who would come out the victor in this battle!

 

                “Come on, Bane…it’s time to end things!” Zaria thought. She knew that this situation was tense for him, but she also knew that he was ready for any and all things. He had to overcome this!

 

                “Have faith, Zaria…I’m sure it’ll all be okay.” Laren reassured. The others looked onward, as the two warriors hovered above the chasm, and they remained inactive, not striking a blow to each other.

 

                “Sister…there’s no need to do this. We’ve reunited. Is this truly the way that you wish things to be? Why not join us? Why not help us in stopping the world from decaying? Together, we can put an end to this, we can be able to right the wrongs that we made. Why won’t you consider joining us instead of fighting us?” Bane said, his voice softer now. He outstretched his hand humbly. He truly wished that his sister would reconsider all this, but he knew that she probably wouldn’t. But still, it didn’t hurt to reach out to her. And for a moment, Ellene seemed to have hesitated, for it looked like she was going to reach out to him, but she then shook her head.

 

                “My path is already set. We’re already near the end, and I’m not going to change my course. Just as you chose your path, brother, I will stay standing on my path. The only way that we’ll see each other is the way we see each other now…on the battlefield.”  she expressed grimly. Suddenly, thunder began to crack in the sky. Ellene looked up and then she turned around and glanced over her shoulder at Bane.

 

                “The time will come for us to settle things once and for all. But it isn’t just yet. Until then…brother.” she said, as she then propelled herself with extra speed from her boosters, and she fled the battlefield! Bane remained in place and did not follow. Then, after a few seconds, rain started to fall. Or rather, it must have been some kind of variation of rain, for the drops were black as darkness! The sky turned a dark purple, and the rain fell heavier. Bane then made his way toward his friends, and when he landed, they all met him with smiles. They were glad that he was okay!

(End Song Here)

 

                “Come on, let’s get out of this downpour!” Grim said, and so they all ran, making their way out of the crater, and onto a crumbled road! Along the way, they found a cave, and they quickly went inside to take shelter! Grim summoned forth firewood, and Bane set them on fire, and they were able to warm themselves while the rain fell. They all huddled together, and they remained silent for a while. After some time, Laren decided to watch the entrance, while Grim and Tatsumaki had fallen asleep. Bane was staring at the fire, and Zaria was sitting across from him. She couldn’t imagine what was going through his mind now, but she wanted to see if she could do something about it. And so, she stood up and walked over to Bane and sat down beside him. Almost as if he had been taken out of a trance, he glanced at Zaria, and then he stared at the fire again.

 

                “Are you dealing with this okay…?” she asked.

 

                “As okay as can be…” Bane answered.

 

                “You didn’t go after your sister? Why was that?” she asked.

 

                “Because I couldn’t leave you all behind, that’s why.” Bane said.

 

                “You know that’s not what I mean.” Zaria replied. At that, Bane turned from the fire and looked at Zaria.

 

                “I…don’t know, honestly. I could have ended her, and yet, there was a part of me that didn’t want to.” he answered, sounding a bit depressed. Zaria smiled.

 

                “Well, she’s your sister. Of course you’re going to have second thoughts of taking her down. Anyone would think the way you’re thinking.” she said, as she placed her hand on his. She slightly winced by the cold feel of his hands, as they were mechanical, but she didn’t stray away. She slowly interlocked her fingers in his, and het let her do so.

 

                “Zaria…what are you doing?” he asked hesitantly, as he saw her hand gently moving towards his face.

 

                “I want to see the man behin the mask.” she said, her eyes set on what she wanted to do. Bane held her hand a bit firmly.

 

                “You don’t have to see what’s underneath. You already know, either way…” he said.

 

                “Still…I want to see.” she said, and so she slipped her hand from under his, and then she slowly began to unravel the bandages covering Bane’s face. When she finished, she stared at him with soft eyes. He had expected her to be shocked, but instead, he saw that she looked at him with a pensive stare.

 

                Bane’s face was almost entirely robotic! The only part that could be seen with flesh was near his eyes, and even then, his eyes were cybernetic as well. The rest of his face took the form of a skull of metal. To his right side, it seemed as though he had damaged himself in the past, for it looked dented, and a piece of his jaw was absent. Zaria still held onto his hand, and Bane just remained silent, and then he put the bandages on his face again.

 

                “There, you saw what you wanted to see…” he said. Then, Zaria laid her head on his chest, and she listened closely.

 

                “What are you doing now?” he asked. Then he could see Zaria smile, as she huddled up to him.

 

                “Your heart. That’s the one part of you that couldn’t be turned into a machine. It’s the part of you that gives you the essence of humanity. You aren’t entirely a machine. You seem to have that doubt in yourself.” Zaria explained. Bane remained silent, and he pondered upon her words. Soon after, she fell asleep. Bane let her rest her head on his chest, and then he looked to Laren, who had his back leaning against the rock wall. He had an amused smirk.

 

                “What are you smiling about?” Bane hissed.

 

                “Heh, nothing much in particular. Only that Zaria seems to have taken quite a liking to you.” Laren answered. Bane seemed to stutter a bit, for his eyes darted heavily down, and he scratched the back of his head absentmindedly.

 

                “I…don’t know what you’re talking about…” Bane replied dryly. At that, Laren snickered a bit, and Bane found this odd, since Laren wasn’t usually this open with his emotions. It seemed as though the trial he had faced thanks to the light truly had changed him! He seemed to be more in touch with himself,  now that he noticed. Bane just rolled his eyes and stared at the fire. Laren then sat beside him.

 

                “Don’t you see? It’s obvious that she’s interested in you. Despite your enhancements, despite your actions and your past, she still has eyes for you. It seems that along the way, she’s grown attached to you. I assume you have noticed this?” Laren asked, turning his gaze towards Bane. Bane sighed.

 

                “Yes…I have noticed. But it’s complicated.” he replied.

 

                “Well, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Like I said, despite the differences you two have, there can still be something.” Laren said.

 

                “And how can you say that? Even if something could work, I have nothing to offer her. My life as is has been for one purpose, and even now, I find that my life’s purpose has been altered dramatically. Now I’m not sure what to do with myself anymore. I can’t do anything else but wander.” Bane explained.

 

                “And Zaria is a person who has lived her life as a mercenary for a good bulk. She’s known nothing but the violence and the harsh realities this world has thrown at her. In a sense, you two are alike. You two have traveled the world, and you have sought out purpose in your lives. And now that the world is near the end, wouldn’t it be comforting to know that you have someone who can understand you? Just look at the way that she looked at you. Without any prejudice, without any second thoughts. She has feelings for you. Or at least, she’s starting to develop them. After all, you two still barely know each other.” Laren said, providing his opinion.

 

                “Hmph, and when did you become an expert in this kind of subject?” Bane chuckled. At that, Laren drew a pensive breath, and he clasped his hands together and looked at the fire in thought.

 

                “To tell you the truth, everything that’s happened recently has helped me open my eyes to the truth.” he said.

 

                “And what truth is that?” Bane wondered.

 

                “That in this life, we are only given a limited amount of time. With everything that goes on in the world, people worry about what to do, they stress over many things. But in the end, they should try to live life one day at a time, and appreciate all that they have and the people they have around them. We only have one life, and therefore, we should live as fully as we can. At least, that’s what I think.” Laren thought.

 

                “Huh, it seems the light really got to you back there, eh?” Bane said, looking at Laren with wonder.

 

                “It would seem so.” Laren replied as he nodded.

 

                “Well, what you say does have some sense to it. Considering everything that’s happened…if we make it out of this, and the world is reformed…I should really consider rethinking my life and starting anew. I could…start over, with a  clean slate.” Bane thought out loud. Laren put his hand on Bane’s shoulder and gave him a comforting smile.

 

                “That’s the way to think, my friend. But it’s not a question of if. I have the utmost faith in my heart that we’ll be able to right the world, otherwise, we wouldn’t have gone through all the hell that we did in order to get here. The light entrusted us with her power, she’s leaving the last hope of this world to us. And I, for one, don’t plan on letting her will vanish and be tarnished. I will carry forward as best as I’m able until the very end! We’re very close now…we can’t back down!” Laren said with confidence in his voice. He had a conviction that inspired Bane, for now he felt spurred into action. Hearing Laren speak really struck  chord within him, and then he chuckled softly.

 

                “You know something, Laren?” Bane asked. Laren turned to face him.

 

                “Yes, what is it?” he asked.

 

                “I think I’ve found the meaning behind my existence.”

 

-------------------------------------------------------

 

After this close encounter, our heroes face a much more grim situation, and now that things are reaching their most darkest point, our heroes must be as strong willed as ever, in order to be ready for the final battle that looms ahead! They will storm onward, and they won’t let themselves be stopped! The world rests on their shoulders, and they will push onward! But how will Vincent, Ilia and Saphira face what is to come? Stay tuned for Chapter Thirty Five: “A Time Of Reflection.”

 

Well everyone, that was the chapter, I hope that you all enjoyed it! My deepest apologies that it took this long for the chapter to be posted! Many things kept me from posting it, particularly hurricane Irma, which passed by Puerto Rico and left us without power for a bit, and other than that, I had my daily life and personal matters to attend to, so alas, I apologize for the later than usual update! But here I delivered, as I always do! Thanks for your patience and support, and let me know what you thought about tonight’s chapter below! Until next time, stay tuned for the next one!

[KHLegendIII 709]

This was an intriguing chapter like the last one.

[Keyblade101 526]

You my friend are a master at great chapters! Can't wait for the next one! :smile:

 

P.S. Hope you're doing alright and hope you stay safe!  :smile:

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

To KHLegendIII, thanks, I'm glad that you thought so!

 

To Keyblade101, haha, thanks man, I appreciate the comment! I try my best to deliver the best chapter that I can! And thanks I'm doing quite fine, thanks to God, and really happy to finally being back here on this wonderful site!

 

Good evening everyone, I hope that all of you are doing okay! So then, here’s another chapter for you all! My deepest apologies for such a freakishly long delay, but as many of you know, hurricane Maria passed through Puerto Rico, and so, things have been quite hectic, but thanks to God, things are getting better and better every day! So, I hope I’ve been keeping you all invested in my story, for it’s been a great joy for me to write it, as is per usual with my other stories as well! Anyways, I won’t keep you long, so here’s the chapter for you all! Enjoy!

 

Chapter Thirty Five: A Time Of Reflection

 

(Start Song Here)

                Saphira opened her eyes, and immediately she knew that she was already in an illusionary plain. After the light had explained things to her, Saphira was ready to face whatever she would see here. But at the moment, all she could see was a blinding white in front of her, almost as if the surrounding area was a canvas. And indeed, like a canvas, she saw small stains here and there, but she couldn’t determine what they were! She noticed that she was floating in this vast, empty white space, but she felt calm and at ease. She looked around her and noticed that the light was gone. She knew that she had to go into this alone. She took a deep breath and sighed.

 

                “Now then, what is it that you have to show me…?” she thought to herself.  No sooner had she asked that, she saw that the empty white space around her began to take color! Small lines began to form beneath her feet, and then these same lines became larger strokes, and they diverged at four different angles, a bit separate, and yet all of them together. Saphira crossed her arms and wondered at what this meant.

 

                She then saw that these strokes had different colors. They were red, green, gray and brown. They slowly streaked upwards and faced Saphira like pillars. It didn’t take long for her to realize what these strokes symbolized.

 

                “These four pillars symbolize the clans…Scorched, Lifespring, Stormtracer and Crafstman.” Saphira said aloud. As she said these words, the pillars of strokes seemed to diverge and distort, and they mixed together in swirls, and then, dark lines started to appear from the edges of this illusionary plain, and they began to consume the white, leaving only dark ashes behind! Saphira watched on grimly, and she knew what this meant. The division and the undoing of the world. She clenched her fists tightly, and she gritted her teeth, frustrtation filling her mind and heart.

 

                “We failed to protect the world and to ensure life would prevail…I realize that.” Saphira said. “We failed miserably. Instead of standing united, we drifted apart…”

 

                Saphira sighed, and then she saw that the strokes vanished slowly. Then, she floated down what seemed to be a spiraled maelstrom, and despite having the feeling as though she was being pulled down, she remained calm and relaxed throughout. What she was seeing was the truth of things, and they were things that she couldn’t run away from or deny. She had to face them head on, no matter how harsh these truths were.  But then, something curious happened! A small hole in the spiraling maelstrom emerged, and light was pouring inside, almost as if it was sunlight! Saphira felt drawn to this light, and she attempted to approach it, slowly floating towards it!

