//------------------------------// // Part 3: Revealing Truth // Story: Returning Home // by dragovin08 //------------------------------// In the morning they gathered their things and continued out of the city. They passed by the smithy that Aeon worked at, the roof to the small building was caved in; there was a large soot pile around the small building. Aeon trudged up to the building remembering the first day he began work there five years ago. He walked seeing the Smith hammering a glowing orange piece of metal. The smith stopped and at Aeon setting his hammer and the piece of metal of the anvil. "Ahh, so you're the one those arena fellows told me to have you here," He said wiping his hands with a rag; his voice was strong and solid like a soldiers. He was large and well built towering over the young Aeon. His scales were a sapphire blue and his underbelly was a sandy white with two large white horns on his head and a smaller horn on the end of his snout and he wore a red blacksmith's apron. "Ummm... yes," Young Aeon said hesitant. "There's no need to be afraid I ain't gonna squish ya," He looked down at Aeon," How old are ya boy?" "Fifteen and a half." "Hmmm... good age, now show me your arms." Aeon raised his arms towards the large blacksmith and he looked at his arms. “You’re quite scrawny, damn bastards don’t know how to feed a Zen but don’t fret boy you’ll build up some muscle here.” “Really!” Aeon said excitingly lowering his arms. “Of course but first I’ll have the misses cook you up a good meal so at least you have some nutrients.” “That will have to wait I still need to go to the market to get some ingredients,” His wife yelled out. “I could do it for her,” Aeon offered. “Could you?” His wife stuck her head of the door, she had yellow scales and she had no features on her head,” That you be great here’s what I need,” She handed Aeon a list. He took the list,” Okay I’ll be back,” He said leaving to the market. Setting his hand on the destroyed smithy smiling," What I would do to go back to those days," Aeon took his hand off and they continued on. As they were walking he could feel that sensation returning but he wanted to brush it off. Yet everytime he held it back, it would come back stronger. He felt his breathing becoming heavy and his body becoming weak. Aeon then gave in falling to his hands and knees coughing out blood again. "Are you alright?" Nier asked kneeling next to him. "I... I don't know," Aeon coughed," I think I might be getting sick." Nier ran the back of his palm across Aeon's forehead and sides of his face," Well you're not sick but there is something wrong," He exclaimed taking his palm off of Aeon. "What do think?" "I don't know," Nier puzzled," Did you do a lot of fighting while you were kept in the arena?" "Of course I did but also I was tortured, beaten, stabbed, burned and even... raped by the other competitors." "Sorry to hear that you had it so rough there, but I think I may know why you're like this just hold still." "Okay." Nier closed his left eye looking at Aeon with his right. He began seeing Aeon's muscles, veins, organs, and skeletal system. He looked for a couple minutes and found what was wrong. "I see," Nier said opening his other eye. "Well, what is it?" Aeon asked. "From all the damage you've taken your matches, torturings and beatings is..." Nier stopped hesitantly. "Is what?" "Unfortunately you're bleeding internally." "You're saying I'm, I'm-" "Your body's becoming weaker," Nier concluded," but don't worry the bleeding isn't very bad." Aeon sat down," How long do you think I have?" "In your current state a good maybe fifteen to twenty years but I might be wrong." He sighed in despair," So I'm starting to succumb to my wounds." "We all succumb to our wounds whether they be physical or mental." "Yeah maybe." Aeon got up and continued walking, he saw the house Hazel use to live in. He scaled the wall to the balcony into the room. It still looked the same from when he had first seen it. The elegant sheeting and curtaining, the exquisite furniture still here. That day was not a good first impression as he sat there hiding, holding her down with his hand over her mouth. He heard them stop. "He went this way!" One of them yelled, they ran in that direction. Aeon sighed in relief, he took his hand off her mouth and got up. "You scum! You no good low life l! Sneaking on a lady!" She ranted at him in her soft elegant voice," If you're here to take advantage of me you're sorely mistaken!" She grabbed a knife off of her dresser pointing it. Aeon was on the balcony, he looked back at her," Sorry to bother ya," He jumped down back into the street. It took her by surprise that he didn't do anything to her and he was just about her age. All he did was look back and leave. she felt her heart pounding in her chest. Setting the knife down she looked into the mirror seeing herself blushing. Who was he? Aeon