MLII C3, P7- "Blame"

"Blame" is the seventh Part of "Miracula Luxia II" 's third Chapter. It was released on 12.12.2020.
== Plot ==
John reunites with his little brother Matthew, at long last. However, their reunion does not go as expected. It seems like the things that the boy saw when he was away from his father and brother were very traumatizing to him and his normally childish personality has changed... for good or bad.
His big brother- John has to come in terms with the past and convince his brother to forgive him if he wants to help his friends in the fight against Rentar-Ihrno and her remaining force of Vahnatai. Whether he will indeed succeed with this nearly impossible task remains to be seen.
== Story ==
John shakes his head and tries to come closer to his brother to comfort him, but the boy takes another step back.
It is all clear now. The boy is afraid of him and that cannot be denied.
"It's your fault, John!"- Matthew says.
John raises his eyebrow.
"My... fault?"- He mutters- "I... don't understand."
Matthew looks around him.
"You and dad left me in the wilderness to look after myself. I was alone and afraid, surrounded by our enemies."- He continues- "When I thought that it was all over for me, that my life is over, I was saved by a mysterious group of aliens. They showed me hospitality in return for my help, which I provided without question. For years, I helped them defeat our race- the humans and never asked any questions. And I knew that, one day, I would meet you and dad again."
He sighs.
"However, I didn't think that this day would come so soon."
He points his weapon at his brother.
"Now you know why I am so angry at you!"- He yells- "So, what are you going to say in your defense before you have to face the inevitable- to participate in a fight against your younger brother, a matter of life and death?!"
Normally, John would lash out at his brother for making such a foolish decision. But now, he has changed. He is no longer the loving, caring little brother that he once has. He is now a hardened survivor who has suffered a lot and is ready to achieve his goals, even if he has to fight his big brother for that to happen.
No. Matthew is a completely different person. And he has to treat him like an equal. Lashing out at him will only make him angrier.
Although he knows that he has to fight his little brother, John decides to act friendly towards him, in an attempt to calm him down and show him that he and his allies and not the boy's enemies. He steps forward and hugs him.
Jared and Ghall-Ihrno are surprised by this, but take no action to stop him, knowing that it is for the best.
"I'm so sorry for everything, little brother. This... this was never meant to happen."- He says- "I admit it. I was weak. I was unable to save you, to risk my own life in the process. I was afraid. And now... the blood is on my hands. The damage exists and I can never repair it, no matter how hard I try."
For a few moments, his face becomes very serious.
"I can't promise that I won't make such mistakes ever again. I know that my actions are not always justified, not morally right."- He mutters- "But... I want to show you love and care, to provide the support that those vagabonds did not give you while you were with them. To make you feel truly at home. Those are the things that I want to give to you, even if it costs me everything. Because this is what a big brother does- he does everything that he can to keep his younger sibling safe and happy, at all costs."
He breaks down, unable to hold his tears.
"Please, little brother! I beg you for forgiveness!"- He continues- "Please, reconsider your intentions to fight us! I don't want to fight you! If something happens to you, I... I... I will never forgive myself for what I've done!"
Matthew smiles and hugs his brother, seemingly forgiving him.
"We both suffered a lot. I know that very well."- He says- "But in the end, we survived and reunited. As a reward, I want to give you something... "
At this moment, Jared notices a glint in Matthew's pocket. Too late, he realizes that it is a small dagger that he quickly pulls out.
"It's called death!"- The boy yells.
In an attempt to save his friend from the jaws of demise, Jared rushes towards the two brothers.
"John, watch out!"- He yells as he comes closer.
Just as John turns back to see what is going on, Jared jumps and lands on top of Matthew. The boy tries to stab him, but he quickly disarms him and starts to punch him in the face.
"No! S-stop! Please!"- John yells and tries to stop Jared.
However, he is pulled back by Ghall-Ihrno.
"Leave him, John."- He says- "Your brother is a criminal, no matter how much you try to deny it. And there is only one fate for criminals like him. It cannot be avoided."
John looks down. Tears start falling from his eyes. He knows that his brother must die and he cannot stop it.
However, just as Jared is about to finish him, he remembers something. He is fighting his best friend's brother- a younger one, on top of that. And he will never forgive him if he killed the boy in front of his brother.
He looks at John. He is still looking down.
He notices that Jared is staring at him and looks up.
"D-do what you must!"- He says- "If you have to kill him, I understand. Just... just do it faster, please!"
Jared looks at Matthew sadly. The boy is beaten and is looking down. It seems like he finally admits that he is defeated.
Instead of stabbing him with his weapon, Jared takes a step back and drops it on the floor as a sign of peace.
John is surprised by this, but does not say anything.
"Matthew, I know that we are on the opposite sides of the war. We are enemies and that is a fact that I am forced to comprehend."- He says stoically- "But you are John's brother. I respect my best friend and want him to be happy. So, I will give you a second chance. Come with us, help us defeat Rentar-Ihrno and all will be forgiven."
He looks at the boy expectantly.