 

                “What could this be…another part of the illusion?” she asked herself, as she inched ever closer. When she got close enough, she peeked into the hole, and she saw something that she couldn’t quite make out at first!

 

                “What in the world…?” she thought.

 

                And there, before her eyes, she saw an expansive field of grass, surrounding by nothing but widening horizon. There were no mountains or trees to be seen, only the grass that stretched out for miles and miles everywhere around her! She warped into this wide grassland, and she felt an eerie but reassuring sense of peace. She then looked to her left and saw two giant pillars that were a short distance off. These pillars had enormous amounts of light, and when Saphira got close to them, she could feel the positive energy flowing through these pillars! Then, she saw something else. When she turned around, she saw that everything around her was beginning to change! Mountains soon spraung up from the grassy ground, alongside trees, and rivers soon flowed! It was as though life was being wrought this instant! She then gasped softly to herself.

 

                “Is this the rebirthing of the world?” she thought. Then, she was warped away from the grasslands, and suddenly, she was in darkness. She looked around and saw nothing. “Hmm, I wonder what now…?” she thought.

 

                Soon after, someone appeared before Saphira! It was the Oracle, or rather, Chozetsu! Saphira clenched her fists and felt a sharp tinge run through her spine.

 

                “This bastard…he caused all of this to happen…” she said through gritted teeth, but then calmed herself down. “But only because we were all fools and didn’t do things the way we should have…” she said, lamenting once again how everything had been because of the actions, or rather, lack of actions, thath the clan leaders took. She thought of Vincent, and how none of them, including herself, offered to help him with his plight. The lack of unity shone through, and she looked up.

 

                “There’s no need for these phantoms. I know that things are wrong and the world is out of balance because of our actions…I know this…” Saphira said, loud enough for anyone to hear her. But she was only met with silence, and she absorbed the agony of that silence and let out a soft sigh.

 

                “Is the world truly worth it to you?” a voice said, resonating throughout the darkness. Saphira looked left and right, searching for the source of the voice.

 

                “Of course it is! It’s the world we live in, and no matter the flaws, it’s our world! I don’t want it to perish into nothingness!” Saphira answered.

 

                “And what would you do to change things?” the voice asked again, sounding a bit distant.

 

                “I would….” Saphira said, but trailed off. Then, the image of Chozetsu that was before her changed, and now she saw Ilia’s face instead!

 

                “Would you let other people die for the mistakes and errors that you make?” the apparition asked. Saphira quickly shook her head!

 

                “No! I wouldn’t dream of doing that!I would to my best to protect the innocent, to ensure that they’d be able to enjoy this world and live in it for long years!” Saphira answered. “I’d make everyone feel safe!”

 

                “Oh, now would you?” the apparition asked, now changing form to that of Eros! “Would you really guarantee such a promise? What about divison between people, racism, uncertainty and dread?

 

                “I would try my best to teach people to get along with each other. I would tell them to reach out to each other and embrace each other, to help one another through hardships! I would teach them the morals and values of learning to love life! I would tell them to not make the same mistakes that my friends and I made! I wouldn’t want them following in our footsteps!” Saphira said, as she knelt, and she felt her chest heavy. Her heart was beating strongly, and each word she spoke seemed to be like a weight being lifted from her being!

 

                “And what of the outcast, the downtrod? The ones doomed to die? What would you do for them?” the apparition asked, now taking the form of Vincent. At that, Saphira remained silent for a long while, staring at this apparition of Vincent and feeling a sharp sense of regret. She then cast her gaze downward, and she felt disappointed in herself. She then looked up, and with a stern face, she thought of giving her reply.

 

                “I would do what I couldn’t do for Vincent and his people. I would offer my hand as friend and help instead of sending people away, sending the downtrodden to hopelessness. I would do my best to help them through their troubles, and for the outcast, I would find them a place to belong…I would do all that I couldn’t…all that I should have done while the world was still on its feet.” Saphira said, and then her voice fell into silence, as she placed her hand upon her face and she started to cry softly. The emotional toll and distress of everything had finally gotten to her, and now she was letting her feelings pour out. She cried of frustration, of sadness, of anger and of regret. She never imagined things would go this way, and now that they had, she had no idea how the world could be righted again. Then she saw the apparition change, revealing herself to be the light!

 

                “You have a pure heart, Saphira. Despite everything that has happened, I sense that your heart is pure, and that you truly long for a chance to set things right. And so, I will give you a power to help you along the way. Close your eyes and extend your hands forth.” the light instructed. Saphira wiped her eyes and then extended her hands, closing her eyes and waiting for whatever the light had in store. Then, she felt a powerful surge of energy flow through her, almost unstable, even!

 

                “Now, open your eyes.” the light said. And when she did, she saw an orb of light that was flowing in the palms of her hands! She could feel the warmth of the light, and when she closed her hands, the light dissolved into her body, and she felt newly reinvigorated with new resolve!

 

                “W-what is this power?” Saphira asked, almost afraid of this sensation she was feeling!

 

                “It’s something to help you on the road. After all, there’s still a bit to do before the world can be restored to the way it was. Though there will be a great battle, and many things will change when the world is restored again. That is, if you should all succeed in ensuring that Chozetsu does not have his way.” the light went on to explain. Saphira clenched her fists, and her heart flared up with determination!

 

                “I won’t let this world come to an end! I won’t let it fall into hopeless darkness!” she said. And with that, the light summoned forth the door that would allow Saphira to exit the illusionary plain they were in. As Saphira opened the door and walked through it, her heart was filled with the resolve to protect the world and bring it back from the edge!

(End Song Here)

 

---

 

                Meanwhile, Zaria and the others were resting up their strength, for they knew that something big was on it’s way, and they knew that a great battle was soon to come, so they needed to be at the peak of their strength in order to bring forth the best of themselves! And so, with this time of rest, they allowed themselves to relax, or at least, as best as they could, given the situation at hand! Zaria and the others each contemplated with themselves everything that had happened, what their present predicament was, and what still awaited them. They all thought about what would happen after. Even if they did stop Chozetsu and his group, would it guarantee the salvation of the world? Or was it already too late? All these thoughts and doubts circled in their minds, but they tried not to let it get to them. No, for they needed to be psychologically ready for anything that would come their way. And then, out of the stream of silence, Tatsumaki sat down and crossed her arms and legs, looking to the sky and giving a huff.

 

                “Heh, it’s amazing to think that we’ve made it this far, huh? I mean, who would’ve thought that we’d make it till here?” she asked aloud. The others darted their heads toward her in attention. They all looked at her with contemplative faces. Each of them pondered her words.  “Even considering all the horrible things that are happening, and what may end up happening…it’s amazing to think we can see things like the things we’re seeing! It’ll make for good stories once we’re old…” she continued, giving a smile.

 

                “The thing to note here is if people will even believe a story such as this?” Laren added in, shaking his head. “True, we lived to see such strange events occur, but these kinds of things are something that you’d read out of a fairy tale, or some sort of ancient legend. Heh, it’s definitely something, I tell you. I wonder if our struggles will ever make it into songs or tales?” he wondered.

 

                “Well, if we are added into any kind of song or story, the details will probably be exaggerated. They’d probably make me into some kind of god or something of the sort.” Grim bragged, waving a hand at his face. Zaria scoffed and nudged him with her shoulder.

 

                “Ha, you’re singing your praises a bit too much, old man!” Zaria said, giving out a laugh.

 

                “Hey, this old man still has a lot of fight within him, and you’d do good to remember that, young lady!” Grim barked back, and in an instant, everyone began laughing. They were enjoying this small moment of peace. They enjoyed this, their time together. It was something worth cherishing.

 

                “So long as we do our part in getting things back to the way they were, I don’t really care much if history remembers us or not. What I want to make sure of is that people get to live on after this. That we can bring them back from this abyss, that we can help truly make a difference that will change the world.” Bane said, as he closed his eyes and wandered off into thought. “So long as we can be able to accomplish that, nothing else matters.” he stated. The others nodded their approval, and they looked on to the small campfire that they had set about them, watching as the flames swirled and danced along with the smoke rising up to the sky.

 

                “Hmm…all of you represent the best of what we could have been…” a voice said from behind. Everyone turned around immediately on alert, but then Grim recognized who the person speaking was!

 

                “Wait…aren’t you Vincent?” he asked, and then he noticed the person he carried in his arms! “And that’s….Lady Ilia!” he exclaimed! The others looked at each other with this sudden revelation, and they immediately went towards Vincent and Ilia, as Vincent stopped and laid her on the ground gently.

 

                “She needs help…I pray that someone among you can help her…” he said, hope and exhaustion in his voice.

---

 

                At that same moment, Beriel and Lucilda were together, despite Lucilda’s reluctance to being by the old man’s side. She preferred to be anywhere but here with him, but Chozetsu had ordered them to scout out any secret routes so that they would know where to look in case Zaria and the others decided to approach via a sneak attack! Looking around so far, everything seemed in check. Beriel was walking in front of Lucilda, and he seemed pleased with himself, as he was whistling a tune, softly but audible enough for Lucilda to hear…and to make her grow irritated. She gritted her teeth, and after a few more minutes of listening to him whistle, she shifted her shadow under the ground and then appeared right in front of him, and he slowed to a stop, but he kept whistling, paying her no mind. Her shadowy form shifted, and Beriel could have sworn that she was crossing her arms! He stopped whistling, and a smirk sprawled across his face.

 

                “You irritate the hell out of me, old man…I can’t stand the sight of you…I just want this to be over and done with…” she spat, and then she turned around and scanned the area, feeling the movement of the earth for any signs of movement on the enemy’s part. So far, nothing.

 

                “As ever, Lucilda, you radiantly and positively shine with your sparkling comments! You never cease to amuse me!” he chuckled. Lucilda rolled her eyes and turned to face him, and then she stopped when she was just inches from his face, and he remained unflinching!

 

                “What is it with you, you stupid old man? There’s something about you that’s always pissed me off…you’ve always gotten me on my nerves, and that stupid smile of yours doesn’t help…just what the hell makes you so irritating…?” she asked, eyeing him. At that, Beriel gave out a hearty chuckle, and he shook his head and walked past her, stopping when he reached a cliff overlooking a pitch black abyss.

 

(Start Song Here)

                “Lucilda, my child. Don’t you see? We are on the cusp of achieving our goals…ever since we began this long journey, we’ve been chasing down our horizons, and now that we’re finally so close, I can’t help but have a hop in my step…I will finally…finally be able to see my loved ones again…after so long.” he said, his amusement giving way to contemplation. Lucilda softened a bit, for she didn’t expect this kind of reaction from him. Sure, she had known what his goal was from the beginning, but he had never expressed himself like this. This yearning he had…he truly missed his loved ones. It was apparent in his face as he looked down at the abyss.

 

                “All this living hell…it’ll have been worth it. All this endless struggle will have finally given me proper meaning behind everything I’ve endured…” he said, almost in a whisper. Lucilda stood there, not knowing what to say now. She suddenly felt wrapped with guilt for having rambled on to him the way she did…and that irritated her greatly! He turned to face her, and his eyes were misty, as tears were forming.  “My wife and my beautiful child…I can feel them so close now…so close that I just…I can’t even contain myself…” he said, as he looked up to the sky and closed his eyes. He then rubbed his eyes and cleared his throat. “Goodness, those tears came up so suddenly! Anyways, let’s be on our way, there’s nothing here!” he declared, and with that, he walked past Lucilda and kept marching on. She remained there, silent for a moment, and then glanced over her shoulder at Beriel, as he walked proud.

 

                “I don’t blame you for feeling the way you do, old man…at least you have a family to go see…I have no one. My mother wouldn’t want to see me like this…unlike you, I don’t have anyone waiting for me…” she thought, and she clenched her fist and put it to her chest. For a moment, she felt a lost warmth within her, but she quickly shook her head and brushed off the emotion, and instead, she followed Beriel quietly.

