Chapter Eight: Our Solace, for now.
Forge Lands...
Chris took a walk with Elder Eidard while Alito stayed behind to help Valus with his blacksmith work.
"Valus is an odd, but quiet Maker. He seemed to be lonely even if he has Alya and the other Makers by his side, thinking that there might be no one there to appreciate his work. That is why he is eager to have met the both of you when you approved Valus's daggers design. He was very intrigued and pleased that someone from the Kingdom of Man would appreciate something of such high craftsmanship." Elder Eidard stroke his beard.
"I am sorry for displaying such admiration just now, Elder Eidard. It goes against what I am." Chris looked down; her eyes drooped slightly.
"No, Chris. It is okay to feel admiration and emotions occasionally. In fact, why do you say that it is wrong?" Elder Eidard spoke softly.
"I thought...I thought it is a sign of weakness, Old One."
"If you think that is because your emotions hinder your progress, then I must say you have experienced the opposite."
Chris shook her head. "I don't follow you..." she said.
"What are you feeling now? Be honest, Chris; no point lying." Elder Eidard asked.
"Determination to save your kind, to prevent the Makers' death, Death's brother War, saving my dimension from destruction, and...and..." Chris found herself raising her voice in determination and turned away in disgust upon realizing that her emotions was getting in the way.
"All in the name of the Fuschia's last will, right?" Elder Eidard spoke.
Chris calmed down and nodded reluctantly, her eyes that of worry.
"As I have said, wouldn't that prove my point and theirs?" the Elder simpered. "They are happy that you exist, and they said that you are not to blame. You care for them. Would that not mean you still have a heart?"
"I..."
"You thought you have succeeded in keeping your parents' promise because you are emotionless. However, your determination keeps you going. That itself is an emotion." Eidard simpered.
Chris continued to look down, looking confused.
"The only reasons why you think that feeling emotions are weak, that your humanity has gone for good, are because of the Fuschia's passing, right?" Elder Eidard asked.
Chris nodded. "All the time when I have slain tyrannical overloads or evil supernatural creatures left and right, while helping the families in need and reconciling families that are on the verge of breaking up. Each time I did that, there will always say that there is something inside both Alito and I. That my humanity and emotions have not died yet...At first, I am oblivious to it. I felt that my humanity and emotions died ever since I betrayed the Fuschias."
"Why is that?" Elder Eidard asked.
Chris looked away as she looked upon the full moon with stars glittering upon the night skies.
"Our research team and I manage to produce vaccines and potentially save civilization from the E-Coli bacterium. I felt that if only I could have discovered it earlier when I am just eight years old, then things might be completely different." Chris then looked down and clenched her fists tightly.
"You have betrayed no one, Chris." Elder Eidard spoke.
"My intelligence would have saved them! I did my very best to help them by taking care of them and summoning the best doctors to help them, yet there's nothing I can do about it back when I was eight." Chris shook her head.
"It happened in a time when the bacterium ambushed you; you cannot do anything about it. You created the cure after your experiences with the bacterium and the effects from the Fuschia's demise, not before. However, it is neither your fault, nor your intelligence to blame." Elder Eidard spoke softly and gave a wistful simper.
Chris could recognize Elder Eidard's tone is not that of arrogance, or even 'Haha, you deserve it, bitch'. In fact, her eyes widened slightly when she realised that Elder Eidard's tone was that of sincerity...
"You seem to sound sincere...I expect you to laugh at me, laugh at my weakness..." Chris tilted her head, wondering.
"When we just met, I told you that our race, though strong, could not destroy the substance that can destroy Death itself." Elder Eidard replied.
Chris sighed.
"The people whom Alito and I saved constantly told us that our humanity is still 'there'. Why, Elder Eidard...Why do you think that they are saying that? They expressed their gratitude, saying that Alito and I have humanity and emotions, which is the reason we are able to save them. I told them that our humanity has died and that we are just carrying out the Fuschia's last will. I am nobody; I am no hero, I am nothing..." Chris shook her head in disbelief once more.
"Yet, they never seem to give up on me. It's not until recently that I kept asking myself...what is Humanity in the first place?" Chris continued.
"Pardon?" Elder Eidard wondered.
"What...What is Humanity to begin with? If they said, "You have that 'Spark of Humanity'"...what is Humanity? Why do they think I have that, when the truth is I am nothing?" Chris asked.
Elder Eidard stroked his beard and approached Chris.
"I can't really say what Humanity is. Humanity is something that we feel, and not described by words alone. All I know is that emotions are involved, and that is it. The journey to Humanity is one that you and Alito must venture yourselves." Elder Eidard simpered.
"You seem like you are testing me, Elder Eidard...A sagely Elder like you would have known what Humanity is." Chris frowned.
