(September 15th, 2017)

Justin

It has been a few hours since the return of Alex and his amazing display of strength when destroying the robot troops that were attacking the citadel. Ethan and I went around the city to help move supplies and provisions while taking down any imperial force that stood in our way. The royal navy arrived to aid us in the battle about an hour ago. It has been mostly successful in destroying bomber drones and fighter drones, decreasing the number of bombing runs and missile strikes that we have to deal with. The imperial fleet that's floating a few miles away from our shores has gotten pretty occupied with the fleets of naval warships and the fighter aircraft that is being deployed by the aircraft carriers within the fleets.

However, with that said, the empire's units seem to vastly outnumber us, and they keep recovering from their losses by deploying more soldiers into the city and attacking with their flying arsenal of weapons. The king and his advisors were getting frustrated by the number of plans that they cannot agree on. Some plans seem to spell utter failure, and others seem to have pyrrhic victories as the common outcome. The giant hovering aircraft, which appears to be the main resource deployer for all their aircraft and soldiers, is impervious to attack. Any form of ballistic attacks gets shrugged off as nothing. Any spot that gets hit starts glowing orange for one second after the initial strike before revealing that every attack the navy made was a complete waste of time and resources. It doesn't take a genius to realize that it's using some kind of force field to shield itself from our attacks. It is not too dissimilar from Zack's new dome shield magic spell, but it feels more deeply rooted in both magic and technology.

Ethan and I watched from a high rooftop building as the navy struggles to maintain the balance to its favor. Our naval battleships are struggling against the imperial aerial battleships and their energy-based weaponry. Realizing that people are fighting a losing battle while I could not access my powers and aid them made me feel pathetic and useless. I clenched my fist as I watched the horrific sight of explosions and planes fighting through the dawn's golden sky.

"I wonder how long they can keep going..." Ethan spoke, breaking the silence.

"I wonder if they can keep going. I also wonder what's next," I stated. "I mean, what are we supposed to do now?"

"I think it's time for you to leave."

I took my eyes off of the battle in the distance and glanced at him, taken aback by what he just said. I knew that nothing is standing in our way and that we should be gone by now, but I cannot leave behind the city that I grew up in and start an adventure with my companions. Furthermore, I have a feeling that I have yet to do some things around the city to ease my consciousness and leave knowing that the city is in good hands. I cannot leave with the haunting thoughts of my friends not having a home to return to. If we left earlier in the invasion, the city might not have survived an hour, much less a day. With Zack's surprising royal power, Mia's demonic nature, Alex's newfound powers, and my godhood, we managed to keep the empire at bay despite not experiencing real combat. I sighed and stared back at the unfolding battle and watched as aircraft from both sides exploded in the atmosphere and plummeted to the ruthless ocean.

"I don't think it's time. I can't leave the city like this, Ethan. I don't want to have my friends return back from a long and arduous journey to find our home reduced to ash."

"I get what you're saying, but it's not up to us to decide, Justin," He stated, shaking his head.

"It's not up to us; it's up to me. I was always afraid of leaving for the wrong reasons, but now I understand what I must do. If I can't protect my city against an invasion, then how am I supposed to safeguard the world?" I asked. "Alex has just returned to us, and I'm not willing to lose someone else."

"I will not argue with your decision. It's your choice, after all. All I can do is support you, no matter what path you take." The knight turned to face me with a bright encouraging smile and patted my shoulder reassuringly.

"Thanks." As I was pondering over what I should do to quell the invasion, a question popped into my head. "Wait a second, Ethan. How come only the secret service, the glaives, and the knights get to have magic? Why can't the navy posses some magic in its arsenal?"

"Trust me. His majesty tried many, many times. It's just too hard. The logistics of trying to use magic as a power source or a weapon is pretty complicated. There's a reason why we only use magic for summoning weapons and striking foes with elemental attacks from time to time among other things. Then there are runes, which cannot possibly power entire fleets. Travel the entire world and you'll find different systems of magic and superpowers, but nothing is strong enough to power an entire country's armed forces."

"Except when you look at the distance, you can see magic powering their ships" I took one final gander at the battle before turning around and heading for the exit. "I'm returning to the citadel. There's something that I need to take care of."

I walked to the exit and placed my hand on the door handle, ready to open it. But before I did, an idea popped into my head. I decided to skip the stairs and head straight down while being caressed by the wind. With that thought in mind, I backed away from the exit and dashed to the edge of the roof before jumping off and dropping to street level without a care in the world. I landed on the ground with no problems and walked towards the citadel on my own while Ethan stayed on the roof to ponder alone. I, too, began to ponder over what our first step should be once we exit the city.

"Should we directly head for the first dragon we spot, or should we try and infiltrate imperial bases throughout the regions?" I asked myself out loud.

