MLIII C4, P7- "Strangers"

"Strangers" is the seventh Part of "Miracula Luxia III" 's fourth Chapter.

It was released on 15.03.2022.

## Plot

Now that the entire caravan that they have been travelling with until now has been destroyed, our heroes' chances of survival are greatly lowered. Without any allies by their side, they are forced to travel the dangerous road to Paris all by themselves... and it is clear that a lone group like them is a tempting target to the usual gang of foolhardy outlaws.

Even so, their goal remains unchanged. They must travel to the city of Paris, investigate the situation that is troubling its citizens and help however they can. And, if some of their friends and family seem to have found themselves in this mess by accident, meet them inside the city and drag them out before they get hurt.

In the middle of this raging conflict, Adam will realize the true meaning of family. How its members always try to support each other. And, most importantly, whether they are ready to grow up or not.

One thing is clear, though. No matter what Adam and his allies do or who they decide to help, the old city of Paris is long gone. Now, they are entering a place that is alien to them. That is no longer the sanctuary that they have been always dreaming of.

In this desolate wasteland of darkness and despair, they will feel like complete strangers for the first time.

## Story

Adam uses some of his water magic to put the fires out and search it thoroughly, hoping that he can find supplies that can help him and his allies along the way.

"This place is a mess."- He says- "So many people died, unaware of the mess that they willingly brought themselves into. And we failed to protect them... "

Jared sighs.

"It's always the conscience that drags us down. Every moment, it weighs down on us and forces us to remember how helpless we were."- He says- "But fear not. Someday, we will conquer those fears. And, when we do, the souls of those innocent people can finally rest in peace."

Aalia inspects the wreckage and sighs as well.

"At least they're away from this place now."- She mutters- "Who knows what horrible things would have happened to them if they were still alive... "

Adam shakes his head.

"This is one of those moments that makes you think whether you made the right choice."- He says- "Was it right to bury the rest of the casualties and leave those people alone on the road? Were those attacks connected to something much more sinister? Is something going to happen to us when we leave this place and travel alone?"

He sighs.

"Nothing is quite certain until it is proven otherwise."

Rummaging into the ruins of the once-beautiful caravan, Adam manages to find an intact sack filled with all kinds of goods.

"Those people were well-prepared for an assault."- Jared says- "I can see that they packed a lot of food, drinks and even a few daggers for protection."

He turns to Adam.

"Those people were ready to fight for their lives. And yet, for some reason, it feels like they gave up on living."- He says to him- "But why? Why would they do such a thing?"

Adam stares at the caravan and sighs.

"They recently lost the most valued members of their team. I understand if they wanted to give up. This situation must have been a nightmare for them."- He says- "And yet, we still heard their screams. Their pleas. No matter what the others say about this incident, I can clearly tell that this crash was intended to happen. Our enemies wanted to divide us, to demoralize us. Keep us weak and separated from society so they can hunt us down, one by one."

He sighs again,

"But the question still remains."- He continues- "Why would they beg us to save them when they had already given up on life? A person with suicidial thoughts like those would never do such a thing. I am certain of that."

"Or maybe they changed their minds?"- Aalia suggests- "Everyone wants to survive, so it's probably the same for them."

Adam nods.

"That is possible. Sometimes, people remember that they still have something left to live for and decide against letting fate do its thing."- He replies- "And yet, we do not know the true nature of this incident. Of the attack that happened afterwards. Since none of the merchants were able to survive, we can only make vague guesses. Which, I am afraid, may not be good enough to solve this mystery."

He sighs.

"The best thing that we can do is to leave them here, amongst their final sanctuary."- He says- "Hopefully, someone else can find them and bring them back to their families."

Jared and Aalia seem to agree with this plan. Without thinking too much about it, they nod.

"It is for the best."- Jared says- "The road to Paris is a long one. And I am afraid that we cannot take them with us."

Aalia sighs.

"Yet another party of innocent townsfolk, lost to the omnipresent shadows around us."- She says- "What a shame. They seemed to be good people."

