Clash after clash, it seemed like we were evenly matched, but as the battle unfolded, the stalemate was slowly breaking in my favor. Decker, too, could feel it, yet he remained relentless in his attacks, coming at me like a crazed beast thirsty for blood—my blood. In doing so, he left many openings in his defense. I hesitated to end the fight; Decker was gradually getting sloppy. The fight dragged on, and his aether reserves must be almost empty. Surprisingly, mine remained the same. In fact, it was as if i was not using my own aether but drawing from the world's aether. Actually, no, that was not correct; it was as if the world's aether was my aether. This revelation opened up a lot of possibilities for me. So, this is what Graham meant when he said Stephen had succeeded in merging his soul with aether. But did it mean that my soul was now aetheric? I've never sensed it back in my world, or does it only work here? Just like how I can't sense the breath here? This left me with more questions than answers. Decker's crazed howl brought me out of my thoughts.
"Why?! Whyyyyy?! Years of training and torture to be the best of the best, but still, I cannot best you. Cirdec promised me that you were not that much strong; he said you had grown weaker. All the suffering I went through in order to be strong enough to kill you, but how can I kill a former deity? I'm such a fool." Decker chuckled, but I could feel and hear the pain in his voice as he spoke.
"Cirdec lied to me; he said that you were weakened. That by losing your godhood, you lost most of your strength. But now, I am asking myself how did he know so much about you? His hatred for you is greater than my own. Every time he mentioned your name, he kept yelling something about your betrayal. But then again, how could a God betray a mortal? What business would a God have with a mortal unless..." His voice was fleeting as he spoke; Decker stopped attacking and stood a few yards away from me, never breaking eye contact.
"I have been cheated, yes, but instead of seeking healing, I sought out revenge. My past is not an explanation enough for the reason I did what I did to many of my people, including your sister. In my search for revenge, I lost my humanity, and I became exactly what I had vowed to never become. I let my anger and hatred consume me, and for that, I can see that there is no redemption for me. For many years, I thought that our ways were the best ways, but instead, I did not realize that I was a helping hand in dictating my people. I chose to believe the lies Cirdec promised, and I could see his vision. But now, I realize that his vision was flawed; it was never going to work. Right now, my aether reserves are almost depleted, and your people's numbers have fallen to a hundred. While half of my soldiers are dead, by killing me, most of my soldiers will lose their fighting spirit. But they will continue fighting nonetheless. The republic has about a million troops waiting on standby, ready to intervene in case I fail. But that is highly unlikely in their eyes. In order to take on the Esteemed Republic, you will need help, my help. I don't expect you to forgive me for my sins, but I'm asking you to let me have a chance to try and redeem myself. And then, after the mission is complete, I will gladly take my own life as compensation for the pain I caused your sister and the rest of my people. Only then will I go to the afterlife and be able to face Amena and our child. Please Stephen, let me try to redeem myself, or you can kill me where I stand." Decker spoke his words while taking off his grin mask, revealing a face filled with scars and rough stubble. His piercing brown eyes were filled with regrets while his long brown hair fell all the way to his shoulders.
I stared at him for a good while, trying to find a reason to fight him, no a reason to kill him. But the person I could see right now was no more than a broken man who had been misled and taken advantage of. But that did not mean I forgave him for all he had done; I was simply sympathizing with him. The aetheric dome quickly dissipated, and he removed all of the barriers he had raised to protect himself from me.
As the barriers fell, the battlefield fell into an uneasy silence, only interrupted by the distant sounds of the ongoing war. I met Decker's gaze, considering the weight of his plea. The choice before me felt monumental, a crossroads where forgiveness and retribution intersected.
"Decker, redemption isn't a simple path, and trust must be earned. Your past actions are not easily forgotten," I replied, my voice steady yet contemplative. "But if you are sincere in seeking redemption, then prove it through actions, not just words."
