23.1
“Are you ready, my love?” Evie’s warm breath touched John’s ear as a gentle hand proceeded to stroke his head.
“Heh, in this comfy position?” John looked upwards to meet her blue eyes with a cocky grin. “I…” his eyes darted as he further slank back into Evie’s chest.
“I will be with you throughout the process. If I sense the slightest sense agony in your mind, I’ll pull you out—”
“No.” John raised a hand to meet her cheeks, caressing her ever so gently. “Keep my memories going, I’ll deal with it one way or another. These are vital memories, once they return, I should easily piece the nitty gritty ones together.”
“…”
Sensing her silence, John raised his torso to meet her forehead, giving her a kiss, to assure her.
“I will be fine,” he said his lips continued to shower her with pecks of affection. “You’ll be here for me if anything is too much, no matter how bad it gets, it won’t change how much I love you.”
“I j-just…d-don’t like to see you hurting yourself,” her voice was weak, but unlike the previous discussions John had with her about unlocking the memories he buried within himself, Evie no longer teared up at the prospect of him revisiting his painful past.
“There is no joy without suffering, Evie. We both know, without understanding what is pain, what is separation, what is hate, we cannot in hope to experience pleasure, union, love… I admit, I dislike the idea of plunging myself into my past misery. But even back when I was a child, pleasant experiences like meeting you are what made it worth.”
“...”
Not moments after they finished dining with Zondrac’s family of three, John and Evie bid their farewell.
John being as cautious as he was, repeatedly emphasized to Zondrac to keep safe whilst investigating his personal matters. And should the wyvern needed help, always go to Velerion.
Having entrusting Zondrac with the matter of the Harvests, John was able to free up his schedule to allow Evie to help uncover the memories that he long buried within himself.
The process required a prolonged amount of concentration and time due to the delicate nature of uncovering and restoring his past to him piece by piece.
With Ephinelyth’s powers, she could technically unlock all of John’s past with just a command, but that would not guarantee whether the sudden influx of memories from his earlier decades would overwhelm him.
Evie knew his past to a certain degree, whilst it was not as devastating, she could not fathom to allow the slight injury to befall on him.
To Ephinelyth, even mosquitoes that often feasted on John’s blood was warranted for extinction.
If not for John’s lecture on disrupting the nature ecosystem and consequences, she was sure she would have long done eradicated all pests that caused him trouble.
“What about the girl’s mother who…”
Evie still clung onto him like a girl with her favorite soft toy, unwilling to let go of John.
“I still don’t know what I did… That is why I need my past back. To know if I am responsible at all.”
“What about her death?”
Evie’s voice was shrill. Her voice almost breaking when she mentioned the most important woman in young John’s life.
“Kahnira?” John exhaled, his shoulders slumped as he stared at the celling of their abode. “I suppose…if we get to that point, it will be the price I pay.”
For John’s limited memory and Evie’s understanding, Kahnira was a nurturing maid that guided him into the man that he is today.
Had it not for her cultivation of John’s mind and morality, he would have already descent into a path of despicable misery.
The loyal maid that once served young John, had solidified his moral compass into a balance of both good and evil. It was the memory of her death that taught him how to survive against vampires and demons by vanquishing them mercilessly. She was his family when he had none.
Without her, John would be cruel like his biological father or loved nothing like his birth mother, he would be void of all hope for life.
“Evie.”
John grabbed her buttocks, pulling her closer to his side,
“Eeep!” Evie to squirmed, all her worries of his dreaded past was replaced with a coy blush. “Ufufu…”
“I love you, my beautiful girl.”
Gently, John combed her frontal bangs with his finger, exposing Evie’s forehead and her blushed expression to him, savoring each and every passing moment of her presence by his side as her beautiful eyes met his.
“That’s why, I need you to do this. Even if it might be difficult for you.”
With the most tender of movements, he pulled her head close to him giving her one more kiss.
“I understand, my love.”
Evie spoke as her mana infused hand touched John’s cheeks, enveloping him with a silver aura as they huddled against one another.
“Thank you…”
John’s voice trailed as his consciousness faded, his body slumped as he dozed off in Ephinelyth’s embrace.
