Miracula Luxia C7, P1- "The Awakening"

"The Awakening" is the first Part of "Miracula Luxia" 's seventh Chapter- "A New Beginning". It was released on 01.02.2020.
== Plot ==
The long-awaited first Part of Chapter 7 is here! As promised at the end of the last Chapter, Jared wakes up from his coma. However, what he sees after he does so is not what he expected.
A recent devastating attack left the Tower Colony mostly abandoned, its remaining residents being Aleks (Jared's father), John, Annie (Jared's friends) and a few soldiers who help protect the colony from more attacks.
Avernum is now much more dangerous than before. Jared has to decide whether to help the people who live in it with his own abilities, or to go to the Surface and try to find help there.
Jared's life will never be the same. All the beautiful moments he experienced when he was a kid will just be pleasant memories for him.
== Story ==
Jared noticed that his eyes were now open. He looked around and saw that he was in a pod. He also saw that the pod was opening.
There were three people watching his awakening- his father, John and Annie. They were overjoyed to see that he is, in fact, alive.
As he stepped down from the pod and onto the ground, he was hugged by Annie and approached by Aleks and John.
"The prophecies were true! You did wake up!"- Annie exclaimed.
"What happened?"- Jared asked them, confused about what was going on.
Aleks raised his eyebrow.
"Why, you have been sleeping. For one year already... "
"O-One y-year?!"- Jared stuttered.
Aleks nodded.
"And a few days"- Annie added.
"After that evil leader stabbed you, you passed out and you have been in a coma ever since."- Aleks continued- "Were it not for the efforts of the brave medics in the Colony and our prayers for you, there was a chance for you to die."
Jared shaked his head in disbelief.
"So, all the things that happened earlier... they all happened in my mind? They didn't happen in real life? It was all just a fruit of my imagination? And... I never met all those people before in my actual life?"- He questioned himself.
His father noticed that something was wrong with his son and approached him.
"Is everything alright, son?"- He asked him.
"..."
No response.
"If there's anything on your mind, you can share it with us. We're no strangers."
Jared decided to tell them what happened in his dream. He told them about his adventures in Paris, how he had grown older and found new friends. And how the city was destroyed by a mysterious hostile force of humans, Heartless and Nobodies.
Aleks shaked his head.
"It was just a dream."- He said- "Maybe you just dreamed of better times, of when you would finally be an adventurer who is not taken care of by myself, your mother or any other member of your family."
"But that time has yet to come and you need to train for it to happen. Nobody wants to hire an adventurer who can't even tie his shoelaces!"
Jared grinned.
"Of course, dad. I will. But it will take some more time than usual, considering what I had to experience one year ago."
Aleks looked down.
"What you experienced back then... shouldn't have happened at all. A 16 year-old like yourself should have just stayed at home and read his comics. And watched T.V. You weren't fit for this.
Jared looked up and sighed.
"I will never forget what happened to us last year. What happened to me. You. And uncle."
"Poor man."- John said- "I never knew him personally... but I still feel very bad about him. He was a good man, right?"
Jared nodded.
"The best uncle ever. He helped me find the right way so many times. He and dad. If it wasn't for them, I would have remained a normal student who doesn't know a thing about fighting enemies."
"And you wouldn't have met us."- Annie added.
"Yes. And that."
Jared, Aleks, John and Annie walked outside and looked at the wreckage around them.
Jared looked at his father, as if asking him what happened while he was sleeping.
His father took the suspicious look as a question and began speaking about what happened:
"While you were sleeping, a mysterious force attacked the Tower Colony. We tried to fight them off- me, John, Annie and Mr. X. But we did not succeed. The force managed to enter the colony and raze it to the ground. There are only two buildings left intact now."
"Mr. X and the other decided to run away and abandon the Colony. Before they left, they told us to run. To leave you here and save our own skins."
"But I told them: "No! Are you crazy?! I won't leave my suffering son in the hands of those madmen. I will not leave this place until he wakes up. Or until they kill me. So I stay! You can't make me run!". John and Annie decided to stay with me and refused to hear the pleas of Mr. X for us to join them. We stayed in the colony (along with a few soldiers who volunteered to protect us from a possible second attack) and watched as those cowards ran away from the area, trying to save their own skins from a hard beating."
"And that is all we had to go through while you were asleep."
Jared shaked his head.
"I wish that I was there, to help you in some way. After all this happened, I feel weak. I feel like I have not done enough for the people around me."
Aleks placed his hand on his son's shoulder and smiled.
"Look, son. I know that you are sorry, but remember this. What happened in the past remains in the past. Maybe we could have changed it back then, but we're not able to do so right now. So we must try to make less mistakes in the future. To help everyone around us and make them smile, just like we always have. Only then we will feel like true heroes."
"Just like you always said, dad."- Jared said- "Always care about other people's safety more than saving yourself from harm. And that's how I've always tried to do. I know, I may not be the perfect son, but I try my best and I hope that it matter. I hope that I can make my mark to this world."
Aleks smiled.
"Son, no matter what you have done before, you have always been my most favorite child. When I was younger, I dreamed for my son to become like me- a hero who would help the people in need and save them from the hostile forces who try to harm them. And I think that I've succeeded. What I see before me is a child I am more than eager to call my son."
"Believe me, your sister wouldn't have done this much to help people outside of Paris. You have truly done more than she has ever done ever since she was a hero."
Jared calmed down a little.
"Yes, dad. I know. But I still trust my sister's judgement. She is older than me, after all and she has more experience in heroism that I do now."
"Maybe it will change in the future. Who knows?"- Aleks said, hoping for that to happen.
John cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry for interrupting you, but we have to go to a safer place. Tower Colony is no longer safe for the four of us."
"John is right."- Aleks said- "We have to go to Almaria. The mayor there might know how to help us fight this new enemy."
Jared nodded.
"Then it is more than clear what we have to do. Let us go to Almaria. And fast."
And so, the four of them left the Tower Colony, but not before telling the captain to protect the area without them, along with his fellow soldiers.
Having left the Colony in the hands of the captain and his soldiers, Aleks, John, Annie and a recently awoken Jared left the area and headed to the west.
Their biggest hope was that everyone in that direction is still alright. But, considering what happened to the Tower Colony, the chances of the area to the west and its towns still being safe and sound are very low.
== Trivia ==
* This is the first original "Miracula Luxia" series part to be released in the 2020s.