October 12, 2020:
Author notes:
Hello, everyone! How are you doing?
Well, I bring you the next chapter of my fanfic. What have you though of it until now? I hope you all like it.
So, on November we're back to normal, at least for two months, where I will post every week on Monday, if I have no problems with the time now. And don't worry, this saga of the library is about to end in two chapters, then we're going to continue.
So, for this chapter's soundtrack (always try and seek the extended versions)
-Music: Saint of Hope (Saint Seiya Soundtrack)-
-Music: Beyond the Twilight (Final Fantasy IX Soundtrack)-
-Music: Jikai Yokoku (Digimon Tamers Soundtrack)-
Anyway, hope you like it!
Chapter 40: Meaningful choices.
It's been four days since Alan started his training with David. Since time pass faster in that room, it means it's been two days in the rest of the library, and only a couple of hours in the real world. The passage of time is weird in these rooms.
Anyway, been a day since Alan returned that Shinkou Hadoken back to David, and since then he has been training how to manipulate his Aura and completely emerge it outside. It was harder than he though, since he had to change between his Spirit Aura and his Ice Aura, and sometimes he forgets to do so. But he was getting the hand out of it. Right now he was alone, since David left the room, to go and seek Master Duncan to tell him they will train for a few more days. Since he was alone, he tried to practice his swordsmanship with the Keyblade, and for the last hours, he was meditating, trying to use what David have taught him, as he remembered what he said yesterday.
Alan just woke up from his 4 hour sleep and he was already recovered, something that still surprised him. He was again ready for another day of training.
"Alright, Master David." Said Alan, standing in front of the older mage. "What are we going to do today?"
"I will tell you what you need to perform a Limit Burst." Commented David, looking at Alan. "However, you will have some difficulties, so I will explain it to you."
"Ok! I'm ready!" Alan expressed with determination.
"Good, so let me explain." David said. "I told you that a Limit Burst is just you compacting your Aura, right?"
"Yes."
"Well, first mistake many do is to suppress their aura. That is not what it means. Suppressing your aura is done so your enemy can't detect you. Compacting your aura means you are expulsing much of your aura, but you are trying to compact it. I want you to do that. First, I want you to expulse as much aura as you can. Power up."
"Alright, I'll do so!"
Alan got on guard and began to concentrate. His blue aura flared and become visible, as he was powering up. He expulsed all the aura he could, and he quickly noticed he was stronger than when he entered that room in the first place. Soon, he reached his maximum output, and stayed like that for a few seconds.
"Good. You have become stronger." Said David with a smile in his face. "Now, without reducing your energy output, I want you to compact it."
"Uh…how do I do that?" asked Alan in confusion.
"Ok, your Aura is an extension of yourself. To visualize it better, think in your mind that a bubble surrounds your aura and it is slowly shrinking. Smaller and smaller, until no aura remains on the exterior."
"Ok, I will try it."
Alan closed his eyes and concentrated. He imagined that his aura, still burning, was slowly getting inside his body. In the real world, David saw that this was happening, although slowly. It was normal, as it was his first try.
"Yes, your aura is going inside your body, but still burning. Keep it up." David said, looking at what was happening in front of him with intrigue.
A minute or two, Alan's aura was still visible, but it was only on the outline of his body, like a second skin. However, Alan had a very hard time trying to make his aura even more compact. He can feel his aura just outside of his body, but for some reason, it can't get it smaller. He tried to concentrate, but it was getting harder and harder, like a strange force was pushing back his collapsing aura.
Suddently, something happened.
A small explosion engulfed Alan's body, causing him to lose concentration completely, and fell on the floor in confusion and pain.
"OW! That fucking hurts!" exclaimed Alan in surprise.
"Are you ok?" asked David.
"I think so…"
"What happened?"
"I don't know. I tried to concentrate my aura more and more, but when it reached my inside, some strange force was pushing back. And the more I tried, the more it pushed back! I don't know what happened!"
"I think I do."
"…you do, Master?"
"Do you know how the stars are in balance and don't collapse on their own weight?"
Alan blinked for a few seconds, but he did know the answer. It's just that he didn't expected that question.
"Well, fusion inside the core creates energy, and that energy pushes back the gravity force that wants to crush the star…wait, do you mean…?"
"Yes. It's something like that. Seems your internal aura is pushing back against your intentions to compact your energy." Said David, before sighing in frustration. "I knew this will be a problem."
