Overcoming Grief

[Jaque POV]

Present

Snapping back to reality with the two figures of Tartian and Arcus still fresh in my mind, I look at my hand and feet, at the goblins around me, the goblin slowly approaching Arius to deal the final blow, Lorraine hugging Arius with tears flowing down her face and at Arius himself laying in Lorraine's embrace with blood flowing out his back.

'Stay safe... Stay safe... Stay safe... Stay safe... '

With tears flowing down my face and my friends' last words raging louder and louder in my head, I feel like the swirling emotions that have been bubbling have reached their limit. I feel like something snap inside of me. I must do something! I must stop this! I won't it happen again! I won't lose anyone, not to goblins or NOT TO ANYONE!

With this thought, I feel something inside me change. Something had started to burn.

"AAAAARRRGGGGG!!!"

Without a second thought, I charge toward Arius and Lorraine. I slashed at any goblins blocking my way. Beautiful plumes of flames accompanied my sword, burning and killing goblins and even several meters away. I feel a pain in my left shoulder. Without looking back I knew it was an arrow. Turning around to face all the goblins running after me and saw the archer in the back. Gripping my sword filled with flames, I perform a horizontal slash causing an arc of flames to fly toward the archer killing all the goblins before finishing off the archer.

Turning back around, I start sprinting toward the goblin standing over Lorraine and Arius.

"GET AWAY!!"

I slam my body into the goblin sending it flying back into a bush. I follow it and kill it by slashing its chest with my sword. This time there were no flames produced by my blade. Walking towards Arius and Lorraine, I get a sudden piercing headache that brings me to my knees.

Trying to fight the headache, I look at Lorraine telling her what to do.

"Cah, huff, Lo-rraine, I have a potion in the chest, give it to Arius to heal him.."

"Brother Jaque! Watch out!"

Raising my head, I see an arrow coming for my head. With not enough time to dodge and this stupid headache disorienting my vision, I put up my left arm to block. PSST! With the pain coming from my pieced forearm and a swirling headache, I slowly felt my consciousness fading. No, not now! Not with that goblin archer out there. I look to Lorraine and say a few words before collapsing.

"...Lo..raine. Stay...safe...run.."

...

[Lorraine POV]

Hearing Big brother Jaque's last words and seeing him collapse, I feel like crying again even though I've long run dry of tears to shed. Why am I so useless?

"First, brother Arius and now Big brother Jaque. Why can't I do anything? Why can't I help? Just when I said that I wanted to be a great fighter and warrior."

"I'm such a coward!"

'No, your not, believe and overcome! Muster your courage and find the strength to protect your loved ones.'

"How can I? All I can do is hide behind this shield. I don't even have a weapon!"

'Find a weapon, make a weapon, use your fists! Find a way to succeed and overcome. Lest you want Arius and your Big Brother to die.'

Balling my fists not knowing what to do, I hear another arrow hit my shield. I hear the laugh of the goblin archer and turn to glare at him. Noticing my glare, the goblin keeps laughing and starts slowly trying to find another arrow to shoot.

Fed up, I stand up with rage burning in my eyes!

"That's it, you hurt them enough! And STOP laughing!!"

I quickly look around and my eyes pause on the dagger in Arius' hand. I bend down and take it into my hand, gripping it as hard as possible.

'Brother Arius, I'm borrowing for a second. I need to protect you guys.'

I try to hold the dagger and shield but I quickly drop the shield. Holding the shield and dagger is too heavy for me. I knew was weak but I was too determined to give up now. Holding the dagger and the arrow that that stupid goblin shot at me. I start running toward it.

Making eye contact with me, the goblin quickly knocked an arrow on his bow. This time the arrow he was using was a lot different from the last one. It was simply a sharpened stick with a few leaves on it.

I keep running faster and faster and the goblin started pulling back the string getting ready for our final showdown. Closer and closer, everything else blurring out of existence, I feel as though at this moment it was me and this goblin and only me and this goblin. Ready the kill.

Taking another step and getting within 5 meters, the goblin releases the arrow with full killing intent. Eyes wide, I see the arrow quickly approaching and taking in a breath, I swing the dagger in front me to intercept the arrow.

