When the early morning hit, everyone began to prepare themselves for another adventure after Genno exclaimed their next stop to village, not from here, as he wore a rather large leather backpack strapped around his shoulders, which he was carrying like it was no big deal.
As they exited their home with new-found information about reaching the dark lord's base of operations, the only thing he left out was that the trip would take a day or likely two if they were not lucky. Anyways, the group nonetheless was determined on going to where he would guide them, including Seth, who looked clearly conflicted upon his decision to complete their destiny.
Following behind Genno, Seth was unsure of himself. Should he really be doing this? After everything that happened, can he really keep on doing this? Fighting is one thing, but it feels like going to war will result in lives lost. Can he really be alright with that? He hoped there was some sort of alternate plan or strategy that would prevent it from happening.
But through his experiences in this world, he realized that peace can't always be an option. And because of this, he had no choice but to accept the harsh truth of the reality they all live in. Still, the guilt of having to murder three men whom he had to defend himself will always hunt him for the rest of his life.
A gentle hand lightly grasped his right shoulder, turning his head to the left to see Morgan smilingly worryingly as her other available hand was holding her spear. "You seem worried," she said in observant observation. "I'm all ears if you need someone to talk with; what do you say?" Offering her suggestion while giving a light squeeze on the boy's shoulder, trying to soothe his troubled heart.
Looking down in deep thought, he felt his own soul fearing what might happen at the end of their journey: "Am I really capable of this?" The voice of his was low and filled with heavy dread of what might occur in the future: "going to war?" The very words made his skin crawl and shudder from the intensity.
Noticing the change of attitude, "war? Don't you worry, I'm certain that we will be fine as long as we stick to each other," she said with a calm voice in a hope to ease the boy's fears. "You have a magician at your side, remember?" She referred to herself as she giggled softly.
In truth, he knows she is right. They have Morgan on their team, and anyone who practices magic is no joke. They have powerful abilities that could be devastating if used correctly, being capable of manipulating reality using some words that he himself doesn't understand how it even works.
But the real tragedy behind all of this is that no one is going to live from it; both sides will lose something important at the end of the day: friends, family, or loved ones. Whatever the case, it still hurts him to think about how many people will be affected by this decision alone.
What if Billy ended up getting hurt, becoming crippled for the rest of his life, or possibly dying from their enemies' assaults? He doesn't want to lose his friend or anyone in particular. The chances of someone dying on him are guaranteed to happen in one way or another.
And this disturbs him deeply: "What if Billy gets killed? Or you, or Genno?" Gripping the handle of his crucifix, the boy swallowed a lump in his throat while he could feel his pulse increasing with every second passing. "I don't want to see anyone die; it hurts me enough as it is," Feeling the overwhelming burden of responsibility on his shoulders.
Morgan shushed him, "Oh, sweetheart, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself," removing her hand from his shoulder as it swiftly brought to her own chest. "Death is inevitable, but to worry about others is both good and bad." She then placed her free hand on his left shoulder and said, "Don't concern yourself with their safety as they are capable enough to handle their own well-being, okay?" I'm hoping this will permanently change his mind.
Seth wanted to say something but quickly shut his mouth, knowing that whatever he said would make matters worse. He understood what she meant by what she said, so instead, he reluctantly nodded his head with closed eyes.
"I'll trust your words, but promise me something." Despite accepting her explanation, Seth is still worried about their future endeavors ahead of them. "Do not leave me behind," he said, staring at her with sad eyes. "I can't be alone anymore after losing Guan Yu." His hurtful voice and expression greatly pained her heart.
Suddenly embraced by her warm embrace, "you won't be alone again; I will make sure that never happens again," she promised, "so don't be afraid; you won't lose me anytime soon, alright?" Squeezing him lightly with care, she said, "I'll make sure we all come back safe and sound, so don't let your little head worry about trivial things."
She then gently patted his hair, "trust in your friends." Her tone is reassuring and gentle, "they will never abandon you when it counts," telling him the truth before leaning down her cheek near the boy's right ear, "they love you like I do," adding more as he couldn't help but smile in relief.
Opening his eyes, he sighed softly and nodded as she let go, allowing the two to walk alongside each other without any further argument or tension. He was glad that he had her company by his side, not to mention that he found her quite beautiful and attractive.
It is refreshing to have someone always by your side, even though God is always there for you. The physical presence of his friends feels more important to him. Maybe his ego is getting bigger, but he is glad to be around them.
Without them, he can't be sure of how he is going to survive or properly deal with all of the unnatural dangers that may or may not threaten his life in this world. The very reality of living in a sphere is extremely bizarre and horrifying.
Where fantasy becomes a real thing, from knights, wizards, and probably even fire-breathing dragons! The possibility of encountering more monstrous beasts is endless, which he learned through experience. Although he hoped that they weren't as dangerous as the Crimson Knights,
Glancing at the side, he saw Billy walking far away from the group, behind their backs. Their once confident and hot-headed teen has become silent, his shaded hat concealing his once lively eyes as he moves on without a single word spoken from his lips.
There is something wrong; he can feel it from the look of it. But no one else either noticed it or cared. Is this karma for being bullied by the likes of him? If it is, then he doesn't feel good at all. Seth's guilty conscience is eating him away, seeing Billy like this.
