Omniscience in Marvel 118

Title - Good and Evil

…

"The calmer you are, the clearer you think. Don't let your thoughts and emotions agitate you." Leucadius whispered softly as he coached Tilda through a meditative session. 

Leucadius paused to look at Tilda only to see her fidgeting with her brows furrowed in on themselves. "Alright, let's stop here."

As soon as he said that Tilda let out a loud sigh of relief and lay down on the floor. "That was exhausting."

"Let me guess, your imaging is that of a battle ground, right?" Leucadius asked as he brought her a cup of water. 

"Thanks." Tilda said and took the cup to drink, and only after she was done drinking did she nod. "Is there any clearer way to imagine a conflict between two forces?"

To her question, Leucadius kept silent and thought for a while before asking. "Imagine you're standing on a flat land as far as the eyes can see and it belongs to you, what do you feel?"

"Hmm?" Tilda tilted her head with her eyes closed and thought for a moment before opening them and saying. "Liberated."

To her answer, Leucadius chuckled and sat down beside her. "There's this saying: Does a Wild Animal dream of becoming Livestock? Ah, I guess that's a question and not a saying."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tilda asked, a bit confused. She knew Leucadius wasn't trying to insult her so she had an open mind. 

"The animals that live as livestock don't have to worry about predators, or food, you see. As long as they are in their cage, they remain well fed and taken care of.``. Leucadius said 

"I'm afraid I still don't see your meaning."

"People want to be ruled over by someone. Just like livestock. They don't want to think or worry about anything. They are scared of being responsible for their own actions…so they tell themselves that being exploited is okay."

"But the price of that is their freedom." Tilda added. 

"Exactly, so what do you think?" Leucadius asked with a sunny smile. It was as though they had that wonderful anime moment when the sun just decided to be in the background while being accompanied by a refreshing cool breeze. 

Unconsciously, Tilda's lips also raised as a similarly sunny smile appeared on hers. "I think I could do anything if I was free."

The two remained in that position for quite a while since the sun and the breeze didn't stop causing it to turn awkward. "Alright, stop it, Aspect."

"Yes." Aspect's voice sounded as he let out his presence before disappearing altogether. 

"That guy." Leucadius said while shaking his head. 

"He set a good atmosphere." Tilda said with a happy chuckle.

"That…he did." 

…

It has been a few weeks since Tilda concluded with her revenge for vengeance. Due to that, Leucadius finally focused on teaching her properly as a master should.

In his own terms, someone seeking revenge doesn't really need to be taught anything since they learn what they feel they need. That sort of student wasn't the type he wanted. 

He wanted someone who was open to being taught new things without determining whether it was necessary for their cause or not. 

And since then, their relationship has become much closer. It baffled Tilda how much closer they grew in the span of weeks in comparison to their years together. 

In the past, Leucadius made sure to teach her whatever she wanted to learn, but that was it. 

Wanna know how to better kill a Martial Artist? Sure it's this way, here is a book that'll give you more details. 

And that was it. 

They occasionally greeted each other, ate together, cracked jokes, did stupid things, but there was that wall Leucadius seemed to set. As time passed, Tilda felt that wall was necessary, after all, he waa only her Master, but recently, she discovered it wasn't really a wall set up by Leucadius, but by her. 

For the first time Tilda and Leucadius actually sparred together in only Martial arts with an intent. In the past, it was all about knowing how to fight, what to expect, forms and all, but now, it was a teaching and learning experience. 

Leucadius actually taught while she actively listened and learned.

"We'll end today's meditation classes today. Take a thirty minute break before our Moral classes." Leucadius said, causing Tilda to groan.

"Is that really necessary?"

"Of course. The most important of them all even."

…

Thirty minutes later, Leucadius and Tilda sat cross-legged facing each other. "What is Evil?" Leucadius suddenly asked.

"Huh?"

"Hmm." Leucadius nodded. 

"Good is that which contributes to the well-being, happiness, and flourishing of conscious beings, like Aristotle said, it is as achieving a virtuous and balanced life. Evil on the other hand are actions or behaviors that cause harm, suffering, or destruction, like Nietzsche said, it is an action that undermines human potential."

"Hmm. Philosophy. I like it." Leucadius nodded and snapped his fingers and brought them to the skies of a village of ninjas where a man had his hands spread out while talking. 

