Memories came back to my mind, and one of the scenes that I thought I managed to forgot had floated back.
The scene where I looked at the Emerald Palace get burned to its crisp.
Was it because everyone's here with me that I managed to be calm? No. It is because I was running away from everything.
From the fact that my family died, my house was destroyed and from the fact that those days won't go back anymore…
"Are you ready, Ed-kun?" asked Niahl, and I opened my eyes to look at him. "Yes" I forced a smile.
Let's just say that everything went back to my mind, yeah.
But, for now, none of it matters. What I should be filling my mind with and what I should be focusing at, is the thing in front of me, not the one that is already behind me.
"What's with Ed, suddenly acting like that? It's too weird!" complained Gino. "If I were to say, I think that him acting all calm is more weird, you know" Reina stated.
She added, "After all, he lost everything that were out of natural" Slowly, she looked at Gino. "I think that you, as well understand that feeling…" she mumbled.
Gino gasped, before looking away from her.
"Even if I didn't want to, I can't help but understand!" he grumbled. "Not just Gino, all of us understand his feelings, as well" Forth tilted his glasses.
Russell looked at the stage. "We might understand, but we will never get to share it…" he mumbled.
"Ed-kun…" Anna looked down. "Everyone, I think it's my fault that Ed-kun started to act like that" she stated.
Kirt spoke, "Because you sang a song that can bring memories back? No, I doubt it. You were just a trigger, Anna. It is all his fault for running away from those memories"
"That's why they are hurting him now…"
…
"Looks like a serious discussion is being held up there" Niahl looked at the audience seats. I did as well, just to looked back at the ground. "Shouldn't we start on?" I asked.
Niahl looked at me and nodded, "Alright!" He punched the air, twice. "But first, your Element" he smiled.
I started explaining my Element to him, without trying to hide any of it. After all, I thought that hiding wouldn't do anything good.
My head hurts like hell…
"That's kinda amazing, like what the heck? But, well. Shall we start the fight now?" grinned Niahl.
I rushed towards his strike zone, and tried to stab him. Although, he managed to dodge me and in the midst he kicked my left side.
Damn it..! I stood up. What an annoying guy.
"Create: sword…" I whispered, as I gathered ether to my left hand and made the same kind of sword as the one I had on my right hand.
I sprinted to Niahl's strike zone, once again and started to try stabbing him, continuously, with my two swords.
As soon as I got near his face, I mumbled "Devour" and dispersed my sword on the left hand away, to create a fireball and threw it to his face.
"Ha ha ha" he laughed breath by breath.
Niahl managed to move his face away, just right before the fireball left my hand and he jumped away from me.
I rushed towards his strike zone, once again.
As the battle continued, almost all of my attacks got dodged and blocked by him, whilst we followed the flow of the wind.
We both panted.
"I will appreciate it if you don't fill our battle with sweat and panting, as well" I smirked, as I raised my shoulders up.
Niahl raised an eyebrow. "What the heck are you talking about?" he asked, with confusion obvious to his face.
"Nothing" I wiped my sweat. "Just trying to break the serious mood, here"
Seriously, when is this battle going to end? Is it just me or Niahl is really going all out with fighting me?
Geez, it is dragging too much..!
I noticed it from his battle with Kirt, that Niahl wasn't going all out. He is only looking at what we can and can't do.
But, now that it is my turn, he suddenly broke that policy of him. Don't know for sure, if it was his policy, though.
Still, no matter what his intentions are, this battle needs to end soon!
Niahl stood up straight, out of a sudden. "Ed" he called my name, with a soft and rough tone mixed.
"What is it?" I asked him, who looked like he just finished lining up all the problems inside his mind.
Really, what's with this guy?
"The reason your fighting, what is it?" asked Niahl, as he looked at me with somehow kind and serious eyes.
Huh?
Why is he asking such thing, right now? Is that something that should matter? Really, I don't get you at all, but…
"To show you my strength and to defeat you before time ends, right?" I stated.
Niahl shook his head. "I don't mean by now, what I meant is from now on. What will be your reason to fight on?" he rephrased.
"Can you explain it in a way that I can understand?" I asked him, with a bit angry tone.
Niahl walked to me. "Well, let's say that you won this mock battle. And you guys got stronger, soon you managed to collect all of the sacred weapons" he started.
