Same Journey, Different Path

Claudia: “That idiot. All he does is care for himself. Why would he say such mean words to me? Why can’t he respect me? My city is in shambles, my best friend is dead, my leaders are missing, and my people hate me. What can I even do?”

A dark figure appeared in front of her. There was no doubt about it. This thing did not want to be friends. Its face was the closest thing to death you could get and the single soulless glowing red eye made her bones chill. Its arms were skeleton like and tree roots stuck out of him everywhere.

Claudia couldn’t even breathe before he ended up next to her. It wasn’t like the witches she had just battled or the intense mana of Natsuki. His presence was the same as Shin’s, no, even worse. All she thought before her mind became blank was, ‘Help me, Astro.’

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Welpen: “Hey Octavious. Look! I found a chaplet. It was just right here in the grass.”

Octavious: “Hmm…I still don’t know much about these chaplet things. I guess I should start collecting them though based on what you said.”

Welpen: “Yeah. They are really cool and powerful. My sword can hold a good amount too. Lihard did a really good job. My pouch can also hold some extra in case the sword can’t hold any. I want a sword that can hold all of them. If I had all 70 chaplets, then I would be amazing.”

Octavious: “We can both find all of them and be amazing together! Splendid!”

Astro: “Will you two be quiet. Welpen, that is the most basic chaplet you can find. It’s the worst one.”

Welpen: “But, it’s all green and shiny.”

Astro: “That’s an Earth Chaplet. The only thing that can do is put a wall up in front of you made of grass.We will test your mana later on, but we’re almost here. Just use your sword for now. I’m sure you have used it before. It probably can create something similar.”

Welpen thought about when he left his town and had raised his sword. He surprised himself back then when he was able to scare those guards with his powers. He figured if he was ever in trouble, then he would use that ability again.

Octavious: “By the way Astro, where are we at?”

Astro: “I promised you we’d go see my friend if we won the tournament, so we are here to see him.”

Octavious: “B-But we didn’t even play in it.”

Astro: “I know, but I made a promise to you and I intend to keep it since we took you from there. Plus, I need to talk with him and we are checking if a certain someone came this way.”

A small broken down house sat a little ways from a small run down village on a hill. Astro opened the door to a warm fire, endless books, and hot tea being made.

Kanji: “Ah, Astro. My young boy, how are you doing?”

Astro: “I need some tea, that's how I’m doing.”

Kanji: “A rough day?”

Astro: “Don’t do that. Don’t act as if you haven’t been watching me this whole time.”

Kanji: “Ah yes, I forgot that I told you about that. Please, where are my manners? We have guests. My name is Kanji Adachi. Many people here call me Mamoru, but please call me Kanji. Sorry, sorry. Before I show hospitality, I must address a certain someone in the room.”

Kanji looked up to the ceiling and to the left. His eyes glared at nothing in the eyes of everyone, but he began to talk as if he was talking to someone.

Kanji: “Why don’t you come out. I can sense you. Maybe they can’t, but I would love it if you introduced yourself.”

2 red orbs came from above that were very familiar to Welpen.

Welpen: “Huh?! Ezra? When did you get there?”

Ezra: “Sorry everyone. I was trying to stay silent, but this man peered into my spiritual body. How do you have access to the spiritual realm? I never gave you that and you are not dead.”

Kanji: “Some things are best kept secret, isn’t that right? Anyways, I assume everyone here knows of you. I do not wish to harm, but I simply wanted to greet everyone accordingly. Please, take a seat. We will have some tea.”

Astro: “We don’t have much time, Kanji. I just have one question.”

Kanji: “Well then, you will make time. That gravestone is awaiting you. It’s been quite a while. I think your wife and daughter would like to see you. Speaking of, we have the leader of the spiritual realm right here. I’m sure she can take you to them if you’d like.”

Astro: “No. I made my peace. They don't want to see me either.”

Kanji: “You’re loving wife and daughter don’t want to see you? Out of all the wisdom in the world that I have, that is the most utter false thing you could’ve said. What’s the real reason you do not want to see them? Regret? Despair? Afraid that your heart will open back up again? I’m eager to know. I crave knowledge.”

