Chapter 12-Old And New Memories

Three days have passed since Okara's release, he's been put in bed and taken care of by his mother as she tried to maintain their home at the same time. Changing his bandages, and washcloths, as well as his blankets, till.

"M-Mom."

Cress turned with a shocked expression on her face, dropping her bowl of water. Hearing it shatter into pieces as she rushes over to Okara.

"O-Okara, sweetie are y-you awake?"

"Mom... Am I... Dead?"

Cress's face went blank as she feared the worst.

"W-What are you talking about sweetie, no. You're alive, I promise."

"G-Good, I t-thought I had died for a second there. I could see dad."

Cress started shaking.

"Y-You saw your father?"

Suddenly Okara snapped out of his death edge trance and awoke fully.

"M-Mom!? Gah!"

Okara had sat up hastily unknown of his injuries.

"I-I'm home..."

Okara looked at his mom and noticed how pale and shaken she was.

"M-Mom?! A-Are you okay?!"

Okara quickly wrapped his arms around his mother and held her as she shook. Soon tears began flooding from her eyes as she started whaling loudly.

"O-O'hara! Where are you!!! W-Why did you disappear! Why couldn't you be here to protect Okara!" Cress screamed out loud as Okara continued holding her.

He didn't speak, instead he continued listening soon enough a few people gathered around their home to hear her screaming.

"W-Why!!! O'hara! Come back already! Please!!! Okara gave up his status for you! PLEASE, PLEASE! O'HARA!!!!!"

Cress's screams echoed the settlement nearly reaching the vast mountains around them.

Several Low-Classes looked around at each other in despair as they knew they couldn't assist with this. Quickly dispersing before they were found out.

Okara released his mother as she slowly calmed down.

"Okara, where were you."

Okara debated whether he should tell her the truth or tell her a lie. Weighing both options, but knew one would prevent things from escalating anything further.

"Well, I got lost in the vein forest and fought some wildlife that tried to kill me. I guess I bit off more then I could chew." Okara lightly chuckled hoping his mother would believe him.

"Y-You, idiot!"

Cress smacked Okara across the face.

"Y-You don't do something so reckless! You understand me! You could have died!"

Okara held his cheek in shock. Before looking down and apologizing to his mother for worrying her so much.

"Now... I need to make dinner, get back in bed and stay there till foods done. I don't want you going anywhere with those injuries."

"O-Okay."

*Somewhere within Settlement J*

"I was so close, I mean I could taste it damn it! The secret to that kids power! If I could figure it out I could have found a way to get that heirloom from my brother!"

"So you're obsessed with power? I wonder how much you could handle?"

Auburn's eyes widened as he looked around for the voice that spoke to him. But no one was there.

"Who the hell?!"

"If power is the key to your greed, then I will grant you some."

Auburn was in disbelief as he continued searching the room. But found no one but himself.

"Where are you?! Who are you?!"

Suddenly a chill filled Auburns back as the voice whispered into his right ear.

"Your key to greed."

Immediately a surge of unknown power flowed into Auburn his body feeling tense, yet sturdy. His armor busting off him into pieces as his body suit stretched with his body.

"This should suffice... Now go."

Auburn turned quickly to see no one there. But the power still flowed within him. Making him know it was real, it wasn't a dream. He had be given immense power. As he began looking for new gear to wear, something in his reflection caught his attention. His ears had morphed, into some sort of pointed shape.

"W-What the hell."

Auburn examined them a bit more before finally coming up with what to wear. He pulled out his own training clothes from back in the day. As he equipped them, he threw the hood on and looked at himself in the mirror. Soon enough an evil smirk appeared on his face. as he turned and rushed out of his home.

*Amaranth Residence*

"Now now Carmine! We're suppose to go tomorrow, the markets are thriving then! It'll be the perfect time to buy fresh food!"

"Amaranth I don't know how many times I have to say this, but it'll be busy! We won't be able to keep up with it all. You know how much I hate being around so many people!"

Crimson sat outside while his parents argued on what to do for their market run tomorrow. He continued looking up at the sky wondering what he'd do today.

"Maybe hang out with Matoto and them?... Oh right, they're all busy with things. Maybe, fight a training dummy? No, I did that yesterday... Darn I'm so bored I could die."

As Crimson laid back on the ground with his eyes closed a silhouette slowly shadowed over him. A smirk glued to the face of the one standing over him. Then in an instantly hands reached out and grabbed hold of him. Causing his eyes to shoot open!

"Surprise!!!"

"P-Pasley! Matoto! Root! Guys! What are you doin here, and why'd you scare the crap out of me!"

"We came to hang out silly! We're all super bored today."

"I was just fine relaxing at home..." Root said with a bit of bitter in his tone.

Pasley looked at him with a malice smile.

"I-I mean! This is sure better than relaxing that's for sure!"

Matoto just shook his head in disbelief. As Pasley grabbed hold of Crimson's hands.

"Now come on! Lets go do something fun!"

"B-But didn't you guys have stuff to do today!"

"You mean setup for the market sales?" Matoto asked. "All that was finished hours ago! Our parents get things done when I'm around."

"Woooowww, so cool of you Matoto, can we go now?" Root said blandly.

"Hey! Are you mocking me Root!?"

"Nope." Root said as he continued walking away with Pasley and Crimson.