SYSTEM ASCENSION

Clearly lying

”How do you think a child with regeneration ability survive in a camp of crawlers?”

It was like something exploded behind Amy’s eyes. In a camp of man eating creatures and a child that can replace all his limbs. He was clearly a non ending feast.

She clamp her hand over her mouth, and staggered back.

”That’s...”

The woman use the stool to support herself as she stood up. ”he might look alive, but he’s mental dead.”

”No way...”

”He has no will to live. The only way to help him,” the woman raised a finger. ”Put him out of his misery.”

”No!” Amy cut in before Cara could speak.

”Give me a chance. I’ll help him.”

Cara folded her arms over her chest. ”Amy, that child is already suffering...”

”He might have someone searching for him! Please, let me take custody of him.”

Both women exchanged glances.

”It doesn’t hurt to try I guess...” The woman muttered.

”Alright. One year to make an impact.” Cara tapped her shoulder. ”If he’s losing it, I’ll not hesitate. The last thing I want is meaningless suffering for children.”

”Yes ma!”

The two women walked out, giving Amy time to gather her thoughts. She took deep breaths before going out to find the boy again. The location didn’t change, but this time, he was with two kids. The boy from earlier and a girl with identical face to the boy. They sat under the same tree, shoving a book at his face.

She approached them and sat beside them.

”What are you doing?”

”We figured that since he can’t read,” the girl replied, turning the book to Amy. ”We should teach him by pictures. I grew this all night for him!”

She took the book, smiling softly. It was basic alphabets and pictures to help identify them.

”You awakened ability must be to draw right?”

”That’s naturally because I’m a genius,” she huffed and her brother nodded in response. ”My ability is to read and relate.”

She pointed to Amy. ”You’re sad, and somehow determined.”

”Aah!”

”Him,” she pointed to her brother. ”He’s stupid!”

”Tora!”

”And him,” Tora pointed to Zeal. ”He’s lost.”

A moment of silence followed.

”I want to find him.” She added.

Amy smiled, her eyes turning misty. ”Then let’s find him together.”

She streched her hand. ”I’m Amy.”

The girl placed her hand on it. ”Tora.”

The boy added his. ”Curn!”

All three glanced at the boy who was staring at them. He stared at the hand for close to a minute, before quietly mimicking the movement.

”But we still don’t know his name,” Curn muttered.

Amy smiled. ”He’s Zeal.”

___

”Ze...al?”

He moved his eyes before turning.

”Aunty.”

Amy paled. Her hand trembled as she reached out. ”Zeal...”

She staggered forward. ”You’re...alive.”

When she got to him, the first thing she did was touch his face. She proceeded to checking visible part of his body. Her hand trembled as she finally grab his arm.

”You...are alive.”

”I am.”

She pulled him into a hug, while bursting into tears. ”Thank goodness!”

He glanced at the older woman, Cara and winked at her. The woman chuckled softly.

Amy pulled him tighter.

”I couldn’t do anything. I just watched.”

”You have done enough.” He replied. ”Give yourself a bit of credit at least.”

She shook her head. ”It happened right in my eyes... you... Tora, Curn. I couldn’t help.”

”Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Cara snorted. ”We were all there. The responsibility was not yours alone to bare.”

She stepped forward. ”The remaining two?”

Zeal shrugged. ”Dead.”

They all went silent. It was like a closed wound had reopened as they remembered that dreadful day.

”It seem you brought a visitor with you,” Cara try to lighten the mood as she stared at the closed door.

Outside was getting noisier. Children seem to be running and yelling.

They all moved to check it out at once, and they saw all the children hunting Elias, trying to take the egg from his raised hand.

”My goodness! How tall is that child!” Cara gasped.

”Zeal,” Amy pointed. ”Is he your child?”

She met a frown from him.

”Seriously, it’s not funny.”

They all laughed.

Zeal smiled. ”He’s like a little brother. No, he’s my little brother”

His words struck a chord in Amy’s head. ”Your twin. Did you...”

”Of course!” He did a thumbs up. ”I found Rowen!”

She wanted to say something, but the words got struck in her throat, so she just nodded and ran off. He squinted his brow in confusion.

”You use to be grumpy and cold,” Cara tapped his shoulder from behind. ”It’s weird that you changed so much.”

”Did I really change that much?”

She nodded. ”I’m happy that your smile is genuine.”

He flinched. ”Why am I having a bad feeling.”

She grinned. ”Tradition of visitors.” She pulled out a broom and slapped it against his chest.

”Where did you get a broom?!”

”I’m a summoner!”

She shoved him.

Five minutes later, he ended up sweeping the entire yard with a few kids. Elias was still playing.

Ten minutes later, he was doing laundry with the women. For some reason, all the children were trying to climb a tree that Elias was sitting on.

Fifteen minutes later, the farm was the next job, although all the girls were plucking the flowers and handing them to Elias.

Twenty minutes later, everyone was fetching water, although Elias was asleep on the bed of roses the children created for him.

”What is this?!” Zeal suddenly lay down and started throwing a tantrum. ”This is not fair!”

They all laughed.

Cara approached him and bend down. ”What happened after you were taken?”

He raised a brow. ”I was rescued right after. A man found me. Lucky I guess.”

He glanced back at the sky. ”It’s getting dark. Time to leave.”

He stood up, dusted his cloth and looked around. ”Is she avoiding me?”

He turned around to leave, when he saw Amy suddenly standing there.

”I thought you were avoiding me.”

She stepped closer and streched out her hand. ”You...you dropped this.”

He opened his hand and she dropped his necklace into his hand.

”Oh... Rowen wears something like this!” He hugged her. ”Thank you mom!”

She flinched, raised her hand and smacked him.

”I’m not old!”

”I see where he got that character from.” Elias mumbled from where he stood.

He chuckled, putting the necklace around his neck, then ran off to meet Elias.

”When are you returning?!” Amy yelled.

”Never!” He yelled back. ”I’m not working!”

”You darn brat!”

He laughed. ”Running sound league is a lot of work yunno! Bye bye!”

”Sound league?!” Cara gasped. ”In sound city?”

They all stared at her.

”Is it a big deal?”

”If sound league collapse, even a small town like this in Salvador will be doomed.”

Amy smiled. ”The strange man who saved him must have helped him.”

”You heard?”

”Yes.”

Cara’s expression darkened. She turned back.

’That boy is clearly lying.’