"Once Again, I Lost Due To My Weakness And Fear… And Having Being Saved By Someone Else… What Does It Mean To Be Strong?"
Back At the Infirmary Of The Flame Faction's Village!
Kaida Lay's Down On A Medical Bed, Awake… Starring Off At The Ceiling…
Jason Pull's Up A Chair To Sit Next To Her, Curious Of What's On Her Mind…
Jason(Worried, Calmly): How're You Feeling Miss Kaida?
Kaida(Silently, Still Starring Off): …
Jason Sits Quietly For A Moment, Waiting For A Response, But Sensing The Tension That Lingers In The Air. Kaida's Eyes Are Distant, As If She's Lost In Thoughts Of Failure And Regret.
Jason's Expression Softens, Understanding The Burden She's Carrying.
Jason(Gently): You Did Your Best Out There. No One Can Blame You For What Happened.
Kaida(Still Starring Off): But I Can. I Failed, Jason. Again.
Jason Look's Down, Unsure Of How To Respond. He Knows The Weight Of Failure, The Crushing Doubt That Comes With It. But Kaida's Pain Seem's Deeper Than Just A Loss In Battle. Her Voice, Though Soft, Carries The Tremor Of Someone Who Feel's Powerless In A World That Demands Courage And Strength.
Kaida(Slowly Sitting Up, Voice Filled With Frustration): I Wasn't Strong Enough. I Wasn't Fast Enough. And Because Of That, I Ended Up Having To Be Saved Once Again…
Kaida(Frustrated): The Women And Children In The Southern Tribe Are Suffering Right Now, Because Of Father's Oppressive Laws And Are Being Forced Into Arranged Marriages And Having To Conceive The Male Sorcerer's Children… Just So They Can Also Grow Up And Be Forced To Become Sorcerers He Can Use As Weapons…
Kaida(Sobbing, Red Eyes): They're All Suffering Right As I Sit Here, Doing Nothing… I Hate Myself… I Hate My Father, I- I Wish He Would Just Die Already…
Kaida Rubs Her Eyes As She Sobs, Her Voice Cracking As Jason Look's Down And Touches Over His Heart…
Kaida(Sobbing): Can I Ask You Something?
Jason(Nods): Mmhm.
Kaida(Voice Cracking): When You Saved Me… You Could've Killed Him… Why Didn't You?
Jason Sits Silently For A Moment… As He Looks Her In The Eyes, His Expression Softening…
Jason(Serious): Because His Fate Is For You To Decide…
Kaida(Confused): What?
Jason(Serious): I Don't Really Know All Of What You've Been Through With Him, But It's Not My Place To Be The One To Kill Him…
Jason(Softly): I Know This Might Not Be What You Want To Hear Right Now, But I Have To Tell You Anyway Because I Wanna Help You… And Because It's Like I'm Looking At A Direct Reflection Of Myself When I See You.
Kaida(Curious): What Do You Mean?
Jason(Looking Down, Hand's Together): Often I Find Myself Questioning And Doubting My Own Strength… And Without My Mom And My Sister, Even Aria And Miss Athena, Even Master Asura I Would Be Dead Right Now… So You Relying On Me To Help Save The People Of Your Faction And The Southern Tribe, Isn't Weakness…
Jason(Softly): In Fact, It Can Be Seen As Being Strong… Knowing Your Limitations, But The Problem Lies With Your Determination And Courage To Push Past Your Limits… And How Strong Your Will Is To Lead These People To A More Peaceful Life…
Jason(Softly): You've Got The Physical Strength… But You Have To Learn To Overcome That Fear Of Your Father… So Kaida…
Jason(Serious): I Consider You A Friend.
Kaida's Eyes Widen, Surprise On Her Face As She Looks At Jason…
Kaida(Surprised): You do?
Jason(Nodding): And Friends Help Each Other, When Your Feeling Fear And Doubt Of Your Own Abilities… You Can Lean On Me For Help… Seeing You Break Down Like This, It Kinda Hurts Ya'know?
Kaida(Confused): But… We Don't Really Know Each Other That Well… And I've Put You In Even More Danger Than You're Already In, By Getting You Involved With Conflicts That Have Nothing To Do With You… And You Still Consider Me A Friend?
Jason(Nodding): I've Already Resolved Myself To Be Known As The Enemy Of The World… As Long As I Can Protect Those Dear To Me, And Save Them Even If They View Me As A Demon, I Still Hold Everyone In This World In My Heart, And Many People In This World Are Suffering Simply Because I Exist, And Because I Wasn't Strong Enough To Stop Malum From Taking Over My Body Two Years Ago…
Jason(Somber): So, Death Isn't Really Something I Think I Fear… But There's Still So Many Things I Need To Do Before I Die, And That Includes Making Sure One Of My Friends Become Strong Enough To Become Her Own Leader, And So She Can Kill Her Father…
Jason(Scratching His Head): Though, That Last Part Sounds Kinda Crazy Coming Outta My Mouth…
Kaida Looks At Jason As Tears Form In Her Eyes, As She Begins Chuckling And Then Laughing…
Kaida(Nodding): Yeah, It Kinda Did… Haha.
Jason(Serious): So Kaida… If It's Okay With You, I Want You To Train Me And Teach Me Some More Of That Flame Dancing… And It's Technique's… Especially The One You Used At The Tournament… That Was Really Cool!
