Miracula Luxia C9, ExP0.1- "Moments Of Despair"

"Moments Of Despair" is an Extra Part. Its events date shortly before the beginning of the events of "Miracula Luxia" 's Chapter 9- "King Of Hearts".
It was released on 17.04.2020.
== Plot ==
Jared, his grandfather and his friends go back to Formello after they leave Fort Avernum, only to find it mostly abandoned and destroyed.
They try to leave, but stop when Jared hears the voice of someone very close to him, screaming in anguish.
== Story ==
As Jared and his allies leave Fort Avernum, our hero turns back to take one last look at it.
"Fort Avernum... your walls are strong. Your portal is powerful. But inside, you hide anguish and sorrow that will never go away. Your portal caused so much pain to me... and I will never use it again. Farewell."
Then he turns around and joins his allies in trying to find a safe location for the night.
In the distance, the four of them notice the lights of Formello.
"What in the world?"- Lethal says- "Is that... a settlement?"
Jared nods.
"Yes, grandpa. What you see over there... is the proud city of Formello- one of the most important cities in Avernum."
Lethal nods.
"I've heard about both the city and the land itself."- Lethal says to himself- "Avernum is the other name of the underworld. But this land does not look like it. Seems like the people here have done a lot to make it more livable. Established settlements, cleared it from monsters and even placed glowing funguses on the ceiling. It's truly impressive."
"But what I see over there... "
He stares at the city sadly.
"Those may not be the lights of a friendly, safe settlement."
Jared looks at his grandfather.
"Grandpa?"- He says- "Is everything alright? Why did you go silent all of a sudden?"
Lethal turns around.
"Oh! Sorry, kiddo. I was just... wondering. About how I'm going to be greeted by the residents of the city."
Jared smiles.
"You shouldn't worry about that!"- He says- "All of them are wonderful people and I'm sure that they will welcome you as warmly as they welcomed me."
Lethal sighs.
"I hope so. But you never know how they will treat a stranger."
Jared stares blankly in the distance.
"You're right."- He mutters- "With what has happened recently, they may be suspicious of any stranger that comes through."
The four heroes approach the gates of Formello and see that not everything is well in the mighty city.
The walls are partially burnt down, the gate is smashed open and there are very few warriors guarding it.
As for the buildings, well... the situation is far worse than we had anticipated. It looks like most of the buildings were torn down by huge monsters. The signs of that can be seen everywhere around our heroes.
The only lights left in the city are mostly coming from the soldiers' campfires. Whatever houses are left in Formello, they are completely dark, with the exception of one or two who still shine dimly.
"Looks like the poor folks here are in more trouble than we are."- Lethal says- "Just look at what has happened here!"
Jared nods.
"My dear god!"- He says to himself- "What has happened here?"
"Did this happen... while we were gone?"
A soldier on the walls notices our heroes.
He aims his bow at them, prompting Lethal to draw his weapon as well.
"Stop right there, criminal scum!"- He says- "We, of the proud city of Formello know your intentions. If you take one more step through the gate, we will slay you. Do you hear me?!"
The other soldiers stand up from the campfires and draw their weapons.
Jared holds his hands up.
"Wait, soldier! Don't shoot!"- He yells- "Look closer! I'm not an enemy!"
The soldier peers his eyes at our hero, trying to analyze who he really is.
He shakes his head.
"I don't recognize you."- He says.
However, another soldier right next to him does recognize the boy.
"Jared! Is... is that you? Is that really you?"- He says.
The other soldier turns around.
"What do you mean?"- He says- "This ain't Jared! Jared's probably dead!"
"This kid doesn't look like him at all."
Jared shakes his head.
"It's me- Jared! I'm still alive! It was my uncle that died, not me!"
The first soldier nods.
"I believe you."
He turns to the other soldier and aims his weapon at him.
"Let them in immediately."- He says to him.
The soldier sighs and waves our heroes by.
Once they're inside, the soldiers take a closer look at them and notice that the boy is indeed Jared Kaos.
The first soldier climbs down and looks down.
"I'm sorry for doubting you, Jared."- He says- "We... we didn't mean no harm. We were just... scared. Of someone possibly trying to disguise themself as you."
Jared smiles and pats the soldier on the shoulder.
"I understand. I can see what you have gotten through while I was gone and I am very sorry for not being here to help you out."
"But now I am here and I will help you out as best as I can."
The soldier nods.
"You're the hero."- He says- "And we know that you will succeed!"
The soldier invites Jared and his allies to sit at a campfire with him and a few other soldiers.
"We heard about your uncle's death."- One of the soldiers says- "We're sorry for your loss."
