80 Light pt.2 5 - End of Light Arc (1/2)

\”And who are you exactly? How can you fight for us and protect us when our Chief can't? How can we trust you?\” A male soldier asked, he looked like an older version of Xander, the likeness was so striking that they had to be either brothers or some other type of close relative. The main difference between the two was that his hair was short and his eyes were dark and beady.

Sea Karne's face turned purple with anger, \”How dare you question him Helios, apologise now!!!\”

Helios didn't back down, \”Our peoples' lives are in danger, I just want to know who we're entrusting our hope to, nobody knows this outsider. I'm sure we all feel the same, and want to know who he is and what his motivations are for helping us.\”

\”YOU-\” Sea Karne began to yell in anger but Mao Lu stopped him.

\”His questions are understandable Sea, you don't have to get mad at him.\” He said.

Mao Lu turned towards Helios and made eye contact with every council member, a cool aura emenated off of him and he oozed confidence. It made the agitated crowd calm down.

Mao Lu was also inwardly surprised by how calm he was, he generally felt good and in control. At first he'd felt anxious but now his heart was at ease. There were no doubts in his mind.

\”I am a Gatekeeper.\” he said, as that one sentence left his lips, the previous look of suspicion in Helios's eyes turned into stark fear. Many of the other council members immediately fell to their knees. Others bowed deeply and shivered.

All of them knew what a Gatekeeper was and they had all heard tales about them as children. Gatekeepers in their minds were equal to Gods, even practitioners had no right to even look at a Gatekeeper, let alone mortals like them.

Helios's knees gave way and his hands clasped together, \”Please great one, have mercy, I spoke wrongly!\”

\”Enough cowering.\” Mao Lu snapped. He didn't speak loudly but his voice rang in all their ears.

\”As a Gatekeeper I have the ability to help you. And as for why I'm helping you…I...Ever since I became a Gatekeeper I've seen how ruthless existence can be, death is at every corner, and survival is a struggle. The creator doesn't want us to be happy, the creator wants us to be strong. That's what I've come to realise. But does that mean the weak don't have the right to live. You should have be able to grow and become stronger, the children that live here shouldn't be allowed to die without the opportunity to blossom. Existence may be cruel but it's also filled with hope and beauty. I want to save you because I believe in that hope. I want you people to become stronger and live on. And as for your last question...you asked whether you can trust me? Ha\” Mao Lu smirked slightly, \”You're asking about trust in this type of situation? It's kind of laughable. It doesn't matter whether you can trust me or not…

I am your only option.\”

Even though Mao Lu had told them to stop cowering they still shook in fear, staring at him silence. It was rather burdensome, but then again fear was good, it meant they would be obedient.

\”There is a canyon a few miles from the village. I came across it while I was exploring. Do you know about it Sea?\” Mao Lu asked

Sea Karne was confused by this sudden question but he still nodded. \”I know of that Canyon.\”

\”I felt a breeze coming from it, meaning air currents from the surface are coming from that canyon, meaning inside of it is a passage to the surface. You should evacuate everyone to the Canyon and use it as a means to escape.\”

Sea Karne shook his head, \”That Canyon is like a maze and is unmarked territory for me. I fear there are a lot of demonic beasts inside it as well. They'll feast on the weak citizens.\”

Mao Lu's expression became cold, \”Then you'll have to protect your weak citizens. I won't be with you for that journey, it's up to your people to survive and become strong. I'm sure those demonic beasts are far easier to deal with than the Grotesque, so it's up to you which poison you want to pick. Or were you expecting me to babysit your people through this entire thing?\”

Sea Karne shook his head quickly and said in a meek voice, \”No I didn't mean that, but it will be hard for us to navigate out of the can-\”

Mao Lu cut him off, \”I'll have the essences guide your people through the canyon, they know the path. But that's all I'll do for you. Your fate is up to you and your peoples strength from then on.\”

\”W-what will you be doing whilst we escape?\” Sea Karne asked.

\”I'll wait for the barrier to break and hold off the Grotesque and give you more time to escape, and if I'm able to find Wind I'll stop him.\” he replied bluntly.

