Ancient Forces (2018 Reboot)

Chapter 40 - The Mind of Death and the Guardians

The city bustled with busy streets and people, all of them moving on with life as it was. Everyone knew the tale. It was a week ago now that it had happened. One week ago when the devil himself rose from his hiding place and attempted to kill the world's Guardian. He's survived thankfully, but not without scars and memories of a person he could never forget. The fear had welled within him and forced him into a state of shock and hiding for that week. Only yesterday had he returned, still not fully himself. That red eye. That single, glowing, emotionless red eye that stared at him from the darkness with never ending pain and hatred. More hate than even Arachnid or Zayne could master. More hate than Eli had directed at himself after Zayne had freed him. More hate and rage in that single eye than Damien could ever build up over his entire lifetime towards the government and its actions. That single red eye summed it all up and transformed it into a totally new proportion. Zayne was scarred both physically and mentally.

Aries and Austin were put under watch, but were given leave as they made vows and promises to change their ways. Despite being Mythic, they wanted to make a difference. General Mag was forgiving and lenient. He merged them in with his special unit and took them under his command, giving them access to training rooms and Mystic rooms for living areas. Their families were aptly punished and tried for their crimes. They were sentenced to jail for child abuse, child neglect, and inability to raise. Aries and Austin now officially lived with the government. As did Ver, Keith, Damien, Zayne, and Eli. Their home was irreparable and needed to be demolished and rebuilt. All of their belongings would be replaced obviously, but for the time being they would be living in the facility with General Mag's forces. General Mag personally financed Zayne's recovery payment, and made sure that he was given his space in the one week recovery period.

As for the Mythic Trio, they were captured and locked away for good in the most secure Mythic Containment facility ever. Locked away in the deepest parts of the facility with hundreds of guards, human and Mystic, between them and the outside world. Secured in a world of lights, barriers, food, contact with only those who could tolerate their personalities, and emptiness awaited them for their crimes. None of the group wanted to visit them, or even hear about them ever again. Thankfully they wouldn't. Their recovery from their injuries was going to take much longer than Zayne's.

And after a week of searching Death Blade was still missing. Austin explained that in order to save everyone's lives he had to teleport Death Blade away. He opened a portal at the old, destroyed base at the cave and sent Death Blade there. He thought that by doing so Death Blade would be trapped behind the barrier of the base which was still active. When MRaCD units arrived to apprehend him, the barrier was still active, but footage showed that Death Blade had simply forced his way through without problems, then dashed off into the forest with no signs to follow. He was gone for now, plotting his revenge. His return was inevitable. He still had to kill Zayne for whatever purpose he had. Life would simply have to move on like normal until he did return, angrier and more powerful than before. Zayne would need to train, work harder, and strain himself as far as he could to be ready. But something gave him comfort despite all these negatives. The comfort of his family being there for him.

Damien and Eli both pledged that as soon as they were ready they would be in the training rooms day and night preparing for the moment when Death Blade returned. Ver and Keith announced their promise to rejoin the government as their own separate entities, allowing for more pay and higher rankings within the MRaCD to get connections with the higher ups. This would allow the full backing of the government behind Zayne. Aries and Austin, while under watch and being forced into a regular training program, promised that they would help make up for their attempt on his life. They would personally give their all to try and rip Death Blade to shreds if he came back. All the while they would continue with their lives. Aries, Austin, Damien, Eli, and Zayne would all attend school like normal, General Mag emphasised the need for Eli to be there too for added protection. Life was returning to normality, whatever resemblance that word had to the world Zayne lived in now. But through it all Zayne remembered someone else who would be worried sicker than sick over him. Someone he hadn't thought about since the beginning of this whole ordeal.