TBATE - What if Tessia was the legacy ? - The legacy of it all

Newfound resolve

{POV : Tessia Eralith}

-Here, here!" I excitedly shouted while pointing at the exact tree that held the teleportation mark. Not waiting for Art to answer, I grabbed him by the arm and started pulling him forward.

Running as fast as I could, overcome by an indescribable wave of joy and enthusiasm that washed away all my fatigue, I leaped through the last few meters separating me from my home.

Reaching the teleportation device, I threw my hand at the mark while squeezing Arthur's arm in my other hand to make sure he would also be teleported.

As I did, I saw the faint marking on the tree start to shine, the light spreading from under my palm to the rest of the tree, engulfing it under a layer of bright green, vine-like drawings.

Once having wrapped all the way around the tree, the light stabilized into a slightly darker green as the trunk opened itself like a door, revealing a teleportation portal hidden within.

Pressing forward without a second of hesitation, I entered the cavity before turning toward Arthur and shouting: "Come on, Art!" As I smiled, displaying all the happiness I felt in this instant.

Stepping on the gate, I felt my body being moved away in an all too familiar nauseating feeling, which was quickly followed by a flash of light that blinded me for a few seconds.

Readjusting my eyes to the new light level, I was finally able to see my surroundings.

Stepping a bit further on the long teleportation platform, I gazed at the enormous main street of Zestier.

The gigantic, thousands-of-years-old trees; the hundreds of small huts and houses attached to the branches interconnected with a web of bridges; the hundreds of people walking down the street joyfully chatting with one another, all of it under the serene and calm atmosphere of the Elshire forest.

"I was there. I was home." I told myself while holding in my tears as all the memories of the sanctuary flashed through my mind. The despair of being seemingly trapped underground, the anguish of knowing that we could get attacked at any moment, the hopelessness in front of our situation, the hatred, the grief, the sorrow; it was all gone.

As I continued to look around, trying to take in every single detail of my surroundings as if I was starving for more images of my home, I heard a low grunt coming from Art as he tried to stand back up after falling down due to the weight of his bag.

Turning back toward him, I hurried my way to help him up before letting him enjoy the view. His face changed from confused and mildly annoyed to awe as he was stunned by the scenery. Seeing him look so surprised with his eyes wide open and jaw dropped feels really strange for someone usually so composed and collected; it almost made him look cute.

"Cute...? Arthur...? That masochist guy who spends all of his time covered in either blood or mud?" I asked myself with a raised eyebrow as I flashed back to my innumerable numbers of training sessions with him.

Raising my shoulders in dismissal, I could only conclude that it was another reason to like him.

"... but he's 4 years old." I reminded myself as I started feeling a drop of sweat start flowing down my face as I realized how morally wrong this whole ordeal is.

"My mind is the one of a 20-year-old, he has the mind of a 4-year-old, and even if he is clearly ahead of other kids his age on a mental level, he is still 4." I repeated to myself as more and more sweat started pouring down my face while my eyes slowly widened in shock.

"Am I like those perverts' Gramps kept scaring me about? Those who would kidnap kids to eat them?" I ask, remembering the stories he used to tell me.

"I mean, I don't want to eat him." I reassured myself before quickly glancing at his soft, chubby toddler's face, causing two very distinct emotions to spur up in me.