PART 25 :-
THE RETURN OF JOY
MC perspective :-
[In the forest, at midnight.]
I could hear the crickets chirping. The frogs were croaking as well, as if the rain were going to arrive soon.
Ever since my childhood, I had come here just to escape those hateful stares.
But now, it feels so comforting to be here.
[He started smiling again.]
I've finally been accepted by others. There are people who would die for me. I'm not alone anymore.
[He closed his eyes, and the rings on both his hands appeared again.]
"So, you've finally awakened your power."
I heard his voice.
"You knew it from the beginning, didn't you!!?"
"Yeah…"
"Then why did you tell me not to tell others about this!!??"
"Hmmm… because of your power. If you had followed my instructions, your power might never have awakened. But when you decided to tell them yourself, you finally accepted the outcome. Your heart finally listened to your own voice."
"Is that so!!!??"
[Bright had a huge smile on his face, unlike anything he had ever shown before.]
"You know, they said they were ready to die for me!!! Like, for me!!!!! They said I'm not alone!!! Can you imagine? Someone actually wants me to live!!!"
[His excitement was clearly reflected in his voice, as if he were bursting with energy.]
"So, what's your plan now?"
"Ooh… now that I've finally awakened my power, I can't waste any more time. I have to master my Heka as quickly as possible so that I can protect them all. At least that's what I can do for them. There are people who have already lost their lives fighting them. I have to become stronger before they come for me…"
"Relax… Don't get too carried away."
"No… I mean, I'm excited. But people are losing their lives. I have to stop them…"
"I said, calm down. Those people didn't lose their lives because of you. It's their fault."
"I created the barrier a long time ago to stop them from moving forward. It's the king's fault for sending them without my permission."
"Now that I think about it, the old geezer said something similar. He said you were the one who created that barrier to stop them from coming out."
"Yeah… that's true."
"Why!!???? Aren't you a Watcher? Isn't your job to watch over me?"
"You're right, but the truth is, you aren't ready to face them yet. So I had to step in."
"Then why don't you stop them once and for all?"
"That's a good question, but the thing is… their leader isn't an ordinary man. His power is growing stronger with every passing moment. That's what makes him so terrifying. The barrier I created will eventually be broken by them. But by that time, we'll be ready to face them."
His words were going over my head. But one thing I understood was that they weren't coming for me just yet. However, going after them would be a bad decision.
"Alright!!!! Now tell me how to use that!!!!!???" I asked, my excitement clearly audible in my voice.
"It's midnight, idiot. Go to sleep. You need that more than anything."
"No…"
"Alright, alright… Then first, tell me what it feels like to be accepted by others."
...…..
PART 26 :-
THE GIFT OF GRATITUDE
Sagurd perspective :-
"Oooyaaaa… old maaannnn… wake up!!!!!!"
My sleep was ruined by his damn noise.
"Hey, you noise violation… Stop your noise pollution and leave. It's still dawn."
"Open your shop. I need to get to work."
"What!!!?? Do you think people will come at this hour!!?!????"
"No, but if I do my work now, I'll have more time for my training."
"Oohh… what a sudden change."
"I can't waste time like you. If I don't become strong quickly, I won't be able to help Bright."
"So, have you changed your mind!!!? You're no longer focusing on your revenge!!!?!!!!????"
"No… What's that sparkle in your eyes!!!?? Just because I want to help Bright doesn't mean I've given up on my vengeance."
"What!!!??" I said in a disappointed voice.
"If that's how you approach things, you'll never awaken your Aureole."
"Why!!???"
"Because you don't know what your heart truly wants. No matter how hard you train or how much you focus, Heka isn't something you can master through training alone. It requires the true will of your heart."
"True will!!??"
"Didn't you see Bright yesterday!!!!??? His Aureole awakened only after his heart finally felt accepted by others.
"Every person's Aureole awakening depends on different things, but the most important thing is understanding what their heart truly wants. And you're still miles away from realising that. It's not like Aura, which you can master through training alone."
"But I already know what I want!!!!…"
"Do you really!!!?? We can lie to others, but we can't lie to ourselves. Yet that's exactly what you're trying to do. You're trying to lie to yourself. Accept yourself and your surroundings. Tell everyone how you truly feel."
"Ahhh…"
I know it's difficult. But your heart wants to embrace the present, while your brain wants to think about nothing but revenge.
[Sagurd past memories.]
[After everyone had left the garden. A conversation between Sagurd and Iras.]
"Hmm… That boy has rings, huh…"
"To be honest, I never thought he could awaken such a rare Aureole."
"Ahh, I wish that idiot would realise what his heart truly wants and awaken his Aureole too."
"Don't call Bond an idiot."
[Iras hit Sagurd on the head.]
"Huhaa… What was that for!!! I can say whatever I want to my student. Who the hell are you to stop me?"
[Iras grabbed him by the collar.]
"Listen carefully. From now on, he is my son. And if you ever try anything bad with him, or even think of hurting him, I'll reshape your mouth with a really hard punch."
"Mother!!!!??"
"Yeah! He calls me Ona, you know. Not only that, he even danced with me."
"Wait, wait, wait… I don't understand…"
"He asked me, 'Why don't you have a family!!!??' I told him it was because I had never married."
"Then he said, 'From now on, I'll call you Ona.' You know what that means? He accepted me as his mother. I have a son now, too."
When did that happen!!!?? But she looks so happy. I'd almost forgotten that she could smile like that.
It's been so long since I last saw her this happy.
I guess he meant it in a different way… Is he really serious about that!!!??
[In present time.]
It's not that he can't do it. If he accepted Iras, that means he can accept others as well. He just needs to listen to his heart.
"Hey— what happened between you and Iras!!??"
