40: Goodbye For Now I

Shale explained everything that occurred from Freed - rather Refed - leaving the Everlastings settlement to now, and needless to say, everyone was angry, and none other than Evermore who couldn't see past the fact they were the ones who had caused all of their anguish. Machi had cooled everyone down, but that was because he saw past it, Freed was going to become this way whether they liked it or not.

"Look, as you guys now know, Freed is after me because I'm my father's son, a Hallows. But he's also after me because of who I've become, a rifter, a ki user, an ice user who has accessed my father's blood." Machi began and Ever looked to her son and he smiled a little. "And yeah, going after Freed is suicidal but I'd rather be away from this world and have it remain safe than stay and potentially cause the destruction of this world."

Shale knew he had a tough decision to make. "I'm going, away, on an expedition indefinitely. I guess that's what you'd call it. But after learning about my father, how extensive his history goes and how massive the universe is, why shouldn't I go and explore? I have the power to, and I can keep Freed's attention away from Earth."

He hadn't spoken to Rocco or the girls about this, but he knew this was something he had to do, and whether they agreed or not didn't matter.

*

Rocco, Mira and Karma had a group meeting.

"Machi is leaving," Rocco stated and the girls nodded. "And he probably will go alone so I say we teach that idiot that he doesn't get to take us on one adventure and leave us just when it gets good." They nodded in agreement.

Seeing Machi return, he was a little frightened by the round table meeting that was occurring and looked to the trio who were intensely staring at him. "W-What?"

"Machi, if you plan on leaving on an adventure without us then you better be prepared for the beating of a lifetime," Mira warned and he just stared at them.

"You don't think we'd want to come?" Karma asked. "Look I dunno about you but learning that there's a whole universe of idiots I can mess with because they follow Freed is so damn satisfying to me." She argued and Rocco chuckled at her reasoning.

"Dude, if you think I'm gonna let you go after everything, 7 till now, you're mistaken. Don't care if you'll outlive me or not, I'm fine with it. Also, I have this weird sense of obligation to help you against Freed because I was the one to find that location where he kept the limiter and it spiralled into all of this."

Machi looked down and chuckled. "Alright. But before we leave I need to go to Everlastings with everyone." With Shale currently talking to Zac and Dawson about their home, Silver, Emery, Codex and shockingly Jin being shown around by Annie and Jae and Hyuse conversing with the leaders Hogwood and Hellyer, Machi saw it fit for them to visit Everlastings before he - rather they - left for their adventure.

Machi went to relay his plans to everyone and everyone agreed to visit Everlastings, as it was, after all, Machi's heritage,

*

Arriving at Hendge Collapse, since it was the easier way to travel back to Everlastings, Anne admired her handiwork.

"I'm tired." Was uttered by Kai and Zac who were annoyed that this trip was one where they couldn't use their abilities. Kai was tired either way and Zac seemed a bit out of shape.

Dawson and Jo led the rear with Silver and Hyuse while the front was led by Shale, Jae, Hogwood and Rocco. Machi was in the middle with the others and the atmosphere was tense between mother and son. After Machi announced he was leaving out of nowhere and not even telling his mother first, she was rather annoyed and saddened by the fact.

Well. It was supposed to be tense. But when you have Mira and Machi dragging Karma to the entrance, it really makes for some conversation.

Lord Hellyer, Jo and Zac were heading there as they were deemed one of the 5 Powers of Earth by Everlasting leaders. Dawson and Ever didn't want to leave their spouses alone. Kai joined to make some sense of their world and their living, leading to Anne joining because Kai and Zac's duo meant trouble.

"Why are we even heading to Everlastings?" Karma asked as she finally relented. Having previously told no one, Machi sighed and saw the 'ɴᴏ ᴛʀᴇsᴘᴀssɪɴɢ' and the jail time they'd be getting if caught.

"Speaking of which... didn't we—"

Mira and Karma held his mouth and Rocco chuckled before walking to the edge. "Abilities shouldn't be used here," Rocco yelled and Klaus Sunridge felt a tick inside of him, someone less than him commanding the unit heading to this world, "the land is unstable and there are waves of temporal energy emitting from here."

Machi smirked and chuckled. "Look at him acting all knowledgeable."

"He's your friend for the longest while," Mira reminded, "he obviously will catch some things."

They followed the same route the group previously - the air current carrying them across did raise eyebrows - until they arrived at the temporal distortion.

"So this is how you arrived at our world." Jae mused. Everyone surrounded it and Machi nodded.

"Well, see ya."

Machi and Rocco jumped through, with Mira and Karma following right after and they disappeared into the distortion. Everyone just stared at them before Shale, Silver, Emery and Codex followed.

"Is this truly safe? What if we are being sent to our deaths?" Klaus argued. Jae and Hyuse didn't pay any mind to the negative Klaus Sunridge and jumped in, leaving the humans to decide if they were going to take the plunge or not.

"I could be reading into this a lot, but this basically shows whether we trust Machi, Rocco, Mira and Karma," Anne spoke. "And I mean... I do."

She stood at the edge and everyone watched as she closed her eyes and fell through the distortion.

"I trust Karma's judgement," Lord Hellyer spoke, "she wouldn't follow just anyone. Especially not like this."

"Mira too. The girls are hard heads and strong-minded. Maybe a bit too hot-headed too." The leaders of Ashmire and Seraph Haven entered, leaving Kai, Dawson, Jo, Zac, Klaus and Evermore.

"I do trust them. But I really want to see how this civilisation has developed. If it's different to us or not." Kai admitted sheepishly and jumped through.

Dawson noticed Jo just jump in without a word and he grabbed Klaus and pulled him after his wife jumped through.

"Ever. I'm going through it. I hope to see you on the other side." Zac smiled and jumped into distortion.

