MLIII C4, P3- "Blooming Hope"

"Blooming Hope" is the third Part of "Miracula Luxia III" 's fourth Chapter.
It was released on 05.03.2022.
== Plot ==
Once again, Adam managed to prove how much he cares about everyone. Having defeated the vile Haakai and saved the damsel in distress, he is confident that he can fulfill his destiny and find Mordred Darkthrop.
But this cannot be done yet. For now, he, his father and their new friend have to leave the ruins of this unfortunate town as soon as possible. Otherwise, Darkthrop's forces will detect them and make their lives more miserable than they already are.
As Jared once said, when they embark on a journey, the wind will take them to the right place. However, in this situation, it will bring them to a place which means a lot to them.
Let the journey begin.
== Story ==
Adam and Jared drag the bodies of Aalia's friends out of the town. It doesn't take long for her to join them in burying them.
Deciding that it would be unwise to bury them in the town where they died, the three of them decide to carry them to Canonia instead.
Once they notify the residents about the fates of their beloved heroes, Adam and Jared drag the corpses outside, beginning the preparations of their burial.
As Jared prepares to dig two large holes, Adam continues to comfort Aalia, who is close to breaking down again.
"I told you, Aalia. Those people were not your friends."- He says to her- "When we came to see you, they were already... gone. Reduced to atoms. Their souls have floated away and only the memories of them remained behind."
Aalia looks up and sighs.
"So, does this mean that, all this time, I've been talking to... monsters?"
Adam does not respond.
It is clear that he does not want to hurt her, so he simply takes a step back and looks down guiltily.
Seeing that Adam is worried about her, Aalia looks down as well.
"I... "- She mutters- "I'm sorry."
Adam looks up and smiles sadly.
"For what?"- He asks her- "It is not your fault that those people died in there. You tried your best to keep them alive until help arrived."
He smiles again.
"You are a hero, Aalia."- He says to her- "The way you held those fiends back with such courage and valor. It was truly heroic and, if my words mean anything to you, I want to say that I am proud of you. Very proud."
A flurry of emotions courses through Aalia's mind. She debates whether to kiss Adam or to slap him.
Finally, she simply takes a step forward and falls in his arms.
Adam hugs her and pats her on the head.
"We are in this together, Aalia. We will get out of this nightmare."- He says to her- "Together, we shall make a new world where our friends and family will live safe and happy. We will remember those who are still dear to us and fight in their name."
Aalia nods.
"When I met you for the first time, I thought you were like the rest of the heroes that we met. A wannabe savior who pretends like he cares for everyone, but only works for pay. An adventurer with no purpose, no allies."- She says- "But now, I can finally see why everyone is in awe with you."
She smiles.
"Heroes always support each other, yeah?"- She asks him- "Well, that's how I want it to be for us."
Adam smiles.
"And so do I."
In the meantime, Jared finishes the two graves. He taps Adam on the shoulder and points at them.
"I have done it."- He says to him- "Whenever you are ready, go there and give your eulogies."
He sighs.
"But, please, do it soon."- He adds- "I fear that we do not have much time left to leave."
Adam and Aalia nod. Without wasting any time, they approach the empty graves.
As Aalia continues to mourn her dead friends, the young hero steps forward. He looks at the residents who have gathered outside.
"Honored citizens of Canonia. Today, we gather to bid farewell to those who risked their lives and made their mark in our world. Those who gave their all to save the innocent, yet perished along with them."- He begins- "Although I never had the chance to talk to them for long, I treated them as my allies. My friends. My brothers-in-arms who, despite our many differences, worked hard to save their world in their own, special way. Just like you, I deeply mourn them. I wish that this did not happen, that I could simply turn back time and prevent this disaster. However, this unfortunate event shall serve as an example to us. A reminder that we must not break our bond, no matter who we have to face in battle. A sign of our own mortality, of our greatest fears- unfolded and made into a reality. But do not fear, as we are not gone yet. When we are done, I want you to remember how important it is to value every single human's life. I want you to go out there and fight in the name of those people. Do not be afraid of Darkthrop, nor his foolish allies- they are just another army of evil that tries to separate us. Those people fought to the end, with courage and valor, so why are we holding back? When they went into the tower, they did not have fear. They did not give up. They fought to make their dreams become a reality and I think that we can do the same. Together, we can honor their noble sacrifice and do what they could not. We could stop the darkness."
He turns to the two corpses and respectfully bows his head.
"Thank you for your service, my friends."- He says to them, as if they are living beings- "We will never forget you."
Having said that, he gently puts Bartholio's corpse in the first grave, grabs a nearby shovel and fills it with dirt. Soon, he does the same with Vennie.