"What do you say?"
Matthew thinks about this for a few seconds. Then, he shakes his head.
"As much as I would like to offer you my assistance, I have to refuse."- He says- "Those aliens are my family, the ones who took care of me for so many years, who showed me what it means to be a true family, despite not being a part of the one from which I originated."
He sighs. He clearly regrets saying those words, but he knows that he cannot hold them back any longer.
"No, I must go back to them. And you cannot stop me."
Matthew's words infuriate Ghall-Ihrno. He steps forward and draws his weapon.
"Foolish human! You regard those monsters as your family?!"- He yells- "Are you out of your mind?!"
Matthew smiles.
"Maybe they aren't the best family that I've ever had, but I'm not angry at them. Everybody makes mistakes and I know it very well. It's what a true family does- even if you make a mistake, they forgive you. That's what those Vahnatai have done for all these years."
He notices the Vahnatai who are coming towards them and shakes his head.
"I would love to continue speaking with you, but I'm afraid that my time here is up."- He says and pulls out something from his pocket.
He looks at his brother just before he throws the item on the ground. He sighs and says:
"Farewell, all of you."- He mutters- "Maybe we will meet again one day, when my family is defeated and gone for good. But until then, watch yourselves."
Ghall-Ihrno notices the item in Matthew's hands moments before he uses it. He gasps.
"This is a smoke bomb!"- He yells and runs back to Jared and John- "Everyone, stand back and cover your eyes!"
Just as Matthew throws the bomb on the ground, the three of them cover their eyes.
Moments later, they open them. The smoke clears and they notice that, unsurprisingly, Matthew is gone.
John falls to his knees.
"Why? Why am I such a bad brother?"- He questions his role as a sibling- "Why was I so foolish?!"
Jared pats him on the shoulder.
"It is not your fault, John."- He says- "Your brother is a foolish person who chose the dark side over staying with his biological family. And soon, he will face the consequences of his cowardly actions. Mark my words."
John nods. Tears start falling from his eyes.
"I know this. I know it very well."- He replies- "But I didn't want his life to end this way! I didn't want him to fight for a foolish and unachievable cause, just because he loves his new "family"! I... I just wanted to see him again, to hug him, to tell him how much I love him and show him that I care about him, no matter how much he fears and loathes me. I didn't want it to end up like... like this!"
Jared tries to say something to comfort him. However, he is rudely interrupted by a small group of hostile Vahnatai who heard their conversation with Matthew and came to investigate.
Seeing that they have no other choice than fighting the vagabonds, Jared and his allies attack them.
Soon, all of them lie dead on the ground in front of them.
The three of them leave the building and go outside. Jared looks around and manages to notice some tracks in the nearby dirt.
He turns to John.
"Your brother went north."- He says stoically- "We must hurry if we want to catch up with him."
The three of them enter a nearby building and start searching for the boy.
Suddenly, Jared hears something behind him and turns around. Just in time, he sees Matthew near a window.
He alerts John and Ghall-Ihrno and they look at him.
"Little brother! What are you doing?"- John asks him.
Matthew shakes his head.
"Your best friend didn't end my life, so I will end it myself."- He says and turns toward the window- "Farewell, brother. See you in the Afterlife."
John tries to stop him, both verbally and physically, but fails to do so. He steps back and awaits the inevitable, tears falling from his eyes like a waterfall.
Meanwhile, Jared pulls out his bow and aims an arrow at Matthew. Just as he is about to jump, he shoots it at him and...
He pins his clothes to a nearby wall, making him unable to move.
"You fool! Why did you do that?!"- Matthew yells.
John looks at Jared, horrified, but decides not to say anything.
Jared sighs and shakes his head.
"No, Matthew. You are the fool if you think that you can solve all of your problems by ending your own life."- He says, takes a step closer to the boy and grabs him by the neck- "Don't you realize how your family would feel about your demise?! Your brother wanted to reunite with you, to be with his little brother and keep him safe from harm. Your father wanted to see his long-lost son at least once. And you wanted to ruin their dreams, didn't you? You wanted to end your own life and make them feel guilty for leaving you behind. You wanted to make them suffer for this deed, just like you suffered because of them!"
He coldly looks at him.
"I can see it clearly now. I can see how much you care about your family, Matthew. Not at all!"
Matthew looks at his brother. Then, he looks back at Jared and shakes his head.
"No! No, that's... that's not true! You aren't right!"- He says.
Angered, John approaches his brother. He wants to slap him in the face, but decides against it in the last moment.
Instead, he pulls out the arrow from Matthew's clothes, gives it back to Jared and hugs his little brother.
"Jared's right. You didn't care about us. You wanted to make us feel guilty for abandoning you."- He says- "But I know that, deep in your heart, you are still the loving and caring little brother that I knew. Under that iron will, you still have the soul of a little angel."
He begins to cry again.
"I know that I won't be able to stop you, but I know that you can still reconsider. So, please, stay with us and make me and our father happy. I beg you!"
Matthew finally realizes how much his brother loves him. He breaks down as well and hugs him.