"Uh? What do you mean?" asked Alan in confusion.
"It seems you will have trouble learning how to use a Limit Burst, Alan."
"What? Why?"
"Because of your limitless energy."
"Uh?"
"Your limitless energy is a double edge sword, Alan. It gives you large quantities of energy, but in the case of the Limit Burst, it gives you more when you try to compress your Aura. It seems your Limitless Energy will cause you problems with the Limit Burst technique."
"Damn it! So…what do we do?"
"…you need more time…" said David, although more to himself than anything.
"What?"
"If you want to learn the Limit Burst Technique, you will need more than two weeks to learn it."
"But… we can only stay in here for two weeks."
"Not if I ask for more time." Said David, before he began to walk towards the door.
"Uh, Master David, where are you going?"
"I will leave you alone for one day." The older mage answered, not turning back. "Today was going to be used to make you learn the Limit Burst, but it will take way more time than I though. I will go outside and ask your teacher, Master Duncan, if you all can stay for more time. I will also be going to search if there is a way to overcome your problem in such a short time. I will be out for 24 hours in this room, and 12 hours on the Library. I suggest you train for this day in your control of your Chi, your Spirit Aura, now that you learned more about it."
"I understand." Said Alan, before bowing in respect. "I will wait for your return."
"I'll be back."
And with that, David opened the doors and got out of the room, leaving Alan all alone.
"Alright! Let's begin!" exclaimed Alan, as he powered up again, and began punching and kicking in the air.
It's been 24 hours since then.
Alan trained all day and eventually fell asleep to rest, and he woke up a few hours ago. He made some warm up before summoning his Keyblade and practice with it, before he began meditating. His training was working. He was getting used to his Spirit Aura, his Chi, or Ki as he will call it.
He thinks he was ready…
He stood on his feet, and closed his eyes. His breath was slow and calm, as he extended his arms forward. He began to feel all the energies around the dome. Not many, but the room was full of magical energies, which made it perfect for training magic.
During all yesterday, he couldn't do a Hadoken, even when he released his Spirit Aura, or Ki as he wants to call it, and tried to train with it. All yesterday he tried to channel his energy, meditating, training and doing karate katas, to concentrate his mind and body. During all yesterday, he could feel it, his Chi was manifesting and combining with his Magic Energy.
Even when he went to sleep, he trained. In his Station of Awakening, he trained with Earth-chan to channel his Spirit Aura, as it was easier to do in his mind. Also, he had more time to meditate, as inside his mind, time passed slower. He felt all his training, both outside and inside, was bearing its fruits.
He remembered a series named Street Fighter Victory, an anime with a lore very different to those in the games. However, he remembered because of some special scenes…and he wanted to apply them.
He extended his arms wide open, and he began moving them clockwise around him. he began to feel the energies around him, slowly, concentrate around him, and being channeled to his hands, as small bubbles of energy. After two rotations, he felt he was ready, and so he concentrated those energy bubbles on his hands. A small orb of blue energy was formed on his hands, as he places them on his side, in the typical 'Hadoken' pose. The orb of energy pulsed and emitted some small lightning, while Alan tried to concentrate those energies. He felt his hands were burning because of the energy, but he resisted it, and concentrated more energy on it.
He looked in front of him, to a "test dummy" in front of him, made of straw. He looked at it, and in one movement, extended his arms forward, releasing the energy.
"HADOKEN!"
The comet of blue energy was released and flew fast towards the dummy. However, Alan noticed the comet was unstable, as it was shaking uncontrollably. Just before it hit the dummy, the Hadoken changed direction, as it curved to the left, and it flew past the dummy, before hitting the wall, or more specific, the shield that protected the wall, absorbing all the energy. Alan looked at this, as he was breathing with some difficulty, like that Hadoken took too much effort to do.
"Damn… seems I don't have full control of it." Said Alan to himself.
"It was a good first try, Alan."
The young human turned back and saw that David was in front of the door to the outside, and he was clapping as he was walking towards him.
"Master David!" Exclaimed Alan in surprise, but at the same time happy to see him.
"You managed to do a Hadoken after less than two days." Said the older mage. "Normally, it takes a few more days to learn it after learning to manipulate your Spirit Aura/Chi. But you learned it after two days. Very interesting."
"Yeah, but I don't have control over it." Said the human, looking at the place where his attack hit.