After a few minutes of walking to the citadel, I was greeted by the sight of army vehicles covering the perimeter. I walked towards one of the vehicles and looked around for a soldier. As I was looking, a soldier happened to walk by the SUV I was peeking through, so I started tapping on the window. He got startled at first, immediately readying his assault rifle and aiming it in my direction. Once he realized it was me, his body froze in place. He immediately started bowing repeatedly to express how sorry he was. Irritated, I started banging harder on the windows. That's when he realized that the vehicles were blocking the way. He got inside the SUV and moved it aside. Once he got out, he ran to my direction, sliding on the ground and smacking his helmet against the hard asphalt as he bowed.

"I beg your forgiveness, my lord!" He exclaimed.

"You're good, soldier. Carry on your duties." I walked inside the citadel walls and watched as the troops of the secret service and knights began their preparations to move out. As some started to walk past me, they began bowing and praising me. Nothing unusual, especially since I got used to them giving me praise. At first, I thought that they are doing it mostly out of fear, but to my surprise, I have come to learn that they do it out of admiration, respect, and hope. I remember one time when a soldier lady broke down crying on my shirt when she was leaving the glaive force because she felt that it was too hard for her. I convinced her to train harder and offered her a chance to train with me. After a few sparring sessions, her natural talent flourished. She now serves as a high-ranking officer in the glaive force. Once she saw me again, she bowed before leaving for her duties. As I ascended the stairs, I saw Zack, who was sitting on said stairs, awaiting my arrival. Once he saw me, he got back on his feet.

"So, how was it?" He asked.

"Not too shabby, but we're not making any progress here."

"I know. I was watching the naval battle, and I can't say for sure whether they will hold for much longer. I've tried reaching out to the Astralis PMC, but it's no use."

"They didn't answer?"

"They did, it's just they were under attack and had their forces stretched while defending areas around the world."

"Dang it. But they sent a unit or two, didn't they?"

"I guess they did. I saw a couple of giant cool-looking robots flying to the naval battlezone and aiding the military."

As I entered the citadel's lobby, I saw Mia sitting on a couch, passed out on Alex's shoulders. She cried for hours on that same shoulder when the two reunited. It felt really heartwarming and joyous to see them together again, finally reuniting us three and setting us on one path. I've still not quite used to Alex's left arm turning into a bionic arm. I knew of the gauntlet's ability to transform into whatever its user wants it to be, but I did not expect Alex to want a bionic arm of all things. Regardless of my opinions about it, it looks pretty remarkable and fantastic. His white hair and golden eyes were also a striking change that took me by surprise, despite me knowing he'd turn out that way. This new change reminded me of how people used to feel when I changed.

Mia has finally taken off her dark armor, and her wings and horns were gone, too. Mia rocked that armor really well, despite her demonic origins making her mad. It reminded me of videogames and special powerups for the playable characters. Mia now wears a black leather jacket along with dark leather pants that reveal her backside and its beautiful form and smooth curves. Under the jacket, she sported a plain red t-shirt with white hearts on it. She also decided to wear the special boots that were custom made for her by a royal tailor, as a gift for her fifteenth birthday. It is adorned with hearts and tiny dragons. Her sixteenth birthday's in a week from now, and I'm still wondering how to make it special for her. What interested me was the fact that she had a red leather leg pouch strapped to her pants on her right leg. The design was a bit much, but considering who she is, I think she chose this aggressive design.

"Where are all these pouches from? And what for?" I asked.

"For whatever we may need them for," Zack answered, sporting the same pouch, but his one looked more cyan and had platinum zippers. "Catch."

And finally, I get to have mine as well. Mine was white leather with golden zippers, chains, and everything else. I wore it on the left side. Each one of us had a separate design for these pouches. Mia's one was by far the most aggressive one in its design.

"So, Alex was the fourth one, huh?" Zack asked.

"Yes. I knew deep down that he'd be the most qualified one to wear that thing. And just look at it, dude. It turned into a bionic arm!"

"Yeah, that's Alex, alright."

"And Mia has an armor, too."

"Uh-huh. She turns into a full-on demon when she dons it."

"I still have to unlock my royal armor," Zack stated, placing his hand on his chest.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. Every king gets one. But the thing is we, uh, have to unlock it within us."

"I don't get it."

"Don't you have a problem summoning your armor?" He asked.

"Yeah. In fact, I have never seen it again after the time I acquired it."

"Well, it's exactly the same thing. I know that we kings have to find the will and power within us to summon it."

"That's neat. I hope that I can, too."

"Well, I hope so. Who knows how powerful you'd get"

Alex started to wake up mere moments later, waking up Mia with him in the process. She looked at him and smiled, knowing that she has gotten back her childhood friend. I still remember how bad Alex felt when she told him she lost her sanity once she saw his body. He looked devastated. These two share a bond between them, similar to the bond between Alex and me. We were practically raised together. We grew up together under the same roof. Mia developed her crush on me, and the same was true of me. It was Alex who pushed us into telling our feelings for one another. Mia filled the void in Alex's heart when his sister Nova left. She cared for him and listened to everything that he had to say. Mia kissed the boy on the cheek and readjusted herself.

He looked at me and chuckled, knowing that we are finally back together, but that feeling of joy that was so evident on his face disappeared in a flash, as it looked like he came into a shocking realization. I got curious and decided to actually listen to him for once, instead of casting him aside like a selfish and ungrateful poor excuse of a friend.

