Chapter 26
Raising Demon
"I would've thought that Hylia wanted to personally attend my execution," Ronin said. Farone looked down at Ronin with concern.
"Dear child, I'm not present to give you death, only to judge your life," Farone corrected. Ronin let out a huff.
"In this realm, that may as well be the same thing," Ronin said. "Do what you will." Ronin sat on the chamber floor and breathed slowly to reduce the pain. Lana approached Farone.
"Lady Farone, I only ask for clarity not for an answer," Lana said. Ronin laughed a bit. Lana ignored him and continued. "The machinations of Infurgus are already pinned on him, but is he truly responsible as well?"
Farone nodded to the angel's words and brought Ronin to her eyes. Ronin faced her with a defeated, deadpan gaze. Farone looked at him with a worried gaze.
"Have you given up, child?" Faron asked. Ronin shrugged.
"I couldn't do anything if I tried. At this point, I'm just closer to Death's door than I've ever been," Ronin said coldly. "I knew that I'd be here eventually. So yes… I have given up."
"If you have given up, why is the young angel conflicted with your execution," Farone asked.
"She, apparently, grew conscious of her actions. I don't know why though, I haven't been very kind to her and neither have my friends," Ronin admitted. "What do you think Lana?"
"I know that you and Infurgus are different enough to be seperate entities," Lana said.
"At this point, we are. Infurgus' mark broke when I was clearing the encampment of bandits. He and I are no longer binded by life and death," Ronin explained. "I doubt that will change Hylia's judgement though."
"My child, you are not guilty of the crimes others have blamed you for, but your lack of will let the world burn around you," Farone said. "You are guilty of letting Infurgus wreak havoc up the world around you."
"And that means what?" Ronin asked.
"You must be revitalized. You have been entrusted with a responsibility that your spirit was incapable of handling," Farone explained. "My sisters and I will assist you in your process of revitalization, and return to you the responsibility entrusted at your birth."
"Lady Farone, what about Mistress Hylia?" Lana asked. Farone nodded to reassure Lana.
"She mustn't know. You will return to your duties while I and my sisters bring the boy to a stronger will." Farone instructed. Lana was wary of the words, Hylia wasn't going to accept being undermined by her sisters, but Lana could only judge their judgement.
"Understood, Lady Farone." Lana nodded. She took a brief look at Ronin before retreating from the chamber, leaving Ronin with the goddess. Ronin looked up to fully register the situation. He had never met a true form of divinity, and he knew that Infurgus paled in comparison to the goddess' power. Ronin stood up and took a staggered breath.
"Come." Farone said simply as she walked deeper into her chambers and through a door along the wall. Ronin followed quietly. When he entered the room, Ronin saw a field unlike any he had seen. Flora lost to time had thrived in the field and the beauty surprised. A thicket of trees encircled the field.
"Do you know which domains I have been entrusted?" Farone asked. Ronin nodded.
"Wisdom," Ronin said.
"And, Nature." Farone said inspecting the life within the field. "Life does not thrive unless the wise spread their knowledge, but it presents the question. How do the wise survive to share?"
Ronin shook his head. "Nature guides them?" Farone only shook her head.
"With your time with me, you will ponder this question and rehabilitate your body." Farone said. "The first thing we must do is repair your body." Farone whisked her wrist and the trees ahead of them open up to reveal a glistening pond. Farone walks through the opening and invites Ronin in. This time, Ronin was hesitant. When he passed through the trees he looked at the pond.
"You may rest here, until your body is repaired. Then we will begin your training." Farone said, leaving Ronin with the pond and closing the tree thicket. Ronin was left alone. He let out a heavy breath and entered the pond. He rests in the water and waits. The process was inherently calming and eased Ronin's mind. It had been racing since he had left Konoha.
After days of resting in the pond, Ronin's body had recovered from the damage, but black scorch marks covered his body. Ronin emerged from the pond, the wet bandages falling off his body. The thicket opened as he emerged and Ronin walked through the trees returning to the field with Farone and four others stood in waiting.
