"Let's go...Beyond."
That was the last sentence spoken by me… no, by everyone in the place. What followed was the calm air, the sweet scent, and the solitude of the place.
He is in front of me. Zote reached me in a single swift step just as he did before, but this time, I'm ready.
From the edge of my sword, I launched a water orb, and due to its instability, it exploded, forcing Zote to close his eyes for a moment—moments Arthur used to launch light rock balls from his gun at Zote's weapons to further hinder his aim, and after him, Ank aimed her spear and released, at last, a massive ice dragon, which would've hit if it weren't for Ank's weak control that caused the dragon to break into small ice shards. But thanks to their sharpness, some struck Zote's body.
I placed the hilt of my sword on his chest and tried to push him to the ground until…
"You're slightly better than I expected, so as you said, Ethan, let's go further than that."
Fire surrounded his body drying the water off his face and melted the ice shards that struck his body, and with their melting, his wounds were healed.
His flames made me retreat instantly, while he didn't move an inch. I returned beside Arthur, who stepped back, and Ank who took off her cloak to move more freely.
How was he able to heal himself like that? Is he a support type? That's impossible, he's a fighter!
He interrupted my thoughts with an excited smile: "Don't worry about that too much, because it's a technique far above your current level."
He started advancing slowly. Step by step. And with every step, I felt a drop of sweat fall from my face. I never imagined I'd feel this tense facing an opponent before, but Zote is far beyond. And despite his strength, I've never heard of him before.
Each step left a trail of fire on the ground, burning the grass that emitted the scent of burnt candy. And when he covered half the distance between us, he spoke: "The technique you should focus on now is enhancement."
And before we could comprehend, we found him firing from his gun for the first time, and when I realized, the shot was on its way to pierce my head. But I raised my sword at the last moment and deflected its path.
This man raised the difficulty level completely calmly.
No… I must not be annoyed by this. I must not complain about this. I must respond with everything I've got. I think it's time to use that technique.
I stood firm and gripped my sword tightly.
"I don't know the benefit or your goal in talking about the Despaye techniques, but I tell you now, come forth."
Zote's only response was firing at the ground, spreading dust in the area, and from within the dust, a loud sound appeared like that of motorcycles, but I felt like it was going to explode my ears.
And with the loud sound, something pierced the dust… he's actually riding a motorcycle!!
A black motorcycle with tremendous speed that was about to hit us, but Arthur raised the ground beneath us for Zote to collide with, but his motorcycle was unaffected and destroyed whatever was in its path, forcing us to descend to the ground again.
This man is too random!
He turned with his motorcycle and sped toward us again like lightning.
I waved my sword to the left for us to scatter.
Arthur went right and Ank left, while I waited until Zote reached me with his motorcycle, I stabbed my sword into the ground when the distance between us became the smallest possible and launched explosive flames from the sword that blasted me into the air and left a hole to obstruct Zote's ride and spread the dust even more.
While in the air, I aimed my sword and fixed it toward Zote and launched compressed fire like a beam. I thought I hit him, but he emerged from the dust flying in the air on his motorcycle coming at me.
Some smoke was coming from his hat, so his hat must've blocked the attack… what is it made of to withstand such an attack?!
I can't launch fire from my feet since I'm upside down. I aimed my sword to the right and launched fire from it to push myself away, then aimed my sword at Zote to try to hit him with another fire beam, And i fired, but my aim… wasn't accurate?
I feel like my sword's size changed.
Ank covered for my mistake with an ice storm that redirected the beam to hit Zote, but he grabbed his hat and used it as a shield to block the beam.
Ank's use of the storm weakened the beam's power, but it's better than nothing. Ordinary fire doesn't affect him, so it must be compressed and intense.
I was about to return to the ground, but I felt my body rise again. I didn't understand why until I saw Arthur controlling the air to lift me.
He uses three elements?!
I must not get distracted now, I will make use of this elevation.
"Arthur!" I shouted.
Arthur fired his gun at Zote, who thought it was a normal shot until it turned into a full wall that Zott had to break through with his motorcycle. But the wall wasn't the important thing—once he broke through, it turned out to be filled with water inside, causing Zote to slow down for a split second, a split second Ank used to launch small ice shards that struck the handlebars of the motorcycle, then ice wrapped around them and they shattered along with the handlebars.
"Ella, now!"
Ella came out from the pocket on Zote's clothes and bit his nose, and in that moment, I gambled everything. I aimed my sword at Zote and said: "Jackpot!"
