"Why Does Man Fear Death, Is It Out Of Fear For What Comes After The Sin's They've Committed, Or The Truth They've Hidden From Themselves?
For When The Dead Fall Silent, Their Stories Are Buried In The Shadows, And No Tale Remains To Be Told"
Right At The City Of Sorcerers, Underneath The Moonlit Night, Yaku Enters!
Yaku, With His Hands In His Pockets And His Black Eyepatch Covering His Right Eye And Bags Under His Other…
He Approaches The City And See's An Invisible Barrier With Black Signs On Different Corners Of The Barrier…
Yaku(Smirking, Sighs): The Old Man's Gettin Sloppy… This Barrier Isn't Keepin Anyone From Enterin The City.
Yaku Looks Side To Side, And Then Walks Right Through The Barrier, Which Upon Contact Glows Purple.
Yaku(Eyes Slightly Widened, Yet Expression Nonchalant With A Slight Frown): This Is A Little Extreme.
Yaku Looks Forward To See Two Swords Around His Neck, With A Female Sorcerer Standing Behind Him… And Another Male Sorcerer Standing Right In Front Of Him With Two Fingers At His Forehead… Yaku's Hand's Still In His Pockets.
Yaku(Grinning, Eyes Expressionless): How'ya Been Jay… Melantha?
Jay(Serious, Sighing): Still As Carefree As Ever Huh, Yaku?
Jay And Mel Lower Their Guards, As They All Walk Further Into The City…
Mel(Smiling, Lighting A Cigarette): It's Been A While Huh Yaku? You're A Leader Of Yer Own Tribe Now.
Yaku(Chuckling, Nodding): Yer Right About That… It's Tiring As Hell Though, But I Guess I'm The Only One Able Ta Do It In The Eastern Tribe.
Jay(Curious): Is It Alright For You Ta Be Here, Without Anyone Watching You're Tribe?
Yaku(Shrugging, Smiling): Probably Not… Those Guy's Don't Stand A Snowball's Chance In Hell At Survivin Against Those Devil's, But… There Are More Important Matters To Tend To.
Yaku's Tone Suddenly Shifts, To A More Serious Tone.
Yaku(Slight Frown, Eye's Sharp): Just A Few Days Ago, Hotoke And That Demon Hunter From The "Foresaken" Managed To Capture Malum's Vessel.
Mel And Jay Both Stop… Their Eyes Slightly Widened.
Mel(Urgent, Tense): Wait… What?! They've Managed To Capture Jason?
Jay(Surprised, Eyes Locked Onto Yaku's): So That's Why You're Here?
Yaku(Shaking His Head, Hand's On The Back Of His Head): Yeah… However Hotoke's Daughter, Kaida Alongside Aaliyah And That Girl Yami Helped Him Escape… But Before He Escaped, He Gave Us Some Information That Needs To Be Investigated, And That Could Stir Up Worldwide Confusion…
Yaku(Curious, Gaze Intense): And You Two Are Actually Needed For Us To Confirm If What He Said Is True… Come With Me, Were Going To Pay A Visit Ta The Old Man…
Yaku(Locking Eyes Directly Onto Jay And Mel's, Arms Dropped To His Pockets): But Tell Me Somthin… Two Years Ago, During The Incident With Malum, Deimos And Adira… Have You Two Been Doubting Yer Memories Of Malum's Vessel?
Mel And Jay Glance At Each Other…
Mel&Jay(Nodding): Yeah.
Yaku(Nodding, Curious): One More Question… What Do You Remember Before All Sorcerers Begun Attacking Malum's Vessel Two Years Ago, Before He Was Branded A Rogue Sorcerer?
Jay And Mel Then Both See A Foggy Memory In Their Minds, And Remember Themselves Looking Up Into The Sky And Seeing A Blinding White Light In The Atmosphere Of Space…
Jay(Serious, Confused): I Remember Seeing A White Light, And Then Everything Jason Has Done Just Began To Replay In My Mind, Like Hundreds Of Memories All Playing At Once…
Mel(Nodding): Same Here… Do You Know Something Yaku?
