Omega Wars Chronicles

Chapter 37: Times

A flashback occurs as Gorg enters his house with so much happiness and laughter while carrying a white haired baby in his arms.
"Marida!" Gorg called, "You actually did it! You really cured our baby! Even Nostra doesn't believe it!"
Marida who happened to be sitting on a chair, faced the ground with the look of sadness and guilt.
"Where was that place you said you went?" Gorg asked while smiling and carrying the baby in his arms, "Come on, tell me! What is the herb you used? With this information, we can save so many lives an-"
"Gorg..." Marida interrupts while still facing the ground.
As Gorg stared down at his wife in confusion, Marida lifts her head, carrying a deadpan expression on her face.
"We need to talk."
Back at Keigra as Cloud was walking alone in a marketplace, he had a recollection of Roku placing his finger on Cloud's forehead, spawning a green light around him.
"What did he do to me?" Cloud asked within himself, "More importantly, he said he held me up in his arms when i was a baby. Does this mean he knows my parents?
There has been so much going on in my life that i don't understand. And what's with this 'Ruler of end'?"
In the process of thinking about this, Cloud lets out a sigh.
"I wish i had an answer to all this." Cloud said within himself.
"Mommy! Daddy!" A child's voice said.
Cloud turns to his left and spots a little girl hugging her parents which made Cloud smile at this. During this moment, Cloud felt something touching his leg which turned out to be a little boy holding his trousers.
The boy stretched forth his hands and smiled at Cloud and Cloud smiled at the boy in response. Cloud brings out from his trousers a blue gem that had the mixture of lime and red colour, prompting the boy to scream and hop cheerfully; the boy ran to his siblings which happened to be a male and a female and seeing the gem the boy showed them, they too scream and jumped cheerfully.
"Thank you, mister!" The three said, "Safe journey, mister! Safe journey!"
As the three had finished thanking Cloud, Cloud smiles at them once again.
"Wow, you really are a kind hearted person." A feminine voice said.
Cloud turns back and sees the person to be Chief Tenya who happened to be smiling.
"Chief Tenya." Cloud said as he bowed himself.
"Hello, Cloud of the Stormwind." Chief Tenya said, "I believe this is the second time i'm speaking with you face to face."
"Yeah, I think so." Cloud said with a smile.
"Come let's walk." Chief Tenya said as she walks past Cloud.
In that moment, Cloud and Chief Tenya were walking and discussing with each other in the marketplace.
"I suppose i should thank you for what you did for Killer bee at the 3rd round." Chief Tenya said while facing forward, "You really gave her hope when she was about to fall into despair."
"I was just being a friend to her." Cloud said while facing forward.
"Still, i should thank you for what you did." Chief Tenya said, "Killer bee... Doesn't really have friends in our tribe. Ever since what our former Chief did... It really tarnished her image."
"I heard about it and i feel so sorry for her." Cloud said with a sad demeanor, "What she experienced is something no one is supposed to go through."
"We all have our pain." Chief Tenya said, "It's just... I feel like i failed her. When i stood up for her, i promised i was going to clear her father's name but in the end, i failed.
After defeating Chief Taru at the Goyiv, i planned to place him under trial the next day but unfortunately, the day i defeated him was the day a group of Minotaurs attacked. How they got into the Tenplar domain, i don't know but i did grab hold of one of them before he could escape with the others.
He explained that their attack was a tip of the iceberg; a power was given to them by their 'New allies', however before more information could be extracted from him, he killed himself.
By the time we checked the damage done, a 120 Tenplars were missing, Taru included. I couldn't keep my promise to Bee."
"That's what you think but Killer bee is grateful to you." Cloud said, "For standing up and looking after her, she feels highly indebted to you."
"Yeah, but i barely have time for her." Chief Tenya said, "A Chief work is an honorable position but it's an overwhelming task. I do try my best to teach her something with the little time i have with her and i can't even assign a teacher to her."
"Why?" Cloud asked.
