Chapter 25
Epilogue 1 What does it mean to be the strongest?
-would you look at that? She fell asleep –
Daxia Says as she observes the black beast sleeping peacefully in the back seat.
~ Rin, how is she? ~
Ken asks while looking at Saiko in the rearview mirror as he drives through the tunnel system connecting Koya and Kim Sungtae.
-well let’s start with the good news there were no third degree burns so at least she gets to keep all her limps attached and since Argus is mainly bonded to her nerves it was able to protect them thus avoiding neurological problems which are the main danger of lightning strikes-
Rin explains to Ken and Daxia through their aether channel
~and the bad news~
-well, her entire body is covered in first and second degree burns and the majority are second degree burns from the lightning, the first degree burns are from her clothes burning on her skin.
Also, the lighting caused the majority of her blood capillaries to rupture.
even with Argus’s help she will take a few months to recover-
~tsk, that stupid idiot ~
Daxia raises an eyebrow at Ken’s comment and demeanor.
-I am surprised. It’s not like you to worry about others –
~ shut up ~
-pffft-
Daxia laughs slightly at Ken’s reaction then glances at the peacefully sleeping Saiko.
- she looks pretty happy I wonder what she is dreaming about-
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_ hey old man, old man, I found an apple tree, look, look _
Priest si u smiles at young Saiko and pats her head.
- good job Saiko guess we are eating apple pies today –
The priest starts picking apples from the tree and placing them in a basket he brought along to the forest.
_ can we use some to make apple juice? _
The little cat asks the old priest. To which the old priest responds with a gentle smile.
- of course, we can –
GROWLS
A loud growl interrupts the peace of the little cat and old priest.
Saiko turns toward the sound to see a large black bear behind the old priest charging at them.
The direction of the wind prevented the little cat from smelling the approaching massive beast.
_ OLD MAN WATCH OUT _
The panicked little cat conjures a black ball of decay.
-NO SAIKO WAIT-
The old priest notices the ball of decay and shouts at the young cat but the young cat is too panicked to hear him and fires her ball at the charging bear.
In the blink of an eye, the old priest rushes to intercept the ball of decay.
He then moves in front of the ball and uses his sword to block its path but the ball of decay blasts through the sword leaving metal dust behind then it pierces the priest’s body blowing a hole through it as it continues its path toward the black bear.
The old priest grits his teeth and runs to catch up to the ball of decay and is forced to use his body to block the ball of decay again and again until it runs out of steam.
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The ball of decay finally disappears half way through digging the seventh hole in the old priest’s body.
The Black bear startled by the old man who suddenly appeared in front of him, bites at the old priest.
The old priest shoves his arm in the bear’s mouth to avoid the bear biting at his face and grinds his teeth from the pain then using his other arm punches the black bear’s nose causing it to let go of the priest's arm and run away.
The little silver cat's eyes grow wide with horror and she runs toward the old man.
_OLD MAN_
It all happened so fast, that she barely had time to process it.
In the blink of an eye, the old man went from standing next to her to standing in front of the bear with his arm shoved inside the bear’s mouth and his body riddled with holes.
_IT’S MY FAULT, I AM SORRY, I AM SORRY _
The little silver cat cries out as she franticly tries to find something to block the holes with.
The old man pats the little child’s head to calm her down.
-it’s okay Saiko it’s okay. I am fine. –
_ LIAR _
Shouts the young child.
The old man chuckles weakly at the young child.
-honest. I am fine. The edges of the holes made by the ball are frozen which prevents me from bleeding out and when we get home your sister Thea could use her magic to heal me-
_you mean it ?_
The old man chuckles at the young child.
- I mean it-
The little cat sniffles and wipes away her tears.
_But why did you do it? Why would you defend the bear like that? _
The old man smiles at the young child.
-it’s for the same reason the bear attacked us. It’s because I am the strongest-
_ huh? _
The little cat looks puzzled at the old man.
The old man smiles gently and points with his healthy arm at the direction the bear ran off to.
Little Saiko follows the old man’s finger with her eyes and sees the mother black bear running to her two little cubs in the distance.
