Omega Wars Chronicles

Chapter 61: Pointless

   In a small village in Agaroth known as Khimanta, a  group of people had gathered to see the large hole that was in the midst of their village; during that time, a man with a large scar across his face, making him blind on one eye, was struggling to get to the front of the crowd while mumbling to himself.
   "Damn, what is all this crap?" The man asked inwardly, "I was busy watching the tournament with the creations of the Keigras, only for this nonsense to drop from the sky and disturb the peace. Why do we minors have to..."
   The man paused as he reached the front line of the crowd and stared in shock seeing Rikon's body (which was cut in half, leaving only his upper body) in the large hole.
    "What in heavens..." The man said.
    In one of the halls in the Shard court as Reyla was taking a stroll, she finds Cloud seated on the ground and discussing with Killer bee; while the two were discussing, Cloud sights Reyla as she was approaching them.
   "Reyla." Cloud said, causing Killer bee to turn back.
  "Please, would you mind giving me a moment with him?"
   Killer bee nods her head in response and walks away, leaving the both of them alone. After Bee had left, Reyla walks towards Cloud and sits beside him.
    "So, you two are pretty good friends, huh?" Reyla asked with a smile as she glanced at Cloud.
   "Yes, we are." Cloud replied, "I mean, the first time we talked was during the rumble, when everyone was fighting to enter the tournament. It was so crazy that i wasn't sure i would make it but because of her, i actually did."
   "Wow. So she helped you get to where you are?" Reyla asked as she faced forward while smiling, "Well, she doesn't seem like a bad person; personally, she strikes me as an friendly, caring, upbeat, brave girl who would do anything for those close to her..."
  "Just like you." Reyla said as she glimpsed at Cloud.
   "Hm?" Cloud asked with a quizzical look.
   "When you spoke out and encouraged her to keep going, you knew she couldn't win, you just didn't want her to be humiliated like that because you knew what would happen to her and in the end, it worked." Reyla said, "She stood her ground right til the very end and even though she lost, she didn't feel sad or humiliated.
   Anyway, i am curious about you fighting in the tournament. I first thought you were going to fight but i didn't see you in the first or second half."
    "Actually, it is the semi finals i am supposed to fight in and it is about to begin." Cloud replied, "I am just getting myself prepared  physically and mentally for what is coming."
    Hearing this, Reyla faces forward again and sighs.
    "Cloud... The main reason why i came here... Is to talk to you about the Dreygar girl." Reyla said, "Initially, i was wondering how you are going to compete with the majors when you are just a minor but after seeing their power, especially Karma's... I'm scared...
     She is so powerful and dangerous. Yes, she is a Dreygar, so she is supposed to be insanely strong but her behavior is so terrifying and you being her target just makes it worse. I am not trying to discourage you and i can't tell you to be careful because obviously, you have to be more than just 'careful' but, Cloud... Are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you want to walk into that hell? Because, i don't think i will be able to handle what i'll see, especially with someone like her."
    "Reyla... The person i am going to face for the semifinals isn't Karma but Onak." Cloud replied while facing the ground.
     "Oh..." Reyla replied as she faces Cloud with widened eyes, "So you are going to face that animal from the Graundar tribe?"
    "That's why Bee and i were talking." Cloud said, "She was worried about me going to the arena and getting myself killed.
   No matter how you look at it, my situation was screwed the moment i entered the tournament and the thing is i was eventually going to face one of them; if it wasn't Karma then it would be Sting and if it wasn't Sting then it would be Onak."
    "I don't know which one is worse: the part a Dreygar lunatic with god complex is after you, solely for destruction or the part you are going to fight a Graundar savage." Reyla said as she faces forward again, "I... How can you not be terrified? I am already feeling great fear."
    "Who said i am not terrified?" Cloud asked.
   "Hm?" Reyla said as her eyes moves towards Cloud in confusion.
    "I am terrified. I am terrified to the bone." Cloud said, "I'm terrified of the hell i am walking into. Learning about Onak and seeing what he did to Van and Xorian frightens me and i don't want to end up like one of Onak's victims.
     But...! As frightened as i am, i can't back down after everything that has happened. I have to keep moving forward, even if it is my hell i'm walking into.
    Ever since i was growing alone, it was always one hell or the other i found myself in, but i always found a way to survive.
    From a pack of terror beasts to an army of skeletons, to a pack of forest wolves to an army of walking corpses and many other things, so backing out of this fight is out of the option for me."
