Chapter 11
Keeva realized the changed atmosphere, what was once, nothing more than two strangers bonding over flowers had quickly turned into her expressing her deepest turmoils about her home's impending doom.
Feeling responsible for the awkward silence and a little embarrassed she faked a smile towards Areon.
"I don't want you to worry about any of that though. Besides, if anything happens I'll be right here to protect ya! I can't fail a junior now can I? Haha!'
Areon chuckled in response to the claim.
"How about you focus on you and I'll worry about me."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean! Oh I get it, you don't think that I can protect ya because I'm a girl is that right?"
"No it's not that, it's just-"
Keeva didn't wait for him to finish his reply. From deep inside of her leather purse she pulled out a green, luminescent element stone that was attached to a necklace and shoved it in Areon's face.
"Oh snap! You got an element stone!"
"Thats right! I have the wind element, and I'm real good at using it too! Just the other day I was almost able to knock over a cow! Soon I'll be able to take on E - Rank monsters when I get older."
She put the stone back into her purse before pressing her index finger against her lips.
"Keep it a secret though, okay. No one's supposed to know that I have this. And if someone tries to rob us out here we're done for."
Areon laughed before nodding his head,
"If you're able to make use of that, forget being a petal you might be a whole wild flower."
This only made Keeva more annoyed.
"I'm being serious! You big oaf, you must be allergic to safety."
"Something like that, I guess."
"Whatever, all the more reason I need to protect you. A kid like you will get yourself killed in no time."
There was a brief pause before Keeva spoke again.
"...It would be nice to be like a wildflower though."
"Then do it. You can't just let someone bully you out of that, or waste time talking about how it would be nice."
"Well, I have to make sure that you don't die first."
Areon chuckled again before he sarcastically replied.
"I'm glad that I have someone as strong and courageous like you to be protecting me."
Keeva paused for a moment before a smile tugged across her face.
"Of course, I can't lose my only flower watching buddy."
Then before any other words could be spoken there was a shiver that went down Keeva's spine as a beeping noise sounded from inside of her purse.
"It's late right now isn't it? Crap, I didn't notice how much time had gone by."
She pulled out a sphere shaped plant that was glowing blue and red, before pulling on it's root to stop it from making anymore noise. Areon tilted his head to the side.
"What is that?"
"Oh, it's my alarm plant. I keep it so that I don't get too carried away and it makes sure that I head back home before my grandpa notices. So, I should really get going now, and you should too, it's not safe at this time of night."
"Everything is really powered by plants here!"
She put the sphere back inside of her purse before patting mister Puff Puff on his head one last time.
"It was nice meeting you Areon. It really beats being alone all the time. Let's try going flower watching again tomorrow."
"I'll try!"
Then he watched Keeva walk over the hill and soon disappear into the darkness.
The next day came around and Krieus woke up to see Areon training his element stone using piles of dirt as target practice around him.
"Ah, pops you're up!"
The boy quickly noticed that his father was awake, using the view from the corner of his eye.
"Indeed, is the cage still around?"
Areon glanced above them whilst observing the flickering static.
"Yup!"
"Hmm… I see. I'll be going back to sleep then."
Areon hurriedly rushed in front of Krieus using the fire to propel himself on top of the dragon's snout.
"Wait, wait, wait! I have a request!"
"A request? If it's a walk again, you should wait until night time, too many people might see you if it's this early, it'll give away our location."
"No, not that. Something much worse."
"...Worse?"
"I have a dangerous training idea!"
"..."
"If we do it, then it means we didn't travel here for nothing, but it's still reckless. I need you to hear me out!"
Krieus was apprehensive towards the thought but he was even more opposed to not listening to the child's ideas, it was better he knew of them than to be dismissive.
"Alright, let's hear it."
Areon began to relay the events of what happened to him the previous night whilst expressing his concern for the elven tribe.
"How is this a training idea?"
"Because it's real practical experience with fighting monsters!"
"..."
"I know it's none of our business but we can't just sit back and let these people lose their land because of a stupid plant!"
"..."
Krieus had remained silent throughout the whole tale. He understood that the boy wanted to extend a helping hand for these people and that he didn't want his conscience to be muddled. But that was not enough of a reason for Krieus to risk Areon's safety and let him venture out into a nation that was currently trying to kill him. Should push come to shove, as much as he didn't like the idea, Krieus would let all of the elves burn if it meant saving Areon. The boy continued.
"Doesn't everyone on this territory deserve the chance to sit back and at least watch flowers from time to time?"
The boy reached into his pocket, he rummaged through it before showcasing the flowers he had picked up beforehand to show Krieus.
