Resurrection Arc 14

Kaizo spent weeks going in and out of the Umbran's base. Without saying a word, Kaizo will just leave every night and come back in the morning. Neither Suhani nor Fang nor even Lahap can know Kaizo's plan. Eventually, he stopped coming back to his ship and stayed at the Umbran castle.

Suhani loiters around the command center with frustration. "Where is he? He can't just leave us hanging here while he does as he please," she said.

"Well, maybe he is now an important member of the Umbran society so he can't contact us for a while to protect his role…." said Fang, trying to make a defensive statement.

"But it's been too long!" said Suhani. She glances at Lahap who sits silently and minds his own business. "And you. You're not going to do anything? Your captain is missing."

"Kaizo is strong. He can handle it. If he needs anything, he would call," Lahap answered indifferently.

"Ugghhh!" Suhani groans in frustration. She stomps the floor and walks out of the room.

"Suhani!" Fang called.

"If he's not going to tell us, I'm going to find out myself!" said Suhani. She helps herself to a holo table and does her own investigation.

Meanwhile, at the Umbran castle…

A spaceship slowly descends into the forest behind the castle. Kaizo and a few mages from Umbran wait patiently until it touches the ground. The door slowly opens, revealing stairs. A few aliens with square heads, a characteristic of aliens from Atata Tiga, walk down and approached them.

"You brought them?" Kaizo asked.

"Everything you need," said Ba Jojo, the leader of the merchant. "We bring not a single less from what you ordered."

"Good. Let's unload them," said Kaizo.

Ba Jojo ordered his men to unload the cargo. Ardyn leads a group of Umbran mages to help. Kaizo approached one of the crates, followed by Ba Jojo. Ba Jojo ordered one of his men to open the crate so Kaizo can inspect it.

Inside the crate, is a set of the latest alien weapons. Kaizo picks up a gun and weighs it with his hand. Feeling the quality of the item. He holds it and tries to aim with it.

"I assure you. Everything here is of the highest material. It has gone through several quality checks and has met the highest standard of weaponries."

"Looks good to me," said Kaizo as he put back the gun. "You're going to make another order from me."

"Of course. We're happy to provide," said Ba Jojo.

Suddenly, Kaizo's watch makes a "ping" sound. He looked at it for a moment before he put his attention back to Ba Jojo. "I'll send you an invoice for my next order soon. Get these cargo moving ASAP."

"Absolutely," Ba Jojo replied.

Kaizo leaves the rest to Ardyn and heads back to his room. He sits down and opens his computer. A transmission request from Maskmana is waiting. He opens it and Maskmana soon answers from the other side of the call.

"Hello, Kaizo. It's been a while," Maskmana greet.

"Sir," Kaizo replied as he gives a salute. Even though he's no longer a member of Astraeus, he still respects Maskmana.

"How have you been?"

"I've been fine," said Kaizo short.

"You look like you haven't slept in days. I can see black bags under your eyes even from my fuzzy screen."

"It's not the first time and I doubt it's going to be the last time I have black bags," said Kaizo.

"I've received reports from your team. You've been away for a while," said Maskmana.

"I have. I'm busy working."

"But you haven't been in contact with them at all."

"If you heard from my team then you should know I'm in the middle of an incognito mission. I can't risk my identity and contact them. They're just going to drag me down," said Kaizo.

"Even Lahap?" Maskmana asked.

Kaizo didn't answer.

"What did you find from the Umbran?"

"This is my case. I handle it myself," said Kaizo.

"I know your habit of handling things on your own. I just want to make sure you're not going in too deep," said Maskmana.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"We're worried, Kaizo," said Maskmana. "The past few years have been hard for us since her death. I know you've been going around looking for her past and learning her magic. But I'm worried that you're going to drown in her shadow and forget that you still have a life of your own."

"So you want me to forget her?"

"No, of course not," Maskmana replied. "We will all remember her. Just don't forget that you still have a life to live."

"She is my life," said Kaizo.

Maskmana looked at him through the dim screen of his computer. "What does the Umbran have until you need to be holed inside their cave like a hermit?" Maskmana asked. "I let you go when you ask me to give you some space. Give some time to make peace with your grief. I understand that there are things beyond my reach. That there are things I can't do. But even so, I'm still here whenever you need me. And so are your friends."

"You should know me better than to lecture me with a little piece of your wisdom," said Kaizo.