"You will get used to it. It was unstable because you weren't used to the energies, but as you get used to it, it will become more stable. We need to train more with your Chi, but also your Magic, otherwise, it will be a waste. However, since no one in this world knows how to use their Chi and only use Magic, you will have an advantage."
"How so?"
"Different kinds of energies. For example, Reflega will have a hard time to resist a Hadoken instead of a Firaga, since Chi energies are different from Magic ones."
"Ohh, I see! Very interesting! I will train more with my Ki and become better at it!"
David smiled at his enthusiasm. He really wanted to learn those techniques and be better.
"By the way, Master." Alan started. "Did you find a way for me to learn the Limit Break?"
David sighed, and Alan took as a bad signal.
"Unfortunately, there is no short method or trick to learn the Limit Burst." Said David. "All Keyblade Champions had to learn it from the beginning, as one of the first techniques they learned. You, Alan, trained on your own for several weeks and increased your power to the point your Limitless energy began to flow naturally. Because of that, it will be harder for you to learn a Limit Burst."
"What? Really?!" asked Alan in surprise. "You mean to tell me because I trained on my own to become stronger, I actually limited myself and can't use the Limit Break?"
"Limit Burst." Said David. "And no, you CAN use the Limit Burst. However, for you it will be harder to learn. And because we don't have THAT much time, trying to learn it will be a waste of it. We will have to concentrate on other things, and take advantage of these next 3 weeks."
"Three weeks? So you convinced them?"
"Yes, they said it was ok, as that will give them more time to train too and learn more spells."
"I see!"
"While we can't train Limit Burst, I can tell you something about it."
"Yeah? What about it?"
"A Limit Burst is NOT a special attack. Limit Burst is a power up that will make your next series of attacks or a single attack extremely powerful. It is the explosion of your Aura to empower you."
"Oh, so it's not an unique technique that I can use? So I can use a Limit Burst using my Hyougan, while the next time I use it I use a Hadoken o Blizzaga instead?"
"Exactly." Said David. "It's more of a power up than a special technique. Normally, people use it to power up a special attack, but you can easily just power up yourself and attack your enemy with punches and kicks, or hits with your Keyblade. It lasts a few seconds, so that is why people use normally special attacks."
"I get it. A power up instead of a special attack."
"Obviously, with the extra energy, you can make attacks you normally can't use. However, eventually you will be able to use them without the need to go into Limit Burst, but if you use it, they will become even more powerful."
"Nice! I hope I can FINALLY do a Kame Hame Ha in the real world. Alright! I'm ready to continue training!"
"That is good to know, Alan!" exclaimed David, as he got on guard. "Today, we will fight. I want you to attack me with ALL your strength. Show me how strong you have become!"
"Alright! You got it!" Exclaimed Alan, as he jumped back to make distance, before immediately powering up, his Ice Aura, with a little of his Spirit Aura, showing. David smiled.
"Excellent! I am waiting!"
"Here I come!" Alan exclaimed, as he dashed towards David with all his energy, preparing a powerful punch with his right fist.
David was ready, and he lifted his left hand, and immediately caught Alan's punch. Both of their auras exploded, as the whole room was engulfed in light.
The ceiling of the training room changed, showing a starry night sky. On the floor of the room was Alan, looking up…with several bruises on his body. The white top of his Karate Gi was gone, leaving him with only a black t-shirt, that had both of his sleeves missing. The left leg of his pants was also missing, while a hole was on the knee part of his pants' right leg. He looked completely exhausted, as he was lost in the stars.
"Damn…I lost again…" he said to himself more than anything…but he was heard.
"Well, that was obvious." Said David, who was standing close to his head, and looking at the figure of his new student. Unlike Alan, he was mostly intact, save for the sleeve of his right arm, which was mostly burned off. "I am a Master. It will be illogical you could beat me so easily."
"Hehe, I know…ow…" said Alan, as he groaned in pain.
Their battle lasted for almost another day, almost 20 hours straight, and while David saw Alan was progressing, he was still weaker than him.
…then again, almost everyone on this planet was weaker than him…except for Exus.
"Aren't you going to heal me?" asked Alan
"Not this time." Said David. "Your wounds will help you become stronger. They will heal by when you woke up."
"Ow…I think I have a broken rib…"
"Quit whining. If you had a broken rib, you will be tossing in pain."