Yaku Touches His Chin… His Eyes Filled With Uncertainty.
Yaku(Curious, Skeptical): What Exact Memories Of The Crimes Committed By Jason And Malum Did You See?
Mel And Jay Both Then Suddenly Look At Yaku In Confusion After Moments Pass, They Answer The Question.
Jay(Confused, Questioning): What're You Talking About?
Yaku(Confused): Huh?
Mel(Confused, Tense): Yaku… What're You Doing Here In The City? You Said You Had Something To Talk To The Grand Elder About?
Yaku's Eyes Slightly Squint In Confusion, As A Deafening Silence Makes Its Way Into The Tense Atmosphere.
As Suddenly, He Remembers Something Jason Mentioned In The Interrogation…
**Flashback**
Jason(Annoyed): It Happened Too Quickly. Even If Someone Did Notice, The Moment They Tried To Make Sense Of It Their Minds Were Already Overwritten. Think Of It Like A Shadow Creeping Into Your Thoughts— By The Time You Realize It's There, It's Already Too Late.
Jason(Serious): As Soon As Someone Realizes That Their Memories Have Been Altered, The Technique Adira Used Resets Their Memories Again In The Moment They Begin To Remember What Really Happened.
**Flashback Ends**
Yaku(Internally, Serious): This Must Be What He Meant… It Seem's Some Of His Story Checks Out, But Still.
Yaku(Walking, Gesturing For Them To Follow Him): Never Mind… Just Come With Me.
Jay And Mel Walk Alongside Yaku, As Their Faces Are Still Filled With Confusion, And A Slight Sense Of Recognition.
**Meanwhile, Back At The Flame Faction's Village**
In An Open Field, Jason, Selene, Aaliyah And Aria All Stand Ready To Begin Training.
Jason(Curious, Eager): So, Is This Training Gonna Be Different Than Usual?
Kaida(Nodding): Yes… With This Training, Jason You'll Be Fighting Against Aria, You're Mom And Miss Selene.
Selene(Grinning): Oh???
Aria(Surprised): For Real?
Aaliyah(Curious, Unsure): Wouldn't That Be A Bit Overwhelming? Fighting Against Us All At Once?
Jason(Firm): I Guess That's The Point Isn't It Kaida? Testing My Ability To Keep My Cool Under Pressure?
Kaida(Nodding, Smiling): Yes… And I'll Be Watching While Guiding You Through The Process Of Performing The Art Of The Five Flame Gods Technique.
Selene(Eyes Slightly Widened): Oh, That Technique You Used At The Fight Against Cain?
Kaida(Nodding): Yes… It's A Destructive Offense Technique Capable Of Destroying Entire Mountains, However Jason. You've Managed To Take Flame Dancing And Incorporate It Into You're Fighting Style, So While You Perform This Technique, I Want You To Try To Use It Both Offensively And Defensively. I'm Sure You Can Do It.
Jason(Sighing, Eyes Slightly Lowered): You're Overestimating Me Ya'know That?
Selene Then Elbows Jason's Shoulder.
Selene(Grinning): It Should Be Easy For You, But Don't Think Yer On My Level Yet.
Jason(Chuckling): Cockiness Is The Quickest Way To Defeat.
Jason Then Looks Over To Aria…
Jason(Grinning, Playful): Hey Aria, It's Been A While Since We've Sparred Against Each Other… I'll Admit You're Way Outta My League In Power, But I Still Wanna Test My Luck Against You.
Aria Smiles, A Mischievous Yet Playful Grin Forms On Her Face.
Aria(Playful, Grinning): I Don't Think Yer There Yet, But I Guess We're Gonna Find Out Now.
To Be Continued In Chapter 71…