MLTG P4- "The Bond"

"The Bond" is the fourth Part of "Miracula Luxia: The Guilt". It was released on 22.07.2020.
== Plot ==
Jared and Aleks begin their search, eager to find the mysterious cave and figure out what to do next.
Meanwhile, the two of them share an emotional conversation about Jared's late mother- something that the boy wanted to talk about with his father ever since they settled in the alchemy.
== Story ==
Jared and Aleks go to Formello and ask the sages about the location of the cave.
However, none of them know about it. They simply shake their heads and say sorry.
After asking most of the sages, the two of them feel like they are wasting their time.
Fortunately, when all seems lost, a sage approaches them and asks them about what they are looking for.
When they explain about the cave, the sage nods.
"I certainly do know about this mysterious cave!"- He says- "It's around the west side of Paris. I don't remember where it is exactly located, but what I do know is that you will find it when you hear the humming."
"The humming?"- Jared says.
The sage nods.
"Exactly! Once you're close enough to the cave, you will hear a faint humming that will take you to the exact spot. Or, this is what I hope for."
"Good luck, heroes!"- He says and leaves.
Jared and his father look at each other. They are surprised that this sage actually knows about the cave.
"How does he know so much?"- Jared asks his father.
The man shakes his head.
"It would be wonderful if we knew the answer to this question."- He says- "But that doesn't matter now. We must find that cave."
"So, let's not waste any time. Let's unravel this mystery."
The two of them leave the city and go through the portal to Paris.
Jared and Aleks return to their hometown and begin their search for the cave.
While looking around the west border of the city for an entrance, Jared stops for a moment.
Concerned, his father approaches him and looks him in the eyes.
He sees... distant thoughts. It is as if he is trying to go to another world and leave his corporeal form behind.
"Son!"- Aleks says.
Somehow, the words seem to get to the boy. His eyes clear up and focus on his father.
"Dad."- He says- "Did I... did I do it again?"
Aleks raises his eyebrow.
"Do what?"- He responds- "I don't understand."
Jared sighs.
"Lately, I've been trying to communicate with mom, but... it is not working."- He says- "What am I doing wrong?"
Aleks sighs as well and puts his hand on Jared's shoulder.
"I know how much you miss her. And it's the same for me."- He says- "We will reach out to her, sooner or later. Remember that well, because I am going to make it happen."
Jared nods.
"I have faith in you, dad. I know that you can!"- He says.
Then he looks down.
"She was a great mother, wasn't she?"- Aleks says.
Jared nods. Tears start falling from his eyes.
"She was the best mother!"- He says- "The best! I loved her so much and I still do. And I will never stop."
Aleks smiles.
"And so do I. That's why we fight together, father and son, trying to bring back the woman they love the most."
He scans the area around him.
"But now, our job is to find the cave. We can think about your mother later."
Jared nods, completely in agreement with what his father just said.
The search continues. Father and son continue to look desperately for the cave, in the hopes that this whole mystery will finally be revealed.
While looking for the cave, the crystal soul in Jared's pocket begins to hum gently. The boy immediately realizes that the cave is near.
He scans the walls around him, looking for the cave. Finding nothing, he sighs and decides to take a break.
However, when he puts his elbow on a nearby part of the wall, it moves a little bit and a secret passage is revealed.
Both Jared and Aleks are very surprised by this unexpected find.
"Good work, son!"- Aleks says to him- "I'm so proud of you!"
Jared realizes that he did something good again and smiles.
"All in a good day's work!"- He says.
Aleks nods and smiles.
"Indeed, my child. Indeed."
The two of them stare at the cave ahead of them, but cannot see anything.
"How are supposed to go in there?"- Jared says.
Aleks raises his eyebrow.
"Do you doubt your father's abilities?"- He says.
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"Am I supposed to?"
Aleks sighs and spawns a flame in the palm of his hand.
Jared is surprised that his father still remembers magic.
"See, son?"- He says- "I still know some magic! I'm not completely inept!"
Jared smiles.
"Of course I know that. You're my father!"
Aleks smiles back, but doesn't say anything else.
The two of them enter the mysterious cave.
A few miles within, Jared stops again. It looks like he is hearing something that his father is not able to.
"Do you hear that, dad?"- He says to him.
Aleks raises his eyebrow.
"Hear what?"- He says- "I don't hear anything."
"The whispers!"- Jared responds- "Can't you hear them? They're getting louder!"
Aleks tries to hear whatever his son is hearing, but fails to do so.