It is a true irony how drastically their relationship has changed, considering what he went through by having to live side by side with Billy. Perhaps it is his fate to suffer; that's what he thought initially, but this time he knew that was not the case.
After all, karma can be a bitch sometimes, as people usually say. But Seth could only express sorrow and forgiveness to the one whom he considered to be a bully. Regardless of how much his blond friend had hurt him, he always forgave him because that's what friends are for.
The trip to their designation was boring, to say the least; all they do is walk aimlessly through the forest without anything else in mind except reaching their destination. The environment surrounding them wasn't really helpful, being a mix of brown, green, and orange from leaves and trees that blend perfectly well with one another.
Sounds of birds chirping and nature itself are relaxing to the ears as it fills them with a sense of tranquility while the sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky above with gentle wind blowing. It was serene and peaceful, something he always experienced.
For him, it is a beautiful day to spend outside with friends, but considering their situation, he wouldn't have expected much after feeling their quest to complete their destiny was nearly at its end. It is, however, welcomed by the fact that he managed to meet new, wonderful people.
This made him reflect on the good times he had with them, mostly being in Guan Yu's company, as it was thanks to him that he discovered his hidden potential in spiritual growth. They talked for hours, learning so much from the man's wisdom and guidance while also appreciating his guidance.
Memories of sharing laughs and jokes are precious moments for him. There are times he wishes it would never end, for his time with the old man was like his true father, who actually made him grow into a man despite still being a coward when dealing with harsh truths.
However, he acknowledged that life can't be fair; nothing is fair in this world. Everything he knew will eventually end one way or another, as everything has an expiration date; they are limited. So in the end, all he could do was pray for the present and focus on what he has now.
Then, out of nowhere, Bandit jumped in front of them from the bushes with a rusty sword and shield in his hands. "Ahahaha!" The bandit laughed, showing his yellow teeth. "We've caught you by surprise!" He sneered, pointing his weapon at the group in victory.
The man was ugly-looking; he looked more like a troll than an actual human. His big nose, fat lips, wide chin, and eyes are weird; even his ears were abnormally pointed in comparison to the others. His hair was messy and unwashed, while his clothing was filthy and dirty, comprised of old chain armor with torn brown cloth underneath it.
Despite his disgusting appearance, he continued his speech, "Don't make any sudden moves, girly," staring directly at Genno, "give us what we want or are going to have our ways with you, including the woman over there!" He stated it as he licked his lips in excitement.
Other bandits sprung out of their hiding spots, surrounding them with lecherous stares while eyeing Morgan, particularly with great lust and hunger. Some however, have only desired anything valuable or the thrill in murdering someone. For even if their weapons and armor were rather old and weak, they would surely have an advantage due to their numbers.
Just as everyone was ready to fight, Seth decided to take the opportunity in peacefully negotiate without further bloodshed. "Listen to me," the boy pleads, "none of us want violence," looking at the bandits all around with a frightful gaze.
Although his hands trembled with fear, his eyes showed courage as he was not intimidated by their thuggish appearances. "You don't have to do this!" It sounded convincing, but that only made them laugh and point their weapons at him.
One of them, wearing steel armor and a sword, scoffed, "Big words for a little brat." He mocked the boy, "You do realize we have surrounded you?" Patronizing the fourteen-year-old for his futile actions, "now stop wasting time and give us what we want," he said with a low, demanding tone.
"JUST STOP IT!"
Seth's booming voice was filled with righteous rage as he stopped everyone in their tracks and said, Looking everyone at them with utter pain, "DON'T YOU PEOPLE HAVE LOVED ONES TO? PARENTS WHOM YOU LOVE SO MUCH AND DESPERATELY WANTED TO GO HOME!" Tears streamed down his face.
Silence and bewilderment rang through the atmosphere. "YOU HAVE FAMILIES, DON'T YOU?" Unable to comprehend how other human beings could do such horrible things to people like this, "EVEN IF THE WORLD ISN'T FAIR, DON'T YOU AT LEAST FEEL GUILTY ABOUT WHAT YOUR DOING?"
Every bandit froze, unable to say or speak as they lowered their weapons slightly. "HAVEN'T YOU PEOPLE BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN STEAL, KILL, AND RAPE OTHERS LIKE YOURSELVES?" His voice rang through their heads, echoing through their minds with agonizing questions.
"BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, ARE YOU PROUD OF WHAT YOU BECAME?" Seth demanded, "ARE YOU HAPPY WITH WHO YOU ARE RIGHT NOW?" He asked with such intense emotion and heartfelt conviction that none of them dared to utter a word, "SHOULD YOU CONTINUE LIVING THIS WAY? OR CHANGE FOR THE BETTER?"
All of a sudden, their eyes widen with fear and confusion, realizing the weight of their sins as some begin to contemplate the meaning of the path they have chosen. It was then that some of them began to cry while others fell on their knees in realization, all of which showed their remorse.
"I was born in a poor village."
"We didn't have enough food."
"My parents sold me to a group of misfits."
Three bandits confessed their horrid origin stories with tears and misery. The others followed suit, beginning to shed tears of their own. Others dropped their weapons to the ground as they shared the same horrifying fate, for his words were coming not from him but God's infinite mercy.
Snapping out of his own rage, he was surprised by what just transpired: "Uh..." Scanning around the rather defeated bandits whom he managed to pacify with nothing but words alone, "did I do this?" Seth asked his friends, who were staring at him with bewilderment.