(End Song Here)

 

                Following a different route, Kalciru was silently walking through the fields of nothingness, as ash spread on for miles and miles, and distorted boulders were here and there and everywhere. He walked among barren plains and invisible floors, always taking in the scenery around him. He was practically enjoying himself! He had longed for the world’s destruction, and now that he was witnessing it firsthand, he couldn’t be happier! He was breathing in the scent of everything. He didn’t care one bit for Chozetsu’s plans, and he didn’t care one bit for his so called allies! No, he was in this just for himself and only himself, and now that he was living through the world that he had so longed for, he found it hard to contain the happiness he was feeling! But there was a problem.

 

                Zaria and her friends. As long as they’d remain, they would be the only threat that would endanger his paradise. And he didn’t want things to go south. No, not when he had waited so patientnly to put into motion his carefully laid out plans! He clenched his fists, his smile fading.

 

                “No…as long as I live, I won’t let the insects get away with anything…” he said to himself, and he felt his gauntlet pulsing with power. He was longing to use it against his enemies, and obliterate them into nothing more than pure dust! And now that he had the Maker’s essence within him, he knew that he  could be able to put a stop to those fools once and for all! All he had to do was squash their hopes, and trump over them like if they were nothing more than pebbled rock!

 

                “After everything that’s happened…no, I won’t let things be derailed…I won’t let things stray from my design…” he thought to himself, and he continued walking, ever forwards.

 

                In the meantime, near the swirling mass that was overhead at the sky’s peak, Chozetsu stood, his arms behind his back, and he contemplated what lay beyond. The promise of a new life, free of pain and suffering. The fulfillment of his ages long mission, the fulfillment of the peace had long sought to bring. It was all finally coming full circle, and he would be able to witness everything and see it’s conclusion with his very own eyes. He felt satisfied, and even with the looming threat that Zaria and her friends posed, he still did not bade the thought much heed. He knew that things would go his way. He knew that his plans would be successful, without flaw. And so he contemplated the sky, and he took in the air and sighed. Then, he noticed Ellene approaching, and she walked towards him with a blank expression on her face. But he knew that something was wrong.

 

(Start Song Here)

                “Anything to report, Ellene? I trust that there are no sidebumps that I can expect?” he asked waringly. She remained silent for a moment before speaking.

 

                “They are coming at us…and they’ll bring out their full force. They are going to give every single ounce of their being in order to ensure that we fall here, and…” she trailed off, before Chozetsu interrupted her.

 

                “Your brother, yes?” he inquired. She nodded.

 

                “You have no qualms facing him. And yet you feel something deep underneath yourself, I take it?” he wondered aloud, addressing what was left unsaid. Chozetsu walked towards her and put a hand on her shoulder. “I can understand that certain feelings can surface from inside…and it’s completely understandable. Just make sure that you know what has to be done, and be ready to do it when the time comes. For we cannot have any doubt circling our ranks. You know this most of all.” he said. Ellene quickly straightened, and she nodded.

 

                “Yes, I know this very well. I won’t let all of our efforts be in vain, of that much I can assure you. All feeling that I have for my brother is nothing. It’s just unnecessary feelings that I will ignore. By my honor, I swear that I will do what has to be done when we are faced with the final battle.” she stated, to which Chozetsu turned on his heel and then resumed looking up at the sky, as he had been doing a few seconds ago.

 

                “Heh…it’s amazing…to think that we’re finally so close. It’ll all have been worthwhile. All this toil and all of this struggle will have reaped its reward. I have been a very patient man, you know.” he went on. “It’s not easy having to see the world rebirth time and time again, seeing all the lives that had lived through this world be obliterated and swiped away, like a clean slate. With this, that will finally come to a stop. The next life will be the final gateway, the final plain. No one will have to be wiped away from existence ever again…and it’ll be a world where we finally get to see the ones we love again after so long.” he said as he glanced over his shoulder at Ellene, who looked to him with admiration. “It’s a wonderful world to think about, isn’t it?” he asked. Ellene gave a slight smile and nodded.

 

                “Of course. It couldn’t be a more perfect world.” she replied. And so, the two of them looked to the sky, their faces full of hope. The time was finally upon them, and upon this world. The moment they had all been waiting for…

(End Song Here)

 

---

 

                After having explained everything to Zaria and the others, Vincent looked to them all, and he saw that their faces bore great affliction and great concern over everything that he had told them. It was definitely hard to swallow, especially given how things were now. But their faces weren’t those of irritation or anger or resentment…no, they were of understanding, sympathy, and overall concern. Bane had used his Scorched augmentation to give energy to Ilia, and he had given her enough that she regained color and she was now in full consciousness. She was a bit tired though, so she was sitting upright, her back facing a smoothed out boulder. Grim was by her side, tending to her, while Bane, Zaria, Laren and Tatsumaki circled Vincent, who was sitting at the center of them, his head bowed to the ground.

 

                “So I’ve told you everything…by heaven, it’s all my fault…” he said, putting his head in his hands.

 

                “You just wanted freedom for your people. There’s no sin in that. You didn’t know that things would go so horribly wrong, so don’t be so hard on yourself.” Tatsumaki encouraged.

 

                “If it’s of any consolation, you did right by your people. Know that.” Laren said.

 

                “But it doesn’t change the fact that things are the way they are now. But you’ve done well to hold out this long, especially now that you don’t have your Scorched powers anymore.” Bane added in.

 

                “The question is, what now? We know you and Ilia are here, but that just leaves Saphira and Eros! You haven’t seen them?”  Zaria asked. Vincent shook his head.

 

                “Not since I forsook the Council.” he said, putting to memory the last time he had seen them.

 

                “I was with Saphira before everything went spiraling down into chaos…” Ilia said, lucid enough to speak clearly. She remained seated though, still feeling a bit tired. “It was when the Oracle…Chozetsu, had revealed himself to us, and he had revealed his plans to us. He said we had all been a vital part in making it happen. He told us of his past lives…” she paused, letting the words sink in. And then, as if answering a question which had not been spoken, she nodded slowly. “Yes, lives. He has lived many lifetimes, each time trying to save the world, but each time he had failed. But this time, he had taken all the lessons he had learned, all the grief he had been witnessed to endure, and he planned this lifetime to put an end to the endless cycle of death and rebirth that plagues our world. Right now, we are just about to witness the final stage of his plan. If we don’t stop him, all that we know will be lost. We can’t know for certain that what he has planned will truly bring about peace…that is why we need to ensure that we don’t let him get away with this.” she said. Vincent turned to look at her, and she could see the strong will that he had always known her for. Despite being a caring, kind soul, she could be determined and show a fierceness in her eyes that surprised all who had the chance to witness such fierceness.

 

                “As for where Saphira is right now, that I cannot say. We were separated when this whole calamity happened. Vincent found me, and we were alone ever since then, until he happened upon you all. We are truly fortunate to have stumbled upon you.” she said, bowing her head in gratitude. After a short silence, Bane gave out a soft sigh.

 

                “Well then, we only have a short time to rest. Becaue after this, we’ll need to proceed and keep pushing forward. The enemy no doubt is already expecting us, and I’d rather not let them find us with our guard down. We have to rest up as much as we’re able, and then be prepared for whatever onslaught awaits us. So everyone, I suggest that you all rest. For the time is soon upon us to take action and end this, once and for all.” he said. The urgency and strictness in his tone ensured the others were paying him undivided attention!

 

                “But we’ll need to keep watch. I’ll stay up and keep an eye out.” Zaria said. Then she saw Ilia raise a hand and shake her head.

 

                “No, child. Allow me. There’s a far easier way to ensure our safety that doesn’t require any of us to lose any much needed sleep.” she said. Zaria then stepped back, and she let Ilia do her work. She was impressed as she saw the determined Lifespring clan leader raise both hands up, and then, in a whisper, she seemed to be reciting an ancient incantation. The look on Grim’s face indicated that he knew what this incantation was. Seconds later, a barrier was formed around them, and it was invisible, to the point that if Zaria hadn’t been paying attention, she wouldn’t have noticed anything had changed!

 

                “This barrier will protect us. It provides us with visual information from the inside, but those outside cannot see in, for outside, we are covered as if blended into the environment. It’ll hold steady for a good night’s rest. So please, all of you, rest easy.” Ilia reassured. The others gave their thanks, and each of them laid down, ready to get some sleep. Vincent closed his eyes uneasily and attempted to sleep. Grim and Ilia were the only ones awake now.

 

                “Lady Ilia, what about Saphira and Eros?” he asked. Ilia shook her head.

 

                “I have a feeling we’ll run into Saphira soon.  As for Eros…if I recall correctly, Chozetsu had said that his kind ceased to exist when this calamity happened…” she whispered. This set Grim in a worrisome mood.

 

                “What!? But that can’t be! And…they can never be saved?” he asked. Ilia contemplated this question, and she closed her eyes.

 

                “I am confident that somehow, someway, Eros and his kind will somehow come back. If we can restore things back to the way they were, there’s a fighting chance. And even then, something unexpected may happen…” she wondered aloud. She then looked to Grim and placed a hand on his shoulder.  “Rest now, old friend. I am to sleep as well. For I have my part to play in this, too.” she said. Grim nodded.

 

                “Right. Good night then, Lady Ilia. If there’s anything you need, be sure to wake me.” he noted. Ilia smiled sweetly at him.

 

                “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind. Good night.” she bid him, as he went a bit further off from her and laid down to sleep. And now Ilia herself remained awake, though she did feel drowsy, and she knew she’d doze off in a few moments. She looked to her left, and she saw that Vincent was asleep. She could see the anguish in his face. The torment and despair.

 

                “I’m so sorry that it had to come to come to this, Vincent…” she thought. “What I would give for things to be different…for things between us to be…” but she cut herself off before finishing that thought. She knew that things between them would never be like she had thought they would be years back. Back when the two of them shared something beautiful. When their two hearts were one…

 

                She closed her eyes, and she let herself dream. Dream of a time when things were different. When life seemed so much simpler…

 

-------------------------------

 

With the decisive battle looming ever closer, Ilia dreams back to a time when she and Vincent shared something more together. As her time to act draws near, she dreams back to a time when she didn’t have to worry about world ending calamities…a time when she dared to be a normal girl. Next time, Chapter Thirty Six: “Life And The Flame.”

 

Oh wow, it has been quite some time since I last updated here, huh? Luckily, I had already been halfway through writing this chapter, so all I had to do was write the little bit that was left and check to see what chapter I was on, and voila! I hope that this chapter was to your enjoyment, and that it was worth all the wait that you all endured! Now that things have gotten better, hopefully I can be able to update as often as I would usually do when I had power! Thank you all for your love and support, and be sure to let me know what you thought about tonight’s chapter! Well then, until next time, stay tuned for the next one!

[KHLegendIII 709]

This was a nice chapter reading into.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

To KHLegendIII, thanks, I'm glad you liked it!

 

 

Good evening everyone, I hope that all of you are doing okay! So then,  here’s another chapter, and for this, I’m going to take a mini, three chapter arc that’ll focus on Ilia and Vincent in their younger years, so you can all have a little glimpse of what things were like for them before full fledged adulthood! I hope the chapter is to your liking! Be sure to enjoy!

 

Chapter Thirty Six: Life And The Flame

 

(Start Song Here)

                “Doesn’t it hurt, though?” Ilia asked, observing Vincent as he demonstrated his powers to her. He was shooting forth a stream of flame into the open air, where there were no trees or anything else that could get burnt! Vincent turned to face her, and he kept traces of fire on his fingers on purpose, to add some dramatic and stylish flair. He looked at her with a smug face, and he shrugged his shoulders.

 

                “Nope, it doesn’t hurt at all! Granted, it stings just the tiniest bit, but really, it’s something that I got used to after practicing enough. I still burn the occasional thing or two, but I have better control over my powers at the moment.” he explained. Ilia giggled and she put her knees to her chest as she sat on the grass.

 

                “Well, it’s quite impressive. I’m sure your clan has many able wielded Scorch users! I bet it must be wonderful seeing all of them in action!” she wondered aloud. Vincent plopped himself beside her, then laying his back on the grass.