"Alex?" I asked.

"Hey, guys? I wanna show you something. But... I don't think it might be the right time," He stated.

"Speak up, bro. I'm done ignoring you from now on, so just tell me what's on your mind."

He proceeded to take out a card from his wallet. When I looked at it, I realized it was a hunter's guild ID card. I took it from him and stared at it, trying to figure out whether it's legitimate or not. Then I saw the date it was issued. "Yesterday, at the same location that Zack signed us up to the guild."

I was curious as to why he was showing me this as if it's something important. Then I remembered how uncomfortable he was with the fact that the rest of us were becoming hunters while he was stuck in the house.

"What's wrong, guys?" Ethan asked as he approached us.

"Why were you hiding this? Do you think that we would not want you as part of our hunter party? Of course, you should be a hunter! And it's not up to any of us to stop you."

"Oh? So it was that simple? I guess I wasted my time inside an old knights armor for nothing, then!"

The second Zack and Ethan heard that they started bursting into hysterical laughter. They laughed so hard that they startled me and Zack had to grab the end of the couch to prevent himself from falling due to excessive laughter, while Ethan fell on that very couch altogether.

"Okay, okay! I should've done a better job hiding from you guys!"

"I... I don't understand..." I stated. "Mia, what about you?"

She looked at me for a split second before looking away, as if ashamed from looking at me. The look on her face suggests that she feels guilt-ridden. Watching her ignore me and turn her back towards me made me feel an intense sensation of shock and confusion. I stood there trying to figure out what would have caused such behavior to occur, especially from someone like her. Throughout the entire period of my life that I've spent with her, she has never turned her back to me once, especially in a way that suggests she feels ashamed of being in my presence. The only times I've seen her be embarrassed were the very first times she tried to flirt with me or when I notice her drift off into her mind while staring at me.

"Mia, are you okay?" I asked. Alex grabbed my arm and whisked me away to a corner of the lobby with a sudden movement of his arm. I walked with him to a corner where I asked him in a whisper. "What's wrong with her?"

"She still feels pretty bad about stabbing you, Justin," He replied. "Is that true? She says she stabbed you, but I don't... I don't understand why she'd do such a thing."

I looked back at her to make sure she's not listening to the conversation before turning back to Alex. I pulled him closer to me and whispered: "More like, sticking her polearm weapon and plunging it halfway through my chest."

"Whoa... She did that?"

"By accident, yes."

"So that's why there's a massive hole in your shirt..."

"Yes..." I replied sighing.

"Revealing your perfect abs..."

"Yes..." I sighed even harder.

"That Selena and most of the women here love to stare at..."

"Yes!" I snapped in a whisper. "I know, thank you, Alex. Moving on."

"Well, why did she stab you?"

"It... Well... Remember the room you woke up in?" I asked.

"Uh-huh."

"Well, before Zack and I left for the castle to learn more about that thing you have as a left arm," I stated, making him look at his cybernetic arm. "She saw you get shot and went on a rampage, killing countless imperial robots while I took your body to that room."

"And?"

"She then went inside your room after Zack, and I left. One look at your body and she snapped. She then flew after us and started fighting us after we returned. She was totally and utterly insane. She was going to stab Zack if I did not jump in her way and stop her."

"Oh my god..." 

I subtly replied with a "Yes?" under my breath.

"But... Justin, I need to explain something to you now that you're here." Alex then walked to a nearby empty seat with me following behind. We sat across from one another before he began talking.

"You see, I'm not sure if I was dead or not..."

"Oh? Elaborate."

"Well, after I lost consciousness, or 'Died' as one might put it, I found myself seated in a dark room. There was a giant throne in front of me. It was vacant, and no one was in sight. After a minute or two of me sitting on a chair and pondering, someone came from behind me and sat on the throne. It was... Orunos himself."

"Whoa..."

"When he told me that, I've realized that I was dead. I was trying not to break down. He explained to me that it was not my time yet, however. I felt confused, so he began to explain. He told me that I was in a state between life and death. My soul was not in my body, but I wasn't dead either. He asked me what my deepest desire was."

"And what did you tell him?"

"I told him that I want you to succeed and make the entire world safe. Do you know what he responded?"

"What?" I asked.

"He called me a liar."

"Wait, what?"

"Jokingly, of course. He started chuckling after that. He told me that he already knew my one desire and did not need me to tell him. He started to show me what was happening after I passed. When I saw you crying over my body... When I heard you say what you said, that's when I finally broke down." Alex sighed. "He knew that deep down, I wanted to be with you. I want to live and fight alongside my best friend."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alex

"That's not what you truly want," Orunos replied, chuckling. "Look at your friend there, so determined to fight after seeing your selfless sacrifice."

I began watching as Justin and Zack rode on a motorbike, fighting their way through the imperial forces as they made their way to the castle. It was a pretty cool action scene and a sight to behold. To see Zack and Justin be so determined to find the last warrior made me feel a sense of relief, knowing that my friend is not afraid of committing to his duties.

