Francis

"Did you see her?", I asked the group who was about to respond, however Johnathans'  voice spoke up as he walked up to the group.

" Francis, I don't think that's the question you should ask. It would be better to ask if we got the core which we did. Here", he said, passing the core to me as I quickly held out my hand to receive the fragment.

I looked at him suspiciously but didn't didn't anything. "Nice work",I said, putting the fragment into the  knife I got which then became the dragon core in its newest form of a dagger.  Its color became bronze and it had silver inscriptions on it along the blade. The  chain I  got with the book from Kyle some time ago  began to glow as it broke from my neck to join the sword.

Just then I felt the dagger start getting heavy in my hand , I looked down and realized it was getting bigger and longer. It morphed into a beautiful sword.  It still had the bronze color along with the inscriptions but it had some white pearls that surrounded a small diamond just below the handle. Looking closer I realized the diamond was in the shape of a small book.

Someone suddenly gasped, "Its breathtaking",

I looked up and saw that everyone was looking at the sword in awe. It was spectacular.  Everyone just nodded in agreement.

"Okay then let's go then", Fray said excitedly.

"No, not without Kyle and where is Blake?, we need everyone here", I said.

"We don't have the time, we have to go now", Johnathan suddenly spoke.
I turned around glaring at him " You think I don't know that, they have a right to be here we all do"

"He's right Francis we have to go now", Aquata said, coming up to me " we don't don't don't time.

I was about to protest when Kyle came out of nowhere " they're right Fran you need to go I'll be fine".

I looked at him worriedly then nodded in defeat, turning around to everyone else I said "Okay let's go, we've got a world to unite", opening a portal which everyone went into after exchanging a few words and a couple nodded with him. The last to go in was Johnathan.

"Aren't you coming", I said looking towards him.
"No,I'm gonna sit back here.I've got something to address".
Pursing his lips, I nodded " ok ,see you then", I said as I jumped into the portal but just before I went in I saw Johnathan, Blake and Kyle all looking at me.

                              ~•~
In the middle of the battlefield the group stood in a circle as I stood in the midst of them. It was about 15 seconds since I got here and about 10 seconds since the group and I quickly analyzed the environment.

" I never thought I would see so much blood", Aquata said, tears forming in her eyes, her hand in a fist.
" I did", Z said with tears in her eyes, some fell from her eyes. I softened my gaze at her and at the group as I felt the pressure upon me at the voice and pain of the people.

" Stop!", I said, amplifying my voice, using the dragon core sword to plunge into the ground. Its impact created an earthquake that sprung out for miles. Immediately everyone became silent  as my voice spoke up.

" Isn't this enough? Don't you feel tired? Do you wish to see your family in pain, friends dying? War is not the answer. Look into yourself. What are you really fighting for? Is it worth all this? Look at your world, it's filled with  pain and blood  that you can smell in the air.

Death and destruction is what awaits you day and night. There is no peace for you.

I dream of a world with happiness. A world where it is a village where everyone helps everyone. The air is clean, and filled with honesty and love", I said looking at Z then I continued.

"Don't you all dream of a world where you and your  family can be safe. A world that has unity where we are not divided by gender, race, or the gene that is running through our veins. The borders are gone, resources are shared and you are free because you are one.

If any of you dream of that, join me, join me and let us rebuild a world where we live in peace. No more bloodshed, but you have to make the choice to end this madness. So join me.

Everyone looked down in shame as my words were left hanging in the air but despite the fact that they were all ashamed no one said anything. A minute had passed and everyone was still looking around not knowing if they should say anything or not.

Z came and squeezed my hand in support as the silence continued to flow in the environment and I was beginning to lose hope when all of a sudden Eudoxia dropped her weapon to the floor going towards her sister to hold her hand as she helped her drop her weapon also. They both looked into each other's eyes as if communicating.

"We will join you", they both replied. Hesitantly someone from the crowd dropped their weapon too and his crew followed.

" We  are done fighting. We will  join you".

Z turned to me and smiled with pure love in her eyes
"I will join you", I smiled at her "Obviously, its not like you had a say in the matter"
Z only rolled her eyes and laughed.

