MLII C7, P7- "Dear And Dearest"

"Dear And Dearest" is the seventh and penultimate Part of "Miracula Luxia II" 's seventh Chapter. It was released on 17.07.2021.
== Plot ==
While Jared is recovering from the battle against the combined forces of "Darkness of Duskwood" bandits and Darkside Loyalists, he makes a crucial decision that will give him another chance to stay with his friends and family, as well as the chance to stop a new, much more powerful force of Darkness.
Meanwhile, his father stays in Paris and wonders how his son is doing out in the wilderness. He remembers the time when they were happier and hopes that he can make the world a safer place for him.
While dreaming of a better world, he also hopes that his son will return to his hometown- the city of Paris. Safe and sound.
== Story ==
Jared returns to his temporary home. Soon, his feet give out and he lays on his bed to rest.
"It was a hard battle, but we made it."- His grandmother compliments him- "Well done, dear!"
Jared nods.
"I agree. It was hard."- He says- "But they do not have any leaders left. Not anymore. I wonder why they were so organized... "
He sighs.
"Unless they have a new leader. A powerful force of darkness that has united all of the bandits and is planning to send them to fight the innocent people of this world, even as I think about it."- He says to himself- "But that should not be possible. I killed them all. If so, they should be alone and disorganized. Then why are there still fools who think that they can disrupt the balance of this world? And, if there is indeed a new leader, how many of his warriors are still out there, ready to torment the innocents? And how can I defeat them without risking the lives of others?"
He sighs and stands up.
"I see how it is."- He continues- "I hate to say it, but there is no other way. I must turn back. I must return to place where I was born and protect my family from a new threat, a new danger."
He sharpens his weapon.
"This is not the time to be slacking around like this!"- He says- "No matter whom I have to face, I will not back down! If the world is in danger right now, then I will protect it! I swore to do so when I became a hero... and I will continue to do so until I collapse."
His grandmother makes an affirmative sound.
"Very well said, dear."- She says to him- "But you are still in quite the predicament."
Jared nods.
"I know."- He says- "And I will make it out of the pit of darkness. No matter what it takes."
He takes something out of his backpack. It is the same picture that he was looking at when he left Paris.
"After all."- He continues- "I promised her that I will always stay strong. That I will always fight for what is right."
He puts the picture back in his backpack and quickly packs the rest of his supplies. It seems like he is preparing to leave this place behind and return home, for the sake of staying with his friends and family.
Once he is done packing, he stands up and walks up to the door of his temporary home. Then, he opens it and walks outside.
"I promised everyone that I have changed. That I am not weak and dependant anymore. That I am ready to do whatever it takes to protect those whom I love and respect."- He says- "I am not scared of the dark! Let's do this!"
----While Jared is preparing to return home, his father trains with Alister and Meggy.
"Come on, children."- He says- "If you want to become stronger, you must train and hone your skills! There is no other way!"
Allister continues to hit the training dummy in front of him.
"Yes, sir."- He says, panting- "We shall do our best."
They continue to train hard, honing their skills in both swordplay and archery. Remarkably, they seem to be showing considerable skill in both departments.
A few moments later, Meggy falls to her knees and holds her stomach. Aleks and Allister rush to her aid.
"Are you okay, Meggy?"- Aleks asks her- "You seem to have a problem of some sort."
Meggy shakes her head.
"N-no. It's all good."- She mumbles- "I'm just t-tired. Really tired."
Aleks shakes his head.
"I'm so sorry for forcing you to train like this."- He says to her- "I should have realized that you can't endure as much pain as we do."
Meggy nods, but does not say anything.
"I have an idea."- He says- "How about we go for a walk? I'm sure that Allister can train without my guidance. At least for now."
He looks at Allister.
"Can you handle today's training session without me?"- He asks him.
Allister nods.
"Don't worry, sir."- He says and smiles- "I will take care of this place while you're away. I will also continue training and honing my skills, just like you want me to. I promise that I will do my best!"
Aleks smiles.
"I know that I can count on you, kid."- He says- "Very well, then. Safe training."
Allister looks at Meggy and smiles.
"I don't know what's happening to you."- He says to her- "But I hope that you will feel better soon. This training is so much better when you're around."
Meggy smiles back.
"I... I'll do my best."- She says- "Stay safe."
Allister nods.
"You too, Meggy."- He says and watches as they leave the room and go outside.
As they walk into a nearby park, Aleks remembers how he and his son used to come here when he was younger.