"Welcome back." Farone greeted. Ronin nodded.
"Hello," Ronin reciprocated.
"We will start your revitalization with rehabilitation. Your soul has wanned against Infurgsus' fury, so we must begin by building it back up." Farone explained. Ronin looked a bit confused.
"Souls wane? I learned that they're simply to signify forms of mortality." Ronin said.
"A deathly belief." One of Farone's servants chimed. Farone nodded.
"Souls are not only possessed by the mortal, and are far more than a sign of life." Farone explains. Farone held her hand for war, a soft green light emmanating from her hand. "Souls also have physical attributes and can determine the fundamental will and power of a being, even gods."
"And my soul?" Ronin asked.
"Your soul is soft in nature. You aren't weak, but situations have forced you to perform actions against the will of your soul. Since your responsibility is to be a hardened warden, then your soul must be fit to perform."
"Alright then. What do I need to do?" Ronin asked. Farone gestured to the four beings beside her.
"You will be under their instruction. Hopefully you can follow their guidance well." Farone said. "I must depart. I shall return when you have completed the instruction." Farone disappears through the door and leaves Ronin with the four beings.
Ronin inspected the group. The first one approached Ronin swiftly. They were dressed in a forest green robe and a black hat. The other three beings disappeared behind them.
"Your soul is made of four parts. The foundation, your control, provides the fortitude to actions that define your character." Control explains. The field disappears and Ronin is transported deep into a forest. The darkness hides everything around him. Fire spreads from Ronin's feet and creeps up the trees, engulfing them in flames.
"Your life has been plagued by destruction that you let cause." Control says.
"Let?" Ronin asked.
"You did nothing to hold the demon back. Allowing him to reign over your life rather than being under your command. "Let" is how I describe it." Control said. Ronin huffed.
"So what do I have to do?" Ronin asked
"Control the flames. Weaken and absorb the wildfire." Control said. Ronin took a sharp breath and attempted to kill the flames around him. To his surprise, the fire plumed and raged on. Ronin shook his head and took a deep breath and tried to absorb the flames. The fire continued to spread.
"What the hell is this?" Ronin called out. No one answered him. The fire continued to spread, now burning the canopy above him. Flaming branches started to fall. Ronin tried a third time. In a fit of rage, he took a sharp and deep breath, trying to draw the flames to him. In one final flash of light, the flames exploded to a ball of smoke, causing the trees and fire to collapse towards Ronin. Before the trees crashed into him, the forest reset and the explosion returned to a flicker of fire.
"You are a talented child, but your sense of control lacks. So rash to confide in your rage." Control chimes. They appear beside Ronin suddenly. "The fire's life is not easily dwindled. It seeks to grow and cultivate itself, similarly to you, but feeding the fire or taking basic action can not snuff out the fire's desire."
"And? I can easily extinguish flames with my magic." Ronin said.
"And your attempts have proven?" Control asked. Ronin let out a sigh.
"Fatal…" Ronin responded grimly. Control gesture's Ronin to try again. They disappear, leaving Ronin to his devices. The fire begins to grow. Ronin walked up to the fire. It flickers weakly on the leaves. Ronin held the fire in his hand and pressed, covering the flame. When he let go, the fire plumed onto nearby leaves. Ronin looked on a bit stumped as the fire spread, creeping up onto the trees. Ronin stayed in the forest for days, attempting to control the flames. With each subsequent reset, the fires started far more violent. After hundreds of attempts, Ronin yelled out into the void.
"What is this!" Ronin shouted, releasing fire from his body, speeding up the spreading of fire and resetting the forest several times in his rage. After he had calmed, the fires calmed, but they still persisted.
"I know what it is! But I'm never in control, the fire always spreads and I'll never snuff it out." Ronin said. He punched the ground. "Life isn't like this, and if you divine beings are ignorant enough to believe so, then you don't know what being mortal is like." The fire steadily died, and Control appeared in front of Ronin.
"You have caught on, child." Control said, extending their hand to the floored Ronin. Ronin took their hand and stood up. "Remember this lesson, and may the wise guide the young."