In the grand hall of the Gate of Ehayor, tension crackled like a storm about to break. Yesdar and Malaes stood wide-eyed, their minds spinning with questions and a mix of fear and confusion. The sight of Orngea at their doorstep, the very embodiment of a threat they had hoped was long gone, left them frozen in place.
"ORNGEA?!" Yesdar and Malaes screamed in unison, their eyes bulging and tongues nearly hanging out in comical shock. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Their thoughts raced, each question more frantic than the last. What was Orngea doing here? What did he want now? How had he dared to return after his defeat? Shouldn't he be hiding somewhere on the planet? What was his motive? Was he planning something insidious or had he already set his schemes in motion?
Malaes turned sharply to call for Fheniz, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Shit! Where did he go now?" she whispered to herself, her voice tinged with anxiety.
"Was Fheniz trying to find Ophoen for him?! Why?!" Yesdar asked Malaes, his voice a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Of course not!" Malaes replied, her tone hushed and serious, as if she was wary of letting Orngea overhear their conversation.
From the doorstep, Orngea's whispering voice cut through the silence. "May I come in?"
Instinctively, Yesdar and Malaes shouted, "NO!" The ensuing silence from Orngea's side was almost humorous in its awkwardness.
"Wait, kids, I am not the type of person who is daredevil enough to walk back into the monster's cave when I have the chance to run."
"THEN WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HERE?!" Yesdar's voice was loud and accusatory, filled with a mix of fear and anger.
Unbeknownst to them, Fheniz had slipped away quietly. Like a true addict in search of his fix, he had gone beyond the hall of the Gate of Ehayor, rummaging through the small ward in search of Ophoen. He was oblivious to the tense exchange happening behind him.
Orngea remained calm, his voice measured. "To talk. I am not here to fight. I guess I won't stand a chance even against the weakest of you all."
Yesdar and Malaes exchanged skeptical glances. Trusting Orngea seemed impossible, especially after his previous attempt to conquer and destroy Ehayor with a massive army.
"You are conspiring something. Don't think we can't fight or be cautious of what you are planning, or have planned!" Malaes's tone was fierce and defensive.
"Yeah, sure we can!" Yesdar added, though his voice wavered with a stuttering lack of confidence, adding a touch of unintended humor.
"No tricks this time, guaranteed," Orngea said, his tone reassuring but still unconvincing.
The priority for Yesdar and Malaes was clear: they needed to call back Fheniz, for Orngea was not entirely trustworthy.
"If I were to fight, I would have attacked you surprisingly. I wouldn't have come in front of you," Orngea reasoned.
"Well, you can surprise us even now, by first trying to lure us in your hypnotizing words, and then attack suddenly and we're gone," Malaes countered, her suspicion evident.
Yesdar supported her answer with another nervous agreement.
"Maybe I can surprise you? But how will I surprise Fheniz? How am I supposed to surprise that other boy who was with you? He is a God, isn't he? If I kill you both now, how am I supposed to escape those two? For your information, I had even trapped that other boy by chance, but he broke my seal. He broke my strongest seal in which I had trapped him. I clearly can never escape such a being, and I am dead serious when I tell you this. I am not here to kill, but, I am not here to die either, so just listen to me," Orngea explained, his voice a blend of earnestness and frustration.
Malaes and Yesdar were trying to piece together the probabilities, weighing the chances that Orngea was either planning to trap them or was genuinely sincere.
"I agree I was here to destroy this planet, but I was not your enemy because I wished to be. And now, I don't wish to be your enemy anymore. I don't wish to follow the orders of my Lord anymore," Orngea admitted.
"Your lord? You had trapped… Griswa? In some seal? What is a seal? What are you actually even saying? Was that the reason why Griswa had gone berserk?" Yesdar asked, his voice rising with each question.
"I don't know, maybe? He broke MY seal. The seals I create are very strong, strong enough to trap even common gods, but if he could break it, it means he isn't a common god. So, I came here to know more about him," Orngea confessed, floating closer to them as he spoke.
Yesdar and Malaes instinctively stepped back a little, their wariness growing with each passing moment.
"I don't understand you at all," Malaes said, her frustration clear.
"You want me? Here I am." A voice spoke from behind Orngea, causing him to turn his head. Malaes and Yesdar craned their necks to see past the floating Orngea, and there stood Griswa.
"Here you are, for the first time you took a non-dramatic entry," Yesdar quipped, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere with humor.