"It does feel like a broken rib."
"…do you KNOW what a broken rib feels like?"
"…no…but I do know how a broken LEG feels like."
"Not the same, so suck it up."
"Damn it…ow…"
"Don't worry, you'll become stronger after you recover."
"What? I am a damn Saiyan now? … I actually don't mind that…"
"Heh, your limitless energy will help your body recover fast once you rest."
"Ah, I see..." Alan said, giving it a though, before asking something. "Say, where does that limitless energy come from?"
David turned to look at Alan, and smiled, pointing at his chest.
-Music: Saint of Hope (Saint Seiya Soundtrack)-
"From your Heart."
"My Heart?" the human asked in confusion.
"Yes. The Heart of a Keyblade Champion is different from any other mortal being. It has unlimited potential; some even say they can create miracles."
"Miracles?"
"Yes. Your Heart is like a small universe, and it has unlimited amounts of energy that you can use."
'That sounds SO Saint Seiya.' Alan though, chuckling a little. "So I have a universe inside of my Heart? Well, everyone says each mind is a universe, so I suppose makes sense."
"It's mostly true." Said David, as he sits on the floor next to Alan.
Immediately, the whole room changed, and it look like they were on a small hill, full of grass, looking at the night sky. Alan can also feel a 'breeze' flowing around them.
'Heh, magic, I suppose.'
"We are all part of this immense universe." said David, looking at the sky. "Doesn't matter who we are, we are all part of it. And we have that universe inside all of us. Keyblade Champions have the power of the stars in their hearts, and they will be able to channel those energies."
"The Stars?"
"Yes. That is the source of your limitless energies. Your Heart is like a small fragment of a Star, and when Keyblade Champions use it, they are able to crush the stars themselves. Alan, ignite your Aura, and let your fist crush the stars."
"Crush the stars, eh?" Alan asked for himself, as he looked to his fists, and then at the sky. He then noticed something, "Hey…that constellation…it looks like…"
"I think your civilization calls it Orion, right?"
Alan, still on the floor, turned his head to look at David with surprise.
"Wait, how did you…?"
"We told you, no?" asked David. "We knew you were supposed to arrive in here. How can we don't know if we didn't know about your world?"
"You mean…you have been to Earth?"
"Only in spirit. We can't travel to the portal to your world, but could use our minds to go there… during 3 weeks."
"Three weeks? That is the time that…"
"…those strange events happened on your night sky, right? There was a small portal that opened, so we could send our minds to see this new world. We saw your world for 3 weeks before you came here. And during that time, the usual constellations you normally saw were completely changed, the same happened on this world: For 3 weeks, Regno Tenebrae had Earth's night sky, and Earth had Regno Tenebrae's."
"WHAT?! So the sky I am looking right now is…!"
"…the one you always had over your world."
Alan looked at the sky in surprise. He wasn't a sky watcher, especially since he lived in a big city so the stars were VERY rare to see. However, he couldn't ignore that he felt some familiarity to it.
"How does it feel? To see your night sky again after several months away from your home?"
David's question was answered not by words…but by tears.
Eyes still glued on the night sky, Alan couldn't, nor wanted, contain the tears coming out. They slowly rolled over her cheeks and behind his ear, before falling on the floor behind his head. That is the only answer David needed.
"Alan, even if you are in another world, we all, from different perspectives, share the same night sky in this universe, no matter the distance. We are all connected. Just like the bonds that unite our Hearts."
"…bonds…" said Alan, still letting his tears come out.
"Let your friends become your strength, and you became theirs. Ignite your own Heart, so it can ignite theirs in their own way. Together, you will be able to beat anything."
"Master David…"
"You will become stronger over time. And soon, you will be able to crush the stars. Let the light of the universe enlighten your Heart, and follow your path. Only then you will realize your part in this universe."
Alan looked at the night sky again and, while still crying of emotion, smiled with determination. He will become stronger, and help his friends with this menace. He will…protect them all.
"I will… ignite my aura to infinity."
-Music End-
She was panting and sweating really hard. Her legs felt like they were made of jelly. She was shaking constantly and had some vision problems right now.
She didn't expect that spell to be THAT hard to do.
"Damn it… it's REALLY tiresome…" said Kuarzo, as she failed to make that spell.