He turns back to the crowd.
"Amen."- They say simultaneously.
Now that the burial is done, the crowd disperses. Most of them return in Canonia, while others continue to stare at the graves.
Gloria approaches Adam and his allies, eager to speak with them.
"Hello, Adam."- She says to the young hero- "I'm so sorry for what happened out there. It pains me to know that Bartholio and Vennie are not among us anymore."
Adam sighs and nods.
"We did our best to save them, but it was too late."- He says- "But it is over."
Gloria smiles sadly and pats him on the shoulder.
"You and your father are doing God's work. Saving Aalia was an unexpected, but pleasant surprise for us."- She says- "I thank you for your service, Adam Kaos. You are a true hero."
Adam nods.
"Yes. A hero."- He mutters- "If only it did not hurt so much... "
He sighs and turns away.
Jared takes a step forward.
"Gloria. I think that it is best if you went back into your home."- He says to her- "Adam is feeling rather... depressed. He needs some time to rest."
Gloria nods.
"I understand. It was a tough time for all of us, but for Adam and Aalia? It must have been unbearable."- She says and takes a step back- "Farewell and good luck."
Jared smiles and nods.
"Good luck to you, too."
Once Gloria is gone, Jared turns back to his son.
"Are you alright, son?"- He asks him- "Should we leave you, too?"
Adam shakes his head.
"I... just want to leave this place."- He says- "Seeing those people makes me feel sad."
Aalia nods. She completely understands how he feels.
"Then let us leave this place."- Jared says- "If Darkthrop's forces find us here, things might get very bad."
Adam sighs.
"I know."
The three of them leave Canonia, but not before saying goodbye to everyone else.
Deciding to pack light and gather supplies later, the trio makes the hard decision to leave at night. When they do, they set up a small camp in the middle of the forest near the settlement.
"This fire should keep the shadows away... for now."- Jared mutters- "But we should still stay alert. Nobody knows what Darkthrop is planning to do."
Adam nods.
"So, always sleep with one eye open."- He says- "I understand. It will be done."
And so, the trio decides to sleep for a few hours, but not without setting up defenses that will slow Darkthrop's henchmen down.
A few hours later, Adam wakes up. He hears a strange sound coming from nearby and decides to investigate.
"It almost sounds like... "- He mutters- "... a chainsaw."
It doesn't take him long to find the source of this horrendous sound. It is a Darkling, who is using a chainsaw to cut the forest's trees down.
From the looks of it, it has done a lot of work without being notices.
"You have been spotted, fiend."- Adam says- "What do you think you are doing here? Answer me."
The darkling grins.
"Isn't it obvious already?"- It says- "I was given a mission to cut this forest down and set Canonia on fire. And nobody can stop me!"
Adam shakes his head and draws his weapon. He is confident that the creature is unable to do such a thing.
"I do not know who is with you right now, but rest assured that this will not go unanswered."- He says- "This forest is the heart of Canonia. It serves as the home of wonderful wildlife. And what are you doing? Chopping it down, because your evil master told you to do so? No. I will not let you leave this place alive."
The darkling smirks and starts the chainsaw. Its buzzing wakes up the figures that are hiding in the bushes.
"We're not scared of you!"
Adam glares at the creature.
"You should be."- He says and attacks.
The darkling tries to use its chainsaw to wound him, but he easily kicks it away and attempts to stab it in the stomach.
However, as soon as the sword pierces the creature's body, it starts to regenerate. Moments later, it is as if nothing happened.
Adam sighs. He is clearly familiar with this trickery.
"Ah, yes. The all-too-familiar regenerative abilities, granted by your benevolent master as a reward for your unquestioned service to him. How original."- He says and shakes his head- "Is there anything else? Something that would impress me?"
The darkling grins.
"You think that this is not cool?"- It asks him- "Then, watch this!"
Having said that, it lifts its hand, as if expecting something to appear in it.
Adam realizes what is going on. He ducks just as the chainsaw flies toward his head, narrowly avoiding certain death.
The darkling, now equipped with the cursed tool os destruction, laughs maniacally.
"We are the harbringers of your death!"- It yells- "Together, we'll destroy everything that you love and-- "
Suddenly, an arrow flies forward and pierces its forehead, killing it immediately.
Adam stands on his feet. He heards the screams coming from the bushes and looks back.
Moments later, Jared and Aalia emerge from them.
"Looks like we have a huge problem."- Jared says- "Are you alright, son?"
Adam looks at the creature that he fought and sighs.
"Not until we save Canonia."- He says, turns around and takes a step forward- "Come on. Let us save our friends."