"Then, what will be your reason to fight the enemy that we are trying to defeat, which made us collect those sacred weapons?" asked Niahl.
He means by the church, eh?
"Well, that is easy" I looked down, before grinning at him. "To revenge my family, that is my reason to fight those geezers" I stated.
Yes, that is my reason. To revenge my family who was involved with this matter because of those geezers' desire for power, and because of…me
Niahl punched me, out of a sudden, without trying to hold his strength back. "N-niahl..?" I mumbled, as I looked at him, baffled.
Why did he punched me like that, out of a sudden? Have I said something wrong?
"Revenge, you say? For revenge, you will be doing all of the things that you're about to do?" he mumbled.
"Yeah" I raised my head up, quick. "I will be doing all of this to take revenge for my family that got killed because of their greed. All of this, I will be doing to for them!" I shouted.
I looked down, once again whilst crying. "Isn't that normal..?" my voice broke. "They killed my Father, my sister. They killed my family! And you're saying that I shouldn't get revenge?!"
"Then, just how… just how will my family who died because of their greed and because of me gonna get justice..?" I mumbled down.
Niahl called my name, "Ed"
"You know that revenge is born from hatred, right?" he spoke, and I nodded while wiping my tears down.
Niahl clicked his tongue. "Then! You must know that revenge! Will give birth to Hatred and will repeat the cycle. Many wars had occurred because of revenge and hatred"
"As long as everyone, someone! Has hatred… wars won't stop" Niahl stated, whilst grabbing my shoulders.
He continued, "And if that were to happen. The kids of the next generation might live a life where they are ignorant of a beautiful thing called peace" he slightly cried.
"And are you trying to make yourself… your love for your family the reason for such kind of life?" Niahl's voice started to break.
I raised my head up. "No!" I shook my head, side to side. "I wouldn't want my feelings to be a burden for someone, like that"
"B-but, I don't know, Niahl…" I fell to the ground, whilst Niahl crouched down, still grabbing my shoulders. "I don't know what I should do, anymore" I cried, as I clutched onto his clothes.
Niahl hugged me. "I feel myself going insane if I don't hate someone or if I don't blame someone. All of my hatred are trying to find someone to throw themselves on…"
I continued crying onto him.
"At times like that" Niahl patted and ruffled my hair, and I gasped. "You should come to me and talk to me. I can at least listen to your complaints, can't I?" he stated, making me cry more.
I sniffled, "Mhm..!"
To think that it can be this simple. I should have just thrown all of my feelings to someone like this, then maybe I managed to solve this more quickly.
Good thing I have Niahl and the others with me. Really it is a good thing…
"Shouldn't you rebel more?" I heard a voice on my mind, and I groaned, "Ugh!!!" Niahl gasped, and moved me away to look at me.
He asked, "Are you fine, Ed?" with a worried face. "Hey, can you hear me? Are you alright?!" he shook me.
Wha-what are you saying Niahl? I can't hear you… Wait. I- I can't speak as well.
"Like I've told you, you should rebel more. That way it will be more satisfying" The voice smirked.
No, that's already done. I can just talk with Niahl, that's why.
"You hate those guys, right? Those guys who killed your family, the cathedral were they?" The voice continued.
Yeah, I hate them.
But, if I were to fight them with hatred on my mind, it will only bring more hatred, like Niahl said.
"If you aren't going to fight for revenge, then what will you fight for?" The voice asked, and I felt it tilted its head.
Eh?
"What will be your reason to fight them, then?" The voice repeated his words, with a scary smirk.
My reason to fight..?
"Without any reason to fight you won't be by their, those kids' side anymore, you know" The voice spoke.
…
"You will be alone, once again" The voice continued. "You wouldn't want that, right" it smirked, again.
Yeah, I would hate that…
"Right..? Then you should rebel more, that way you can be with them all you want" The voice stated.
Yes, I should rebel… To be with everyone
A black smoke suddenly appeared from me, and Niahl was pushed away from me, by the smoke.
"Ed..!" Niahl shouted, followed by the others, "Ed!!!"
The black smoke disappeared showing me. Niahl gasped as he saw my red eyes, "Ed..?" he mumbled.
As I stood up my blonde hair turned black like the darkness, itself and the black smoke grew larger, behind me.
I will rebel, so I can be with everyone…