Finn's breath released in a controlled exhale, and his aura intensified, illuminating the room. The wooden floor near the left wall began to emit a soft glow. As he opened his eyes, both his and Arthur's gazes fixed on the spot.
Finn's aura dissipated with a subtle breath.
Following a brief pause, Arthur's gaze widened marginally, and he whispered, "Hm... what is that? Don't tell me..." His voice trailed off, tinged with a hint of curiosity.
Finn nodded softly. "Yes... it is what it is."
He walked to the spot on the left side of the wall, his face set in determination. With a swift motion, he punched through the floor, creating a hole. Reaching in, he pulled out a silver chest that glowed with a blue light.
Arthur lingered in the doorway before stepping inside the building and joining Finn. His eyes widened. "No way… is that it?" he asked, his voice tight with anticipation as he stared at the chest.
Finn bent down, reached for the chest, and opened it to reveal a small gray turtle, its jade-colored shell faintly glowing.
A neatly rolled paper lay beside the turtle. Finn gathered both and rose to his feet.
Arthur: "Finn."
Finn: "What is it?"
Arthur masked his expression with a soft smile. "You are super cool."
Finn's expression didn't change; his brow furrowed slightly. "What are you blabbing about, Arthur?"
Arthur shrugged, his tone lightly mocking. "Geez, can't you take a compliment? You sure act like an old man."
Finn: "I'm eighteen, blockhead."
Arthur: "Exactly. You don't act your age at all."
Finn's lips pressed into a thin line. "Enough."
Arthur sighed, a smirk playing on his face. "Alright, alright. Can't take a simple tease, can you?"
"Oh, spare me," Finn retorted, his voice laced with weary disdain as he shot Arthur a sidelong glare. "Don't think for a second your cheap words can get to me."
Arthur simply grunted, the smirk never leaving his lips. He laced his palms behind his head, leaned back, and let out a soft sigh. The playful atmosphere evaporated as his voice dropped to a near whisper, heavy with unspoken meaning. "Finn…"
"What is it?" Finn asked, his tone clipped.
Arthur's gaze drifted pointedly to the Jade Turtle clutched in Finn's hand. "The old man," he began, his voice tight with simmering conflict. "Sacrificed every last soul in the village for that thing. Was there truly no other choice?"
Finn fell silent. His eyes moved from the turtle to the window, where Chief Yao's lifeless body was slumped—a grim testament to the very choice they were debating. After a long, heavy moment, he finally broke the silence.
"If I were to speak from a place of sympathy for the lives lost, I would object to his methods," he said, his voice cold and unnervingly steady. "But from a purely logical perspective… his decision was valid. I would have done the same."
Arthur's eyes snapped open, a volatile mixture of awe and white-hot anger flashing within them. He recoiled as if struck. "What's wrong with you?" he lashed out, his voice cracking with disbelief. "You're insane."
"Logic and insanity are two entirely separate concepts, you fool," Finn replied, his voice dangerously calm in the face of Arthur's fury.
"There is nothing logical about slaughter!" Arthur roared, his voice raw and echoing in the tense silence. He took a ragged, desperate breath, his chest heaving. "So, you're telling me my mother—my innocent mother—her death should be considered logical?" Each word was a struggle, his breath hitching as he fought for air.
Finn tilted the brim of his straw hat just enough to meet Arthur's blazing gaze, his own eyes unflinchingly intense.
"What's with that stare? I don't care for it. Did you expect me to paint a prettier picture for you? What good would it have done if the chief had simply handed the Jade Turtle over to those men?"
"Stop it…" Arthur choked out, his voice thick with a grief that threatened to overwhelm him.
Finn ignored the plea, his movements deliberate as he held up the Jade Turtle in one hand and unfurled the neatly sheet of paper in his other hand. "They would have located the ruin with this map," he stated, thrusting the parchment toward Arthur.
Arthur's eyes widened for a fraction of a second at the sight of the map before he quickly masked his shock with a defiant glare. "S-stop…"
Finn pressed on, his voice a cold, hard torrent of facts. "They would have reopened the ruin, and with the power of the turtles, and would have gotten their hands on otherworldly weapons. Weapons capable of leveling entire countries and wiping continents off the map. Is that what you wanted, Arthur?" His final word hung in the air, a devastating and unanswerable question.
Though Finn's words seemed to sap the strength from Arthur's legs, he managed to stumble forward. He closed the distance between them, and with a hand that trembled not with weakness but with building rage, he brushed aside the map and the Jade Turtle. Standing face to face, their eyes locked in a battle of wills, Arthur's voice was a low, desperate rasp. "Don't you dare stand there and feed me that poison. Are you telling me there was truly no other option?"
Finn's gaze never flickered. "No," he replied, his tone devoid of any emotion. "Not one that would have mattered. I understood the moment I arrived. These villagers… they were not warriors. Had a third option existed and they chosen to fight back, the outcome would have been identical. Their deaths were a grim necessity, a sacrifice to prevent a far greater catastrophe. Face it, Arthur. They were weak, and their fate was sealed for this very purpose." He paused, letting the cruel words hang in the air before delivering the final, devastating blow. "That includes you… and your moth—"
He never finished the word.