"I can't hear anything, son! What are you talk-- "
Suddenly, a fireball is casted behind him.
Jared manages to save his father in time and the fireball hits the wall instead.
That's when the two of them realize that this whole scheme was a trap! Spirits come out of their hiding spots and surround our heroes, with the ill intent to kill them on the spot.
"Evil spirits!"- Aleks says- "I should have realized it sooner. They are the ones who brought us here!"
"And they are the ones who want to kill us."- Jared says- "Get ready, dad. This is a fight for our lives."
Jared and Aleks defend against the evil spirits, each fighting an equal number of them.
After struggling against them for what seems like a whole eternity, father and son slay the last spirit.
After its death, the cave goes deathly quiet.
Aleks lets out a sigh of relief.
"Thank god, they're gone now."- He says.
Jared nods, but still looks worried.
"Keep your eyes open, dad."- He says- "There might be more of them around here."
Aleks nods.
"Will do. I hope that you will do the same."
Jared smiles.
"I never miss my targets."
Aleks shrugs.
"Sure you don't. Sure you don't."
The two of them go further into the cave and find a small, secluded cave with writings on the west wall.
"Hmm."- Jared says- "This is very familiar."
Aleks nods.
"You're right. They're similar to the ones that we found around Formello."
He looks at his son.
"So, do you want to read them yourself? Or do you want me to help you?"
Jared shrugs.
"Leave it to me."- He responds- "I will handle this."
Aleks smiles.
"As you say, son."
Jared gets closer to the writings, in an attempt to translate them.
Suddenly, he can hear whispering again. He looks around, but no spirits appear.
Instead, the whispering comes from the writings.
"Don't... listen... to what the evil ones are saying."- He hears a voice- "You are fighting for a just cause, one that is worth dying for."
"The bond you have formed with the one who gave birth to you many years ago... must be kept alive at all costs. It must not die down, for the sake of your poor mother."
Suddenly, a small map appears in Jared's hands. He looks at it and sees that it is a map of the city of Paris. It has a large "X" placed near the north border of the city.
"There, you will find the object that will bring you hope. The one that will help your deceased mother come back to life. Go, Jared. The good Vahnatai believe in you."
The whispers die down. Jared stands in one spot, trying to comprehend what he just heard.
"What is it, son?"- His father says- "Do you understand the writing? What does it say?"
Knowing that his father will go crazy if he realizes that there is still hope to revive his wife, Jared decides not to tell him. Instead, he decides to say a lie.
Of course, he does feel bad about it. But he also knows that this quest depends on him. And that he does not want to risk his father's life, along with his.
"Well... they said to turn back. That there is... nothing here."- He says- "I think that it is probably a good idea to listen to them, considering what happened to us earlier today."
Aleks nods and sighs.
"Well then. Another day has been wasted."- He says- "But at least we had some training. Even better, we fought some evil supernatural creatures."
He goes to the entrance.
"Come to the alchemy if you find something new."
Jared nods and goes outside with his father.
That's when John runs towards them. He is clearly worried about something.
"Mr. Kaos!"- He says to Aleks- "The alchemy... it's under attack!"
Aleks raises his eyebrow.
"Attacked?"- He responds- "By what?!"
John stops to catch his breath.
"Vahnatai!"- He says- "But... not the usual, friendly ones."
"It's the evil ones, Mr. Kaos. And they want you."
Aleks yelps.
"Well, looks like I've got to teach those fools a lesson once again."
He grabs his sword and turns to his son.
"Son, if you want you can come with us. Help us protect the place."
Suddenly, Jared becomes very nervous. Helping his father fend off evil Vahnatai and trying to find the cave on the map in the same day won't be good for his health.
"Umm... I've got to go. I have some... things to do. Important things."- He says.
John raises his eyebrow.
"You have things to do?"- He says- "What is more important than helping your father protect the place he has put so much work into?!"
Aleks sighs and shakes his head.
"It's okay, John. Let him go."- He says- "If he wants to do something important, I won't try to stop him. I know that he has his own problem, and I have mine."
"Let's go."
John sighs and goes ahead with Aleks to protect the alchemy.
Jared stares at them until they are out of sight. He sighs.
"Well, it looks like I have to complete this quest by myself now."- He says- "But that does not matter. Now, I have to find the last cave... and find out what the voice in this cave was trying to tell me."
He packs his things and heads to the north, wishing to reach the cave at all costs and, most importantly, find out how to save his mother.