Return of the Fallen Volume 9 Chapter 25
How does one take all of this in? Someone you look up to telling you that you can change the world and do what they could not. Zephris was naturally silent as he tried to process everything his Master said. Suddenly, Chela, Zephirs’s mom started to cry and she held Zephris. Grek looked down for a moment as if he were sad. Zephris didn’t understand these reactions. His Master just said he wanted to pass all of his knowledge down to him and show him the truth of the world, yet his parents acted like this was a bad thing.
“Mom, what’s the matter? Isn’t this a good thing?”
These words unknowingly cut deeply and Chela burst into tears. Grek looked at his son and dropped a bomb.
“Son, in order for you to learn all that Aziria has to teach, you must follow him.”
“Follow Master, to where, why can’t we all stay here in the Great Forest? Master is already looking for something in the forest anyway, why would anyone leave this place?”
“Son, Aziria and your mother and I have already spoken a little about this. Staying here is not an option.”
“But but. I still don’t get what’s going on, why can’t we stay why does it sound like even if we leave we won’t be together? Please…Tell me what’s going on!”
Grek didn’t want to hide anything so he just outright said it.
“I killed Lord Ogastx.”
“Good, that man was crazy. he wanted to take us all away and make us his slave. Isn’t this a good thing?”
“Yes and no. Son, Lord Ogastx was no ordinary man. Before he got to us, he had already crushed many beneath his feet. With him now gone, a power vacuum will be left in his place. Those he previously stepped on, and those who simply wish to gain power, all of them will clash and more wars will rage all around us. The Forest was already not as safe or protected as it needed to be, that much was evident from Ogastx’s soldiers coming in and slaughtering the villagers here. It would be different if the many other villages in the Great Forest came together and united as one but that won’t happen and because of that, more people wishing to take control of the forest or some other excuse will come and harm those within.”
“But Father, why can’t we get the other villages to untie. If we do that, surely we can resist outsiders.”
*Hmph*
Aziria snorted in disgust.
“That will not happen. As I told you before, I’ve been observing the Great Forest for years now. Before I stepped in and saved your family, I had already warned the nearby villages of the soldiers entering the forest. The other villagers, all of them upped their own defenses but besides that, they did nothing to help your village. After that when soldiers came and began their slaughter, I again alerted the other villages a final time of what was happening. I didn’t really care about the deaths but I felt I should at least warn them since the forest has been my host for this long. Every single one of them ignored your village anyway. Even if the entire forest was lit ablaze in a fiery inferno none would come together and help each other. The elves of this forest have seen peace and prosperity for far too long and are cowardly. There is no unifying factor for such rats.”
Zephris didn’t like this but he knew deep down his master was right. The entire time he was running around the forest like a chicken with his head cut off, he didn’t for even a split second think of going to another village for help. The reasoning was simple. If the people of his own village would not help his family, then why would another village he has no relation to. The so-called close villagers from his home treated him as a stranger and were cowardly, why would things be any different a few miles down the way.
“So if we’re not staying here, where would we even go?”
Chela’s tears fell less frequently as she wiped them and she began to cheer up.
“Aziria has spoken of a small island far from here. He says the island has some protections in place that even he has difficulties dealing with. It is very peaceful there and we will be safe there.”
“Really, all of us?”
The moment Zephris said this, the cheery atmosphere once again sunk and Chela started to cry once more.
“Son, your mother, me, and your younger sister Alta, we will be going to the island and we will wait for you there for when you are ready.”
Once again Zephris was lost. Aziria stepped in and simply told him what his future plans were.
“The forest is no longer safe and war will soon cover this whole region before spreading to the rest of the continent. I will take your parents to safety, while you will follow me around and I will teach you as we go.”
Zephris suddenly hugged his mother tightly.
“I don’t want to go. I don’t want to leave mom. Why do we have to separate, why can’t we study on the island or we could all travel the continent together. This doesn’t make any sense.”