"See how he fights?" Orunos asked. "He's very brutal, don't you think?"

"I... I've never seen him so enraged before..."

"He is touched by your last two exchanges. He is ridden with guilt over your passing, as you can see."

"But... It wasn't his fault! It wasn't anyone's fault!"

"But can you truly blame him?" Orunos asked. "You were able to power through and save Prince Zachary at the last moment, correct?"

"My heart was racing at that moment," I stated.

"How do you think Justin felt? Both of you felt the need to save someone at that instant, but the only difference is that he failed while you succeeded. He was unable to push through and shield you from the bullets that took your life. Imagine how you would have felt if you failed to save Prince Zachary at that instant. Imagine how it feels to have the person who saved you twice die in front of you."

I watched as Justin asked Zack to beat him up and how Zack began to punch him repeatedly, drawing blood with every punch. Unable to bear watching my friends fight, I jumped out of my seat once more and yelled at them.

"Stop beating yourselves over it! It's not your fault. It's mine! I should not have started a fight with you, Justin! Please stop it!"

"They can't hear you, unfortunately. Just watch and see what happens."

"Watch?! I can't watch this! I don't want my friends to beat each other! I want them to work together and fight side by side!" I wiped the tears that fell and continued watching.

"Happy now?" Zack asked the bloodied Justin.

"This is nothing compared to all the suffering Alex went through, and I know you can do better than that."

"Justin..." I trailed off, tearing up at the sight of my friend feeling guilty over my past suffering.

Zack continued punching Justin until he fell on the floor with blood everywhere. To my shock, Justin was not using his power or immense durability. He bled at the mere punch of a mortal, which meant he was punishing himself.

"You're pathetic. Your friend died for us, and all you're doing is accepting punches from the guy who your best friend died saving! Alex must be so disappointed now," Zack stated.

"What? Of course, I'm not!"

"You're telling me that he died for THIS?!" Zack continued.

"Take a seat, young warrior," Orunos spoke.

I returned to my seat and watched as Justin struggled to get back on his feet, coughing blood and falling to his knees. I felt utterly devastated and wanted to go down there and help him myself. That is when I realized that this is what the dead must feel like. Unable to help their loved ones with their struggles. I could do nothing but watch as Justin and Zack bickered over what has happened, feeling guilty for leaving them alone.

"I punched you not just because you asked for it, but because I wanted you to snap out of it, and because Alex did not die for us to be fighting one another. You should never let your back hit the ground in defeat! I get that you and I cannot live with his passing, but how can you of all people live with the guilt of giving up? Especially after his sacrifice!" Zack spoke before offering Justin his hand. Justin gladly took it and got back to his feet.

"I'm sorry I make you feel this way..." I said to myself as tears fell from my eyes to the back of my hands that were resting on my legs. "I'm the one who needs your forgiveness, not the other way around..."

"You've instilled within them a great example of bravery and mettle. Your actions and heroism inspire them. You should feel proud," Orunos spoke, his voice was very calming and beautiful, as expected of a god.

"You're right. I didn't come here to give up or to cry for his loss. I am a coward and a weakling-" Justin stated.

"No, you are not. Stop telling yourself that." I replied while looking down at my legs and watching tears fall down my face.

"-I am afraid of leaving and never seeing this world again. But I am more afraid of not being cut out for this duty that is bestowed upon me. However, if Alex died to save us and sacrifice himself for the future, then I cannot let his death be in vain. I don't know what to do, and I am haunted by his memories, but I'm not gonna stop now. I'll go and do what I must for everyone. I owe it to everybody." Justin continued.

Hearing his words, I was moved by his feelings towards me. I couldn't help but smile through my tears, knowing that my friend has not given up on his duties. Orunos smiled as well at his determination. We watched as the stranger Justin met years ago arrived to give them a book.

"I like your friend's determination. He reminds me of all the past warriors who wielded the gauntlet I bestowed upon them," Orunos stated while watching the exchange between the three people.

"Now tell me, if a friend of yours leaves, what would you do?" The mysterious man spoke.

"I'd walk the earth to get them back!" Justin replied.

"I know you would," I reaffirmed with a smile as I wiped my tears that kept falling.

"Alex should be so blessed to have you by his side." The man then walked away and left Zack and me to our own devices.

"I am. I am blessed to have him by my side."

"Indeed you are, young one. Indeed you are." Orunos smiled at me. His white hair and golden eyes looked very alluring and made me realize how ethereal and grand he looked while seated on his throne.

Justin and Zack walked to the gardens after reading through the book. They walked to the golden circle in the ground where the portal should be. Zack began to recite what was written in the book, but Justin suddenly stopped him.

"Hey, Orunos! We're on borrowed time here, and we need to find your arm and the latest champion. Can we please be teleported to your temple island, if it's not too much to ask?" Justin asked, making Orunos burst into laughter.

"Alright, sassy deity! Here you go!" Orunos then opened the portal to both of them and sent them to his island.