The sword extended until it reached Zote's hat and knocked it off his head!
We... Defeated this monster!
I turned my body to face the sky, and screamed with a smile of extreme happiness and pride.
Arthur formed a slide that helped me descend to the ground safely. He was smiling and sweating just like me, he grabed my hand tightly and his smile grew wider. As for Ank she, surprisingly had a very small smile on her face while cooling herself.
As for Zote, he fell straight to the ground, and of course, he won't die.
Ella returned to me and sat on my shoulder. The fog cleared quickly, and Zote stood up and put his hat back on his head and then said with a serious face: "How did you do that?"
I smiled proudly and said, "This is my special technique. Reading between the lines."
Zote laughed before saying, "Reading between the lines? And what exactly did you do with it?"
"When I planted my sword in the ground and released the fire, I took advantage of the scattered dust and made Ella jump into your pocket, and after that there were unexpected elements, but they just accelerated my original plan."
"I see. Well, congratulations. if this was a real fight you would've aimed for my head and I would be dead now... I guess. Now we will go to the woman of the backyard garden."
To be honest, the thing I didn't expect the most was my sword's ability to extend. When we left the palace, I felt that its length was different, and in the air when I released the fire beam, because of its changed size, I wasn't able to hit Zote's hat. My sword has a strange ability to change its size, so it must have been adjusting its size to suit my body in the best way.
That old man of the Mountain of Beginning gave me a sword like no other.
But now there's something more important, We will go to the woman of the backyard garden. And there, I will be able to get my mother's medicine.
"Arthur, you always keep your ability to master other elements hidden. Answer me honestly, since when have you been a Despinor?" I said after we started walking behind Zote.
For five seconds, Arthur didn't say anything, just looked forward while walking calmly. He answered me after the silence: "A day before I fell into that gang's trap."
"How can you use all these elements? Even if you trained in the two days we were separated, you wouldn't have been able to master even one element."
Arthur looked at me with a slight and sudden anger... Mixed with sadnesso. I didn'tfeel like it was directed at me. His face looked as if he's hiding something greater than the world.
"Ethan, there are many things that shouldn't be said."
I guess I'm not the only one hiding secrets greater than the world.
We passed buildings, houses, and shops. Evening came, the sun set, and deep darkness settled. How long did we walk? I can't even remember. But it's a strange feeling… I don't remember not because the time was long, but because I didn't feel it. I can't describe the feeling precisely, but it's as if we walked a lot and a little at the same time.
I bumped into Zote, who had stopped. He stopped in front of a large mirror located in… what is this place?... completely empty and only… darkness.
I was about to talk to Arthur but he… asleep? I looked at Ank and her condition was no different from Arthur. I checked Ella in my pocket to find her asleep as well.
Zote turned to us and signs of astonishment appeared on his face when he saw me.
"how ar-… It must be possible for the bearer of the Mask of Eternity."
Zote grabbed us and threw us into the mirror with great speed and force. He said to me before my body was fully inside: "Even though you'll forget this now, I hope you take my words seriously if you happen to remember them. You will have to Choose one of them, and when you do, make sure you chose the right one."
Choose? Who? What does he mean?
We came out from the other side of the mirror and… what did Zote say? No, wait… what even happened? I feel like I forgot something.
But as long as he got us to the 'woman of the backyard garden,' that's what matters.
I raised my head and then, I saw her. A very tall woman… she might be two meters tall. Her long hair reached her knees, her green eyes of a small size looked at me with extreme kindness and compassion. And her calm smile welcomed me with calm calmness… if that's even a valid description.
The feeling, the view, and the meaning. They were all in a state of amazement and wonder.
The world contains many magical things beyond the Despaye, so why don't I know anything about it all?
We stood on our feet, and yet she was still extremely tall.
"I am Gresta, also known as the woman of the backyard garden. you who seek healing, all you have to do is follow me."
She turned and began walking toward her tree-like house.
Ank and Arthur were gazing in deep astonishment and contemplation.
Its long giant leaves and branched woods with curved, dancing lines drawn on them, and the red grass beneath us emitted a feeling of serenity.
I wonder if the war will ever tread and trample a place like this.
As we followed her, she slightly turned her face and said: "Will you leave your companion behind?"
Our companion? Who does she mean?
I looked back… and it was him, with his body stretched out on the red grass, asleep as if he hadn't just returned from the edge of death.
I uttered: "Kafka?"