MLII C5, P11- "Manifest Hope"

"Manifest Hope" is the eleventh and penultimate Part of "Miracula Luxia II" 's fifth Chapter. It was released on 20.04.2021.
== Plot ==
The war which shook the entire world is over. The final enemy has been defeated. At last, the world is truly safe.
However, this victory does not come without sacrifices. As the world celebrates, a brave and determined soul expires in the arms of his dearest friend. An ardent ally who fought for the wrong side, not knowing he was harming the ones who cared for him, but redeemed himself in the end and became what he has always wanted to be- a mighty warrior who fights for what is right. A person who conspired in the darkness, just like a villain, but spent his last moments as a hero- something he shall always be remembered for, even if it is postmortem.
The world may be recovering from all the pain that it had to suffer, but it will never be the same. Not without its brave heroes.
== Story ==
As Jared returns to normal, he takes a look at the village around him.
The change is immediate. People return to the town square, watching the ultimate battle between good and evil. All of them have hope in their eyes. And when they see that Jared is victorious... they are ecstatic. They applaud him as he approaches his allies.
Adam smiles.
"So, the prophecies were true. There really is a person who always brings light in the Kaos family, no matter where he goes. Impressive."- He says- "I applaud you, Jared. Today, you succeeded where many like you would fail. Today, you brought hope to this world with your good deeds, you gave them the safety that it deserved. And, most importantly, you showed us that nothing is impossible, if you believe hard enough. You defeated the evil that threatened the safety of this world without a second doubt. You believed in the power of light... and you won. Sure, you may give yourself very little credit for the things that you are doing for this world of ours, but today, it bows to your courage and valor."
Jared watches as everyone kneels and bows to him. He smiles.
"I am glad to call this world my home. And I am glad that I am still here, still eager to protect it."- He says- "My duty is to keep my home safe from evil. And I will keep doing so, no matter if I am alive or not."
Adam nods.
"And that's why I'm proud to call you a true member of our family. You're more powerful than I used to be... and I'm proud that you're my descendant, the new savior of this world.."- He continues- "What you did for those innocent people today... it will always be remembered. Mark my words."
Having praised the young hero, Adam Kaos begins to disappear from existence.
"We will meet again... "- He whispers into Jared's ear as he fades away, fragment by fragment.
Ess-Kalyn stands up and bows her head in shame.
"I'm sorry, kid. The good deed that you are responsible for today, it brings joy to my heart, but it also brings me pain."- She says- "I'm sorry for putting you through this nightmare. I don't know how you will see me, now that the evil part of my soul is gone. I don't expect forgiveness. I know that everyone is angry at me and I feel their pain. This war could have been avoided, had I exercised full control over my body decades ago and cleansed the hate within my soul."
Jared smiles.
"You do not need to be sorry, Ess-Kalyn. You may have let the dark spirit inhabit your body, but it is not your fault. You are blaming yourself for something that did not fully depend on you."- He responds- "Ever since I was a child, I was taught about many important things that would aid me in the future. However, I quickly memorized a quality that has always helped me to see the light within a person's soul. Forgiveness. Whether a person is good or bad, you always learn to forgive them in the end. To forgive your enemies... and give them a second chance, no matter how they treat you."
He looks down.
"Once, I had a friend who was my sworn enemy. I fought him and his army, in the hopes that he would die in the process. But when I had to face him personally, I saw the guilt in his eyes. I saw a light in the darkness, something many people failed to see. So, I pitied him. I gave him a second chance. I granted him the possibility to live a life as a hero, as a protector of this world. And he accepted. He saw the magnitude of his mistakes... and he decided to correct them, in the hopes that the world would accept him as a good person again."- He says stoically- "And you know what? Even though he is long gone, I am glad that I spared him. I am glad that I was compassionate towards a person who has always suffered from his own mistakes. In his last battle, he willingly gave his life away to protect me from evil. And for that, I am eternally grateful to him and I will remember him as he is now, not as he used to be before we met."
Marinette looks down as well. Although she did not know Farrar so well when he was alive, she still respects him and sees him as a noble warrior, just like her brother.
Jared wipes a tear from his right eye and looks up.
"I am glad that I met you, Ess-Kalyn."- He continues- "I hope that you have a good life in Heaven."
Ess-Kalyn smiles.
"Thank you."- She whispers.
Then, just like that, she fades away.
A small, ghostly bracelet falls down on the ground where she used to stand. Jared picks it up and puts it on.
"She left her most valued item as a parting gift for me. Even though she was too afraid to admit it, she still thought that there was some good within her. And she was right. It is truly a shame that we were unable to unleash it."- He says to himself- "Thank you, Ess-Kalyn. We will always remember you. Your good side, that is."
