Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 448: Hope again (3)

Amara only smiles looking at Arial. her smile is always gentle and soothing

'It is pointless lying to me. You did. You lost all that when she left didn't you? The thing that make you really great, the things that makes you, you. All of this brutality you committed, all of this killing, and talks of vengeance, is an attempt to fill a hole that was left by her.'

'It's not!' Arial said, his voice slightly rose. Thunder boomed on the sky above. Amara only smiles with a knowing smile

'I am the Goddess of Love, Arial. Trust me, I know about Love more than you do.'

'Iwas angry at her. I didn't have the tim-'

'No, nodon't do that. Let speak the truth child. You did not punish your friend even when he betrays you, yet you condemn an entire kingdom to your wrath. When you heard of her betrayal you forgive her the moment you heard. And that scares you isn't it? To know that one person hold so much power over you. To know that you could love a person that much. It scares you. It scares you to your core; the great and brave Arial Vermont. fears love.' She said with a mocking tone

And he should Amara mused. And the Lady smiles a knowing smiles. 

'What would happen if she left? What would happen if she left you? That question makes you afraid isn't it? It wakes you up at the night, scares you in your dreams. What if she really leaves you and went to your best friend? What if she dies? That would be the end of you. You spend so much time hiding what you feel that no one has ever seen you, the way I see you. You have great love in your heart. Greater than most people. You have a great feeling of responsibility. If you did not have that quality, would you spend the better part of your life trying to stop an Invasion whatever the cost? Whatever the price. But sometimes love and hate is two side of the same coin. When she died, you went insane with furious anger and great fury. All that anger, directed towards anyone you could levy the blame. She left you. And you burn the whole world because of her. I must admit, I'm impressed.'

'You..I..'

'You were hurt. And in turn you hurt other people. Such is love. A destructive one, but still. I'm offering you a chance. I hear your prayers, child. There is a chance for redemption.'

'I...' Arial said hesitating.not knowing what to say.

'Tell me, is that not what you pray for? A chance to right the wrongs you've done? To redeem yourself? Is that not what you wish for?'

'I did. But I don't know how.'

The Lady smiles. And then she said

'Save the world child. Save it. You have killed and slaughtered countless of people, kingdoms fall and conquered by your steel. You have done enough damage unto the world. Now, will you help me save the world?' 

The sky overhead slowly revert to a calm dispositions, sunlight shines and penetrates the white clouds.

'IHow do I-'

'Find me. Release me. And I'll show you how.'

'Can I trust you?' Arial asked. Could he trust the Lady? Is the lady truly wanted to save the world? Or does she have another agenda?

'Can you? The Lady asked back.

'Take that leap of faith, child. Hope again. Love again. I need you.to hope again. Need you to love. Hope that people is worth it. That youare worth it. That this world still has kindness in it and not all people desires to deceive you, to take advantage of you. Sometimes, you have to have faith first, child. The trust part comes later. Faith, love and hope. These are great virtues.'

'Trust needs to be earned.' Arial stubbornly said. The Lady smiles

'True. But what can I do to earn it? I only have my word. I can't prove it. So you have to decide child. Take the leap or not?' She said giving an ultimatum, smiling all the time.

Arial then makes his decision. Hope againthe word struck a chord in his heart. Hope againhe mused. 

Closing his eyes, taking a deep breath he said.

'Tell me where you are, and I'll save you.'

The Lady smiles.

'Now, now, don't be impatient. I mention to you that you have test don't you?'

'You did. What is the test? ' Suddenly Arial feels a constricting coldness. Amara looks at the distance and nodding.

'Ah, it seems my time is almost up. I can't be too long in here. Child, when you wake up, you will meet a woman that relates heavily to your past. Your body is undergoing changes and you could not force your internal energy too much or the energy would become so chaotic that not even your vast knowledge could save you from it. I have only one advice when you wake up. Do not kill her!' She said urgently

And then slowly everything turns to specks of snow, even the sea and the ships , the dorvinn, the sea birds, every particle of water, of clouds and land in that border of life and death, even him.

'We will meet again child. This is your first test.' The voice said almost like a whisper inside Arial ears.

And suddenly he is woken up by a voice of a woman. And Arial coughed up the water in his lung. He realizes that at that moment he is on land. 

He doesn't know how he came to be on land, when he clearly remembers that he was falling deep into the sea when he lost consciousness. 

He still remembers his conversation with the lady. 

He is trying to regulate his internal energy but he could feel that his body suddenly attacked by an invisible pressure that his body feels like it is being crushed by a mountains.

And then he notices something

He is being held by someone. His eyes are blurry and he was about to say thank you when he realizes who she is. 

And he exploded with rage. He pushes the woman away. 

He got up and mustering his remaining internal energy, his glaive which is lying just a few feet from him shot up to his hand.

And in his mind all he could think of...was a world of blood.

A world washed red with the blood of his wife assassins. And even when his bodies feel like breaking down, he walks step by step toward that woman, killing intent flowed out of him like a boundless sea, crashing down on the woman, looking at him terrified.

The woman asks him why? And he yelled at her with great anger. How could she sit there, and ask him why?

And he finally enters a range of attack, the woman trembling looking at him.

And he swings his glaive.

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