A solemn nod passed between us, and I extended a hand towards him. "Join me in ending this war, not as enemies, but as reluctant allies. Your redemption will be measured by the lives you save, not the battles you've won."
Decker hesitated for a moment, then clasped my hand in a firm grip. The unspoken agreement hung in the air as we turned towards the battlefield, ready to face the challenges that awaited us.
In the aftermath of our tentative alliance, as Decker and I stood side by side, a sudden chill cut through the air. Without warning, a mysterious figure emerged, wielding a gleaming blade aimed at Decker's exposed neck. Time seemed to freeze, my instincts kicking in with an urgency that only intensified as I recognized her.
It was June Bellanour, her eyes ablaze with a fervor that matched the sharpness of the blade she wielded. In that moment, the weight of our intertwined pasts collided, threatening to unravel the fragile peace we had just established.
As the deadly arc of the sword descended, I invoked the Aetheric spell known as "Broken Steps," instantly transporting myself beside Decker. With a swift motion, I intercepted the lethal strike, the clash resonating through the air.
June's eyes widened in disbelief as her attack was thwarted, and her gaze locked onto mine. "Stephen?" she uttered, a mixture of shock and confusion etched across her face.
I met her gaze, my voice tinged with a determined conviction, "Everybody deserves a second chance, June."
Her expression contorted with anger, a fierce intensity replacing her initial surprise. "Decker doesn't deserve any chance! He's responsible for so much pain, including Moraine's suffering!"
The tension escalated, the battlefield echoing with the conflicting emotions that enveloped us. Decker stood beside me, a silent witness to the unraveling emotions.
In the midst of the turmoil, June's voice rose, a scream of frustration and grief. "You're blinded by false hope, Stephen!"
I could sense the pain in her words, the wounds of the past still raw. As the dust settled, I faced a choice – a choice that extended beyond the battlefield, transcending the clash of swords and the ebb of aether.
The fragile peace we had sought hung in the balance, and I stood torn between alliances and the enduring belief that redemption could exist, even for one as haunted as Decker.
Decker knelt, desperate for redemption. "June, please, I beg you. Let me make things right. I'll end it after the Esteemed Republic is defeated. I owe it to Moraine and everyone I've wronged."
June's reply was cold. "I'll be waiting for that moment, Decker."
She turned to me, her eyes searching. "Stephen, why the silence? Why the cold shoulder?"
Internally conflicted, I grappled with how to explain. June, it's not intentional. I've been through something, something I can't easily put into words. I haven't been deliberately distant, but my soul was sent back to my world for months. I didn't know how to return to Concilia without being summoned by The Home Of Secrets. I didn't mean to shut you and Moraine out.
Acting as is If I did not hear her question I asked June, "Where are Moraine and Catalina?"
June's response cut through the air like a blade. "That damned witch took Moraine. They're at the Reaper's Nest, where the Reaper's Hollows dwell."
In shock, I couldn't contain my frustration. "What? How could you let her take Moraine away?" My voice erupted into a scream, the weight of the revelation hitting me like a tidal wave.
With determination in his eyes, Decker made a decisive call. "I'll get my men to fall back. I'll tell them you've escaped. Buy you some time to find Catalina and Moraine."
June and I exchanged a glance, silently agreeing to Decker's plan. As he put on his distinctive grin mask, he handed me an analog watch. "I'll contact you with useful information. Good luck."
Decker left Moraine and me standing alone, the weight of the mission heavy on our shoulders. The Reaper's Nest loomed ahead. Moraine, her eyes filled with confusion and concern, asked me, "Why did you spare Decker?"
Taking a deep breath, I replied, "There's a lot I need to catch you up on, starting with the fact that I met your father that day."
Moraine's eyes widened in surprise, but without giving her a chance to react, I quickly grabbed her by the waist, and we entered the nearest tear, disappearing from the battlefield in an instant. The chaos of war faded away, replaced by the uncertainty of what awaited us on the other side.