…
…
…
A huge fist flew across the air.
Wham!
The flurry of hits echoed throughout the walls of the cafeteria, the ferocity of each impact was as horrible as the last.
Smack!
But none did a thing.
Thud!
Everyone stood to watch as the group of bigger boys pummeled the scrawny kid.
“I dare you to say it to my face again!”
“Don’t you know who you are dealing with?”
“I say this fool hasn’t learned his lesson yet.”
“Tsk…” a click left young John’s mouth as he shut his book. “These guys again…” eyes squinting as he watched the group of five continued to slap their poor victim around.
Today’s target was a boy belonging to his class.
His eyes glanced to the nearest staff hoping that someone finally had enough of their antics and decided to report them.
A month passed ever since his enrollment to the National Academy, but these group of boys had only gotten worse with the staff doing nothing.
“I… w-won’t let—”
Bam!!!
With the back of his fist, one of the bullies struck the victim so hard that blood sprayed across the air.
“Gahahaha.”
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“Loser~”
“Serves you right!”
“This is why we are the strong!”
“Weaklings like you should do as we ask!”
The five boys goaded the fallen boy on the ground, all the while they looked to the other kids who were close to them, overtly threatening everyone within the cafeteria to suffer the same fate if they resisted them.
“!!!”
John’s eyes widened at the utter violence that was displayed before him. Surprised that such an act was permitted in school grounds that prattled on and on about discipline and courtesy.
But when it comes to practicing these values… Not even adults in the room did a thing to stop it from happening.
Crack.
His fists hardened. He never wanted to be in the Eastern Continent’s National Academy, had it not for his father, John would not be in this shithole.
“What’cha getting so agitated for?” a voice appeared in front of him.
“Yeah, it is not he is your friend,” another appeared behind him.
As his luck would have it, two of the five bullies took notice of his reaction, corner John before he could leave for his class.
“…”
Ignoring the bullies young John left his seat, made his footsteps quick as he headed for his class. There was no point in reasoning with these people, he might as well go straight to the headmaster and report their antics.
“Where do you think you are going, fat boy.”
A kid that towered over young John halted him in his tracks, mocking him while he was at it.
“Back to class,” with a quick reply John moved to the bully’s side, but was promptly halted by a fourth person.
“Back to class? Or back to get yourself a second helping!?”
“Ahahahahahaha!!!” the bullies proceeded to laugh maniacally at him, but he paid them no mind.
Admittedly, he was a large sized child. His shoulders were the widest among his peers, paired with how much his parents pushed him to pursue various skills, he hardly had time to partake in leisure sports.
“Let me pass,” young John said as he tried to push past the blockade of bullies before him.
Shove.
An arm appeared from one of the boys before the pushed him back, almost making him fall.
“No one said you can’t, piggy.”
“You just aren’t trying hard enough! Hahaha!”
“Oink, oink, oink.”
“We’ve just beaten a stupid dog. This pig is trying to join it.”
“Listen, from today, you will bring us—”
“Move or I’ll report you five.” A dreadful silence fell upon the five bullies. Instantly warping their elated faces into on of fear and anger. “My father is Eastern Federation’s National Defense Advisor, one word to him and you five—”
A blur entered his vision.
Whack!
The fist from the large bully collided with John’s nose, knocking him to the ground as the stench of iron filled his nose.
“Gahahaha!”
“Idiot, idiot!!!”
“Bet he didn’t see that coming.”
“And mine owns the school!”
“Go tell your father you lost!!!”
His eyes twitched as the blood from his nose dripped onto his book, staining it in deep red as the words from the pages became muddled.
He had worked hard doing his father’s bidding, and received this as his reward, only for these… t-these—
Shoom.
A black blur as his arms swung towards the bullies.
Shoom.
Shoom.
Shoom.
Shoom, shoom, shoom.
The black blurs of his fists increased in speed as it began to hum in his ears, filling him with a great sense of vigor the more they flashed in his vision.
“You asshole!!!”
Shoom, shoom, shoom.
