Chapter 23 - Conflicting Intentions

"Wait so you can use all four of those different essences?" Aaron questioned.

"Yeah, but right now I could only use wind." Kaden answered.

"Oh so you're basically right on par with me for the time being. Speaking of which, I think it's about time I get my payback for earlier." Aaron said as he raised his hand towards Kaden.

"About that, listen bro I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose."

"Looked like it was on purpose to me."

"That was before I actually knew that you were, yanno you." Kaden exclaimed. "I wouldn't hurt you for real."

"There's a very sensitive joke I could make about that statement." Aaron said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah I know, you don't have to say it."

"Heh heh, I'll always have that on you... Seems like you've been getting by fine for the most part."

"What made you say that?" Kaden questioned.

"Well just before I came here, I ran into a girl that seemed to really care for you and said you were her friend."

"That means I was getting by fine?"

"The Kaden I knew only ever talked to girls if he was interested in cutting them down."

"Who said I'm not?" Kaden questioned with a sly grin.

"You really asking for it." Aaron said as he raised his palm towards Kaden again.

"I'm joking. I didn't really have a choice but to talk to her with how she found me in that cave... She's a strong person though. I respect her."

"Oh yeah this is definitely another world." Aaron playfully said.

Kaden chuckled briefly before going silent and gazing at the roof.

"...Things were going pretty good."

"So how did you get in the state I found you in?" Aaron questioned.

"...You see there are these trials, seven of 'em. Apparently if we pass all then we could possibly go back to our old world."

"What!? Are you sure that's possible?"

"I don't know but it's what they told me." Kaden answered.

"There's so much questions I have about that. Ever since I've found out multiple realities exist, it's been easy for me to believe a lot of the extraordinary things happening in this world. Maybe time flows differently between the two worlds, so if you were to make it back, it may be a case where only half a second passed in that world."

"Yeah yeah, theorize all you want I don't have the mental capacity to think about it to that extent." Kaden stated.

"No no, you're just lazy and don't wanna think about it. So what happened during this trial? Elder Aira told me you took on one of them."

"...I saw my old man."

Aaron's eyes widened from disbelief of what Kaden told him.

"He was just like the way he was years ago, maybe even worst." Kaden explained. "He told me that you dying was completely my fault and I never deserved anyone like you in my life. He pressed me about how I treated mom, about how stupid it is for thinking anyone wants me to come back to that world. About-"

"I don't care about what he has to say, and you shouldn't either." Aaron stated. "That guy only ever used you as an outlet to release his anger and never actually had a care in the world for you."

"But he's right though."

"Right about what?!"

"...The people that was close to me only wanted to leech off of my money. The moment I got money I ditched my mom and left her in conditions she couldn't escape from on her own. I couldn't even give her a call to let her know that I was doing okay. She probably stopped caring for me too."

"That's wrong." Aaron stated. "She didn't want me to tell you, but during the last three months when we were alive me and her actually talked frequently. She asked me about how you were doing and if you were finishing college or not. After your father died she felt as if you were the only piece of family she had. She was content with knowing that you were alright but it was easy for me to tell that she wanted to hear your voice again. She cared about you."

Kaden gripped his own arm tightly as he painfully listened to his mother's true feelings which he knew nothing about.

"...If anything, I want to apologize to her." Kaden said in a voice full of regret.

"Then go do it. That choice is yours and yours alone."

As determination swelled into Kaden's face, he nodded to Aaron and stood to his feet.

"I'm going back." Kaden said confidently. "Nah, we're going back."

"...Huh?"

"If I'm doin' this, you're coming back with me."

"Yeah... about that." Aaron said looking away.

"You don't wanna go back?"

"It's not that... Look I don't really understand it but I can't stay here."

"What, here in Aestus? These people are easy going for the most part, they wouldn't really care."

"No Kaden... I'm gonna be executed."

"What do you mean?" Kaden questioned with a confused look.

Aaron sat in silence for a few seconds before detailing the situation he's been in since arriving to Aestus.

.....

"What was that loud noise from earlier?" Elder Mildred questioned.

"Nothing worth mentioning." Elder Aira replied. "It was rocky at first but those two seem to be reacquainting quite fine."

"So those two really came from the same world. That's fascinating." Elder Alex said as he looked up to the ceiling.

"Coincidences are scary." Aira stated.

Elder Aira noticed Mai sitting alone in a corner, circulating water in the air with her finger.

"How are you feeling Mai?" Aira questioned.

"I'm alright."

"After all of this is finished we-"

A door bursting open on the second floor alerted everybody in the vicinity, but before anyone was able to react, Kaden stormed down the stairs engulfed in rage.

"What do you mean by "execution"?" He asked as he stared down every Elder in the room.

They all hesitated to answer as Aaron made his way down the stairs behind Kaden. The Elders glanced at each other without anyone giving any form of answer towards Kaden question.

"Don't play stupid now!" Kaden exclaimed.

"Calm down." Aaron said.

"How!? What kind of shitty joke is this? You let me reconnect with my bestfriend who I thought was dead, just to kill him again for sure this time?"

"We didn't bring him here, this was all by chance." Mildred explained. "We figured it would help you if a situation like this one arose."

"So why are you executing him if you brought him here to help me?"

"Because he's a resurrection."

"What's the difference with me?!" Kaden questioned.

"You're a lost spirit Mr. Adams." Alex answered. "You ended up in this world completely by chance, while um, Mr. Cooper here would have never made it here if it wasn't for that girl."

