Ironic Situation
It has been a year since the Retribution was over. Ecthel is still in Elendia with his Sprite friends. Ecthel decided against going back to Asgard because he was still upset. A year ago he was forced to battle and defeat his best friend. The best friend he had known nearly all fifteen years of his life. As far back as he could remember Ledah was always with him. Always there to protect him from harm. He had watched as Ledah was taken from him… Ledah had saved him one last time throwing his own life away. And Asgard will remind him greatly of Ledah especially the ironic situationshe realizes now. This day Ecthel sat inhis bed room of Lina's Household thinking of the same day of the year but it was about eleven years ago.
Flashback
It was a sunny day and asmall maleangel was playing with his new toy that he just got that day as a birthday present from Hector. He was playing out close to the training grounds. Three bullies saw him and were going to steal it from the boy. "No someone help!" He Exclaimed. Then an angel who looked slightly older flew down from a nearby tree. He has a sphere in one hand and a fruit in the other. He was ready to attack "Hey! What are you doing?" He asked. "Oh no! Let's get out of here." The leader of the bullies exclaimed and they ran away. "Thank you. My name is Ecthel. What's yours?" "I'm Ledah. You should be more careful next time." "Okay. Do you wanna play with me?" Ecthel asked "Sure." The two angels became friends that fateful day. "This is from Hector for my birthday." Ecthel told Ledah. "When?" Ledah asked. "Today." Ecthel said happily glad to have made a new friend on his birthday. "Oh Really? How old are you?" "Five." "Oh. You can hang around with me if you don't mind hanging out with a ten year-old." "Yay!"
End of Flashback
Ecthel sighed. Only Rose knows what today was but since she cannot talk the sprites won't find out. Ecthel was glad about this situation because if he ever gets something he'd remember about Ledah again. (You look sad. You should be happy, you are sixteen today!) "Rose!" (I wanted to tell the girls to cheer you up for your birthday. Why didn't you tell them today was your birthday?) "This time last year… It may as well be a funeral rather than a celebration!" Ecthel exclaimed."Celebrate what?" Serene asked as she entered the bedroom. "Nothing." "That we won the retribution?" Fia asked. "No. Why would I be celebrating the death of so many people? Serene's whole race, Malice and… my best friend." "… What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying we should not be happy that we won?"Lina asked angrily."Yea we saved everyone else!" Cierra said."Why so gloomy?" Serene asked"Irony." Ecthel said."What's ironic?" Fia asked."This is the same day I met himelevenyears ago yet the same day he died protecting me ten years later…" The girls did not really understand what Ecthel meant butleft Ecthel alone. It was best to leave him alone at this time.Ecthel thought of the past.
Flashback
Ecthel was in the training grounds watching an angel train himself. After a few minuets Ledah stopped and came over to Ecthel. "What kind of weapon will you use?" He asked Ecthel "I will be a swordsman!" The small boy exclaimed. "Right. Then you will need a sword." "I don't have one."
The next day after eating Ledah came over to Ecthel "Happy Birthday!" Ledah said handing Ecthel a box. "Thanks Ledah." "You'll find this useful." Ledah said. The gift was a toy sword.
Ecthel was in the training grounds playing with the toy sword Ledah has given him. Ledah wasn't far from him watching Ecthel pretend that he is wielding a real sword and slashing away. "Have you had enough fun yet?" "Ledah! Take out your toy sphere and play with me!" "Heh you wanna try to battle me already?" "What?" "Never mind. I'll play with you."
End of Flashback.
After consideration Cierra left the house. Rose tried to let the girls know that it was Ecthel's Birthday but she couldn't. "Ecthel-kun! Come on! Play with Lina!" Lina called trying to get Ecthel's mind away from sadness. "No, I am sixteen I'm not a kid anymore." Ecthel said.
Flashback
Ledah has received his Diviner. Ecthel was training with a real sword that he had received on his tenth birthday. He saw Ledah fly out from his home. "Hey Ledah! Spar with me!" Ecthel yelled. "We are not children anymore, I do not play around." Ledah said simply. "What? I'm not playing! I want to test my skill!" Ecthel said. "Ecthel, When you are older you will understand. I need to be off now." "Ledah!" How can an eleven year-old understand such maturity?
End of Flashback
Lina is older though… Although Childish, she should understand that. Ecthel now understood what Ledah had meant. When you are older and stronger we will battle. And he was right… Ledah did not want to hurt Ecthel… He never did not even when they were in Yggdrasil.
A while later Cierra returned. She told the others about her plan so they all entered Ecthel's bedroom. Cierra handed a bottle to Ecthel. "Ecthel-kun, here. Take this and wish Ledah back." "What is this Cierra?" "It is a potion that grants a single wish. To find the ingredients is tough because the items are scarce." Cierra said.
"Where did you get it?" Serene asked. "Soala and I were studying magic the other day and found the things needed so we combined our magic to create this one." Cierra explained. "Why are you giving it to me?" Ecthel asked. "We all want Ledah to come back." Fia said. "A single wish you say…" Ecthel asked "Yes." Cierra answered. "How do you make the wish?" Lina asked. "It's simple. All you need to do is to sprinkle it over yourself and then say the wish out loud within thirty seconds."
Ecthel thought hard on what to wish for. Then he sprinkled it over himself and said "Please restore everyone who was good but was killed either as a Sacrifice or killed by someone in the retribution." "Wow! What a wonderful wish... How did you think of it?" Cierra asked."All those poor people died because of Hector… If I just wish for Ledah to return, what about everyone else?"
Then suddenly flames shot out from Lorelei… "Ahhhh! Our House will burn down!" Lina screamed. Ecthel smiled and took the sphere into his hand. "Ledah is back." "How do you know?" "Watch this. Take the Einherjar." At command the Einherjar started to glow green as a holy aura shot out. "That is the signal. If we ever leave our diviner behind we can call to it. Only it's rightful master can though. That way we know where it is. Ledah will be here any second to reclaim it."
After Ecthel said that Ledah really arrived. "Ecthel." "Welcome back Ledah." Ecthel said throwing the Lorelei up to Ledah. "Did I interrupt your birthday party?" Ledah asked."No. I'm not even in the middle of a party." Ecthel answered."I thought you got the wishing potion to wish me back to life as a birthday present. So I thought I'd come to join the party." Ledah said.
Ecthel smiled and said"No. They did not know about it Ledah." "Birthday?" Linaasked shocked."It's Ecthel-kun's Birthday?" Cierra said surprised."I never told them. I wished back not only you I wished for all the lives taken by the Retribution to be restored." Ecthel Explained.
"Well Happy Birthday anyway. I have nothing for you this year though." Ledah said."Ledah, I am not a child anymore. I do not want a gift. All I want is that all my friends will be here with me every year." Ecthel said, The most valuable gift to him nowis the friendship he shares with his friends."You have matured a lot." Ledahsaid."Thanks. What strangeirony right Ledah?" Ecthel asked."Yes. All begins and ends and begins again all on the same day but different years. I'm sorry for last year. That's the worst I realize thatI could have given you." "Ledah! You saved my life! It's something I'll never forget." Ecthel exclaimed. The sprites starts to set up a birthday party.
The End.