SSS-Ranked Evolution: Worlds Unbound-Chapter 77: what makes us special (dont buy)
They had given him new clothes and an extra set to take with him. It consisted of a loose tunic and some loose pants, primarily black with stripes of yellow, "Luna! Come here." Ren had packed his belongings and the people knew he was leaving, but they couldn’t stop him. One of the kids ran up to him and presented him with a flower she had knitted from wool they had. A smile crept to his lips and he bent down to embrace her, just before the other kids swarmed over, covering him.
Not a word was said and Ren found his way out of the inn with Luna by his side, just as he made it to the gate, his eye caught sight of someone on the fence. All dressed in black, before he could say a word, the figure landed a flip perfectly and closed in on him. Seeing those purple eyes, he knew it was his friend.
"You leave already?" his hand moved to his mask, taking it off, allowing him to see his face clearly and the pained smile he had on.
"I will be back in a few days. Take care of yourself, friend." Ren embraced him and in a few breaths, Von embraced him back.
"You too Ren." he stopped away from him, allowing him to pass, and the moment Ren stepped outside the broken gate his journey back to the camp had begun.
The majority of Karnak was still in ruins, but he hoped that when he came back, it would be in better shape. It took Ren two days to make it back, he passed Eblan and rested there for the night. Kiyomi was glad to see him and even more glad to see that Luna had evolved. He was treated to a big dinner but soon had to leave at the sight of dawn. Ren was tired but he didnt stop, every thought of him seeing Reina brought him the extra energy he needed and soon, he could see the camp ahead.
Rami was out on parole, the sun just about setting. She marched around, with her men, making sure everything was safe and there was no one hiding to attack until he spotted a figure, "stand ground! Something is approaching!" she told her men, and immediately they drew their weapons but as the figure came closer, her hardened look softened, "is that..." her eyes widened in surprise when she saw his face clearly, "Ren?!" her weapon dropped from her hand as she ran to meet him, skidding to a halt when she stood in front of him. She thought her eyes deceived her but after touching his arm, she understood he was really there.
"What? You thought i wouldnt come back?" He had a smug grin on his face, but the grin was quickly wiped when she jumped on him, hanging to his neck.
"You are alive!"
Chapter 22: rebuilding the lost land.
"The Great Warrior has returned! He has returned!"
Shouts filled the entire camp, loud enough to wake Reina from her emergency nap. She squeezed her eyes open to the merriment and with a simple robe around her body, she exited her chambers, walking down the passageway only to see her people lifting Ren a couple of feet into the air, singing praises only meant to be sung to heroes.
Reina couldn’t believe her eyes so she rubbed the sleep out of them to make sure she was seeing who she was seeing. He had such a proud smile on his face and when he finally reached the ground, his eyes connected to hers. Like the time slowed, he waved to her, making his way over but was quickly cut short when she ran to him in a hurry, slamming her body against his.
"You are alive! Oh thank the heavens!" The force had knocked the wind out of his lungs, but she didn’t let go of his neck regardless, she was so happy to see him. So happy to hold him again.
"Oh come on, did everyone really think I wouldn’t make it? You don’t have faith in your Great Warrior?" his ego inflated by the second and all she could do was press a kiss against his lips.
"Tonight we celebrate!" Rami called for applause and the rest of the tiger beasts followed. It felt like home, he had made a new home. He would do anything for the beasts. Anything.
Hours had passed, and the merriment was just getting started. Everyone was drinking, eating and dancing, Rami was the one heading it all, and she was having a lot of fun while Ren was in his chambers, getting dressed after a bath. A new presence entered and without looking at who it was, he already knew, "my queen, what can I do for you?" The grin had not been able to fall from his face and he was enjoying the attention more than ever.
But let us be real. Who wouldn’t enjoy the attention of beautiful powerful women and not the ugly creatures he had to face in the corrupted land?
"I came to give you a drink." her words stole his attention, turning to her, he met her jaded eyes and powerful being with two chalices. Both filled with wine. Ren’s eyes flickered with interest, crossing the distance between them and taking one of the cups from her hand, taking a sip from it, without breaking eye contact, "I owe you so much Ren."
"Do friends really owe each other?" his hands reached out to her face, stroking her cheek gently, he could see the stress on her features. Overworked, barely rested, disturbed, "you have suffered enough because of my kind. You and your people desire better."
"You did not have to. From that day we met in the forest, you did not have to yoke yourself with me. But you did." she pressed herself into him, and knowing Ren, he didn’t pull away from her.
"It would have gone against everything I was taught. Your land is restored, it would need some rebuilding, but it is safe to go back now." a warm smile spread across her face, a consequence of his words, "it would take us a few days to reach there but the sooner we leave, the better." taking another sip out of the cup, he really liked what he was consuming. Grape wine, his mother too used to make some on special occasions.
Rami had told everyone that they would be going back to their land in a few days, and it had caused an uproar. Everyone was happy, celebrating, while Ren spent slower moments with Reina, talking about the things they would need to do when they got there. And as for Luna, she was getting all the food she could have ever asked for.
The night was long and just before dawn, everyone had set out to move. Rami barely got any sleep, she was busy organizing the move and Ren admired her from afar. But questions burned deep in his mind, the most prominent one being the source of the corruption. Surely darkness couldn’t just spring out of nowhere and cause havoc? Or could it be the effect of something that had happened in the past? As they travelled, Ren relaxed deeper into his head, trying to figure out how it all started.
Whatever he asked of Reina were things she had told him before. There was order in the natural world, then out of a sudden, darkness loomed and turned everything upside down. It grew stronger and corrupted the beast queens, after one of their sisters disappeared. The beasts were left vulnerable, without the guidance of their queen, it was easier for them to be exploited. Leaving many of them extinct.
Ren had seen the effect of the corruption on the beasts first hand. And even on humans, after Von was corrupted. It took over their consciousness and changed their forms to horrid creatures. But there was a way to combat it, purification power. He had it, he could use it. Question is, was it only given to beast tamers? Or could other awakened high ranking classes also have it? Could mages have it? How would he ever know when the vast majority of awakened youths are taken by the empire and bred into fighting machines?
Each time the questions got louder, he closed his eyes to sleep. Days and nights went by, they had passed Eblan and even Karnak. As much as Ren wanted to say hello to his friend, he was carrying a crowd with him, and he didn’t want to scare the remaining people of Karnak with an army of beasts. Soon they reached the land and upon getting there, some fresh grass had begun to bloom. The clouds were darkened with heaviness and it was raining.
Setting her eyes on everything, the queen felt so much sadness in her bones. The smell of death and loss was on everything but at the same time, the fresh smell of hope in the new set of vegetation was what was going to push them forward.