*

As Zac landed on a tarp, he noticed others had arrived - awaiting their arrival.

"Is this the final one?" Xox asked.

"I don't know."

As all the captains lined up, Machi noticed a lightning strike come down and struck right next to the tarp, leaving an air of smoke.

"Well. Nice to see we have someone who's able to fall gracefully." Charlotte chuckled and Jin was intrigued by this last addition.

Lining up with everyone else, with Machi in the middle, Zac smiled at Ever who stood next to Jo and Kai.

"Machi, I see you have bought guests." A chuckled. "The King is awaiting your arrival."

"Already? That was rather quick." Machi walked past the captains and into the settlement.

Noticing no one was moving, he turned around and looked at the group. "Let's go."

"Can we walk right in?" Zac asked and Machi nodded.

"Machi Hallows is the bloodline of the 10th Captain," Xox revealed, "and the doll who goes by Carbine is a former Knight of Everlastings."

They all knew this but it was still a shock. "Hallows are always welcome in Everlastings, their home is here. But as Cain—Carbine said, Machi's home is Academy City. That doesn't mean he doesn't have a home here." Shale smiled. "He unintentionally saved us from a coup d'etat as well."

They followed the Captains in and Machi had reasons for arriving and only told Shale. "Xox and Jin will show you around, Machi has a private meeting with His Majesty." Shale smiled. "Is there anyone you want to bring?"

"No."

*

Zac and Kai were the most intrigued and Karma was the most annoyed. She was held up in Silver's training room to avoid the nobles.

Klaus stuck by Dawson due to his major fear and Rocco was explaining different things about the world to Zac that he found interesting.

"Their tech isn't as advanced as ours, but their knowledge on other topics is much greater."

Kai was inspecting the tech and came to numerous discoveries that he would never have hoped to answer if he had never taken the plunge and come.

But Evermore, she was shocked by the fact this is where her son's heritage lay. Where Rylan and his father's bloodline ran. Zac noticed her solemn look, realising that Machi's bloodline was rich and... alive. "If Carbine hadn't essentially declared Machi's home was Earth, we'd have snatched him up and given him the position he deserves," Shale explained. Evermore looked up and nodded.

"The Hallows were a line wiped out by Freed," Jae sighed, ashamed they weren't able to prevent that, "at least, that's what we believed until Machi appeared a month ago. His Majesty, more powerful than what you could even fathom, listens and acknowledges Machi's strength and position in the world."

Shale smiled and Xox elbowed his back. "Stop acting so smug."

"Why? I'm the one who believed in the kid. The fruits of my effort have paid off." He smiled and Astra grabbed both of their shoulders and glared at them.

"If being sliced in half was a part of your plan, I will send you to mother to be ripped apart and put back together, cousin." Astra threatened.

Jo and Anne looked at the trio and were shocked. "They're family?" Kai asked and Jin nodded.

"Astra and Shale are cousins by their mother's. Both are captains of their own squad. Shale is the second strongest in Everlastings."

 Wondering what kept Machi for so long, Zac turned to see Rocco appear.

"Where did you go?" Mira asked.

"Watched Karma and Emery fight." He climbed up the stairs - looking for Silver.

*

Carbine and Machi had finished what they were saying to the King and Windsor was quite shocked by the fact it was a request.

"Machi Hallows, the 10th castle is your birthright. As Victor Hallow's grandchild, you are the one who can return the 10th back to its former glory. However, you plan to head into the universe don't you?" Seeing him nod, the King sighed and got up. "That is also fair. I shall keep Carson as the voice for the 10th however must you want to voice your opinion, I shall allow you to do so as the unintentional saviour of Everlastings."

Carbine seemed entirely OK with the whole thing while Machi just went along. He wasn't fit to lead, not yet. But... "one day, in the distant future, when I'm more mature and capable of taking on large squads under my command, I'll return and be the captain of the 10th squad." Machi revealed. "And I'll finish off the mission the previous captain - my grandfather - had begun."

Shocked by his words, the King held his hand out and Machi shook it. "Machi Hallows, you are a strange one. Windsor, escort us to where the Captains are."

*

Karma arrived and Mira joked about how there could be people falling for her in the room right now. But before a fight could break out, the Eternals bowed at the pressure of their King. Mira, Rocco and Karma did the same - used to the feeling of the King around them.

"His Majesty, King Yuma Aegrianne, Ruler and Protector of Everlastings." Windsor announced and Yuma smiled at his granddaughter.

"Your Majesty, you did not need to arrive here. We—"

"It's OK," Yuma patted Jin's shoulder, "I've talked with Machi Hallows, and heard his words and his requests."

"Requests?" Rocco asked and Machi nodded.

"Victor Hallows, an old friend of mine and many elder Eternals, began a solo mission alongside Cain Briers - now Sir Carbine - to prevent the universal takeover by Refed Jaeger - known to all now as Freed. His grandson, known on Earth as Machi Harkness, and here as Machi Hallows, has agreed to break the chains of control Freed has on the universe."

Everyone looked to the 22 year old and he nodded. "This was the first of four things. Second, was accepting a small group of humans to begin the start of an alliance. That is something you may have to discuss upon you humans."

The fourth thing, was going to shock everyone. "Third. Machi has requested the unlocking of the 10th castle."

All the captains were shocked. "Your Majesty-"

"As you know, the 10th castle has been locked as there isn't anyone with Hallows blood able to open it and I refused to bypass the system as the castle was not relinquished like the 3rd. But locked to keep secrets Victor was hiding from Freed."

Jin and Shale had realised it then. "You can't mean—"

"My home yes, is Academy City. However, I have a birthright and a heritage here. People that relied on the Hallows."

The King smiled.

"Machi Hallows will resume the 10th Captain seat on the day he sees fit."