    "You've encountered all these and you are still alive?" Reyla asked in astonishment.
     "Yeah, and i even had the scars to prove them before Leorona healed me ." Cloud replied.
      "Still though, how do you hope to survive this one?" Reyla asked.
     "Honestly, i don't know." Cloud replied, "I have something i am planning but i'm not sure if it will work. After all, i'm up against a guy that ripped out the spine of Ashuk."
    "Wait, what?" Reyla asked in shock, "Onak killed Ashuk?! But that's... That's not possible."
     "Well, it did happen." Cloud said, "Well, according to what i heard."
     "Was Ashuk sick? Was he tired or was he facing some problems before fighting Onak?" Reyla asked.
    "I don't think he was any of those." Cloud said, "The way they talked about him was as if he was healthy and ready to go for the kill."
     "Sorry i am having doubts but i have witnessed Ashuk's power and if what you are saying is true then the chances of you surviving this round has gotten lower in my head." Reyla said.
     "You have witnessed Ashuk's power?" Cloud asked.
     "Yes, i have." Reyla answered.
    "When i was nine, i was curious about a D'muresh stone and i wanted to see how it works." Reyla said as she recalls her 9 year old self holding a red D'muresh stone.
    'Lets just say life decided to give me a hard knock lesson.'
   At that moment, the red D'muresh stone glowed and little Reyla disappeared from the room she was staying in. In a plain, a red flash of light transpired and little Reyla found herself in the plain which left her confused.
    "What... Where am i?" Reyla asked inwardly.
    While wondering about her location, Reyla's eyes moves back and widened in a mixture of shock and fear as she sees a large number of minotaurs standing far at her back.
    'That was my first time of seeing them... The fierce manbull warrior race... The minotaurs.'
    During that incident, little Reyla stepped back and was gripping her arms tightly and panting for air as excessive tears were flowing out of her eyes while feeling their overwhelming presence.
     "I feel like i am about to blackout, here." Reyla said inwardly while panting excessively.
     At the time this was happening, Reyla felt herself being lifted high and she sights the person to be Ashuk who happened to be carrying her by the back of her collar with just two fingers. In that moment Ashuk was staring at her, Reyla's panic grew and Ashuk started sniffing her.
     "You don't posses a single kan, human child." Ashuk said, "How boring. You won't make a good meal."
    "Huh...?" Reyla said while sweating and smiling nervously.
    Ashuk placed Reyla on the ground and creates a barrier around her with an outstretched arm.
    "Stay here. I don't need weaklings to interfere with my fight." Ashuk said.
     Ashuk turns his back on Reyla and walks a couple of distance towards the minotaur race and stood; in front of the minotaur race stood a long brown haired male minotaur with a braided beard and a huge scar on his face.
   "So you have arrived.... 'The white maned mauler of the Moabian race, Ashuk'." The minotaur said with a smirk.
    "'The death keeper of the minotaur race, Nerguro'." Ashuk said with a smirk, "Are these all your warriors?"
    "The agreement was that we bring the best warriors of our own race and fight in this location, but... I don't see yours." Nerguro said with his head slightly bent, "All i see is one Moabian and a little human girl that is far behind him."
     "The human isn't with me." Ashuk said, "And plus, i have no pleasure in eating the weak."
    "Where are your warriors, Ashuk?" Nerguro asked with the look of slight impatience, "Do you intend to take us all by yourself? Are you trying to tell us that you are the only strong warrior in your race?"
     "There are tons of strong warriors in the Moabian race, but i have decided to fight you all by myself." Ashuk replied while smiling as his eyes glowed.
    Hearing this from Ashuk, a murmur spread among the minotaurs while Nerguro became irritated.
    "'Decided to take us all by yourself?' Do you mock us or are you just suicidal?" Nerguro asked, "No, this has got to be some kind of joke. There are over a thousand mightiest warriors of the minotaur race standing here and just one Moabian which is you and you are telling us that you are going to take us all down by yourself?"
    "Yes, that is correct." Ashuk replied while smiling.
    "If i had brought my warriors here, i won't get to taste the power of your warriors and the battle will be boring but since i came alone, i can get to enjoy this battle and your warriors strength." Ashuk said as he was discharging his aura, "Now..."
   "Come." Ashuk said with a deepened voice as his eyes glowed.
    "H-he's going to face all of them by himself?" Reyla asked inwardly while still trapped in the barrier, "This isn't suicide, this is madness."
