I Shall Help You Defy Your Fate [Part 1]

"Good morning, Ethan"

"I'd say it's too early to call it a good morning, Doctor."

"Now why would say that?"

"Well, four starter's. Your not the one laying on his deathbed here"

Dr. Galen sighed tiredly and gazed at the young boy lying on the hospital bed. Ethan's ruffled black hair framed his pale skin, and his intelligent eyes seemed to hide a hint of mischief as well as hold a deep wisdom beyond his fourteen years.

"Sarcasm isn't really the best way to start the morning, Ethan", Dr Galen reprimanded in a soft tone as he began his morning examination of Ethan's condition.

"I apologize, Doc", said Ethan, his face still expressionless as always. He allowed the doctor to poke and prod his body as he said, "I've just always wanted to say something like that and I thought now would be the best time, since I'll be leaving this world soon..."

Dr Galen stopped his examination for a moment and turned to Ethan , "Just because my diagnosis wasn't optimistic doesn't mean your fate is sealed, Ethan. Your family is still searching for a solution, I'm sure"

Ethan's lips curled into a wry smile. "I'm not dumb, Doc. I know my grandfather's priorities." His voice was laced with a hint of bitterness, a silent acceptance to the complicated dynamics within the Corvus family.

Dr Galen remained silent, with nothing to refute the boy's claims.

Cassius Valerius Corvus, the Lord of Cygnus City and Patriarch of the Corvus family, was a man who valued strength above all else. His own grandson's precarious condition seemed to be of little concern to him.

Dr Galen could still remember the look of scorn and disappointment that briefly flashed across Cassius' face after learning that Ethan's condition was nigh impossible to cure. Almost as if looking down on his own blood for being so weak and getting injured.

'And the rest of the Corvus family isn't any better', thought Dr Galen, 'Cassius has already twisted their mindsets to suit his own agendas. But even then, to abandon a child...?'

"Doc?"

Dr Galen finally snapped out of his thoughts and offered Ethan a half hearted smile. He'd been so carried away with his own thoughts that he hadn't even noticed he had frozen in place for no reason.

"Sorry about that, my boy", he said, "I was just thinking about this lovely piece of banana split a friend of mine got me the other day. Would you like some?"

Ethan gave a small nod.

"Right", said Dr Galen as he straightened up and clasped his hands together, "Nothing out of the ordinary here so I'll be on my way now. I'll send one of the nurses to bring you your banana split later"

"Okay", said Ethan in his usual monotone voice, "Thanks as always, Doc"

"It's what I'm here for, my boy", answered Dr Galen as he patted Ethan's hand reassuringly, before walking to the door and leaving to take care of his next patient.

Once the door closed, Ethan turned his head to look out of the hospital room window and watched as the sun slowly rose to say hello to yet another day.

'Gramps would have probably woken them up for training by now...', Ethan thought to himself absent mindedly.

His thoughts drifted to his siblings back at the family's Villa, subjected to their grandfather's ruthless training regimen. He shuddered, remembering the grueling sessions he had endured before his accident.

It had been especially tough for him because he had actually been the focus of the family for having an exceptional talent in three different affinities. Not only that, one of them was the wind affinity which was very rare among the members of their family.

As a result, Cassius chose to train the boy himself in order to truly bring out the raw talent of his grandson so he could shine at his brightest when he finally grew into a proper warrior.

"Alas, you shall never see that day, you old bastard", Ethan muttered to himself, "Ouch!What the-?"

"Honestly, why do act like such a grimy third rate villain sometimes?" asked the person who had snuck up on Ethan and pinched him.

"What are you doing here, Amy?" asked Ethan somewhat grumpily as he rubbed the spot on his arm where he'd been pinched.

In front of him stood a beautiful young girl wearing a light blue sundress and carrying a white purse. She had long locks of golden blonde hair that went all the way down to her waist and warm light brown eyes.

Amy tilted her head innocently, "Did you forget? I don't have school today"

"Oh yeah...", Ethan replied, inwardly kicking himself for forgetting that she had promised to visit him today.

Amy then smiled and made herself comfortable on the hospital bed besides him, much to Ethan's annoyance.

"Hey, wanna play a game?"

"No"

"How about we watch a movie?"

"No"

"Are you hungry then? Wanna order food?"