Adam sighs and continues to investigate.

"Some people try their best to survive. They help however they can and, no matter what they think of themselves, they are heroes in our hearts."- He says- "However, heroism is not a sign of immortality. Just because we help people does not mean that we cannot die in battle. And it was the same for them."

Once again, Aalia remembers the time when she lost Bartholio and Vennie. When Adam mentioned that nobody is immortal, his words struck home.

Her eyes fill with tears as she sits on the ground and looks down.

"You still miss them, don't you?"- Jared asks her- "The folks who used to travel with you?"

Aalia nods.

"I knew that they were not immortal, but it... it's just not fair."- She says- "When we ended up in that tower, I always thought about how my world would be without them. And then, I realized. What happened out there, it wasn't supposed to happen. It should have been me. I should have been one of the undead."

She sighs.

"And because of this, I still can't forgive myself."

Jared sighs as well.

"Nothing is fair, my dear. This world always tries to find new ways to break us down."- He says- "But do not give up! When the world tries to plunge you into the darkness, fight for your life. Respond to the signs of despair with a smile. And, when you face your greatest challenges yet, remember that there are always people who genuinely care about you."

Aalia nods.

"I know that very well. Vennie used to tell me that faith in others is what makes us special."- She says- "But were we meant to be like this? Do we deserve to suffer, just because two people who came long before us committed a sin so heinous that they were banished on this miserable planet. Were their descendants meant to face those fears?"

Jared smiles sadly.

"Even though God is kind and benevolent, he is still our creator. We are like clay in his hands and he can shape us however he wants. He can change our fates, alter our timelines, make us meet new people in our travels or, in the worst occasion, make us pay a hefty price for our sins."- He says- "Believe me, it was the same for Adam and Eve. When they stole the apple that led to their eventual banishment, God was still merciful to them. Back then, he could have simply ended their existence and be done with it, like many others who committed crimes against humanity. And yet, he only made them mortals. He did not dare to destroy what he created. And this is how civilization came to be. It is what we were always taught to see and remember. We were meant to learn of the mistakes of our elders and try to become better people, to make this planet a better place for the next generation."

He sighs.

"And yet, some people are too blind to see how lucky we are. They bring ruin to our peaceful society and do not care whether people get hurt or not."- He mutters- "Ungrateful fools. I hope they realize this soon."

Aalia shakes her head.

"I just hope that we can survive."- She says- "I don't need to hear the philosophies of others. I want to fight for my life and forge my own future, hand in hand with those whom I love and respect."

Jared nods.

"And that is what we will do."- He says- "We are all in this, Aalia. Our bond will never be broken."

Aalia starts to respond, but is interrupted when Adam returns with a bag filled with supplies.

"I have gathered whatever I could to ensure our survival."- He says to them- "In addition, I scouted the area and found that the two horses who were tied to the caravan are still nearby. We have a way to get to Paris faster."

Jared smiles and nods.

"Well done, son!"- He says and pats Adam on the shoulder- "Now, we can finally be on our way!"

He turns to Aalia.

"Are you ready, dear?"

Aalia looks at Adam, then back at Jared. After a few moments, she nods.

"Yes, I am."- She responds- "Bring it on. I'm not afraid of those crooks."

Adam smiles.

"That is the spirit."- He says- "I am glad to see that you have changed so much."

Aalia smiles.

"It's because of you."- She says- "You helped me realize how much I truly value our friendship. Оur friendship. I will never forget your kindness."

Adam smiles back.

"And it is the same for me."- He responds- "The candle of hope is always here. And, as long as we fight for what we love, it will never burn out."

Having said that, he turns around and approaches the horses.

"Anyway, we must get going."- He says- "Much of the day is already gone. I want to use whatever sunlight we have left to reach the city."

The three of them approach the horses and try to calm them down. Although it does not work during the first time, Adam soon realizes that they are terrified of what happened to the caravan and the sight that they see ahead of them.

"Maybe we should lead the poor animals away from this wreckage."- He suggests- "I pity them for thinking that they will end up like their former masters."