-the strong protect themselves but the strongest protects everybody else. Just like that bear was protecting its cubs, I am protecting you, and your siblings, and also that bear-
_BUT THE BEAR WANTED TO KILL YOU_
-no.-
The old man shakes his head.
- it didn’t want to kill me. the bear wanted to protect its cubs, it may have also wanted to eat and feed its cubs; Killing me is just what it had to do to achieve those ends. I can’t fault it for wanting to eat nor for wanting to protect and feed its children. –
_BUT IT ATTACKED YOU. IT DIDN’T CARE THAT YOU WANTED TO PROTECT IT_
The little cat protests.
- that doesn’t matter little Saiko. The bear was doing what it thought it had to do and if I killed it or let you kill it then those two little cubs would be lonely and without a mother to defend them. Ouch, we should return home quickly my adrenaline level is getting lower so my sensation of pain is coming back-
The old man holds the hand of the little cat and starts walking home to the orphanage.
On the way back the little cat reflects on the words of the old man and compares herself to the little bear cups.
She recalls how cold and hard the unforgiving world was on her when she was alone before the old man saved her.
She recalls how nobody came to help her no matter how much pain she was in no matter how many times her mind and body were torn apart and put back together.
and then she wonders.
She wonders how this cruel world would have treated the bear cups if she had killed their mother.
How their life would be if they lost the one protecting them?
Her young mind still frustrated at the situation and looking for something to blame turns her anger toward her magic.
Her vile evil magic, that can only hurt others and can never help anyone.
She curses her decay magic and curses her luck.
Why couldn’t she be born with organic magic like Thea? If she was, she would have been able to help the old man.
No, the old man wouldn’t have been hurt in the first place if she didn’t have decay magic.
No, her mother wouldn’t have died during pregnancy and she wouldn’t have been kidnapped and needed saving in the first place if she didn’t have decay magic.
And so, the young cat began to resent and hate her magic.
a cursed magic that only ever gave her misfortune from even before the day she was born, and vowed to never use decay magic again.
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Location: followers of Vioarr hideout
-I gave you your chance old friend and you wasted it. It’s now our turn. -
The leader of the followers of nature Says as he watches the trio escape through the eyes of an eagle flying high above the battlefield.
-Melky, Alfred, Ron –
The leader calls out then a large humanoid white robot carrying a human boy with different colored eyes eating a lollipop enters the room.
Following behind the robot is a Therian from the Red Tiger tribe and following behind him is a light elf dressed in what can only be described as a mix of a camouflage suit and elven royal attire.
The two men and the robot bow toward their leader then the boy speaks up.
-you called us, leader-
- the three of you should get ready to head to Kim Sungtae to retrieve Saiko and the book-
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Location: Saturn’s core
Day: 30th of Jan 5027
The astral body of Eddie Patton softly lands on the core of the planet Saturn.
in front of him lays the temple of the fatherless child.
A castle like temple built from the core of Saturn itself.
In front of the temple gates lays the statue of the angelic fatherless child enterally crying and eternally yearning for his father.
Three witches dressed in all black come out of the temple and bow toward Eddie Patton.
Their clothes were made from black feathers.
-my king you have returned-
Spoke the most senior of the three witches and the same witch who spoke to Eddie last time.
- I saw what happened. I told you the world government won’t let you grow and will suppress you with all its might. –
Eddie scowls.
- I suppose you are correct but if you saw what happened why didn’t you help me like you said you would? I thought I was going to die-
- it was clear to us that Agent Double 0 was only intending to threaten you but if he did try to harm you, we would have stepped in to protect you. Worry not my king-
Eddie asks and the witch responds.
The witch smiles slightly at Eddie Patton.
-so my king do I take your visit today as you accepting our offer?-
Eddie scowls more then sighs.
- haaaa, do I even have a choice? But if you want me to go up against the world government, you will need to step in more than this. There is no way I can fight the world government alone. -
The three witches smile brightly.
- you don’t have to worry my king. Like our great grandfather before us, the archwitch Merlin our loyalty to Britannia comes before all and like he helped your great grandfather King Arthur we will help you to lead Britannia to her former glory-