chuckled a bit as he looked in. He opened the closet and saw a charcoal colored scarf, the same she wore that night they danced together. He took it and wrapped it around his neck to keep her with him. Coming back down Nier leaned on a wall," Took you long enough," He said," Nice scarf." "Thanks... do you keep anything to remember your loved ones?" Aeon asked. "Of course but sometimes it's haunting making you remember things you don't want to remember." "Maybe... maybe." They left the city going out towards the arena but Aeon didn't want to go there because to many horrible memories lingered there. "The arena," Nier said. "I know," Aeon responded. "A place I don't accept its existence in our homeland." "Why?" "Because slaves shouldn't be fighting to the death or crafted into killing machines." "Oh." "I have seen what the arena can do to those who have participated in the fights and it can be... frightful." "That be true Nier... I just don't want to go in there." "Why?" "Too many memories." Nier didn't say anything he just looked ahead thinking of his past, the burnt bodies of children and the slit throat of a female. His mind seemed somewhere else, clouded and empty. In a sudden jerk Nier kicked Aeon with his wooden leg sending him backwards to a small shack. Aeon broke through the door dazed and confused on what just happened. He laid on the ground looking forward at Nier who was charging at him with his sword unsheathed. Aeon got up grabbing Nier's arm holding his sword back. "What are you doing?" He asked, looking into his eyes, Nier's normal eyes was completely black while the other eye was still the same," Snap out of it!" Aeon tossed Nier over his shoulder throwing him at a table. Nier jumped back on his feet leaving his sword on the ground. Nier came swinging at Aeon; he tried blocking every hit but Nier was extremely skilled in hand to hand constantly hitting Aeon in the lower torso and legs. He kicked Aeon breaking him through the wall of the house, dust and wood travelled with him as he rolled into the rain. Dazed he looked to the sky as Nier came over him hitting in the face over and over again. Blood leaked from Aeon's mouth and nose as he took he strike from Nier's wooden hand. "Finish me... do it," Aeon huffed in pain," do it." Nier's eye returned to normal and he dropped Aeon looking at his hands, panting heavily with a face of fear," I'm sorry, I'm sorry," He repeated over and over. He sat on the wet stone road with eyes wide open. "What happened?" Aeon asked struggling to lift his head. "This... has happened before... I begin seeing things as foe," He replied. "How?" "The war, the war gives me visions and this eye doesn't help the burden I carry." "What burden?" Aeon had his head up. There was no answer for only the sound of the pouring rain could be heard. Tears began running down Nier's face," My wife and my children's blood stain my hands." "What do you mean?" "... They made me kill them, they took control of me and made me do it," He sobbed. "Who?" "The demons," He growled," And after I cut my wife's throat and burned my children alive. Their leader stood in front of me out of the flames my sin and tore out my right eye giving me this," He pointed to his demonic eye. "Now you have committed the ultimate sin and for that you shall live unable to die and those around will perish as you can only suffer and grieve, this I give you as a curse," The words of the demon king stuck to Nier like glue as he placed his eye in place of Nier's. "I still feel its power inside wanting to seize control wanting to possess me again." Aeon looked at him in disbelief unable to speak, trying to grasp the fact that Nier is immortal. He struggled to his feet, legs shaking and a sharp pain in his torso making his lower half feel numb. "Come on," Nier said helping Aeon stay on his feet. They moved towards a large prison to get out of the rain. Inside the prison it was dark with slightest creaks echoing from the rusted cell doors. A torch was lit to give light in the pitch black. The hallway seemed to go on without end; in the corner of his eye Aeon saw a chest that he had seen before, large, wooden, and locked to keep evidence as he remembered watching from the cell across the hall. He let go of Nier limping to the chest. Easily the lock broke and he lifted the top. "Still here," Aeon sighed. Inside was a black hooded cloak shredded at the bottom and two silver gauntlets with markings on engraved on them and eight foot long chains with hooks on the end attached to them. Aeon stood staring at them with a bleak face and frightful eyes. "Are these your items?" Nier asked getting Aeon's attention. "Yes... they are," Aeon responded in a muddle voice. "What are they doing here in a prison?" Aeon closed the lid," I... use to be a murderer ." "Murderer?" "Yes, I killed the innocent... men, women, children, whatever I could grasp in my claws." "How many... did