"You know."- He says to Meggy- "Me and Jared used to love this place. I always took him out here after school. He always wanted to smell the flowers, see the people and get inspired by the lovely trees around us. It was his way of life and I did my best to keep it that way.'
He sighs.
"I miss the times when we used to be happier."- He continues- "I know that they'll never come back. But we can at least treasure them and remember them in our hearts and souls."
Meggy nods.
"It's sad."- She says- "Our lives will never be the same."
She sighs.
"But at least we will have a brighter future!"- She adds.
Aleks nods.
"Of course."- He says- "Of course we will."
A few seconds later, they decide to sit on a nearby bench and talk about certain events in their lives.
Like a father and his dear daughter, they talk for a few hours. 
Once he is done sharing his story about killing Dorikas and stopping the Darkside Loyalists, he decides to bring up Meggy's stomach problem.
"I hate to ask you about this, but what happened to you back there?"- He asks her- "Was it painful?"
Meggy decides that there is no use to hide anything from her teacher. She whispers something into his ear, making sure that nobody else hears it.
Aleks gasps.
"Really?!"- He says- "This... this is amazing! I'm so happy for you!"
Meggy blushes.
"Thank you."- She responds- "I've been keeping it a secret for a few months, but I finally decided to spill the beans."
Aleks nods.
"That explains why your belly has grown so much in the past few months."- He says- "I thought that you were just slacking out!"
Meggy looks down.
"I'm sorry for... for confusing you, sir."- She says- "It must have been painful, looking at me and wondering how I'm such a weak and incompetent student."
Aleks's eyes widen.
"What do you mean, Meggy?"- He says to her- "You are brilliant! I am sure that he will see you as a worthy ally soon enough."
He places his hand on her shoulder.
"Just give it some more time."- He continues- "I'm sure that you will succeed. Just... don't... tell him about this yet. It might shock him."
Meggy nods.
"I'll do my best."- She says.
Then, they sit on the bench and watch the sunrise for a few hours. 
A single thought is swimming within their minds and it is about the same person... Jared. They wonder where he is and why he left all of a sudden.
"Do you think Jared will come back soon?"- Meggy asks Aleks.
Aleks shrugs.
"I... I am not sure, to be honest."- He responds- "He was in quite a hurry. It was clear that he wanted to be left alone."
He looks at the sun.
"But that doesn't mean that I've given up on him. I will wait for him right here, even if it takes me years to see him again."
As he says the last sentence, his voice chokes up. A single tear runs down his cheek, but he wipes it away.
"You miss him, don't you?"- She says- "Well, there's no need to say it. Your eyes are telling the whole truth."
She sighs.
"And, to be honest, me too."- She continues- "I also miss him. A lot."
Aleks nods.
"It's sad how much his mother's death affected him mentally."- He says- "I tried to keep him under control. I tried to show him love, to care about him like she did when she was alive, but it was not the same for him."
He looks at Meggy.
"Believe me, I didn't want any of this to happen to her."- He continues- "I loved her so much. I protected her with my life. But I made the mistake to leave them alone. I was a fool. I was weak. I lost her... and I paid the price. She... she will never be back again."
Meggy shakes her head.
"It's hard to lose someone who's been with you for so long."- She says- "I may not know her personally, but I can tell that she was a good woman. A great mother. A wise guardian of order. She will indeed be missed."
Aleks looks down. The mistakes that he made in the past are still weighing him down... and he does not want to talk about them.
"Let's change the subject."- He says to her- "I would rather leave the past behind than cry about it and pretend that it didn't happen."
Meggy nods.
"I agree."
A few moments later, they start to talk about the time when he and Jared faced one of their hardest challenges. A time when the world was not as safe as it is now.
"It was a dark time."- He says grimly- "We all suffered because of the pain that was inflicted upon us. But we recovered and fought back. We defeated our enemy and sealed him far, far away. He won't be coming back anytime soon."
Meggy nods.
"You say that Marinette came around the time when you defeated this villain?"- She says- "Is this true?"
Aleks nods.
"It is."- He responds- "My daughter, she was lost. We tried to find her, but it was all in vain."
He looks up.
"Until she found her way back to us and helped us when we needed her the most."- He continues- "And for that, I am very grateful. As a protector of this city... and as a father."
Meggy looks down.
"Your family, they've always been here for you?"- She asks him- "What about your mother? Your father? Were they always by your side?"
Aleks sighs and shakes his head.
"To be honest, my family was much like yours when I was a child."- He admits- "My father, he couldn't move on from the pain that he suffered when my mother died. He was always erratic, even hostile. Maybe some of this hostility rubbed on to me when I became an adult myself."