 

                “Yeah, it’s pretty cool.” he replied, and the two of them watched the clouds as they slowly rolled by. A sudden silence grew between them, and they were both pondering things to themselves, pondering about the future, and other such things. He then looked at Ilia, and he stared at her, though he tried to be more discreet in doing so. Ever since he had met here when they were children, he always had a fondness with her. And as they grew, they became ever closer. Now, both of them fifteen years old, they had gone through a lot together. They’d get into fights, they’d laugh about the silliest of things, and they’d cope to each other whenever problems in their homes were too much to deal with.

 

                And in this span of time, Vincent realized that he had started to develop feelings for her. He was attracted to her, and not just because of her beauty, but because of the beautiful heart and soul she carried beneath. She was unlike any other girl he had met before or since, and he always felt at ease when he was with her. He immediately snapped himself out of his trance when he felt his cheeks warm up. He looked away to try to make the burning blush go away, and when he looked back, he noticed that Ilia was now staring at him, and she was smiling!

 

                “W-what? Do I have something on my face?” he said, trying to ensure that he wouldn’t bring up any awkward comment. Ilia only giggled and shook her head.

 

                “Heh, it’s nothing, really.” was all she said before standing up. She put her hands behind her back, and she gave out a sigh.

 

                “Well, I should be going now. My parents are waiting for me. I have to make sure that I attend my lessons. After all, being next in line to lead the Lifespring requires strenuous work.” she said. Vincent sat up and crossed his arms. She had talked to him about this before. About her being chosen to be the next leader.

 

                “So…how are you dealing with that? Do you think you’re up for it?” he asked. She turned to look at him and she smiled, her warm, radiant smile that made Vincent’s heart skip a few beats.

 

                “Well, considering that it’s a sacred duty, I have my doubts of being able to carry out said duties in a way that’ll make my people proud…but I want to think that I’ll be able to do a decent job. As long as I can be able to reach out a helping hand to my people, that’s what matters. “ she stated, with a voice that sounded like she had wisdom beyond her years. Vincent stood up as well, and he stretched out his arms and smiled.

 

                “Well, it looks like we’ll be rivals, then!” he declared. Ilia tilted her head at this.

 

                “Hmm? What do you mean we are rivals?” she asked. Vincent then smirked at her and gave her a thumbs up!

 

                “Because you’re looking at the next leader of the Scorched!” he smiled, beaming proudly!  At that, Ilia gave out a surprised gasp!

 

                “Are you serious? That’s great news! Why didn’t you tell me about this before?” she asked excitedly.

 

                “Well, I had been meaning to tell you, but I wanted to wait until the opportune moment. And now, seeing you all determined to be a good leader and all, I figured that I had to tell you now! It gives you extra incentive to not screw up!” he teased, nudging at her shoulder. Ilia snickered and gave out a playful huff.

 

                “Well, you’ll find yourself disappointed when I beat your cocky ass and turn out to be a better leader than you!” she teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

 

                “Heh, you’re on!” Vincent said, accepting the challenge. The two of them then burst into laughter, and afterwards, they bid each other farewell. And as they left the grassy hill they would frequent to spend time together, Ilia stopped for a moment and looked back, watching Vincent’s back as he walked away. He was strong, and he was a handsome young man. Ilia quickly blushed as she thought of him. His personality always kept her in high spirits, and she was inspired to be as cheerful as him. Over the time they had spent together over the years, she had begun developing feelings for him, and she truly hoped that they could be together, that they could keep spending time together and enjoy each other’s company as they always did. And even though she had to go through an insufferable lesson in politics and conduct befitting a leader, she kept a smile on her face, if only because Vincent was in her thoughts at all times. She smiled to herself as she moved along.

(End Song Here)

 

---

 

                “Ilia? Ilia, are you listening, child?” a voice beckoned to her. Ilia quickly snapped herself out of her trance, and she blinked twice before looking at the face of her father, who was looking at her with scolding eyes!

 

                “I swear, child, you are too much of a daydreamer. Pay attention while I’m talking to you!” he replied with a stern voice, making Ilia straighten in her seat.

 

                “Yes, I’m sorry, father! Please, continue!” she said. She blushed slightly and felt a bit ashamed at being scolded at, but her father simply gave her a soft smile, and he shook his head.

 

                “Don’t fret over it, child. Now then—“ he said, before Ilia raised her head, as if she was going to ask something.

 

                “Father…do you think that I’ll make a good leader when the time comes? Do…I have what it takes?” she asked. At that, her father went over to her and sat down beside her.

 

(Start Song Here)

                “Hmm? And what’s this about, Illia?” he asked. She shook her head and looked out the window, her thoughts drifting here and there. The future that awaited her was one full of hardship and responsibility. But it would have to be a responsibility she would carry forward without any hesitation. She knew in her heart that no matter what, she had to do what was best for her people. Her father then placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

 

                “Ilia, I have watched you grow from a playful little girl into an extraordinary young woman. You have developed wisdom beyond your years, and you have a compassionate heart and a willingness to help others in their time of need. There’s this air about you that always seems to bring comfort to people whenever they are filled with strife and sadness. I’ve seen it many times whenever you’ve approached anyone who’s had troubles. And I’ve seen how you behave when you are with that young man…Vincent, was it?” he strained, trying to remember the name. At that, Ilia blushed and staggered a bit.

 

                “V-Vincent? How do you…?” she asked, flustered, and her father laughed.

 

                “Ha, don’t think that you can deceive me, child. You two have been friends since childhood, so it’s only natural that feelings between the two of you develop. And it’s nothing bad. No, on the contrary, this is part of life, this is what allows us to expand, to grow and get to know ourvselves better.” he said with a soft smile. “But yes, back to the topic at hand, I know that you’ll be a good leader. I can see it in your eyes that you have that spark, so I have no doubt that when the time comes, things will come naturally to you. You’ll see.” he said reassuringly, then embracing her. She hugged back and smiled.

 

                “Thank you father, you always know what to say!” Ilia beamed. And then they heard a voice coming from across the house!

 

                “Ilia, Richard, dinner is ready!” the voice called.

 

                “Coming, mom!” Ilia shouted, as she grabbed her father by the hand and they both left to eat.

(End Song Here)

 

---

 

                The next day, Ilia and Vincent met each other again at the same spot they’d frequent. They came earlier this time, for apparently, Vincent had notified her that he was up to something, but what exactly it was, she couldn’t even guess, nor she didn’t want to know. Whenever he’d keep her in the dark about something, oftentimes it would be a prank or some unexpected surprise! But when she saw Vincent coming up the hill with one arm behind his back, she immediately glared at him. He only smiled, trying to hold his laughter, for apparently, he did want to pull a prank!

 

                “Heh, so you think you’ll make a fool out of me? Well, not if I fool you first!” she thought, and with a flick of a finger, she immediately placed a vine underneath his feet, and unaware of it, Vincent stepped on it, and she yanked hard, making him swoop up and fall on his back, and then he winced in pain and gave out a rough shout!

 

                “Hey! What the hell was that for!?” he exclaimed, his face awash with anger! At that, Ilia noticed that he was being serious, and she immediately went towards him to check on him, and she was blushing horribly red!

 

                “Vincent, I’m so sorry…I just thought that you were going to prank me or something, I didn’t…” she said, before her eyes trailed off from him to the object he had been holding behind his back. It now lay crumbled and broken. When she saw what it was, she blushed even redder! “W-what’s this?” she asked, noticing it was a bundle of flowers.  Vincent slowly got up and gave out a sigh.

 

                “Well, on my way here, it was suppose to be a show of affection and a way of asking you out on a date, but well, that turned south pretty fast…” he grumbled, as he turned red himself. The two of them looked at each other and then looked away. Ilia then looked at the flowers and picked them up, and she held them to her chest and smiled warmly.

 

                “These are wonderful…and…I’d love to go on a date with you!” she beamed, trying to make the best out of an awkward situation! Her smile only grew wider as Vincent’s whole face turned red as a tomato, and he murmured to himself, apparently spurring himself on to speak, and then he cleared his throat.

 

                “Well then, Lady Ilia, as now you have accepted my gift and will go out with me, know that it is an honor for me to be giving you a good time!” he said with a mock bow, to which Ilia rolled her eyes.

 

                “Oh, cut the theatrics, you dork!” she laughed.

 

                “Hey, I’m trying to be gentlemanly here!” he protested, and then the two of them joined each other in laughter.

 

                “Well then, shall we?” he said as he cleared his throat and extended his hand towards her. Smiling, Ilia gladly held his hand, and their fingers twined together, and they went down the hill.

 

(Start Song Here)

                And so, over the course of the day, the two of them went exploring. They traversed through the vast expanse of Eternia Glade, and they delved into the many forests and hidden caves and peaceful rivers, all the while talking about different things, and sometimes not talking at all, simply enjoying each other’s company. As midday approached, they decided to look for a good shade where they could eat. Luckily, Vincent had bought some lunch in a nearby village before heading off exploring, so there was food to eat in spades, and they both enjoyed their meal, taking their time with each delicious bite of all that was available!

 

                After they finished their meal, they continued onward, and as midday slipped into the afternoon hours, Ilia and Vincent went to one of the big citites of Eternia Glade, Everbloom, which was the main city in which the Everbloom Knights, prestigious soldiers of the Lifespring, called home and their training grounds. Ilia explained to Vincent about how everything went down in this part of Eternia Glade, and Vincent listened on with great interest, talking with a few Everbloom Knights himself! After walking through the city, they stopped at a nearby plaza, where they sat down in a nearby bench to rest their feet, which were hurting a bit from all the walking!

 

                “Oh wow, I don’t think I’ve walked this much in a long time!” Vincent mentioned, rubbing the soles of his feet. Ilia laughed and shook her head.

 

                “Well, you’ll be surprised to hear that my feet are stinging as well, and this is speaking of someone who frequents these places a lot! Just goes to show that too much wandering around makes one’s feet mulch!” she expressed.

 

                “Heh, well, isn’t that the truth?” Vincent replied. The two of them smiled and then looked down. They remained in silence for a while, contemplating, wondering. Vincent took a moment and looked at Ilia. She seemed troubled now. Well, not necessarily troubled, but more like deep in thought. He loved looking at her when she was like this. It was like everything around him faded away, and she was the sole focus of his sight. He then yawned and stretched out his arms, and then he placed a hand on Ilia’s head.

 

                “Well, today’s been one heck of a day! I bet you’re all tuckered out!” he said. Ilia snapped herself out of her self induced trance, and she looked at him and blushed.

 

                “Heh, well, the important thing is that I’ve enjoyed our date very much. And well…I always enjoy my time with you…” she said, blushing ever more. At that, the two of them looked into each other’s eyes. They inched closer as seconds passed by, and just when they were inches away from kissing each other, they heard someone screaming further down along the way!

 

                “Help! Thieves, murderers, they’re on the loose!” someone shouted from a nearby shop, running towards Ilia and Vincent. The two of them looked at each other with worried glances, and then they met with the shopkeep.

 

                “Where are these people? Are they in town?” Vincent asked. The shopkeep pointed towards the direction of the town.

 

                “Yes, they’re coming from the east side, and they’re claiming ownership of this town, and they’re openly challenging the Lifespring!” the shopkeep said. Vincent noticed as Ilia’s shoulders tensed, and she let out a soft, irritated breath.

 

                “Well, it seems that this is something that I have to take care of…” she murmured to herself, and then Vincent grabbed her by the shoulder. She glanced back at him, and he gave her a smirk.

 

                “Hey, if you’re going to face off against annoying thieves and murderous scum, it’s best if I tag along! Wouldn’t want a delicate flower like you getting hurt!” he said. Ilia gave out a sarcastic laugh.

 

                “Ha, well, isn’t that kind of you? Well then, come on, and try to see if you can catch up.” she said as she smirked and started into a sprint. Vincent followed shortly behind!

 

                “Oh, it’s on!” Vincent replied, as the two of them headed towards the east side!

(End Song Here)

 

                The closer they headed towards the east side, the more people they saw running in the opposite direction, panicking! It seemed as though the force that was awaiting them was one of great power to send all of these people running. But where were the Everbloom Knights, or anyone that could fight, for that matter? It was strange that there was no one responding to this threat! But, they trudged on, until they reached a wide plaza, where the band of murderous thieves were all standing together in a circle. It seemed as though they had been waiting for anyone to come challenge them! Their leader, a bald, dark skinned man with heavy armor, stepped forward, whip in hand, and then he stopped within a few feet of Vincent and Ilia.

