Omega Wars Chronicles

Chapter 70: Hope Is Dead

   At the grey leafed forest, many explosions resonated and several aura blasts flew amok; as the battle continued, a ripar male dropped on the ground and coughed out blood before giving up the ghost, therefore catching the attention of an orange haired Kenar girl.  
   The orange haired Kenar girl stared at the corpse of the deceased Ripar male with a troubled look, leaving her unaware of the female hiveling that had moved to attack her from behind. However, the female hiveling got taken down with a  punch from a black haired Graundar male, prompting the Kenar girl to look behind.
   "Don't get distracted!" The Graundar male said.
   "Stay on the alert!" The Graundar male said as he landed a swift kick on the head of a male hiveling.
  "It's not easy!" The Kenar girl said as she takes down a female hiveling with a punch.
   "There are too many of them and on top of it, they know all our moves and trainings! How are we supposed to fight in this type of situation?!" The Kenar girl asked as she was taking down some hivelings with her fists and feet.
  At the time the Kenar girl was knocking down some hivelings, a male hiveling rammed his shoulder against her belly to push her to her tree which made her grunt in pain but the girl quickly responds with a knee to the hiveling's belly, and slams her cupped hands on his back; the male hiveling was immediately pulled away from the girl by the black haired Graundar male and was swiftly knocked out with a punch.
   "Just keep fighting!" The Graundar male said.
  "Don't stop fighting!" The Graundar male continued as he was knocked down another hiveling male with his fist, "Keep fighting until your body ca-!"
   In an instant, the Graundar male's head got cut off by a crescent aura slash, which left the orange haired Kenar girl startled.
  "Whoops. He didn't get to finish his sentence." A masculine voice said.
   The orange haired Kenar girl peeked with a glare as her irises glowed and sees the person to be Ziron who happened to be smiling smugly at her.
   "Ziron, what in the hell do you think you are doing?" The girl asked.
    "Oh? Don't take this personal, Enida." Ziron said, "I'm just doing my work here."
    "By betraying us?! Your own race?!" Enida asked, "What's with your eyes?! Why are they the same with Balog?!"
    "Again with this race thing. Why do people think one must always be loyal to their own race especially if the race is a sh*tty one, hm?" Ziron asked with his head slightly bent, "Humanity can burn in hell for all i care."
   At the moment Enida was glaring at Ziron, a male hiveling attempted to attack her from behind but Enida slams her knuckle on his face without looking, thus leaving the hiveling to fall unconscious.
   "Since you are not making any sense, i am going to beat one into you." Enida said.
   "Ooh! Scary!" Ziron said mockingly.
    Enida charged at Ziron and hurls her fist towards him but Ziron easily stops the attack.
   "You know, in all the times you and i fought, you've always triumphed over me... Because i let you." Ziron said with a smug smirk as his irises glowed.
   In a flash, Enida's arm was cut off, therefore leaving her to scream in agony, but it was cut short by a kick from Ziron on her belly that made her violently roll backwards and crash through obstacles. In the course of crashing through people and trees, Enida finally stopped as she hits her back on her tree and fell flat on her face and in that time, Enida stood on her feet in pain, breathing heavily and clutching her shoulder.
   As Enida lifts her head, her blurry vision clears and she sights Ziron walking towards her with a slight grin.
   "Still standing?" Ziron asked.
   "Y-you...!" Enida said.
   "Bastard? Fiend? 'Weakling'?" Ziron asked with his head slightly bent, "Enida the A ranked pilgrim candidate; a talented girl born from a prestigious family in the Kenar tribe, cannot beat Ziron, an A- pilgrim candidate; a poor Tenplar boy who wasn't born with a kan ability despite coming from a higher ranked tribe!! Which is..."
   "All a lie." Ziron said with a dark smile, "I'm not even a full-blooded Tenplar! I am part Tenplar, part Ski Kipar!"
   Enida's eyes widened in shock with the revelation of Ziron whilst Ziron bursts out in laughter.
    "You... You're a 'Midborn'...? " Enida asked, ". A hybrid of two major tribes blood . But... That's not possible!"
   "What do you mean it's not possible? Intertribal marriage isn't something new in Agaroth especially with the major tribes." Ziron said.
     Enida stared at Ziron with a bland demeanor and Ziron instantly perceived what she was talking about.
   "Oh! I get it! You're talking about me possessing the ability of a Tenplar and Ski Kipar, right?!" Ziron asked while smiling, "You see when two people from different major tribes get married and have a child, the tribal identity of the child will be determined based on whose kan energy is stronger between the parents.
   Let's say if the father is a Tenplar and the mother is a Kenar but the father is leagues above the mother in power, then their baby will take after the father and become a Tenplar. The same if the mother is a Ripar and if the father is a Graundar but the Ripar mother is leagues above the father, then the child will take after the mother and become a Ripar. Though there are very rare cases where the child will take after the weaker parent which means the parent has a locked potential that greatly surpasses their spouse and their child will unlock it.