She was in a room similar to Alan and David. However, this one didn't had that time field, so time in that room pass the same as in the rest of the Library. Instead, it had a reinforced energy shield, as she knew this spell was powerful.
She was alone, and have been training in there for the last day or so, after she got that book. She wanted to learn that spell but…she lacks the magic power.
"I won't give up!" said Kuarzo to herself. "I will learn this, just in case I need a powerful spell against our enemies!"
She wanted to become even better and stronger. And she wont stop iuntil she manages to do so.
"Alright, here I go!" exclaimed Kuarzo, as her Magical Aura began to flare up. "Heed-"
"What are you doing, Kuarzo?"
The busty blondie bit her tongue in the middle of the spell when she heard someone naming her. She turned back to the door to see the OTHER busty blondie mage, her sister Kristal, just closing the door behind her. Quickly, Kuarzo tried to hide the book.
"Ohh! Kristal onee-san! What are you doing here?!" asked Kuarzo, trying to hide her true intentions.
"I was searching for you all day." Kristal answered, obviously noticing her strange actions of her sister. "What were you doing here?"
"NOTHING! Nothing at all, hehe…"
"Kuarzo… I know you are hiding something. What is it?"
"Eh… n-nothing, I swear!"
"Kuarzo."
Not knowing what to do, Kuarzo just sighed, and decided to reveal the truth…
…not really.
"I… I want to surprise Alan-kun when I see him again!"
"Uh?" asked Kristal in surprise. "What? Why?"
"Well…I'm sure he'll miss us in that place, so I wanted to surprise him."
"How?"
"Uh… I don't know, but I was reading a book from another world, named Kamazu…Kamasito?...Kamazauna? I don't remember…"
"Knowing you, it's a lewd book, Kuarzo."
"IT IS!" She exclaimed happily. "It has ALL sex positions know by us and some that we didn't even knew!"
"S-S-SEX POSITIONS?!" Exclaimed Kristal, blushing like mad. "Why the hell are you reading something like that?!"
"Because I want to surprise Alan-kun!" Exclaimed Kuarzo, smiling brightly. Kristal's eyebrow just twitched.
"You…want to have…sex with…Alan…when you see him again?!"
"…I kinda want to…but I don't think he wants that…for now. So I respect his decision."
"Then…why are you reading that book?!"
"I mean, I don't plan to have sex with him for now… that doesn't stop me for, well, trying those with our clothes on."
"Are you serious?!"
"Of course!" She exclaimed, as she grabbed the book, the one that had those powerful spells she didn't want her sister to know she was trying to learn, and offered it to her. "Here! Check out those lewd positions! Since Alan-kun loves breasts so much, I learned many things we can do with our boobs on him! Check them out!"
"Get that thing away from me! I don't want to know about your pervert fantasies, sis!" Exclaimed Kristal, backing out a little.
Kuarzo just smiled.
'Just as planned.' She though. 'Onee-san would never read a lewd book like that. It worked like a charm.' "Ok, ok, no book for you."
"…You are a big pervert, sis." Expressed Kristal with frustration, causing Kuarzo to smile.
"Hehe. I know. But sis, you should know of those poses too…when you want to have fun with your special one."
"…we are too young to think like that, Kuarzo!"
"…I know but...we should enjoy our life…in case something happens."
Kristal looked at Kuarzo, who was more serious now.
"Why?"
"You want to know why Master Strum is like that with all the women he sees?" asked Kuarzo, causing more confusion on her sister. "It's something that he told us, and something I agree with."
"What is it?" Kristal asked, now curious about the reason.
"…because we could die at any moment."
"Uh?"
"Master Strum told us that we should enjoy our life, because we don't know when we will be killed by an enemy or something. So I decided I want to enjoy my life, no matter if I am still young!"
"…Sis, you were a pervert even before you meet Master Strum a year ago."
"Was it really just one year?"
"Year and a half, I think. But yeah, you were a pervert already."
"I know! But…I just want to enjoy life…specially in this mission of ours."
"…Is that why you want to stay close to Alan?"
"I love Alan-kun. He is a cute guy, and I have decided that I want to be with him, even if he doesn't choose me. That is why I want to be close to him. I want to hug him so I can feel him and he can feel me too. Because… we don't know when will be the last time I will be able to do so…"
"Kuarzo…"
"That doesn't mean I want to die. Just like Master Strum keeps saying: We need to walk forward, to that future we have in our minds."
