Chapter 173, Humunculi Truth

In the West, the four royals were on the tail of the Homunculus Core production line. They tracked everything to a warehouse and were preforming a raid with knights from their respective nations.

"Let's split up. Everyone keep your eyes peeled." Rose stated as they split up.

Each took a corner of the warehouse carefully inspecting everything. They found many things like tools and machines used for homunculi production but that was all. Just when they thought they had failed Albert finds something unexpected.

"Milo, you guys better see this." Albert called the three to his side.

They were inspecting a suspicious warehouse and stumbled upon something they couldn't believe.

"We'd better contact Arata." Hilde stated.

-----

"Hello? Your highnesses, what do we owe the pleasure of your call?" Autumn asked as she answered her phone.

Autumn, Chase and the White Tiger were staying at the school with Arata and other Spirits. She had just finished her bath when the call came in.

"Autumn, is Arata there?" Rose asked.

"Arata isn't here at the moment. He went on patrol with a few other Braves." She answered. "Why?"

"It's an emergency, we need to talk to him. Can you get a hold of him?" Hilde stated. "It's about 'that'. Can you tell him?"

"I'll call him now." Chase said as he got up from the sofa.

He quickly dials Arata's number and after a few rings Arata picks up.

"Hello? Chase? Is something wrong?" Arata asked.

"It's just the four royals called saying they have something to tell you. It's because of 'that' they say." Chase told him and Arata suddenly fell silent. After a while he speaks again.

"Okay! I'm on my way back!" Arata hamged upon and swiftly returned to the school to everyone's surprise.

-----

"Hello? Hilde, Milo, Rose, Albert, are you there?" I asked as I called them.

"Yeah. We're here." Milo answered as his face showed up on the monitor.

"So, what did you call Arata for?" Will asked.

"Arata, it's about that humunculi core production we told you about." Hilde says a bit hesistant. "We looked into it further and found the source. But... there's something here you should see for yourself."

"Okay. Please send me the coordinates." I answered.

"Okay. We'll wait for you here." Rose stated.

I ended the call and turned to the others. They nodded, we all got ready to depart to the West. Whatever the four found, we need to see it immediately.

"Arata, Theo and Will's team will go with you." Pres. Mayumi stated. "The rest of us will stay here to defend the school."

"Okay. Please be careful." I told them.

The case of that Black Homunculus as we are referring to now is still not finished after all.

"We'll go back with you." Autumn said. "The White Tiger will return as well."

"Thank you. You'll be necessary there." I told them.

We all headed out and I summoned Growth to my side once more.

"Voyager!" I summoned the ship.

We all boarded the ship and departed for the West. I'm kind of curious as to what the four found. I wonder if it's connected to the Black Homunculus?

When we arrive at the location they sent us, we disembark and the four greet us.

"So, what was it you found that we had to come here?" Leon asked.

"Better look at it yourself." Hilde said and opened the warehouse door.

Albert lead us down the steps and to a black door. When we opened it we found something unbelievable inside the room.

"H... how could they..." My voice was breaking. "I can't believe they'd do something so cruel."

Before us, containment capsules that contain the body of Braves and Humunculus alike. I can't... believe they'd do something like this.

----

"How could they..." Arata was trembling.

"Araat calm down..." Angie said. "I know it must be horrible for you but you have to calm down."

"What are you doing, Fifth Generation Fleur, Gregory?" Licht asked.

"Eh? A did a previous generation Sacred Flower posses Arata again?" Theo asked and Arata turned around and we saw that his eyes had changed color.

"Hello. My name is Gregory, the Fifth Sacred Flower. I'm sorry to have borrowed Arata's body but..." He turned to the capsules. "I just can't believe they'd do something like this."

"Do you know anything about this?" Van asked.

"During my time, there were people who tried to recreate the humunculi. I was the one that put a stop to it." He said. "Or so I thought. I can't believe that some of the records still exist. I was sure I had destroyed everything."

"If you've experienced this, then you should know how it ends, right?" Xander asked.

"It ends with them killing a lot of people just to make one Humunculi Brave." He answered. "Right now, there is no medium for recreating the Humunculi Brave. Have you ever wondered where the core comes from?"

"It comes from Vi right?" Mitan asked.

"Wrong. It comes, from a dead Brave." He says. "One dead Brave can create ten Humunculi Braves."

"How could they..." Lia cried. "Then these Braves."

"They're going to be used as mediums for making Humunculi Braves." He said. "I won't allow it. I didn't allow it back then and I won't allow it now! Braves, whether they have fallen in the line of duty or of natural causes, we must honor them."

"No. Not just Braves. All life on this world must be honored. From the smallest to the biggest, from the weakest to the strongest. We honor their lives." He says as he turns to the capsules. "And those, who gave their lives for their brethren, should be honored greatly. How dare they desecrate the rest of the dead. I won't allow them!"

"Gregory..." I couldn't help but feel sorry for him and also empathy. He is right. "The dead should be allowed to rest. How dare they do this to these poor Braves."

"Alexis, you have a kind heart." He smiled at me. "Leave them to me. Please go and find who has done this horrible thing to them. I can sense. Life forms east of here."

"Let's go." Milo said and we nodded.

-----

"Arata... forgive me for borrowing your body without permission." Gregory apologized but I simply smiled.

"It's okay." I smiled. "I'll put them to rest, so you can rest assured."

"Thank you." He smiled.

I open my eyes and I'm back in my body. Will and the others are nowhere to be found. I careful check each one to make sure all are dead, and as I had guessed, they all really are dead.

"Growth." I summoned him to mys die and plucked a feather.

The feather glows into a lotus once again, I place one lotus infront of each tank. Then, I head towards the door. I bow my head to the fallen Braves.

"Thank you for your hard work and I'm sorry you had to go through this." I apologized. "You don't have to fight anymore. I'm sorry... I'm sorry for all that you had to go through because you were chosen as Braves."

"Growth." I summoned him back to my side.

"Oh proud Braves, forgive me for dragging you into this. May you rest now, forgive me, if I'm letting your rest in foreign lands." I apologized and bowed my head once more. "Le Fleur."

The lotuses ignited and burned the whole lab and destroyed the capsules. As the lotuses burned, so did my rage. I promise you, I'll definitely find justice for the cruelty they have done to you. So please, rest peaceful in the warmth of release.