Chapter 293

Elyrex immediately explained the story of his wife's delivery and how he had to go to the devil's door step to strike a deal and how he ended up getting married. After he was done he explained what he had detected in Selom's veins and also explained what had happened to Blaine's wife after her delivery.

"So what you mean to say is that she might go through the same fate as Trisha?" He asked

"Yes, and that wouldn't be nice. We don't want that to happen that's why we need"

"You need the two special herbs, one from the heavenly emperor's garden and the other from the devil's garden" Maciel interrupted Elyrex speech halfway

"Yes, that's why the trip is necessary. We don't want our girl to waste all her years without experiencing the joy of motherhood" he said sadly. "But we all know that ever since the devil disappeared, it seems he had disappeared with his garden as well no one had an access to it, not even his sons" Elyrex continued, this was indeed a lot to worry about.

"That's true, but there's nothing to worry about. You guys should focus on getting the herbs from the emperor's garden and I would find a way to get the special herbs from the devil himself,I have my ways' ' Maciel said confidently.

Clara and Beatrice weren't expecting this at all, this only proved that the man Infront of them was really very close to the old men. They were very speechless, the word 'Thank you' wouldn't sound like it was enough. Maciel understood this' ' You don't have to take me, this is my way of apologizing for my bad first impression. I am really very nice and collected. It's just that today was somehow different, and I am sorry for that. I know I scared you girls, not much of a gentleman but all I can say is that I am very sorry" he said very sincerely.

"You girls can take his apology, this man over here has never been so sincere in his whole life but now he is, he really meant his words' ' Blaine said, rendering Maciel speechless. The word 'has never been so sincere in his whole life ' sounded like an insult to his personality. What was that supposed to mean? He still had a lot of years to still live and there were more things to come.

"Okay then, we accept your apology, I think I would need more of your help godfather" Beatrice said with a smile

"Yeah, I would consider you as one, but you had said I look more like someone you knew in the Demon realm, who is that?" Clara asked, she recalled his words and had kept it close to her heart. It could be that he was familiar with her mother and it would be a good thing because she never knew anything about her mother's childhood days and who her friends were. This was because she never saw her mother with anyone or any friends, all she had was her and her two brothers. This made her more curious, she wanted to understand the kind of person her mother was, because to them her mother was the kindest and nicest woman that ever lived. 

"I don't remember his name but he is the king of the Tiger Clan. I think he goes by the name Khian or is it Khan? I don't remember, " Maciel said, holding his head, he was trying to recall the man's name.

"The king of the Tiger Clan? Clara muttered,she wasn't expecting this at all, she had recalled the story the old man had told her on the way to his cave in the train. He spoke about the Tiger Clan and also the Bone marrow clan, could the man in question be her father?

"Yes, you look like him. You really do, I see quiet a similar resemblance " Maciel said 

"Is he still alive?" She asked again

"Yes he is, he is very much alive. But he won't be alive anytime soon" Maciel unexpectedly said. Blaine and Elyrex were quiet, they didn't want to say any word about such a topic.

"What do you mean by that?" 

"I have a plan to wipe him out soon, he was part of the people who had betrayed me" he replied but this time he didn't have any anger or hate in his tone. This is the way life is, it has a way of giving you something to live for that's if you hold on more patiently. Maciel had given up on life until he met his friends again and suddenly it turned up on him that he had more responsibilities than he had ever imagined. 

Being a godfather was almost the same responsibility as being a good father. Now he suddenly felt that he had a lot to live for, there is still hope. He still had a lot of grand godchildren he is yet to meet and there happens to be a great grand godchild on the way too. Though he has never had a family of his own Blaine and Elyrex's families were also his. He remembered what had happened on the very day he was killed by his own Father, he saw his friends putting themselves in danger for him and he had no choice than to sacrifice himself for them.

 They didn't fight for him as friends, they fought for me as brother. This is a memory he would never forget and they didn't know this, he was living just because he didn't want to let them down. He heard their words loudly "Please Bro, Don't die" he felt their arms around him as they cried loudly. He felt their weakness,he could virtually smell it. Still his father didn't let them go, he was inflicting pain on them as they cried in sorrow for his death. They treated him so well even more than his own family ever did. 

They were always there for him and would always try to make his day not minding the fact that he was a Demon. They never despised him nor did they treat him differently, they would always tell him that he had a good soul and that they would go extra miles to keep him safe from harm. These were the two men he would happily die for, they made him the most happiest being ever. He never knew such a love can exist without having to be related to them. 

"Can you delay your plans? I kind of have an unfinished business to settle with him but it wouldn't be anytime soon" Clara said, she had a lot of questions to ask him. If he was still very much alive and living healthy, why then did she never see him throughout her childhood? Where was he then when some people appeared from nowhere and killed her mother and brothers? Why did he abandon them? All this was the questions she needed answers to.

"Okay then, I would delay his death penalty. I would kill him in a hundred years, exactly hundred years from now, I would kill him myself. So you have all the time you need" he said with a smile.

(Surprised) "You didn't even ask me what the unfinished business is?" She said

(Laughs) "I don't have to, If you really wanted me to know you would have told me about it already. Everyone has an unfinished business somewhere and I am someone who respect everyone's choices " Maciel said with a smile

"Thank you, so much" Clara said at the verge of tears, this was because she had delayed his revenge. If anyone knew how painful betrayal and death was, she was the one. And for him to delay his revenge for her by a hundred years, then it must really be a big deal. Then when she had the taste for revenge, her heart would feel terribly heavy and painful, sometimes she felt like dying. 