I watched as Zack and Justin made it to the remote island where Orunos's temple was located. They struggled when fighting the monsters that were keeping them from their goal, but I saw how they persevered no matter the odds. As Justin and Zack fight the undead while claiming that they are not looking to claim it for themselves, I began to wonder about the identity of the warrior. Then I realized that my question can be answered by the deity that made the question be asked in the first place.

"So... Who is that warrior, if you don't mind me asking?" I asked.

"You'll see very soon. It's up to your friend to get it to him. But onto other issues that I want to discuss with you. Do you remember the vision you had the night before Justin got his powers?" Orunos spoke.

"Yes?"

"That was my doing."

I felt my heart skip a beat because of what I heard the god say. I remember that I had a vision about Justin obtaining his powers precisely one day before my vision came to be. Knowing now that the person responsible for that experience was sitting in front of me made me think of many questions to ask.

"But why send me a vision when the thing was to happen one night after the fact? And why me of all people? In fact, why am I even here?" I asked.

"The answer to your questions is simple. You'll see it happen right before your eyes, young warrior. Now keep watching." He spoke calmly and in a reassuring voice that was addicting to listen to. His voice is calm and soothing yet displaying bravery and power at the same time. Justin's voice was similar in its own way, being very addicting to listen to, which is why I loved letting him talk and tell me about his daily routines.

I watched as Zack and Justin got their asses handed to them by a tall warrior with a sword. He appeared to be very strong and very wise. He told the two about their inability to fight and their lack of knowledge and explained to them what lies beyond the next door before leaving.

"Ah, Kassandros. Truly a one of a kind warrior. He was the first wielder of the gauntlet. I sent him back to the world of the living to test your friends and strengthen their resolve." Orunos adjusted his seating position and continued watching.

"I wonder who built this," Zack said as they walked.

"Ancient worshippers of Orunos, most likely," Justin replied.

"Indeed. It was built by the combined strength of ancient elves, dwarves, and humans. But it is not like I stood aside and watched them do it on their own!" Orunos replied, jokingly pretending to be offended. His humility was astounding and very surprising to see.

"Why did no one find this place years before the book got stolen?" Justin asked. "I mean, there should have been at least two or three golden warriors to have wielded this gauntlet, right?"

"Yes, but I did not want more warriors," Orunos answered.

"The warriors of the past did not need this book to reach this place, so stating that no one found this place in all the time that passed because this book was in the sacred library is false," Zack stated. "I assume it's the fact that Orunos did not choose any new warrior to bestow his power onto. But why would he do that?"

"Because it was nearly time for you to be born," Orunos answered another question while having his head resting on his right hand like a bored deity.

"It was over a century ago that the last person to take this gauntlet returned it and passed away. I can't say it's for the prophecy, because I wasn't even born yet. None of us were."

"It was," Orunos spoke again.

"But maybe it was for the prophecy, as you were only a century away from getting your powers. A century is nothing to the gods. Maybe Orunos wanted to give it to the guy who is supposed to be with us directly." Zack then opened the book and showed Justin about the last warrior, who was not mentioned by name but was said to have returned the gauntlet and died peacefully a while later.

"Mmm, yes. That person was truly a sight to behold. He decimated entire legions of monsters on his own," Orunos spoke. "He and I play chess from time to time."

When Justin and Zack made it inside a room that was occupied by warriors bearing the Orunos insignia, the deity started clapping in excitement as he smiled like a Roman emperor seeing an excellent display of strength and power in the Colosseum.

"Look, Justin. See the armor these guys are wearing? They were part of the Orunos's guild before," Zack stated.

"It's not the guild of Orunos, it's the ORDER of Orunos!" He and I shouted in unison.

"If neither of you is going to wield this weapon, then who will?" A soldier asked Justin.

"We... We don't know that yet," He replied.

"And you come here with reckless abandon to claim an item you do not have the right to claim?"

"We do not have a choice. The prophecy entails that this person joins us on the journey to safeguard the light, but he did not show up yet, so we'll find him ourselves!" Justin exclaimed while jumping around and fighting back.

"And how did you make it here? Did you sail across the ocean and find this place by chance?"

"I need to inform them of the passage of time." Orunos sighed while shaking his head. We watched as Justin and Zack defeated the warriors and continued on their way.

"Justin?" Zack spoke as they sat and relaxed after the fight. "Why did you open up to me?"

"Huh?" Justin asked.

Zack started to explain to Justin why he felt weird about Justin's amiability despite them fighting before. While it was true that Zack and Justin did not meet in the best circumstances, I had known Zack for some time and played with him online on a somewhat daily basis for a long time. He is a good person, and I'm glad Justin saw that in him, too.

"I wasn't going to kill you, Zack. I never intended to. To answer your question, it's because I saw and understood how anguished you were by your father and by fate itself. It reminded me of myself, you know. I was supposedly taken from another world and brought here a long time ago. Your father found me in a basket in the garden at midnight." Justin explained. "When I was given these powers, and I learned about my origins, my entire world view changed. You and I are the same, Zack. We've been forced to take responsibilities we did not ask for, and we're expected to bring deliverance to a world that doesn't even know who we are." Justin continued.