"But you said that he changed later."- Meggy says- "Was he really such a bad person?"
Aleks shakes his head.
"No. He was not."- He says- "He was just confused. Unsure what to do. A broken man with nearly nothing left who wanted to take care of his family in the best way possible, that is what he was back then."
He nods.
"But yes, you are right. He changed. And it was around the time when Jared was born."- He continues- "He was a ray of hope in his life. A chance to change completely and redeem himself to the world around him. And he took it. He took it and became the person that he is now."
He sighs.
"By now, you must understand how much they all mean to me."- He says to Meggy- "My daughter. My father. And, most importantly, my son. They are what is left of our family and I want to fight to keep them alive at all costs. That's why it pains me that Jared made such a quick decision and left us behind."
Meggy nods.
"My parents have taught me many good things, but one of them always stood up to me."- She says- "A hero never strays too far away from his home. If so, he will always come back. No matter what. So, all we have to do is wait for him and he will be back. Sooner or later."
A moment later, the two of them look up and see that somebody is approaching them.
It is John.
"Mr Kaos."- He says- "We're ready to go out there and find Jared, like you wanted us to."
Meggy raises her eyebrow.
"We?"- She asks- "You and... somebody else?"
Then she sees the girl who is quietly staying behind him. It is Annie.
"Oh."- Meggy mutters- "I see."
Aleks nods.
"Well done, children."- He says- "Make sure to bring him back safe and sound. And don't many any mistakes, okay?"
John and Annie nod.
"We'll do our best, Mr. Kaos."- Annie says- "You can count on us. Jared will make it back here, whether we make it out or not."
John nods, agreeing with Annie's promise.
"Rest assured of it."- He says- "I will never leave my best friend to wander the wilderness alone, let alone in a time like this."
Aleks nods.
"Then go on ahead."- He says to them- "Time is running low and our enemies are preparing for another attack. Make haste... and good luck."
John and Annie nod. They walk away and approach a nearby horse that is waiting for them.
Then, they climb on it and ride off into the sunrise.
"They're brave. Both of them."- Aleks says- "I'm sure that they will succeed in their quest. The question is whether it will be sooner... or later."
Meggy smiles.
"Sooner, I assume."- She says- "They're competent warriors. Even if he's in danger, they'll pull him out of it and take him home. It's their sacred task and they won't fail."
Aleks nods.
"Hope is all we have right now, my dear."- He says- "Hoping for Jared to return. Hoping for this world to be a better place. And hoping that we will make it out of this sphere of chaos, madness and betrayal."
He sighs.
"Hope is a powerful force of will."- He continues- "It helps us move on in our darkest hours. It helps us realize how much is at stake and how important we are to maintain the balance of this world. But it's not easy to maintain it. Once a hero is defeated, it goes downhill. Like a large domino made of humanity's greatest wishes. It is truly an arduous task for all of us, but we will succeed. And hope is what will help us."
A few moments later, Allister approaches them. He seems worried about something.
"Sir, our enemies are here!"- He says- "They're at the gates and demanding to enter. What should we do?"
As a response, Aleks draws his weapon and stands up.
"We shall fight them."- He says- "That's what we will do."
He turns to Meggy.
"You can stay here, if you want."- He says- "You will be safe. I promise."
Meggy glares at him.
He shudders.
"What?"- He says- "I just want to protect you. That is all."
Meggy shakes her head.
"I don't need any protection."- She says- "I can fight on my own."
She draws her weapon and stands up.
"I'm not afraid of those vagabonds."- She says- "Let's do this. I'm ready."
Aleks nods and helps her stand on her feet. Then, he helps her get out of the park and watches as she slowly moves forward, despite her aching belly.
"Jared, those are dark times."- He says to himself- "We all miss you. We all want you to come home. But we also know that you're fighting for the good of this world, no matter where you are right now. I just want you to know that I love you very much, that you're the dearest thing for me and that I will always think about you and hope that you are safe. Your mother told me to look out for you and I always will. No matter where you go. No matter where you are, I will always stand by your side and fight alongside you. Our bond shall never be broken, by anything... and anyone. We will keep fighting until the bitter end. It is what the Kaos family has always done... and it will keep doing it with each passing generation. We will be the heroes of this world and you will be the biggest legend of our family."
He sheds a tear.
"My biggest wish is for you to be safe and sound."- He continues- "So, please. Keep fighting. Don't give up. No matter how dark it gets, keep on shining. Because you, my son, are the bright light that illuminates the darkness and keeps the world safe from harm."
