316 A Conversation Between Heroes
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The heroes gathered inside a tent, as Arafunn created a noise negating barrier around it, invisible to the eye of even a powerful magician. All of them had to discuss a few things while Sylph and the other children interacted and prepared to go back to town with Celeste and Mist. Allan, Faylen, Nepheline, Shade, Ninhursag, and Arafunn gathered together as they quickly began to speak as a team, like old times.
“Allan, are you sure about this? That girl really didn’t seemed to like us even when we saved the life of the little one… I feel something weird about her.” Said Nepheline. “I hate to admit it, she’s a child and all… but still.”
“Your fears are… completely reasonable, Nepheline.” Sighed Allan. “Yet… I can’t help but really want to help those children.”
“I get it, you’re a good-hearted man, I would also like to help them a bit with money and food I guess, but… why the drive?” Sighed Nepheline. “We already got our whole families to take care of and all the Amazon, getting even more burdens won’t do any good for us. As the heroes, we already know our limits, we can’t be in every place, and we can’t do everything in the world… Sometimes you have to prioritize your kin and your people before others, even if it’s painful.”
“…Nepheline, you don’t have to be so harsh.” Said Shade.
“I am just… I just want to get out of this continent already… Getting ourselves involved with these humans some more will only be a bad thing, and I don’t want bad influences for my daughter.” Said Nepheline, crossing her arms. She was the roughest of the heroes and always the most level-headed despite her occasional goofiness. She was rough and strong, and had her heart polished through countless experiences. Due to belonging to a race of survivalists and warriors of the wilderness, she had the duty of protecting her people, after all, this entire tribe were the last Amazons in the world.
“I understand how you feel…” Sighed Allan. “But… don’t we all are to blame in what is happening right now? These children… the discrimination, and how they even got here to begin with when their tribe’s origin is the demon continent… They’re the remnants of the war, the children of the ones that survived but probably died afterwards. I know it might not amount to anything in the big picture… But I want to help them, I feel like it is the right thing I should do after all… the things I did in the war.”
“I think the same, I want to help these children.” Said Faylen. “Celeste is a rough girl, and she emanates a large quantity of darkness from within her heart, but it is not as if we cannot help her recover, I also want to help the children… Seeing the little Mist has opened my eyes about many things. I don’t want to stay here forever, don’t worry. We’ll go away quite soon… but still, if possible, I want to help them…. And maybe, if possible, even bring them with us.”
…..
“You want to bring the demon children?!” Asked Nepheline.
“That’s… But demons… aren’t they too dangerous?” Asked Ninhursag. freewёbnoνel.com
“Dangerous…” Sighed Allan.
Silence quickly took over the tent, as everybody remained in silence. Despite being heroes that once fought together and worked together for the same goal, everybody held different opinions about demons. Some felt terrible guilt, such as Allan and Faylen, and wanted to help them recover as a way to redeem themselves, even if a little bit. Meanwhile, others such as Nepheline and Ninhursag didn’t felt the need to redeem themselves right now, as they had children to take care of and an entire tribe to protect.
Meanwhile, Shade and Arafunn seemed to be in favor of Allan and Faylen’s decision, even when Arafunn was doing it more like a favor for his family, Sylphy and Faylen, than out of the goodness of his heart. Shade had been tormented about the guilt of the actions he had committed even more than Allan and Faylen, so he felt incredibly guilty, helping the demons would appease this suffering, even if a little bit.
Meanwhile, Arafunn who had not participated in the fights as much and was a supporter, didn’t felt much guilt, although he did regretted his actions to an extent, he had lived longer than everybody here, and had his own philosophy of life, that of forgetting the past and moving on, constantly, like the wind. And perhaps, he was also free like the wind.
“We all hold different views and I don’t really want to discuss this more than we had already…” Sighed Faylen. “But now that we are here, I won’t simply go away and ignore the problems in front of me… Nepheline, you were once a girl filled with heroism, where has all of that gone to?”
“I have a daughter now, Faylen. I don’t need heroism for shit.” Said Nepheline. “I want to go to a safe place and raise her… that’s all. Delaying things are only going to make things more complicated than they already are.”
“That’s… fair.” Sighed Faylen.
“I also think the same, Nepheline. I love our daughter and I will protect her as much as I can. But…” Sighed Shade.
“Ugh… Fine, if you insist.” Nepheline sighed, crossing her arms. She could argue all she wanted against Faylen and Allan, but with Shade, her weakness, and the love of her life, she ended agreeing at the end, and didn’t wanted to discuss with him, who was often all depressed. In simple terms, she pitied him.
“That was… fast?” Said Allan while raising an eyebrow, as Arafunn smiled and giggled.
“Well, even Nepheline got her weakness. She can’t say “no” to her love.” Laughed Arafunn.
“S-Shut up!” Said Nepheline, acting rough, all while hugging Shade with her big arms and caressing his head.
“Ugh… But demons had done so many things to us… I get that the girl might not be in fault of anything others did but… aren’t they dangerous, possesing powers that can damage others?” Asked Ninhursag.
“Aren’t we… as well?” Asked Arafunn with a calm smile.
“…”
Ninhursag fell into silence.
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