Jared sighs and looks down.
"Thank you for your concern, but it doesn't matter anymore."- He says- "Right now, what matters the most is taking out Farrar's forces, one after the other."
The soldiers nod.
"We couldn't agree more."- They say.
Jared smiles and nods.
"Anyway."- He says- "I saw what happened to Formello, but I was wondering about why it happened. Did someone arrive here while I was gone?"
At first, none of the soldiers are unable to answer. However, one of the soldiers musters up the courage and decides to tell Jared the tale of what happened to them.
"It all began after the end of the war with the "Order of the Black Fist". We were happy, we thought that everything was now over. We thought that we were safe. We let our guard down."
"It was a big mistake."- Another soldier continues- "While we were trying to repair the damage that the loyalists have done to our city, an army of humanoids arrived at the gates one week later, led by a huge man."
"At first, we thought that he was a humanoid as well."- A third soldier decides to join in- "But when he spoke... we realized that he was no mere humanoid. He was a human, like us, but very tall and strong."
"He yelled "Where is Jared?!"."- A fourth soldier speaks- "We didn't know where you were back them, so we simply tried to send him away. However, he didn't leave. Instead, he sent his humanoids to attack us and kill our families for punishment."
"Many of our beloved ones died that night. Many innocent children were slain, desperate mothers tried to plead for their lives, but they were killed as well. As for us, the soldiers... we suffered a far more severe wound- not in the flesh, but in the heart. The wound of losing someone important to us."
"Most of us were left alive, to see what has happened to our city and learn from our mistake. The humanoids left. We killed many of them, but the damage was already done."
"And that's how we ended up like this."- The first soldier continues.
Jared is in tears.
"I'm sorry for abandoning you... when you needed me the most."
The soldiers smile.
"What are you talking about, Jared?"- The first soldier says- "You didn't abandon us. You were always with us, not in flesh, but in soul. You always gave us the courage to continue."
"And that's how most of us are still alive. We don't hold a grudge against you because you didn't help us out. Quite the opposite, we respect you, because you always care about us, no matter where you are."
Jared nods.
"I care about everyone. I take the responsibility to protect all of you and it pains me when someone dies."
The first soldier shakes his head.
"If only there were more people like you."- He says- "Our families might have lived through that ordeal."
"Now rest. You need a break more than all of us do, because you did so much to save us all."
Jared nods and sits back to watch the stars.
Meanwhile, a strange scream comes from one of the houses nearby.
"What in the world?"- He says as he stares at the house.
One of the soldiers stares at the house sadly.
"One of the people in our city lost much more than all of us did in the assault. She returned here recently and has acted like a crazy person ever since."
Jared decides to investigate.
"No, Jared!"- The soldier says- "It's too dangerous! She... she might attack you."
Jared shakes his head.
"The person clearly needs help."- He says- "And I want to be the one who helps her out."
John and Lethal decide to join Jared in investigating the house while Annie keeps the soldiers company.
"Do you think that he'll be safe?"- One of the soldiers asks her.
Annie smiles.
"Jared has survived so many battles, endured so much pain and made so many friends. Of course he will be safe!"
Having said that, Annie, along with the soldiers watch as Jared, John and Lethal enter the house.
Jared opens the door and sees a grieving woman in front of him.
He recognizes her immediately.
"Akari!"- He calls out to her.
She turns around, her eyes filled with tears.
Jared sees something pinned to the wall. At first, he thinks that it is just a mannequin, but soon realizes that it is a living person.
Or rather a dead living person.
Behind Akari, he sees the undead corpses of both her mother and her father, trying to reach out to her, but are unable to do so due to being pinned to the wall.
"Aki? What happened? Why are your parents... ?"
Akari looks down in shame.
"Daddy was killed by those cursed humanoids. Then he came back to life and killed mommy."
Jared stares at them.
"But... why did you keep them alive?"
Akari looks down and sighs.
"I... I couldn't... "
"It's your fault."
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"Umm... what?"
Akari approaches Jared and grabs him by the neck.
"It's your fault!"- She yells at him.
John is shocked by this and tries to stop Akari.
"Leave my friend alone!"- He says.
However, she doesn't listen. Instead, she grabs his shirt with her other hand and throws him on the ground.
"Why are you doing this, Aki?"- Jared asks her- "Why are you so angry?"
"It's because you weren't here for me!"- She yells- "I needed your help so much and you just... just went with those weirdos to save people other than me. Why? Why did you neglect me for so long?!"
Jared is unable to answer.
"Not gonna say anything, eh?"- Akari mumbles- "How pathetic of you."
"Answer me, Jared!"- She yells at him- "Where were you when I wanted to be with you? Where were you when I needed you the most?!"