But later she realized that no amount of revenge would bring back all she had lost. Her revenge wouldn't bring her mother back from the dead, it wouldn't heal her brothers. It wouldn't give her the lovely life she had lived in the past with her mother. It was pointless seeking revenge, but his was totally different, his taste of revenge could be justified based on the fact that he was still alive and well. He could seek his revenge just for his enemies to know how painful death felt and make them go through the same process all over again. Now he was far stronger than anyone could ever imagine, this was clearly a big part of revenge.

"Now with all that being said, how would you guys escape the lake of flames and fire?" Maciel asked, looking at his friends. He wanted to know what their plan was.

"The lake of flames and fire?" Clara and Beatrice shouted in horror. What kind of phase is that?

"Yes, it's called the lake of flames and fire because the fire is worth about one thousand four hundred and fifty degree Celsius (1450 °C) so you can imagine how hot the flames would be" Maciel said with a long sigh. "When I first tried crossing I almost got my fur burned like a stripped chicken" he continued.

"That would be the phase we would cross tomorrow?" Beatrice couldn't help but look at Blaine, all she wanted now was a 'No' for an answer.

"Didn't they tell you, the more higher and far you go, the more dangerous and hard the phase becomes. Each face is always tougher than the one before it. After you've crossed the Lake of fire and frames successfully , then there comes the Flood stream which is worse and after that comes the…"

(Coughs) "You are already scaring the children. Why not leave the story to be told another day? They've already had so much tonight, you've already scared them to death earlier don't scare them again" Elyrex interrupted, the girls were already shivering, they already understood the torture they would be going through.

"That's true girls, I think it is high time you all go and get some good rest. Tomorrow will be a very long day. You have me, your father and Blaine. So you all are in good hands, crossing the lake would be as easy as pie" he said giving them a comforting smile, he was about shifting into his wolf form when Blaine spoke out "You are already wiry your family, there's no need isolating yourself from us and going to sleep all on your own in the forest. I would make a camo tonight, and for God's sake, tonight be the normal Maciel and not an animal. You sleep here with us tonight " he said.

Maciel was shocked to hear this, he had already doing use to sleeping in a cave or on top trees. This has been the routine all this years since he became what he is now. Blaine's words gave him a warm feeling. He knew he couldn't refuse the offer, because if it meant tying him down with strong stripes of tree branches so he wouldn't leave, he knew very well that they wouldn't hesitate at all. Since there was no room for negotiation, he would have to adapt to this new way of sleeping in his human form again after so many years.

Blaine immediately set up a camp for the girls first and just looking at the exterior design they knew the interior would be exquisite. They old man was always full of surprises and he was always fully prepared. After he was done, he knew the girls wouldn't go to sleep just yet, they were waiting to see what the men's tent would be like, so gathering everything in full he created theirs as well. It was fully equipped, each room had every, a bookshelves, bedside cupboards, soft rug carpet, stylish designed lamps, beautiful outlines. It had everything a standard bedroom would have, it slao had a wash room. It was like the old man had brought the bedroom in a mansion here. It was so comfortable, having such a standard apartment on such a place was the best thing ever. They found themselves very lucky, Blaine was also very detailed, he takes even the tiniest things into consideration. There was no way you would lay here and find it difficult to sleep. Clara nd Beatrice immediately bid the men goodnight and rushed to their bedroom they had forgotten all about the lake of flames and fire and also the flood streams. They didn't even recall the scene of being eaten by a lone wolf earlier, all they did was walk around the room with amazement and happiness. 

Touching the bed and pillows, they immediately fell in love with it, it was so soft and comfy. Walking to the restroom, they were well surprised to see it fully equipped, travelling with the old man was indeed a blessing. You wouldn't lack a thing even if you are to find yourself on an unknown planet. Appearing on Mars, Jupiter, Saturn or even Venus wouldn't be a bad idea. No matter how bad it was, you would survive, just by looking at the bedroom, you would know that if he were to set up a kitchen it wouldn't lack anything. Clara and Beatrice suddenly felt all the tiredness in their body gathering up, since there was a wardrobe, they opened it up and changed into their nightgowns, the thought of taking a bath happened only in the dream land. Immediately their body landed on the bed, they immediately dozed off.

"I can tell the girls must be asleep by now. So let me have a look at the map" Maciel said looking at Elyrex and Blaine

Elyrex immediately handed him the map they had drafted out on their last trip to the heavenly realm. 

Looking at the map, Maciel studied it carefully. "There are many changes here, here and here" he said, marking some spot on the map with an 'X' "The lake of flame and fire is far higher than your last visit. And the ghost stream is no longer positioned at this spot, it's now around the east side. The last time I was here was about two years ago, so I doubt if there would be any changes but if there really is then it would be a minor one. The Flood stream is now seen immediately after crossing the Lake. Further North, that's here" he said tapping a spot.

 " The ground more like a Quicksand, and it happens that you cannot fly over it, you have to walk through it. I think the last phase is the emperor's own formation, it has about seven different trails, the most difficult of it all is having to face your fears. The rest is all about greed, anger, hatred and pain. This was the phase I couldn't overcome, because as you know I had so much hate, pain and anger. And when you fail this round, it takes you back to the initial point you started from, you would have to start the journey all over again. I had given up then, because I had to work more on myself so I can overcome this great challenge, so this is how far i have gone but if there's another phase after the emperor's deadly formation, I can't tell" he said with a long sigh .