I looked at her seriously " did you just roll your eyes at me?, just wait until this is all over", I said as I squeezed her side to which she giggled.

"We will join you", Voices of women became loud.
"We will  join you ", men's voices followed in all accents and tongues, people agreed.
We will join you", a series of weapons fell to the ground as people joined me.

" My people now we are no longer. Alyconians', Jilnopians, Bellatrixians or whatever it may be. We are not separate anymore, no. We are the same, we are one. Out of many, we are one people", I said, raising the sword towards the sky as I read the inscriptions on the sword.

" As it was in the beginning, so it is in the end. The start of a new beginning ", a bright light shone as the man I saw before in that space some time ago appeared.

" I knew you could do it. You could never fail me because I made you for this purpose. Now that you have fulfilled your destiny I will tell you who I am. I'm the sister's father, the one who created all this. I am who you always heard of but never knew until now. I am Lord Rion".

Suddenly the brightness dimmed as the world became a new image to me, everything was beautiful. Everything was new and suddenly I began to see people heal, but the best part was the fact that everyone was helping each other. I looked around as the worlds morphed into one and everything was restored.

3 months later

Today was an important day. I was nervous, I was beginning to get what they call cold feet but I was sure about what I wanted. Yet that couldn't stop me from being afraid about the what ifs' however a hand came down on my shoulder at a hard impact.

"Snap out of it man. Don't be a wimp. I can't believe you are getting married and at that before me", Kyle said looking at me with a proud look on his face.

"I can't either it seems as if it was just yesterday you were laughing at me for being a 23 year old virgin and now I'm seconds from being married and the funniest thing is, it's with someone who once hated me", I said laughing as the nervousness slowly left me.

" The bride will arrive soon, it's time you go out", Johnathan and Gaiah said, coming to the entrance of the room as we walked out.

                              ~~•~~
Standing at the altar I waited as my bride walked down the aisle towards me. She looked so beautiful in her blue wedding  dress, It had flower patterns on it and a long piece at the back. Her beautiful white hair was let down and a flower crown rested on her head. She held a bouquet of flowers in her right hand and Gaiah held her left hand as he guided her towards me slowly.

As soon as she reached the altar I gasped at her beauty. She was even more beautiful up close. I was left speechless but Z only laughed at me " oh honey thank you".
I couldn't help myself so I grabbed her face and kissed her.

"Ahem, it's not time for that young man", the priest said as everyone laughed.
"Someone's getting knocked up tonight, give it up for my boy Francis", Kyle shouted to the audience as Z glared at Kyle in embarrassment.

We said our vows and people cheered, then after everyone settled down the priest spoke " you may kiss the bride",I lifted her Veil and kissed her on her forehead.

"That's it, that all I get after a while ago"
she said with a teasing look, her face held fake anger.

" That's all you get until tonight, surely you can be more patient, the children are watching",

"Really you didn't seem to care a few minutes ago", she said laughing but I  only shrugged in return and smiled looking at the flower boys and girls of our new friends we gained after the war.

At the reception  I took  2 cups of wine from my groomsmen and gave her one.
"To us in married life and to our people. A new beginning".

"A new beginning!"Everyone chimed in, taking a drink from their respective glassware.

"Where will our honeymoon be?", Z asked and immediately I had a flashback to the farming village I went to sometime in the past. It had weird animals that had familiar resemblance to animals from Ogore Thelea back then along with the water spirits and beautiful artecture, healing environment and natural beauty.

" Our honeymoon starts with a journey. We will be traveling to a calming land ".

And if anyone wondered what happened to Maximus and his wife. They died I didn't get to confront them again as the chance was stolen from me not that I am angry, Johnathan killed them and Blake helped out with their death also. Shocker right? I had even gotten a dream telling me about what had happened to them after death.

They went through a trial for their wrongs and were found guilty  but Lord Rion was merciful to them. They are gonna be reborn into new bodies, memories gone and all.

So they too can have their new beginning. And with much consultation of Z, she accepted the loss so, to cheer her up I reminded her that she was not alone and that  she had me and I became her family.

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