Jared nods.

"It is understandable. Such a sight is a pain for sore eyes like ours. And I cannot imagine how terrifying it is for them."- He says and pets one of the creatures- "Although we cannot bring those poor people back, we can still take care of the creatures that used to belong to them."

As Adam and Jared lead the horses away, one of them looks at Aalia. She stares into its eyes and reminds herself of the time when she used to stay in a small farm with her parents.

"You are such a beautiful animal."- She says to it- "I'm so sorry that this happened to you."

The horse neighs.

"Yeah, yeah. I know."- She responds- "Both of us have lost people whom we loved and cared about. But we still have each other. And that's what matters the most."

Adam looks at Aalia and raises his eyebrow.

"Are you trying to communicate with a horse?"- He asks her- "This feels so... weird."

Aalia nods.

"It's the way I try to calm myself down."- She responds- "Talking to animals is my only way to forget what happened back there."

Adam nods.

"This is a good thing."- He says- "Animals are good listeners. You can always share your thoughts with them."

Aalia smiles and shakes her head.

"Anyway, I think that I'm rambling too much."- She says- "Let's get going."

Adam smiles.

"Indeed."- He says- "Let us finish our mission."

It takes a while for Adam and his allies to lead the horses away and calm them down, but they succeed. Soon, the creatures become as calm as they were the day before.

"Good boys."- Adam says to them- "Together, we will make a great team. Nobody will be able to defeat us."

The two horses neigh in unison, as if they actually agree with him.

"And now."- Adam says as he climbs on one of them- "To Paris!"

Adam and his allies gallop away from the wreckage and toward their destination. There is a long road ahead of them, but they are not afraid.

The journey is tedious, yet somewhat calmer than it was before they started to travel alone. Nobody dares to attack them and the road is surprisingly free of any obstacles.

While on the road, Aalia stares at the forests around them. She remembers the time when she and her friends travelled into a small forest east of Canonia, after hearing that there is a priceless treasure hidden beneath the roots of its trees. Bartholio wanted to destroy the trees to see whether the elders who led them there were right or not, but Aalia was too kindhearted to do such a thing. She begged Vennie to talk Bartholio out of crushing the vegetation and, thanks to the efforts of the two of them, Bartholio decided that nature matters more than a pile of treasure. They left the forest, empty-handed.

"*Even though my friends were always looking for treasure and glory, getting rich was not their main goal.*"- She says to herself- "*They wanted to find the treasure because Canonia was falling victim to poverty. And I... I regret that we failed to help them. I didn't realize how important our mission was back then.*"

Adam looks back at Aalia.

"Those forests are beautiful, right?"- He asks her- "Such a sight is rare to see. Many would travel for miles to see the lush woodlands around us."

Aalia nods.

"Nature made those places and humanity did not dare to taint them."- She says- "It's a relief."

Adam sighs.

"Yes, Aalia."- He says- "Yes, it is."

Many hours later, our heroes finally reach their destination- the city of Paris.

"Well, here we are."- Jared says as he gets off his horse- "The city of Paris- our glorious homeland- is just ahead."

He turns to Adam and smiles.

"Welcome home, son."

The three of them walk into the city and immediately notice the sad scene that unfolds in front of them.

They see the ruins. The despair. And, most importantly, the hope that was lost as civilization abandoned this place.

"I never knew that this would happen."- Jared says- "Who would dare to commit such an athrocity against our kind?"

Adam shakes his head.

"Only a heartless individual would dare to destroy what we have fought for."- He says- "Yet, it did not happen in one night. Whoever was foolish enough to destroy our home, I am sure that they have planned this for *months*."

Jared sighs.

"Well, one thing is for sure."- He says- "Whoever came here to destroy Paris, they never left. And I can feel the malevolence that radiates from them. The evil that exudes from their souls."

He stares at the city around him.

"And I can tell that they are not far away."

As they continue to explore the city, a band of demons approaches them. Their weapons are drawn.

"Demons?"- Aalia says- "This explains why this place is in pieces. Those fiends love to destroy anything that stands in their way!"