The quicker the blurs appeared before him, the wider the crescent on John’s lips became. He could feel their tender flesh bruising with each of his blows, he was not about to stop until each and every one of them paid for what they’ve done to his book.
“You think you are something—”
Shoom, shoom, shoom.
He felt the blood rushing through his body, the release of his pent up anger as his limbs moved in tandem, creating a gruesome melody as the faces of the bullies made expressions that they inflicted upon others.
“Ahhh!!!”
Shoom, shoom, shoom.
His black aura had faintly coveted his limbs by the time the largest of the five stood before young John, wincing as he watched John raised his bruised knuckle from one of the bleeding bully whose conscious was beaten out of him.
“Hah…hahaha…”
He had saved the biggest of cowards for the last.
“S-stay away from me,” the large boy stutter before breaking into a run.
Not so fast.
The large boy had scuttled across the cafeteria before John gotten into his running stance.
Zoom!!!
His aura had bolstered his legs, propelled him forward with the speed a of an apex predator, caught up with his target and…
He lept with all his strength, thrusted his heels and aimed at the bully’s back as his dive kick struck the large bully down to his face.
Young John walked towards the boy as he stared down at the bully.
“Not so funny when you are the one getting beat huh!?” his voice boomed across the school as gazes from all the students around gathered upon them.
John lifted the bully by his collar to meet the pathetic boy who had tears running down his cheeks.
“Why did you pick on the boy just now!? What did he do to you!?” his voice loud with anger. “What did I? DO TO YOU!?”
“Hic… hic…” the bully refused to speak. The tears were in the large boy’s eyes, but not an ounce of remorse was contained in them.
Somehow, something from the boy’s eyes told young John whatever these bullies did to their victim today, they will make John their next target.
Making sure that they would make his life miserable for as long as he was in this school.
If he were to issue a warning to whoever was going to come for him in the future, now was the time.
The black aura dissipated from his arms.
John dropped the big boy who could barely move from his drop kick.
He walked over to the bully’s feet, kicking apart the boy’s legs as he watched the helpless large bully was clueless to what he was about to do.
“!!!”
The bullied tried to escape, but with John standing menacingly in front of him, fear had paralyzed the boy from head to toe.
Inhale…
Young John took a deep breath as he raised his left leg to his back, the entirety of black aura congregated with it as he swung his leg into the boy’s crotch.
A loud crunch was heard throughout Eastern Federation’s National Academy that day.
…
…
…
“That is why…decided… Actions…do not…give the right… The child…hospitalized…potential hazard… Magic use…restraining… The school…agreement…” the headmaster’s voice echoed in John’s mind as he hung his head low as he waited for his father to exit from the office.
No sooner after John’s performance before the entire National Academy, flurry of teachers and academy staff came flocking to him, forcibly used magic and brought him before the headmaster’s office as they informed everything to his father.
He knew he did the right thing. Young John brought justice to the bully victim from his class, he was also defending himself from the group of five who instigated the fight with him first.
According to Eastern Federation’s national law, he was fully justified in defending himself from violence.
But when his father arrived…
Whatever self-righteousness he had from earlier crumbled into ashes, scattered into howling winds that brought a horrible shiver across his chest.
“Charges…not…pressed…Solution…school…hope…Accept…unfortunate…terms. Only…resolution…for both…involved... Five…will be…dealt… according… This…unfortunate…”
Clack.
After painfully waiting for one full hour, the door the headmaster’s office finally opened.
“Father I—”
John immediately seized his speech. The moment his father stepped foot outside, the air around young John sought to squeeze him of his breath.
“!!!”
His stomach churned , flipped and collapsed upon itself when the dark expression of his father turned to him. Whatever courage that John inherently had was robbed from him.
The headmaster gave John a sympathetic look before turning away in what could be deemed as shame.
For Dai’Ne Sarvod’s reputation was one feared, if not highly influential among most of Eastern Federation’s officials.
The ride back home was the longest journey John ever experienced.
Throughout the trip, his father spoke not a single word to him. Young John had expected a harsh scolding along with severe punishment right after they left the school’s premises.
All he could do was to lower his head in silence as his father sad before him with a reddened face.
I am in big trouble…
It happened a few times before today.