"I never heard him saying that…" said Kristal in confusion.
"He keeps saying that to us since we became his students, but he'll probably say it eventually. It's his way of life: walk forward to that shiny future, and if we can't reach it, at least have no remorse in life."
"I… I see…"
"…so yeah! Let's read this book together, sis!" exclaimed Kuarzo, pushing 'the book' close to Kristal's face.
"NO! Stop it!" Kristal exclaimed, backing away again.
"Ok, ok, no more lewd stuff." Said Kuarzo, hiding the book again. "So…why were you searching for me?"
"Oh, right!" Kristal said, completely forgetting what she came in the first place. "I was offered to be trained by Hinoka, that redhead mage. Want to come with me?"
"Oh, sure! It will help us all, especially since we need to become stronger!"
"Great! So we shall go!"
"Can I join?"
Both girls turned to look at the door that was open again, and they saw the Silent Magician, who was just closing the door.
"Oh, Iridia!" Expressed Kristal in surprise. "Weren't you with Master Strum, helping him to create those talismans?"
"Yeah, but he told me that he can continue on his own." Said Iridia, her voice still sounded so…indifferent.
"I see! Then sure, you can join us!"
Iridia smiled and Kristal began to walk to the door. Kuarzo, however, was not moving, as she was thinking of something.
"Say, onee-san." Started Kuarzo, looking at Kristal.
"Yes, sis?" asked the Dark Magician Girl, turning to look at her younger sister.
"Should we tell Alan-kun, the Sages and Dinara…who Iridia is in reality?"
Kristal turned to look at Iridia, who looked back at her. Both girls just smiled at each other, before looking at Kuarzo.
"No, maybe later." Said Kristal, smiling a little. "I want them to be even MORE surprised when we reveal it. Say, does Master Strum know about it?"
"You are kidding? He figured it out a few hours after we became his students!" Exclaimed Kuarzo in surprise.
"And I'm sure Master Duncan already knows too." Said Iridia.
"Well, then we shall wait, until we meet with one of the others." Kristal commented. "I wonder who will we meet first…"
"It will be…interesting." said Iridia, closing her eyes and smiling. "I'm sure they wouldn't expect it."
"I am sure they won't." Said Kuarzo, before walking towards them and hugging both by the shoulders. "Alright, then let's go and train, sis."
"You are on!" exclaimed Kristal.
And so, the three girls left the room to go and seek for Hinoka, with a little secret between them.
-Music: Beyond the Twilight (Final Fantasy IX Soundtrack)-
Master Strum was alone. He has finished the creation of the talismans and he had thanked all the ones who helped him with them. Right now, he was in a special room, named the Library of the Crescent, a circular room with a large image of a crescent moon floating in the middle, and a starry sky on the ceiling. The moon emitted a bluish glow, allowing him to read. He was alone in that room.
He was reading some books that he asked from the mages he got help, books that those mages suggested them to not read, but he still wanted them to do so.
He needed to do so.
As he flipped through the pages, sitting beside the large image of the floating moon, taking a few shoots of beer he got from other mages, he sensed a presence of someone in the room. He didn't need to look to knew who was it.
"Hello again, old friend."
Coming out of the shadows made by the pillars of the room, the Dark Magician Duncan emerged.
"Strum, what are you doing here?" asked Duncan with confusion.
"I could ask the same, Duncan." Said Strum, as the Dark Magician walked and sit on the chair on the opposite side of the table. "What are you doing here?"
"I was searching for you, since I went to the room where you were making those talismans, but seems you already finished with them, right?"
"Exactly. I already finished with them." Said Strum, taking his glass of beer and taking a sip of it. "I will do more later, in case we eventually meet other people who joins our party, but for now, I want to learn some new spells."
"I see." Duncan commented. "And what kind of spells are you learning?"
"Take a look." Said Strum, as he passed the book to Duncan.
The purple haired magician took the book and began to flip through the pages. After a few seconds, his eyes opened in surprise, understanding the meaning of these spells.
"Wait, Strum…these spells are…"
"I know, I know. But I had to learn one of those, at least." Said Strum, knowing very well why Duncan was confused.
"But…why these spells?" asked Duncan, wanting to know the reason.
"In case we fail in our mission." Strum said darkly.
"In case we fail?"