One of the demons grins.

"Yes, little missy. We crushed your precious hometown. And soon, we will crush you as well."- He says- "Drop your weapons and surrender to our glorious leader. Otherwise, we will be forced to fight."

Adam glares at them.

"How is *this* for an answer?!"

To prove his point, he draws his weapon. Before the demons can react, he jumps in the air and slams his blade into the ground, creating a massive shockwave and throwing the creatures back.

"Now!"- He yells- "Take them down before they can do anything!"

Jared and Aalia waste no time to slay the demons who managed to survive the blast.

Soon, the area is quiet again.

Adam looks down at his hands and realizes that they are covered in blood. Demon blood.

"*Peace was never an option*."- He says to himself and sighs- "*Everyday, we have to fight villains like those. And when we think that we are done with them, they always find new ways to catch us by surprise.*"

He turns to his father as he approaches him.

"Dad."- He says to him- "Do you think that those creatures deserve mercy?"

Jared shakes his head.

"Absolutely not."- He responds without thinking twice- "When they attacked Paris, they condemned their own lives. Death is the only answer to the insolence that they brought down onto us."

Having said that, he kicks one of the demons's corpse away and sighs.

"Let us get going."- He says- "There are many more of those creatures in here. Our troubles have just begun."

The three of them continue to explore the city, hoping that they can find someone who can tell them what happened. Unfortunately, everyone is too scared of the demons to emerge from their hiding places, instead sitting in their houses and hoping that they will go away.

"Poor citizens."- Adam says- "They have been alone for so long. And because of what happened here, they changed a lot."

Jared sighs.

"This place is not the same."- He says- "And, I am ashamed to say, it will never be the same. Not anymore."

As they continue to search for survivors, they soon realize that the city is almost deserted. Not a single soul left in sight.

However, they soon realize that someone is approaching them.

Jared and Aalia draw their weapons, but Adam stops them.

"Hold your horses."- He says to them- "He does not look like a demon."

Upon closer inspection, the two of them realize that Adam is correct. The stranger who is approaching them is not one of the demons who destroyed this place.

A few moments later, they also realize that the person is familiar to them.

It is Jon.

"Adam! Oh, thank goodness!"- He says and hugs him- "You made it!"

Adam smiles and hugs him back.

"Fate brought us together again, Jon."- He says- "Now, we are united. And we will always be."

Jon nods.

"Well, I'm glad that you think so."- He responds- "Everyone heard of your arrival and saw you defeat those demons. However, we are too preoccupied with another urgent matter."

Adam raises his eyebrow.

"An urgent matter?"- He asks him- "What could be more urgent than finding the culprit who destroyed my hometown?"

Jon looks down and sighs.

"You see, there is something that I never told you. That I've been trying to hide for, well, for months."- He says- "I'm sure you've probably seen how Gloria has grown a little overweight over the past few months. Well, this is not exactly... right."

Adam raises his eyebrow.

"Is that so?"- He asks- "I thought that Gloria was just a little depressed. Maybe she felt sad after you left to rescue me and drowned her sorrow with alcohol. But I never knew that it was different."

Jon nods.

"A few months before I left her alone, we had an affair. We fell in love and slept for one night, ignoring the advices of our elders."- He says- "It was quite foolish, I admit. And yet, we still did it. But we never knew what would happen until I saw it with my two eyes."

He stares at Adam.

"Adam, please. You have to help me."- He says- "Gloria is... pregnant."

Adam takes a step back. He is clearly shocked by his cousin's revelation.

"You slept with Canonia's shaman... and got her *pregnant*?!"- He yells- "Jon, I... I never expected something like this from you!"

Jon looks down and sighs.

"I know. I never did, either."- He responds- "But I can't turn back the time. I must move on and do whatever I can to help her out."

He looks up.

"So."- He says- "If you still respect me for who I am, please listen to the voice of reason and join us. We can't make those choices without you."

Jared sighs.