    The minotaurs being enraged with Ashuk's decision began to pant, bellow and scream in anger and with a battle cry, they (except Neguro) charged at Ashuk and Ashuk responds with the same. However, Ashuk easily bulldozed through them which made Reyla's eyes widen in shock.
     'My eyes couldn't believe it...'
  An image replays of Ashuk holding two minotaurs off the ground by the throat.
   'Ashuk was fighting over a thousand mightiest warriors of the minotaur race and they were all of them were being demolished by him.'
   Another image replays of Ashuk breaking a horn of a minotaur with a single punch to the cheek while the minotaur was in mid air.
    'His power was unimaginable.'
    During that time, several minotaurs shot an energy blast towards Ashuk from their palms at once but Ashuk easily overpowers their attack with an energy blast of his own which ended up creating an explosion that threw many other minotaurs away.
      'He was unstoppable.'
    Another image replays of Ashuk knocking away minotaurs with another minotaur he held by the leg.
    After the great battle, Nerguro who happened to be covered in injuries was on his knees, panting for air and as he lifts his head, he sees Ashuk standing in front of him with little injuries while smirking.
     "I have seen the power of your warriors. I am satisfied." Ashuk said.
     Ashuk swiftly clamped his hand round Nerguro's face and raised him off the ground.
   "Good thing i didn't kill any of them. Your warriors will make fine meals for my people." Ashuk said.
     "You took on my warriors and you didn't kill a single one?" Nerguro asked.
     "I said i came to taste their power, i didn't say i came to kill them." Ashuk replied, "But you, the death keeper of the minotaur race, you are going to be eaten by me today and your skull shall be drank from."
    "Consider this as the greatest honor you shall receive." Ashuk said as his eyes glowed.
     Nerguro began to scream in pain as smoke was sizzling out of his face.
     'It was before my eyes that Nerguro, the death keeper of the minotaur race was killed.'
    After Reyla's explanation, Cloud stared at her in absolute disbelief.
    "When the other Moabians arrived, some of them wanted to eat me but Ashuk ordered them not to because he believed i was wasn't worth it and to be honest, i am grateful for that moment." Reyla said, "If i wasn't seen as weak, i would have been in the soil. So, Cloud, if what you are saying about Onak is true, then i just don't see any chance of you surviving at all. I'm sorry."
     "Don't be." Cloud said while smiling, "What you just said  gave me a higher opener on the strength of my opponent is. As a matter of fact, i don't see any chance of me surviving at all."
     "But you are still going?" Reyla asked with a raised brow.
    "Yep." Cloud answered.
    "I don't get you." Reyla said, "You admitted you don't see any chance of you surviving but yet, you are still willing to enter the tournament and face him?"
  "Like i said before, i am not backing down after everything that has happened." Cloud replied, "I know i am in a unfavorable position but so what? I made a promise that I'll keep moving forward until i become a pilgrim and that's what is going to happen."
    "And is that promise going to be fulfilled from beyond the grave?" Reyla asked, "Cloud, i understand your reason, though i'm not sure if what you are doing is bravery or stupidity but you are letting this promise of yours become a burden and it is eating you alive.
    There is no shame in walking away from a pointless fight, unless.... There is more than what you are letting out... More to your reasons in becoming a pilgrim."
     Cloud became mute and started staring at the ground.
     "Cloud, what is it?" Reyla asked, "What else is driving you to push this hard? Tell me."
     "I am here for you as your big sister." Reyla said as she placed her hand on Cloud's wrist, "Please, tell me and i will see if i can help in anyway."
     "Reyla..." Cloud called while facing the ground and smiling, "Thanks for being there for me. I appreciate it... But my mind has been made up."
     "Cloud..." Reyla said softly, "In that case, i wish you the best of luck."
     Cloud nods his head with a smile and stood on his feet to walk away.
     "You have really changed." Reyla said inwardly as she watches Cloud walk away, "When you were younger, despite you being a cocky brat, you used to be more open about yourself but now you shoulder so much weight and you barely share them with anyone even when they try to offer you help. Why...?"
     Done with speaking within herself, Reyla tightens her fist and swallows.
     "Cloud, wait!" Reyla said as she ran after him, "I have something to give you!"
     Elsewhere in one of the halls, Onak was walking and staring at the blue screen his orb generated, and while staring, Onak tightens his grip and crushed the orb.
     Just as Onak had done all this, Onak lifts his head and smirks deviously with his irises glowing, and his shadow on the wall was revealed to be that of a hiveling.