41: Goodbye For Now II

Chapter 41: Goodbye For Now II

Shock ran through their faces. Even the Eternals. No one had anticipated this development, especially not the captains. "Machi has shown he's at the level of a Captain during the pit fight." King Yuma argued but it didn't sway them. Machi, was after all, also human.

"Your Majesty, is this the best course of action?" Shale asked.

Not out of concern for Everlastings. But for Machi. "Machi has shown his powers are more useful outside of Everlastings than in." Windsor explained to them, "and the 10th - not even the 10th, Hallows, have always shown their skills are better suited outside of Everlastings. Their mind was too vast to be kept here. They are the reason we have survived for so long in secret."

King Yuma nodded. "Bridging the gap between Earth and Everlastings will be the first step of gaining powers to defeat Freed."

Charlotte and Hyuse didn't know how the other captains could be so vocal. But they'd learn in time, everyone does.

"Machi, are you sure?" Jin asked. Seeing him nod, Jin could tell he had an ulterior motive behind this. King Yuma probably knew, but he himself couldn't figure it out. But since King Yuma agreed to this, he didn't question their king's judgement.

Machi nodded and looked at Zac and his mother and their faces were filled with shock. They hadn't expected this development, after all, everything signalled Machi returning home to Academy City after everything was over. Living a life he wanted—

"Is this the life you want to live?" Evermore asked. "Carrying on this path?"

Machi nodded. His eyes filled with a passion so great, almost like hers when she built Academy City, uniting the other two major cities into a peace treaty.

Essentially, what Machi was doing with the two worlds. A repeat of over 2 decades ago. "I thought about it from the moment I found out. And according to Carbine, because of my Eternal heritage, I'm bound to live longer than the average human lifespan. And it isn't—"

"Ok."

That word shocked everyone who knew about how much Ever loved her son and was terrified of the thought of him leaving. "Don't justify yourself." Ever spoke. "Just return alive." Machi nodded, smiling solemnly to her but no one else except her knew what cogs turned in his mind for him to do this.

*

Arriving at the 10th compound, King Yuma watched as Machi placed his hand against the castle doors. Bursting open, Rocco hid behind the girls and peeked out, making Karma question everything about the teleporter, and energy flowed through the castle. A technology different from the rest of the settlement lay here. It was so advanced it was equivalent to Academy City.

The 10th's Vice Captain - Carson - felt a rush of warmth as the doors opened. "I've explained the situation to Carson." Windsor relayed, "he'll continue control of the 10th's compound until you return. As such, the 10th seat regains voting power." The 8 captains looked at Machi and a sense of normalcy and unity returned that they hadn't felt in a long time.

"Machi owns a castle?" Rocco asked and laughed.

"It ain't like I'm staying here," Machi looked inside and sighed, "the humans who are going to stay here will remain in the 10th castle. and whatever else Carson sees fit, I'm too young to manage a compound."

"Right? So what else before we leave?"

*

A day passed, and it was the day of them leaving. Shale and Zac gifted them things, along with Jo gifting Machi and Karma some condensed ki. "Oh, by the way," Machi tossed Dawson the ice ability book, "it doesn't have the power to transfer the ice ability until I die but it does contain information. Keep it safe from those two." Machi darted his eyes at Zac and Kai - notorious for accidentally ruining items needing investigation.

"I don't think this needs to be said, but don't die," Lord Hellyer shook their hands, "you 4 are a hope we haven't seen before."

"Placing this much faith in us Lord Hellyer?" Karma teased. The leader nodded and hugged his citizen. "Don't be too hot-headed. You are heading into unknown territory where backup is unavailable."

"Ok, ok, when I return you won't recognise me." She brushed him off but in reality was thankful that he was worried, and cared about her despite her past, and her upbringing.

Besides Karma was Rocco, who was being doted on by Jo and Anne. Mainly because they were worried about his mother when he pulled out a letter. "Give this to her," he asked, "it explains why I'm going. And not for some obligation as Machi's friend." They promised they'd hand deliver the letter before turning to Mira who—

"Lord Hogwood, seriously?" Lord Hellyer asked. The elder nodded and handed Mira his sword, one powerful enough for Mira to deal massive amounts of damage even if she did not use her powers. "This sword was what helped Seraph Haven achieve the greatness it has today. But it won't be as powerful as it can be if it remains in my hands." Mira bowed and thanked her adoptive parent.

Machi didn't see a point in goodbyes. But he still said his ones to Zac, Evermore, Dawson, Jo, Anne and Kai. "If I return and Earth is gone to literal and absolute shit, I will hunt you down." Machi joked to them and Zac went in for a hug, despite the fact neither one were huggers. It reminded them of the hug Machi had when he returned from 5 years of being missing.

"Don't die." Dawson patted his head. "And I'll keep the book safe."

Machi nodded and smiled. Turning to his mother, she hugged him like all those times in the past, when she had bad days and needed to be with her son rather than the leader of a technologically advanced city. Holding his head, caressing his longer-length hair, she just kept that position. Feeling his heartbeat, the unique electricity that flowed in him, the aura about her son she may not see ever again, or for the longest time.

"It's not a definite goodbye," Machi said as he was being held, "but a goodbye for now. A see you later, rather."

"Wait." They turned to Ever who seemed like she had something to ask. "Are you sure you want to head there?" Machi had decided where his first stop would be. "We haven't been able to get in touch with them, you could head into a war zone for all we know."

Rocco was the one to answer the question. "We haven't seen them in a good 13 years, Mrs H," Rocco chuckled, "I think we'd give them a heart attack."

"You know Lorn?" Mira asked. Yes.

The 101st Expedition Team, Team Lorn, was their first stop - well their last known location. "Lorn, Sayer and Lizbeth. The first stop is the most vital, we need to learn about the universe and they probably know a lot more than we do, oh and I have to take revenge on Sayer and Lorn for their quote-on-quote 'training'." Machi chuckled and Karma just prayed for their asses.

"We'll contact you when we've touched base with Team Lorn so you know they're, y'know, alive," Machi assured and that'd soothe everyone back home. But now, it was time to leave. Kai opened the orange portal and the quartet, the four individuals somehow forming what was now registered in the Rebus database as Team Hallows, entered the portal, shutting after the 4 entered.

Machi Hallows (Harkness)

Level: 25.5 (last recorded)

Ability(s): ice, rifts, ki

Rocco Veze:

Level: 4.5 (last recorded)

Ability: teleportation

Karma:

Level: 6.5

Ability: blood, sword user

Mira Hogwood:

Level: 5.8

Ability: [undisclosed]

"Machi wanted someone from us to stay here and build an alliance with you." Ever turned to Shale and saw the Eternal nod. "It is ideal if it is someone higher ranking however I do understand your level system—"

"It's ok. I have two people in mind."

Turning to Jo, she looked at Ever and pointed to herself. "Yeah. But you'll be in constant communication with Zac. It is a loss for you to stay here and be the bridging gap between us and the Eternals," the word staggered out of her mouth, "however, not as big of a loss as I believe. We do lose one of our best healers but that doesn't mean we can't train more."

Evermore turned back to the woman who was building a future for her one week old son. "When we return, I shall call a Circle meeting, where all the prominent figures of the 3 circles will attend. We are in a war whether we like it or not. And we have 4 of our brightest youth going straight into the fire. The least we can do is use their distraction effectively to build an army capable of defeating Black Dragurs. Machi got to where he was by training with the rebel dragur Jisa"

Ever began giving out orders like she once did, and I daresay everyone felt nostalgic.