To Areon's surprise, his horrible storage of the plants had impacted their presentation. They were wrinkled and ugly, causing both of him and Krieus to make a face of intense disgust and wince. Krieus kept his thoughts to himself.
"...This makes me want to puke."
"They weren't that bad when I first saw them, I promise! You can kind of see my point though, right? Soon they'll end up naturally looking like this because of the Maimo! Don't they deserve to still have beautiful flowers?"
"Even if it's after taking that territory from the dragons and threatening to kill a child?"
"I thought the dragon empire sucked anyway?"
"They indeed do, but did that give them the right to claim what wasn't theirs and attempt to take our lives? We cannot risk our lives for people out of pity. It will only fuel their hatred."
Areon couldn't deny the validity of his words.
"While It is good that you have made a friend but what if she finds out about your human heritage, what will you do then?"
Areon was stumped, he sat down in a crossed legged position and muled over his next words carefully in his head.
"Maybe they don't deserve it. But it doesn't sit well with me to let them die while we leave without doing a thing to help. Even if they attack me I still want to see them live. It's why we weren't being lethal with the robbers right?"
"Being merciful to your opponents and attempting to save a broken people are two very different things."
"We only have to destroy the parasite attached to their tree, once we do that we can leave as if nothing happened, right?"
Krieus shook his head out of disappointment, but Areon continued to push.
"Would you let your friend go through something like this?"
Then silence fell on the two. This disagreement had called the morals of the dark dragon into question. The area continued to be noiseless as Areon awaited his father's answer. Soon he spoke.
"I would abandon everything in the world if it meant keeping you alive."
The dragon drew another breath before he continued.
"Truthfully, I suppose that I can't answer your question, since all of my friends that I know have turned on me. Though I still understand your sentiment."
Throughout the conversation Krieus had begun to ponder, he did not want Areon to develop with the same jaded view that he had of the world. He wanted the boy to grow up strong enough to protect himself, but if he couldn't defend others, the dragon was practically setting him up for a tragedy.
Though he couldn't shake the memories of Areon being on death's door. Through that damned winter, and the incident with the sea snake, the troublesome orcs. It just seemed as though, where Krieus wanted nothing more than to live a quiet life that Areon was a magnet for trouble.
"Why is it so hard to keep this child alive?"
However he very clearly understood where he was coming from. The idea of making Areon live with the fact that a tribe of elven people were left for dead when his actions could have possibly prevented it, would no doubt be particularly damaging for him in its own way. Especially if he had grown fond of their kin.
With deep breath Krieus had given Areon another question.
"Is this how you want to use your power?"
With a solemn nod, Areon confirmed.
"It's not that I don't understand that to protect them is harder than protecting me, especially when they're trying to kill me. But if all I can do with my sword is protect myself then I'd rather not have a weapon."
"I see…"
Krieus began to get up and stretch his limbs before replying.
"Then I shall take this moment to test you."
Areon had a drip of sweat fall from his forehead. While mister Puff Puff cowered in fear hiding behind a pile of dirt.
"If you demonstrate enough will power in a fight against me then I will coincide."
Krieus maintained a proud smile on his face while he invited Areon.
"You said this was a dangerous training idea right? Come on then, I need to make sure you're ready." He chuckled lightly to himself.
"There is no need to be nervous, that will only make you weaker in battle. This next exercise that we're doing will be simple. If you can stop me from landing a single blow on mister Puff Puff, then we will save the elves. But if not, we will leave once the cage is down.
Areon got up off of the ground and tried to keep his composure. He remembered that Krieus' goal had always been to make Areon stronger than him, with enough training. So even though he seemed insurmountable now, he had to remember that his father wouldn't want him to place limits on himself. Not even if the limit was him.
"I've never given you an impossible task, Areon. Show me your resolve! Because if you don't have it, make no mistake that this mission will kill you!"
Thoughts rushed through the boy's head.
"That's right! He's been training me this entire time to surpass him! I can't afford to be afraid of something like this now. Besides, It might be easier than I think."
Areon blasted himself in the air before landing directly in front of mister Puff Puff with a grin on his face. He decided to match his father's enthusiasm. While mister Puff Puff whimpered in despair, almost certain that his life was over.
The dark dragon made a circle of fire on the side of the valley for Areon to see. It slowly began to deplete, as gradually pieces vanished from the initial shape, this was a timer.
"This ring of fire will completely disappear once sixty seconds have passed. Try to do your best until then."
Areon gave an affirmative nod that Krieus returned in kind before starting his attack.
"Okay, here I come!"