Jared looks down in shame. Tears roll down from his eyes.
"I'm going to make you pay for the pain you have caused me, right in front of your dear friends!"
She pulls out a knife from her pocket.
She presses it near Jared's abdomen.
"Well?"- She says- "Do you feel the taste of death? Or are you as unafraid as you were before?"
Jared sees that Akari has gone almost completely mad. Reasoning with her right now is not an option and neither is saying sorry. Her desire to kill him will not waver.
Instead, he decides to say:
"I know about how much pain you had to go through, but those were your troubles, not mine. I had my own problems to solve, my own friends and family to save, my own future to build."
"Our paths were destined to split, Akari. I only stuck with you, because you were my friend. Because I cared about you. Now, I see that you have changed. A lot. Our views of a better world are different and our fates continue in different ways."
"But don't think that I hate you for that, Aki. I still regard you as someone that I care about. I still respect you. You're still my friend."
Akari looks down and sighs.
"For all those years, that's all I've been to you, Jared?"- She says- "Just a friend?"
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
Akari smiles.
"Unlike how you regarded me, I regarded you as more than a friend. I regarded you as a shoulder to cry on. A person that I can truly trust. And even more than that... "
"I loved you, Jared. You were the person that I loved the most!"
Having said that, Akari forcefully pulls Jared close to her and kisses him.
For a few moments, she feels like she finally found true love. That she finally found someone who can love her.
But then, when it seems like she just wanted to kiss him, she pulls herself away and pushes Jared into a wall.
"I loved you."- She repeats- "And what did you do? Throw my love away like it was trash, that's what you did!"
Jared is shocked by this.
"But... but... you never told me that you loved me!"- He says.
Akari shakes her head.
"No, but you should have taken the hint. The hints."
"But now, everything is different. Now I hate you. You're nothing to me!"
"It's all over, Jared!"- She yells and stabs him on the shoulder.
She watches him fall to his knees with seeming pleasure, unaware that John is behind her.
"Yes!"- She says- "Suffer! Beg! Satisfy me! Satisfy my thirst for vengeance!"
Behind her, John grabs a nearby pipe and strikes her on the head.
"Nobody... and I mean nobody, hurts my best friend, no matter if they're a friend or foe!"- He says to her.
She stumbles back and suffers another blow by Lethal.
"And my grandson!"- He adds.
She slowly stands up and stares coldly at the two men.
"Look at you, Mr. Kaos."- She says- "Loyal to the end. Even when the situation seems impossible, you are still ready to save your beloved grandson."
John raises his eyebrow.
"Mr. Kaos, what does she mean?"- He asks Lethal- "Do you know her?"
Lethal sighs and nods.
"I knew her ever since she was a child. Her parents were some of our biggest friends. I even regarded her as my own granddaughter, since her grandfather died a year before I first met her. She was such a sweet girl, always ready to help whenever she could, no matter if she was just a child."
"But the girl that I see right here."- He turns and looks at Akari- "This is not the sweet, loving and caring girl I used to know."
"What I see before me... is a bloodthirsty monster."
Akari grins.
"Boo hoo. Cry me a river."- She says- "People change, Mr. Kaos. They never stay the same. They adapt to their current environment, ready to kill whoever tries to harm the people around them. Or them. Remember it well."
Lethal sighs.
"I just hoped that there is at least a small part of you that is still sane. But I can see that you have gone completely mad. And that's just because you lost your parents."
He points at Jared.
"Look at my grandson! He lost his uncle, mother and most recently, his father. And he's still not giving up! He doesn't act like a weak person, because he knows that people still depend on him. He's ready to give his life for them, to protect them from harm."
"I know that it's the same for you too, Akari. Please, don't make us sad. Join us in fighting Farrar and saving the world once again. We need you."
For a moment, Akari's hostile demeanor waver. Her heart softens and she begins to cry. She considers joining them, forgiving them for their past actions and helping them make things right once again.
However, her evil side kicks in not long after. She grabs her knife and smirks.
"I appreciate your concern, Mr. Kaos. I really do."- She says- "But the old, sweet Akari is gone. She'll never come back."
"What you see before you now... is a hardened survivor who will do anything to accomplish her goals."
She turns to Jared.
"I will see you very soon, my love. Hasta la vista, baby!"
Jared stares at her coldly as he grasps his wound, unable to comprehend what is happening right now.
She smiles and opens the front door.
"See ya later, fools!"- She says and runs forward.
John and Lethal go after her in hot pursuit. She is near the gate, about to escape.
"Hey!"- One of the guards around the gate says- "Where do you think you're going? It's dangerous out there!"