As Jared and his allies leave the village, its residents wave at him. He turns around, waves back and smiles.
A few minutes later, they are in the surrounding countryside, looking for their remaining allies.
"I wonder where they are... "- Jared mutters.
Marinette nods.
"Me too, little brother."- She responds- "Me too."
Soon, they come across Jared's father. He seems to be concerned about something.
"Jared! Thank God you're still here!"- He says and stops to catch his breath- "Did you... did you defeat the Unbound?"
Jared nods and smiles.
"We did it, dad!"- He says enthusiastically- "Together, we defeated the monster, once and for all. The world is safe!"
Marinette steps forward and pats her brother on the shoulder.
"It's all thanks to this little hero that we were able to survive in the first place."- She adds- "You should be proud of him, dad. He's a true hero!"
Aleks smiles.
"Once again, you amazed me, Jared. You achieved another flawless victory and showed the world that you're capable of achieving the impossible, just like I always taught you. I am very proud and I have always been."- He says- "But that's not the real reason why I'm here."
He points at the fort to the north.
"It's your new friend, Allister. He's dying and he wants to see you before he leaves this world."- He continues- "Let's hurry!"
The five of them manage to reach the fort just in time. They see Lethal and approach him.
Lethal looks up at them. His eyes are filled with tears.
He stands up and hugs his grandson.
"I knew that you would succeed!"- He says- "We saw the battle from here. It was phenomenal. You fought so valiantly, the image of hope that you bestowed upon us was so vivid. Words cannot describe how proud we are of you."
He looks at Allister who is sitting in a corner.
"Right, my friend?"
Allister nods.
"Come, my boy."- He mutters- "Let me see you. My vision... it's starting to get hazy. I don't think I can live for much longer."
Jared kneels.
"Is everything alright, sir?"
Allister shakes his head.
"The poison... it's taking its toll on me, at last."- He mutters- "I fought it for hours. I stayed alive, just so I could see you one last time. And here you are, in all of your glory. You won another battle. You saved the world. You're a hero and everyone knows it."
He stares into his eyes and smiles.
"Don't feel sad about me."- He continues- "It's just the way this world works. Some people are born, even as we speak. Others die, whether it's on the battlefield... or at home. Sometimes, you have to lose someone important to you to realize how much you love this world and its inhabitants."
Jared shakes his head.
"You do not deserve this, sir."- He says- "After everything that you did for me, I began to respect you for who you are. The warrior who risked his life to protect me. Now, I am forced to see you die. It is... it is not fair."
Allister sighs.
"Nothing's fair in this world, kiddo. But heroes like you fight to make things better, to fix the mistakes that others have made in the past. And it doesn't matter how the world treats you, because I know that you'll always treat it well. Your actions prove it to me, without a doubt."
Jared nods.
"I am glad that you became such an important part of my life."- He says- "From the moment when we met, I realized that you are a man of honor. You always fight to preserve the balance of this world. What you tried to do to my grandfather, it was a mistake that will remain in the past. Now, we look towards the future... and you will be a part of it, no matter how far away you are from us."
Allister smiles. His eyes start to close. Soon, death is going to claim his soul and take it away.
"Keep being such a brave hero, child. And don't let your hope fade away."- He mutters- "The world depends on you. Don't let it down."
Jared nods and smiles.
"Yes, sir."
Allister turns to Lethal.
"My friend, I owe you an apology."- He mutters- "The things that happened at the docks decades ago... I should have let it go. I should have forgiven you, not try to kill you. It was my fault and I feel angry about it. I'm sorry."
Lethal sighs.
"We already talked about it, Al."- He responds- "And I already told you- there is nothing to worry about. Those things remain in the past. I'm sad that you won't be with us, that you won't witness the new world that's going to shine, but I know that you will always remain in our hearts. That you will always be with us, no matter where we go."
He salutes him.
"I... I will miss you, old friend."- He finishes.
Allister nods and smiles.
"Thank you, Lethal."- He mutters- "Thank you for... giving me a second chance."
Having said that, he closes his eyes. The smile remains on his face, even as his soul leaves the mortal realm.
Even though he seems to be at peace, Jared realizes that he is in a lot of pain. Without saying a word, he draws his dagger and mercifully stabs him in the head.
Lethal looks at his grandson an hugs him.
"Thank you, Jared."- He says- "Thank you... for releasing his tortured soul away from this realm."
Soon, the tiny spark of life that still lies within Allister finally fades away. The palms of his hands get colder and colder. His allies can no longer feel the heartbeat of a living person inside of him.
