Chapter 788 Breaking The Cycle
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"Compared to my brother, I lack the bravery... and I lack the resolve. I lack... so much. And I'm so weak and pathetic... What can I even do? What... can I even change?"
Luck's face seemed filled with despair.
And all of his suffering originated from her, Arachne...
Is this her way of revenge? To make us, the unwilling heroes go through the same traumatic experiences she did, isn't it?
Just like some say... it is an endless cycle of hatred and vengeance.
Violence leads to more violence, endlessly.
Yet every time I try to think of a way to stop this cycle, I can't think of anything other than... beating the enemy in front of me.
What else can we do when they're never willing to change, at all?
It feels like it is all hopeless.
Even if I wasn't reborn as Sylph but as someone more normal, a commoner.
Maybe I would had still gone through the same horrible things anyways.
"What can you change, you ask?" My father suddenly spoke. "Well, what you can change is yourself. Grow stronger, become a better version of yourself. And with that strength you've cultivated, save Lara. Stop Arachne. And save... all those people that in the future will die by her hands."
"Sometimes it is not about stopping a cycle or changing the great scheme of things..." Shade sighed. "I learned that after so many battles and wars... Sometimes, it is all about saving a few around you. As long as you can prevent a disaster, as long as you can save the lives that would had been otherwise taken away by someone that couldn't change, you're already changing fate, you're changing the world."
"Maybe violence breeds more violence." Arafunn sighed. "But if we don't employ violence against those that do, how come we can ourselves defend against them? When there's no other choice... We have to fight for our survival, and the survival of those we love and care about. That's something natural, our instinct."
"Yeah, like they said." Aquarina nodded. "Cheer up, Luck. We'll help you grow stronger as we make our way to her. Arachne is strong, but not invincible."
"Although her rampage, and everything she has done was provoked... by the actions of our kin, the innocent lives she's taking away have nothing to do with her revenge anymore." My father said. "Defeating her is not continuing a cycle, but stopping the cycle altogether."
"I guess..." Luck sighed.
"Yeah." I nodded, quickly realizing that I have been thinking just dumb things. "Let's have a bit more resolve, okay? Together, we can do it, Luck. Let's defeat her not to avenge those that fell due to her actions, but to stop her destruction from reaching even more innocent lives."
"...Maybe." Luck sighed. "If you put it in that perspective, it does makes a bit more sense than just senseless revenge...? I want to put an end to the cycle too."
"Ugh, anyways!" Said Celeste. "Can't we just get along for now, beast boy? Nice to meet cha. We are demons by the by! Ah, well, I'm half human half demon, but Celica and Mist here are pure breed demons!"
"N-Nice to meet you..." Mist said. "We are not all bad... Much like humans, elves, or other people, it doesn't have to do with our race... Some people is simply just... different, and decide to do bad things."
"Yeah... I hope we can get along, Luck." Celica smiled. "Ah, this is mister teddy! He's happy to see you too."
"O-Oh... Wait, you girls are demons?" Luck was surprised. "I-I thought... demons were like monsters?"
"Some of us are." Furoh showed up, shapeshifting into a variety of monster forms. "But we are all very much intelligent. Some of us though... are quite the evil barbarians, that just don't deserve to live. Much like human brigands, or elven assassins, or any combination between races and bad things!"
"W-Woah, you can shapeshift?!" Asked Luck in shock. "I-I didn't knew there were so many different types of people out there..."
"Hahaha, yeah, we are all different, but also what makes us similar is that we are all people." I smiled. "This is why I'm making up a team different than what the gods intend by including my beloved friends here. They're all so lovely. And there's even more lovely people back in our town."
Luck's eyes opened wide, as if he was finally realizing things...
"A world... where we can live together without conflicts... I wonder if it could be possible?" He wondered.
"Well, we need to set an example ourselves." I said. "A part composed of heroes, demons, and everything else in between... How about it? We'll constantly help others, and get along, and show people that we can change, and that we are different. That we don't have to constantly chase revenge, and that not everything the gods say is the real truth either."
"Sylph..." Luck sighed, and started laughing a bit. "Hahaha..."
"Hey, why are you laughing at her ideals?!" Aquarina angrily said. "They're beautiful!"
"I'm not laughing at her I just... was reminded of Lara." Luck smiled. "She would... just pretty much agree with you if she was here. She would be so happy, smiling and giggling... Sylph, you're pretty similar to Lara."
"Me? Is that a compliment?" I wondered. "Well, I'll take it as one, heh."
"More or less, hahaha." Luck laughed. "I wish she was here..."
"We'll go find her boy." My father said. "For now, let's get down our breakfast, we've got a lot to do now. Our journey to her hideout might take us a few more days, in the way, we'll hunt monsters and help you grow decently strong."
"Thank you, Sir Allan." Said Luck.
"Hahaha, just call me uncle or something." Laughed my father.
"Me too, no need for honorifics." Shade smiled.
"Same. You can call me auntie." Arafunn giggled.
"Huh? You're a girl?" Asked Luck.
"Hahaha, I'm joking! Do I look like one to you?" Arafunn giggled.
"W-Well, it is hard to tell... Are all elves this beautiful?" Luck asked.
"Oh my, a young boy praising my beauty..." Uncle Arafunn blushed a bit. "Don't get ahead of yourself."
"E-Eh? Ah, did I said something wrong?" He wondered, which resulted in us all laughing a bit.
Luck ended being much more expressive than we thought.
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