"I know! All this time, I've been away from both of you. I've been thinking about you, non-stop!"- He says- "But... but I never knew how I would talk to you so many years later, when I finally reunite with you. I... I didn't want to harm you, I was just scared!"
He shakes his head.
"No, I should be the one who begs for forgiveness, not you. I know how much you had to suffer after I disappeared and I know how much you've been looking for me ever since. And I can never forgive myself for making you go through all this pain, both you and papa."
He looks at John expectantly.
"I hope that you will be able to forgive me after all that I did to you."- He says- "But, even if you don't, I promise that I'm not going to be angry. I won't lash out at you. I just... I just want to be with you. With papa. So we... we can be... a happy family."
John smiles.
"Of course I forgive you, little brother!"- He responds- "Even after all the horrible things that you did in the name of your new family, I still want to show you love and welcome you back to your real family. I want to make you feel right at home and show you that there is nothing to fear, to help you remember who you really are. I would never be mad at you."
Matthew begins to cry again. It seems like his childish personality has finally returned.
Moments later, he stops crying at looks at Jared.
"Thank you for helping me remember how much I love my family, Jared. I... I can't thank you enough."- He says to him- "I am also sorry for trying to kill my brother and making all of you angry at me."
Jared smiles.
"All is forgiven, Matthew."- He says- "I know that you were forced to do that and did not want to hurt any of us. I know how it feels to be away from your family for so long. And I am very happy that I managed to save your life."
John nods and smiles.
"I will never forget what you did for us."- He says- "Thank you, buddy. I'm glad that I chose you to be my best friend."
Jared smiles, pats his friend on the shoulder and looks at Matthew.
"I hate to ask you about something like this, especially after all the pain that you were forced to endure."- He says- "But do you know anything about the big door in the center of the fort?"
Matthew nods.
"Yes."- He responds- "This door leads to Rentar-Ihrno's throne room. Her Crystal Soul stays there and supervises everything that is happening within the fort and its surroundings. She is currently there, awaiting your arrival. That's what I heard from the guards within the fort."
He pulls out a small, ivory key from his pocket and gives it to Jared.
"This key will allow you to open the door and enter her throne room."- He continues- "I wish you good luck in this battle and I hope that you can finally defeat this witch, once and for all."
Jared nods and looks at John.
"So, are you ready to end this madness?"- He says to him.
John looks around and shakes his head.
"I would like to join you. I really do."- He says- "But I'm afraid that I must leave the fort with my brother. He is still confused and very tired. I must get him out of here and return to our father. I'm afraid that you have to fight Rentar-Ihrno on your own."
Jared sighs and nods.
"I understand. If you want to lead your brother out of this warzone, so it be."- He responds- "Now go and good luck. Get out of here before more of our enemies arrive. I hope that you can find your way back to the encampment."
John nods, pats Jared on the shoulder, bids both him and Ghall-Ihrno farewell and leaves with his brother.
Ghall-Ihrno looks at Jared and smiles.
"Don't worry, Jared."- He says- "Even if John isn't here with you, I am still here. And I will do whatever I can to help you defeat Rentar-Ihrno once and for all."
Jared nods.
"Thank you for deciding to stay with me, Mr. Ihrno. You are such a valuable ally."
Ghall-Ihrno smiles again and bows to Jared, a sign of respect from a Vahnatai to a Human.
Now by themselves, Jared and Ghall-Ihrno leave the building, kill a few of the remaining Vahnatai and approach the big door that leads to the throne room.
Before unlocking the door with the key, Jared looks at Ghall-Ihrno.
"Whenever you are ready, my friend."- He says to him.
Ghall-Ihrno nods.
"Let's end this pointless war and put this villain to rest... forever."
Now convinced that both of them are ready for the incoming battle, Jared unlocks the door and goes inside with Ghall-Ihrno.
They look around and notice how beautiful the room is. It is a building made entirely in the style of the Vahnatai, a lot of their furniture present in the throne room with the sole purpose to amaze their visitors and give comfort to their allies.
What truly catches the eye of every person, however, is the Crystal Soul that is standing in the middle of the room, lying in wait on its marble pedestal.
At first, it looks like a simple, precious gem. But on closer inspection, you could see the light that flickers within it. It is a priceless artifact, one of the most valued leaders of the Vahnatai in the form of a crystal.
However, its brilliance does not fool Jared. He knows that the Crystal Soul that is standing on the pedestal is not a friend. It is part of the enemy force and, most importantly, is their revered leader:
Rentar-Ihrno.
The Crystal Soul scans the area around it and realizes that Jared has finally arrived. A harsh laugh comes from inside as it begins to speak:
"Jared Kaos! I knew that you would come here, sooner or later. You and your little friend from Olgai."- Rentar-Ihrno says to the young hero- "Now, allow me to introduce myself so we can fight, a conflict which will end in your demise!"
She laughs again, as if to a joke that she just made and continues:
"So, let us begin. My time is limited and I still have a whole nation to conquer."