Moments later, with a strong repulsive Force, he obliterated the entire village, killing everyone inside. "My goodness." Was all Tilda could say, considering the level of damage.

"Is that Evil?"

"Certainly!" 

"I see." Leucadius said and then snapped his finger again, bringing them to the day the boy's life took an abrupt turn. They watched his parents die trying to protect him from a group of mercenaries only to die, leading to the awakening of his powers in which he used to kill his parents' murderers. 

The boy walked through the war torn area, met disdainful glance and insults just because he asked for a piece of bread. This continued until he met two friends who took him in and cared for him 

He came to see them as the family he lost and cherished them. They hoped to create a world where there won't be any more wars. They were…Good.

That was until it happened, his brother was forced to die at his own hands due to the manipulation of a regional Lord. 

This incident caused a second awakening, or rather, a forced reawakening which led to the massacre of hundreds of enemy soldiers.

In the end the young man lost his family the second time and this changed him.

However, to accomplish his brother's dream, he got back up and with a change of mindset, went about it. The story continued until the scene of him destroying the village.

"Let me ask you again. Is that Evil?"

Tilda was tongue tied at that point. She'd just watched a young man not much older than her go through what she did but with a loftier Goal. 

He wanted peace, skewered or not, it was an admirable Goal.

The process was the problem. Despite the village being the home of the ones that killed his parents, he didn't even hold it against them and treated them the same regardless. 

He had the mindset that made her ashamed of herself. 

In comparison to him, she was-

"I was once referred to as Evil too y'know?" Leucadius suddenly said and brought them back to reality. "Moses, you know him right?" Leucadius asked and Tilda nodded. "He is the only mortal to have ever called my methods Evil and rebuked me to repent of it." Leucadius said and began laughing.

"He did?"

"The guy had gall, I'll give him that." Leucadius nodded. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"Good and Evil are both sides of the same coin." Tilda replied, causing Leucadius to nod. 

"The battle between good and evil is waged Within each of us. In the face of evil, it is not good enough to just be good. Action is required." 

"Action..? Of which kind?"

"One of my son's students wrote, "Faith without Good work is dead." 

"Ah…I see."

Seeing her understand his words, albeit sadly, he sighed and continued. "The Path to enlightenment begins by acknowledging the darkness within ourselves. You, after all, can not fight something invisible."

"Enlightenment begins with you accepting that there is Good and Evil is you. Light and Darkness. Equally. You are the one that decides which side you'll tilt towards." 

"..." Tilda just looked down and didn't say anything. 

"Try opening a Portal." Leucadius suddenly said, causing Tilda to look at him sharply. 

"You forbade me from doing that." She said, "Didn't I tell you, it's hideous…my Magic."

"I know. That's why I said you shouldn't use it. We've come a long way since then. Try it, and use Dark Energy." Leucadius intoned while raising his two hands to her. "Remember…good…evil…"

"But…what if-"

"Remember what I always say about Fear?"

"That it is good?" 

"Huh? That's right, but not that. I always told you that fear has killed more dreams and potential than failure ever did."

"Oh. I never truly understood that since I wasn't really afraid of the Dark Sorcerers." Tilda shrugged. 

"Hmm, you were afraid of not achieving your dreams. This time, you're afraid of rejection. Rejection from the only people you've finally managed to build an understanding with. Rejection from the world."

"That's-"

"You're also afraid of becoming the very thing that you've hated all your life. The very thing that caused you so much pain. The very thing that took your happiness from you."

"You-"

"You are Afraid."

"..."

"Yes…Yes. I am afraid. Is that what you want to hear, Master? I've always been afraid, but aren't we all?" Tilda said as tears poured down her eyes.

"That's True, but you forget something."

"Huh?" She looked up at Leucadius. "What?"

"You have me as your master."

"You…are speaking nonsense again, aren't you?"

"How? You have my forgiveness. What else are you looking for? Set your gaze upon me in faith and open a portal." Leucadius said majestically and let out his Godly aura and enveloped Tilda. 

Like that, deciding to put her trust in her master, Tilda proceeded to make the hand signs before drawing her hands in a circular motion. Low and behold, different from her expectations, the Portal came out Golden. 

(A/N: It only becomes coloured when you're using Chaos magic. Dark Energy doesn't affect the color of a Portal since they're using universal energy to create it. It's only when created with a characteristic energy does it change color."

"I think I don't have anything else to teach you. Remember that feeling of freedom..? Keep it close."