Grek felt some anger rise up and shouted.
“BOY! HOW CAN YOU ACT LIKE THIS! SHOW YOUR MASTER PROPER RESPECT AND STOP ACTING LIKE A SPOILED BRAT!”
Zephris was considered very mature for his age but right now he couldn’t help but start to cry. He had seen death more times than most adults yet right now his true age was displayed before everyone and his tears would not stop. Chela as well cried even more and hugged her baby boy tighter.
Grek only became angrier. He trained his son to be better than this but right now he was not living up to his expectations.
“BOY I TOLD YOU TO STOP CRYING, DO I HAVE TO MAKE YOU STOP!”
Grek stood up abruptly but Aziria grabbed him by the arm. Grek was incredibly strong but under Aziria’s grip, he could feel that his movement was entirely restricted. Aziria gave him a slight squeeze and Grek could feel his bones screaming out in pain. Grek couldn’t help but grimace as he felt like his arm was about to crack.
Aziria though unhanded him before things went any further and spoke coldly.
“Grek, I know he’s your son but have you already forgotten about what I said before. About how my childhood shaped me into what I am. A father telling a child to bottle his heart and to crush his own emotions, there are very few things a father can do to be crueler to one’s own son. A boy can take a hit and stand again ready to go but tear his mind down one too many times, well, let’s just say that’s how monsters are created. So if you wouldn’t mind, allow him to feel. The world is already quite cruel, is it not?”
Grek was stumped for words. Hearing about Azira’s childhood and life in general, really was a nasty way to go experience and go through life. Grek suddenly began to think about his own childhood and seemingly a few dots were connected. This left him silent.
“Zephris, You are young but I know you can work these things out in your head so I will be honest with you. You’ve witnessed my strength but as I’ve told you before I am not that strong compared to true masters and experts throughout the Feya continent. To protect you, I can easily do but the more people you add, the challenge to continue to protect goes up not by a factor of one but instead exponentially. Add another and another, protecting you all would simply be far too much and is beyond my skill. So you see, I can not take your family with me. They would be constantly in harm’s way and you would not be able to focus on my teachings. As for you staying with them on the island, that would defeat the whole purpose of me wanting to show you the truth of the world. I can tell you everything there is to know but without first-hand experience, you’d be no more than a paper tiger.”
Zephris understood but it didn’t mean he could accept it.
“If it comes to that, id rather not go at all then. If it means I have to leave my family, I’d rather give up on alchemy altogether and throw it all away.”
*Smack*
Chela slapped Zephris and the boy looked stunned.
“You can’t say that never say that! Zephris, the gods have granted you a gift, something that so many will never have or come close to understanding. Do you know why the elves in this forest are so cowardly and don’t fight back?”
Zephris was still stunned by his mother’s slap and couldn’t answer.
“They are scared because they are weak and because they are weak, anyone can trample them and harm them in any way they see fit. Aziria is different though, your father is different. They have strength, true strength and they won’t let anyone push them or their family around. Aziria said you have great potential. Imagine what would have happened if you were stronger and your talents were fully developed. The reason why we can’t go with you is that we are too weak. The world is not safe and it will never be safe if people like you deny your gifts. If you don’t try then you will stay weak and people like us will have no way other than being trampled by the strong.”
Chela gently stroked Zephris’s tender cheek.
“If only, if only your mother was stronger. I can’t even protect my children. I’m a failure as a mother.”
Zephris stared at his mother in silence. He remembered earlier when she and Alta were tossed to the ground and how even though she was beaten bruised and battered, her first instinct was to jump on top of Alta and wrap herself around her to protect her.
“Mom, you are not weak, you’re the strongest mom I know. I won’t waste my potential. I’ll do it. I’ll go with Master and learn everything I can until I can make you proud.”
Chela could only embrace her son with everything she had as she cried on him.
(Mother, I will get the strength I need and I will make this a world you and Alta can live peacefully and happily in.)
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