Chapter 178, Arata's Resolve

Just as it seemed that we were gaining the underhand, beams of light shoot down and force us back.

"Tch. Karin, Schedar, Pierrot, retreat. You won't win this one." Sirius who hovered overhead ordered them.

"Secure Schedar!" Will ordered.

"I, Arata, by the power of the Sacred Flower and Fleur, now order thee, sink the skies and raise the seas, bend it to my will, Rising Tides, Crashing Skies!" In a beam of light, Arata's magic pushes Sirius, Karin and Pierrot back.

Arata's attack forces the three to fall back, Arata descends on the ones who watched over Schedar.

"Answer me, Schedar, what are you planning?" Arata asked.

"Huh? Did you really think I'd answer?!" Schedar laughed. "I'd rather die than betray my brethren."

"Is that so? That can be arranged!" Dustin said angrily .

"Growth." Arata called Growth to his side and a feather falls to his hands and becomes a knife. "Answer me, Schedar, what are you planning?"

"Idiot! As if I'd ever tell you!" He laughed and Arata just smiled.

"Farewell..." To everyone's surprise, Arata smiled as he pierced Schedar's chest.

'Rest in peace, oh ancient.' Arata said in his mind as he turned his knife and pulled it out.

The knife turned into a rose, Arata closes his eyes as the lights begin to emanate from Schedar.

"Oh Ancient, you light is the light of hope, your darkness is the darkness of despair, Ancient that was and is, may you rest now, Au Revior." I said and suddenly the feather became sword. "Schedar... farewell."

"Thank... you..." A barely audible voice from Schedar and all that's left is the light.

'Le Fleur... my name is... Cedar.' A voice flashes through Arata's head and he tosses the rose to the sky.

"Le Fleur." He says as everything is restored by petals of roses.

"Arata, are you okay?" Reinhardt asked.

Everyone noticed that Arata was acting strange, his usual smile was replaced by a smile that was somehwat forced. Like he was holding back tears, 'the tears are for who' was what was on everyone's mind.

"Yeah! I'm fine! I'm just sad I couldn't help Karin again." He acted but it was actually that he remembered that he doesn't know Ras Algethi's true name and that he also doesn't know what the names of Cor-Caroli and Procyon are.

"Well then, let's all relax and actually enjoy the party!" Dad said and clapped his hands.

To Arata's surprise, the party continued on, as if not fazed by what they had just encountered. Arata couldn't help but smile and finally Seiji slaps his back.

"Congrats, someone is pretty old." He says and he just smile.

"Hehe, not as old as you, Seiji-san." Arata answered and Seiji just laughed.

"Everyone! Gather around!" Will called them together.

Around the table we all gathered, holding glasses filled with juice for minors and liqour for the adults.

"Well then! To one less Chimera to fight and to Arata's seventeenth birthday, Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Everyone answered.

While Arata and his friends and family celebrated the end of one Chimera, Sirius was furious with Karin and Pierrot.

"We've lost yet another Chimera thanks to you two! What were you doing?!" He wailed.

"I don't wanna hear that from the person who arrived late!" Karin snapped at him.

"Excuse me?! Do you know how angry the other Chimeras are with you?!" Sirius retorted. "We've lost many Chimeras thanks to you!"

"Alright, enough, enough!" Pierrot intervened. "I get it, Sirius you've lost more family members. But you have to understnad this us for our cause!"

"Tch. Next time you fail, I won't be there to shield you from the Sacred Flower's magic. So let this be a warning, that brat is growing stronger and stronger every day." Sirius warned the two. "We need to get rid of him and soon!"

"Yeah, I'm working on it!" Karin snapped at him.

She was extremely angry, and she wanted to shut Sirius up right there and then but she knew she wouldn't do much against him. She wanted to vent her rage but she knew better than to fight with either of the two. So, she went to her room after their arguement to do what she did best. Throw tantrums and trash everything around her.

"It's all his fault! Its because there are so many of them beside him that I can't get closer!" She raged. "I need a tool to get closer to him! I need more power!"

While Karin raged in her room, Sirius was also raging within the Space Between Worlds.

"Calm down, Sirius!" Aldebaran, the True Beast of Taurus tried to get him to quell his rage.

"How could I possibly calm down?! We've lost another brother because of that witch!" He said angrily.

"Calm down! Do you want their deaths to be in vain?!" Regulus slapped him. "If you hate it so much, then sharpen your sword to kill him!"

"You're right! I'll definitely get even with the Le Fleur!" Sirius howled as he glared at the sky.

----

I can't waver anymore, I can't falter and I definitely can't weaken anymore. For the sake of the people beside me and for the sake of my mission, I have to grow stronger.

"Arata, I understand your wish. However you mustn't be reckless." Elias said to him.

"Aren't you all shocked about our true mission?" He asked them.

"We are but... we never cared about it." Emilia said with a smile. "We simply... wanted to help our people, so we continued to fight."

"So, don't worry about us. Just follow your own path." Julius patted his head.

"For the ones who are gone, the past doesn't matter. But for you who is still alive, keep moving." Ivy smiled at him.

"You're stronger than we could ever be." Hazel hugged him.

"So don't be afraid. You have friends beside you who care for you, friends who'll fight beside you, friends who'll never forsake you." Gregory assured him.

"Fight on, Tenth... No. Arata, you can surely do it." Erika smiled. "You can do it."

"I will." Arata smiled and as he did, his resolve grew stronger.

When Arata's eyes opened to the dawn, his resolve to fight for everyone Chimeras and Humans alike, was now formed.

It was on this day, the Arata, the Tenth Generation Le Fleur found his True Resolve.