Chapter 100

Cara's consciousness had drown into complete darkness for a moment, she had no idea what was happening, was she dying, is this what death looked like, all she hoped for was to see her family again. Then the darkness suddenly turned really bright and she was able to open her eyes.

It took her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the brightness, she was having trouble believing where she was, it still looked like the mountain and the stage, but everything was too bright, like the sun had somehow come up inside the mountain. She couldn't move her body but when she looked down, she saw a long stream of blood on the floor, the weird thing was that it was flowing back into her body.

Her legs were lying a little separate from her torso and as the blood flowed in the legs too reattached themselves to her body. After a moment she could finally move them and she stood up hurriedly, there was a weird sense of hurry in the environment, it was like the time itself had broken, like she was inside a memory rather than reality.

She saw her brother and Morris's body repair too but they didn't open their eyes.

"Cara, " someone called her name and she turned in surpise.

There was Elder Shadown standing there in his real body, the long white hairs had been cut and he looked even younger then before.

"E.. Elder shadow, what's happening?" she asked.

"Call me, Milus, Elder Shadow was never really me, it was another man, he deserves that title, I was never worthy of his stature," said Milus looking into the space in a very sad and nostalgic expression.

"Where did the other, the diamond go?" she asked.

"He is gone, it was an anomaly of him being here, a rift in the laws of nature, so I corrected it, but that anomaly did have some consequences here, all the deaths, which are very real," he said.

"Please bring them back, like you did me?" she said and asked at the same time. Was she alive?

"It wasn't any of your time to die, but reversing death is not in my powers no matter how powerful one might be, only gods and their effects can do such things, don't worry, you are alive, and so will be everyone who was present here, this is not my power, but the mythical beasts I have fused with over the years, I have managed to reverse the time inside this small pocket I have created, you don't need to understand it all, just remember that they will all be back to the time before the diamond came here, your mother will be back too, the Krolle elders who brought him here, will fail in this reality and everything should go back to normal, no one will remember anything, except you, " said Milus.

"Why me?" she asked.

"Because after this, I will be gone, and I have been stupid not choosing a successor of my will and responsibilities, I have been too arrogant thinking I won't need anyone's help, but now everything's gone, after this, both my forms will vanish," he said.

"What do I need to do?" she asked bowing.

"You need to find the other mythical beasts, the rest of my forms, there are three left, find and capture one, and bring it back to the hall of dreams, then I can come back partially and talk to you," he said.

"That seems easy, " she said.

"It's the most hardest thing you will ever do, one of the beast just ate a diamond like he was nothing, you can imagine," he said.

"How will I find them?" asked Cara wide eyed.

"I am not sure, they like staying in places with high mana density, I have taught Rit some things over the years, you might want to bring him along, but remember you can't tell anyone about this conversation, their minds won't be able to comprehend this," he said.

"Can't I ask someone for help?" she asked.

"Only the people you trust, but let me warn you, this path is not as simple as it seems, when I started on this path when I was young, it took a lot away from me, it's a path of seclusion, I would advice you to keep the people you love away from this, " he said.

Cara wondered why searching for a beast would be harmful for her family.

"But I am just a copper would I be able to do this?" she asked.

"You think it's a task of weeks or months, but no this will take you years, we won't be meeting again for a very long time, and even though it is all very dangerous, like I said separating myself from the comfort of home helped me cultivate to levels above then my peers," he said.

"How will I recognize the beasts?" she asked.

"The colors, now I don't have anymore time left, the time has been reversed almost, your mother should be back, her death was the vortex point of my spell, see you soon, Cara, I hope you save me and all of us, " said Milus and his body disappeared.

The stage started turning, Cara again felt time pass through her and when she opened her eyes, the noises all returned at once.

She was again standing in the middle of the stage and Elder Rahm was praising her. She looked around at other elders, the ones she had just seen be killed. She kept looking up waiting for the diamond to descend but he didn't came.

The speech ended and they were asked to get off stage after the elders patted them on the back, she noticed Morris in the crowd, she stared at him, remembering what he had done. Morris looked back at her surprised by her sudden attention and smiled at her tentatively and she smiled back.

When she got off stage she ran off in the crowd, she saw her father and brother and hugged them tight.

"Congratulations Cara, I knew you could do it, " her father beamed at her.

"I told you there was no need to worry, it's just a little game, the real fights start once you become iron, " Stevin said.

"Where's mom?" she asked.

"I am here, " her mother's voice came from behind her. Cara turned and saw her and went and hugged her.

"You did good, " her mother patted her.

Cara held back tears.

"Now, go and have fun, stay if you want to see the rest of the fights, " her mother said.

But Cara had other stuff to do, so she hurried off. She found Vivian and Flint on the way.

"Where are you off to? Don't you want to watch the rest of the fights?" they asked.

"I have something to do, I'll be back later, " she hurried off running through the crowd.

They were all moving in excited for the bigger fights.

She saw Morris ahead with his family and clan. She ran to him, he was again surprised to see her approaching him.

"Are you going to see the fights?" she asked him.

"Umm, ah, " he stuttered searching for what to say.

"You performed well out there, Cara Tjorn, you were the only one who managed to keep up with Morris, " Morris's father said.

"Thanks Mr. Cane," she replied.

"Go on Morris, if you want to," his mother smiled at him with a knowing smile.

Morris's face was a little red and he followed Cara.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"The hall of dreams, " she answered.

"I am surprised you know it's real name, not many people do," he said.

"You know it's real name?" she asked.

"Yeah, I asked Elder Rain once, " he said.

"Why are we going up there then? It's a long way, I know, you were sent there for being late by Elder Holt, " he said.

"How do you know that?" she asked surprised.

"The guards on the bottom floor, they are from our clan, and that night it was my older brother's shift, he told me, a girl with a copper hammer had gone up, it is a common punishment for a lot of elders, they don't like going up there themselves I think, " he said.

"Wow, you seem to know a lot, and you are always so quiet, no offense" she said.

"Well, then you can at least answer my question, why are you bringing me along?" he asked.

Cara wondered what to tell him, she had to tell him some truth, and she trusted him completely now for some reason.

"I saw everyone fought today and I think our fighting style is similar and we might be a good team, " she said.

"A good team for what?" he asked.

"For something dangerous, " she said.

Before Morris could ask something, a loud noise came from above stopping them in their tracks.

"That sounded like Rit?" Cara asked.

"The mad guardian of the hall?" Morris asked.

"He is mad?" she asked.

"I don't know, everyone just says so, and haven't you seen him? There are many weird stories around him," said Morris.

"Come on, let's see what this is about" she said and they climbed the rest of the stairs.