 

                “Ah, so it seems that someone has finally come to challenge us! And here I thought that we’d just stomp over this place with no one to give us at least a decent challenge! So, what will you two bring to the table?” the man asked, bearing a cocky smile that made Ilia roll her eyes and made Vincent sigh.

 

                “It seems that people really do like looking for trouble along these parts, don’t they?” Vincent asked to Ilia. She nodded and then shook her head.

 

(Start Song Here)

                “It seems so. But we’ll take care of that quickly.” she said, and the two of them prepared for battle. The bald man laughed, and he raised his hand and then lowered it in a swooping motion.

 

                “Men, attack! Make an example out of these fools for challenging us!” the man commanded, and the others, which were at least twenty more, followed their order without question!

 

                “Well, I believe it’s time to see what all that practice has gotten us! Ladies first!” Vincent proclaimed. Ilia smirked.

 

                “As you wish!” Ilia replied. She then raised her hands and then lowered them down quickly, digging her fingers into the ground as giant roots began lifting from underground, and those same roots have very large and sharp thorns adhered to them, and they came up violently, blocking the path of the attackers, making them stumble and stop so that they wouldn’t be impaled by the thorns! She then pulled the roots back and then she coalesced them together to form a giant snake that slithered menacingly, leaves and branches and strong pieces of wood adhering together to form the body of said snake. The attackers suddenly went cold with fear, and they were hesisant whether to attack or not! Then, Vincent smiled and he shook his head.

 

                “Well, that’s impressive. Let’s see if I can add some of my own flair into this!” he said, and with that, he summoned forth his flames, and they encircled him, and from the flames, spears materialized with fiery fury, and he took hold of two, and then he swung in two arcs, making streaks of flame dance towards the attackers, and they yelped and immediately backed away, trying to avoid being fried to a crisp! Vincent looked amused, for he was definitely curious about the reactions of the attackers.

(End Song Here)

 

                “You know, for being murderous thieves, you aren’t all that menacing…” Vincent said aloud. The attackers mumbled and spoke to each other in hushed voices, as if undecided as to what to do next! Then their leader stepped forward, with an enraged face, and then he started to charge towards Ilia and Vincent!

 

                “You won’t make fools out of us!!!” he shouted, but all it took was for Ilia to flick her wrist slightly, and the giant snake she had formed from the roots and branches opened its wide maw, and just as it was about to bite down, the man yelped, almost like a girl, and he fell back along with the others!

 

                “N-no!!! I don’t want to die! I’m sorry, we’re sorry!” he shouted.

 

                “And here he sings like a canary! How the mighty fall, is how they say it?” Vincent asked sarcastically.

 

                “Why yes, Vincent, that’s how the saying goes!” Ilia said, walking towards the man and his group, as they all knelt to the ground and whimpered in fear.

 

                “W-we’re sorry, we truly are!” one of the others said. Ilia knelt down and looked at them.

 

                “I don’t understand. Why were people running away from you, when you are as harmless as flies?” she asked.

 

                “W-we were just passing on rumors of our strength, just to spook the townsfolk. We haven’t honestly murdered anyone, we just wanted to scare everyone away so that we could be able to take food and money and clothes…we’re poor! It’s hard for us to get by! We just wanted to be able to get something for ourselves to bring back to our families…and we figured this was the way to do it…” one of them explained. At this, Ilia’s face softened, and she felt compassion for their plight. She then looked back on Vincent, who had also taken sympathy for them, and then she turned around and looked at the leader in the eyes.

 

                “Well, this is the wrong way of trying to do things. Instead of trying to steal…why don’t you come and work for the Lifespring? Become guards, or just help tidy up the villages and whatnot. What say you all try and do things honestly instead of trying to steal from innocent people?” she offered. At that, they all blinked, for they didn’t expect such an offer. Then, the leader of the group stood up.

 

                “Y-you’d offer this, even though we have been scaring other people so we could take their things…?” he asked. Ilia nodded.

 

                “I’m giving you what other people probably haven’t. A chance.” she said. She let the words sink in, and then the man and his group bowed to her in appreciation, for they accepted her offer, and many of them were weeping.

 

                Vincent looked in awe, and he couldn’t believe how this had turned out.

 

                “Heh, you’ll be a great ruler when the time comes, Ilia. Just you wait.”

 

---------------------------------------------

 

Time teaches many things, but at the same time, it also changes people and their perspective on things. As years pass by, Vincent and Ilia take hold  of their responsibilities as the leaders of their people, and they find that things are changing drastically, and that all that they shared in the past was now drifting away. Stay tuned for Chapter Thirty Seven: “A Rift Between Hearts.”

 

Well everyone, that was the chapter, I hope that you all enjoyed it! I’m having fun writing this tiny arc involving Vincent and Ilia, and I hope all of you are enjoying it! As always, thank you very much for your love and support, and let me know what you thought about tonight’s chapter! Until next time, stay tuned for the next one!

Edited December 11, 2017 by The Transcendent Key

[KHLegendIII 709]

This was nice, it's cool to have insight on Illia and Vincent.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

To KHLegendIII, yeah, I wanted to give more insight into those two so that the reader could view how their relationship factored into the story! Glad you like it!

 

Hey there everyone, good evening to you all, and I hope that all of you are doing okay! So then, here’s another chapter! I hope that you all find it to your enjoyment! I like where I’m taking Vincent and Ilia in terms of narrative. My thought was that a lot of you were probably wondering why they seemed to be so close, due to the hints that I had given throughout the story, so I thought it fit to present to you all this small three part arc involving them, of which this is the second part! Hope you enjoy what’s in store!

 

Chapter Thirty Seven: A Rift Between Hearts

 

                And so, five years passed after that, and Vincent and Ilia ended up becoming the leaders of their respective clans! They were both up and coming, and there were a good many people that had been wondering if they would end up becoming good leaders to their respective people! And it turned out that this was indeed the case! The people found that Vincent and Ilia were exceptional leaders, both of them mature beyond their years! Everyone had quickly grown attached to them, and even those who may had harbored doubts concerning them were in the end singing their praises!

 

                Vincent had said to himself that he’d do his best to do good by his people, and as soon as he stepped in as the next leader of the Scorched clan, he went above and beyond the call of duty, earning the respect tof his people and of others from neighboring towns and cities, and from other clans as well! And as the days passed by, Vincent found that his responsibilities were keeping him ever more busy, and as such, he found that there was an increasingly short amount of time that he could have to himself. And whenever he did, he was too tired to do anything, so he’d just rest. He missed Ilia, and it had been quite some time since they had last seen each other! They kept speaking to each other and seeing each other as frequently as they could, but with their respective responsibilities, it was understandable that they couldn’t spend as much time together as they used to.

 

                But even so, Vincent didn’t let this get to him, and he said to himself that one of these days he would go over to Eternia Glade and pay Ilia a visit. He had been wanting to see her for some time, to catch up and talk about what was new.

 

                As the days continued to roll on by, Vincent was overseeing a new project that would ensure that his nation would be protected from any outside invading force or anyone who would try to sneak in uninvited! He would use Mt. Terios as a form of defense, and he along with his fellow citizens put themselves to work hard! It was a strenuous task for them to overcome, but it was one that they had to do! And so, they spent the entire first day of this venture, sweating nonstop by day’s end!

 

                “Heh, I wouldn’t think you’d be here working with us, Vincent. I’m sure you have other things to do!” one of the citizens said, as he swung a pickax and then fortified a pillar with his flames.

 

                “Well, just because I’m leader doesn’t mean that I have to be content sitting in a chair and doing nothing. I prefer keeping myself busy at all times. I don’t mind the work.” Vincent said, as he set forth a searing hot trap for anyone unfortunate enough to step on. The others working with him nodded and murmured in approval.

 

                “You’ve definitely made for one heck of a leader, Vincent. We’re proud of you!” another one said.

 

                And so, they kept on working until the late hours of the night. It was already nearing midnight when Vincent and the others decided to call it a day and head back to their homes. Vincent had set a few guards at the working site to keep an eye on things, and after ensuring that the site was secure, Vincent then left to his home.  As he walked towards his home, he saw a young woman running towards him, panic apparent in her eyes! It seemed as though she was scared to death of something, for she was deadly pale!

 

                “Vincent, Vincent, please help!” the woman cried out, weeping as she came to a halt, just a few inches away from him.

 

                “Hey, what’s the matter? Why all the fuss? Did something happen?” Vincent asked, concern quickly apparent in his face. The woman wiped her eyes, trying to wipe away the tears, but more kept rolling down…

 

(Start Song Here)

                “It’s my boy…he’s deathly ill, and our healers haven’t been able to make him feel better! Please, come take a look for yourself! He’s…he’s dying!” the woman explained, sobbing as she shook her head. Vincent held her shoulders and looked her in the eye.

 

                “Please, calm down and take me to your son. We’ll see what’s wrong with him!” he said. And so, the two of them went running down the village, passing by darkened houses. Those who were awake, be it that they were late night strollers or people tending to their establishments took notice of the two of them running, and they were wondering what the commotion was about, so they followed them to see what was wrong!

 

                After about two minutes, Vincent and the woman reached her house, and the healers were at their wits end, and they looked at her with saddened faces, and they shook their heads. Apparently, there was nothing more that they could do. Vincent then slowly walked inside, and the woman and the other people who had followed stood outside, watching silently as their leader sat down besde the boy, who was breathing shakily and his body was heating up abnormally! His eyes were open, but they were misty, and for all this, the boy seemed uneasily calm!

 

                “Boy, tell me your name.” Vincent uttered. The boy slowly turned his head to look at Vincent, and he smiled.

 

                “H-hello Vincent…I’m James…it’s nice to see you again…” the boy whispered.

 

                “Again? You mean we’ve met before?” Vincent asked. James nodded slowly.

 

                “Yes…I think it was at a Summer’s festival a few months back…I was with my mother and my family, and you came and talked with us for a while!” he explained, and at that, Vincent remembered that instant, and he nodded in confirmation.

 

                “Ah, that’s right, I remember now. James…tell me, why is it that you are so deathly pale? What sickeness ails you so? Your body is heating up…” he asked, though he already had an idea of what was happening.

 

                “It’s…my heart…my body…they all feel like they’re melting…it’s a very unpleasant feeling…” James replied with sadness. His mother sobbed silently and everyone else outside was silent.

 

                “I see…and I see that you aren’t recovering, despite the healers coming to assist you…” Vincent said.

 

                “Yeah…I don’t think anyone can heal me now…I think I’ll die soon.” James said with unnerving calm. At that, Vincent’s heard clenched, and he felt broken inside. He didn’t know how to tell James that he indeed was going to die. The fact that the boy was facing his fate with such calm only broke his heart ever more. The boy was ready to accept his fate. This sparked something in Vincent that made him boil with anger on the inside…

 

                “Are we all destined to die…like this?” James asked, gripping Vincent’s hand tightly. Vincent’s face darkened, and he lowered his head.

 

                “I refuse to believe in destiny…we each have one life, and we can be able to do what we want with this life. We can forge our own path, our own fate, and we don’t have to follow the rules of one supposed destiny…you should know that, James. You need to know that.” Vincent said. James smiled at hearing these words, and he gave a deep breath.

 

                “You’ll definitely change things, Vincent. I believe you’ll bring about great change…not just for us, but for the world…remember that.” James whispered to him, to which Vincent remained silent, words being unnecessary. James then looked towards his mother and smiled.

 

                “I love you, mother…” he said, and just when his mother was about to reach out to him to hold his hand, his eyes went blank, and all the life they had left from them…James was dead.

 

                “James…?” his mother asked, not wanting to believe what was happening. “Baby? My baby…no, no, this can’t be…this can’t be!” she yelled!