"Adam. I know how much you despise Jon for his affair, but I think that it is wise to help him out."- He says- "Whatever happened out there, it is over. We could have prevented it, but we were too busy to save the world. Also, it is what comes naturally. Despite being a shaman, Gloria is still a human being. She can still get pregnant. She can still give birth to a child. And she is not immune to the pain that is seen when you raise your own family. Soon, you will become an uncle... and that child will need you as much as you need me. So, do not be afraid. Making such a decision in a time like this is not a sin. You are helping your family... and that is what matters the most to me."

Adam nods.

"You are right, dad."- He says- "Even after what happened, those people are still my family. I will not let them down."

He turns to Jon.

"Very well, Jon. I will join you."- He says- "Before we go, remember that we are not done yet. When this war is over, we have a lot to talk about."

Jon nods.

"I would love to explain everything to you... once we're out of this mess."- He says- "Now, let's get out of here."

Jon leads our heroes to their camp outside the ruins. There are many people who stand there and watch helplessly as the demon army marches on the streets of their beloved city, unable to do anything to stop them.

Among them is Gloria. She sits in a small tent and is too distracted by the pain in her belly than to care about her surroundings.

Jon rushes to her and helps her stand up.

"Are you okay, dear?"

Gloria nods.

"More or less."- She says- "It's still very painful. I don't think I can take it anymore."

Jon smiles and points at Adam.

"Fear not, my dear!"- He says to her- "Adam is finally here! He will make everything right!"

Gloria looks at Adam and smiles weakly.

"So, you finally arrived."- She says and sighs- "Sorry about your hometown. It was a beautiful place."

Adam nods.

"Such a crime will not go unanswered."- He says- "We will bring Paris to its former glory. Rest assured of that."

Gloria smiles again.

"I'm sure that you will."- She says- "You've always been a hero to Canonia. And I can see that it's the same for the people who still live here."

She feels a sharp pain in her stomach and grunts.

The rest of the survivors exchange worried looks as Jon sits next to her.

"Ever since we came here, she has always been in pain. And her condition grew worse as we waited for you."- He says- "Due to the constant fear of getting attacked, she has always felt depressed. I fear that she may go into labor soon and I can't take my chances. I don't want to risk her life, either."

Gloria looks at Jon and smiles.

"I told you, Jon. There's no need to worry."- She says to him- "Now that Adam is here, I feel much safer."

She smiles again.

"We're going to make it."- She says- "And, when we get out of here, we will be the happiest family ever."

Adam nods.

"We have decided what to do."- He says to Jon- "Even though our mission is to find whoever destroyed this city, we think that it is best if we stay with you for the time being."

He smiles.

"When the time comes, we will be here for you."

Jon nods.

"Thank you for trusting us, Adam."- He says- "We will not let you down."

Adam nods.

"And neither will I."

Adam and his allies settle into the camp and speak with the residents. They listen to the stories that they share with them and assure them that they will free Paris from the evil that is currently inhabiting it.

A few days pass as our heroes protect the encampment from the stray demons who try to kill them. Soon, piles of corpses are burned and used as fuel for their campfire.

"*Their number keep increasing with each passing day.*"- Adam says to himself as warms his hands near the campfire- "*If we fail to find their leader, I fear that our chances to survive without any casualties are not very high.*"

As Adam and his father scout the area for potential encounters with hostiles, Aalia stands next to Gloria and talks to her.

"You have such a happy life, Gloria. Many people respect and trust you. There is a person who truly loves you, no matter how busy you may be."- She says and smiles sadly- "I wish that I had a life like yours."

Gloria smiles.

"What do you mean, Aalia? Your life is great."- She says- "Just because you lost so many people doesn't mean that you have to be so desperate."

Aalia sighs.

"I know, but... it's hard to move on."- She says- "But now that I have all of you, at least I have some hope for a better life."

Gloria smiles.

"Welcome to our family, sweetie."

A few hours pass. The sun starts to rise.

As Adam and Jared fight a nearby group of demons, one of them manages to get very close to the camp. It tries to attack, but is shot down by its sentries.

