188 Welcome Back!

"Honestly, I wasn't sure whether or not it was the right choice... But I have people waiting for me, friends who mean the world to me right now... I don't have time wasting on that Dark spirit's mind games." 

Zestari wasn't certain, but John seemed different, maybe having an option to change the path changed him in a way. But she could tell just by looking that he had slightly matured. 

"It must have been hard... Sorry..." She Apologised 

John didn't know why she was apologising, but before asking that, he had another thing to ask 

"What happened to the room...? Where is all the darkness?" 

"This isn't your consciousness... I guess you could say it's a space I created where that guy won't hear us." 

[Is she referring to the spirit?] 

"What happened, to him...? Or rather... What's happening outside?" 

Once John asked this, Zestari remained quiet as she looked up at the ceiling. 

"John, promise me that you'll become stronger... Much stronger than you are now... Because at this level... You won't be able to stop it." 

[It...? More importantly...] 

"Why are you telling me this now? That was already the plan, wasn't it?" John asked 

Hearing this, Zestari looked once again at John before asking 

"That was wasn't it...?" 

[Why does it feel like she's saying goodbye...?] 

"Hey... Did something happen? What's wrong?" John asked with a worried expression 

"Nothing, nothing at all, wake up, John. Hopefully one day, we'll be able to meet again." 

[Wake up...? Why is she talking like that?] 

"Wait, Zestari... You aren't leaving somewhere are you?" 

There was no reply. As he moved in to ask something else, he suddenly felt his mind being pulled somewhere along with an urge to sleep. 

"Wai-" 

And just like that, he disappeared from the room. 

"Honestly... You��re such a handful." Zestari muttered before disappearing 

------------------------------- 

John slowly opened his eyes before breathing in as much fresh air as possible. He looked around and noticed that everyone was here. Not just his party but even Azure's party. 

"What's going on...?" He asked with a confused tone 

He was kneeled on the floor and everyone looked at him nervously in an attacking stance 

John tried moving the chains but it wouldn't budge. 

[Zestari, what's the situation?] John asked 

There was no reply. As he continued to stand there in that position, he looked over at the area where both Ariel and Serena stood. 

They looked nervous about something. As he continued to stare at them, Ariel noticed something was different about him and asked 

"Hey... Isn't that, the normal John?" Ariel asked 

"He hasn't changed... But, you're right... He feels different than a while ago." 

John's body felt much different, his eyes hurt like hell along with his forehead, and he felt something on his back which he could move. 

He turned around to see what it was and couldn't believe it. It looked like a dark wings, but uncomplete, it was nauseating, and even so more the fact that it was coming out of his back. 

[There's a hole in my back...?] 

As he tried to move, a surge of pain passed through his back, eyes and head. 

"Argh..." He muttered as steam began to come out of him 

The wounds were closing, and at the same time, he felt something crack into his skull 

He looked up and around but there was no one near himor anything which could have seeped something into his skull 

[What was that?] 

And then the wings suddenly retracted into his back, in a fast speed as if it couldn't wait to get back in. 

The feeling sent cold shivers down his back, he wasn't going to be able to get it out of his head anytime soon. 

"You're John... Right?" Ariel asked as she walked up to him 

"Foolish Ariel..." John muttered with a deep tone 

Hearing this, Ariel was about to step back, when all of the sudden, John raised his head and with a smile said 

"Of course, I'm John." 

Before Ariel could do or say anything, Serena said 

"Wait, If you're really John, tell us something only John can know." She asked 

[What do I know that he doesn't? Hasn't he been watching my every move since possessing me... Hm... Then it has to be something before the trial.] 

"Yeah... There's that secret you made me promise not to tell anyone, when you're sleeping you tend to-" 

Suddenly, Serena dashed all the way Azure's side to John as she placed her hand over his mouth. 

"S-Something else! Besides, haven't you seen me sleeping recently, on the trip here? That example doesn't count!" Serena asked completely embarrassed 

For a moment Ariel looked confused, and then she realised what John was talking about 

"Ah! John, could you be referring to how Serena snores and drools over her pillow?" Ariel asked 

Hearing this, Serena quickly turned to Ariel before dashing at her and pulling at her cheeks 

"Ariel, you... traitor!" Serena shouted completely embarrassed 

"Ow, W-wait, Serena- Sorry!" 

As Serena continued to pull at Ariel's soft cheeks, she seemed to be calming down. Not only that, but John also wanted to try pulling it. 

[Zestari, is everything okay?] John asked once more as he got up 

"I guess that confirms it? Welcome back, John." Said Azure as he walked up to John before stretching out his hand. 

His party was all here, Ayda, Kayla and the brown-haired boy which John barely saw speak. 

[Hm... Am I being oversensitive right now, or is there something off about his hand? Not just that but, my senses... They feel... Different... Higher but more natural.] 

John found it strange by the fact that he couldn't detect any sort of spell or attack coming from his hand, but the handshake felt off. 

"Thank you." Said john as he shook Azure's hand 

Seeing as how nothing happened, Both John and Azure let out a sigh 

"Why are you sighing?" John asked 

"That was just to see if you were really back, if you were still possessed, I would have been able to tell." 

[Tell...? What are you, a priest?] 

As he was about to ask something, he felt the pressure of something hitting into him, which caused both him and that person to fall over. 

As the two laid on the ground, Ariel showed him a happy bright smile as she said 

"Welcome back!" 

At the same time, he saw Serena walk up to their sides, while she also said 

"Welcome back..." Still a bit embarrassed from what happened