The Ice Crystal (Published)

Chapter 10

I open up my eyes to find that I'm still inside the tomb where Scion was waiting for me. I remember him handing me the Ice Crystal or what I think was the Ice Crystal. If I can learn how to control its power, then I can finally end this terrible war. I'm not doing just to end the war, I'm doing it for the people. So many people have been caught up in the war. So many innocent lives have been lost due to the war. I hate to see it. I've seen it too many times. A village caught up in the middle of the battlefield can turn into a wasteland in no time. 

"Rias," Scion's voice echoes through her head, "I will be with you always. End the war. Learn to control the power. Once you do, you can restart this world and rid it of corruption and evil. Remember, you are not alone."

I look around the lit cavern. There's nothing around but the crystals lining the cave walls and the tomb in the center of the cave. I could go back through the opening where I came from, but that involves swimming from way down here. I look down at the Ice Crystal. I feel its power pouring over me. I know that I've regained my memories, but even so, I still want to know if what my father said about Vizion was true. I've always looked up to the great leader. I don't want to kill the man I looked up to nor do I want to kill my father. Even if he's done some terrible things in the past, he still deserves to live and he is my father. He even has control of those two dragons. I want to save them from his clutches, but if they are under his control, they will relentlessly attack without mercy even if they want to.

I lean against the rock wall. A lot of stuff has happened in the past few days. I don't know what's true anymore. I want to see how everyone is doing. I miss my friends, the smiles on the people around the city, and I want to see Thoron. The mage might be strange, but he has me in his clutches. He's made me clothes that are durable through heat and cold. He had to of studied me for a while to get my exact size. I think that's very thoughtful and I enjoyed the gift. I wonder if he knows that Vizion is a manipulator. I wonder if he's even under his influence. Manipulator or not, Vizion has led his people very well and they aren't treated badly at all. 

I hope Yomon and Tosta are okay. I haven't seen them since the battle. Did Nefal kill her best friends or did he let them live. Please Goddess let them be alive when I get back! I still have to make it back to Icelia safely if I want to see my friends. Even if Icelia is a friendly nation to me, I still have to watch out for bandits and small armies from Argostia. I'll kill every single Argostia soldier if I have to! If they laid a hand on anyone, I'll see to it that they have no more hands to do anything!

I have to calm myself. I've been away too long and haven't had a decent conversation in a while. Scion, despite being evil back in the day, was the only person I had an actual talk with. He has a plan laid out. He told me his past and the history of the Ice Crystal. I could care less about his past. As long as he's seen the error of his ways, then he's learned that war isn't the only path to peace. People by nature are vicious fighting animals. If that instinct can somehow be controlled without force or manipulation, then I'll make a world that has that.

So here I am, sitting in a cave with two options. I can either swim back to the surface of the water or sit here and die. I'm not about to sit around and die waiting for nothing to happen. That just isn't me. 

"Rias you must calm yourself." Scion's voice rings out, "I'll open the true path out of here. One moment."

The Ice Crystal begins to shine and the cave begins to rumble. The wall across from me begins to open up and reveals a hallway that leads upwards. 

"Now go and stop this war."

I get up off the rocky ground and head into the hallway.

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