As the corpses of the demons are thrown into the nearby river, Gloria gets very worried. She starts to feel a sharp pain in her chest again.

"Ugh. That... that hurts."- She says to Aalia- "I think that we're getting close."

Aalia nods.

"I'll tell Adam."

She rushes to deliver the news to our heroes. Soon, they return to the camp and await the inevitable.

An hour later, Gloria goes into labor. Adam and Jared try to pull out the baby, but soon realize that she is too shocked to give birth naturally.

"I fear that there is only one thing left to do."- Adam says and turns to Jon- "In order to save Gloria's child, we must perform a cesarean section."

Jon sighs.

"Well, if you must."- He says- "But what will happen next? Will she survive the ordeal?"

Jared looks down and shrugs.

"I am not sure. Most cesarean sections are supposed to happen without any complications."- He says- "However, neither of us are obstetricians. We cannot stop the inevitable blood loss. Therefore, Gloria's chances of survival are not very high."

Jon shakes his head.

"I don't know what to do."- He says- "Losing a child is something that I won't be able to handle. But losing Gloria... "

Gloria looks up and shakes her head.

"It doesn't matter, Jon."- She says- "Let me go. Our child is the future. I don't want to lose it and neither do you."

Jon falls on his knees and starts to cry. He is clearly unsure what to do.

Jared sighs.

"He is broken."- He says to Adam- "Come on. Let us do our best to save them."

Adam pulls out a small dagger and cleans it in some water, making sure that the cut will not infect Gloria. Then, he punctures his finger, to make sure that it is safe to use.

Satisfied with the results, he hands it to his father, who pats Gloria on the forehead as he prepares to cut her abdomen open.

"Do not worry, dear. Everything will be alright."- He says to her- "Both of you are going to survive. We will make sure of it."

Gloria looks at Jared and smiles sadly.

"Mr. Kaos, thank you for caring so much about me."- She says to him- "When this nightmare is over, please take my child and raise it as your own. I'm sure that you will be a much more responsible parent that I will ever be."

Jared shakes his head.

"I refuse to give up on you."- He says- "You did so much to keep this child alive. If you die out here, the poor thing is going to become an orphan. And I cannot imagine how we are going to explain that his mother died to save him."

He looks at her.

"It needs you, Gloria."- He continues- "So many mothers have died so their children could live. I do not want you to become one of them."

Having said that, he points the dagger at her abdomen and prepares to cut it.

Moments before he could do so, he stops and shakes his head. Even though he is able to cut through his enemies with minimal trouble, he is still unable to do the same to a young, helpless woman like Gloria.

But then, Adam approaches him and pats him on the shoulder.

"You can do it, dad."- He says to him- "We believe in you!"

Jared looks back and smiles.

"Thank you, Adam."- He says- "I am ready. Let us bring this child to life."

He grabs the dagger and starts to cut through Gloria's abdomen. The touch of cold steel, as well as the constant blood loss and shock, cause her great pain as the blade is forcefully driven through her fragile skin.

"Gloria!"- Jon yells and stands by her side- "Gloria, my dear. Please stay strong. You will make it. You will survive."

Gloria shakes her head.

"It's too much for me."- She says weakly- "I can't... take... it... "

As her stomach is finally cut open, she starts to close her eyes. She is watching death in the eyes and, if nothing is done, her soul will be taken away. Forever.

In the meantime, the baby is pulled out. Jared holds it in his hands and looks at Jon.

"Here. Take it."- He says- "It is yours, after all."

Jon holds it reverently in his hands.

"There you are."- He says and smiles sadly- "It wasn't that dangerous, was it?"

Meanwhile, Adam looks at Gloria and quickly realizes that she is losing a lot of blood.

"Dad! Hurry!"- He says- "She is going to die!"

Jared rushes to her aid, but soon realizes that there is nothing else they can do.

"It is too late, son. She is gone."- He says as he lightly touches her forehead- "Her soul left us moments ago."

Adam shakes his head and motions for his father to stand back.