Akari smirks as she continues to run from her pursuers.
"Screw you! I'll make my own future!"- She yells and runs forward as the guard aim their bows at her.
"Stop her!"- John yells at the guards.
They nod and shoot arrows at her in an attempt to do so.
However, she nimbly dodges every single one of them and runs away.
She goes through the gate and runs in a straight line as the guards continue shooting at her.
Soon, she is out of right, still running further into the night.
John sighs.
"I don't know who this girl was, but she is surely a very capable one. A real fighter."- He says to Lethal.
Lethal nods.
"Yeah."- He says- "I can see it now. She's a ruthless survivor and won't stop at nothing to kill Jared to satisfy her thirst for revenge."
"Should we chase her down?"
Lethal shakes his head.
"There's no need for that. Foolish as she is, she'll probably die out there, in the wilds."- He says.
"But I fear that this may not be the last we see of her. We have to prepare."
John nods and the two of them go back to the house.
Annie is already there, attempting to stop the bleeding from Jared's wound.
"Why did you let her escape?"- She scolds the two men.
John shakes his head.
"I'm so sorry, Annie."- He says- "She... she was just too fast for us."
Annie looks down.
"It's fine. She'll probably die from her own stupidity. But the damage is already done."
The three of them stare at Jared's wound.
"Wait."- Lethal says- "I'll take care of this."
Annie smiles.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Kaos."- She says- "Thank god that you came when we needed you the most."
"I'm always ready to help."- Lethal replies and uses his magic to soothe Jared's pain.
"Don't worry, grandson. I'll save you from the pain this foolish girl inflicted on you."
Meanwhile, John grabs a discared gun from the ground and checks its amunition.
"What is it?"- Annie asks him.
John shakes his head.
"It has only one bullet. It seems like Akari was planning to shoot herself... until we came.
"Here's another one."- Lethal hands him a bullet left on the ground near the gun and returns to treating a wounded Jared.
John aims the gun at Akari's former parents and shakes his head.
"I've never met any of you."- He says- "But I'm so sorry to learn how you died. You were probably very nice people, just living your life normally... and honestly. And then, you just had to die and make your daughter into a monster."
"But that's not your fault."- He continues- "Your daughter was foolish enough to fall victim of her own sorrow and darkness and try to kill someone very close to her. I don't want you to suffer more because of this!"
He aims his gun at the head of Akari's father and closes his eyes.
"Do you know how to kill an undead creature?"- Annie asks him.
"Shoot in the head. Yes, I know that."- John says and shoots a bullet in Isamu's head.
Then, he aims his gun Nozomi's head and shoots her as well.
The zombified corpses of Akari's parents fall to the ground, finally freed from the bonds of this world, put into an eternal rest, no longer suffering the fate of eternally staying as undead creatures.
John drops down to his knees, the gun falling out of his hand and cries.
Annie looks at him sadly.
"Are you okay, John?"- She asks him.
John nods, tears still falling from his eyes.
"The way I put Akari's parents down... reminded me of how I had to put my own mother down a few years ago. At first, I was unable to do so, but I knew what had to be done when she was about to attack my father, who was also unable to do so. I understand the pain that Akari had to feel when she saw her parents reanimate, because I've gone through the same."
Annie hugs him.
"We all suffered so much. But this is what makes us united, right?"- She says.
John nods.
"Yes. Yes, it does. I am here because you, my friends. You showed me how to be a better person. How I should help people instead of harming them. You showed me the right way."
He stares into the dark night.
"Unlike poor Akari, who has always been crying for help, but nobody heard her."
Jared stands up, his grandfather done with working on his wound.
"Then let's help her!"- He says- "Let's find her and show her that we still care about her well-being!"
Lethal shakes his head.
"Jared, she too far gone. We cannot save her from her impending doom."
Jared stares coldly at his grandfather.
"No, grandpa. Aki is my friend and I won't let a friend down. Never!"
He slowly approaches the door and turns to the three of them.
"If you want to help me, feel free to do so. But if you don't want to- it's fine. Just don't try to stop me, okay?"
Akari approaches Jared and stands by him.
"Then it's the two of us. Wherever Jared goes, I will be there with him."
John nods and smiles.
"So will I. Let's do this!"
Lethal smiles as well.
"I would never let my grandson go out there alone. I'm coming too."
Jared, John, Lethal and Annie go outside and start looking for Akari.
For a short while, Annie stares at the corpses of her former friend's parents and remembers how she went through the portal to save them:
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Annie stands near the portal with Aleks and waits for Jared and John to return.
Meanwhile, a girl runs quickly towards them, blade in hand.