"So this is how he sees the world..." Orunos spoke, intrigued by Justin. "He is indeed a peculiar fellow."

"You generally don't befriend people in a day's time," Zack stated.

"And you generally don't become a god," Justin replied.

"And the prophecy says we will fight together and fend off the darkness," Zack added.

"That too. But I want us to be more than just companions. I want us to be real friends."

"Yes, Justin! Befriend the guy!" I cheered.

"We've fought imperials, we've journeyed across an invaded city, we've explored a temple of a god. I'd say we've come so far together, there's no denying it." Zack got on his feet and offered Justin his hand. "Let's go and finish this together, my friend."

"YEEEESS!" I exclaimed.

"Pipe it down, will ya?!" Orunos replied.

"Sorry!"

After Justin and Zack fought a giant, they walked an absurdly long staircase of a colossal tower that leads to the sky. I gasped at the length of the stairs and felt a little dizzy when looking at the seemingly endless staircase.

"Where does this staircase lead?!" Zack exclaimed before they began to walk up the stairs.

"Up," Orunos responded.

"I think it leads to the surface," Justin replied to Zack.

"But we haven't gotten the gauntlet yet! Did we go the wrong way?"

"Based on the trials and the book, I think we're on the right path."

"Then why lead us through this underground temple to fight some enemies and then climb back up? Who does that?!"

"Because I want to test your strength, mettle, and will," Orunos answered.

"It's just a feeling, but if there's a tower that stretches from underground towards the sky, people would have discovered this island easily, and we might've heard of it."

"The tower spawned after they killed the giant. And it was not supposed to be there. I set it up for them, and them only," Orunos explained.

When Zack and Justin made it halfway to the top, Zack collapsed from exhaustion.

"I can't... I can't go any further... You must continue this adventure without me..." Zack spoke.

"Stop with the movie cliches. We're only halfway there," Justin stated.

"Halfway?!"

"Yeah. But if you want us to relax here-"

"I NEED to relax, Justin. You're fortunate you don't get tired or feel what I'm feeling at the moment!"

"Okay, okay. We're taking a break here."

The two took a break at the halfway mark of the staircase where the surface of it was stretched to make a long flat surface that was more like a floor than a staircase.

"Why the large tower?" I asked.

"I did not want them to get the gauntlet immediately after beating the giant. A final test, if you will."

When Justin and Zack made it to the top, they faced off against Kassandros in a grand battle that tested the power of the chosen god and his friend. I watched as the two fought valiantly even with their stomachs etching for food. Justin displayed his power against the revenant, being able to hold his own against the revenant despite failing the first time. I was taken aback by Justin's resolve despite my death. I could not help but watch in awe and astonishment as he battled the tall warrior.

"You are faltering. I see that your friend's death places a pang of heavy guilt on you, and that is breaking your resolve. Tell me, would your friend have lost his mettle? I doubt it," The revenant said.

"Of course not! Alex would have pushed on regardless! He has endured torture for years and did not complain once!" Justin replied.

"And what's stopping you from learning from such great example?" The revenant asked.

"I'm... I'm not as strong as he is!" Justin shouted.

"Justin..." I trailed off, feeling my heart getting broken when I heard my friend admit to feeling weak. I wish I could tell him that he was my main inspiration and drive, despite everything. Seeing him perform exceptionally well in training made me want to become better and improve.

"He was an ordinary human, yet he fought through waves of imperial soldiers and died like the hero he is!" His words were moving. I was taken aback when I learned that my friend sees me as a hero, despite me being a hindrance.

"And you let his death be in vain."

"Shut up!" Zack yelled.

"No... It's not in vain. He is a hero and a brilliant person! He was like a brother to me and I. WILL. NOT. FORGET!" Justin struck the revenant, powering through his attempt at blocking his sword.

"You... Think of me like that?" I asked, knowing he will not respond.

"Isn't it evident? If you did not set such a great example, would he have made it so far?" Orunos asked.

I got off my seat and watched as Justin finally defeated Kassandros. I could not find an answer to Orunos's question despite my belief in Justin until the very end. However, seeing him struggle without me by his side, frightens me to the core. But then Justin finally spoke his mind after defeating Kassandros.

"You know, I've realized something important that I should have pieced together a long while ago. When you described what type of warrior can become the wielder of the gauntlet, the image of someone who fits the bill so perfectly popped into my mind," Justin stated.

"Now, this is interesting..." Orunos said as he inched closer to look at the scene that unfolded before our very eyes.

"Lots of people can do great things if you give them enough power to do so. Not so many people can do the same on their own. I've known a guy who struggled alone for a long time and never asked for help. I, on the other hand, always required help from those around me. That guy always managed to persevere and fight on his own no matter what stood against him." Justin continued.

"I... I don't know what to say..." I trailed off.

"He did not have powers, wasn't blessed by the gods, and wasn't very skilled at many things. But you know what? That did not stop him from keeping up with his peers. If it weren't too late, I'd say he would have gotten this gauntlet on his own," Justin explained.

"He really means that, doesn't he?" I asked.

"No one knows him as much as you and your demon friend do," Orunos replied.

