Re: Timeless Apocalypse-Chapter 131: Elements

The dark-haired boy, Ariel, turned to his brother. He grabbed his shoulders and looked him deep in the eyes.

"Listen to me."

The thin and frail little boy, Uriel, forced his tears to stop and focused. He clenched his jaw hard and nodded at his brother.

"We can’t let him catch us. He’ll...hurt us." A tremor went down Ariel’s spine. "I-I...I think they only want you..."

"If I give myself up and you escape through the window, then hide in the lighthouse, Ma will come and—"

"No!" Uriel protested, shaking his head.

"—listen!" Ariel insisted, tears threatening to well up in his young eyes, yet he refused to let it happen.

Not in front of his little brother.

"Leave through the window, go hide in the lighthouse and wait for Ma to come get you. If she doesn’t come after a day, run south and don’t stop."

"If you keep running that way, Arthur will eventually find you, okay!"

"Ariel, what?! I can’t—"

Ariel shook Uriel, as if to awaken him. "We can’t!" he screamed. "We can’t both die!"

Uriel’s pupils shook and he felt his heart drop to his stomach. He wanted to speak and protest but, for some reason, didn’t have the strength.

Looking into his brother’s eyes, he felt himself overwhelmed by the amethyst brazier of will burning within them.

Ariel was nothing but a terrified little boy, yet to Uriel he might as well have been the most courageous of heroes — his back wide enough to carry the skies and his heart made of steel.

Looking into Uriel’s eyes, seeing the hope and defeat within his gaze, the admiration and sadness in them, Ariel felt himself buckle.

His lip trembled just the slightest bit and his breath hitched under the expectant beady golden eyes locked onto him.

But when his gaze ran across Uriel’s body, taking in the cuts, gashes, bruises and horrifying injuries covering him, his heart nearly broke.

He was so close to death and yet he hadn’t complained once. His little brother was about to die and yet he still cared about his own safety.

His soul ached.

The two brothers remained silent for a long while.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Bastards! Come out!"

Someone banged on the door, and with every strike the lock threatened to shatter.

The creaking of wood, its fibres tearing, and the clanging of metal, its gears breaking one after another, echoed without end.

It felt like the world was ending.

Ariel’s hold over Uriel tightened and he pulled him into a deep hug. Hidden away from his little brother’s sight, he allowed a few tears to stream down his face.

His amethyst pupils burned with unbreakable will as he cried.

"You...deserve to live."

...

Silence.

The cave was silent, as always.

Uriel’s pupils fluttered open and he awoke from his deep sleep, a yawn parting his lips as he came to consciousness.

"A truly pleasant memory."

He chuckled, his hand rising to wipe the tears he’d apparently shed while asleep.

Doing so made him realise he’d fallen asleep in the mini onsen he made for himself. "Ah, well, at least I’m clean."

Thanks to his shell, he didn’t feel languid nor was his skin wrinkled. He felt perfectly refreshed, if only just the slightest bit in mental agony.

But nothing beyond the usual.

"Let’s begin this beautiful day to come."

He stood to his feet and climbed out of the water, whipping his head back to pull his hair out of his face.

A couple runes flashed around him and he dried in an instant. As it happened, he walked towards his fire, which had turned to cold coals while he slept.

From his abode mark, he pulled out a clean set of grey tunics and put them on. He also pulled out a zig-zag hair band and slicked it through his hair, finally getting it out of his face.

"Ah, that’s better."

Hands on hips, he turned to what he’d been calling a ’camp’ for the last few days and frowned.

A large fire, a pot hanging via wooden sticks, a stool, and a couple large bags of food and trinkets.

Calling it a camp was a massive overstatement.

"Let’s fix that."

...

A dozen minutes later, Uriel looked at his work with a radiant smile.

At the center, evidently, there stood the fire, this time made much larger, closer to an Olympic brazier than a campfire, yet cozy nonetheless.

Its flames flickered, warming the dozen pots situated on a metal plate hanging a couple meters above the flames, cooking multiple meals at once.

On the left lay the lounging area he’d made, a dozen chairs and tables situated near the wall, with a small dedicated spot where a cultivation and meditation mat could be seen.

He’d gotten a ridiculous amount of furniture from the emporium; it was about time he used some of it.

On the right, there was a small station centred around a high wooden table covered in ingredients and spices.

Up south was the honsen, and down north a small area he’d cleared out for any training he’d want to carry out.

Now, it seemed worthy of a camp—

’Ah damn it, I forgot the beds!’

...

A while later, after finishing his camp and spending time eating and lounging, he finally got to work.

Sat cross-legged on his meditation mat, he closed his eyes and let himself settle down.

He used resonance in its simplest form and attuned his breath to the flows of aether around him, the beat of his heart harmonising with the rushing ebbs of his blood.

His mind was clear and calm, his soul stable and tranquil. His mind harmonised with his body, then his body harmonised with his core, then his core harmonised with the world.

Had anyone looked at him, it would have been absolutely impossible to differentiate him from the fabric of the world.

He seamlessly entered a deep state of focus.

’...’

He slowly opened his eyes.

It was about time he learned to use his elements.