Chapter 20: Informing Everyone

Ten days had passed quickly. During his secluded time in the lavish room, an attendant, sent by Ariel, has visited Zax, but was let off right away. Zax wanted to spend the ten days getting to know his new strength and contemplate how to use his remaining year in New Earth. For that he required privacy and seclusion.

Ten days later the attendant returned and humbly showed Zax out of the Path Arena from his luxuriant dwelling in its VIP floor.

Getting home to cave twenty five by a company aircraft of the Path Arena, there were messages from Don and Anet waiting for Zax and kept by his parents.

Although it was never said outloud, Don’s and Marksim’s goal in recruiting Zax as an Eden Formation’s student and Pearl, from the very beginning, was for him to glorify the school in the great Martial Competition.

Still in the Martial Competition, when Don heard that Zax relinquished his participation in the competition and even his place in the top ten, she instantly displayed a grave countenance. It was only after she were praised by Supreme Ruler Ariel and paid attention to the veneration of the other people present toward the feats of her student, that she heaved a breath of relief.

Yes, Zax lost and his place in the competition was annulled, but his might shone bright and the back hair of every men and women, regardless of age, stood on end when he entered and left the fighting stage.

That being said, the matter of Zax’s task was not disclosed to Don or anyone else.

Returning to the matter at hand-- The message left by Don was quite familiar in its content to a Get Well card, finishing with “Hope to see you back in school, to celebrate your irrefutable performance in the greatest Martial event of Kingdom Earth!”.

Anet’s message was more emotional. Lost she saw Zax he was heavily wounded and not long after he was taken to be treated, Talhera announced that due to his injuries he will not be able rejoin the competition.

Of course, when Marco verbally conveyed Anet’s request to let her know that he is okay when he will get back, he held back the flushed cheeks and moist eyes.

“Are you really fine now?” As a mother, despite how tall and sturdy her son grew to be, Laylen was not convinced when Zax first reassured her.

“I’m completely fine mom”. Zax held her shoulder and smiled confidently to relieve his mother concern.

He refrained from going into details over his “miraculous” recovery and breakthrough. It was not a subject that ever interested his parents, and no matter how breathless they will be by knowing his level of strength, they will still prefer for him and their eldest daughter to have a common way of life.

Of everyone currently at the house, the only one in a different world, virtually five seconds after Zax got home and gave her a warm hug, was little Liz. Laying on the living room’s floor and tilting her legs back and forth, as she drew on the screen of a small tablet, Liz had zero to none care over anything related to the world “Martial”, and if her big brother or big sister were not there to play with or take to Valgarel, in this after kindergarten hour, she will do well to occupy herself without the help of anyone else.

“Laylen, our boy is fine”. Marco steeled himself for his wife, and because for him it was more easy his eldest daughter’s and son’s choices. “Zax, you should go visit Anet. Call her, see if she is home or in school and go tell her that you are well”.

“I will, dad”. Zax said. “Mom, dad”, he turned down his voice to a whisper. “Later today I’m leaving to Valgarel. There is an important, non risky, matter that I have to take care of, but I’m not sure when I’ll return”.

“Your meaning, Zax?” Marco asked, although in his heart, he and Laylen could reluctantly guess what Zax intended.

“I’m planning to start a long session of closed doors training”. It was not the first time Zax informed his parents before he entered beyond closed doors, this time, however, due to the knowledge that about a year from today he will leave New Earth, it was difficult for him to hide the guilt of departing for a long span of time.

Marco sighed.

Laylen contemplated for a moment before taking her son’s hand from her shoulder and holding it. “Go see Anet”.

They were oblivious to his futuristic plans, so they complied, as they always do.

Anet was staying at Eden Formation, so when Zax called her, they agreed to meet in a park several blocks from the school. It was Zax’s preference, since he did not want to waste time being congratulated by Don or anyone else in Eden Formation who knows about the Martial Competition, regardless if it is for his victories or simply recuperation.

“Then I want to go with you!” Anet said stubbornly.

“To leave New Earth?! You can’t! You absolutely can’t!”

The two spoke freely since only few elderly people were in the park and Anet also erected a formation around them to restrict the sound of their voices.

Of their overall conversation, Zax did not divulge the task Ariel gave him or the existence of the five powers, only mentioned that he was offered the possibility to venture outside of New Earth and that it is the communal prize of the Martial competition.

The details he omitted, Zax done so because his understanding of the five powers, who rule the world above ground, was less than fundamental and his task, with accordance to the impression he received from Ariel, could be a lot more dangerous than a regular expedition.

“Then what can I do, Zax? If you will enter closed doors training by the time you’ll come out, you might need to leave and it’s frightening me not to know for how long!”

Initially Anet was exuberant when Zax shortly explained to her about the opportunity citizens of New Earth have to resurface from below the ground and see the blue sky. Now, though, the prospect of Zax leaving, alone, and who knows for how long, was the only thing in her mind, even if she understood that it is not as simple as he made it out to be.

Zax felt palpitations in his heart. He truly was ashamed of himself for the pain he put his loved, more so when they did not conceal it. He could tell his parents were not content with the up and coming closed door session, he was grateful that little Liz was still too young to comprehend concept of a yearlong separation, he was mournful that once she will look for him he will not be there, especially in this period of her growth and innocent age. When he was at her age, Zetsa never left for such a long time.

Zax unknowingly imitated his father from a bit earlier today and steeled himself. He did not attempt to justify his decisions; from his point of view they were already made.

But he loved the tearful young woman who sat next to him on the wooden bench, and he was not cold as those who could see into his selfishness may think, so he did his utmost to comfort her.

“Anet, it is not a forever departure--” Zax caressed her cheek and raised her head so their eyes could meet. “Please, listen to me-- The next breakthroughs of my soul and the fifth bottleneck of insight are imminent. Whether I’ll enter closed doors now or on a later date, it would take just as long for me to finish. The difference is-- that I don’t know a lot about the world above ground, so by preparing myself as best as I can before going to experience it, I would be able to faster get familiarize with it, better be capable of handling its hazards, and more assure that I can protect you when the time where you can accompany will come”.