Chereads / Tale's of Yonus- The Chaos Chronicles / Chapter 20 - Chapter 20 Choice of the Sword

Chapter 20 - Chapter 20 Choice of the Sword

In the depths of unconsciousness, memories began to surface, transporting Jaylen back to a defining moment in his past...

The golden rays of the sun filtered through the lush canopy of leaves, casting dappled shadows on the grassy ground below.

In a quiet corner of the park, nestled beneath the sheltering branches of a large tree, a young child of six sat huddled on the ground, tears streaming down his cheeks.

As he wept, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed softly through the tranquil air. 

Moments later, a small figure emerged from the shadows, the gentle rustle of her footsteps barely audible against the backdrop of nature's symphony.

With a look of concern etched upon her delicate features, the girl approached the distraught child and settled herself beside him beneath the comforting embrace of the tree's branches.

"Jaylen, why are you crying?" The girl's voice, though young, carried a sense of genuine concern

"I'm... not crying," Jaylen sniffled, his voice choked with emotion as he attempted to deny his tears.

The girl, undeterred by his denial, leaned in closer, her eyes keenly observant. "Yes, you are. I can see the tears on your cheeks."

A stubborn pride welled up within Jaylen, and he bristled at her accusation. "Those aren't tears, it's just sweat. A man would never cry."

But the girl, wise beyond her years, saw through his facade with unerring clarity. "You're lying,"

She countered gently. "You've been sitting in the shade the entire time; how could you be sweating?"

Jaylen's resolve wavered in the face of her unwavering logic, his defenses crumbling under the weight of her words. Frustration and vulnerability mingled within him as he struggled to maintain his composure.

With a mixture of defiance and anguish, he lashed out, his voice tinged with bitterness. "What do you know, Silvaria? You couldn't possibly understand what I'm going through."

"Oh yeah, try me. I know you don't want to tell Yuki about it as you don't want to look bad in front of her. And you won't tell Brandon or Sarah as they would just tease you," the girl asserted, her expression smug and proud. 

"But I, as your best friend, would never do such a thing, so you can tell me anything."

Jaylen's defenses softened under the reassurance of her words, and he found himself nodding in agreement. With a deep breath, he opened up, his voice tinged with vulnerability. "Everyone in my family has been treating me like a burden and a disappointment."

"My bloodline, even though it's from a dragon that is mostly in slumber, and I can't even use mana... But if I try hard enough, I can still cast spells, but they're harder to control."

Listening intently, the girl's expression softened with empathy as she took in Jaylen's confession. "Hmm... I understand, but don't let them get to you, okay,"

She said firmly, meeting his gaze with unwavering support. "I can tell you're very talented. I mean, who amongst the kids our age can beat you in a spar using swords? I'll tell you, no one. So I believe that if you focus on honing your swordplay, you will be unbeatable until your bloodline awakens."

A warm smile graced the girl's face as she continued, her belief in Jaylen shining through. "And I don't know why, but I feel like one day you will find a way to surpass the limits imposed on you. Truly, then you would be unstoppable amongst kids our age."

Jaylen's eyes widened with hope, his heart uplifted by her unwavering faith in him. "Do... Do you believe that?" he asked, a glimmer of hope in his voice.

"Absolutely," the girl affirmed, her confidence unwavering. "You'll be amazing."

With newfound determination coursing through his veins, Jaylen rose to his feet, a spark of determination in his eyes. He declared boldly, "Then when I'm older, I'll show the world that I'm the best with a sword and defeat all that stands in my path!"

That day he had made a promise and declaration that carried him till this day even after Sil's death and would carry him even farther to his destiny.

But that was for another time as Jaylen began to awaken from the haze of sleep, His vision gradually cleared, revealing the sterile surroundings of the nurse's office.

The faint beeping of monitors filled the air, accompanied by the distant murmur of voices from the hallway beyond. With a groan, Jaylen managed to push himself upright, wincing at the dull ache that radiated through his body.

As he took in his surroundings, the memories of his recent battle with Miss Xirenia flooded back, each detail crystal clear in his mind. 

Despite the pain, a sense of determination burned within him, driving him to push past his physical limitations.

With a deep breath, Jaylen forced himself to focus on the present. He needed to assess his condition, gather his strength, and prepare for whatever lay ahead.

As he sat there contemplating, a cheerful voice sounded from his side, "Hey, look, he's awake!" 

This voice was met with a response from another that sounded more monotone, "It seems so."

"Brandon, Sarah," Jaylen greeted, still slightly dazed as he looked in their direction.

"Hey, sleeping beauty. How are you feeling?" Sarah greeted back, attempting to tease Jaylen, only earning a sigh in response.

"How long have I been asleep for?" Jaylen inquired.

After Jaylen's question, Brandon and Sarah both look at each other before Brandon says, "It's Thursday. You've been asleep for a full day."

"Yeah that makes sense I took a complete beating" Jaylen winced, his body twitching involuntarily from the lingering pain that still gnawed at him.

"Hey, but it's fine now that you're awake. But it's too bad; if you woke up earlier, you could've seen Yuki," Sarah playfully pointed out.

This earned a raised eyebrow from Jaylen, as a plethora of different thoughts ran through his head. He blurted out, "Yuki was here?" sounding more baffled than happy.

All of Jaylen's thoughts were soon cast aside upon Sarah's next words. "Yeah, she was by your side most of the time, even asking to leave class early to check up on you."

Brandon also confirmed this notion. "Yeah, we talked to her. It seems she regrets not being here so that you wouldn't have fought Sensei."

Processing this information internally, Jaylen found it difficult to believe, he held onto the firm conviction that Yuki might distance herself from him.

However, he managed to maintain a composed facade, replying, "Thank you for letting me know. I'll make sure to express my gratitude to her when I have the opportunity."

"Hehe, no problem. But let's get out of here; the smell of medicine is too strong," Sarah added, wanting to get away from the strong smells that affected her and Jaylen, who both had a strong sense of smell.

"I agree. You're probably hungry. It's lunchtime, and the cafeteria is officially open for the year, so let's head there," Brandon nodded in agreement, suggesting a destination.

"Alright... But don't you think we should tell the nurse I woke up or something?" Jaylen asked, feeling like they were skipping a part of the process.

"Nah, it's fine. The nurse said as soon as you woke up, we were fine to leave," Sarah confirmed.

"Okay, then let me change into a spare uniform," said Jaylen, pointing out that he was still in a torn and bloody uniform. He stood up and walked into an adjacent room, that appeared to be a bathroom.

After a few minutes, Jaylen walked out in a fresh uniform. "I'm ready. Let's go."

In response, the other two nodded before all three of them walked out of the nurse's office and began to make their way toward the cafeteria.