Kaida(Unsure): That One Would Take A Lot Of Time To Master… And I'm Not Sure, I'm Fit To Train Someone… Especially, You… You're Far Stronger Than Me.
Jason(Shrugging): I Dunno About That… Even If I Was, I'd Probably Loose To You Because You're Far Smarter Than Me When It Comes To Strategizing And Analyzing Your Opponent… So…
Jason Puts His Hand's Together And Lowers His Head, As Kaida Looks Down With A Surprised Face… Her Cheeks Blushing Red.
Jason(Pleading): Could You Please Teach Me… Sensei!!!
Kaida(Laughing, Smiling): Alright Fine, Haha… But You Don't Have To Be So Formal… We're Friend's Right? Kaida's Fine.
Kaida Looks At Jason For A Moment… As She Senses Something From Within Him… That Resembles Her Late Sister And Mother…
Kaida(Softly): You Know Jason… You Remind Me A Lot Of My Older Sister, And Mother… If It's Okay With You, Can I Tell You More About How This Conflict Between Me And My Father Started?
Jason(Nodding): Of Course… Only If You're Sure You Want To… And If You're Ready, I'll Sit Here And Listen.
Kaida Closes Her Eyes For A Few Seconds… Bracing Herself For The Story Of How The Conflict With The Southern Tribe Began, As She Then Opens Her Eyes.
Kaida(Grim): Two Years Ago, After The Incident With Malum In The City Of Sorcerers… The World Fell Into Absolute Chaos, And Caused Many Sorcerers To Lose Faith In The Grand Elder's Ability To Lead The Entire Realm, And Deimos And Adira's Influence Began To Rise Quickly…
Kaida(Serious): And When My Father Began To Build The Southern Tribe, He Took It Upon Himself To Be The Leader Of Everyone Within The Tribe… And Shortly After, He Started Creating Laws Which Forced The Women Of The Tribe To Be Forced Into Arranged Marriages Based Upon Their Affinity To Spiritual Energy, And They Would Be Forced To Conceive The Male Sorcerers Children…
Kaida(Somber): And If They Birth Boy's, The Boy's Would Be Taken Away From Their Mother's And Have To Grow Up Being Forced To Become Sorcerers… And If The Women Birthed Girls, The Girls Would Have To Grow Up To Eventually Give Birth To Future Sorcerer's As Well…
Kaida(Somber): And My Sister Chikai Just Like Every Other Woman, Myself Included Obviously… Opposed To This Idea, Which Caused Her To Begin Training Me In Order To Become Strong Enough To Lead The Women Im Case Of Her Death, Because She Had Planned To Fight Against Our Father And Save Everyone In The Tribe By Becoming Their Leader…
Kaida(Shaking): But Our Father Eventually Engaged In Combat With Her After He Caught Chikai Trying To Sneak Me Out Of The Tribe And A Handful Of Other Women… And He…
Jason(Listening, Eyes Closed And Head Lowered): …
Kaida(Clutching Sheets, Tears Forming In Eyes): He… Killed Her. And Arrested All Of The Other Women Who Tried To Escape… As For Me…
Kaida(Shaking, Heavy Breathing): Th… Th…
Jason(Worried, Reassuring): You Don't Have To Force Yourself-
Kaida(Head Shaking, Sobbing): No… I Have To Do This, I Can't Keep Trying To Run Away From What Happened That Night.
Kaida(Crying, Wiping Eyes): It's Believed That If People Of The Same Bloodline And Direct Offsprings Have A Child, Then That Child Would Have Immense Power As It Get's Older… Especially With Two People Who Have Incredible Power Of Their Own.
Kaida(Stuttering, Voice Shaking As Sweat Races Down Her Face And Onto Her Shaking Hands): And After My Father Killed My Sister… He, He Ra-…
Kaida's Breath's Begin To Speed Up, As Her Red Eyes Widen And She Clutches Her Chest…
Jason Stands Up And Quickly Rushes To Kaida… And Wraps His Arms Around Her, She Sobs As Her Tears Fall Onto His Clothes… She Wraps Her Arms Around Him…
Jason(Softly, Heart Aching): And? You're Doin Good… I'm Right Here.
Kaida's Sobs Continue… As Jason Sense's A Shift In Color Of The Flame Within Her Soul Changing From A Bright Orange Color To A Light Blue Color.
Kaida(Slowly, Choked Sobs): He… Raped Me. My Father, Tried To Force Me Into Birthing His Child…
Suddenly, Tears Fall Out Of Jason's Eyes… As Kaida Senses Many Feelings Forming Within Jason's Soul… Sadness, Hurt, Anger, And Empathy.
Jason(Hug Growing Tighter): You Did Good… Thank You For Trusting Me, Kaida.
Kaida(Sobbing): Thank You For Listening… And Allowing Me To Be Able To Call You A Friend.
Jason Sits Back In His Chair Next To Kaida's Hospital Bed… As She Lay's Back Down… A New Determination And Resolve Developing Within Her Soul As The Flame Grows A Little Bigger.
Kaida(Determined): Go Get Some Rest… Your-
Kaida(Determined): Our Training Begins Tomorrow.
Jason(Nodding): Yes Ma'am.
"Overcoming Her Past Trauma, Kaida's Resolve Strengthens… As A Newly Developed Bond, Helps Her Gain Something Called Confidence!!!"
To Be Continuer In Chapter 67…