Hero's Dead Brother

49. One

As Noah opened his eyes, he was laying in his tent, all of his wounds healed.

After he passed out, some of the knights must have managed to bring him back and be rescued.

He didn't care.

He must go and find Caleb's body. That land was now the enemy's but he had to go back there and find her. Even if he was killed. Nothing mattered anymore.
He didn't do his duty as his brother's left hand. He didn't justify the trust the Queen had put into him, he didn't make the right decision.

He was useless.

As he wanted to get up, he saw the old lady, sitting next to him, a cat on her lap.

He teared up. She brought him back because he had done something good in the past.
Now he let the Goddess of Light down too. He didn't bring joy to her world at all.

"Whatever you're thinking right now, just stop."

A voice suddenly spoke.

'This can't be!'

"What are you doing, get up! Greg called for a meeting."

How? How was this possible? Caleb was standing there, just as usual, she was the one waking him up.

"What's wrong?" She already sensed that something was up, typical Caleb. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I... Give me... ten minutes. I'll be there". He somehow managed to mumble.

"You sure you don't wanna ta....?"

"Soon! I'll tell you when I figure it out. Just... ten minutes ok?"

Caleb gave him her usual look that meant 'don't you dare brush it off, you're gonna tell me everything, got it?' And walked out.

Noah turned to the old lady.

"I'm sorry if you saw something terrifying, Amiel. I needed to show you exactly what would happen to my people in the future."

Noah sat up and listened carefully.

"You see, Amiel, nobles of Lyor are gifted with my power, the power of light. The people who pray and put their trust in me need protectors and for centuries, I chose to lend my power to the nobles to let them protect my people."

"But once the power is given, there's no turning back. I can never take it back. The people who turn their backs on me and betray me don't lose their powers but see it transform and become dark as the night."

Noah remembered the power of King Wisingham, that swallowed his attack.

"It is capable to swallow my power because the soul of the owner is corrupted. Your soul too, has been corrupted in many ways. It has been shattered, filled with hate, broken. But it has never lost it's light."

"So I chose you to be my new messenger, my new Priest and blessed you with my power of vision."

Noah remembered how the Grand Priest had seen the future and predicted his revival in three days after he was born dead.

The Goddes of Light had the power of showing the future.

"What did you see?"

"...Death. Lots of deaths. We lost... the battle. We lost everything. Even if we survived, Wisingham had the upper hand."

Her eyes saddened.

"If I want to stop this, I have to sacrifice their villagers. I have to convince Gregory to attack them while they cover themselves with their civilians and many innocent people will die. Will... will you accept that?"

"No. My people should never sacrifice innocent lives."

Noah's eyes widened.

"Then... then how are we supposed to win?"

"Think of a solution, young man!"

The old lady was exactly as he remembered her in the village, grumpy, complaining like a little kid about her cats. It made him smile. Such a cruel old woman.

"Alright, gramma. I'll see what I can do."

He gave her the same answer as always. Cutting the high branches of the trees so that the cats don't fall, lecturing the kids who annoyed her cats, he always found a solution. This time would be no different.

"Very well, young man. You better make it right! I'm counting on you!"

As she gave him her usual answer, walking out of the tent, she suddenly stopped and looked back at him.

"I see that what I showed you was very painful to see. I'm sorry for that."

He smiled. "No, since I have the chance to change that, I'm better than ever."

She nodded and disappeared.

Noah got up, put his clean white White Eagle uniform on and walked out, a plan building up in his head.

Thank you for reading!