"There are still people that feel Chief Taru was in the right for what he did." Chief Tenya replied, "Some supported him because they believed he was right, some out of fear while some did it because they didn't like Bee's father."
"Did you really know her father?" Cloud asked.
"No, not really." Chief Tenya replied, "It was just some things i got to learn over the years. Plus, each time i look at Bee's past, it reminds me of mine."
"Huh? What happened to you?" Cloud asked with a puzzled demeanor.
"When i was a child, my father was executed right in front of my eyes." Chief Tenya said, "Before i was born, my father loved my mother and wanted to marry her but my grandfather refused to give her hand in marriage.
He made it clear that he would not give his blessings to the marriage but eventually, he came around. My father and my mother left the Tenplars domain to spend their lives together. Years later when i was 8, my parents decided to come back to the Tenplars domain to show my grandfather his own grandchild but my grandfather claimed that he did not give his blessings therefore before his eyes, there was no marriage that took place, making them look like they broke the oath of chastity and making me look like a bastard."
Hearing this revelation from Tenya, Cloud was quickly struck with disbelief.
"Chief Tenya..." Cloud said softly.
"My grandfather was the Chief of his time." Chief Tenya said, "They say my grandfather was a very ruthless and dangerous man who many feared in the Tenplar tribe... 'The Great terror, Jahkim'. However, this didn't stop my father from loving my mother who happened to be one of his five daughters.
When he accused them of marrying without his consent, even the people that were witnesses, turned their backs on us. It didn't take long for my parents to understand that the whole thing was a setup to tarnish their image and teach them a lesson, and since he didn't like my father and my mother was his least favorite among his five children, he had no problems doing that."
"Nobody spoke up for you, not one?" Cloud asked.
"No, not one." Chief Tenya replied while still facing forward, "My father's relatives were too frightened to even speak for him and since my mother wasn't liked by my grandfather... You get the picture.
My father understanding that there wasn't hope for them, begged my grandfather for mercy; he begged that me and my mother should be spared, which was agreed to but with a cost... He made my father, Zorabath, crawl underneath many Tenplars."
"What?" Cloud asked in shock.
"He made him start with my mother and from there, he made crawl underneath the others." Chief Tenya said.
"He made my father give up his warrior pride just to spare me and my mother..." Chief Tenya said while clenching her fists and emitting a faint purple aura that was shaking the marketplace, leading a lot of people to be afraid of the situation.
"Uh, Chief Tenya." Cloud called.
Chief Tenya quickly gets a hold of herself and exhales.
"I'm sorry." Chief Tenya said while facing the ground, "It really hurts when i think about it. In the end after humiliating my father like that in front of many, he killed him... Brutally, and many cheered for this.
I hated people. I hated them for being cowards. I hated them for just standing by and letting injustice and abuse of power take place. I swore to become stronger and become a Chief, so that nothing like this would happen again in my tribe.
I was so angry when i learnt of the bet Xorian and Jagami's parents made and i could easily understand where Dam was coming from during his battle with his younger brother."
"Do you still hate them?" Cloud asked, "You know... The people of your tribe?"
"No ... i don't." Chief Tenya replied while staring at the sky, "But i won't sit by and let such rubbish happen in my tribe again. I just hope i can work with the other Chiefs in making sure that Agaroth becomes a better place for all of humanity to live in, both majors and minors.
However, with all these visions of mine, i still can't properly look after the one i took under my wing. I can't comprehend the amount of loneliness she feels. That's why..."
Chief Tenya suddenly stood in front of Cloud and grabs hold of one of his hands which caught Cloud off guard.
"I know it's not my place to ask this but... I need you to promise me something." Chief Tenya said, "Promise me that no matter what happens, you'll never turn your back on Killer bee.
Please, i beg of you. Do not abandon Killer bee. You're the only friend i've seen she truly has. I ask of this not as a Chief but as a friend."
"I- i promise." Cloud said, "I promise and swear on my blood that i will not and will never turn my back on her."
"Thank you, Cloud." Chief Tenya said while smiling, "Killer bee is indeed lucky to have you."