A sharp crack echoed in the silence as Arthur's fist connected squarely with Finn's nose. The force of the blow sent Finn stumbling back several steps. He instinctively raised an index finger to his face, wiping at the point of impact. He stared down at his fingertip, now slick with a smear of crimson. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly at the sight.
Blood, he thought, a flicker of genuine shock piercing his cold composure. How…? My durability must be waning… Still… this boy… he's the first person to ever draw blood from me.
The tremors in Arthur's fist slowly subsided, the tightly clenched knuckles uncoiling as the hand dropped, spent, to his side. His breathing, which had been a series of ragged gasps, began to even out, though the fire in his eyes remained. "You…" he warned, his voice a low and dangerous growl, "keep my mother's name out of your mouth."
Hearing this, Finn casually wiped the last of the blood from his nose with the back of his hand before letting it fall away. A flicker of something unreadable—amusement? respect?—passed through his eyes. "Your resolve is…" he paused, letting the word hang in the air, "…indeed admirable."
Then, a ghost of a smirk touched the corner of his lips, a stark and unsettling contrast to his cold demeanor that seemed to illuminate his features with a sudden, sharp clarity. "Idiot."
The abrupt shift from violence to this strange, almost playful condescension threw Arthur completely off balance. His eyes widened a fraction. "Ah… uhm… Finn, I'm…"
Before he could stammer out an apology or another accusation, Finn's hand fell, slow and deliberate, onto his shoulder. The weight of it was both a comfort and a threat. The smirk remained firmly in place. "No," Finn said, his voice a silken contradiction. "I'm sorry. Perhaps… just maybe… I shouldn't have said it." He leaned in slightly, the smirk deepening into a knowing grin. "But you can't deny it was the truth."
With that final, cutting remark, Finn dropped his hand and walked past Arthur, his steps unhurried as he headed for the building's exit and stepped out into the light, leaving Arthur in the sudden gloom.
For a moment, Arthur stood frozen, the phantom pressure of Finn's hand still on his shoulder. Then, as if breaking from a trance, he spun around to face the empty doorway. "FINN!" he yelled, his voice raw as he rushed out after him.
---
Arthur rushed toward Finn, his footsteps quiet on the dusty ground. As he approached, he saw Finn standing with his back turned, gazing eastward at the sunset. Arthur followed Finn's gaze, and his eyes widened slightly as he took in the sight.
A dark, purple fog with a barrier behind it pierced through the sky, approaching from the east. The air seemed to thicken, heavy with an ominous energy as it advanced slowly from afar.
Arthur's eyes remained wide as he walked to Finn's side, his voice barely above a whisper. "Finn… what… what is that?" he asked, his gaze fixed on the approaching darkness.
Finn's eyes fluttered shut for a brief moment, as if gathering his thoughts, before snapping open again. "The darkness," he uttered, his voice low and measured.
Arthur's eyes widened in response, a mixture of confusion and alarm etched on his face. "Darkness? What do you mean?" he asked, his tone tinged with urgency.
Finn's expression remained unyielding, his gaze piercing as he replied, "That's the darkness. Its connection is tied to the dark source himself. Daikan."
Arthur's eyes grew even wider, his pupils dilating with a mix of shock and trepidation. "But… that's impossible! I read it in the legends… the grandmasters defeated and sealed him three thousand years ago. Why is he awakening now?"
Finn's voice remained steady, his words dripping with a sense of foreboding. "Yes, he was sealed, but he's awakening now. The seal… has worn off, and he is on the edge of breaking free—not until the darkness covers the whole world, of course."
Arthur's eyebrow arched inquiringly as he scrutinized Finn, his gaze piercing. "So, is that the reason you're traveling?" he asked, his tone laced with curiosity.
Finn met his gaze, his expression resolute. "Indeed, you're correct. That's the primary reason," he said, his voice measured and deliberate.
Arthur's eyes narrowed, his gaze dropping to Finn's face. "So, you're basically… running, huh?" he asked, his tone tinged with a hint of amusement.
Finn's stance shifted slightly, a faint hint of discomfort flashing across his face. "Yes," he admitted, his voice low and even.
Arthur's eyes widened slightly, a glimmer of surprise in his gaze. "Wait… if we get caught in the darkness, will it kill us?" he asked, his tone laced with concern.
Finn's expression turned somber, his gaze piercing. "No, it won't kill you… it will simply divest you of every vestige of humanity, reducing you to a monstrous entity," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.
Arthur's eyes widened in horror, his gaze fixed on Finn's face. "A monster?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.
Finn nodded, his hands folding across his chest. "Yes. Rather than killing you, the darkness strips you of your humanity, transforming you into a mindless, monstrous being devoid of identity or recollection of your former life. Its sole purpose is destruction," he said, his voice cold and detached.
Arthur's eyes widened in astonishment, his voice barely above a whisper. "Unbelievable." He paused, his gaze locked on Finn's.