The trio quickly leaves the woods and approaches Canonia. They soon notice the Darklings that are trying to get in.
"Should we attack them?"- Aalia asks Jared.
Jared shakes his head.
"Not when they are in such a dangerous position."- He responds- "Even if we manage to surprise those fiends, the citizens will assume that we are in danger and rush outside to help us out. This will make them prime targets for the creatures and they will be slaughtered on the spot. Worse, this will leave the gate undefended and a small force of them can sneak in and destroy the settlement without any resistance."
He sighs.
"However, I am not sure how we can handle this situation without getting them in trouble."- He adds and turns to Adam- "Do you have any ideas, son?"
Adam nods and grabs a nearby shovel.
"I do."- He responds- "It will be dirty work, but I am sure that we will achieve victory."
He turns to Jared and Aalia and smiles.
"Let us save Canonia."
The trio digs slowly digs a hole underneath the Darklings' feet. It takes a long time, but they manage to make it enormous.
In fact, it seems to be enough to fit an entire army of them.
"And now, for the final ingredient."- Adam says- "The cherry on top."
Having said that, he sets the ground at the bottom of the pit on fire.
At the same time, the darklings finally realize what is going on.
"Now!"
Jared hurls a massive fireball and destroys the dirt underneath their feet. 
Hundreds of darklings fall to deaths below. Some die immediately and the rest are set on fire, doomed to die in a very painful way.
A few minutes later, the screams finally stop. The darkling onslaught has been ended, silently and effectively.
Adam casts a water spell and puts the fire out. Then, he inspects the piles of ashes below.
"We told you, creatures of the dark."- He says to them- "Wherever there is darkness and despair, there are heroes who are eager to save the world. And, wherever there are heroes, hope and faith will always bloom. The light will always prevail."
He turns to Jared and Aalia.
"I feel like our mission is not done yet."- He says to them- "Let us see if anyone else is still out there."
The trio emerge from the hole in the ground and scout the area around the town. Finding a few stray darklings, they slay them without asking any questions. Such an outrage is too painful for them and they do not want to spare any time to talk with the enemy. They just want to make them pay for what they have done.
Meanwhile, Adam and Aalia hear the screams coming from Canonia and rush to the aid of the residents. It turns out that a small force of darklings managed to sneak into the town before the surprise attack and set some of the buildings on fire. The creatures were easily killed by the guards, but the wound that they left is very severe.
"No."- Aalia mutters- "What... what have they done... "
Adam shakes his head.
"I can put down the fire here, but not the ones within the hearts of those people."- He says and sighs- "Stand back. I will handle this."
Having said that, he closes his eyes, casts a spell and points at the sky.
Suddenly, the sky darkens. A small cloud appears on top of the burning building. Moments later, it starts to rain.
As the rain quickly puts the fire out, Adam does the same to the rest of them. Soon, the screams turn into cheers as the town is saved by the young hero.
Adam falls on his knees and lets out a sigh of relief.
"I cannot believe that this worked."- He says to himself- "That was... amazing."
Gloria approaches them and smiles.
"Adam, you've done it again."- She says to him- "Canonia is safe. And we thank you for the heroism. Without you most of those people would have died."
Adam smiles back.
"It is my duty to protect my fellow brothers and sisters-in-arms."- He says- "I am very glad that you are safe."
Gloria nods.
"Again, it's thanks to you."- She says- "We'll never forget what you did for us."
She smiles.
"In fact, I think that I know how to repay the three of you."- She adds- "I understand that you want to go somewhere far away from here, so I want to help."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"You... know about our plans?"
Gloria nods.
"I managed to overhear a few things."- She says- "So. Do you want my help or not?"
Adam nods.
"We are listening."
Gloria smiles serenely. This is clearly what she wants to hear.
"Recently, I talked to a large group of merchants. They mentioned that they're going to a large city, far away from here."- She begins- "Their caravan will depart tomorrow morning. Maybe you could join them and protect them from Darkthrop's servants. Do you agree?"
Adam shrugs.
"It depends."- He says- "How many merchants are we talking about?"
"Twenty."- Gloria responds- "Actually, fifteen plus five of their guards. Not a large force, but they can handle a small band of those fiends."
Adam and his allies whisper to each other for a few minutes, deciding whether it is worth it to leave with the caravan or travel alone.
Finally, wiser heads prevail. Adam turns to Gloria and nods.
"Very well."- He says to her- "We accept your offer."
Gloria grins.
"Excellent!"- She exclaims- "Then, this means that the stage is set!"
A few moments later, she leaves them alone, but not before saying good night.
