Chapter 39 - Her Name Was Abigail

"Because we know what would happen if we don't. We have been around for more than the years that you've lived. We've seen our allies fall right in front of us. We've seen others perished in battle. Did you think it wouldn't take a toll on us?" asked Mavislin, bending down to the obstinate child's height.

"Listen, we are the last of our kinds. We fell from the stars, and Earth was the only place that we can live in. Some of us weren't content with executing the decision but we had no choice. Where would you go if your entire planet was gone?"

"Then why choose to safeguard us all of a sudden?"

"Must there be a reason why we would choose to protect you?" asked Raiyen, smirking at the human.

"We chose to defend you that day and the many more days to come because of one simple reason. You'll learn this word is simple, yet so complex to uphold and understand. We defend you because we are kind. And we can't stand hearing children cry. We don't want Earth to fall victim to the remnants of the Great Noble War," explained Mavislin, tousling the boy's hair.

"If that is the case, why did you destroy the entirety of the neighboring village?"

Mavislin's eyes darkened as Baldwin glared at the three.

"Because they took the life of a Mage's child," replied Mavislin, her tone weighed with anger and sadness.

The boy's eyes widened with shock and looked elsewhere in shame.

"Her name was Abigail. She was the daughter of that Mage over there," said Mavislin, pointing at Baldwin.

Raiyen was on the equivalent level of shock as the human.

"I think I should allow the father to do the explaining instead," said Mavislin, gesturing Baldwin to speak to the boy.

"Tell me, boy. If I were to burn you at the stake for learning to walk, would you feel upset?" asked Baldwin, crossing his arms over his chest.

The frail boy raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"I would! That is what humans are meant to do! To walk!" yelled the puzzled boy.

"The similar thing applies to us Mages. We are born with Elements, so can you condemn us for being angry at you guys mindlessly killing our children?"

"Our skies tore apart, as the Great Noble War reached the Abyss Of Stars. My wife and I tried getting our daughter away from the planet but at the very last moment, failed. My wife, to save us, sacrificed herself to the Husks."

"We managed to get away, but by the time I tried getting to her, she was already gone. Abi was only a baby then, so I bore no courage to reveal her the truth," explained Baldwin, looking at the locket around his neck.

"But since Abi was just a baby, it was unyielding for her to cope on this planet. When she entered school, she tried showing off her powers to her so-called 'friends'. I couldn't blame her. It was a new spell that she had been practicing for years."

"She merely wanted to convey to her peers what she was born with. But the rascals told the village elder and my daughter was burnt on the stake."

The human boy's hands trembled as he heard the man's story.

"Day by day, I still blame myself. For being weak, for being unable to protect my family. I failed to take care of my family. I was so foolish, thinking that humans would be able to accept us so easily. If I hadn't been so feeble, I would've been fit to have my wife by my side right now."

"If I hadn't been so trusting, I would've my daughter by my side now, joyously asking for another round of cake."

The Angry Man took a deep breath as the villagers around them listened intently. They had to discover the truth. For years, they scarcely knew of the destruction of the village, but never the reason why.

They were having tunnel visions for so long that they completely settled for all Mages to be mindless murderers. No one expected the reason for the chaos for a hundred years would be caused by the death of a mere child.

"I couldn't control myself when I saw my daughter burning. Who could? I was upset at myself. I was tormented with humans for betraying us. I lost my daughter to the hands of the people who my wife and I thought were going to save us."

"She was the first to be burn, but not the last. An eye for an eye. That's why we can't blame the young Mages for causing chaos and death."

"We simply retaliated the same way humans had hurt us," replied Raiyen, playing with his daggers.

"But an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. In the wake of our chaos, we failed to prevent the events of the Husks from returning. That's the reason why we are now choosing to protect humanity," replied Mavislin.

"We don't want any more children to cry."