"Stand back, dad."- He says- "I am going to save her."

Having said that, he uses some of his healing magic to seal the wound and cauterize it. Soon, the blood loss stops, but she is still dying.

"Gloria, please!"- He yells- "I refuse to lose you!"

He performs a CPR, in the hopes that he could bring her back to life.

Jon watches as his cousin desperately tries to save his beloved girlfriend and sheds a tear as he watches him struggle helplessly.

"Adam."- He mutters- "You still haven't given up."

Meanwhile, Adam struggles mightily to keep Gloria alive.

"This is not the end!"- He yells- "Please! Stay with us!"

As he continues to perform CPR, he soon realizes that it is futile. She is already gone.

"No. This cannot be."- He says and falls on his knees- "Gloria! ***No!***"

Everyone watches sadly as Jared approaches his son and shakes his head.

"I am sorry, son."- He says and hugs him- "You tried your best. But, unfortunately, it was not enough."

Adam shakes his head. Tears fall down from his eyes.

"I cannot believe it."- He mutters- "She is... *gone*."

As the two of them regretfully walk away, they hear something. Looking back, they realize that Gloria just coughed.

Jared leans close to listen to her heartbeat. Moments later, he gets back up.

He is smiling.

"Gloria is alive!"- He exclaims- "Adam did it!"

He approaches his son and pats him on the shoulder.

"Well done, child."- He says to him- "You are a hero. A savior."

Adam smiles. Tears continue to fall from his eyes.

However, they are not tears of despair. Those are the tears of happiness... and it is unmistakable.

"Thank you, dad."- He says- "Gloria will live to see her child. And nothing makes me happier than that right now."

He approaches Gloria and takes her hand in his.

It is clear that she is unconscious. However, she is still alive. Her hands are warm and her heart is beating.

"See, Gloria? We did it."- He says to her- "Together, we made it through this nightmare. And you will see your child soon."

He turns around and looks at Jon, who is still holding his newborn child in his hands.

"So."- He says to him- "Is it male or female?"

Jon looks down at his child and smiles.

"Male."- He responds confidently- "And he will be great. Just like us."

Adam smiles and pats him on the shoulder.

"You will be a wonderful father."- He says to him- "I am sure of it."

He looks at the child.

"May I hold him for a while?"

Jon nods and smiles.

"Of course!"- He responds- "He is your nephew. You deserve to admire him as much as I do."

He gently gives the newborn to Adam, who still cannot believe that he just became an uncle.

"Hello, little nephew. Today was a tough day for all of us, but we did it. We brought you into this world."- He says to him- "You may be young, but someday, you will see the light. You will become a hero, just like your parents. And, when that day comes, I will advise you. I will train you. You will join me on my adventures. Together, we shall save the future, hand in hand."

He smiles and shakes his head.

"But that is matter that we shall discuss in the future."- He continues- "For now, I will simply say that I am glad. Glad that you are here. Glad that you will be taken care of. And, most importantly, glad that you will illuminate our lives with your presence."

He smiles again.

"Welcome to the family."

As the baby starts to cry, he gently puts his finger on its mouth and kisses him on the forehead. Then, he starts to sing him a song.

Soon, the baby falls asleep in his arms.

"That is a good boy."

He looks up at the sky and sighs.

"*Today is the day when our hope was restored.*"- He says to himself- "*Even though the odds are still against us, I am sure that we will win this fight. For my friends. For my family. And, most importantly, for my dear nephew.*"

He smiles.

"*Once again, the light shall rend through the darkness. Justice will prevail..*"- He continues- "*And nothing will stop us from doing the right thing.*"

## Trivia

* The title of this Part ("*Strangers*") is a reference to the destruction that happened inside the city of Paris while our heroes were absent. Of the fact that, despite returning to their sacred home, they are now strangers to it. It is also a reference to the conversation between Adam and his cousin, Jonathan Braveheart, and the fear that they may become estranged to each other, due to the fact that Jon never shared his secret with the one whom he trusts the most and has thus lost a part of his respect toward him.