Chapter 237, A Flower's Wish

"What's wrong with me?" I asked myself as I sat beneath the tree, hugging my knees. I wiped away the tears. "I'm the Le Fluer, I'm suppose to protect the worlds, no matter the price. But... But why did I say that?"

I lean against the tree and hugged my knees closer. 'What am I supposed to do?"

"Will and the others are probably worried about me right now..." I stared at the school. "But I don't wanna go back at all."

"Elias... Everyone can't you help me make this choice? Is what I'm wishing for so wrong?" I cried as I hugged my knees.

"Poor Arata... You're here crying by yourself..." A familiar voice says and I raise my eyes to see Elias, along with the others standing before me, their figures transparent.

"How...?" I try to keep myself from crying.

"We're Le Fleurs, we're always connected. Though the bonds have grown weak, you're cries reached us who were scattered across time." Elias smiled and sat down beside me. "So, why are you crying by yourself here?"

I explain everything to everyone and they listen patiently then after I speak I ask for their opinion on my problem.

"I see... A choice between your role and your own wish." Elias smiled and patted my head.

"What do you guys think I should do?" I asked.

"Well, first how about to wipe away your tears." Julius says and gently smiled and sat down beside me.

"Arata, listen careful. All of us have to make choices someday." Aster says.

"So, when you make a choice choose one you won't regret." Evergreen smiled.

"Whatever you choose, we'll support you. It's a choice you made for yourself after." Gregory reassures me.

"The path will open itself to you, so just choose what you want." Hazel assures me.

"No one will blame you for whatever you choose as long as it's a choice you make yourself." Emilia smiled as she kissed my forehead.

"And when you feel cornered, remember that there are others by your side." Erika smiles and nods to the figures I see approaching the tree.

"Just never forget, make a choice that you won't regret." Ivy reassured.

As I wiped away my tears and nodded I see the others beginning to fade.

"Ah, times up it seems." Elias smiled sadly. "Well, bye-bye again Arata."

"Bye-bye..." I waved as they began to disappear.

Elias and the others disappear and all that's left is there words hanging by the wind then I see William and the others approaching the tree.

"Arata!" I can hear Alex calling my name.

The reach the edge of my barrier and immediately I see the sadness in their eyes.

"We're sorry, we didn't think of what you wanted!" Al cried.

"We're fine with whatever you choose, so please come back!" Liam banged at my barrier.

"We'll support whatever choice you wanna make, so please let us in." Ethan says as he leans against.

Their words bring tears to my eyes and I immediately lower the barrier, the moment it falls they run for me and embrace me.

"Arata!" Zhen cries as he hugs me and I cry in the warmth of their embrace for a while.

----

"So basically we just need to bring Arata to the city heart?" Chloe asked.

"Indeed. When he reaches the heart or the Core Gate, he just needs to link with the system and he'll be able to drive Karin away." Siel stated.

"And until Arata can activate the system of the city, we have to defend against Karin and her Shadows." Felicia added. "I'm afraid she might have other tricks up her sleeves as well."

"Whatever she has planned we'll be ready." Arata said as he emerged from a cloud of light together with William and the others.

"Arata... um - about earlier..." Seiji was hesitant to finish his words.

"Let it be." Arata smiled and Felicia approached him.

"So what is your choice?" She asked him.

"I'm sorry everyone... I know it might be selfish of me to wish for this but... I don't want to harbor the Seed of Fate." Arata stated and Felicia smiled gently.

"Just as a flower blooms it must also wither." She says and flaost back to her place.

"Then..." Arata was hesitant to speak.

"You need not bear the curse of immortality." Siel says with a smile. "Choose a path you want."

Siel's words are meet w th agreement by the rest of the group. They all reassure Arata telling him to choose the path he wants.

"Thank you." Arata smiled with tears in his eyes having let go of a heavy burden.

"The path you want, choose it for yourself this time." Licht smiled.

"I will!" Arata smiled brightly and just then a golden light engulfed him. "What is this?!"

"When an Ancient finds the equilibrium of their heart their true powers awaken." Felicia smiled and patted my head. "This is the feeling of being free, to choose your own path."

"Can I really... choose a path for myself?" I asked still hesitant.

"The path before you is yours to choose." She reassures and that's when a light fills my vision and everything disappears. All I see are countless paths, all diverging from where I stood.

"This is..." Just as I'm about to choose I'm brought back to the real world.

"Arata, you okay?" Andrew asked and I smiled.

"I'm fine." I answered. "Now, let's resume where we left off before I left."

"Before that, I believe there is someone waiting for you outside." Felicia says as her eyes turn to the window.

I wonder who it is and that's when I feel it, the large source of Vi. I immediately run for the window and there I see it, flying above the sky, the Asterion.

"Saint!!!" I called out as he emerged from the ship. "You finally made it."

"I didn't come alone." He smiled.

As I wondered what he meant I see figures begin to emerge from the ship as he lowers the ship.

"Arata! We've come to help!!" The voices of their comrades called as the figures began to become clearer.

Saint had traversed all the worlds and brought with him the Braves and Guardians to this world, believing it was the best choice to aid Arata.