"Listen, I can't tell you what to do or where to go. I just want to make sure you don't lose your mind, for the sake of your brother too," Maskmana continues.

Kaizo went silent. He looked at Maskmana. "You think I'm crazy?" he asked. His voice slightly raised. "You think I've gone mad?!"

"No. Just lost," Maskmana replied.

"Why am I the only one who cares about her? How can you just… forget her and move on? Why can't no one understand me? How could you just let her go after everything that happened?!" said Kaizo in frustration.

"We are not forgetting her…"

"You're not doing anything while Valerius is out there!" said Kaizo. "It's not fair… How is he out there flying freely after what he did!"

"WE are a part of an intergalactic alliance built by many different races of the universe for the purpose of peace," said Maskmana, trying to outvoice Kaizo.

"Peace? Ha!" Kaizo scoffed. "The beast is raging out there because of what Valerius did. What peace are you trying to fight by protecting him?"

"But killing Valerius won't bring peace nor will it bring her back, Kaizo. It will only make things worse," said Maskmana.

"I have enough of this," said Kaizo. He slowly shook his head as he looked at Maskmana with a disapproving gaze. "You are no longer who I thought you are."

Maskmana was silent for a moment.

"Do you really want him dead so bad until have to leave everything you love?" Maskmana asked.

Kaizo looked at Maskmana. "I love her," he said. "I am here for her."

Maskmana looked at him closely.

"Stay out of my way," said Kaizo as he abruptly cut the transmission.

Maskmana falls back to his chair as he let out a sigh. He falls into deep thought.

Kaizo is a very ambitious person. But how far will he go for his ambition?

Maskmana knows him enough to know that he will take excessive measures if needed to reach his goal.

Kaizo is his best student. As a Captain, he will be faced with hard choices. And Maskmana has no doubt that Kaizo can choose what action needs to be taken when the time comes. To choose the greater cause over a small life is a common option for a captain.

Maskmana takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, trying to remember what kind of person Kaizo was before he left. He was a diligent kid, filled with a great sense of justice. He worked hard to be what he is now.

Will he be brazen enough to kill for the sake of justice? He probably would.

But will he be cruel enough to lay wait while many die? Maskmana can't think of Kaizo as such a person.

"What are you looking for, Kaizo?" Maskmana softly mumbled.

He sits straight again and opens a file. He read the reports Fang sent him.

"summoning demons and communicating/raising the dead."

"Right. Axion is a demon. Could it be this is what Kaizo is chasing?" Maskmana wondered.

He looked at Vion who stood not far from his table.

After Axion's death, Vion, Axion's cybertronian assistant, stayed at Astraeus. Apparently, before her death, she left a will on Vion. She asked Vion to continue living freely while waiting for her return. And since Vion doesn't know where to go, Maskmana kept him by his side.

"Wait for her return" That line took Maskmana's interest.

From Vion's story, Maskmana found out that Axion has been through several cycles of rebirth. For 3000 years she died, reborn in a new family, only to die and be reborn again. Each length of rebirth can be varied from 50 years to 100 years. It would be shorter if she gets help. Axion was never afraid of death because she know she can simply wait a few decades to be reborn and walk in the land of the living again.

But what worries Vion is that this time, her death was different.

The sword that Valerius used to kill her was forged specifically to eradicate her existence. Not only it will burn her, but it would also stop her from being reborn again. So the possibility of having her back is slim.

"Vion, is there a way to bring her back?" Maskmana asked. "Like a summoning or… sacrifices."

Vion paused for a moment. "There is," he said with a deep voice. "But it's not something that any living should do. And I am forbidden to use them. Had it not for her request, I would've done it myself."

"Are you forbidden to speak about it?"

"Not exactly… She certainly would not like me talking about it. But she gave me free will to choose…." said Vion.

Maskmana leans forward. "Look. Whatever Kaizo is going to do, I'm afraid it's going to be out of line. And he's doing it for Axion. I need your help to settle this in a way it would not bring too much harm," said Maskmana. "Please Vion, for her sake too."

Vion was silent for a moment. He finally answered. "Okay."

"Good. I want full details on how to bring her back," said Maskmana.

Author's note: Hello everyone. Thank you for reaching this chapter. So sorry. But I'm gonna need to go on a hiatus. Things just got a little bit hectic on my end. I need some time to sort out my life. Thank you to everyone who has given me their support. I'm so happy you enjoy this fanfiction. I really appreciate it. See you next time~