Through the rest of the journey, they only fought one more beast. Confirming the issue was the flask of healing. Which made mood heavier instead of brighter. As Lucas, Silver, and Avilá just became shrimps who witnessed a crime between whales.
The flask was given by Ricon, the greatest talent of the new generation was a trap to attract beasts. And he gave it to his sister in law nonetheless.
Lucas stared at Larissa with a shallow pity. She was Leandro Nascent's wife, Ricon was her little brother in law. And he attempted to kill her. But worst than that. Is the fact that Gerald, the old man, became an unintentional victim.
Lucas eyes Gerald for a second and turned back to set his tent.
"We're trapped between the new chairman of the United front academy(UFA) and Leandro Nascent, one of the most powerful men to date. It's kind of exciting. Haha."
The soft voice from his left side.
Silver, with his long soft hair and skeletal build, said, while casually leaning in to help Lucas. although he could barely lift the side pole to steady the tent.
Lucas went down and helped him, making him laugh, "Sorry, I shoot two arrows beyond my limit today, I can barely walk." As he spoke. he sat down and watched.
Lucas had the thoughts on his mind, but his mouth didn't open. It's been five years already since he had this kind of casual talk, he didn' know how to answer or how to react. Because of that, he did everything by himself, even when they were teleported. His silent was one of the reasons the other two guards singled him out to push around.
There was nothing he had to comment on Silver's word so he just nodded his head.
"Yes, overtaxing yourself is horrible." He said stiffly.
Silver smiled.
"You're as rigid as a rock like Lazaro said." He chuckled and casually ate a piece of meat.
"Shouldn't you be worried?" After noticing his indifference, Lucas asked.
Silver knew he was talking about and smiled.
"I have nothing, how can I worry?" He said it with what Lucas saw clearly as unmistaken mirth and joy.
*****
(Why are you roasting more?) Hyera asked as Lazaro put two more hearts on the skew. As it was filled with the essence it didn't rot in the heat of the long day.
The flames of the firepit were unusually strong forcing Lazaro to half close his eyes, he distrusted it was Larissa who did it, that woman had pure venom in her veins, he had to sidestep every vine and be on extreme alert when near trees as they were in the middle of a forest that was worse than running away from the heavenly empire's persecution.
(Why are you smiling?)
'Instinct.' He answered her first question in let the latter alone.
(You're risking prejudicing your body over an instinct?) She asked baffled.
'Don't dance around it, just get to your point.' He said, cutting off her talk.
From his broken inner Dantian, Hyera frowned, as weak as she was, her breed was one of divinity, for him to see through and expose her so casually still vexed her.
(From what I learned of your life, you had to focus completely on the invisible essence of space, and martial arts, you never bothered to learn other elements, The enemy that came to take your kingdom was not one anybody in your homeworld could ever match up to. I saw you through your whole life, you had no time to gather the power to win yet, he died. How did you do it?)
'Do you want to know?' He chuckled 'Swear brotherhood with me.'
(What? Why?) She asked instinctively, but jas as fast as she talked she rejoiced and was ready to utter the oath from his memories, yet she stayed silent. She knew the way he treated those close to him, and for her plans, it was an absolute bonus to have him.
She felt the words going up her throat but she still thought about it before uttering her oath, even if he wanted to tie her in some way, he should've used a more strict and specific promise, as swearing brotherhood is merely acknowledging the other as your brother, he's not asking for a promise or demanding eternal loyalty, Brothers can still betray each other. Anyone who puts benefit over friendship would gladly jump this chance and she was one of them, taught since young, that in war, there's always lack of deception but never enough of it.war starts when you're born and continues even after you're deceased. So you have to make do with whatever you got.
But even with those dogmas etched on her soul. She still found herself swallowing that opportunity down her throat and turning silent.
Unbeknownst to her Lazaro's lips went up a gently. Showing the same sincere feelings he did when thinking about Lina.
'Ekadu was the first god to want me as his champion. I refused, he tried to coerce me into it, I learned a few things while he tried.' Lazaro said.
(I didn't agree to it so...why?) Hyera said after her daze.
He didn't answer and just used the small leftover essence from his first heart to impart part of his memories.
Hyera saw a drop of golden essence, in front of her and looked at Lazaro.
'I don't want to relive it.' He said, as an excuse to not tell from his mouth.
Nervously, she touched that small drop of gold essence.
*****
She found herself in an unfamiliar body, locked in battle with three others. Each with their colors and armor. Only her body had no protection, it was battle to the death, and her whole body hurt.
Behind her, there was a horde of soldiers fighting tooth and nail in the mud.
Even more on the back, In one destroyed building, injured soldiers were carried there in despair. 'I want to die!' 'not again!' they screamed as they were healed and sent back to war. But they did not rejoice, the circle was endless, their numbers were few, the enemy had ten men to each one of them. throughout nine days, they fell and were brought back to life and sent to war again., only those who truly died were allowed to slack.
The healer of wonders, Lina, became the goddess of slavery on their minds. Meeting her meant more blood and war.
But even with those feelings, all of them fought nonstop.
On the verge of winning, the enemy did it. A tactic that contradicted every notion that both sides always had. that was, the king stayed protected, the enemy's doctrine followed that rule and their emperor's cowardliness confirmed it to Lazaro, yet two streaks of light crossed the air of the battlefield. Bypassing Hyeara that was seeing with Lazaro's eye.
One adorned in a luxurious royal robe, another on a blue scholar vest.
Hyera, on Lazaro's body, felt his urgency as he ran and ignored that attacks on his back.
His blood pumped and he did not even register his injuries. Cold sweat like frost streamed down his forehead.
Hyera sighed inwardly as this was the same feeling she had when her homeworld was destroyed.
Then, with Lazaro she reached the site, both emperors flanked Lina, and she smiled at Lazaro, both felt relief since he arrived on time, the emperors would die and they'd win
He extended his arm to sent the enemy away but he couldn't move anymore. Hyera felt his mind being pulled as a foreign voice spoke on his ear.
"No child, for both of the greatness of our future, you must not be chained by mortal desires."
His body didn't move, the frenzied emperors attacked.
Lina, seeing him float there in a daze. Felt her end coming and smiled at him.
The words didn't reach his ear as she only mouthed them. 'I'll be with you regardless-' She couldn't say more as a fist-sized hole appeared where her heart should be, and a thin rapier made a rice grain-sized red dot on her forehead.
Until the end, she was smiling.
Heare felt his mind being completely pulled away. He finally met the perpetrator on a world of endless black, although it was his mind, Lazaro had no power over it.
A handsome man dressed in black luxurious garment smiled at Lazaro.
"I'm Ekadu, an ancient god of the beginning era. I chose you as one of my champions, I'll carry you in my path and together we'll rebuild what beings have come to be!