    But! If both parents are evenly matched without a single being stronger in the slightest of way, then that child will become a midborn, and the sad part is that the midborn is fated to die due to the the two energies clashing  within and as kan deepens with age, so is the child's fate of death."
   "But... But how am i still alive?" Ziron asked at the time he placed his finger on his chin, "I survived because of my mentor, Balog. He is the one that saved me and gave me a what i lacked... A family. As powerful as Agaroth is, it has done nothing but to create broken homes. What Agaroth poses with is power and that power comes from a corrupt and psychotic higher ranked tribes that do nothing but to break people and little ones while preaching about honor and dignity. Ironic, isn't it?"
   "This still doesn't make any sense." Enida said, "The Ski Kipars were destroyed 11 years ago by Testarossa; the only Ski Kipar left is Tobi."
   "The red havock?" Ziron asked.
    "Since you are having problems believing me, then allow me to break your disbelief." Ziron said with closed eyes.
   Ziron opens his eyes and two thin rings formed within his irises, leaving Enida struck with disbelief.
    "Those circles in your eyes... A part of you is from the northern side of the Ski Kipars!" Enida said, "A side that controls the wind."
    "I was 4 when i lost my mother because of Testarossa." Ziron said, "She was from the northern side of the Ski Kipar tribe while my father was from the Tenplar. I will never forgive Agaroth for letting my mother die."
    "Ziron, i'm sorry you lost your mother but Agaroth isn't to blame." Enida said, "Testarossa attacked Agaroth and wiped out the Ski Kipars. There was nothing the other major tribes could have done in stopping it!"
    Ziron suddenly bursts out with laughter which caught Enida off guard.
   "JUST KIDDING! I HATED MY MOTHER!!" Ziron said.
   "Huh?" Enida said.
   "As a midborn, i was constantly sick due to the clash of energies within but do you know what my mother would say to me?
   'You little burden. When will you die? This marriage was nothing but a mistake to me. You are nothing but a mistake. 
  You do nothing but cost us money but yet you are so incompetent. You're just like your father; if a parent killing a child wasn't an abomination, i would have done it a long time ago.'
    I mean why the hell did you enter the marriage if you didn't want or like it in the first place?!"
   "Your mother said those things to you?" Enida asked with an expression filled with lack of belief, "That's not possible. No parent would say that to their child. You were little back then, you may not have known-"
   "Shut up!" Ziron cuts in, "What do you know? You're just a girl born in a prestigious family just like Jagami and the other high classed families. Of course they would never tell you those things.
    As for my father... He was a drunk loser. He never bothered in putting my mother in line; all he cared about was ale and it's flavors. He didn't care if i was going to die. It was as if the marriage was a prison to them.
    After my mother died, my father used that as an opportunity to leave me behind and have all the freedom to drink and get drunk."
   "Heh." Ziron said as he faced the skies with a cold smile, "A midborn can't live up to five years. With my mother dead, my father gone and the house destroyed, i sat alone in the forest, wondering what will kill me first, hunger or being a midborn... Until he came."
    A flashback takes place as little Ziron sat on the ground with his stomach growling, a warping gate appears before him and Balog steps out of it which startled Ziron.
   "Don't be afraid..." Balog said, "I apologise if my entrance scared you, Ziron, but i couldn't leave you when you are in danger and distress."
   "Who... Who are you? And how do you know my name?" Ziron asked.
   "I know the names of special children and you are a special child." Balog replied, "And as for my name, i am Balog."
   "It took some time to convince me  but he was patient." Ziron said after the recollection, "He fed me, took me in and made me who i am. It's because of him i was even able to live this long despite being a midborn."
   He showed me that i am not alone; that there are more like me he has taken into his home, and because of what he has done for me, I will gladly give my life for him and cleanse this warrior world of the disease known as Agaroth." 
   "Wait, there are more like you?" Enida asked.
   "Yes, there are." Ziron replied with a smile, "My true comrades..."
  "Midborns who want nothing more than to see Agaroth burn." Ziron said as he recalls the faces of Rizel and two shadow figures, "We have been working undercover and gathering information. Now, the time approaching Agaroth's doom is at hand and there is nothing you can do to stop it."
   For a moment, Enida stared at Ziron and exhales.
    "You're right, there is nothing i can do to stop it." Enida said with closed eyes, "You are also right about the broken homes. Despite the pride of power Agaroth carries itself with, Agaroth is a mess within but do you know why i am still loyal?" 
    "Hope." Enida said with a smile which made Ziron slightly bend his head in confusion.