"Thanks." Cloud replied, "Anyway, there is something i'd like to ask you."
"What is it?" Chief Tenya asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You said your grandfather was once a Chief, right?" Cloud asked, "How did he lose that title? Who defeated him?"
"He defeated himself." Chief Tenya said, "Being obsessed with having more feats, he decided to fight 5,000 terror beasts all by himself and gave us 3 days to await his return. He hasn't returned since then."
"Oh..." Cloud said with an expressionless demeanor.
The moment was suddenly broken as a growl erupted from Cloud's stomach.
"You haven't eaten, have you?" Chief Tenya asked with a blank face.
"No, i haven't." Cloud replied.
"Good! Dinner is on me!" Chief Tenya said as her smile quickly returned, "We can't have you compete in the tournament with an empty stomach and luckily for you, i know the best Keigra restaurant.
Wait a minute, are you in the tournament? I never saw you perform in the arena."
"I am in the tournament, it's just that i won't be fighting until the semi finals." Cloud replied.
"Just like Killer bee said." Chief Tenya said, "More reason why i can't have you compete on an empty stomach."
"Now follow me." Chief Tenya said as she turned to resume walking.
Elsewhere in a glowing leafed forest known as Alak, a large building resided there and in that building, a man with a basket weave dreads was walking beside a blonde Tenplar woman with a side shaved hairstyle while discussing with each other.
"How's it going, Shizon?" The Tenplar woman asked.
"We have finally made some progress, Kyra." Shizon answered.
"Is that so?" Kyra asked, "The madman is finally able to speak?"
"Yes, he is." Shizon replied.
"Good. Looks like i won't have to stay long in this place." Kyra said.
"Come now. This place isn't bad." Shizon said while smiling.
"The word Alak means restrain; this place was soley built for restraining powerful people which of course was created by the Keigras, who were responsible for the heavily secured building with the addition of the Ritzku barrier in many sections and the Domadus, the tribe that were responsible for the glowing trees.
But then again, the Domadus are a minor tribe known for their specialties for communicating with forests; they claimed they asked the forest to lend their energy of nature to create a barrier around, keeping anyone from getting in or out without permission, hence the glowing leaves. This reminds me of Gorn." Kyra said, "I never said i hated here, i'm just tired of staying.
I'm tired of staying and trying to get answers from a man who doesn't seem to be saying anything at all."
"Oh, but i thought Kan was omni-lingual?" Shizon asked while smirking with a raised eyebrow, "Any language you hear or see, you can instantly understand and speak it."
"Understanding and being able to speak different languages known and unknown is one of the many functions of kan as we have been able to read, understand and speak the languages of old." Kyra said, "However, there is a fine difference when one is speaking a language and when one is speaking gibberish."
"Ah, yes. The poor man lost his mind." Shizon said with his eyes closed as he opened a door, "You know, they say he was a powerful man who went bunkers ever since he had a vision but to be honest, i don't really think we can restrain him if he should try to escape."
"Even though we have 40 powerful warriors of the major tribe along with me and the other Graundar who is coming to investigate him?" Kyra asked as she stopped to look at Shizon.
"I'm not doubting your capabilities." Shizon said, "We of the minor tribes, are unable to do anything against those of the major but still, the pressure i felt from this man was so scary, it made the others look like 2nd rate warriors."
"He won't be a problem for me." Kyra said as she walks past Shizon.
"I'm serious!" Shizon said as he walks after Kyra, "Even though his hands are binded with powerful han chains, i have a feeling that he could easily break them and escape."
"Even when most parts of this building are covered with the Ritzku barrier, including his holding cell?" Kyra asked as she stopped at the transparent wall.
"He was in charge of the Tall order Pilgrim academy for a reason." Shizon said as he stopped at the transparent wall and gazed down at a figure which turned out to be a beared Tenplar man with long black messy hair, sitting on the ground while having his arms tied with blue glowing chains.
"Headmaster Yorall." Shizon said as Yorall raised his head.