"Ohh… she's my Ona from now on."
"Call her something else. She might get the wrong idea…"
"Why!!!??? Doesn't Ona mean a motherly figure?"
"So, you're serious about that!!!!!! But why!!!??"
"It's just that I can smell the emptiness inside her. She loves others but still feels like they don't truly belong to her. So, I gave her a reason to feel that someone is completely hers."
Is that even real!!!?? How can someone understand another person's heart so perfectly but fail to understand his own!!! He's hopeless.
Ahhh… But I have to admit, he fixed something I couldn't.
"Thank you for fixing something you never broke…
"Wait a minute. Did you make her your Ona just so you could complain to her about me?"
"What's that supposed to mean!!??"
"No, this must be the actual reason."
"Look, if you ever torture us, I'm going to tell her. And I don't need to explain what she might do to you. She might reshape your face by hitting you really hard."
"You piece of devil…"
[A day began with a fight between a master and his student.]
...…..
PART 27 :-
THE PATH OF ACCEPTANCE
Lemon perspective :-
The sky was grey.
Not a single ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, and the cold wind carried the scent of rain across the field. Hundreds of Scribe soldiers stood in perfectly aligned rows, their uniforms spotless, their weapons held against their chests.
No one spoke.
A coffin without its owner was about to be buried in the ground.
Why!!!?? Because a useless person had run away from the battlefield out of fear.
"Every soldier, attention."
Lord Valen began to speak.
[Valen started his speech.]
"We have gathered here to bid our final farewell to Emi. Let's set aside his full name for a moment. Among those who knew him, he was far more popular by another name: Boss.
"We shared the battlefield in our youth. Although I never imagined that I would have to say goodbye to him first.
"He was everyone's favourite, and he always will be.
"He once told me, 'It's okay if I die on the battlefield, as long as people remember me.'"
[Every royal Scribe soldier raised their sword towards the sky before driving it into the ground.
Everyone knelt and bid their final farewell to their beloved Boss.]
[At the end of the funeral, Lemon stood staring at the grave in front of him. He said nothing, but grief was clearly visible on his face.]
"GROOOOOMMMM…"
[The sky was crying too. The rain began pouring heavily. Lemon's uniform was completely soaked, yet he continued standing there, staring at the empty grave—or rather, the memorial.]
"Lemon…" I heard her voice.
"Big sis… I'm sorry…"
"You are not the reason he died."
"He could have easily escaped if he wanted to…"
"Do you know what Emi always used to tell me on the battlefield?" the Lord asked.
"Always bet on the future generations. That was what he always believed. No matter what happens, the future must survive."
"He chose to save your life because he knew that someday you would have the potential to take his place and deliver justice to others. Meanwhile, he had only one or two more years of service left."
"Oya… Uncle!!! It's raining heavily. Here, take this."
"Boss's sword!!!!??"
"It's yours."
"But it doesn't belong to me."
"Well, when the wielder of a weapon dies, the weapon returns to its seal. But this time, it came to her.
Do you know why!!?? Because he wanted you to carry on his legacy. Unfortunately, he died, so the sword came to her instead. If he cannot pass on his legacy himself, at least his blood can."
[Valen held his umbrella over Lemon.]
"He always talked about you. He said that someday you would surpass him."
"Sis…"
"Oya, take this."
[Emi's daughter handed the sword to him.]
"You know Papa loves you."
"Yeah, he always said that to me. And I love Papa too."
"I promise, I'll deliver justice in Boss's name."
"Do you know the name of that sword!!!?"
"Yeah. Karma. The one that delivers justice—even God has to acknowledge its judgment."
[The tears I had been holding back for so long finally began to fall.]
"Lord… Umm… Make me strong… Umm… Uff… I don't want to break that promise… I can't accept this…"
[The rain began pouring even harder. Two men stood there.]
...…..
Scar perspective :-
[At the Kingdom of Aaru. At the highest point of the palace, someone sat in the darkness, like a king.]
"Scarrr…!!!"
That deep voice trembled through every corner of the otherwise silent hall.
"You disappointed me. I thought everything would be fine if I left it to you. Yet, I expected too much from you. I cannot accept this. You shouldn't have left that soldier there."
"I'm sorry, Supreme. It's just that… it was Sagurd. I hope you understand. I couldn't go against him…"
"Still, leaving that boy there!!! I could have absorbed his memories and found out whether they were actually a threat or not."
"I thought the same. But from what he said, it seems they aren't going to attack anytime soon because a barrier was created to stop them. And it was Chiron who created it."
"Chiron!!!!!!? Why!!!!!!???? The man who has lived through countless ages and never wanted to get involved in anything suddenly decides to intervene. And everything seems to revolve around that boy named Bright.
"Forget about the Doomwalkers. I want to know what that boy is hiding. Keep a close eye on him."
"As you wish."
[I bowed before him.]
"Haaa… Nothing ever goes as I want. I'm thinking of starting another war. And if things continue like this… Ahhh…"
"Is the sacrifice ready!!!??? I think good things only happen after I offer God a present."
"Yes, sir. The sacrifice is ready."
"Then fix a date after consulting the priest. And remember, I don't want any drama before that. If anything goes wrong, I'll sacrifice those responsible for it."
"As you command…"
[I left the hall.]
...…..
[Somewhere in Memphis.]
"Mama, look! It's the light. We finally made it. You're free."
"Hey! Go find them. I think they're heading this way."
"Run… I'll distract them."
"But, Mama…"
"Run away before they find you. Remember, you have to live. God will protect you. I can't accept your death."
[Someone has escaped from the barrier. But is he truly free!!!?? Not everyone accepts their fate; some try to change it. But will fate accept their rebellion!!!??]
...…..
[END OF THE ARC]
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