Griswa moved towards Orngea with a casual air that belied the storm of emotions he kept hidden. "But I want to know why do you want to know about me? And before that, I want to know more about you. No worries, if you are not here to kill, you won't die either," Griswa said as he walked around the hall casually before taking a seat. Despite his stoic exterior, his deep regret was palpable, though he maintained a hard-hearted facade as if he had already forgotten that Master Ehayor was dead and Fheniz was suffering from the pain. Yesdar and Malaes were still in the dark about the full extent of what had happened.
"Of course," Orngea replied, his voice unwavering.
"Griswa!" Yesdar exclaimed, relief evident in his voice. "I am glad you are back! This freak is troubling us, ask him to go away."
"No, no, no, Yesdar. When I went to him back then, I had questions which he didn't answer. Instead, he trapped me in something, I came out as a berserk," Griswa said, his eyes rising as he looked into the infinite darkness of Orngea's hood.
"Exactly! I thought it was this guy's fault. Why don't we just lock him up?" Yesdar suggested, Malaes quickly nodding in agreement.
"Yeah, I should clear your doubts. It was not his fault," Griswa said, his tone grave.
"What?" Yesdar questioned, confusion etched on his face. "I…I… I don't understand both of you. He says he trapped you; you say it was not his fault? Can anyone of you please be clear as you talk?"
"Fheniz isn't telling us anything either, he is acting weird. He was finding Ophoen for you and Master Ehayor, and he didn't say anything. He was rushing, he was shivering a little too. Don't you see all the mess he made? Don't know where he has gone now. Something is really wrong," Malaes added, waving her hand to indicate the chaos Fheniz had caused.
"Yeah! Please tell us, it's getting too complicated. So complicated that we even forgot to ask you if you are alright now? And as I observe, you are fine physically, but you are injured mentally. I see your stress on your face itself, I can say it, what are you hiding?" Yesdar said, his concern evident.
Griswa sighed tiredly, his fists clenching tight as he tried to channel his pain into energy to relieve his stress. "I'll tell you everything. You both can sit." Griswa turned to Orngea, "And you can umm… continue…. floating."
The silence in the room was heavy, a thick blanket of tension that seemed almost tangible. Yesdar and Malaes exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with a mixture of confusion, concern, and determination. They knew that whatever Griswa had to reveal would be crucial. With a collective deep breath, they both decided to sit down, their curiosity and need for answers overpowering their initial hesitation.
Griswa, standing tall despite the weight of his emotions, took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling in a slow, deliberate manner. He began to recount the events that had transpired, his voice steady but laden with an underlying sadness. "It all started when Orngea trapped me in something like a blue box." he began, his eyes narrowing as he relived the memory. "I don't know what it was and how he did it, but it was powerful, and it brought out the subconscious inside me... something I couldn't control. But very much later... I learned that my subconscious doesn't emerge because I lack in power control or if I use my power beyond the set limitations."
As he spoke, the expressions on Yesdar and Malaes' faces changed from curiosity to shock. They listened intently, their hearts pounding in their chests. The room seemed to grow colder as Griswa detailed the encounter with Orngea, the trap, and the ensuing chaos. Orngea, floating nearby, appeared indifferent. Griswa explained the conversation between his subconscious and his conscious first.
"So your subconscious is gonna emerge once again when you are 20 years old?" Yesdar asked to confirm once again. The future threat was already known, this boosted their tension. But the question was how were they going to stop it from happening?
"Yes." Griswa confirmed.
"Alright! We will find a solution to it, won't we? We still have eight years. And with the help of Master Ehayor and Fheniz, as they are with us, we will find a perfect and a new solution, Griswa. Don't you worry." Malaes tried to encourage them, her words acted like a medicine to reduce the tension of the situation.
But, Griswa continued, his fists clenched tighter as he came to the final point. The point everyone had to know. Something that was going to shatter their hopes yet a truth that wasn't supposed to remain hidden anymore.
"In this madness, Master Ehayor... he tried to stop me. He fought bravely, but I was too far gone. I... I killed him." His voice cracked at the last words, the admission hanging heavily in the air.
Malaes and Yesdar's faces paled, their mouths opening in silent horror. Sweat streamed down their faces, and they began to shiver slightly. Master Ehayor, whom they had known for three years, was gone. They had learned so much from him, understood his power, his history, his race, and his deep connection to Hezick Skaar. And now, he was dead? The suddenness of it all was too much to bear.
"Master Ehayor... dead?" Yesdar whispered, his voice trembling. "How could this happen? How could you lose control to such an extent?! Oh my shit! PLEASE SAY YOU'RE JOKING!!!"
"Oh my... oh no!... Now I understand why Fheniz was acting so strangely, he wasn't finding Ophoen for you or Master Ehayor, it was for himself!" Said Malaes as she was devastated on digesting the truth and felt guilty for not understanding how Fheniz was feeling at that time.
