Close Call [LCF Reacts to TBOH]

Prologue

The world was silent.

After the events of Earth 3, the world had seen some of the heaviest struggles that Cale Henituse had gone through. Now, once again, they were helplessly watching as their crimson-haired Hero was wrapped in bright light.

Cale's last words before leaving were addressed to the rest of the Heroes. By now, they were seen more as his family than just his companions, and he asked them to remain calm.

Not stopping there, it also sent chills down their spine when their silver-shield Hero stared directly at the camera, as if telling them to watch closely and never avert their eyes.

No one really understood what their Hero meant by that stare, but the next thing they knew, there was a blaring noise from the floating screen above.

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINGG-!!!

The loud noise forced everyone to stumble and fall to their knees.

There was static.

The screen glitched and made an eerie noise before they were greeted with a few minutes of static. It was almost as if the viewing was forced to do something else it was not supposed to do.

[Well then...]

All of a sudden, that familiar voice returned.

[...It seems like your crimson hero has made his decision at last. He saved that punk while sacrificing the rest of you to suffer.]

Kyou dusted off his top hat before putting it on with a helpless smile that only alerted the people even more.

"What do you mean by sacrificing us?"

"Cale-nim did nothing of the sort. So why don't you just shut up?"

Raon and Choi Han both looked at the white rabbit with annoyance thick in their slightly crazed eyes. They already felt so defeated with how their power was locked away. Seeing how they could do nothing other than witness their pillar of sanity once again taken away from them... that only rubbed salt in the wound.

[Hmm, I suppose your thoughts ring true. Cale Henituse did not sacrifice your sanity - frankly speaking, he was barely given a choice. Not that it matters!]

Kyou chirped before switching the red background to black. [Our next viewing will show you another side of Cale Henituse that you've never seen before. Dear incarnations, today you shall bear witness to the view of an alternative fate that you've managed to escape from. The buried truth, which has only been lived by the original Cale Henituse - the man who now lives as Kim Rok Soo. Ladies, gentlemen, and all in between, may I present to you the story titled "The Book of Heroes"!]

Trumpets resounded after the announcement. A dramatic entrance as the sky turned into night, as if the world itself had turned into a cinema, and the movie was starting on the big screen.

The trailer started, and it came from a certain someone's point of view - a crying baby boy being held by his mother, who looked exhausted yet brimming with happiness...

+

"You did it my love. Oh, my sweet jour... he's so beautiful"

Jour Henituse, the noble lady, watched as her husband, held their newborn son with such tenderness and love. She couldn't help but feel grateful for their child's safe arrival. After many difficult months of pregnancy, their little Cale was finally here.

As she looked at her husband and their son, she felt a sense of completeness she had never experienced before. For years, she had been known as the strong and capable Jour Henituse, managing the affairs of the family and taking care of their estate. But now, with the arrival of their little one, she felt a new sense of purpose.

"Our Cale is here, Deruth... finally"

With tears in her eyes, Jour reached out to caress her son's soft cheek. As he opened his eyes and looked at her, she felt a surge of love that she had never known before. She knew that this little one would change their lives forever, and she was ready for it.

"Yes, yes he is"

Deruth, too, felt overwhelmed with emotions as he held his son in his arms. He had never felt such love and protectiveness before. He vowed to be the best father he could be, to ensure that their little Cale would have a happy and fulfilling life.

As the midwives cleaned up and prepared to leave, the new parents were left alone with their son. They talked for hours, marveling at his every move and sound. They knew that their lives would never be the same, but they were excited to embark on this new journey together as a family.

"Oh, you have so much things to see in this world, little one. Our little Cale~ you'll grow with much love from us, we'll make sure you won't ever be lonely" The tired mother whispers.

"Our cale"

The new father could be heard smiling as he echoes his wife's words.

"Our little Cale Henituse, welcome to the world~!"

+

And that was the very start of this long journey of the lost warrior... a person who had crashed and burned in the name of survival, exactly like their crimson-haired hero.

A life that'd be filled with hardships and struggles that he would have to face on his own, without the support of anyone or anything.

This is the story of the forgotten soul who once bore the name of Cale Henituse, the erased history known by other-worlders as [The Book of Heroes]...