Chapter 34: Incredible Realization

She saw him, emerging step by step from the far off distance, the encompassing smoky mist of the Essence Cave, advancing toward her, like a dream turn reality.

Almost like a mirage he seemed to walk slowly while in fact each of his steps crossed ten or so meters.

“I’m back, Laivien”.

“I ... was told...” She answered back but it sounded like she talked to herself.

Her heart throbbed strongly. She was afraid ... that she one more imagine him, like when they told her of his death and when Tularg died.

“Zax”. Her voice was barely audible, her eyes moist and her mind wondering ... is she going to cry because her eyes and ears play tricks on her, like they so often do these days, or for he truly came back, alive and well?

She had to confirm, even if it will draw all her effort, she had to stand up and go to him herself before he will go and vanish.

“Wait”.

In another stride he appeared right next to her, under the pavilion. He placed a hand at the side of her back, both letting her feel him and stopping her from getting up.

For an instant she was startled, from the speed she completely failed to follow, and the sense of touch that gently pressed against her fur.

“You ... You...” Tears began to cascade from her eyes. The words she wanted to say all stuck in her mouth. She dropped her white doe head, nuzzling it at his much smaller head and upper body.

Soon they were joined by Grandmaster Kartion, Kartius, Anet and everyone else who followed from the Blue Tower.

Laivien continued to cuddle Zax with her head as she glanced sideways to her Kartion and big brother. “He returned to us, Zax is here”. She shoved him closer to her body, to not leave her motherly range of control.

They came forward, Zetsa, Anet, Simel and Hagen behind Grandmaster Kartion and Kartius, both stags in their animalistic forms in front of their dear Laivien.

“I’m not going, Laivien”, Zax caressed her neck. “Master ... Martial father, Grandmaster, please comply to my request and sit. I’ll tell you everything now”.

“You better will!” Simel emotionally charged. The big Silver Skin Gorilla was only second to Laivien in revealing his excitement.

“Master, Martial uncle”, Zetsa asked their attention. Neither asked her anything on the way to the valley as they rather have Zax, the one who left and return, answer their questions. “Little Zi just return home a day ago, please listen to what he has to say”.

“Not just them, everyone”. Zax corrected Zetsa, including Simel, Hagen and Laivien. “Later eldest Martial brother Raroen, big sister Rarahel, big brother Mes and big sister Shulip, too”.

Nodding, Grandmaster Kartion and Kartius settled close to the pavilion.

“Martial son”, Kartius turned to him, his mind and heart he peace and like it not been in a long time. “Tell us what you encounter and how your journey was, but if there are parts you cannot mention, for whatever reason, that is fine, too”. He knew that Zax happened to be involved with Supreme Ruler Ariel Dauch of Kingdom Earth, and assumed that there were more figures on the same scale that he had met and perhaps dealt with. If any such figures preferred that Zax will keep their dealing a secret, Kartius wanted him to know that he was fine with it.

“Don’t worry, Master”. Zax smiled. It indeed was easier to reveal himself to his Martial family. “Actually, it’s not just words that I brought to you, but before anything else, I’ll let them come first...”

And so it began ... the retelling of his venture in Ercas Mir along with all the details he omitted or distort from and for his parents.

As he narrated, now and then Zax answered questions for the surrounding humans and beasts, sometimes repeating himself to elaborate certain stuff or emphasize that they really occurred.

Two and a half hours into his tale some new arrived.

Mes, who traveled in Valgarel returned to find no one in the first of the two caves other than the Krikitories who lived there, which bewildered him since he knew that his Master will not leave the cave without leaving someone in charge. Confused, he went to the Essence cave, to seek and ask Laivien, there he nearly shed his skin when he saw Zax.

After giving Mes a short explanation, Zax proceeded with the narration, and three more hours after that, he finished the story.

“This ... this...” Simel struggled to sentence his thoughts. “Little brother Zax, third realm expert?! You actually encountered so many and actually fought them?!”

The most difficult to believe portions of the story were all related to his encounters and incredible descriptions of survival and battle against Martial Mortals.

The question on the matter by Mes, Simel, Hagen and even Anet and Zetsa were so frequent that at a certain point Grandmaster Kartion demanded quiet until Zax would finish, whilst making sure to remember his own questions for later.

“Are you blind, Simel?! Have you not seen his speed?! Even I could not follow him! And aside from that, have you not heard him?” Kartius berated his Martial nephew. “Do you think he obtained his strength in a stroll? The five powers, Mercenary Association, grand cities and clans, oceans, Deformed Being who are born to rival Martial Mortals, Immortals and Gods... ! If the Martial son of I, Kartius, had to go through all of this and fail to rise above than the person before you is only an impostor and all of us are fools!” His raving tone and harsh words had narrowly masked the immensity of the thrill and pride he felt for Zax, alongside the tinge of fear that spawned from the slight peek outside the well of New Earth.

“In the family, big brother Raroen, big sister Hagen and uncle are the only mist users in the third Core Master’s level. Apart from them, Zetsa has a long way to go before reaching the Peak of the second Core Master’s level. Considering the aptitude of the rest of us, I, Shulip and Rarahel are even farther behind on out Martial path. And yet ... the youngest of us, smallest in the family, in such a short period of time, has gotten so strong, only the likes of His Valor Ozeyn and the Supreme Rulers of Kingdom Earth are his betters?!” Mes murmured to himself. He, too, wanted to go to Ercas Mir at Zax’s departure, but Grandmaster Kartion forbade him due to lack of knowledge about the world above ground, which now, although it felt like a loss, seemed to be the correct decision. As for his comparison of Zax to the Supreme Rulers and His Valor Ozeyn, that was his own conjecture and perhaps nothing Zax would say will make him believe that he honestly reached their legendary level of power.