"I'm not sure if he really is the one, but if it came down to me, you bet I'd give him this freaking gauntlet in a heartbeat," Justin added.

"Hm... It is nice to hear you say that. However, the next wielder of the gauntlet has already been chosen," The revenant said before getting back on his feet. "Melancholy and grief bring naught but weakness and failure. He who allows himself to get consumed by his emotions can never stand tall and march forward. But he who perseveres and inspires even beyond death is someone truly worthy. You should be so fortunate to have someone like him fighting by your side."

"But if he's already chosen, then who is he?" Zack asked.

"I trust that you, mighty dragon god, can give this to them."

A massive beam of light descended from the sky and onto the floor my friends were standing on. After it was gone, the elusive legendary gauntlet finally appeared before them. It looked magnificent. The way it shines was very eye-opening. I could not imagine what Justin must have felt like when looking at it in person. He grabbed the Arm of Orunos and stared at it for a second or two before turning back to the revenant.

"Orunos entrusts this power to you, young deity. Your heart will guide you to the warrior of true valor," The revenant spoke.

With that, the magical window we used to watch Justin and Zack vanished. As I stared around us, I started to see that the place we were in started to get lit by what appeared to be stars. I took a gander around me and watched in wonder as the images of past warriors fighting with the gauntlet began to appear around me. I started to take in the ways they used the arm to conjure weapons, much like Justin and the others do. I also took notice of the fact that each warrior tends to have special weapons exclusive to them that are not used by others, each relating to their specific time period.

"Every warrior has a weapon of their dream. The gauntlet can make that dream a reality," Orunos stated before getting off his throne and descending to ground level.

Suddenly, my hand started to glow and turn into a prosthetic arm. Starting from the fingers and going all the way to the elbow. I stared at it with my eyes wide open and mouth agape, unable to comprehend what has just happened. The arm looked like a futuristic sci-fi golden bionic arm that felt reminiscent of the ones commonly seen depicted in movies and videogames. I tried touching it and discovered that I retained the sense of touch through the arm.

"Do not be afraid, it's the gauntlet. You like bionic limbs, after all," Orunos stated as he walked towards me. "Now, look behind you."

When I turned around, I spotted my own reflection. However, it looked completely different from what I usually look like. My hair turned white, and my irises were turned golden. My features bore a striking resemblance to the god beside me. That's when I realized that the warrior of valor... is me... 

I am the one destined to fight by my friend's side and help safeguard the world. I did not know what to feel, however. I am extremely glad to be able to see my friends again, but I felt unsure whether I'm the one who should wield this weapon.

"Am I... Am I truly the one?" I asked Orunos, the deity that bestowed this blessing upon me. Tears dropped once more and the emotions I felt in my heart were overwhelming.

"You have known Justin ever since you two were children. You were the one to push him on and help him bear his burdens even when he did not ask you to. You've instilled a great example of bravery and endurance upon your friends, helping them persevere through their grief and gloom. Justin would not have anyone else fight beside him, and neither would I."

A bright source of light started to shine to my right. When I looked in its direction, I started feeling a sense of joy, knowing that this is my way back to my friends. A second chance at life. Orunos placed his hand on my shoulder and told me one final thing.

"They need you out there, Alex. Go and be there for them like you always do, and make them proud."

With that, I walked to the light, feeling more and more alive with every step I took. Before completely walking to the light, I turned around and looked at the deity one final time.

"Thank you, my lord." He smiled and waved as I walked to the light, returning home.

"I will be watching over you every step of the way. Stand proudly and fight for the good of mankind."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Present Day)

Justin

"And that was it!" Alex finished explaining what happened to him.

"When you were gone, I... I had to tell your family. I..." I trailed off.

"I know. I understand. I may not have seen it, but I don't think my parents blamed you for what happened, did they?"

"They didn't. But I could not contact them after that. We are still trying to contact them, but no dice."

"Hmm..." Alex started to scratch the back of his head while thinking. "We have a bunker not too far from our place. If anything, they might be hiding in there. I'm sure his majesty might have tried calling them by now."

"Good Idea!" I exclaimed. "Why don't we go there now?"

"Huh?"

"Yeah! I'll ask the guards to ready my car, and we'll set out! You, me, Zack, and Mia! The prophecied four!"

"We need a better name than that..." Alex stated, sighing.

"The fantastic-" He cut me off.

"No! That's taken!"

"Alright, then. Give us a good name then!"

"How about Zack and his gang?" Zack said as he entered the conversation.

"Ethan's Disciples?" Ethan suggested as he walked towards us.

"NO!" I shouted. "No names!"

"Alright, mighty Juxtynoktros, the dragon god," Alex replied.

"What? It's not a bad name! I derived it from the previous god. Just replace some letters and jumble them up and there ya go!" I exclaimed.

From the corner of my eye, I watched as Mia called the elevator and took it up a couple of floors. I left the guys and went after her. Calling the elevator, I looked to see which floor she took. Finally, her elevator stopped at the roof, and I got inside my elevator to chase after her. Before I pressed any button, I watched as Alex ran towards me and stopped in front of the elevator.