"No I don't...There are some knowledge that even we Makers cannot keep. You," Elder Eidard gently tapped his right index finger on Chris's left shoulder, "ultimately test yourself. The Fuschia's death is not the end of you; your real journey in life...has just begun."
"Wait!"
"Yes?"
"Do you think it's my fault that my parents, and the members of the Fuschias, died?" Chris asked.
"Do you really want my honest opinion based on your recounts?"
"The brutal truth, please..." Chris looked with hopeful eyes.
"You're not at fault, Chris. In fact, your parents were happy that you were born into your world. You may deny it, but once your journey in finding humanity is over, you will see why." Elder Eidard simpered.
Elder Eidard took his leave, leaving a slightly tired Chris behind. The Icy Maiden slowly lay down among the lush green pains of the Forge Plains as she looked up the full moon once more.
"Mum...dad...is it really my fault? What is humanity?"
The question would plague her for two years to come...
Then again, that was for another story...
Makers' Forge...
Alito felt a tinge of worry as she saw Chris returning to the Forge with a confused and worried look upon her face.
"My Lady...is something the matter?" Alito asked as she approached the Icy Maiden.
Chris saw her confidante's worried look upon her face and found herself strangely comforted.
"Come, Alito...there's something I want to talk to you about." Chris replied.
Upon a stone bench, Chris recalled everything that Elder Eidard told her about the meaning of humanity, emotions, and that they never lost either one of them.
"I wonder, have I really got nothing to lose? How long will it take us to trudge through the journey to find what humanity is? Do I really betray the Fuschias, or was it really beyond my reach? Are having emotions weak? Will I really get over the Fuschia's death, or am i just one irredeemable bitch? So many questions...so little time..." Chris sighed.
"I not know why too, my Lady..." Alito shook her head as she softly squeezed Chris's hands.
"But if you want to take the journey to find your purpose in life, can I join you?" Alito simpered.
"Even if it takes two years, three, or even our lifetime to find the answers to our questions, you would not mind?" Chris wondered; her eyes widened.
Alito nodded and simpered once more. "I promised, my Lady, that I will follow you even until the depths of Hell. Do you think I am going to abandon you in the middle of such a crucial stage in life?"
"Thanks...Alito, for taking the time to listen to my troubles." Chris wrapped her arms around her loyal servant's waist and held her close in a warm embrace.
Alito could feel a light blush creeping onto her cheeks as she simpered shyly and returned the heartfelt embrace. The night stars sparkled as the glass glistened with dew refracted off the moonlight's shine and the wind whistled through the Forge.
Both Chris and Alito knew that even if it might take years of solitude to figure out the answers to their questions, they at least have each other by their side.
That might just be their solace...for now.
Elder Eidard stood from afar, saw the two women figures' embrace and chuckled. Death stood beside him, wondering why Eidard would chuckle.
"Though they have not realised it...they have that spark in them all along. All they need is time. Even a wounded heart takes time to heal, no matter how long it will take." Eidard simpered.
Death looked at the shattered amulet's fragments on his left chest.
"Absalom...Even if it is not ours to judge, how I wish you could see why Humanity deserves a chance at Eden..." Death sighed.
Next Morning...
"Ready for the Drenchfort, Death?" Chris asked.
"Not as if we have a choice." the Pale Rider nodded.
West Gate of Stonefather's valley
Chris, Alito, and Death saw three big Corrupted Bombs upon huge corrupted crystals blocking the west gate of the Stonefather Valley.
"Strange...I swore the Corruption bombs did not resided over here yesterday..." Chris frowned.
"Time to try Strife's toy." Death took out the silver single-barrel gun and pulled a trigger. A silver bullet fired out of the barrel and shot a Corrupted Bomb. The bomb exploded, causing a chain explosion that wiped out the Corrupted Crystals, freeing the locked gates.
Karn was waiting by the door, impressed by the Death's new toy from miles away. He waved his hammer, calling them over.
"Over here y'all!" Karn shot out from the gate.
Chris, Alito, and Death approached Karn, who wore a relieved smile on his face.
"We tried to seal in the Corruption, but nothing came good of it." Karn shrugged.
"It's okay, Karn. We got this." Chris nodded.
"Just be careful while you head for the Drenchfort, there are prowlers and stalkers around. They are scaly, animalistic, and agile creatures that wander about the Fjord and can pack quite a punch. Oh, and watch out for swarms of fly-like creatures called Stingers too! Their venom, the Mordent Dew, comes out from their tails and they are quite nasty!" Karn warned.
"Thanks for the warning, Karn. We really appreciate it." Chris simpered.
"What of the Tears, Karn? Is there any info you can tell us about?" Alito wondered.
"The Drenchfort lies just beyond this barrier. It was the first thing taken by Corruption. We sealed the Stonefather's Tears inside. fearing what would happen if they spread." Karn explained.
"If we do as Alya asks, you'll soon find out." Death replied.
"Aye. And the realm will be better for it. Whether pure as rain or black as sin, the tears will end this stalemate." Karn agreed.
"But then again, how do I often find you...standing?" Death wondered with a snicker.
"Without the Tree of Life, Horseman, I am trapped here just like you. A fortunate few slipped out before the tree was lost...Like Ulthane." the bald pup replied.
"And who is Ulthane?" Death wondered.
"He's just another Maker. Has a big hammer, is all! When he escaped, I feared to follow. And a good thing too!" Karn replied.
Death sighed. "And why is that?"
"Why, you might still be looking for the Cauldron if not for my courage and wit!" Karn grinned.
"You haven't done anything at all aside from guarding the entrance." Death crossed his arms.
"Death, to be fair, the ice clones that I created helped Karn out in eliminating the potential dangers lurking outside the Cauldron. Plus, wasn't he the one that told us the real location of the Cauldron inside the Charred Pass's dungeon - the Center?" Chris shot back calmly.
"Hmmm...Fair enough." Death grunted.
"Let's get moving then, with the amount of time we spent on our rest we should be able to activate the Drenchfort's Tears within a few hours. What are you going to do, though?" Chris asked Karn.
"I don't know, I'm just a pup." Karn shrugged.
"Why don't you help us in guarding the Drenchfort's entrance? We could use someone as brave as you with the Ice Clones I created." Chris suggested.
"That sounds like an idea! I could do something useful too!" Karn grinned.
Chris and Alito nodded at Karn's cute puppy-like smile.
"Mmm..." Death followed.
Chris, Alito, Death, and Karn travelled through the snowy plains of the Fjord...
"Snow...Feeling of solitude rippling through the lands...What is an emotion to begin with?" Chris wondered.
"Huh?" Karn asked.
"What is an emotion to begin with? Is it just a fancy word for the things we have on our faces, or is it more than that?" Chris asked.
"And what is a soul? Is it some supernatural thing, or does it represent something more? Does it make living things weak having those qualities?" Alito wondered.
"For me...it's the satisfaction I get when I found something new when I'm out exploring!" Karn grinned.
"Are there other meanings to it?" Chris wondered.
"Being alive, kicking, and smashing those corrupted constructs out of my way! Ya know, the simple way of life!" Karn chuckled.
Death looked at the two women and began wondering about the same question.
For eons since his coronation as the Executioner, Death had wondered if he had a soul.
The Pale Rider sighed; since Chris and Alito had so much in common with him in terms of their pasts, there should not be any problem confessing, right? Besides, he is a Horseman - Warriors of Honor.
"Chris...Alito. Mind if I take some of your time and tell the both of you something?" Death asked.
"Sure, Death..." Chris and Alito nodded as Karn waited.
The Pale Rider, Chris, and Alito moved away from Karn for a few strides.
"So, why are you suddenly calling for us?" Chris wondered.
Death gave a deep sigh. "There is something that I want to confess to the both of you. Both of you reminded me of my past so much, that is why I hold huge amount of respect for you two. Just to let you know...earning my respect ain't easy, so consider yourselves lucky enough." Death replied calmly.
Both Chris and Alito nodded; they knew what Death was going at.
"We thank you for respect, Pale Rider. Up to this point, we came to know about the Eden War from Elder Eidard yesterday." Alito replied gently.
"I'm not surprised..." Death gave a low grunt.
Chris and Alito's eyes widened.
"I thought you are going to kill us for knowing it." Chris replied.
"Heh...It won't be long before your curiosity got the better of you both, even if you are from the other dimension. Everyone in this dimension knows about the Eden War." Death replied.
He continued, "But I suspect you have more to ask me about. Go on, ask it."
Chris asked, "We heard Elder Eidard's, so we want to hear your side of your story. And how this crystals that embedded upon your chests are connected to your race."
"How'd you..." Death's eyes widened.
"When the Crowfather and you do battle, we managed to overhear everything that the Keeper of Secrets has to say. About you killing your brothers to keep the Balance and keeping their souls in the amulet." Chris replied.
Death sighed.
"Death, we know that you are not proud of the killing. But since we have revealed ours. You should too, right?" Alito calmly responded.
The Pale Rider looked down, took a deep breath, and exhaled deeply.
"Alright...No harm done I suppose." Death replied.
Death knew that Chris and Alito's have tragic pasts, it should not be a problem to share it since they shared it earlier.
Thing is...what will be Death's point of view?