Astro: “Enough!”

Astro wiped the teapot on the ground, shattering it.

Kanji: “It’s not like me to ask you about this matter, Astro, and I have kept my mouth shut for many years, but I cannot sit back and be quiet when the solution to your problem stands right in front of you.”

Astro: “I asked you when I met you if you could see my girls. You told me that you could. You told me that they were safe and happy. That they looked okay with where they were at. I will see them when my life comes to an end. That’s when my daughter is expecting me. She told me to live a good long life and that is what I will do. Now, you will answer my questions. This boy is looking for someone. Her name is Isara. Where is she?”

Kanji willingly listened to Astro and searched for Isara, not trying to pry anymore.

Kanji: “I will only tell you this once Astro and I will not continuously search for her for you. This is your journey, not mine. She may move on from this place before you can get there, but that is up to you to find her. She is in the Land of the Rising Phoenix.”

Astro: “Last question. Where is Dante and Lucky? I know you were watching me with them. Where are they? Tell me!”

Welpen: “A-Astro, it’s okay. He will tell us, right, Kanji?”

Astro: “Tell me Goddammit! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!”

He began to cry as he broke character in front of all of them. Nobody had seen him so weak before.

Astro: “Please…Tell me.”

Astro had formed a connection, no, a bond. He had formed a strong bond with these 2 boys. He had felt responsible for their disappearance and felt that he had to find them. The weight became heavy on his shoulders and now helping Welpen find Isara was a promise he made as well. He didn’t know what he would do with the information, but he needed to know they were okay for now.

Kanji: “There is no need to yell. I will answer. Yes, I was observing you when you were with them. Although, I had stepped away to help Ronkon get food. Give me a moment. I can look for them again.”

Kanji looked up to the right once more as he did before. He searched for Dante first. His eyes spiraled through the lands in search of him. For the first time in his life, he was puzzled and confused. He could not see anything. He could not track or find Dante. He tried Lucky. Again, he could not see anything. ‘Impossible,’ he thought. He tried again thinking there was a mistake with his eyes, but found nothing.

Kanji: “I-I…”

Astro: “What? Spit it out.”

Kanji: “For the first time in my life, I cannot find both of those boys. They are not dead either. I checked the Spirit Realm. Ezra, you can even double check. I checked everywhere.”

Ezra: “I had already checked right when you said the names. Nobody named that has come through here.”

Astro: “Impossible! You’ve never been wrong.”

Kanji: “I-I don’t know what is going on. I can even track Arata Sanji, The Rebellious Saint in the Isle of Misfits, a land that nobody dares to venture. What is going on?”

Astro: “Look again. They are out there somewhere!”

Kanji: “I did. I looked twice. I do not sense those boys. Did Shin get to them? No, that’s not possible. I can even track those who turn off their mana.”

Kanji was shocked, disappointed, and diminished, but intrigued. Although he could not help his friend, his thirst for knowledge was important to him. If he did not know something, then he aimed to figure it out.”

Astro: “Let’s go, Welpen. This is gonna take us 2 days to get to. I need more stupid chaplets. We will trade for some along the way and when we get there…Octavious, here is the man that you wanted to meet. Do whatever you want when you’re done. Kanji, I’ll be back in 1 month. Bring some good news, will you?”

Ezra retreated back into Welpen’s clothing while he and Astro exited the building.

Kanji: “Astro, I will continue looking for those boys and because I consider you a friend and I want to know much wisdom of the world, I will give this to you. It is a Soul Chaplet. It does the same thing that the lady in that boy’s clothing can do. If you ever reconsider your choice, then it will be there for you. The boy may even keep it if he ever wants to use it. Oh, and I wouldn’t want you to leave empty handed Welpen. In my hand are two apples. One has a bite taken out of it and one normal without a bite. Which one would you like?”

Welpen: “Hmm, I’ll take the normal one. Thanks sir. I don’t want someone’s mouth on my food, but I am pretty hungry. Yummy!”

