142nd Adversary: Evolution

Dragna Empire.

"Still no news?"

Alec was on his computer in his office when Aeon entered.

"Nope. The tracker I installed inside Miko seems to have been destroyed either when he transformed or during his fight with Nero. If I had known, I would've installed another one while he was unconscious."

"I doubt you'll get the chance. Miko knows about it, so considering his personality he won't allow you to install another."

"Yeah, I thought so as well."

Alec sighed.

"Some people believe Miko left to take revenge against Tang Xian and Dragon Storm."

"Do you think that's the reason he left?"

Alec shook his head.

"I think he went to clear his head. After everything that happened, I'm sure his mind is in shambles. I think getting revenge is the last thing on his mind."

"Hmm…I think he's currently at a crossroad."

"Crossroad?"

Aeon nodded.

"Everyone have points in their lives where they're at a crossroad. I think Miko has reached this point. He now has to make a choice. Will he crumble and fall or will he evolve and conquer once again?"

"A crossroad huh?"

Alec thought about it.

"If there's one thing I'm certain about, it's Miko's will to continue to evolve so I doubt he'll crumble. However, there are many ways one can evolve. There's no way to be certain that his evolution won't cause problems for everyone else."

"Then we'll just have to wait and see what he'll evolve into."

That's when Aeon got a message on his computer. He opened it and read it.

"Is it about Miko?"

Alec nodded.

"It says that Ouroboros brought a message from Tiamat saying that Miko's fine and that he's clearing his head. Apparently, she won't allow him to go and take revenge just yet either."

"I see. Then all we can do is wait until he returns."

Alec nodded.

"I'm kind of curious about what he'll be like once he returns."

***********

Somewhere in the world.

"...…"

Miko woke up under the blue sky with the sun shining down on him.

"…Where am I?"

He sat up. He looked around and didn't see any signs of civilization anywhere. He silently stood up and dust himself off.

"How did I get here?"

"You walked here."

Tiamat appeared in front of him.

"Tia..Ugh?!"

Miko was assaulted by a massive headache. He grabbed his head. Images flashed before his eyes.

He saw Layla with a bloody smile and then saw her body impaled with several tentacles.

(It's not your fault.)

"?!"

His eyes widened and his pupils contracted.

"AHHHHHHH!"

He screamed at the top of his lungs.

"....."

Tia stood there and watched him scream. And then-

*Thud!*

He collapsed onto the ground. Soon after Regis and Ishma who were on his waist transformed into their human forms.

"He's out again."

Regis said.

"I wonder how long it will be this time?"

She stooped down and wiped his face that was covered in cold sweat with a handkerchief.

"Isn't this bad?"

Tia nodded to Ishma's question.

"I never thought he'll develop a mental condition. He's always in a daze, he's having problems with his memories, and he's blacking out pretty often. This is by no means good."

"Yet you're allowing him to roam around freely. You're a heartless one, aren't you?"

"You don't get it, you stupid crow. Miko has always had mental issues, it's just that he's good at handling them."

Tia stooped next to Miko as well. She then sat on the ground without caring about getting dirty. She took his head and let it rest on her legs.

"This is something we can't help with. He has to overcome it himself like he's always done."

"And if he can't?"

"Did you a put your faith in a weak man?"

"Of course not."

"Then he will overcome them. The best we can do is to stay by his side until he does."

Ishma looked at Tiamat and then at Miko and sighed. She sat next to Miko and formed a bladed wing behind her. She used it to block the sun from shining down on Miko.

"At least try to keep him cool, you stupid lizard."

She turned her head and mumbled. Tia silently smiled.

**********

"...…."

Miko woke up under a black, starless, sky. He sat up. There wasn't anything other than him around. It was like he was isolated from everything else.

He stood up and dust himself. Soon, a mirror appeared in front of him and showed his reflection. Miko stared at the reflection and it did the same. And then-

"What a pathetic person you are."

The reflection spoke to him.

"You talked about dominating over and over again and what happened? You were defeated, captured, and became a liability to everyone you cared about."

The reflection changed to an image of Layla. She had holes in her body and was stained with blood. She opened her eyes and spoke.

"This was the result of your incompetence. I died because of you."

Miko stepped back shaking his head.

"Because of your incompetence, Jason had to give up his life just to save you."

"Shut up…"

"People who you swore to protect and to bring happiness, you brought them death and destruction."

"I said shut up."

"Robin was right. You're just a monster that brings destruction to everything he cares about."

"I said shut up!"

Miko punched the mirror and shattered it. He watched as the shards fell to the ground.

"Look at you. Lashing out like you always do."

He looked down and saw an image of himself in the shards.

"That's all you do. Get mad and throw a tantrum."

"Ahh!"

Miko started stomping on the shards. He broke them one after the other while the shards continued to speak.

"You acted like you changed for the better, but you were only tricking yourself. You haven't changed or matured at all. All you do is lash out on everything around you and hope that everything works out."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

Miko shouted as he crushed the shards one after the other.

"You take on the world? Ha! You couldn't even take on Tang Xian. You actually realize it, don't you? There's no way you'll win this war. You'll just lose everything and lash out at the world like you always do. There's no hope for you. There's no salvation for a monster!"