A look of realization dawned on Arthur's face, and he said, "Wait… I recall a legend that mentioned if the seal were to wear off, a hero would arise, bearing the combined power of the six grandmasters, destined to wield those abilities against Daikan should he revive."
Finn's expression turned stunned, his eyes widening by a fraction as he stared at Arthur, almost as if he had been expecting this revelation. His gaze lingered on Arthur's face, and he asked, "You know all this?"
Arthur shrugged, a hint of a smile on his face. "I read. It's pretty cool what one can learn from books."
Finn's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression skeptical. "You read I doubt that… but please continue," he said, his tone implying that he was intrigued.
Arthur pressed on, his words flowing with conviction. "According to the text, after the grandmasters defeated Daikan, they pooled their energy to cast a dual-purpose spell with the last strength they had before their life force could be depleted. The first aspect granted humanity access to their powers, ensuring their survival and protection in their absence. The second aspect prophesied the arrival of a hero, imbued with the collective power of the six grandmasters, who would safeguard humanity against Daikan's potential return."
Finn's eyes remained wide open, his lips slowly parting as he whispered to himself, "I know… I know…" His gaze seemed to drift away, lost in thought, as if processing the weight of Arthur's words.
Finn's eyes glazed over, his thoughts swirling in turmoil. In his mind, a cacophony of voices echoed, repeating his desperate pleas: "Don't remind me… I know… don't… damn it, stop reminding me!" The words looped, a maddening refrain, as he struggled to shut out the memories and emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. His face remained frozen, a mask of calm, but inside, his thoughts were a maelstrom of anguish and denial.
Arthur's voice was measured and gentle as he said, "Finn, snap out of it."
Finn's eyes refocused, and he turned to Arthur with a hint of surprise. "Alright, sorry," he replied, his tone even and composed.
Arthur's gaze narrowed, a look of concern etched on his face. "What's troubling you, Finn? You seemed lost in thought," he asked, his voice laced with a hint of curiosity.
Finn's eyes closed briefly, and when he opened them, his expression was calm, almost detached. "I'm fine, Arthur. Don't concern yourself. I'm leaving now," he said, turning to depart.
Arthur's voice rose, calling out after him, "Finn, wait!"
Finn stood with his back to Arthur, silent and unmoving. "What is it?" he said finally, his tone flat.
Arthur's voice was low and apologetic. "Hey, Finn, remember what happened back there… I'm sorry—"
Finn cut him off, his voice firm. "Don't worry about it. Enough. I told you before, I don't need it," he said, his words dripping with indifference. "Besides, I told you, we both have our own beliefs about this cruel world. Even though yours—thinking everyone could be safe—is indeed admirable of you."
Arthur's eyes widened slightly, a hint of pride creeping into his voice. "I'm glad… I'm glad I impressed you, didn't I?"
Finn's response was dry. "Well, I wouldn't really put it that way, would I?"
Arthur chuckled, his tone light. "Whatever, at least that's praise. I'll keep that in mind."
Finn concluded the conversation with a dismissive, "Yeah, whatever."
Arthur smiled, a look of relief washing over his face. "Hey, Finn, I'm your responsibility now, and I expect you to wait for me," he said, his tone firm but polite.
Finn's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing slightly as he turned to face Arthur fully. "Responsibility?" he repeated, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He raised a hand to his head, briefly massaging his temple before dropping it. "So, what's the plan now?" he asked, his tone more composed.
Arthur's eyes sparkled with a hint of determination. "I'd like to pay my respects to the villagers before we leave."
Finn's expression turned curious, a hint of surprise flickering across his face. "Pay respects?" he echoed.
Arthur quickly added, "It won't take long, I promise."
Finn nodded curtly. "Alright."
---
FAST FORWARD – THREE TO FIVE HOURS LATER
Both Arthur and Finn stood face to face with a manageable number of shallow graves Arthur had laid the villagers to rest in. Arthur simply bowed his head, saying,
"Sorry, Mom… everyone. I... was a disappointment to you all. I was stubborn, full of myself, and I'm… I'm an idiot." Arthur said finally with a weak smile, his eyes heavy with emotion.
Finn, standing at Arthur's side, simply let out a single word, his cold expression returning. "Oblivious…"
Upon hearing this, Arthur frowned slightly with pressed lips, ignoring Finn's taunt. He focused, his gaze now drifting to his left, staring at the grave his mother was now in. He murmured low to himself, "Mother… I promise, with this little time I have, I vow to spend every moment enjoying it." A smile touched his lips.
Finn turned his back on Arthur, walking away with a detached air. "Come on, let's go," he called over his shoulder.
Arthur, his head still bowed, slowly straightened up with a hint of a smile. "Alright, I'm coming," he said, quickening his pace to catch up.
As they walked side by side, their footsteps echoed through the empty village. To Arthur, the sound was a poignant reminder of the life he once knew—a bittersweet melody testifying to the memories he had forged there.
_____________________________________
If you're enjoying the story, drop a Power Stone and follow for more!
The next chapter only gets crazier
And fellow me on Tik Tok (Clintoncool)