An awkward silence once again descended upon the chamber as everyone stared at Mao Lu. A vein on Mao Lu's temple slightly bulged as he yelled with impatience, \”Get a move on then!!!! Evacuate the people!!!! We don't have time!!!\”

As if his voice were thunder, they all jumped up like startled birds and ran for the doors. Orders being yelled, and before long the Sapphire pavilion's chamber was almost empty other than Mao Lu, Sea Karne, and a shocked Mero that stood by his side.

Sea Karne bowed deeply to Mao Lu one final time. \”I am eternally indebted to you, I will pay you back one day.\”

Sea glanced at Mero, about to tell her to come with him, but she avoided his gaze, and with a sigh he left the pavillion, alone.

Mao Lu glanced at Mero, \”You should get going, you need to evacuate.\”

Mero stared at him with round eyes, \”You're a Gatekeeper.\”

\”Not the Gatekeeper of this realm but yes, I am one. Does that change your opinion about me? Are you also scared of me now, Mero?\”

\”I...I… I'm not scared I know how kind and gentle you are. You're not like the horrible Gatekeepers in all the stories.\” She replied.

Mao Lu smiled gently.

At that moment a loud horn sounded that filled the entire village. \”Evacuation! Evacuation! Evacuation! Everyone head to the Canyon near the east ridge. I repeat…\”

Mao Lu grabbed Mero's hand, \”Take this, use it to guide the people safely through the canyon.\”

Mero gasped in surprise when she saw a bright blue eel-like creature swimming in the air above her palm. \”Is-is-is this an essence?\”

Mao Lu nodded, \”It's probably your first time seeing one since you're mortal right?\”

\”Un\” she agreed as she continued to stare at the time essence with a mesmerised expression.

The announcement sounded out again.

\”Now hurry and leave.\” Mao Lu said.

\”This....\” Mero had concern in her eyes, \”Isn't this unfair to you. I saw how much you suffered after you saved Xander and I. You're hurt and weak right now. You shouldn't be doing this, you shouldn't be risking your life for us when we don't deserve it. My father caused this is issue why should you bear the burden of it for him?\”

Mao Lu's gaze softened and he reached out his hand and softly stroked Mero's hair, \”You're such a lovely person, to be concerned about me like this.\”

He stroked her hair gently again, \”I understand your point, but these innocent citizens shouldn't have to pay for your father's mistakes as well. And...I'm doing this for a reason….

I was told that I am critical of myself, I'm hardworking, self-disciplined, compassionate, trusting and I also have a strong willpower. I was told that these were my strengths, and that by coming here I would accept these strengths, gain confidence from them and gain further strength from that. But you know what?\”

Mao Lu gave a self mocking smile, \”I think these strengths are just like my shortcomings. My strong will is the same as my stubbornness and my trusting nature is the same as my naivety. I know that these people don't care for me, I know that my compassion is rather useless. It's not like I can save them every time their danger, it's not like all of them even deserve to be saved. Yet I still want to help. This is all so foolish. My bad points are practically aligned with the good ones. I guess that goes with the idea of Ying and Yang. The trials for light and darkness make no sense. Everything is just monochrome. I have neither a completely good side or bad side, in my strengths are weakness and in my weakness there is strength. I can accept that now. I understand now. And it's because I can accept that, because I now understand myself and my motivations, I know that I'll probably continue doing dumb things like this in the future. I feel at peace with myself now, and even though this fight will be hard, I feel confident that I can get through it.\”

Mero looked at Mao Lu with confusion and tears in her eyes, \”Well I wish you the best. I hope you survive this, I hope this isn't the last time I see you.\”

Mao lu flashed a handsome grin, \”I'll definitely live to see you another day. Now go quickly.\”

Mero nodded, just as she was heading towards the door she turned on her heels and ran back to him.

\”Take this, it's a good luck charm my Mother left me before she died. I want you to have it.\” she said quickly, as she pressed a silver chained ruby pendant into his hands. Before Mao Lu could respond she had ran out of the door in a hurry.

Mao Lu looked at the blood red ruby and muttered \”Thank you\” before placing the warm gem on his throat.

\”Mao Lu!\” A voice called.

Mao Lu looked behind him and saw Xander standing there in the doorway. The heavily bandaged stub which used to be one of his arms, made him look rather pitiful.

\”I hear your sacrificing yourself for us.\” Xander said.