The Hardest Choice (37)

Some days later, Airson's bandages were off, and he was walking outside just enjoying nature.

He was walking through a beautiful forest to the northwest of Arbok City.

Airson sat down on a fallen tree and took a deep breath.

He looked up at the sky. "Why me?" he said.

"That's a good question."

Airson looked back down. A creature was standing amidst the trees in front of him.

The creature was maybe only three or four feet shorter than the trees themselves. He was all white, had blocked feet with no toes, and long arms with five blocky fingers. He wore a gown with puffy pants underneath. Its face was rectangular, with six eyes. two rows of three, the top two were red, the middle two were blue, and the bottom two were green.

Airson jumped up, startled.

"Don't be afraid. I'm not here to hurt you." The creature's mouth moved as if a computer was talking. "You can call me Rua, the God of Creation. I understand that some problems have arisen in your life."

Airson thought for a second, then decided it was pointless to defy a god that was being friendly to him. "My friends were cursed by a god, and the only way to save them is to get a god proficient in dark energy to remove it."

Rua slowly stomped towards him, but his footsteps made no noise. He sat down on what seemed like nothing until a tree stump magically appeared underneath him. "So why don't you go find one?"

Airson looked at his feet. "I'm not strong enough. The only dark gods in existence are in the Seventh Order, and there isn't anyone strong enough to go there."

"You know, I can tell everything about a person just by talking to them. Your past, present, and maybe even your future."

Airson looked at him. "So do you know what I should do? I'm lost at this point."

Rua stared at him for nearly two whole minutes. "I'll give you a choice."

Airson was paying attention. "What choice?"

"If you continue along the path that you are on, your friends will most certainly die."

Airson stood up abruptly. "Die?! I- "

Rua interrupted him. "But, if you stay with me inside of the Holy Realm, I can help you become stronger for the day that you will be needed."

Airson stood up. "You'll actually train me?"

Rua slowly nodded. "I will warn you. Time in the Holy Realm is different than here. Time would pass much quicker from your perspective. It would take you at least *five hundred years* in that realm to get strong enough from the way you are now. In Earth time that would be roughly fifty years. You will be away from Earth for fifty years."

"But I'd be old by then..."

Rua shook his head slowly. "If you do as I say, you would come out not a day older than twenty."

Airson thought about it. He didn't know what to choose. His friends wouldn't die or age because of the curse as long as their bodies were kept safe.

In fifty years he would be able to find a dark god and make him undo the curse. There was a higher chance of success going with Rua. But Airson knew he had things to take care of here.

"What if I came back later? I have things that I must do first. I can't just leave."

Rua stood up and turned to walk back into the forest. "Whenever you feel that you are ready, return to this exact spot. I will be here."

That was that.

Airson really didn't know how to feel about the situation. He turned to walk back home.

It was getting dark.

Airson opened the front door and went inside his home.

Quiet.

He went to the sink to grab a glass of water. He drank it and went to his room.

Airson laid down in his bed and stared at the ceiling.

After a few seconds his room door opened. Miraka walked in. She usually knocks.

"I was lonely." she said. "So I thought I'd spend the night here."

Airson slid over to the right side of the bed to make room.

Miraka simply laid there. "I've been thinking lately."

Airson looked at her.

"If I never would have left the house to look for you, maybe I wouldn't be in this situation. Pachi either. But I also know that Nigel would have been fighting all alone, and he might've gotten cursed anyway. Recently I could feel my energy slowly leaving me, day by day. I sleep longer and longer each night, and I always feel tired when I wake up. I know that I'm not dying, but I can't help but feel like I am you know? Airson, if you somehow find a cure, then that's great, but don't dedicate your life putting yourself in danger for us. I wouldn't forgive myself if anything happened to you. And I'm sure that Nigel and Pachi would feel the same." She gave Airson a hug.

Airson remained silent.

"The queen came by today to let me know that Pachi was the first to go under the curse's effect. She's on a bed in her own room to keep her safe."

Airson felt like crying for her, but he refused to. He spoke. "A... god, told me that he would train me to get the power that I need to find someone to release your curses. But I'd be away from this planet for fifty years."

Miraka looked at him. "That's a long time. I just told you not to waste your life away for that."

Airson looked at the ceiling. "I know, I know. But I feel like the world has given me a chance for the first time in my life. He said that I'd be twenty when I got out, so it's not like I'd be wasting my own time, but I don't know how to feel leaving everyone to fend for themselves. Like what if the Seventh Order destroys Arbok before I get back."

Miraka gave him a soft smile. "They won't. Ahsan is still here. And if he can't, there'll be someone who will. I won't be able to scold you for being reckless, but I can't stop you. I don't care as long as you're safe. Just promise me that."

Airson's eyes watered. "I swear to you Miraka, I'll be just fine. In fifty years all of this will be over. We'll be able to live together in peace without anyone trying to tear us apart. Within fifty years I'm going to do whatever it takes to lift this curse. No longer."

Miraka gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I love you Airson. Remember that."

A tear rolled down his cheek. "I love you too, Miraka."

Miraka then cuddled herself besides Airson and went to sleep.

She didn't wake up the next day.

Airson stood by his bedside, and made up the bed with Miraka in it.

"No more tears. I'll bring you back. Nigel and Pachi too. We'll all be together again one day. I swear on my life."

Airson put on his clothes and left the house. He looked back at his home one last time. "I won't step foot in this house again unless I have a way of saving you." He walked off with the eyes of a determined man.

"But even still, I can't leave for so long knowing that there's still dangers to the First Order. Dangers that I can put a stop to. Until that's cleared up, I won't leave yet."