The samurai, An Legendary Adventure Tale Part 2

Chapter twenty-four: The Souls of being human

Shiro desperately clung to Hunk's shoulders as they sat on Kiaion's back, the daemon lion descending from the mountaintop temple.

As they began to make their way down, Lance, Ozar, Pidge, and Stats began to grow back to normal size. At first, they seemed to weigh Kiaion down a bit due to the unexpected shift in weight, but he managed to maintain his altitude.

"Look! We're back to normal!" said Pidge.

"Stats!" Stats said.

"Oz probably died, undoing his spells." Ozar realized. "Those people in the box garden have probably reverted back, too."

Soon, the group reached the bottom of the mountain, right back to where this whole adventure began: at the creek where they found the Tree of Human Fruit. It was then that the sun was finally starting to rise...the tree had been dried-up and Os was nowhere to be found but more importantly.

...Where is Keith...

"Where is he?" Shiro worriedly...and soon after, they all glanced at each other, apprehensively. Not long after...their eyes fell on the river nearby.

"...He...he must have fallen into the river and drowned," said Pidge. "His body might have been carried off...!"

"...Oh, no...!" Shiro whispered as tears began to form in his eyes. "It...it can't be...!" He soon sniffed as he dropped down to his knees.

"...Stats...!" Stats whimpered, his tears already starting to fall.

"I can't believe he did that, In spite of how hurt he was!" Hunk said, solemnly. "He was willing to fight on for us, If I could do something about this Maybe I could-" He then tightly clenched his fists. "But I didn't, I couldn't help him!"

"...It's my fault...!" Shiro whispered as his tears fell from his eyes. "Keith saw that I was in danger! He gave his life for mine! It's my fault!!"

"Come now," Lance said, even though he had a solemn expression, as well. "I know this must be hard to hear, Shiro, but Keith did what he had to in order to protect you."

Shiro sniffled as he looked up at Lance, who tried to look as reassuring as possible...even though he could see just a small glint of sadness in his eyes.

"He may have been brash and reckless," said Lance, "but Keith was brave and valiant until the very end. He died like a true hero would...and for that, we will remember him forever."

"...A hero, huh?"

The group gasped before they turned around...and there he was: Keith with his black hair and violet eyes! He still had his arm in a sling, but he was alive!

"Keith!!!" The group cheered before Shiro and Stats ran toward him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on!" Inuyasha cried. "My arm's still broken-OOF!!"

Too late. Shiro and Stats tackled him, causing him to fall to the ground while he groaned in pain. Lance, Pidge, Hunk and Katara seemed to be the only ones who managed to restrain themselves from glomping on him.

"Oh, Keith!" cried Shiro. "I'm so glad you're okay! I was starting to think the worst!"

"Stats!!" Stats bawled while Keith blinked at them.

"...They were actually worried about me," he thought.

"How did you survive?" asked Ozar.

"Well, the sun rose at just the right moment," Keith answered as he tried to stand up. "I landed in the tree's branches and they broke my fall."

Suddenly, the peaches that grew on the tree began to lose their human-like features, thus turning into nothing more than regular fruits.

"What's happening?" asked Shippo.