He smiles and stares ahead.
"Stay safe, son."
Having said that, he takes another step forward, eager to take on a new threat.
"Jared counts on us, so we shouldn't let him down."- He says to Allister and Meggy- "Do you understand this?"
They nod.
"We won't let our friend down."- Allister says.
"We'll keep on fighting, until our last breath."- Meggy adds.
Aleks nods and smiles.
"Very well."- He says- "Then let's show those vagabonds how foolish it is to underestimate the Kaos family and their allies."
He stares at the gate ahead.
"Bring it on, you fools!"- He yells and charges.
----Meanwhile, Jared has gotten far away from the safe confines of his home.
Once again, he is on his way home, ready to move on from all the pain and start anew.
"We are almost there."- He says- "Just a few more minutes. I will make it back."
Tired and eager to rest from his journey, he finally falls on his knees. 
"Maybe I should rest, though."- He says and yawns- "The road back. It is even longer that the one that leads away from it."
Suddenly, he hears a sound coming from the underbrush around him. Before he can realize what is going on, he is quickly surrounded by a huge group of bandits.
"Our leader wants you to die, Jared Kaos."- One of them says- "And we'll make sure of it."
Jared stands up and draws his weapon.
"Many of you have tried. Many of you have failed and paid for their mistakes."- He says stoically- "Why do you think that you're better than all of them?"
The bandit grins and pulls out something from his pocket.
"Because I have this!"- He yells and throws it on the ground.
Before Jared can realize what it going on, the bomb-like object goes off.
"It is a flashbang!"- Jared says while trying to cover his eyes, realizing what it really is.
It does not work. He is blinded for a while and unable to defend himself.
Soon, he feels the bandit's blade close to his chest.
"Your time has come, Jared Kaos."- He says- "Now stay still and let's finish this. Fast."
Before he can plunge the blade into Jared's chest, however, he hears a sound coming from behind him. 
Jared hears the sounds of a battle coming from nearby. It seems like somebody is attacking the bandits. But who.
Finally, the sounds die down. However, Jared fails to realize who is victorious...
Until he feels the hand on his right shoulder.
"It's alright, Jared."- A very familiar voice comforts him- "Stand up. There's nothing to fear."
Suddenly, Jared's vision clears and he sees the people who have just saved his life.
He is surprised to see two of his dearest friends, standing right in front of him.
"John? Annie?"- He says- "How... how did you find me out here? And why? I thought that you were staying in Paris for the time being!"
John smiles.
"Well. Your departure was not exactly comforting for any of us. It was hard for us to protect the city without your constant, heroic absence."- He says- "So, we decided to embark on a journey to find you and bring you home."
Annie nods.
"And it seems like we've succeeded!"- She adds- "You're safe and sound!"
Jared smiles.
"Well, maybe I can say that I am safe."- He responds- "But I am not exactly... umm... sound."
John nods.
"We understand you completely, but this is no time to be thinking about the past."- He says- "Your father. He's very worried about you and he sent us to come here and look for you. He wants you back into the city, Jared. He knows where you're truly safe and he wants to protect you."
He helps him stand up.
"So, let's go back home."- He continues- "A new danger is arising. Something much more powerful than we have ever fought before. And we need your help."
Before they can leave, however, another large group of bandits arrives and surrounds them.
"Another one?!"- Annie says, surprised- "Man. Those bandits never give up, do they?"
John draws his weapon.
"It doesn't matter."- He says- "Our mission is to bring Jared back, safe and sound. And we will."
He approaches a bandit and stabs him in the chest.
"Stay strong, everyone."- He adds- "We will make it out. And I'll make sure of it."
Having said that, he and Annie fight the bandits, valor burning in their hearts like a fire in a forest.
Meanwhile, Jared prepares to fight as well and watches as his friends protect him from harm.
"I see it. I finally see the truth, after so long."- He says to himself- "All this time, I have been doubting myself. I thought that I was endangering my friends and family, that I was putting them at risk by staying in Paris. But now, I see that I was just making them worry about me. That I was making them feel uncomfortable. Unsafe."
He smiles.
"All this time, I was searching for my inner peace. For a time when I would be away from civilization and prepare for the future that is ahead of us."- He continues- "But I see that there is no need to look for it anymore, because it is right here. The inner peace lies within my friends and family."
"And in order to maintain it, I must fight whoever stands in my path."- He finishes- "So, let us do this. Let us fight for our freedom!"