A Reason To Continue

[01.15.01] » by Gabe Colbaugh

Slowly coming off the mountain the man made his way back to the world, the world he’d spent his time protecting. Like every week he found himself going back to that place where his charge was, and where his life had changed more then it had any place else. The hero of thousands in the world, the hero that had finished off the would be new emperor of Neo Vandal. A sigh escaped the hero’s lips as he thought about it all, recounting all of the events that had happened to him in the past year of his life.

From gladiator to world traveler the man had come along way. From the day he escaped after his best friend Willy had died, up to the time he saw another good friend in Amanda die, all the way to when his long time traveling companion and the woman he cared about more then anything else was turned into the Mana Tree. He still spoke to her, which is why he was always making that trek up that dangerous mountain path. It wasn’t the same, though. It wasn’t like that first night he really got to talk to her.

Granted the discussion was brief, and still didn’t reveal a lot about her life, it was still nice to have someone to talk to. Granted he had his friends back in the Empire of Glaive, but they were thrust together because they were forced to fight. With her it had been different, even if fate had put them together much had fate found him with Willy and Amanda. Somehow it had still been different…they weren’t only together for survival sake.

Or maybe they had…maybe he was just trying to dilute himself into thinking there was something more. She’d never actually told him that she’d felt anything for him beyond friendship. Another sigh escaped the hero’s lips as he thought that about…maybe he’d just imagined it and was working on what he felt about her. He never did have the chance to say anything about the feelings he’d developed over their journeys.

It was possible, though that might hurt more then losing her. The one major reason he’d gone after her, gone after the woman he’d promised to protect was to go and get her back and save her. The fact that he was vanquishing a great evil and saving the world was secondary to making sure she was safe. The fact that her mother had helped him to gain the Excalibur made him wonder if perchance she’d approved and known about his feelings. No, it was for the greater good of the world that she’d done that, which was also why she helped her daughter become the new Mana Tree.

She’d chosen that path, though, chosen it to make sure the world would be safe from the monsters and from its own destruction. He knew that she’d done it for the world, done it for the men, women, and children out there that had no idea what was really going on. He wondered sometime if they cared that she had sacrificed her life, sacrificed herself so that they could live a better life. Probably not, he thought to himself, most of the people out there thought the Mana Tree a myth.

The creature caught him off guard and nearly took him down while in reverie. His mystical sword came, as did his shield, coming to block the blow from the hideous monster that would see him dead. Gritting his teeth the hero fell back a few steps from the blow to his shield before counter attacking. His sword came in to cleave the thing in half, but it wasn’t to be just yet. Jumping out of the way the thing made sure it’d live a little while longer at least.

It leapt back at him, figuring it’d use its pure brute strength to take this puny human out with a single attack. Little did the monster know that this ‘puny human’ had faced greater challenges then it offered. Little did he know that the man he was facing was having a rather bad day and was not the happiest person in the world right now. The hero used his superior skill and weaponry to take down the thing, claiming another evil with his holy sword from the world.

Heavily breathing the man stood over the dead and reeking creature with a look that would curdle milk. Had he died in that place there would have been no one to mourn his loss. There would have been no one to come looking for him in order to make sure he was all right, or to really mourn his loss. He was working his hump off, had for over a year now, and what did he have to show for it? He had nothing. He had lost those that meant most to him, that had given his life meaning. He’d lost the woman he’d cared about more then anything…and no one even cared.

A cry of some sort broke him out of his heated thoughts, causing him to look over from where it’d come. Another cry came sending the man to find out where they came from. After a short distance of walking he was able to come across what it was that was making that noise. Putting away his weapon the hero moved in closer, shocked at what it was that he had found memories of just such an event flooding to his mind.

"Wark!" was the sound that greeted him as he came in closer, the baby Chocobo looking up at the man as he came a little bit closer. It was a little bit before he was able to fully regain his senses after the shock, looking again at the good sized bird that sat before him, still in it’s shell somewhat and looking around confused at the situation around itself.

Just such a thing had happened to him earlier in his adventures when he came across another such Chocobo that had been newborn out of its egg right in front of his face. That bird had become like his best friend on the road more then it had become his mount. Together they’d cover the length and breadth of the world to go after this item or that sword so that they could go and save her. They’d worked together closely, helping each other out and even saving each other’s life in many occasions.

No more, he thought to himself, he’d found some bird; he’d found another Chocobo in which to be with. Chocobot had left him when he needed him the most to go off and find what he himself could not at the time. He’d been betrayed by another dear friend, left for whatever reason he’d have so that the Chocobo could go and have a mate. Another wark from the hatchling as the thing hopped up in order to head towards the hero.

No, not left, not abandoned, he’d let the Chocobot go. He knew that their time together had been meaningful to him, but it had been time for his mount, his friend to go and help repopulate the world of its kind. He’d parted with his friend; he hadn’t been left, as he had thought not a moment ago. The small bird found its way into his arms as he held them out in order to pick it up. This one was smaller then his previous Chocobo, but was still pretty good-sized.

His other friends hadn’t left him, he realized at that point; they hadn’t just abandoned him in his time of need. He hadn’t been left alone by those that meant the most to him, he hadn’t watched them leave because he was no longer needed. No, he realized then as for the second time in his life he had a Chocobo mistake him for its mother that his friends were still there, even if they weren’t always there to talk to him and tell him everything was going to be all right.

Lester still lived, letting the memory of his sister Amanda live as well thanks to the beautiful song he played in her honor. Bogard was still around to help him with guidance when he needed it and the wise warrior offered it. Watts was still around as well, even if the two hadn’t been all that close to be honest. His Chocobo was still out there as well, in an area he knew where the bird was. As for everyone else he knew, all those that did know and had believed in him, they were also out there and counting on him to help and keep them safe.

Standing up the man let go of the bird, resting a hand gently on its head. He knew then that he had been selfish in his outlook on the world. He’d been selfish in his outlook on how things had turned out and how fate had dealt with him. Granted he didn’t have everyone with him he wanted, and he had had several people taken from him, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as he was making it out to be. It couldn’t be, not since he still was able to talk to the girl he’d helped for so long. He had to protect her from those that would destroy her, and use her power for their own good.

Walking away with his new companion the hero realized how life happened, and there was no use dwelling on the past. The future was yet to be seen and he was young, and with that he knew that he still had quite a bit time left, and a lot of work to do. For starters he had a new Chocobo to work with and train, and possibly a new friend to make in that little bird. He still had other friends to make as well, and people to protect. Maybe they would never know what he’d done for them, maybe they’d never even really care. But that was no reason for him to just give up and go into a pity party. No, they were the reason he had to continue on with his job as the Gemma Knight.