29 Impression of facade peace (1/2)

The sound of festive folk music and soft hymns would reach the ears of the male who was walking alongside his friend back into the village. ”Riyku!” Someone exclaimed while pointing to the male. ”Hey! Nice of you to join us finally.” Another person called out, people began to greet him. Chuckling the male would return his greetings. ”Thanks, everyone. I appreciate it, truly. I guess I should give the speech.” Riyku was not the centerfold of everyone who had gathered around him. Clearing out his throat while the music died down and everyone settled into a silent state he would begin.

”I know it has been a long and rough time during this war against the armies of the Noble Armata. I understand we have all lost people precious to us. Be them loved ones, or friends, even family. However, the time of war has come to an end. We have stuck out long enough to drive the Noble Armata back to their land!” Riyku exclaimed. ”We are now at a time of peace, with the victory of the goddess who has blessed us. While we celebrate our victory tonight, this will also be a celebration for those who have lost their lives, not in vain, but to have strengthened our bonds with one another. May them finally rest in peace, knowing that we will now stand proud as a Nation of our own!” Riyku exclaimed. People started to cheer and clap. ”Still...” Riyku would silence their uproar. ”We need to remain cautious as we rebuild ourselves. We need to remain steadfast as we proceed into the future. Our Nation will be on to go down in history as the Nation who held against the Noble Armata. We need to set up a bright future for our children, their children and so on so forth so that this Nation will remain as one and stand strong for many eons to come!” Riyku would exclaim. ”As you bask in your well-fought glory, remember that we are strong. Remember that we are proud and remember that we are HOPE!” Riyku shouted aloud it was then that the crowd would begin to cheer aloud. ”Long live Hope! Long Live our leader, Riyku!” The crowds would roar aloud throughout the night.

The festival would start up again and everyone began to dance and enjoy themselves. Several people would converse with Riyku and the person besides who had called referred him as his brother. When everyone went their separate ways, Riyku was left with a cup of wine in hand and his 'brother' beside him. ”We finally did it. It's almost unbelievable.” The guy stated as he looked at the joy-filled festival. ”We did. But it is not over, there is still more to come. Hope will never die, as long as this Nation stands as one.” Riyku stated before partaking of his cup of wine. ”With you being our Leader, we will never know Despair again. To think that the guy we saved all those years ago would bring such prosperity to our land.” The male would chuckle lightly. Riyku would look over to the guy who was tearing up. ”She was right about you, you know. While we all refused to believe and accept you, she was the only one who would stick to your side.” The male stated softly. ”Ah, Racheal?” Riyku inquired to which the male nodded. ”Who else.” The man would swirl his drink his cup while looking at it. ”Your sister was a strong woman. Beautiful and selfless to no end. She did everything in her power to protect someone like me.” Riyku muttered with a half-hearted look. ”Someone like you Eh? She saw the best in you. She saw you for you who you were. I still regret not following her... If I had just chased after her. If someone else had gone with her....” Riyku would place a hand on the male's shoulder with a soft shake of his head.

”You did nothing wrong. Do not blame yourself, Fredrick. I do not blame you or anyone else here for not following her that night. It is entirely my fault for not being able to protect her.” Riyku stated which caused Fredrick to shake his head. ”No. You did all you could. By the time we arrived you had taken out an entire Army of the Noble Armata, alone.... you even had the strength to withstand all that damage and still carry my sister back with us. I did lose my sister... but I can tell that you truly loved her.” Fredrick stated, having noted Riyku's sorrowful gaze. He would bump his glass against Riyku's. ”Come on, let's drink. To Racheal, To Hope, to a Nation of Peace!” Fredrick exclaimed which caused Riyku to chuckle. ”To Racheal, To Hope, and a Nation of Peace,” Riyku repeated before they downed their mugs of wine.

It was then that the memory seemed to have ended with a slow erosion of darkness. Riyku was now floating around his sub-conscious where he saw Seraphina in a soft slumber. Making his way towards her he would smile softly and caress her cheek gently. ”You know, you could have saved her.” A familiar eerie voice called from behind him. Hastily, Riyku turned around to see Harvester who had a slight grin. ”What do you want?” Riyku inquired with a stern glare. ”You already know what I want. For you to agree to my deal. I even let you sample my... well your original power. How was it?” Harvester stated with a smirk. ”Sample? When!?” Riyku inquired hastily to which Harvester snickered. ”When you wanted to save that girl. The skill you used was called 'Glitch'. It is faster than using 'blink' or 'shadow step'. Sadly, that was not the full raw potential of that skill since you are not fully connected to me. The second skill you used is called 'Dark Buff'. It raises your strength tremendously in return for consuming your toughness. It is only temporary, but it is what allowed you to overcome your attack in that brief moment. Just like 'Glitch', 'Dark Buff' was watered down due to the same reasons applied.” Harvester would explain which caused Riyku to narrow his eyes even more. ”Was it also you when I blacked out? Your damn voice was there the entire time.” Riyku stated firmly and Harvester would shake his head. ”No. That is your present power. Dark Form, I believe is what it was called. I won't lie, I did edge you into it. Otherwise, we both would have been dead. But that power alone is presently yours. Why you don't remember is beyond me.” Harvester would reply. ”Shut up already. Stop trying to take over Riyku's body!” Seraphina had shouted from behind Riyku which caused him to look back at Seraphina who was protectively embracing him.

”Take over his body? No, no. I just want him to be ready for what is to come. You are holding back. He needs this power, this strength to overcome the trials ahead of him.” Harvester would state with a shake of his head. ”Bullshit! You only want to his body! You have always been to his body!” Seraphina shouted which caused Riyku to look up at her. ”What are you talking about?” He inquired with a serious expression. ”As I said, Harvester is what you were in the past lives. This is a new you, without the weight of your previous lives. He only wants to take over your body, so he can...” Seraphina caught herself and she turned her head away from Riyku. ”So he can what?” Riyku asked.