"The practice of reviving the dead is highly shunned upon, and calls for immediate punishment." Mildred added. "The fact that we've prolonged his execution this long has only angered the gods."

"If this is how it is, then you might as well kill me too."

"Kade-" Mai began to say before Elder Aira held her hand out in front of her.

"That isn't an option for me Mr. Adams." Alex replied.

"I don't care." Kaden said sternly. "Whatever you think I could offer this place is beyond me if there's nothing you can offer me."

"You're being a bit to drastic Kade." Aaron stated. "I understand where your frustration is coming from, but don't throw away your second chance because of me."

"...It ain't worth it. I know this is selfish but I honestly don't care. If I have a choice, then I don't want to lose my friend again, not like this."

"We'll talk it over." Elder Aira stated.

"We'll do what?!" Mildred questioned in shock.

"I call another Elder's Gathering."

"This is absolutely absurd Sister Aira! To even consider allowing this bad omen to stay in this village for even a minute longer than it has to be. Brother Alex I understand that you're quite fond of this child but surely he is asking for too much here."

"...This discussion will continue at the gathering." Alex said after a few seconds of deliberating with himself.

Mildred was left speechless by the decision her fellow Elders had settled on.

"Mai go and alert the others on what has transpired here." Aira commanded.

"Yes ma'am." She replied as she sprung up from her seat.

Mai swiftly left but not before she gave a gaze to Kaden from the side of her eye. He watched her with neutral eyes as she left and didn't mutter a single word to her.

"Damien!"

"..."

"Yes Elder Aira." Damien replied as he came through the door a second later.

"Take Aaron here back to his holding."

"Holding?" Kaden questioned.

"Relax yourself." Aaron said as he held onto Kaden's shoulder. "I promise we'll get a chance to talk again."

After giving him a small amount of reassurance, Aaron walked pass Kaden and the Elders without saying another word. Damien escorted him out of the premises while uneasiness filled the air around the remaining four. There wasn't a single person that had the slightest clue about what the others might be thinking.

"He was here before I went to take on the gate." Kaden concluded. "That was the reason behind the first Elder's Gathering."

"He was one of the reasons, yes." Aira answered.

"If you knew that we knew each other then why wasn't I told about this?"

"That's enough! I'm not answering anymore questions from an outsider." Mildred exclaimed as she also left the premises.

"...So I'm regarded as an outsider." Kaden stated. "I shouldn't even be surprised by that."

"Whether you're an outsider or not doesn't matter, because we recognize you as a member of this village." Aira stated. "Whether you've been here for your entire life or just a few weeks, when it comes down to protecting one another, that takes priority over anything else."

"So how difficult is it to recognize Aaron too?"

"..."

Elder Aira and Alex looked over to each other briefly, with Aira displaying an empathetic look on her face while Alex stayed visibly neutral.

"We'll update you on this matter later Kaden." Aira said as she turned her back to him.

Kaden balled his hands into fists as he attempted to restrain his own frustration. Just before he retreated back into his solitude of the bedroom Elder Aira had one last statement to get across to him.

"Just know that I'm on your side, and not just me, there are others standing in your corner as well."

Kaden watched in a state of confusion as she and Elder Alex took their leave. Leaving him alone once again in the confinement of the Aira's residence.

"On my side." Kaden thought to himself. "How am I supposed to believe that? After the unreasonable request I made, and the burden I am to everyone here. I'm an outsider, so why would any of them be in my corner..."

Kaden leaned against the wall and gazed up the flight of stairs for a few minutes in total silence. Pondering on a specific conversation that he had with a certain someone, he released a deep sigh before he too made his way to the front door of the house.

"I want to escape this place." He remembered the person said.

"I wonder if that's still the case." Kaden said as he opened the door and stepped outside.

Two Hours Later.

"Why is it that Elder Claire is always so hard to find?" Mai asked speaking to herself. "The others were probably waiting for her all that time."

Mai strolled down the hill which led up to the Elder's Courtyard after spreading the word of the gathering to the other guards and Elders. She planned to make her way back home since she thought Kaden was alone their once again. She also planned to find out more about the relationship between Kaden and Aaron and what exactly caused Kaden to slip into that state of depression. As she walked down the pathway, the figure of a person caught her attention just out of the side of her eyes. She wandered off of the path to investigate the figure and found that it was Kaden.

"Kaden!" She called out.

He turned around to face her as soon as he heard her call.

"Where are you going?" She asked as she walked over to him.

"I've actually been looking for you for a while now." Kaden explained.

"Is that so?"

Kaden stared at her with a look of determination painted on his face. Somethings was obvious still weighing on his mind, but Mai had no idea what it may be.

"...If you had the chance..."

"The chance to do what?" Mai questioned.

"It may be a bit too early to ask her something like this."  Kaden thought.

"Nevermind. Actually, I was wondering if you were free right now?"

"Yes I am." Mai responded.

"I want to resume our practicing. I want to be able to use water essence."

A gentle smile cracked into Mai's face as she was pleasantly surprised by what she just heard.

"Of course. We have some catching up to do, it's been a while." Mai stated.

"I'm relying on you Maira."

"Don't call me that." She said as she walked ahead of him. "You remember where the pond is, come on."

"I'd say she's one of those people who Granny Aira thinks is in my corner. I'll find that out for myself, but for right now I need to get stronger. If she still has the mindset that she wants to escape from this place, then I wouldn't mind bringing her with me."