 

                And as she sobbed and mourned for the loss of her child, everything grew silent inside Vincent. The woman’s cries sounded like echos and then dimmed into nothingness, as he fell to his knees and placed his hands on the boy’s bed, then lowering his head on the bed. He clenched his fists, and he cursed at himself for being helpless to do anything! He felt a gnawing pain inside him, and he felt horrible for everything that was happening. And so he and the entire village mourned the loss of the child and gave him a proper burial. After everything settled down, Vincent set off, needing to clear his mind. He was troubled, and he needed someone to talk to. And he knew just precisely who…

(End Song Here)

 

                Ilia was in the middle of a meeting with other authorities that oversaw the safety of Eternia Glade. The meeting had been going on for quite some time now, and it should be over at any second. At Ilia’s side, a young man, dubbing himself the Oracle, was silently watching over the meeting. He was a reliable person that had come to her side when she had assumed leadership of the Lifespring Clan, and she was reassured by his guidance and helpful advice. She looked out the window, and she saw that it was a beautiful day. She wondered how Vincent was doing.

 

                “So what do you propose, my lady?” one of the representatives said. Ilia quickly shook her head.

 

                “Oh, I’m sorry about that, I was in a daze for a moment…anyways, I think that we should double our efforts into ensuring that our borders are well protected. Ravagers and bandits have been coming far more frequently, and our people are indeed worried about them coming ever more frequently! So yes, I approve the notion for more concentrations of guards at every borderline. It shall be done.” Ilia discussed. “Now then, I believe we can put this meeting to a close.” she stated, and with that, everyone stood up and they bowed their heads and then left. After they left, the Oracle went outside for a moment, while Ilia remained seated. She rubbed her temples and sighed.

 

                “Well, I definitely said I’d take responsibility for my people when I assumed this position…I can’t back down now.” she thought. As she drifted into her own thoughts, she didn’t notice the Oracle coming in, and it wasn’t until he placed his hand on her shoulder that she snapped herself back to reality!

 

                “Oh, what is it, Oracle?” she asked.

 

                “Lord Vincent of the Scorched is here to see you.” he said. At that, Ilia practically leapt from her seat!

 

                “Wait, Vincent?” she asked. The Oracle nodded, and Ilia quickly went outside the meeting room without another moment’s hesitation! Vincent! It had been quite some time since she had last seen him! She was ever so excited at the prospect of seeing him again! But when she saw him, she saw that he was distraught, and seemed like a great burden was on his shoulders. He was terribly grim, and she could see that he was depressed.

 

(Start Song Here)

                “Vincent…? It’s been such a long time, how are you? You don’t look to well…” she said, choosing her words carefully. Vincent looked up to her and he smiled a bit before his face went grim again.

 

                “I’m sorry, I just…needed to clear my head for a bit, and I knew I had to come to you.” he answered.

 

                “Of course, you know that you can always come to me.” she said, as she sat down at the steps leading to the meeting room. She gestured him to sit, which he did. He slumped down on the steps, and he gave out a heavy sigh. She rubbed his back.

 

                “Tell me, what’s wrong?” she asked.  A long silence grew between them as Vincent was gathering his thoughts. It was almost as if he was struggling to speak!

 

                “I saw a boy in my village die today…he was a young, honest boy. James, his name was. Bright and spirited, a healthy young man…but he died.” he said, then stopped. Before Ilia could say anything, he looked at her and then looked away. “He died because the power inside him…the flame all of us Scorched bear, ate him from the inside out. His body burned and he died before his time…all because of that flame…” he finished. At that, Ilia’s eyes cast down, and she held Vincent’s hand.

 

                “It’s related to what you had told me all those years ago…about what you had learned regarding your people, am I right?” she asked. He nodded.

 

                “It’s as I thought. Our powers allow you to preserve life, but at the cost of our own being snuffed out. We are a people in decay, and we die, and it’s the same for a young child as it is for an adult or an elderly person. We are all held accountable for our power…and it’s something that doesn’t sit well with me.” he expressed.

 

                “What are you going to do?” Ilia asked.

 

                “Actually…I wanted to see if you could be able to help me in my plight. Ilia, you and I have known each other for so long. My people are suffering. Why don’t we try and find a way where we can be able to find another source of power, another different means of supplying your people with the power to preserve life that doesn’t involve using my people! I want to see if I can be able to free my people from this fate. I want to change our destiny. You and I together, we can be able to find a way to make things work! I’m sure of it!” Vincent said, hopeful that Ilia would agree with him. But the look she gave him quickly made his face go grim. It seemed as though she was hesitant with his proposition.

 

                “What’s wrong…?” he asked. Ilia let go of his hand and stood up.

 

                “Vincent, you have to understand that this isn’t as easy as you paint it to be. Things that happened after the Calamity deemed each of our people with the roles we have for a reason. Believe me, I feel horrible for your people, and I feel horrible that they have to go through this pain and suffering, but…but it is your fire, and your fire alone that provides us, the Lifespring, to be able to maintain the balance of life on this earth…you have to understand that! Each of our clans has a specific role and burden to bear!” Ilia stated.

 

                “But none of the other clans have to deal with their people dying because of their powers like mine do! You don’t have the fear of loss! You don’t go through our pain, Ilia! I can’t believe how inconsiderate you’re sounding! I thought you’d understand…” Vincent said, obviously hurt. Ilia then reached for his hands and held them. She felt horrible on the inside, but she had to consider her people as well.

 

                “Vincent…I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. If we disrupt the way things are, there will be imbalance, and that will cause the world to fall into chaos, and if that happens, we could be looking at another Calamity the likes of which ravaged the world previously…and we can’t let that happen, not when we’ve all fought so hard to maintain the fragile peace we have. I…I truly am sorry, I really do want to help you, but you know that this can’t be done.” she stated, trying to remain strong and unwavering. This only caused Vincent to feel ever more hurt.

 

                “But you don’t know that the world will fall into chaos…what if that’s just a superstition, just something to keep us all in line? We don’t know who it was that gave us these supposed rules in the first place! Ilia, I’m begging you, for our sake, for the sake of all the time we’ve known each other, the times we’ve shared…please, in my time of need, I beg you to help me…” he whispered, his voice hoarse and breaking. Ilia pulled away and she dared not to look back.

 

                “I’m sorry…but if this is all you came to talk about, then I have nothing more to say. I have matters to attend to…” she said. At that, Vincent’s eyes opened, and he remained there in shock, in disbelief. Never had he thought that Ilia would turn his back on him like that. But he realized that she was just looking out for her people, and she did fear that things would fall into chaos if any one of the clans decided to do things differently. Vincent understood her, and understood that she was asking too much of her. And so, even with the pain in his heart, he bowed and cleared his throat.

 

                “You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have suggested anything…I’ll…be taking my leave now.” he said, and then he turned and left, all the while, Ilia was biting her lower lip, tears streaming down her face.

 

                Why had she done that? Why had she pushed him away like that, when all he was doing was trying to reach out for help. And after everything they had been through, after all the time they’ve known each other, it stung her that she refused to help him. But she also knew that disrupting the order of things could bring dire consequences. And this wasn’t something that she wanted. But it broke her that in order to secure the future of her people, she literally had to sacrifice another people to do so. The Oracle appeared and stood beside her, and she looked at him in thought.

 

                “Oracle…am I heartless for having denied Vincent my help?” she asked. The Oracle put his hands inside his robe, and he contemplated her question before answering.

 

                “Well, what you decide to do, in the end, is your decision alone. You only thought what was best for your people. In his heart, Lord Vincent should understand this. He knows as well as you do the rules of this world after the Calamity struck.” he answered.

 

                “But my heart tells me I should help him, despite what I think…” Ilia answered back.

 

                “Well, you could do as your heart commands…but the heart can lead to folly at times. Which is why leaders must also sometimes think as one that does not have a heart. Because when bold and harsh decisions come, one must steel themselves for the negative emotions that come with the choosing of the hard choices.” the Oracle explained. Ilia gave out a sigh, and she felt frustrated that the Oracle’s answers were not being helpful. If anything, she was just feeling worse for wear. She bit her lower lip and then she entered to her chambers, wishing to be left alone.

(End Song Here)

 

                About an hour later, Vincent was already nearing his home. It had hurt him that Ilia had refused to help him, but in part, he understood why. Still, it nevertheless wounded him that his people were to keep being scapegoats, sacrificial pawns in a world order that was flawed, in his opinion. Ever since he was a child, he wanted to change things, and when he became leader of the Scorched, he found that he had been able to change many things, and the people were grateful to him for it. And even though the people accepted their fate as Scorched, it nevertheless brought them sorrow whenever someone in the village passed away. He was drifing into his thoughts when he stumbled upon Seth, his best friend, and he noticed that he was sitting on the ground, as if meditating. He stood a few feet away from him, not wanting to disturb him.

 

                “It’s alright, you know. I don’t mind you talking.” Seth said out of the blue.

 

                “Sorry, it’s just that you look so focused. Are you meditating?” Vincent asked. Seth then stood up and brushed off the dirt from his lap.

 

                “Heh, something like that. Well…actually, I was taking more of a nap than meditating, if I’m honest. But don’t tell anyone I said that, or I’ll be a laughingstock!” Seth whispered sarcastically. Vincent smirked and punched his friend’s shoulder.

 

                “Oh, we wouldn’t want your reputation being ruined now, would we?” Vincent inquired.

 

                “You know how it is, Vincent! Heh, anyways, what can I do for you? You seem glum, my good friend.” Seth said, immediately picking up on Vincent’s depressed state of mind.

 

                “Um…it’s nothing. I’m just lost in my thoughts, I guess…” Vincent answered.

 

                “Yeah, well, it’s becoming more noticeable every time I see you, bud. Tell me, what’s on your mind?” Seth asked. Vincent knew that he couldn’t keep anything hidden from Seth. He was too clever for his own good, but at the same time, he appreciated Seth for being that way. It allowed Vincent to open up about his problems and about his worries and insecurities with ease. And so, Vincent sighed and put his hands in his pockets.

 

                “I went to see Ilia today…” he started.

 

                “Oh, you did now, didn’t you?” Seth teased, nudging his shoulder. “You sly dog, I know the history between you two. Trying to sneak in a few kisses now, aren’t we?” he asked while winking. But when he saw that Vincent’s face remained serious, Seth grew serious as well.  “I’m guessing that you weren’t there for a romantic visit…”

 

                “No…” Vincent replied. “I went to her, hoping that she could help us…to see if she could help us in finding a cure for our people. She knows how much our people struggle, and yet she refused to help me…” he said. Seth knew all too well what Vincent was talking about. It had come up in conversation before, about how he wanted to rid the Scorched of their powers forever, so they could all live normal lives.

 

                “Well, you have to understand, Vincent…” Seth began to say, but Vincent reassured him that he already knew. So instead, they just sat down together.

 

                “You know…I oftentimes wonder how regular people used to live, before the Calamity. We always hear about it and we know about what happened…but we know so little of their culture and how they lived. Have you ever wondered about that, Seth?” Vincent asked, changing the conversation.

 

                “Well, I’ve thought about it a lot! It’s an interesting thing to think about, really. I’ve always heard rumors that people during the age before the Calamity used to board a giant steel craft that could fly through the sky and take them to faraway countries! That’s something pretty bizarre, if you ask me!” Seth said, reflecting on said rumors he had discussed with his other friends before.

 

                “I also heard that they had sprawling cities with people of all kinds, of all walks of life. That the buildings were as tall as mountains. And you know, I’ve actually seen some ruins of really enormous buildings on the outskirts of the different kingdoms. So at least that much we know. People back then really outdid themselves with those constructions.” Vincent said.

 

                “Yeah. You know, that makes me curious. Why haven’t any of the clans ever built buildings like that? I mean, we all have the manpower to do so!” Seth wondered.

 

                “Probably because it’s better to leave concepts of the past in the past. Those buildings were from that far gone age, so perhaps the people of our clans didn’t want reminders of the Calamity.” Vincent answered.

 

                “Hmm, good enough answer. I could go with that.” Seth said.

 

                “But you know…thinking back upon what people did back then, it makes me wonder what aspects we adopted, what things we kept from them, and what things we did on our own. Because for every generation of life that passes, we learn new things, we pass them down to children, and they pass them down to their children and so on and so forth. If we go forth in life, we would want to leave a legacy worthy of people’s remembrance, am I right?” Vincent said, speaking his mind.

 

                “True. But oftentimes even if we do great things in life and we try our best to pass down what’s taught, most of the world doesn’t pay heed to what happened before. Sometimes great deeds are simply forgotten by time.” Seth proposed, which set Vincent thinking.