Dai’Ne who usually was quick to lash out at John’s wrong doings would become awfully quiet, as though he were storing his anger until…
The carriage arrived at the Sarvod Residence.
His home.
“My room. Now!”
Dai’Ne bark echoed throughout the entire estate before the large man swiftly entered their home.
John could only hopelessly tottle after his father, wincing with each step until he finally arrived at his father’s study room.
Thud!
With the flick of his wrist, Dai’Ne slammed the door shut, locking it as excruciating horror descended upon young John.
“Combat Courage: Heroic Age… This was that book you’ve been nagging me to get isn’t it!?” with two fingers, his father lifted John’s bloodstained novel with the upmost disdain.
“…”
“IS IT OR IS IT NOT, BOY!?”
“Y-yes…”
“Have I failed at teaching you?”
“I don’t u-understand…” John was shaking as his father asked the cryptic question, the type that John never had the right answer to. “W-what do y-you mean father?”
“What, do, I, need to do, TO MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND!?”
Thwip!
Faster than lightning. The belt from Dai’Ne’s pants flew at John’s sides as the full brunt of his father’s strike hit John on his sides.
“Argk!”
Thwip!
“I don’t—!” John tried to scream in protest but another painful lash came flying at his sides.
“HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU NEED TO DRAG THE SARVOD’S NAME INTO THE MUD!?”
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
John cowered from his father’s punishment, curling his body into a ball as he suppressed his cries of pain, all the while Dai’Ne’s directed all his hateful lashes to his buttocks.
“IF YOU ARE SO CAPABLE, GET BETTER GRADES, DEFEND YOURSELF AGAINST ME!!!”
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
But John could not. As far as his family was aware, he could not use magic. Due to the nature and color of his mana, he seldom used it in front of anyone.
“I’VE TOLD YOU OVER, AND OVER!!! NEVER, EVER, DISGRACE OUR FAMILY!!!”
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Each lash from his father ripped his skin, but before his flesh could bleed from the belt lashes, all his wounds would be recovered.
“DO YOU THINK YOU ARE SMART?! DESTROYING SOME OTHER KID’S TESTICLES FOR YOUR OWN AMUSEMENT!?”
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Young John had the rotten luck of having a father who specialized in wind magic, who used it to punish John whenever he ‘misbehaved’.
“YOU ARE LUCKY THAT I AM YOUR FATHER! HAD IT NOT FOR ME, YOU WOULD NOT GET AWAY WITH JUST A MEAGER EXPULSION!!!”
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Tear came running down his cheeks as the magic infused belt cut through his tender heart.
The belt lashes were the least hurtful of his father’s punishment. It was always the words from Dai’Ne that hurt him the most.
Young John had always done what his father asked without question, from getting into the National Academy to his fluent oratory performances, not once had he refused.
Thwip… Thwip… Thwip…
Yet, each time, should he fall short of reaching his father’s ideal, John would be given such treatment. His loyalty to his father would be questioned, his failure meant he indirectly lodged a knife in Dai’Ne Sarvod’s heart.
The lashes stopped…
“This hurts me more than it hurts you, John.” Dai’Ne said with a low voice. “Why would you do such a thing? You know better than to do something like this. You just blew away your opportunity at the National Academy.”
“T-they…knocked out another kid...hic… I w-was just d-defending myself a-against…the five of them…
His father, whose expression was beyond gentle moved wrap his arms around John. That in a sickening way, to console John from the pain and suffering that he himself inflicted upon the child.
“I…I…hic…never w-wanted to go t-there… I-it w-was…hic…you…” his voice was beyond broken. Y-you a-always b-blame me… It’s a-always my fault, it’s always MY FAULT!!!”
“John, that’s not it. You caused lifelong damage onto another child, permanent damage that he will have to suffer with for the rest of his life. What do you think other people will think of us Sarvods? You have to understand…”
His father’s smother arms wrapped themselves around him.
Instead, young John pushed away his father as he ran to free himself from the false kindness that Dai’Ne would employ right after brutal punishment.
Go away! I hate you! You only love me when I am useful to you!!!
…but the searing pain in his heart continued.