Chapter 36: Fear (Part 2)

After having decided that discussing things on the beach is better than following those two monsters into the forest,

Sneha: "The first thing I found is that Vermillion has been transporting something other than war supplies to rest of The Dragon Alliance."

Ethan: "Huh?"

They both know that Vermillion only acts as a supply unit for The Ghost Nation and The Dragons. They are not going to fight. All they do is supply the other two with best quality weapons for fighting vampires as well as some talented-in-combat members. But,

Sneha: "It wasn't just the weapons or a few members; they were trying to also transport money."

Ethan: "Money?"

Ethan widens his eyes in surprise as he hears that. It is not uncommon for money transfers during times of war but it's a different matter in this situation. The Ghost Nation would have no need for money used by humans and neither would The Dragons use it for any reason. So why would it be transported between them?

Sneha: "It's strange, right?"

Ethan nods while pondering on what that could mean.

Sneha: "Should I go on?"

Ethan turns his gaze to her while still half in his thoughts and says,

Ethan: "Yeah, go on please."

Sneha: "Well, the next thing I found out was that Vermillion was trying to set traps around their territory as well as heightening the security to the maximum. In fact, they were hiring some dragons and Aurals as mercenary bodyguards for all the Hellfires as well as the leader, the Phoenix."

Ethan: "That's again suspicious."

He says as he narrows his eyes. The 10 Hellfires and the Phoenix are some of the most powerful psychics on the planet, so why would they need to hire bodyguards for themselves. Are they afraid of an attack? If yes, then by whom?

Ethan: "Are the Vampires that dangerous?"

Sneha: "I don't know. I don't think Vampires even stand a chance if the war actually begins. And yet, Vermillion seems to be so careful for some reason."

Ethan: "Hmm … hey, I have heard that members of Vermillion have some habits they can be recognized for. Do you know them?"

Sneha: "How did we get on that all of a sudden?"

Ethan: "Just answer me, okay?"

She sighs knowing that there's no point in arguing.

Sneha: "Fine. That is indeed true. We are known for some habits that each of us more or less has. For example, it is a pretty common strategy among Embers to try to gain a mental high ground."

Ethan: "I-Is that so?"

Sneha: "Yeah. If you want an example, when I, Ro and Mohammed were trying to gang up on Kais, I had hidden myself well in advance."

Ethan: "Oh?"

Sneha: "When the negotiations failed and it seemed like my help will be needed to bring him in after all, I tried to read the expressions on his face with little help from his aura and act like I was reading his mind. He, in a seemingly fatigued state, started to believe I was somehow using telepathy, so I played along to put more pressure on him."

Ethan: "I see. And from the results, it worked as well."

Sneha: "That it did."

She says while folding her arms and sighing.

Sneha: "So why did you bring that up?"

Ethan: "Well, it might give me some insight into the situation if we know how these habits came to be. I mean, it's not like you all are trained anywhere. Yet, these habits are found in most Embers, right?"

Sneha: "That can mostly be attributed to the fact that all Embers have their first five missions as assistants to experienced Embers where it is the job of the experienced ones to teach these things to the new ones."

Ethan: "Well, that certainly explains some things."

Sneha: "Does that somehow give an explanation as to why they were transporting money or why they needed bodyguards or why they sent someone like me on the mission to bring Kais in the organization?"

Ethan: "Well, not exactly. But an explanation is forming in my head. It's still not something I can place my bets on and I would like to hear other clues if there are any."

Sneha: "Yeah, there was one more thing."

Ethan looks at her as if to tell her to continue.

Sneha: "I also found that there is someone in the ranks of Vampires that the Phoenix himself has marked as a prime target."

Ethan stands there unable to speak. 'The Phoenix' is the title given to the leader of the Vermillion. He is, obviously, one of the most powerful psychics as well as one of the most powerful people in the world. And there is someone so dangerous that he himself has marked as a prime target.

Sneha: "From what I could infer, I think that man he has marked is the strategist of the Vampires."

Ethan: "I-I see."

Ethan lowers his head as he puts his hand on his chin.

Sneha: "Huh?"

Sneha furrows her eyebrows as she sees Ethan – with a smile on his face.

Sneha: "What are you smiling for?"

Ethan: "Don't become so hostile towards me now."

He says while putting up both of his hands.

Ethan: "I was just …"

He trails off as he smiles again.

Ethan: "There's someone who can scare the Phoenix, huh? That proves the fact that everyone can be afraid."

Sneha: "Hmm?"

She wonders why he would need to note such an obvious thing. But she is unaware of how much this "obvious thing" means to Ethan.

Ethan: "If everyone can become afraid of something, then that also means that everyone, no matter how powerful, can become vulnerable."

He says with his smile growing wider,

Ethan: "That also means that everyone, whether the strongest human or the smartest human, can lose to someone else."

And that is why, Ethan Kales can keep going. That is why, even when monsters stare at him with hostile intent and every thought in his brain is only of running away, he still finds some sliver of courage within himself.

The fear he feels every time he faces a monstrously powerful person, the fear he felt that day 12 years ago when his eyes showed him a sight that he shouldn't have been able to see, and the fear he felt when later his life was threatened again because of that very incident; that fear means something. That fear means his humanity.

Being weak and being afraid are two completely different things.

The two things have nothing to do with each other, because even powerful people get afraid. The reason for fear is not weakness or power but the survival instinct. And when because of him, that survival instinct starts ringing in the heads of those very monstrously powerful people who look down on weaklings like him, that is when he can truly prove his point. That is when he can truly believe in himself when he says a human, and is surrounded by humans, no matter if they call themselves a god or a devil.

Ethan: "It's all thanks to Dyne … and of course, him."

He says as he remembers the incident 12 years ago that took place after he had seen Barry's carnage – the incident that truly changed his life.

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