4 meters

3 meters

2 meters

Slash!!!

Ke KE KE

The goblin laughs at my early swing thinking that he's beaten me but he's wrong! The arrow, flying in mid-air, breaks into many splinters scratching my face.

GRA!

"ARRRR"

Seeing the arrow get destroyed in front of me, the goblin quickly turns around to try to and run away. I appear behind it with an arrow gripped high above my head. I drive the arrow deep into the back of the goblin.

Ha huff ha ha ha

With the arrow deeply logged in the back of a now dead goblin, I drop the shield and dagger and, without looking back, run towards Arius and Big Brother Jaque. I quickly search the chest for the potion Big brother Jaque told me about. Moving fruits, powders, materials, papers and clothes out of the way, I finally see a light red potion. It was really small, no bigger than the size of my palm with various artistic engravings on the bottle itself.

Grabbing the potion with my eyes wincing from the pain of the splinters in my hands, I quickly arrive before Arius and pull off the lid to the potion.

"How!"

I gasped in surprise! While he was still in a pool of blood, there were no longer any traces of injuries on him. He looked perfectly fine!

'Stop dilly dallying, a minute more and your Big brother will die!'

Listening to the voice, I turn around to see Big Brother Jaque on the ground with arrows still pierced into his shoulder and forearm. His face was sweaty and pale with a dark tone to it. His breathing was short and rapid. His arm in particular was a deep blackish colour.

With no time to waste, I quickly pour the potion into his mouth, holding his head to help him to drink it. After this action, I feel my adrenaline rush end and I am rocked with a sense of fatigue. I feel my eyes closing. Unable to fight against my body, I drift to sleep still wanting to ask who that voice was.

[??? POV]

"Those old fogies, sending me to this place in the middle of nowhere. Has the situation already gotten that bad? Those things have started wreaking havoc in the north, and here I am in the south, the farthest place from the fun. Those stupid fogies!"

Travelling above the tree line, I hear screams from below. I look down to see a group in a wagon being ambushed by a group of goblins.

'Looks like there's some fun down there, might as well watch to relieve some boredom.'

...

I never thought that a fight between Copper ranks would be so fun! The fright, the nerves, the upsets. Two kids capable of killing a being who should be a magnitude stronger than them and that demi-onic! That demi-onic must've overcome some sort of barrier, managing to awaken his ability by taping deeper into his bloodline. Incredible! I never thought the lives of the ordinary would be so exciting.

...

Seeing the demi-onic fall to the ground from mana exhaustion and poisoning from the arrows sticking into him, I focus my gaze on the little girl of the group, wanting to know what surprise she'll bring to the table.

Though she might not meet or exceed my expectations, unlike the other two, she seems to be normal. Cowardly and afraid. Things that only when the weak are faced with a logically impossible challenge.

"First, brother Arius and now Big brother Jaque. Why can't I do anything? Why can't I help? Just when I said that I wanted to be a great fighter and warrior."

'a great fighter and warrior?'

Hearing a phrase that was all too familiar to me, I feel an unusual connection to her. On a whim, I decide to give her a hand.

'No, you are not...'

After giving her a little push and seeing her kill the goblin, who just moments ago was an undefeatable obstacle, I smile. Way to go girl! Reminds me of a certain girl of the past.

...

Seeing the little girl finally giving the potion to the demi-onic and falling asleep, I see a light golden aura appear around her. I grin. ZIP! Arriving before her, I put my finger on her forehead.

"Lil one, I'll give you a chance to become my apprentice. That potion managed to clear the toxins in his body but the toxins in his arm are far too concentrated. I'll stop the toxins from spreading but the arm is beyond saving. You must break the news to him and he'll need to have it amputated. Awakening so early shows talent. Choose wisely O great fighter and warrior."

Without looking back, I fly away to quickly fulfill the orders of those old fogies.

_______________________

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Item: General regeneration potion

Quality: 1-star Copper

Effects:

Minor Regeneration

Minor Detoxification (can detox 1-star copper poisons of moderated concentrations)

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