"Friend, we both know that our chances of failing are high." Strum said, as he leaned back on his chair. "Four crystals destroyed, one on the verge of collapse, and that only leaves one, which not sure we could reach it in time. Do you really think there is no chance of failing?"
Duncan closed his eyes and sighed, as he though what his old friend told him.
"You are right." Said Duncan with some heavy heart. "I have thought about it too since the destruction of the Water Crystal. However, I was hoping that with Alan, a Keyblade Champion, with us, we could defeat them with ease. However…"
"We can't put all of our hopes on him." Strum commented. "He is a Keyblade Champion, but he is an inexperience one. We have to do our part to help him. He will be able to do great things, even beat Exus…but he needs more time and training."
"Yes, he does. Master David seems to know what he is doing, almost like…"
"…like he has done this before, right?" said Strum, smiling. "Well, he said he lived almost 10,000 years ago. Maybe he met some of these Keyblade Champions in the past."
"Yes, I though too." Said Duncan, looking at the book again. "Are you sure about this?"
"Just like I always said: We need to walk forward, to get to that shiny future. If Exus beat us, then it's over. End of the line. We have to find a way to keep walking forward."
"But still…learning these?"
"Just in case, old friend. I hope to not use it but, if I had to… I will, to save everyone. They are young, and so they need to enjoy their life."
Duncan looked at this friend, and just sighed and smiled.
"We are not that old, Strum." Said Duncan.
"I know, but they are younger." Strum answered back. "They need to enjoy life. And I'll be damn if I let them die. Wouldn't you do the same for your students, old friend?"
"…I will."
"Then I suggest you to learn one of those spells too, old friend. Just in case."
"You are right, all for our students."
"Then let's have a toast."
Duncan smiled, put the book down and summoned a glass of red liquid, whiskey, so he could toast with his friend. He took the glass, and he and Strum's beer glass made contact.
"For our loved students." Said Strum. "That we are willing to die for."
"For them." Duncan started. "The younger generation, that we will put our hopes into. For the future."
"We will walk forward, my friend. To that future were they can live in peace."
Both mages took their own drinks, and relaxed a little, hoping for a better tomorrow. That still didn't stop Duncan for eyeing the book that his friend was reading, and that he wanted to learn a spell from. He read the title of the book again and just sighed.
Those were spells that can only be used once…because of the nature of those spells.
Those spells were a necessary evil. Just in case everything else ended badly.
Those were…
Self-sacrificing Spells.
End of Chapter 40
-Music: Jikai Yokoku (Digimon Tamers Soundtrack)-
Chapter 41 Preview:
Alan: Hello! Alan here! While we train in the library, many things continue to happen in the outside world. Now...it's Reed's turn again...
Exia: alright, human! Get ready! Because tomorrow, we will invade and destroy...the Shiranui Clan.
Reed: Who the hell are those?
Exia: They are the gatekeepers to the Fire Temple, so...they are in our way. And we have reinforcements!
Reed: What? Those are...
Don't miss the next chapter of The N-Warriors: Shadow Realm Saga: The Chronicles of Reed, pt2
Reed: I...will...kill...YOU!
Xioné: You should thank me, human. Thanks to me, you got to feel Exia's breasts and LIVE to tell the tale.
Reed: I am NOT my cousin Alan!
Author Notes:
AND DONE! Another chapter ready. I hope you all liked it.
So Alan's training continue, and he is getting the hand out of his Spirit Aura, or Ki as I will be calling it from now on. He will slowly turn into a shounen hero XD
Kuarzo is trying to learn a new and powerfull spell without anyone noticing, but Kristal ALMOST discovered her. Still, Kuarzo know what Kristal DOESN'T like or is to shy to even try to talk about it, so she managed to escape. However, we now know one of the big reasons why she is so open to anyone: the fear of dying without enjoying life. Maybe Kristal will take that more into consideration in the future and open herself up to her feelings.
And Strum and Duncan talk...and seems like both of them know the chances of success are low, even with Alan in there, so they are preparing to do anything to save their students...
...even if that meant giving their lives to do so.
So, Reed's next. I was actually planning to move Reed's chapter for a later date, maybe after the Library saga, but I though you all may be getting tired of all training and stuff, so I decided to place it in here to have something different. I hope you like the idea.
Well, i hope you all like this chapter. I will work on the next ones and see what I can do to get better.
Anyway, see ya in two weeks on the 26 of October! See ya next time!
-SaiyanX logged off!-
