Will to protect
1220 Words
Then Alex who saw that Ryuji's battle was also ended, immediately approached him saying. "We did it . . . They're both back to normal human again. Let's get them out of here, I'll take Henry, and you take the man."
"No, just leave the man here. He'll soon wake up and forget all the bad things that have happened. Then he can go home alone."
"Oh, oke then."
"Let's just bring Henry." Ryuji said.
"Alright."
Long story short, some time later, now Alex and Henry are in another place, they are sitting on a bench by the river, while Ryuji is standing while leaning on a pole, he is watching them from a distance. Ryuji didn't want to interrupt the serious conversation between the two childhood friends.
While looking down, Henry said. "A- Alex, I want to apologize."
"No need... You've been forgiven."
"But, my mistake to you is very big. I have made you shunned by many people since elementary school until now. And even I have always treated you badly." said Henry.
"It's okay Henry... Everything that has happened can't be reset. We must continue to live well, and learn from mistakes... I'm glad you realized your mistakes."
"Y-yes, I understand... But to atone for my sins to you. I'm ready to accept any punishment from you, even you can beat me too now."
"Hmm, no, I wouldn't do that."
"Why??" asked henry.
"Because you are my friend. Why would i must beat up my friend?"
"...." Henry was speechless when he heard those words from Alex.
"You still think of me as a friend?" Henry asked.
"You will always be my friend, and most importantly, now you have learned from your mistakes."
"A- Alex." Henry started to cry.
"Honestly, now I've got too many enemies... That's why I don't want to add any more enemies." Alex said as he got up from his seat.
Meanwhile Henry was still looking at Alex in awe, and he said. "I-I don't understand about the power you have or who you have to fight with that power. But I promise I won't tell Anybody else about it."
Then Alex left saying. "Hmm, that's fine then. I'm going home."
"Y-yes."
"... Oh yeah, you better not come to school tomorrow, if you're still not feeling well."
Then after saying that, Alex left Henry there, who now could only look down while regretting everything he had done. He realized that he had done something bad and unforgivable to Alex, but with a big heart, Alex was willing to forgive him. So at that moment, Henry promised himself that he would become a better person.
Long story short, now Alex and Ryuji are in the boxing gym. They were both receiving treatment from Ren and Ara, without Billy there because he seemed to be on a business. Some time before, While waiting for Alex to come to training today, Ren and Ara were surprised by the condition of Alex and Ryuji's bodies that looked shabby because they had experienced a fight against two shadow demons, so they rushed to treat both of them, and for today it looks like Alex will skip the training.
Ara treated the wound on Alex's hand very carefully, she didn't want Alex to feel pain, even though Alex wouldn't feel anything because he was too focused on Ara's face.
"Next time, If you're dealing with an enemy, you'd better contact us immediately." Ren said.
"Yes, you make me worried." Ara added.
"N- nah it's okay... We both can handle it. You guys are busy at the restaurant anyway, right?" Alex replied.
"If there is a friend is in trouble, we will definitely rush to help them." Said Ara.
Ren asked, "Ryuji, why don't you emit a strong life force aura so I can come to help you guys immediately."
"Aah, there's no need. The ones we're fighting are just ordinary shadow demons." Ryuji replied.
Then Alex also asked, "What do you mean by 'emitting life force aura'?"
"As a sword race or shield race, we have the ability to emit our life force aura, which can be felt by others not too far away. So that way we can know each other's position." Ren replied.
"B-but I still can't do that?" said Alex.
"This technique can only be used if your powee is at an advanced level or higher."
"Yes Alex, even I still can't do that too." Ara said.
"O-ouh, I see."
Then, after Alex and Ryuji's wounds were bandaged, they immediately sat down together and faced each other to discuss this matter further. Ren and Ara had heard about the whole story from Ryuji, and what surprised them was that Alex's shield power had now reached level 2, because when fighting the demon Henry, Alex was able to create a larger shield size, and with more varied shapes.
"Tell us Alex, how did you feel when you were able to get the shield power level 2?"
"I-I feel good."
"What prompted you to increase your power?"
"Umm... When I was fighting the demon Henry, I felt sadness and suffering from within his body, so I really wanted to save him... I- i want Henry to be released from that suffering and eliminate the demon that is taking over his body."
"Hmm, that's it."
"What?"
"The will to protect, and the desire to save others ... Those two desires will make the shield race stronger."
"Is it true?"
"Of course... You have to fight for those two desires. Although there are also shield races or sword races that have grown stronger due to their anger which has polluted their fighting spirit, so they prefer to use their power for destruction."
"Wow... T- there's also such a case?" Ask Alex.
"Yes... The members of the Sword of freedom are only a small part of that. And even that was what happened to me in the past. Before I joined this group, the Power that I possessed had taken many lives, as a result of my own arrogance." Ren said.
"Brother." Ara warns her brother not to remember about it.
Then Ren continued his words, "I'm happy Alex, because you choose to fight based on that good will. The desire to protect, you must continue to maintain that desire to keep getting stronger... I have faith in you, that you will become a Holy knight Great one, and you will bring an end to this conflict that has been too long, so then we can all focus more on eradicating the shadow demons. Instead of fighting each other," Ren said.
Then Alex said, "You'd better not get your hopes up too high, I- I just..."
"It's okay Alex, I have big hopes for you too." Ara said.
"Me also." Ryuji added.
This caused Alex's face to turn red, and he was speechless. He had just earned the trust of the people he admired, of course it made Alex happy and a little burdened, but even so he did have to fight to keep getting better, because after he saw what had happened to Henry, then he didn't want that to happen to anyone else, moreover he had a great power within him that he could use to save many people. And it is a responsibility that he must carry.
- Writer