Griswa's face was a mask of guilt and sorrow. "I didn't want it to happen. I didn't know how to stop it until it stopped itself. The power, the rage, the subconscious, it consumed my consciousness, I was trapped. But later... I told you already... what I got to know. Even now... it's listening to what I am saying, it's aware..."
Malaes and Yesdar felt the horror growing and flowing in their bodies.
Griswa's emotions were growing and developing. It was visible that now he couldn't hide his pain anymore like he could do it before as he lacked emotions. His expressionless face gave a million expressions of his sincere guilt, but he still didn't/couldn't cry, his emotions had grown but not to a hundred percent.
Orngea remained silent, watching the scene unfold. Despite his usual indifference, he couldn't help but feel a pang of empathy for Griswa. He knew what it was like to be trapped, with no real freedom. Although he couldn't really mourn for Master Ehayor's death because he wasn't close to him anyways. But there was no doubt that he was shocked too.
Malaes, trying to hold back tears, spoke up, her voice shaky but firm. "We can't blame Griswa entirely. This is not just his fault. We need to understand that."
Yesdar nodded, though his expression was still one of disbelief. "But what about Fheniz? He was so close to Master Ehayor. How is he going to handle this?"
Griswa's eyes filled with even more sorrow. "I don't know. Fheniz... he is entirely devastated. We need to be there for him. We need to support each other now more than ever."
Malaes and Yesdar, despite their shock, felt their resolve harden. They refused to see Griswa as a threat. He was their friend, their companion through thick and thin. They moved closer to him, placing their hands on his shoulders, offering silent support.
"Griswa," Malaes said softly, "we're here for you. We know you didn't mean for this to happen. We believe in you."
Griswa's fists unclenched slightly at their words, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. The guilt on his face was unmistakable, but their support gave him a small measure of comfort. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I don't deserve your kindness, but thank you."
The three friends sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their thoughts. The weight of the situation pressed down on them, but their bond gave them strength. They knew they had to find Fheniz and console him. He was the one suffering the most, having lost someone so dear to him.
As they stood up to leave, Griswa spoke once more, his voice filled with determination. "We need to find Fheniz. He needs us now more than ever."
The three turned to Orngea. Yesdar's and Malaes' eyes were still cursing him because he was partly to be blamed for what all happened. Orngea understood that.
"Now what're you gonna do?" Yesdar asked Orngea, the question itself gave the answer that Orngea would be completely useless.
"I'll wait." Said Orngea.
"I guess Fheniz... too...equally... the right to know.... like you know umm... what I have come... then to tell you... people." Orngea continued, being careful in his choice of words, but his grammar made less sense.
"Good." Malaes appreciated the fact that he was not coming with them, which she desired very very much. Who would want Orngea to accompany them? Lol.
Orngea silently felt bad. That was funny for the situation, but not him.
"Alright, you can continue ahhhhhm... floating. You can sit though, if you actually.... can." Griswa unintentionally added more fuel to his sad (ahem) feelings. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Griswa, Yesdar, and Malaes moved ahead with determined steps, their faces set in a blend of resolve and worry. Yesdar glanced around, taking in the chaotic scene before him. "I guess he's in the ward," he muttered, his voice tinged with apprehension.
Malaes nodded in agreement, and the trio carefully made their way into the ward. The room was an absolute mess, with objects strewn everywhere, leaving barely any space to walk. Papers fluttered in the faint breeze from the open backdoor opposite them, which was the clear evidence of Fheniz's frantic search for the elusive Ophoen. They knew without a doubt that Fheniz had been here, but before they could cross the clutter and head outside to find him, he suddenly rushed back in. His arms were overflowing with dark bluish to purplish dried Ophoen leaves, his face a mask of frantic determination. He ignored their calls, his mind solely focused on making the Ophoen solution.
"Fheniz!" Yesdar shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. "Fheniz, stop!"
Malaes added her voice to the plea, " We got to know what has happened, from Griswa. Fheniz, listen to us!"
Fheniz didn't respond, his body shivering and slick with sweat. He looked like a man possessed, his frustration reaching a boiling point. He finally exploded, his voice a mixture of rage and despair, "WHY??!!! WHY????!!!! WHY???!!! WHY???!!!!!! WHY??!!!!!! WHY SHOULD I LISTEN TO YOU?! WHY SHOULD I EVEN CARE?!"
A tense silence followed, the weight of Fheniz's words hanging heavily in the air. He continued, his voice raw, fast with emotion and his hand signs following the words he spoke.
"WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT YOU GUYS?! I CARED ABOUT YOU PEOPLE ONLY BECAUSE MASTER EHAYOR CARED!! AND NOW HE HIMSELF ISN'T PRESENT ANYMORE BECAUSE OF YOU!!! I CARED BECAUSE I THOUGHT IF MINE AND MASTER EHAYOR'S BOND HAD GROWN SO STRONG IN JUST 40 YEARS, THEN WHAT KIND OF BOND WOULD MASTER EHAYOR AND HEZICK SKAAR HAVE THAT LASTED FOR WHO KNOWS HOW MANY MILLIONS OF YEARS!!! I CARED BECAUSE HE CARED!! OTHERWISE WHY SHOULD I GIVE A DAMN?!! HE CARED ABOUT SKAAR'S SON!!! AND GRISWA?! YOU KILLED HIM?! YOU JUST KILLED HIM?!"
Fheniz's face was a deep red, his lips trembling as tears streamed down his face, mingling with his sweat. Griswa stood there, unable to speak, his own pain and guilt evident in his eyes. Fheniz continued, his voice cracking under the weight of his grief and anger.
"I DIDN'T HAVE ANY FAMILY, BUT WHEN I DID, I THOUGHT IT WOULD LAST TILL MY DEATH. GODS DON'T DIE FASTER THAN NORMAL BEINGS HUH?! I KNOW!! I KNOW YOU ALL WANT ME TO STEP UP AND BE A MAN AND ACCEPT THE TRUTH!! THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE COME TO TELL ME, ISN'T IT?! THEN FOR YOUR INFORMATION, YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS SUFFERED THROUGH PAIN AND HAS ACCEPTED THE TRUTH, ACCEPTED WHAT ALL HAS HAPPENED IN YOUR HISTORY, YOUR LOSSES!!! AND YOU KNOW THAT VERY WELL!!! AND NOW WHAT?! GRISWA YOU WANNA SHOW ME ALL THAT GODLY POWER AND KILL ME TOO?! BECAUSE NOW I THINK I WOULD HAVE BOILED YOUR NOBLE SKAAR BLOOD?! ISN'T IT?! AND WEREN'T EHAYORS JUST YOUR SLAVES?! THEN I AM WAY MORE OF A DISGUSTING LOWLY NORMAL BEING THAN THEM!!! SO, GO AHEAD, THREATEN ME AND RIP OFF MY HEAD TOO!! ANYWAYS NOW I KNOW, HOW WELL YOU VALUE LIFE."
"Fheniz, calm down! Griswa didn't…" Malaes tried to interject, her voice soothing yet firm.
Fheniz cut her off, his voice dripping with sarcasm and fury, "OH PLEASE! I DON'T WANT TO CALM DOWN ALRIGHT?! I WANNA GO MAD!! I WANNA KEEP TAKING OPHOEN ALL DAY AND THEN PERHAPS DIE! AND THAT'S STILL NONE OF YOUR CONCERN!!"
Malaes' throat tightened with emotion.
"Malaes…" Yesdar touched her shoulder gently, signaling her to stop, but Malaes pressed on, her voice trembling with empathy and frustration. "Fheniz, we all know Griswa didn't do it intentionally."
"AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON, THAT WILL ALWAYS BE THE REASON YOU'LL EVER GIVE!! HE KILLED 70 BILLION PEOPLE, BUT IT WASN'T INTENTIONAL, HE KILLED 193 BILLION PEOPLE BUT IT WASN'T INTENTIONAL, HE LET YOUR FATHER DIE, BUT IT WASN'T INTENTIONAL, HE KILLED MY MORE THAN A FATHER-LIKE MASTER, BUT AGAIN! THAT WASN'T INTENTIONAL! YEAH?! AND IF HE GOES AND KILLS YOUR WORLD INSTEAD OF SAVING IT FROM THE YAHUNYENS, IT WOULDN'T BE 'INTENTIONAL', 'PURPOSEFULLY' AND WHATEVER SYNONYMS THERE ARE!!!" Fheniz's voice was a torrent of raw emotion, his pain and anger pouring out unchecked.
"ENOUGH, FHENIZ! Griswa feels the same amount of pain as you, he might not show it! But it kills him from the inside!! It's always visible, he isn't acting it out, I feel it in his energy, that energy is nothing but pain and pain and pain and he isn't whining too much about it like you. He is the live example that with great power comes great struggle. And what struggle is greater if you can't even win from yourself? And what do you even mean by 'YOUR WORLD'?! Aeartha's your world too!!" Malaes said, her emotions bursting forth, her voice trembling with intensity.
Fheniz paused, his face a mix of rage, sorrow, and exhaustion. He looked at Malaes, his eyes filled with tears and pain. He whispered, his voice breaking.
"Not anymore…"