"No"

"Do you plan on just responding with no the whole time I'm here?!"

"No"

Amy pouted cutely and tried to pinch Ethan again. However he was ready for her this time and simply caught her hand.

"You have more calluses than I remember", Ethan observed as he gently brushed his thumb across her palm.

Amy's cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she quickly pulled her hand away.

"I-I've just been practicing a lot more than usual, that's all", she explained in a small voice, turning her head the other way in order to hide her reddened face.

Amy was embarrassed to show Ethan her callused hands because she was afraid that he would think less of her as a lady. After all, a woman's hand was meant to be soft and smooth to touch not rough and firm like her's were.

As if reading her mind, the corners of Ethan's lips curled up slightly as he reached out and once again took Amy's hand, making her flinch slightly.

"A swords woman should hold her head up proudly, regardless of the opinions of others", Ethan scolded her playfully, "After all, you alone made the choice to pick up the way of the sword in order to achieve your goals. No one has the right to bring you down for that, not me or anyone else"

"Besides-", added Ethan in a low voice, a mischievous grin slowly creeping on his face, "I happen to find hardworking women extremely attractive"

The redness on Amy's face spread all the way down to her neck and also the up to the tips of her ears. She lifted her free hand and smacked Ethan's chest weakly.

"Bully...", muttered Amy in a mouse-like voice.

Ethan chuckled, laughing genuinely for the first time in a while which made Amy very happy. Truth be told, although Ethan acted like he usually found Amy's presence annoying, he actually always looked forward to her visits. He found the blond beauty's friendly and innocent personality so endearing that he couldn't help but tease her at every opportunity.

"How are your preparations for your tournament coming up?", Ethan suddenly asked.

Amy heaved a long sigh, "Well, like I said earlier I have been practicing more than usual and everything's been going great thus far. But-"

"You still feel like it might not be enough", Ethan finished, "You work yourself too hard, Amy"

However Amy simply shook her head.

"It is my duty to, Ethan", said Amy, looking him straight in the eye before continuing, "As the young lady of my house, I have an image to maintain. Not just for my own sake but for my family's as well"

Ethan frowned in displeasure because he couldn't help but remember that it had almost been the same case for him back when he was healthy. Being pushed to do things for the sake of the family's future and never his own. Ethan hated it with every fibre of his being.

Suddenly a small metal orb the size of a child's fist flew out of Amy's purse and hovered in the air. This was Amy's buddy bot, which functioned as her mobile device and personal A.I.

"BEEP!" the little robot let out a sound, indicating that someone had left Amy a message, "Miss Amy, we have to hurry to your music classes now. Please make your way to the front of the hospital and we shall pick you up. BEEP!"

After delivering it's message the buddy bot went silent and simply hovered nearby, waiting for further instructions. Amy looked sad after hearing the message from her buddy bot, especially since her time with Ethan was suddenly cut so short.

"That was my driver", Amy explained with a downcast expression, "I'm afraid I have to leave now"

Ethan nodded in understanding, "I know. It's okay"

Amy squeezed his hand gently as a silent thanks before getting up and walking towards the door, her buddy bot trailing right behind her.

"Amy?"

Amy turned to look back at Ethan. The black haired boy's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he opened his mouth and spoke his mind.

"Your life is still your own", he said softly, "I want you to always remember that"

Amy smiled, her eyes shining with a quiet promise. "I will, I promise"

With one last fleeting glance at Ethan, Amy finally left, leaving Ethan alone once again.

Ethan stared at the doorway of his hospital room for a while before he closed his eyes and let out a long resigned sigh.

"Goodbye, Amy...", he said, knowing that that was his last encounter with his only friend.

°

Meanwhile...

Millions of miles away from Cygnus City in the vast expanse of space, a golden rift opened and a lone figure emerged.

It was a man dressed in simple white and gray colored robes. The man's gray hair and beard belied his age and his most distinguishable feature were his eyes, that looked like they were filled with swirling white mist.

"How long has it been since I last visited this place...?" the man asked himself as he reminisced about times that had long since passed thousands of years ago, "Well, no matter"

He then turned his head to look in a certain direction and took a step forward, traversing thousands of miles in an instant.The man kept walking at the same pace, with a single destination in mind.

"Earth...", he whispered.