  "Before the founders vanished, they shared the rest of their power to the human race but only a few did their power accept, and those few formed the major tribes of Agaroth, but regardless, the founders requested that the kanless ones shouldn't be treated as slaves or garbage." Enida said, "The founders vanished, placing their faith on mankind's new warriors, hoping humanity will stand tall together and overcome all threats."
   "And how is that working out?" Ziron asked.
   "There is always a tendency that disappointment will occur." Enida replied, "Yes, several humans have betrayed and soiled what the founders fought for; creating misery and broken homes, and in those broken homes, monsters more terrifying than the homebreakers were born, such as you and many others.
   But...! In those broken homes, there were those whose lights were never swallowed by the darkness and even if they were, it was temporary. 
   People like chief Garou, chief Tenya and chief Dai; those three have experienced one of humanities worst treatments and because of what they experienced, they swore to make their tribes and Agaroth better.
    Even with what Agaroth has created, there are monsters that have shown to have some humanity in them such as Onak."
    "Where are you going with this?" Ziron asked.
   "There are five fingers, neither of them are equal but those fingers are what forms a fist, which funny enough is the flag of Agaroth." Enida said, "I have hope; hope that people from different tribes, majors and minors can work together and build Agaroth into what the founders desired: an imperishable, powerful race with unity and peace within and with the next generations carrying it on." 
   "Unfortunately that can never happen." Ziron said, "Humanity is worthless and they are destined to be destroyed."
    "You know, Ziron, with all the rage and hatred you harbor  for humans, no matter how you look at it, you are still human and there is nothing you can do to change that." Enida said.
    Heairng this, Ziron frowned at Enida.
    "Now i am thinking about it, you may have played being our comrade but deep down, there was a side of you that wished it was true." Enida said, "You cannot tell me that you didn't consider us your friends for a while. Admit it! No matter-!"
   Ziron immediately silences Enida by clamping his hand round her mouth.
    "Enough." Ziron said.
  Ziron swiftly slams Enida's head on the ground, creating a crater and leaving Enida to groan in pain at the time he stares down at her.
    "I don't think you understand the meaning of pretence." Ziron said, "I will admit in the process of me acting as your comrade, i almost lost myself and paid for it in the rumble."
   Without haste, Ziron used his foot to stamp on Enida's belly which made her scream in pain while blood spewed out of her mouth.
    "But i 'never' for once thought of any of you as my friends." Ziron said.
    Ziron began to pivot his foot slowly on Enida's belly, thereby increasing the pain.
    "Just a mission that needs to be complete." Ziron said.
  As Ziron was taking his time in his act, Enida growls and placed her hand on his ankle to freeze it up, only for the ice to shatter and leave her in disbelief.
   Ziron smirks at her and stomps her belly harder, which pushed her deeper in the ground and made her scream out again with blood spilling out of her mouth.
   "Didn't i tell you the only reason you kept winning against me was because i let it happen?" Ziron asked with his head slightly bent, "There are a lot of people i deliberately lost to all because of this mission; people i could easily fold."
    "Hmm. It would seem a few of your friends are heading towards this direction." Ziron said as he glanced back, "About 20... No, 35 of them. Could it be that they are running from the hivelings or they are running to me for a fight?"
     Ziron removes his foot from Enida's belly, turns his back on her and takes a few steps forward.
   "Regardless of their reasons, our task is to slaughter until the sand in the hourglass runs out." Ziron said.
  "Hey, Enida! You said i cared for you guys as my friends, right?!" Ziron asked with a smile, "Let me show how much i care, starting right... 'Now.' "
    With a flick of his middle finger, Ziron fired a strong air pressure towards the head of a Graundar male that made it pop like a balloon. Ziron began to fire a series of strong air pressure flicks from his middle finger that were popping the heads of several students like balloons and as this was happening, Enida's eyes widened in horror.
    Ziron bursts out in laughter after killing the remaining 34 but was suddenly interrupted by an aura covered fist to the cheek that made him tumble sideways. Ziron steadies himself and sees the person to be Enida, whose upper face was overshadowed while discharging her aura.
    "Ziron, you pig...!" Enida said, "Remember what i said about five fingers...?"
    "WELL YOU ARE ABOUT TO RECEIVE A SUPPLY ON YOUR FACE!!!" Enida said as she advanced towards Ziron in fury to hit him.
   Ziron swiftly fires another air pressure attack from his middle finger that made a hole on Enida's chest and left her to drop on her back. As Enida was laying on the ground, she sees Ziron standing over her with a smirk.
   "I do remember the five fingers. Too bad you couldn't deliver them." Ziron said, "Do you know what i also remember? The crap you said about Agaroth's light and hope. Let me break it down for you."
   Ziron quickly steps on Enida's face which drove her head into the ground and killed her.
   "There is no hope for Agaroth. No matter what 'light' shines for it" Ziron said.
   " 'Hope' is 'dead' ." Ziron said as he turns his back on Enida and started walking away.