FATE (Volume 1)

Chapter 11: ​​​🇨​​🇦​​🇹​​🇨​​🇭​ ​🇺​​🇵​

Link stared the camp intently, presumably evaluating it for the wellbeing of the troops, "Who's in charge around here?" he asked, his tone cool and unbothered. "Well, if you're talking about the leader, then it's gonna be Paradox, but that old hag ain't here... He's nowhere to be found actually... But if you're talking about who's incharge of the rebellion while the Paradox is gone, then I would say it's Ethan.", Link's eyes widened in recognition, "Ethan?, Ethan the Archdemon?", Jacob's brow furrowed, "Yeah, why? you know him?", something flashed in Link's eyes, as if tears of joy... But Jacob couldn't be certain, "Yes, I know him... We served in the Shadowfall, a war that occured a thousand years ago in the Upper Genesis. Even before the succession of the Myrddin, and the reign of the Nexus, where is he?.", Jacob's eyebrows shot up in indifference, "Mir-din?, what's that? what's a Shadowfall?", Jacob asks as he catches up to the now-sprinting Link, towards the unnoticing Ethan who was preoccupied ordering the left squadron. Link's pace quickened, urgency lacing each step as he rushed towards Ethan. "The Shadowfall was a war shrouded in the history of our realms. A conflict that predates the reign of the Myrddin... In your language, I believe he was named 'Merlin', and the Nexus, a time when chaos engulfed the Upper Genesis," Link explained, his voice filled with a mixture of nostalgia and concern. Jacob struggled to keep up, bewildered by the sudden revelation of a forgotten history. "I've never heard of such events. Our records never spoke of such wars," he admitted, his curiosity piqued. Link's gaze remained fixed on Ethan, who was engrossed in issuing orders to the troops. "It's a history buried beneath layers of time and secrecy," Link replied. "Ethan was a pivotal figure then, just as he is now. He holds knowledge and power that may determine the outcome of this new 'war' we're talking about." As they closed in on Ethan, the archdemon seemed to sense their approach. He turned to face them, his eyes locking with Link's. There was a flicker of recognition, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. "Ethan," Link spoke, his voice steady yet tinged with emotion. "How have you been, sir?" Ethan regarded Link and Jacob, a mixture of surprise and contemplation evident in his expression. "ah, Link" he said softly, "The best of the 4th resistance, I'm doing fine, honestly, how have you been... old friend?", Link stared intently as tears run down his cheeks... Jacob hadn't seen him like that before. "I'm doing fine too..." he said softly, his voice quivering. Suddenly, he leaped forward, giving Ethan a hug... Ethan was surprised and was caught off-guard at first, but he embraced back. "Wow, this is so emotional", a voice slid through, breaking the heartfelt moment, they all turned to see who it was, "What the hell do you want, Zean?" Jacob said, rolling his eyes and glaring at him, "Hm, shouldn't you be grateful I gave you those eyes to do all that rolling and glaring?... Anyways, I'm just here to let you know that one of the tent's on fire, sounds like someone was playing with a fire celestia for too long." he said with a distasteful chuckle. Link wiped away the tears, composing himself quickly as urgency resurfaced. "We'll discuss this later," he murmured to Ethan before turning his attention to Zean's report. "A fire? Where?" Zean pointed toward a distant corner of the encampment where smoke curled upward. "Over there, by the southeastern side. It's spreading fast." Without another word, Link dashed toward the billowing smoke, Jacob and Ethan following close behind. As they approached the source of the blaze, they saw flames dancing wildly, devouring a tent and threatening neighboring structures. "We need to put it out before it spreads further," Jacob exclaimed, already scanning the surroundings for a solution. Ethan raised his hand, murmuring incantations under his breath. Shadows coalesced around him, weaving into a complex pattern as he directed their movements towards the fire. The shadows seemed to quell the flames, wrapping around them like a dark cloak until the fire dwindled and died. "Nice work," Jacob nodded at Ethan, impressed by his swift intervention. Ethan shrugged modestly. "It's a basic manipulation of shadow elements. Now, let's see if the fire caused any casualties or significant damage." As they inspected the aftermath, they found minor injuries but thankfully no fatalities. The affected tents were either saved or quickly dismantled to prevent further risk. Link glanced around, his mind still grappling with the sudden rush of emotions from reuniting with Ethan. "We need to ensure this doesn't happen again. Zean, find out who was responsible for this negligence. Jacob, organize a perimeter check and strengthen our security measures. Ethan, gather those skilled in elemental control to train others in emergency fire suppression." Zean smirked. "Always the delegator, huh?" Ignoring Zean's comment, Link continued, his focus on securing the camp. "We can't afford distractions during these trying times. We must be prepared for any threat." The group dispersed, each attending to their assigned tasks, the urgency of the war surrounding them more palpable than ever. As they worked, a newfound determination filled the air, fueled by the shared history between Link and Ethan, and the looming shadows of an impending conflict.