you kill?" "In the arena ten but when I started murdering... I lost count of how many innocent lives I took." "What did they call you?" "Night Stalker." No words were said for a moment,” Leave these items and just like this place it will be forgotten.” “Yeah, but what I did I never wanted to do because it wasn’t part of my destiny.” “Destiny the book written by the blood of kings telling that life is already written for a soul. Actually destiny is not already written, it’s not written but each day a page is written and a new chapter is made each year for the pen is the soul and the ink is blood.” “I guess I can’t change anything, huh.” “Tis not, what is written is written and like time it cannot be changed.” “Then lets go.” They left the prison and they began heading back to the shore. Aeon couldn’t keep his head wrapped why he did what he did back then. "You seem lost," Nier said. "What?" "You look lost." "I'm just trying to wrap my head around why I did what I did." "Is it over something?" "I don't remember, it just feels like there's another side to me, something that makes me hurt and kill others." "There could be but a second personality that would be one answer." "Maybe but I feel that there is something about me... something different." "What I see is that you're just confused." "Most would see me as evil... but I'm not evil, I've just made the wrong choices." "Anyone would see you as evil if they didn't understand you." "Do you?" "Hard to say if I do." They made it to the shore where they met, the air smelt of moisture and the tide was at its lowest. Aeon's boat sat with the water barely touching it. The flapping sail in the breeze indicated that it was a good day to go. Aeon walked to the boat setting his satchel in it. "Well I guess I'll be taking my leave Nier," Aeon told him. "And so you will." "Will I ever see you again?" "Just like how light and dark always cross each other I believe we'll cross paths again in time." "That's good to hear, but since you have that eye do you know where demons are?" "Aye, and whatever demon comes to any land I will go and smite it," He exaggerated. "It was good to meet you Nier," Aeon smiled holding his hand out. "Tis it was, " Nier shook his hand," But before you go I'll give you this," He took his belt off and opened his coat revealing swords and daggers," Take these," He said handing him a curved sword and a dagger. "What kind are these?" Aeon asked partially unsheathing the sword. "It's a scimitar with a dagger to go with it forged by goblins. They gave them to me as a gift for purging their land of their demon but I think they'll serve better than they have for me," Nier closed his coat and tightened his belt. "Thank you." "You're welcome." Aeon pushed his boat into water, hopped in it, and unfolded the sail. He looked back at Nier who was standing there watching Aeon sail away. Aeon looked until he couldn't see Nier in the fog, he turned forward to the ocean. It doesn't matter I'm going back to Equestria. *** Another six days passed as Aeon came to the shores of Equestria. The night was young as it began to rain as he docked his boat pushing it upshore. The streets of Ponyville were completely empty from the rain. Aeon stood looking with a smile having a good feeling being back. He found Shoeshine's house, cupping his hands he looked into the window seeing the place was completely empty. "Must have moved," He said to himself.  For a few minutes he searched the town looking for where she was. A door opened from a house just a short distance away from him. He couldn't see who it was with the cart that was next to the door. As he walked closer he noticed it was her and he leaned on the market cart without her even noticing. "I see you've moved," He chimed in scaring her. She jumped turning her head looking him," Aeon!" "Well you don't seem very thrilled to see me." She picked up a bag with her mouth and threw it into a trash can," Well the way you exited why would I be," She huffed. "True, my exit was a bit harsh and I have thought about it." "Have you now," She said sarcastically. "Yes, I have and I was wrong to act in that fashion towards you." "You've been gone for a few days and this is all you can tell me, that's flattering but its now enough." "You're right it's not enough, I don't think there will ever be enough for the way I've acted. I know you might hate me but if you don't want to see me then I'd rather end on good terms then how it was a few days ago, that's all I wanted to say." She said nothing as Aeon began walking away," Aeon," She hollered and he turned his head," I think maybe we could start over." "Maybe." "We should go out sometime then." "We should." "But how will I know where you are?" "I'll be around," He started again heading towards the woods, within the woods he sat under a tree to stay out of the rain. Now it's time to start building my new home and forget my old home.