For good or for bad, everything is over for him. Allister- brave soldier, trusted captain and dear friend of Lethal, has walked towards the end of the path that we call life and is now flying towards a new path- the one that goes to Heaven. No matter how many tears everyone cries, they will never be enough to bring him back.
Even so, Lethal manages to keep himself from crying. He knows that Allister does not want him to be sad, even if the reason is his untimely demise.
He wipes a tear from his left eye and turns to Jared and Aleks.
"Children, let us go to the Lokial Capital."- He mutters- "My friend deserves a proper burial, the burial of a true hero. And we... will provide it."
And so, Jared and his allies carry Allister's corpse to the place where he was born, where he lived for a very long time- the Lokian Capital. Residents gather as they create a grave for the man who did so much to keep them safe.
As the residents stare at Allister's corpse sadly as he is placed in a coffin, Aleks steps forward.
"Ladies and gentlemen."- He says solemnly- "Today, we have gathered to honor the man who used to be your captain for a very long time. The man who gave his life to protect the world from evil without a second thought, the warrior who was noble at heart, even as he fell in battle. Sir Allister."
Everyone looks down as a sign of respect.
Meanwhile, Aleks looks at his father.
"Dad, Allister was a good friend of yours."- He says to him- "Do you want to say something about him? Or should I conclude this ceremony?"
Lethal nods. Without saying a single word to his son, he steps forward and begins to speak:
"Allister... he was a strange person. Weird, at times. And, rarely, aggressive."- He says- "Even so, I still forgave him. I saw that there was still good in his heart. I know how his betrayal pains you citizens, but know that he died protecting this world. My dear friend, for whom I would give so much just to see him again, is gone. He died as a hero, a hero for all of us. A brave soul who gave his life away to allow many others to live. An ardent ally who will always remain in our hearts as we continue to live in his honor."
He raises his sword in the air.
"His sacrifice shall not be in vain!"- He yells- "Long live Allister, captain of Lokia! My dearest friend and trusted ally!"
The crowd salutes him.
"Long live Allister, captain of Lokia!"- They repeat.
A few minutes later, Allister is buried under the ground. There is no ceremony. No honorable burial. Just a man who has left this world, surrounded by the ones he swore to protect until the end.
As the crowd disperses, Jared and his allies walk away from the burial site.
"We should return to Paris."- Aleks suggests to his son and his father- "The citizens need to know that this nightmare is over."
Lethal smiles.
"Oh, I'm sure that they already know about that."- He responds- "Don't worry."
Suddenly, a young girl runs towards them. She seems to be around Jared's age, with long, orange hair, black clothing and a worried expression.
"Are you Jared Kaos?"- She asks our hero as she gets close to him.
Jared nods.
"I do not mean to brag about it, but yes, I am."- He says stoically- "How can I help you?"
The girl looks down.
"I heard that you like to help people. That you defeated some kind of a crazy monstrosity recently. The townsfolk told me. So, I came to ask for help."- She says.
She looks up again. Her expression does not change.
"I've been lookin' for my friends everywhere. I... I don't know where they are."
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"Were you... knocked out and dragged away from them?"- He asks her- "You have bruises on your arms."
The girl nods.
"Yeah."- She responds- "The last thing I saw was one of those reptilian jerks hittin' me in the head. Then... I lost consciousness. I was dragged near one of their forts and left there to die. I managed to run away before they could find me. Then, I came here, hoping that I could find some help regarding my problem. The people supplied me with new clothes, but they were unable to help me. Too worried about the incoming invasion. So, they told me about you, about the deeds that you've done and the people that you saved. They told me that you would be the right person to ask for help."
Jared smiles.
"Well, you are not wrong."- He says- "I have helped many people in the past. I am not afraid to do it again."
He sighs.
"However, this is not the right place to talk about something like this. There are still enemies around here."- He continues- "Come with us. We will take you to my hometown, Paris. Then, we can talk about your problem."
The girl nods and smiles. Although she is trying not to cry, a single tear falls from her right eye. She does not notice it.
"Thanks!"- She says.
As they walk towards the city of Paris, Aleks looks at his son.
"Are you sure that we can trust this young lady, son?"- He whispers to him- "What if she is one of them? What if she is sent to spy on us?"
Jared looks at him angrily.
"Do not be ridiculous!"- He responds- "She needs help! And she is genuine about it! I can see it in her eyes! Plus, I do not want to leave a person looking for help to wander aimlessly like this. This is not the way of the hero!"
Aleks nods.
"I understand."- He whispers and looks away.
A few hours later, they reach their destination.
"Here we are, again."- Jared says- "Well met, city of Paris. My dear home."
He looks at the buildings around him and smiles.
"We are back."