"You son of a!"

He kneeled down and started destroying the shards with his fist.

"Hahaha! Is this who Layla and Jason gave their life for?! I feel so sorry for them! They gave their life up for nothing! Because you're destined to fail!"

"Alright. I've had enough of this shit."

A new voice reached his ears. Someone appeared and stepped on the shards. All the mirror fragments disappeared. Miko to looked up at the new person. They were fair skinned, a bit muscular, had black hair, emerald eyes, and was dressed in a stylish vest suit. Miko's eyes widened when he saw the person.

"Darius?"

"Yo."

Darius greeted him and stretched his hand out for Miko. He looked at it for a while before taking it. Darius pulled him to his feet with a smile.

"What's going on?"

Miko asked.

"That's my question. Why are you verbally abusing yourself? Are you into that kind of thing now?"

"…Of course not."

"Then why?"

"….I guess they were my real thoughts."

"I doubt that. After all, everything you said to yourself was a load of crap."

"No, it was the truth….Darius, I let Layla and Jason die."

*Bam!*

Miko was punched in face by Darius.

"You son of a bitch! How did you allow that to happen?!"

Angry, Darius grabbed Miko's neck and started strangling him.

"You were suppose to take care of them and yet you let them die?!"

Darius lifted Miko off the ground while he strangled him. He shook Miko's body in the air a few times and then-

"That should be enough."

He released Miko and let him fall on his butt.

"Cough! Cough!"

Miko coughed and looked up at him confused.

"Why did you stop?"

"Seriously, are you sure you're not into that kind of thing?"

Darius looked at him strangely before sighing.

"I already know what happened. However, I thought that's how you wanted me to reacted."

He helped Miko up again.

"Let me guess. Everyone has been looking at you with pity and is treating you nicely right?"

Miko nodded.

"Yet no one is talking about your failures, much less scolding you for them."

Miko nodded again.

"Sometimes, kindness and pity can do more harm than good. If you're being devoured by guilt, kindness from everyone around you will only make things worse. You failed yet everyone is acting like everything will be alright….That must've pissed you off."

Darius nodded.

"You're right to be upset. I'm the same as well. It might be because we're too prideful or whatever. I get why everyone's kindness can make it feel like you're the only one facing reality. So that's why I hit and curse you. Did it help?"

"….I guess so."

"Good. Then I can be frank without holding back."

Darius smiled and spoke.

"Miko, you fucked up big time. You can say that everything happened because you were caught off guard, but that's only an excuse. Being prepared is expected in war and catching your opponent off guard is a sign that you're a great warrior. You were inferior to Tang, so you lost. That's all there is to it. Anything else is just an excuse. You didn't have enough information? That's your fault as a General and nobody else."

Miko listened to Darius' words in silence.

"You lost, however that's just a part of life. Your comrades risked their lives for you, that means they loved you. Your comrades sacrificed themselves for you, that means they believed that you're worth betting their lives on. Your comrades would walk through hell with you, that means you're a great leader."

He placed his hand on Miko's shoulder.

"You lost, but don't use that as an excuse to ignore the good things about yourself. You're not only insulting yourself but those that risked their everything for you."

"...Then what do I do next?"

"Huh? Did I strangle you too hard? What a stupid question. There's only one answer."

Darius stepped back and declared.

"You have no choice but to evolve. That's all there is to it."

"Evolve…"

"That's right. If you want to be the last man standing then you can never be satisfied. You must always aim higher, seek to improve, and never stop growing. That's the only way you can win."

"Never stop growing..."

The look in Miko's eyes changed. Darius nodded.

"There's nothing wrong with losing as long as you grow from each lost. Look at how you lost, study those who defeated you, steal their techniques, make them your own, and then evolve. That's the right way to lose."

"I see. You're completely right. I just need to evolve and take it up a notch. I might've really gotten too comfortable lately."

Miko smiled at darius.

"Thanks Darius for coming to me in my time of need."

"You do realize I'm not really here, right?"

Miko nodded.

"The real Darius is dead. You're just a self defensive mechanism that appeared to help stop my panic attack. This whole conversation was just an elaborate way of me talking to myself."

Miko smiled.

"Even So, I'm glad that I got to meet you again."

He got no reply but that was to be expected. After all, there was no one other than Miko there in first place.

"Now then."

He stretched his body with a groan and then smirked.

"I guess I'll evolve."

*******

"Hm? Oh, you're awake."

Tia said to Miko while he looked up at her.

"How long have I been out?"

"A couple days."

"I see. It looks like I took longer than I expected."

He sat up. Ishma and Regis sleeping at his feet.

"You're all on the ground. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry. We did it because we wanted to."

"I see. Thank you."

He shook Regis and Ishma and made them wake up.

"Miko…"

"You're finally awake."

"Yeah. Thanks for always looking out for me."

He stood up and they stood up as well.

"So what's the next move?"

Tia asked.

"For now…."

Miko looked at his dirty clothes and his unkempt hair that was now down to his back.

"Let's clean up and put on clothes worthy of future rulers of the world."