Chapter 298 - Cap 297: Coming Out Of The Mountain Range

After Sapphire announced moving the village to my Dungeon she told everyone that from now on I was the village leader, in the current situation I had nothing more to say, Vanessa also made me see that many of the things that I've been doing since checking into this village are jobs that normally the village leader should do. 

Since I had already accepted this village into my Dungeon, that means I was accepting responsibility for this village and its inhabitants, so I will keep this until the end and make Sapphire a part of the village council along with the others, as well I can delegate some of my responsibility to them too. 

We spent the rest of the day getting everything into the Dungeon, most seemed happy about it, but the people who stayed behind in the village were confused, and sometimes I saw people who participated in the fighting explaining the situation to those who stayed behind. 

After the night came the village people decided to have one last party in their village before going, they wanted to celebrate the victory of our battle and the future of the new village. 

Freya and Caryana were happy to join the people of the village to cook tasty food made with the monster meat we still had, one thing I discovered during the party was that the Orcs knew how to make alcoholic drinks, so the party lasted until dawn. 

During the party I jump on top of one of the houses to be able to better see this festive scene, Jade jumps to sit next to me, but loses her balance and almost falls there is still not used to her legs, Layla who was on my shoulder goes to catch her and comes flying while laughing. 

"If you're not used to using these legs, then go back to your Lamia form."  (I) 

"I would like to, but I still haven't gotten used to the shape-shifting model, I'm going to need some time for that, I also need to be able to move with these legs from now on."  (Jade) 

"I didn't have much time to talk to you, but Alice told me you spent a lot of time talking to your mother or Freya."  (I) 

"Yes, I've been told what happened to Farus, I'm glad he was defeated, but I was shocked to learn that I would have to leave this village where I was born and raised."  (Jade) 

"I thought you'd be happy with that, looks like you've been wanting to get out of the mountain range for a long time."  (I) 

"I wanted to travel and face strong enemies, I always wanted to be strong enough to bring more prosperity to my village, at least that was my thought before I was consumed by my pride and selfishness."  (Jade) 

"But I didn't want to leave this place forever, every place here has memories of the best and worst moments of my life, leaving everything is not an easy thing, even more knowing that I contributed to this result."  (Jade) 

"I'm sure a lot of those partying down there think as you do."  (I) 

"But there's no way to keep a life here, they know that too and they chose to move on."  (I) 

While talking to Jade, Layla flew out and started swimming in a keg of a drink that resembles a lot of vodka, it was funny to see her start swimming and then pass out inside the keg, Nix ran to get her out of there. 

"How can I move on after all I've done..." (Jade) 

"I still remember how I commanded the Undead to attack a village, I remember being the first to attack killing the village leader at first while she had a smile on her face."  (Jade) 

"I remember how happy I was as I was tearing apart everyone who got in my way, the adrenaline and euphoria coursing through my body."  (Jade) 

Tears 

"I remember how I killed... how I killed... children..." (Jade) 

Tears 

"..." (I) 

Jade started to cry, but they weren't normal tears, they were tears of blood, her face was filled with such a fury that some of the more experienced warriors at the party looked in our direction, I waved my hands for them to continue cheering. 

"My mom spent hours telling me that what I did wasn't my fault, telling me I was sick..." (Jade) 

Tears 

"But I was conscious the whole time..." (Jade) 

Tears 

"If I close my eyes I'm still able to hear the screams, I can smell the blood and I can even feel the warm blood splash on my body..." (Jade) 

Tears 

"These images seem to have become more vivid and clear to me now than they did when I was still sick."  (Jade) 

"I'll never be able to forget what I did, I'm sure there will be people in the village who won't forget what I did either."  (Jade) 

Tears 

"The blood on my hands will never be washed away, I don't deserve the power Master Zenos bestowed on me..." (Jade) 

Now that her illness has healed, the weight of her actions and crimes must be crushing her, it must be unbearable to remember the atrocities she committed, but this is a trauma she will have to live with for the rest of her life. 

Sigh 

"I don't know what you're feeling, I can't even imagine your pain."  (I) 

"I'm not like your mother either, I'm not here to comfort you and tell you that this was all your illness's fault."  (I) 

I put my hand on her shoulder and open my Dragon wings flying away from the village, I stop in a place where I didn't feel any monsters around and we could still see the starry sky, it was a clearing, I land there and drop Jade like tried to resist in front of me. 

"I brought you here because I don't want to disturb anyone during the celebration."  (I) 

"I want you to know that, unlike your mother, I still think you are responsible for the crimes you committed."  (I) 

"Trying to come up with excuses, reasons or arguments about what you did is not going to help you."  (I) 

"This guilt and anger and remorse you're feeling right now will be with you for the rest of your life, nothing your mother or I say is going to change that."  (I) 

"The only thing you can do now atones for your sins, how you go about doing that is entirely up to you."  (I) 

"The power I gave you was a test to save someone, I felt bad about testing someone innocent and I looked for a criminal, of course, I didn't know about your illness when we captured you."  (I) 

"I just wanted to test the level of the changes, you were never in danger, you can be right in saying that you don't deserve what I did for you."  (I) 

Saying words of comfort to someone who carries so much guilt and regret is useless, she would only fall into a deeper hole of despair. 

What she needs is to face what she's done head-on, she needs a reason to keep fighting, the only thing I can think of that might make her stand up is to atone for her sins, to make that power that she managed to do for something. 

"So earn it, show me and your mother and the people of the village what you will do with this power, show how you will make up for what you have done, show that you will one day be worthy of this power."  (I) 

"..." (Jade) 

"You have this night to regret what you've done, but you can't go on like this forever, so decide if you're going to spend the rest of your life just crying and grieving, or you're going to stand up and show how this power you have can be used."  (I) 

"Your mother is not here, no one from the village is here, so put everything you are suppressing out now when the Suns rise in the morning will be the moment of your decision."  (I) 

She spent the rest of the night crying and screaming until a pool of blood formed under her, I stayed there in silence, nothing I said would make a difference at that moment, I did what I could, now it's up to her. 

Nix kept everyone away and waiting in the village, I asked her that because I didn't want anyone to see Jade in this fragile state, I even wondered if what I was doing was right several times. 

When the sky lit up in the morning Jade's tears had dried up for a long time, she was weak with red eyes looking at the sky while lying on the ground. 

Her eyes were blank for more than half the night, I thought I had failed and she had completely given herself over to guilt, but then I see her move, she raises her hand in the air as her eyes go from blank to full of conviction. 

"If I surrender to my feelings, then I'm just running away."  (Jade) 

"I can't change the past, neither will anything I do will make up for my crimes, but I will show the people I killed in the other world that this power will prevent innocent people from dying, I will show how a criminal like me is worthy of this power with my actions..." (Jade) 

"Then get up and take your first step."  (I) 

I saw her get up with difficulty, it seems that tonight took all her strength away, but at least I can see a strong will in her eyes, she and I walked to the village, she fell a few times along the way and I thought I'd help her, but her look showed that she wanted to go alone, so I just stayed by her side without helping until we reached the village. 

Sapphire was at the village gates waiting, I saw that she wanted to run towards us, but I waved my hand at her to turn gray, so when Jade reached the village gates she went straight into her mother's arms. 

"I know what to do now mom..." (Jade) 

"I'm happy my daughter..." (Sapphire) 

After that the three of us entered the Dungeon as Nix closed the entrance and flew away, it was time to leave the mountain range.