Relic-Verse: Champions of Hope

Chapter 32

-- Part 1 --

Netri sat amongst his plants on the second floor of Living Scenery. A large orange flower was in full bloom, and he was currently watching it soak up the early afternoon sun. Borg's pot was nearby, the plant chewing on one of Netri's old uniforms while they sat in comfortable silence. Netri's small greenhouse area had a skylight over it, a large window taking up most of the outside wall, and a glass partition blocking it off from the rest of his living space.

The assassin felt himself starting to doze off, before being startled to his senses by a small pat on his head. He jumped to his feet and turned around, knife in hand, only to meet the eyes of Creola, who had his mask off. "Hey, kiddo."

Netri sighed in relief and pocketed his knife. "Why did you have to do that? I was just dozing off."

"We," Creola paused for a moment, his eyes glancing away from Netri before focusing back on him, "We need to talk."

"About?" Netri grabbed two lawn chairs, sliding one to Creola while taking a seat on his own.

The bounty hunter grabbed the chair, his hand shaking slightly as he sat down and stared up at Netri. "Kid... You know how this metal spreads, right?"

Netri nodded, confusion evident in his face, "Yeah, what about it?"

Creola inhaled sharply before finally letting it all out, "Garvel pierced my body during the raid, giving the metal an easy access point to my body- specifically my heart- and I have a matter of months- if that- before it reaches my heart and kills me."

The assassin paused, the color draining from his face as he gazed into Creola's eyes. "What."

"I know. Trust me kid, I know. And I am... So sorry." Creola's left eye began tearing up while the red glow in his right began to flicker and dim. "I never wanted it to end up like this."

Netri shook his head, his expression quickly shifting to one of anger, "There has to be a cure! Right? We can find something- Maybe I can design something for you? I have plants that can grow rapidly- We could remove the metal? Maybe have a bacteria eat away at it and replace your skin?!"

"Kid, that isn't happening..." Smoke puffed from his mouth as Creola went into a small coughing fit.

"It has to! We have to find something!"

"Netri, no! There isn't anything. Garvel taunted me about a cure that I don't think exists, and trying to find it now with FoM gone isn't going to happen."

"Then I'll find it!"

"Netri!"

"Creola! I am not just going to sit by and let you die!"

"I want to die! I've been like this for years, Netri! At this point it hurts to breathe! I am running out of time and I accept this! Now please, let's just spend what time I have left together."

Netri shot to his feet, his chair tipping over and falling as he marched out of the room. Creola widened his eyes in surprise and chased after him, wincing slightly in pain as he did so. Just outside the greenhouse he spotted Alice, who had her eyes wide and was watching Netri begin to pack a bag.

"Netri, where are you going?!" Creola coughed up smoke and glared at the boy as Alice ran over to the bounty hunter's side and continued watching Netri.

"I told you, I am going to find the cure. If Garvel mentioned it, it has to exist somewhere, right?!" He grabbed a small green case off of a shelf and crammed it into the bag.