 

                “Well, I guess that the best thing to do is live and push forward as best as we can, and hope for the sake of the future that all good things we try to pass down live on in other people, am I right?” Vincent stated.

 

                “Amen to that, brother.” Seth replied, and the two of them smiled. Then, Seth stood up and gave out a yawn and stretched his limbs!

 

                “Anyways, let’s head back to the village, I’m starving!” he stated. Vincent then stood up and nodded.

 

                “Alright. Let’s head to the tavern and grab some food and drink.” Vincent said.

 

                “There we go! That’s the way to go! Let’s unwind for a bit and relax!” Seth said, putting his arm over Vincent’s shoulder. “Ooh, and there’s this girl that’s been eyeing you for a while! I think that her name’s Audrey? Seems like a nice gal!” Seth nudged, chuckling.

 

                “Heh, you’ve been trying to set me up with her forever.” Vincent said, letting out a laugh.

 

                “Well hey, she’s a nice gal! She’s worth taking a look into!” Seth suggested. Vincent thought about this and then he shrugged.

 

                “You know what…why not? Gives me a chance to get to know her more and whatnot.” Vincent replied, much to Seth’s surprise! But his dear friend simply gave out a hearty laugh and nudged his shoulder triumphantly!

 

                “Ha, excellent! Then let’s forget about our troubles for a while with some food, drink and the fine company of Audrey! I’m sure you two will hit it off like fireworks!” Seth encouraged, as the two laughed together, heading towards the village.

 

                Back at Eternia Glade, Ilia was in her chambers. She was on her bed, looking at the ceiling. She was still upset about what had happened earlier, and she wished that she could be able to turn back time, even if for only a moment, just to ensure that she’d fix things up! But unfortunately, things had already been set into motion, and there wasn’t anything that she could do to mend things. For sure she knew that this was definitely going to put a stain into her relationship with Vincent. But when she thought about it…they had become distant with time, and they had only seen each other now because of circumstance. Other than that, the time they had spent together had come to drastically little time. But she couldn’t blame this on anyone. The two of them had their responsibilities, and they couldn’t avoid them, even if they wanted to.

 

                “Vincent…I feel like I’m losing you day by day…” she thought to herself as she outstretched her hand towards the ceiling.

 

                “I don’t know what to think…I don’t know what to do. I feel like every time I want to be closer to you, an invisible barrier keeps us apart…and I hate it.” she thought to herself. She hated this feeling, but what was worse is that she felt like she wanted to do nothing. And that thought scared her. Suddenly, she rose from her bed and went outside her chambers. She went out of her home, and the Oracle, who was outside, noticed her walking away, but he didn’t say anything. Rather, he let her go, and he watched ever closely as she did.

 

                “Hmph…soon enough, things will go according to how I have planned them. I have waited this long…I can wait a bit more…” he thought to himself, as he silently watched Ilia leave.

 

-----------------------------------------

 

Responsibilities, order, tension. Vincent and Ilia drift slowly away, but is there any hope for a spark between them to remain? Or is theirs a lost love that will never know the light of day? Stay tuned for Chapter Thirty Eight: “A Decision.”

 

Well everyone, that was the chapter! I’m sorry that I took so horribly long to post it, the thing is that I’ve been catching up to a buttload of shows I’ve been behind on, and also daily life activities and whatnot, plus playing Batman: Arkham Knight has kept me from writing. But anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you’re all looking forward to the final part of this three chapter arc! Thank you so very much for your love and support! Until next time, stay tuned for the next one!

[KHLegendIII 709]

This was a little sad to read, shows how the Scorched fade out.

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

To KHLegendIII, indeed, it is sad. Nothing is sadder than life passing away. 

 

Hey there everyone, how’s it going!? Good evening to you all, and I hope that all of you have a happy new year! Wow, it’s unbelievable that 2018 has already begun! And I realize that I’ve been really slow with my updates, and I sincerely apologize for that! I hope that I can be able to finish my story before late February! So then, as the first chapter of the new year, I hope you all enjoy it to the max! Again, I wish all of you the best and nothing but good wishes on this new year, and may all of you have your goals met and your dreams come true! So then, without further ado, join me in this new year, my faithful readers, and help yourselves to the new chapter!

 

Chapter Thirty Eight: A Decision

 

                A few months later, and things didn’t seem to change. In fact, things got worse over time. Vincent’s people were suffering more day by day, and many more people were dying due to the flames inside them, scorching them from the inside out. It was an agony that the Scorched suffered day by day, and it’s something that had driven Vincent into a great depression. For a time, he wouldn’t talk to anyone, not even to Seth! He would go to Mt. Terios on a daily basis, oftentimes to train, other times to simply contemplate and be isolated from everyone else. Sometimes, he just wanted to be away from his responsibilities and pretend that he was just a normal man, trying to make his way through life. But he knew that he couldn’t pretend like that. He knew that he had to own up to his duties, but still, being away once in a while from everyone else provided him with a peaceful calm.

 

                Sadly, things between him and Ilia were worsening. It seemed as though the more time passed, the more distant they became. After the last visit he had made, he had decided to go again, to see her and simply talk to her, politics and duties aside, and simply converse like in the old days. But it seemed as though those days were long gone, for these days, Ilia was in her office, drowned in the affairs of Eternia Glade and concerning other matters regarding her people and taking care of invaders and bandits and many different disputes. When she did have the time to talk to Vincent, their conversations had become more of a courtesy than a trusted conversation between old friends. It got to the point that Vincent stopped visiting her altogether, and the only times that he did see her were at the council meetings with the other clan leaders. Other than that, he made himself scarce. At first, it hurt him like hell, but now…he didn’t feel like that all that much anymore.

 

                Part of that was probably due to Audrey, the woman working at the tavern in his village that Seth had introduced him to. He had seen her at a glance and he had talked to her now and then, but he had never engaged in full conversation. But as soon as they sat down to talk, they instantly hit it off, and they became fast friends. Then, Vincent found himself going to the tavern more often, if only just to see Audrey attend the others. She was a woman who was immersed in her work, and she was friendly with everyone. She was a kind yet strong spirit, and that was something that Vincent had noticed in the time he had gotten to know her. And now, as Vincent stood at the edge of a cliff overlooking the village, he decided that he’d give Audrey a visit. He felt like talking to her. And so, he went down the cliff, and then he walked towards the cavern. As he walked by, the villagers greeted Vincent with warm smiles, and he greeted them back with the same smiles. When he got into the tavern, he saw Audrey cleaning up the bar and checking her inventory of wines and other drinks she had on display. Apparently, she was checking to ensure she had enough for any incoming clients. Vincent noticed that the tavern was sparce, save for a few people that were scattered here and there in their private corners.

 

(Start Song Here)

                “So, I take it that today’s a slow day, or are you just finishing up?” Vincent asked, eager to start a conversation. Audrey, who just noticed Vincent, gave a tired smile and rubbed her head.

 

                “Oh, well, today’s been more or less. Right now, things have slowed down to the point that I can be able to take a breather, but I have to say, checking my inventory can also be exhausting. But, I’m just about done.” she explained. She then raised a finger and quickly looked for a glass, and from the display, she took out a bottle of dark burgundy, and then she poured it onto the glass and gave it to Vincent.

 

                “You look like you could use the drink.” she said, and Vincent scoffed, then taking the glass and sipping it little by little. “So, anything particular on your mind today?” she asked.

 

                This was the thing that piqued Vincent’s curiosity the most. The fact that Audrey was the type of person who showed concern, she was a person willing to listen, and she’d remain as silent as a grave when anyone came to her to tell of their troubles. She was somewhat of a comforting presence to the people in the village, and Vincent had learned throughout the time he’d gotten to know her that she was a person who was appreciated and loved. He shook his head and took another sip of the wine.

 

                “Oh, nothing in particular…I guess that I just feel tired. Being a leader isn’t exactly a hoot, you know. There’s lots of responsibility and headaches involved, but hey, I have to do what I have to do.” he said. Audrey snickered a bit and then she served herself a bit of wine and then she plopped herself onto the counter, legs crossed, and she took a sip of her wine.

 

                “Vincent, I know that face. You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?” she asked.

 

                She was pretty perceptive. Or his face was easy to read. Or both. Either way, Vincent had mentioned Ilia to her in passing, but he  hadn’t talked all that much about her other than a few details. But since Audrey had him pinned now with the subject, he thought he might as well just talk. It couldn’t do all that much harm, would it?

 

                “Well…if I’m honest, Audrey…I miss her. Things aren’t what they used to be. As much as I want to wish for things to go back to the way they were, I’m starting to realize that maybe the connection we had, the friendship we shared, was something that will only remain in the past. Something only in my memories to think about. Things have changed so much, and when I look at her, she’s like a stranger. It hurts me, and I wish that I could make this hurt go away…” he said, then stopped, looking at his glass of wine, contemplating.  “But it’s not easy when the person I’m trying to get over is someone who meant…who means, so much to me.” he said, and then he felt his face burning red. “I-I’m sorry about that…I didn’t mean to drag you down like that. I didn’t need to go into any depressing details…”

 

                “No, no, trust me, it’s fine. I can understand where you’re coming from.” Audrey said as she then dangled her legs off the edge of the counter and looked at the ceiling. “Everyone has their heartaches from time to time. It’s completely natural. If there’s one thing I know, is that life is filled with many feelings. Heartache is a nasty one, yet it’s an important one, you know what I’m saying?” she stated.

 

                “No, I don’t believe I do…” Vincent replied, almost in a whisper.

 

                “Well, heartache is an important feeling for us to go through. For one thing, even though it hurts when we go through it, it helps us take a look at ourselves, and we learn what we can from our experiences, and then we become all the stronger for them. Sure, sometimes it’s scary trying to move on, but the beauty of heartache is that once you’ve overcome it, you have the strength to look for a new reason to be happy. At least, that’s what I’d like to think.” she concluded.

 

                “Hmm…you really are something, you know that, Audrey?” Vincent mused. Audrey smirked and waved her had dismissively.

 

                “Oh, don’t you flatter me like that, Vincent. You know how I feel about people who like to kiss up to others!” she scolded mockingly. At that, the two of them laughed, and then Vincent finished his drink and stood up.

 

                “Well Audrey, I have to get going. I have some things I need to attend to. Thanks for the talk…I needed it.” he said, bowing appreciatively.

 

                “Anytime, Vincent. Whenever you feel troubled or you simply want to chat about anything, I’m here. I’m always here.” Audrey said in a gentle tone that made Vincent freeze a bit. The two of them held each other’s gazes. There was something about her eyes…something that made Vincent’s mind go blank for a moment and his heart beat quite a few paces! The two of them smiled at each other, and then Vincent proceeded to leave. He felt much better now than when he had entered. Much, much better!

(End Song Here)

 

---

 

                Meanwhile, Ilia was finishing up a meeting with other authorities from Eternia Glade. They had been discussing about many things and what to do to improve life for the people of Eternia Glade. As soon as the meeting was over, Ilia had headed straight towards her chambers. She was finished with her duties for the day, and all she could think about was sleep. She had charged the Oracle with taking care of any business if anyone came calling for her. She had a major headache, and now, all that she needed was to lay her head on her pillow and drift off into sleep. But first, she would take a much needed bath.

 

                As she went towards her chambers, she took off her clothes and organized them in a nearby hamper. Then, she walked towards her bathtub, her body aching and tired. But as soon as she got into the tub, she felt her body soothe, and for a moment, she felt an immense sense of calm. She lowered herself into the tub, so that only her face was visible from the nose up. She was so warm and cozy that she didn’t want to get out! She then looked up at the ceiling and she gave out a sigh.  She wondered if Vincent was doing okay.

 

                She missed him, and as much as she tried to avoid him, she would constantly scold herself and hate herself every time she did. She didn’t want to avoid him. If anything, she wanted to talk to him, like the old days. But there were hurts that remained, and she knew that she’d only be rubbing salt on an old wound. She tossed and turned in her bed, until, as minutes passed, she was finally able to close her eyes.

 

                But if she thought she would have a good night’s sleep, then she was wrong…

 

(Start Song Here)

                Instead, she found herself falling through an endless darkness. She wasn’t even aware that she was falling until she opened her eyes! She gasped, startled by the nothingness around her, and she tried to wake up, but she found that she was in a wakeless slumber! She had plunged herself unknowingly into a nightmare, with no hope of escape. No, whatever invisible force was pulling her down, it wanted her to see whatever was to happen!