Seraphina seemed to not wish to answer. ”Go on, tell him. He has the right to know.” Harvester stated. ”Seraphina...” Riyku stared at her and she finally gave in. ”So he can take revenge against all life. Against everything and everyone that robbed him of everything. But Riyku, you need to know that, that was the past and that this the now! Do not let your past sway your decisions of the present. You have made several great friends, and I stand by what I said when you say you are the happiest I have ever seen you!” Seraphina exclaimed with haste and meaningful expression. ”By all means, she is not wrong. You do not need to let the past sway your present decisions; however, they will come. They will rob you of everything as they have before time and time again. You... as you stand now, are weak. You can not protect anything. You will never be able to save those precious to you, let alone be able to defend yourself. I will say it time and time again, you will lose everything.” Harvester would state before his body began to slowly seep into the darkness yet again.

”Don't listen to him, Riyku. He is just trying to get you to let him take over.” Seraphina looked at Riyku, but the expression of fear was no longer there as it was before. ”Riyku?” Seraphina called out softly. ”I will figure something out. I won't you or anyone precious to me be taken away and I will do it without accepting Harvester's power.” Riyku stated firmly and Seraphina would nod with a bright smile. ”Good to hear. Now, it's time to wake up my love. I am sure the girls are on their final match by now. You should tune in.” Seraphina stated and Riyku nodded before closing his eyes, and when he opened them he was back to looking at a white ceiling.

Riyku would sit up and swing his legs over the bedside. His eyes would glance up to his status bar on his UI. His Shield Points, Mana Points, and Energy Points were not even half full. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he muttered, ”Inventory.” Which brought up the inventory menu before him. He would select three items that looked like vials filled with different colors. All three vials would appear beside him through dim particles of light similar to how his weapons and armor came to be. When he was finished bringing the items out he would dismiss the screen by swiping away from him. Riyku would reach for one of the vials which held a green coloration, remove the cork and down the liquid. He would do the same for the second vial which held a navy blue coloration, then the final vial which held a golden coloration. Once all three were empty the three vials seemed to have returned to his inventory through Weapon Return, and his iris' shifted to his status bar again. There had been little plus marks beside the three gauges which showed that they were rising over time. His eyes would then look towards the screen where the three girls were preparing for their final bout. ”It was a good thing I prepared those. Same they were the only ones I had.” Riyku would mutter to himself. 'Let's just hope those three can kill some time for you to recover.' Seraphina continued to which Riyku would nod silently.

Kristen, Vex and, Lira appeared to be ready for the upcoming battle. They even seemed to feel excited about it, as if they had reserve energy. ”Looks like we'll be able to draw out this battle,” Lira would say with a soft smile. ”Yup. Give him time to recover.” Kristen appended. ”Still, what was that? It looked like what had happened back when Seraphina was first brought here.” Vex declared which drew their attention. ”True... I have an uneasy feeling myself.” Lira added and Kristen nodded. ”We'll need to ask him when we get a chance. For now, let's just do what we can.” Kristen said as she made note of her opponents who entered retrograde of them. The look on their faces did not compare to the look on Riyku's face which was grime. ”Bell...” Riyku growled as he grasped the sheets of the medical bed tightly.

”Hello, you three. Surprised to see me?” Bell would flourish her pink hair behind her. ”Surprised? Nah, we knew you were here. It is a shame though, that we'll be the ones kicking your ass.” Kristen would remark as she slammed her gauntlets together before taking a stance. Vex and Lira would nod as if to agree with Kristen. Bell would scoff as she snapped her fingers. The two burly built men beside her would brandish their weapons. One of them held what looked like a mini-gun while the other seemed to hold a Gunblade. ”Kill them!” Bell commanded and the wind up for the minigun would sound off. ”Disperse!” Kristen shouted and the girls all went separate ways. ”Are you kidding? A mini-gun!?” Vex exclaimed. ”I'll deal with him, you two got for the others. ”Lira remarked as she knocked back several arrows before releasing them at the gun wielder. The wielder would release the trigger and side-step the arrows before winding up the gun again. The barrel was aimed right at Lira and bullets began to fly towards her. Thankfully, she was able to use the mana around her to increase her sprinting speed and was able to outrun the bullets, before returning fire on her own.

Kristen would fly towards the gun blade user, slamming her greaves against the blade of the man's gun blade. Meanwhile, Vex began to chant in the background while waving her staff around. Kicking off the blade, Kristen would land on the ground and dash towards the gun blade user, coming up from under the male who was stumbling back from the force only to smash the gauntlet straight into his jawline and send him into the sky. Vex who had finished her mantra would unleash a spell that would smash the gun blade user back into the ground with ample wind pressure. The male choked out a growl but was not allowed to raise since Kristen had kicked him in the stomach and sent him back towards Bell. Meanwhile, Lira had also pushed back the mini-gun sure with a barrage of bullets and acrobatics. Both men growled at the girls who would regroup, ”These pressies ain't no pushover. Boss, you serious about this?” One of the men asked. ”Yes. Kill them already. Use whatever means necessary.” Bell would command and the two nodded. ”As long as you know what you are getting yourself into.” The guy stated while aiming his gun blade at them. ”You know what to do.” He would remark to his comrade who would nod and wind up the mini-gun. ”Disperse again!” Kristen shouted as the girls broke apart just before the bullets left off; however, the bullets were chasing down Kristen and Vex instead of Lira. Lira would grit her teeth, knockback several arrows and begin to release them upon the gunner. ”Run!” She shouted to Kristen and Vex who were doing their best to outrun the barrage of bullets.