Astro and Welpen departed on their way. Welpen thanked Kanji for the apple and Octavious approached him to ask him endless questions about the Infinite Library in hopes of knowing more…

Welpen: “Where are we headed? Land of the what? Rising Fire?”

Astro: “Phoenix. Rising Phoenix. Although, it’s not anything like the name. It’s a land in the sky amongst the clouds. Everyone is very religious and worships the place like it’s a god.”

Welpen: “Worships?”

Astro: “Yeah, I’ve been there once when I was younger and another time a few years ago. Everyday, the people of the village gather at night to pray to the Whispering Vale. It’s a wall of smoke that surrounds the entire town. A boundary in simpler terms. Everyone that goes in there disappears and never comes back. People are still stupid enough to go in there and try to conquer it. Once a year, they sacrifice someone to the Vale to appease the Vale. It’s a pointless tradition. Nobody is coming back.”

Ezra: “Might I add, people who vanish there are not brought to the Spirit Realm. I do not know where they go either.”

Welpen: “Ezra, can’t you bring yourself here? It’s a little confusing talking to floating orbs.”

Ezra: “Hahaha. You’re funny, Welpen. Unfortunately, I cannot. Like I said before, my main body is not here right now and I must keep my spiritual body in the Spirit Realm.”

Welpen: “I bet you are beautiful. Maybe one day I can visit you.”

Ezra: “You are too kind, young one. Thank you.”

Astro: “Explain to me. What is this about your actual body? How do you know Shin?”

Ezra: “That is a long story. Let me shorten it quickly for you both. Like many of you in this world, I acquired a very powerful sword. It happened to me connected to the Spirit Realm. When the previous ruler decided to break the contract with the sword, it killed him and spawned the sword back into this world. I happened to be in the very same spot that the sword appeared. This was over 700 years ago and a lot has happened since then. The sword’s contract forces you to battle someone every 40 years. The fight does not end until someone dies. That is, either myself or my opponent. If I die, then I must find my physical body and return it back to the spiritual realm. I may not venture back down on this Earth with my physical body until another 40 years is up and I verse another opponent. That is the only way to get my body back after 40 years is up if I can’t find it. Shin stole it 35 years ago when I fought him and lost, so now I need to get it back.”

Astro: “Why wouldn’t you just kill a random thief? Seems pretty easy to me.”

Ezra: “Let me finish, please. When I come down to Earth, the sword picks where I appear. It seeks strong opponents. I have versed many strong foes in my life and my win rate is not that impressive. Besides, when I do kill someone, they end up haunting me in the Spirit Realm. Anyways, the sword made me verse Shin 35 years ago like I said. Even at my strongest in my physical body, he made a fool of me. He takes my body every time and hides it. I kindly asked him if he would return my body and like an idiot, told him how my sword works. Now, every 40 years, he returns my body and before I can ascend back to the Spirit Realm, he kills me and takes my body again. He’s beyond stupid and my stupid sword won’t switch my opponent. It wants Shin’s blood.”

Astro: “Your sword is pretty stupid. It seems like it wants to lose. It’s clearly not strong enough to face the enemies that it chooses.”

Ezra: “I agree, however, I believe it is no different than a human being. Humans test themselves. How are they supposed to progress if they do not go against the hardest challenges? I believe it thinks the same way.”

Welpen: “That sounds so cool! I love my sword. Lihard fixed it up for me, but I wouldn’t mind getting a cool sword like yours.”

Ezra: “May your passion never die, Welpen. You are wonderful.”

Astro: “Come on, we got a ways to go. We don’t need Isara to go further than what we need. We aren’t stopping. You’re gonna have to fight to stay awake, kid.”

Welpen: “Okay!”

They headed off for their 2 day venture that laid ahead. Ezra continued to protect the two of them in curiosity. She had a hunch that these two would become strong. Welpen kept a smile on his face on his journey back to Isara while Astro felt the pressure of his obligations beginning to take a toll on him. His mind raced, but he focused on one thing at a time, while he tried to keep strong.