 

                And so, as she continued to plummet down, she saw a faint light at the bottom of this seemingly bottomless abyss! As she kept falling, she saw that light get closer and closer! It was still dim and faint, but when she finally got close enough to see what it was, she saw that it was a small ember. A measly flame that could be snuffed out at any given moment. But other than that flame, the only thing surrounding her was encroaching darkness. And so, she remained close to the flame, not wanting to stop feeling its warmth. Then, she saw eyes gleaming from the darkness, yellow, sinister eyes that bore into her very soul! She could feel as though her life was being drained away! And then, the darkness slowly started to give way, and she saw a sight that horrified her!  Eternia Glade was wilting away…

 

                Looking towards the horizon, she saw as Mt. Terios’s flames suddenly stopped spouting, and an ashen gray covered the sky, a grim foreboding of sinister things. And when she turned her eyes back to Eternia Glade, she saw the trees turning wilted and dry, and she saw all the life being drained out of them! She then saw her people, laying on the ground, dead! She reached out to them, but she found that she couldn’t touch them. Everything felt so real that she had forgotten that this was all a hellish nightmare! She tried to remain in control of herself, but then she saw the rest of the world, all withering away, being consumed by the darkness and by World’s Edge! Everything was chaos, and the Shadow Blights were pouring in endlessly, rending life and ending all that was around her! She tried to scream, but she wasn’t able to utter a single noise from her throat. Her voice was inadubible, and she stood helpless as she saw the world decay and die! Then, she turned her eyes towards the small flame, which still remained there, now smaller than ever. The more it died down, the more the darkness crept. That’s when Ilia realized that as much as she would have wanted to help Vincent end the pain of his people, doing so would endanger the world. It would bring nothing but chaos, and she had to think of what was best not only for her people, but for the rest of the world as well…even if it meant sacrificing the Scorched.

 

                “I’m so sorry…” she thought to herself, and then she saw Vincent. He was silent, looking at her with those sad, depressed eyes. He looked as she had always seen him, only that he was no longer the man that she always loved. No, she knew that she had lost him forever. She knew that in time, Vincent would attempt to free his people. And as much as she’d be willing to try to stop Vincent from carrying that deed out, she knew she couldn’t do that to him. This nightmare was more of a vision than not, she supposed. A vision of what was to come. And if this was how the world was going to end, then it would simply mean that their time had come. But it wasn’t something that Ilia was going to accept just like that. No, she’d try to delay the inevitable for the longest of times. She couldn’t help Vincent, but she wouldn’t demand him to let his people die…no, she’d buy as much time as possible.

 

                “That is my decision…” she thought. And so, she looked away from all the sorrow and all of the pain that was coursing through her, and then she found herself awakening from this nightmare. She rose up from her bed, and she was sweating. No doubt the toll that the nightmare had on her. And she realized that it was probably late into the night, seeing as though everything around her was dark. The Oracle had probably gone to his chambers to sleep as well. But she’d tell no one about the nightmare she had. She would keep this to herself, and she would ensure that the world could be able to survive for as long as it could.

 

                “Vincent…one day your people will be free. I’m sorry that I’ll make you wait long for that to happen, but you will see it done…” she thought, and with that, she laid down on her bed again, and she tried to go to sleep.

 

                But she couldn’t sleep for the rest of the night.

(End Song Here)

 

---

 

                As the weeks passed by, everything went about as usual. Vincent and Ilia attended to their duties, and they did their best to live out their daily lives as best as they could. Their people supported them and gave them their love as well. For their people were always appreciative of everything that they did for them, and that’s what made all the toil and the oftentimes stressful work worth it.

 

                Now, there was to be a council meeting, where Vincent, Ilia, Eros and Saphira would gather to discuss the affairs and goings on of the clans and the world at large. It had been a while since a council meeting had been held, so things would probably be interesting.

 

                Vincent was just outside the council chamber, his hands in his pockets. He looked up to the sky and was more quiee than not. People passed him by, but he paid them no mind. Seth had come with him, and the two of them were waiting for the council meeting to begin.

 

                “So, do you think you’ll try to talk to Ilia about things again? Or are you just going to simply attend the meeting and leave after that?” Seth asked, mere curiosity piquing him.

 

                “We’ll see how it goes, Seth. But frankly, the sooner we get out of this meeting, the better. I’m really in no mood to be here today. But, as clan leader, I have to be responsible and attend these meetings. It’s not like they’re a constant thing, anyway. They’re just once in a while…” Vincent murmured.

 

                “Geez, you look awfully tense today…” Seth noted, while Vincent merely shrugged.

 

                “Yeah, whatever…” Vincent replied.

 

                “Harsh, much?” Seth teased. Vincent sighed and gave him a small smile.

 

                “Sorry about that, you know how I can be.” Vincent said.

 

                “Don’t I know it.” Seth slyly replied.

 

                “Idiot.” Vincent grumbled, and the two of them laughed, despite of the seriousness that was in the air.

 

                “The council meeting is about to begin, Lord Vincent. Please, this way.” the Oracle approached, beckoning him inside. Vincent glanced over his shoulder at Seth and gave him a nod.

 

                “Be back in a few.” he assured.

 

                “No problem. I’ll be waiting here.” Seth waved as he saw his friend go inside.

 

                And so, when he went into the council chamber, the meeting took place, and the members of the council discussed the latest affairs concerning their lands and their people. It all went as it usually did. There were reports on strange sightings and rumors of bandits and mercernaries banding up to try to raid the villages. Troubles that would be dealt with accordingly, since they were things they had already dealt with before. The meeting went on, and after everyone had their say, the meeting was dismissed,  Saphira and Eros leaving, while Vincent just stayed there, leaning his back on the wall and crossing his arms. Ilia remained there as well, and the Oracle stepped outside, deeming that the two of them needed some privacy.

 

                “It’s been quite a long time…” Vincent said, trailing off, trying to meet Ilia’s eyes but being unable to do so. Ilia just smiled sadly.

 

                “Yes, I know…it’s been too long…” she said, almost in a whisper. There was a strong silence between them. How had it come to this? How had it all amounted to silence from each other?

 

                All Ilia wanted to do was to break down the barriers and let all the rules go to hell. She simply wanted to talk to Vincent, to be with him, just like they would be when they were younger. But after everything, after the vision she had, she had to remain as she was. Even though she had him, alone, even though she was dying to run into his arms and kiss him, she knew that she had to stay firm. She noticed that Vincent was looking at her. This time his eyes weren’t looking anywhere else except her eyes. She froze for a moment, and it was as if the silence between them was understandable. As if they were conversing. Except that Vincent couldn’t get into Ilia’s head, so he couldn’t know what she was thinking.

 

(Start Song Here)

                “Is this really how things are going to be? You aren’t even going to try to talk to me?” Vincent asked, his pain and hurt in the question raw and sincere. Ilia flinched slightly and bit her lower lip, but shook her head.

 

                “I don’t think I’m following…” she said, pretending to be absentminded about his question.

 

                “You know damn well what I mean…” Vincent growled softly, clenching his fists. “You treat me as if I were a stranger…does it mean nothing to you? All the time that we shared together growing up? All the time that we talked about our dreams and helped spur each other on? Back when…back when we were in love? Does it mean nothing to you…? Not even enough to help me in my plight with my people, as I have begged you before?” he asked, his every word resounding within Ilia, tearing her apart on the inside.

 

                “Vincent, you have to let go of childish thoughts. This is the real world! A world where people live and die, and we’re caught right in the middle of that vicious cycle! Everything seemed shiny and perfect when we were children, but that’s just it, that’s in the past! The cold, hard truth of it all is that nothing is as we think it will be! Our duties require us to devote ourselves to our people. I have no space for anything else, not for love, not for any childish thing…and you know that I’m sorry about what your people are going through, but you know that my hands are tied!” But I won’t be able to stop you when the time comes, she thought. She looked away and held her tears, though she could feel her eyes watering, and her sight began to get misty. Another moment of raw silence between them. She then heard Vincent’s footsteps as he inched closer and closer. When she looked over to him, she saw that his face was darkened. Her words had wounded him, wounded him in a way that she knew that would make him agonize, make him feel utmost pain. He stopped when he was mere inches away from her. He had pinned her to a wall, and their breathing was soft, almost silent…

 

                “Vincent…” she whispered, resisting the temptation to kiss him.

 

                Vincent slowly raised his hands and then reached to touch her face. She felt the soft and warm touch, and she wanted to feel more of that warmth. She felt desire course through her, and all she wanted to do was make him his. But she remained still. Vincent then trailed his fingers over her hair, and then he leaned closer, their lips barely grazing over each other, their breathing mingling with each other…and then, Vincent dove in, giving his utmost passion, all of himself, to her in a kiss. She felt such a surge of emotions whirl through her, and her body heated up in ways that she had not even fathomed possible! She felt every raw emotion from that kiss, and as much as she wanted to resist, she couldn’t, and she dove in, letting her mind go blank, as she returned the kiss with equal passion and anger and sorrow. They bore themselves in that kiss, and then, slowly, they pulled away, Vincent with a grim face and Ilia with tears in her eyes.

 

                “I…I don’t…” Ilia stammered.

 

                “This is goodbye, Ilia…” Vincent said, as he slowly turned away. Ilia’s eyes widened, and she fought the urge to cry. But she knew that this was how it was going to be from now on. This was all that it could be. No love, no hope for something that could have been. No hope for a future in which they could have walked side by side. Life and circumstance had made sure to prevent that fantasized future from ever happening. And so all she could do was watch him leave, and when he stepped outside and she was alone, she felt her heart sink.

 

                She had never cried so much in her life…

(End Song Here)

--------------------------------------------------------------

 

                And with that, Ilia awoke, and she found herself back into the present day. This dream had come to her…all of this had come to her. Was it a cruel trick of fate that she should dream of this at such a dire time? Or was it her mind, her heart, wishing to turn back time to be able to change things? She knew that it didn’t matter anyhow. Things were broken irreparably the way they were, but at least she had hope that the ones who were now standing to stop Chozetsu could fix the mistakes that she and the other clan leaders had made. She looked over to the others as they were sleeping, and then she looked to Vincent, whom he found was sleeping beside her. His face looked peaceful, yet sad. She gently stroke his face, and she closed her eyes and then opened them and looked at the sky, distorted and warped.

 

                “All I can do is think of what was…what I wish we could have been…” she thought.  Then she looked to her right, and she noticed that Bane was awake. It seemed as though he was the only one who was restless. He was looking towards the concentrated darkness that was slowly making its way towards them. The darkness of World’s Edge.

 

                “It seems you’ve awoken…” Bane said without glancing back. “Are you feeling better?”

 

                “I’m afraid I won’t be much help to you. I am greatly weakened, but I will do what I can to make things right…” she answered. Silence. Then Bane turned around.

 

                “For all of our sake’s, I hope that trying to make things right will be enough to bring this world back from the hell it keeps getting into…” he said.  “I’m going to wake the others….”

 

                Ilia nodded, and then she looked towards the horizon, and she could feel Chozetsu’s power accumulating.

 

                “The end is almost near…”

-------------------------------------

 

The end of the dream. Now thrust back into reality, Ilia knows that things will move into motion now, as the final battle nears it’s beginning! The world is on the very brink of destruction, and now, all hope rests on Zaria and her friends. Will their power be enough to set things right? Or will Chozetsu triumph? Will he be able to achieve his wish? What goes through his mind? Stay tuned for Chapter Thirty Nine: “A Simple World.”

 

Well everyone, that was the chapter! I hope that it was worth the wait for you all, and I’m so sorry that I took so long to post it! Between the holidays, all the catching up with the shows I was behind on, playing video games and work and my personal life in general, it was difficult sitting down to write this chapter! But alas, here it is, and I hope you all enjoyed it, and I hope you enjoy what’s left in store! Thank you all so much for your love and support, and as always, be sure to comment on what you thought about tonight’s chapter! Well then, until next time, stay tuned for the next one!

[KHLegendIII 709]

Holy, crud.... This was sad.

[Keyblade101 526]

So much sadness!!!  :sad: