Chapter 14: The Will to Fall
Nina had gone in depth on what we have, and what we need. Obviously we had the amulet and the sword. We also had the shield, and the armor. We did not have the dreamstone.
We had started migrating toward her camp.
"Kahn, about Shisuta. She is aware of the cause, but not all of it."
"Not all of it? Then what does she know?" I asked.
"Remember, I was fragmented." She said. "So the cause was fragmented too. She knows about the cult, nothing more. However, the children know."
I was curious. "How do they know, when Shisuta doesn't? They were all working together."
She smiled. "Well, I had a back up of course. He is an unchanging immortal named Shinjitsu, and he is the oldest boy in the group. In reality, he's as old as I am."
I nodded slowly. "I see, that makes sense."
We entered the camp.
An older boy saw us, and approached us. This must be Shinjitsu.
"Is this the one?" He asked.
She nodded.
He looked at me, and bowed his head. "Welcome, my lord."
"Th-That won't be necessary." I said. "A handshake will do just fine."
He smiled. "Very well."
He held out his hand, and we shook.
"My name is Shinjitsu, and what may I call you?"
"Kahn, and just Kahn." I said. "There's no need to be so formal with me, Honest!"
He looked at me curiously. "I see. Your casual nature is unusual, but should be quite fitting for your position. The ability to reach the people will serve you well."
He gestured to a large tent. It looked vacant.
He saw the children begin to stare as they entered.
"Is that 'Him'!?" One whispered.
"That's gotta be him!" Said another. "No one was allowed enter that tent until 'He' showed up. Shinjitsu told me himself!"
We entered the well built tent, and there was armor and a shield hanging from the wall.
I was nervous. "H-Hold on." I said. "What if it's not me!? What if I can't weird all three pieces?"
Shinjitsu walked over to me, and laid a hand on my crossbow. His hand began burning.
He lifted his hand.
"No, it's definitely you. No one else can wield this crossbow but our champion."
I looked at his hand, it was severely burned.
"Your hand, it's been burned. You should really get that healed, or wrapped. It looks painful."
He shrugged. "It is painful... Can you heal it for me?"
I tensed. I had lost all healing abilities when I had been stripped of my Lumina essence.
"I can't heal it." I said.
Nina lifted the armor and shield off of the wall. When she removed it, a seal broke, and the armor seemed to fly onto me. The shield as well. Both disappeared once they were applied.
Shinjitsu looked at me.
"Can you heal me now?"
Wait... I could. What was this... This energy!? I could heal him, and I could also destroy him.
"I think so..." I said, still in awe. "H-Hold out your hand."
He did.
I grabbed it, and felt the healing energy flowing through me. His hand had healed, and I had done the healing.
Nina smiled. "That armor and shield will appear in times of need. As will your weapon."
I looked back. She was right, the weapon was gone.
I looked at my hands.
With this power, I could save Shisuta. I could end the tyranny, and bring justice back into the world.
If I was unsure before, I knew now. THIS was my purpose.
"I think your right about me." I said. "I have some recruits that may serve us well. Nina, some of the others may be of use to this. They should know what it is we're up against. I think Shisuta would be the most likely to see the truth. She has suffered greatly because of a hand she was dealt, for which she was given no respite. She would know better than anyone i walkhow such injustice drives you into darkness. She could help us, and help the others see the truth as well."
Nina looked thoughtful. Then she looked at me, and gave a warm smile. I felt my heart melt.
"Then you should bring her here! Who am I not to trust you?"
My heart fluttered.
Who was she? She was Nina. She was the only Nina, and the only one I would trust with this. If anyone else would have told me what she has, I would have never gone along with it.
No, Nina was different. She was beautiful...
...Just wonderful...
I nodded. "I'll do that now."
She was so exquisitely beautiful, yet, she seemed so above me...
...Could I ever approach her like that? Goodness knows I wanted to.
I walked into the resort, and made my way up to the altar room. I was thrilled.
I could save Shisuta... I could save my little sister!
I let this happiness carry on with me, all the way to Shisuta.
...
Chihiro and Haku were sitting together at their home. Despite where they were, Chihiro felt this sorrow that she couldn't shake.
Haku gave her a soft kiss, and pulled her close to him.
"I miss him too." He said.
Her lower lip quivered.
"It's not the same... Have you felt it Haku? Something's wrong..."
Haku had not sensed it yet, but he was instantly put on guard now. Chihiro had the most intuition of anyone he'd met, and if she said something was wrong, then it was. No question.
He stroked her hair, pressing kisses on her forehead.
"What's wrong then? I will not let anyone hurt you love. Just tell me what you sense."
She sobbed. "I don't know... But I don't feel safe here anymore. We have to get out of here, and no one can know..."
He stopped.
It was THAT urgent?
"Chihiro, remember that spell you found? The one that they told us to forget? What do you think it does?"
She shook her head. "I don't know... I think we did know once. Then why not now?"
A messenger walked up to them.
"You have been summoned by the high heavens themselves. Please, come with me."
The high heavens? Now Haku was getting a bad feeling.
They followed the messenger to a room. It was dark, but Haku could sense the presence of Kamachi and Zeniba. "Why are we here?" Haku asked.
Zeniba sighed. "I have no clue Haku, but it's not good. This much I am sure of."
A voice spoke in the room.
"You four, the friends of Kahn. He is your ally, is he not?"
"Yes." Chihiro said. "He is our friend, and ally."
An eerie silence filled the room a flash of light.
"Then your presence... Is no longer required."
...
Kahn was about to enter the Altar room, but a horrible scream sounded from a room. It was Eiji's.
Kahn entered the room, and the others followed shortly after.
Eiji had dropped to his knees, light bursting out of every orifice.
I know what this is...
They were ERASING HIM!
"What's going on!?" Yelled Kuhn.
Everyone came when they heard the scream.
"Eiji! EIJI! GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Hiro screamed.
No... Why Eiji!?
Another burst of light filled the room, and tackled Eiji.
A physical form appeared in the room...
...No, three physical forms.
I saw the assassin who had tried to erase Eiji. He was now in a physical form.
My armor had unleashed, and I pierced the culprit with a spear like arrow.
He let out one last anguished scream, before both him, and the spear dissolved.
The other two forms were holding Eiji protectively...
...No way... But HOW!?
Everyone stood there in awe. Especially those who had known Chihiro and Haku.
I was the first one to speak.
"How were you able to return?" I asked. "You had died here once before, and without a send, this breaks the most prominent of physical laws... How...?"
Chihiro stood. "We sent ourselves. It was thew spell they used to send you and many others."
I gaped. "You found the spell!? Well... You have excellent timing."
Haku stood and walked up to me. He grabbed my shirt and pulled me close to him.
"I don't know what's going on." He said.
"I do know, that you are the reason we were summoned for erasing. Me? That's one thing. My son! THAT IS ANOTHER!"
I had a lot to explain.
I shrugged him off. "There is an explanation, but you'll have to be calm. There's more to this than you think."
Haku gave him an unwavering glare.
"Start explaining, now." He said.
"There is an uprising." I began. "A rebellion among those who have fallen. Haku. Do you know what happens to those who get sent back?"
"No, elaborate." He said coldly.
"We are cursed to never return. Yes, for something none of us have a choice on, we are wrongly condemned."
Haku froze.
"They never told us that."
"Hold on." Said Shisuta. "So you know what this is like? Oh Kahn..."
Chihiro's eyes widened. "So you're saying the heavens were willing to erase Eiji? Out of FEAR!?"
I nodded. "Exactly! This is what we're up against. The upper world has become a tyranny, I have been chosen as a champion... Though, the idea takes some getting used to, and it needed heavily backed evidence..."
Haku shook his head. "After what we've just seen, I don't doubt this is a tyranny we're facing... But how do we know you're-"
"He's telling the truth." Said Chihiro. "I can feel it, I know he is."
Haku's eyes widened. "Then... Things really have taken a turn for the worst, if you are what Chihiro is saying... The heavens will want you, and all of us dead."
"Eiji... It's okay... We'll figure it out, I promise."
Hiro was comforting a shaking Eiji.
He couldn't be taking any of this well.
"Brother... Why didn't you tell us sooner!?" Kuhn exclaimed.
"That could have been Hiro!"
"I just found out today." I said. "I came as soon as I could!"
Kuhn looked at me for a moment. His features softened, and he sighed.
"That's fair enough, but what now?"
"Exactly what I was thinking." Said Linn.
"If the heavens themselves are against us, what chance do we have!?"
"We have Kahn, and every single one of you." Said Nina from behind us.
They all turned to face her.
"I was fragmented for thousands of years." She began. "Through Kahn, I was able to piece myself together. Now I remember why I was split, and what my mission is. These heavens which we so blindly worship, are the ones who did this to me. And why? Because I rose against them, and I have a chance. I knew then, who our champion was. But in the end, we're all champions. Those of us who stand, and fight for what is right against all odds! Those are the champions. Chihiro."
"Yeah, what is it?" She asked.
"You had unraveled the first piece of this rising. You stood against all odds, and destroyed some of the glue which held this tyranny together. The tainted and the Lumina hives."
She looked at all of them.
"You say you don't stand a chance, but all of you have this potential! We are all champions of truth, and the only difference between this champion and us..." She said, gesturing toward me.
"Is that he will create the new order. It is up to all of us to lead that order, him, and us. So yes, it is a collaborative effort."
They were all in awe.
Chihiro spoke. "I'm in."
Haku spoke next. "I'm with her, and you."
Kuhn shook his head and smiled.
"Well, now I can say I've swung at ghosts, and be serious. Why not...?"
They laughed.
"Alright, you got me!" Said Linn.
Boh groaned with annoyance. "Can we all just assume everyone's in!?"
We all mumbled in agreement.
Nina beamed.
"Excellent! Well, let's get all of you caught up on our game plan. There's a lot we need to discuss!"