ML C10, P18- "No Hard Feelings"

"No Hard Feelings" is the eighteenth Part of "Miracula Luxia" 's last Chapter. It was released on 17.06.2020.
== Plot ==
Jared finally reunites with his mother! However, something seems to be wrong with her. The dark aura that is surrounding her is worrying the boy.
When he finds out what is truly wrong with her, he is saved by his real mother. The two of them share an emotional conversation, something that Jared will never forget.
Our hero also gets to reunite with his uncle, something that he is very grateful for.
== Story ==
"M-mom!"- Jared says- "I finally found you!"
The person turns around and the boy sees that it is indeed his mother- Seiko.
She smiles.
"Come hither, son."- She says- "Let's be together forever. Only us, no one else."
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"Wait a minute."- He says to himself- "Something... seems to be wrong with her."
"Yes, it's mom, but there is a dark aura emanating from her. A malevolent force that gives me a feeling of fear, not safety. This... this is not good at all."
Jared stares in his mother's eyes, trying to see a sign of the beloved woman who cared for him and protected him during all these years, shielded him from harm and even risked her own life to save him.
However, there is nothing in there. Her eyes seem... empty.
"I want to run away."- Jared says to himself- "But this is my mom. We have been separated for a long time and I have always wanted to see her."
"I will approach her. Despite her evil aura."
His mind and heart tell him to stop, but he does not. His body pushes forward.
When he gets close to her, he notices that there is a wide grin on her face, almost unnatural for a human being.
"I will take you to the afterlife!"- She says and lunges at him.
Before Jared even realizes what is going on, Seiko pulls out a knife from her pocket and stabs him in the shoulder.
As he steps back and wonders why she acts like this, she prepares to strike one more time.
"Mom! Stop!"- He says- "It's me, Jared!"
She grins.
"Of course, dear. Of course you are!"
Then she lunges at him.
Jared manages to parry her attack with his sword, although barely.
He manages to also parry three consecutive blows.
"Why are you resisting?!"- Seiko yells- "Stop resisting and accept your fate!"
"Her soul has gone berserk!"- Jared says to himself- "She is not in her right mind!"
"But... I cannot leave her like this and run away. I must talk some sense into her, let her know that this is not the right way to be together forever! I must!"
Jared stares at his mother, who continues to attack him.
"Come on!"- She says- "Give up already! Fight back! Show me that you're the true hero that everyone talks about!"
Jared shakes his head.
"No! I refuse to fight you, mom!"- He says- "I refuse to hurt you more than I already have! I do not want to!"
Seiko grins.
"If you won't fight me... "- She says- "Then I will!"
She lunges at her son and pushes him to the ground.
When she sees that he is trying to get up, she smiles and points her knife at his chest.
"How does it feel, Jared?"- She says to him- "How does it feel to be betrayed by someone you love, just like how you betrayed them?!"
Jared shakes his head. His eyes tear up.
"I am so sorry, mom!"- He says- "I did not want to! Please forgive me!"
Seiko grins and shakes her head.
"Forgiveness? That word is not in my dictionary."- She says- "You and your father made me feel lonely when you left me. Made me angry."
"And for that, I will make you pay. Die, Jared!"
She raises her dagger in the air.
Jared closes his eyes.
"Very well."- He says- "If I have to die, so it be. Go ahead and take my life away. At least you will be the person who does so."
Seiko grins.
"Yes! Yes, that's right!"- She says- "Accept your fate! Suffer! Show that you're no coward! That's what I want to see!"
She tries to stab him. However, before she is able to actually do so, a strange force stops her.
"Ahh!"- She says- "What the... ?"
"I will not let you hurt my son, you filthy demonic creature!"- A female voice says.
Jared opens his eyes. Suddenly, his mother is illuminated in a holy light. As she screams in pain, her true identity is revealed.
"Wait a minute."- He says- "You're not my mother."
The one that stands in front of him is a Haakai- one of the supreme demonic leaders of the Underworld. One of the most powerful creatures that has ever existed.
Haakai are known to be crafty creatures, able to create illusions that can trick even the most trained mind with ease. Fooled by the illusion, the Haakai's victims are vulnerable and unable to fight back, making them easy targets for the creatures.
However, their illusions also have a huge weakness- light. If a Light spell is powerful enough, it can easily take care of them and reveal the said Haakai.
Haakai such as the one that is trying to kill Jared.
The creature laughs.
"How unfortunate."- It says- "I thought that you would go down easily. And now your real mother has arrived and ruined my plan."
"But still. Xehanort has requested your demise. So, I am not planning to go down before I take you with me."
Xehanort? It seems like the old man is more bite than bark. Connections with the Underworld? Summoning one of the most powerful creatures to take down his arch-nemesis?
Now that is something that Jared has never expected.
The Haakai prepares to cast a spell. However, before it is able to finish it, a person attacks him. Jared realizes that this is his uncle- Jason, albeit as a ghost.
"Nice try, Haakai, but I'm not going to let you kill my dear nephew!"- He says and stabs him with a holy sword.
The creature screams in pain as it is completely disintegrated by the light of the weapon.
"CURSE YOU, KAOS!"- It screams as its body turns into a pile of ashes.
Jason stares at them coldly.
"And don't you ever try that again!"- He says.
Meanwhile, Seiko's ghost appears and stares sadly at her son as he gets up.
"Mom? Uncle?"- He says- "What is going on? Why... why am I here?"
Seiko shakes her head.
"Sweetheart, I am so sorry for letting you get dragged into this mess."- She says- "I... I could have prevented that. But I wanted to see you, so I let Xehanort teleport you here, despite your uncle's protests."
Jason frowns.
"I told you that it is a very bad idea, but you did not listen to me."- He says- "I will forgive you this time, but next time you have to listen to my advice. Do you understand that, my dear sister?"
Seiko looks down.
"I'm sorry, brother."
Jason looks at Jared and smiles.
"It doesn't matter anymore. Jared is here now. He's safe."
Seiko smiles as well.
"Yes. You're right."- She says- "We have to be positive. This is what my husband wants us to be!"
She turns to her son.
"No hard feelings. Right, sweetie?"- She says.
Jared nods and smiles.
"I would never harbor any ill feelings for you, mom."- He says- "I knew, deep in my heart, that the Haakai that attacked me was not really you."
Seiko smiles.
"I saw how you refused to fight the demon, still thinking that it's me."- She says- "This made me cry, knowing how much you still love me."
Jared smiles.
"I will never stop loving you, mom."- He says- "Even when you're not with us anymore, even when we are miles apart from each other, my love for you will never fade away. I will always think about you, cherish all the good memories that we had and fight my enemies in your name, knowing that you are still smiling above."
"And I think that it is the same for you, mom. Is that right?"
Seiko smiles and tears up.
"Yes! Yes, sweetie!"- She says- "I will keep loving you, even when the world falls apart. Even when everything is lost. I will never stop!"
"I will always love you, my sweet child! My dearest creation!"
== Trivia ==
* The title of this Part- "No Hard Feelings" is a reference to the subject of the message that Seiko was going to send to her friend, Naomi in the original "Corpse Party", but never actually did so.