Aleks and Annie turn around and see a familiar face.
"Akari!"- Aleks says and tries to stop her, but to no avail.
Akari pushes them away and enters the portal.
Annie tries to enter the portal after her, but Aleks stops her.
"There's no need for that."- He says- "We need to worry about Jared and John right now. Once they're back, we're going to help her out as well."
Akari nods and quietly watches the portal.
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After Aleks enters the portal, Annie sees that a light is shining from the portal. Someone is coming through.
"Jared?"- Annie wonders if it is her friend that is coming through.
However, she soon sees that it is Akari. She's carrying two people with her.
"Akari!"- Annie says- "What's going on? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Akari doesn't say anything. Instead, she just pushes her friend away.
"Out of my way."- She mutters and leaves the fort.
Annie tries to run after her, but loses her as far as a few meters ahead. Somehow, Akari has quickly left the fort and gone out of sight.
Annie looks around, but doesn't see her anywhere nearby.
"Where is she?"- She wonders, but is unable to to find her.
Her search for her friend is stopped by the arrival of Jared, John and Lethal.
Annie quickly runs down to meet her friend, temporarily forgetting about Akari.
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In the present, Annie looks at Akari's parents one last time and sighs.
"She did so much for you and yet, she couldn't save you."- She says- "Why? Why are all of those horrible things happening to us?!"
She angrily hits a nearby painting and breaks it.
"That fool, Farrar! It's because of him that we suffered so much, lost so many friends. Oh, how I will make him pay!"
"Wait for me, you worm, because I'm coming for you!"- She yells and joins her friends in trying to find Akari.
Meanwhile, Akari continues running away from Formello, knife in hand.
On her way to the west, she trips on a rock and falls, severely injuring her leg.
She looks at her bleeding leg and sighs.
"So this is how I will die, huh?"- She says to herself- "What a pathetic way to die."
"I should have let Jared and his friends kill me. Woulda' been faster."
She looks up and sees someone staring at her.
She tries to attack him, but he grabs her arm and twists it.
"Ow!"- She says- "That hurts, ya know?!"
The mysterious man smiles.
"Sorry."- He says- "I didn't want to hurt you. Swear."
That's when Akari sees that this is not Jared, or anyone of his friends.
"Who are you?"
The man helps her stand up.
"I'm the one who will keep you safe."
"Don't mess with me!"- She yells- "Tell me who you are or leave me to die!"
The man lifts his hood and Akari realizes that this is no mere human.
This is a man who is very tall and strong, clearly capable to fight off many enemies without breaking a sweat. A true villain.
"You."- She says- "Jared told me about you. You're Farrar, right?"
Farrar nods.
"Yes I am. And I am here to give you an opportunity. The opportunity to fight back against the one who hurt you."
Akari smiles when she realizes what he means.
"Now we're talking!"- She says- "So you're offering me a second chance?"
Farrar smiles and nods.
"Indeed, young lady."- He replies- "So, are you going to take my offer? Or are you going to refuse and force me to leave you to die?"
Akari grins.
"I wouldn't turn down such a rare opportunity. Count me in, Farrar! I'm ready to help you out!"
"Let's show those fools how strong we are!"
Farrar smiles and shakes her hand.
"I knew that you wouldn't refuse. Now come. We have so many lands to conquer."
He turns to leave,
"Wait!"- She stops him- "What about this... ?"
She looks at her wound on the leg that is still bleeding profusely.
Farrar smiles and pats her on the shoulder.
"Fear not!"- He says- "I won't let you die. I'm going to take you to a nearby camp where my healers will treat your injury."
Akari nods.
"Then let's go."- She says- "Lead the way."
Farrar smiles and goes forward, eager to lead his new, loyal ally to his friends and careful to stay unnoticed by their enemies- Jared and his allies.
The two of them disappear into the mist as Jared and his allies look around, trying to find Akari.
"She's not here."- John says- "Maybe we should turn back and look for her later?"
Jared stares at the road ahead and sighs.
"Akari, you cannot hide from us forever."- He says- "We will find you and we will make sure that you are safe. No matter where you go, no matter what you do against us, I will always keep looking for you."
"I will never let you down, Akari. I will protect you from those monsters, whatever it takes me, I will succeed. Wait for me, my dear friend, because I am coming to save you."- He says and the four of them go back to Formello, ready to plan their next move against Farrar's forces.
== Trivia ==
* The words of one of the Formellian guards ("Stop right there, criminal scum!") are a reference to the game "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim".
* The words "Hasta la vista" are a catchphrase associated with Arnold Schwarzeneger's title character from "Terminator 2: Judgment Day". The film itself was released in 1991.