The trio enters the inn, where they are given free beds for the night. They sleep well, although they are still wary that this struggle is far from over.
In the morning, they meet up with the merchants that lead the caravan. After exchanging pleasantries, they offer to give them a ride to their destination.
"We're going to the city of Paris. It's far west of here."- One of them says- "We can take you with us, if you want. Your presence is a blessing to all of us and we wouldn't mind if you joined our humble group."
Adam smiles and nods.
"We would be honored to travel with you, noble merchants."- He says- "Tell us whenever you are ready. We can go to Paris together."
The mention of Jared's hometown makes him remember the times when he lived there. When he stayed with his family and worked hard to save the world from evil. And, most importantly, when he felt truly at home.
"This is a chance to help the people in Paris!"- Adam says to his father- "Maybe grandma and grandpa are still in there."
He sighs and smiles.
"Now, I really want to see them."
Jared smiles and pats his son on the head.
"And so do I."- He says- "Come on, my child. Let us return to this sacred town. I am sure that you are curious about where we started... and I will show it to you. Our greatest hope. Our city of heroes. Our ancestral home."
As the merchants start to gather in the caravan, its leader motions for Adam's group to join them.
As Jared and Aalia enter the caravan, Adam looks back, just in time to see Gloria rushing to bid them farewell.
"So. You decided to get on with this?"- She says to him- "That's good to hear."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"Are you alright?"- He asks her, noticing her panting- "You seem to be... tired."
Gloria smiles sadly and looks at her belly.
"We didn't want to miss this."
She looks up at him.
"Jon still hasn't returned and I'm really worried about him."- She says to him- "Do you think that he's okay?"
Adam smiles.
"My cousin is a strong man. Whenever something would try to bring him down, he always makes it otherwise. So, I am sure that he will be fine."- He says- "In the meantime, try to think about the people and the forest around you. Both of them were hurt by those fiends and they need to be healed. Those people need you, so do not shy away from your duties."
Gloria nods.
"I will not give up on them."- She says- "Thank you, Adam. Words cannot describe how grateful I am."
Adam smiles.
"Your gratitude means everything for me, my friend."- He responds- "I am glad that you feel this way."
Gloria watches him turn around and start to walk away, but stops him just as he gets close to the caravan.
"Wait!"- She says- "Before you go, I wanted to thank you."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"For what?"
Gloria smiles sadly.
"For saving my forest... and my people."- She responds- "So, there."
Adam nods and smiles back.
"I already told you, Gloria. Saving those people from evil is my sacred duty. You do not need to thank me for doing my job."- He says- "As for the forest, you must know how much I enjoy nature. Seeing those fiends cut it down like this... makes me feel like my own heart is getting cut in half. I will never allow such a thing to happen, anywhere."
He smiles again.
"Say hello to Jon from me, alright?"- He says to her- "Promise him that I will be back soon."
Gloria nods.
"Yes."- She says- "I will."
Adam enters the caravan and watches Gloria as it starts to leave the town. He waves to her and she waves back.
Soon, the caravan is out of sight.
Even after it is gone, Gloria continues to stare at the mist ahead of her. She looks up and smiles.
"Thank you, Adam."- She says- "We will eagerly await your return."
A few hours pass. Aalia falls asleep while Adam watches the road ahead of the caravan.
"So, this is the world that we are trying to save from evil."- He says- "It is so beautiful."
Jared nods and smiles.
"I know, right?"- He says- "This world is our home. Everywhere you look, you can see its beauty. Its grace. This is what makes it different from the rest of the planets around us... and that is why it is the only place that we can truly call "our home". "
Adam sighs.
"It is a shame that so many creatures try to ruin the balance of our planet."- He says- "They never try to understand how it feels about it."
Jared nods.
"Such crimes do not go unanswered. Rest assured of that."- He responds- "For now, try to focus on the task at hand. Travelling to the city of Paris is our utmost priority."
Adam lays back and nods.
"Of course."- He says and yawns- "Well, I think that it would be great if we sleep for a while. It has been a long journey."
Jared smiles and does the same.
"Good idea."- He responds- "There is a long road ahead of us. However, there is still some time to rest before the storm arrives."
Having said that, he looks at the road ahead one last time and closes his eyes.
Adam stares at his companions and smiles.
"Well, I did it. Once again, destiny is taking me away from our friends."- He says to himself- "However, I am not alone anymore. And I will never be."
He lays back and starts to close his eyes.
"Just a little longer."- He mutters- "We are almost there... "
Then, he closes his eyes and falls asleep.
== Trivia ==
* It is revealed that the merchant who briefly spoke with Adam near the end of the Part is Noah Hart- the caravan's master.