"Where is she going?" He asked.

"She's going to the roof, I guess," I stated.

"Please don't be rude to her, Justin. The situation is bad enough as it is."

"Sure thing." I pressed the top floor button and watched as Alex turned away from the elevator and went back to talk to Ethan and Zack.

As I was waiting, I decided to stop by the throne room and talk to the king. It has been a while since he and I spoke on our own. I also felt a little confused and didn't know what to do next. In times like these, I always seek guidance from the man I consider my father. LeoDivinus never failed to help me in my times of need, and right now is one of those times. It is nearly time for us four to head out into the adventure, but I was still not sure where to start or what to do. He might not have any solid idea, but any word of wisdom to come out of his mouth is more than enough.

Finally making it to the throne room, I made it out of the elevator and walked to the door. Before arriving, I spotted captain Astralis. She was on a call and was not particularly thrilled by how the conversation was going based on her tone.

"As I said before, our units are stretched thin! You can't spare a single team of your precious androids to help?" The commander spoke.

"Well, fine then. Take care, dear brother." She hung up and turned around, spotting me standing there and listening to her call.

"Justin! Is everything okay?" She asked. "How long have you been standing there?"

"A few seconds. Is his majesty busy? I, uh... I need his advice."

The commander smiled. "Oh, no. He's not busy. And even if he was, he can always drop everything and talk to his son. But what can't I, Elizabeth Athena Astralis help you with?"

"I-It's okay. Is everything okay on your end?" I asked.

"Oh, it's okay. I was on the phone with my brother, Benjamin. He is not able to send any units to assist us. He says that he is fighting his own battles, and his units are also stretched thin." She sighed and placed her right hand on her forehead.

"I heard that they're also fighting all over the world," I stated.

"Yes, and they're also helping with the established imperial bases all over the kingdom, so there's that. They did manage to send units here, though." She did not seem relieved about that. In fact, she seemed saddened by the news.

"I assume that's not enough?"

"No, not that." Elizabeth sighed. "It's just that my nephew is part of the leading unit."

"I see. And you don't want her to be in danger, right?" I asked and she nodded.

"Alright, then. I'm gonna go talk to his highness now. Don't let me bother you!" I cheerfully said before opening the door to the throne room.

I watched as his highness was sitting on his citadel throne, his face gently resting on his hand as he looked through data and talked with a bunch of commanders, lords, and advisors. The fatigued expression merely scratches the surface of how tired he really was. His baggy eyes were trying hard to stay awake. Being the reigning monarch, this invasion is hurting him the most. The melancholy expressed through his eyes spoke of the vast toll everything around him was taking on his mental state. His country is being invaded, his people are fleeing from their homes, his son is going on a perilous trek, and he has to bear the brunt of it all. At least when he saw me in his throne room, he felt slightly uplifted, as evident by the smile that drew itself on his face.

"Excuse me, everyone, sorry to be rude," I said, making everyone take notice of my presence.

"My lord! Excuse us. We'll be on our way."

As everyone left, I approached the king and sat on one of the stairs that lead to the throne, directly under him. I felt that I needed to comfort him and ease his pain as much as he needed to do the same to me.

"What's on your mind, Justin?" He asked calmly. "You look very troubled."

"I, uh... I'm... When do you think it's the best time to leave?" I asked.

"What's making you think about that?"

"Well, as you already know, the four of us are all here, and there is technically nothing stopping us from leaving. But when should we? They're waiting for my word, but I don't know..."

"Let me ask you something. When you and Zachary traveled to Orunos's hidden temple, what was driving your will to act?" His Majesty asked.

"I was driven by loss. When Alex died, I wanted to end this entire fight so that I can say my last farewell."

"But your heart knew that Alex was the fourth one to travel with you on this journey. You were determined to see him back with us, were you not?"

"I was. When I sensed the tiniest bit of hope, I did not hesitate to help him. But now, I don't know what to do. I feel lost..." I explained.

He got off his throne and sat next to me on the steps, wrapping his arm around me as a father would do to his son.

"Tell me, Justin. What do you think is the right thing to do?" He asked.

"I... I'm not sure. I want to start this journey with everyone, but I don't want to leave you with this massive imperial ship threatening everyone."

"And now tell me. What do you want to do?"

"Me?" Confused, I looked at his tired face that smiled despite everything that was happening.

"Yes. Sometimes, our duties take up everything in our time, leaving us with no time to do what our hearts desire. But are our duties really as important as our happiness? Which decision will leave the heavier burden on your consciousness, and which one will leave you feeling at ease? If it were up to me, I'd suggest that you begin your journey and delay no further. But if it is not what you feel is the greater decision, would you feel satisfied with whatever the outcome may transpire?"

I did not know what to answer. But I knew that I did not want to leave them to deal with this looming threat by themselves. I don't care that I'd be delaying the inevitable so long as it's the right thing to do. I promised that I will safeguard the world and its people. That also includes this city and everyone in it. I looked at my father and smiled, getting pulled into a hug by the tired monarch.

"I think I needed this talk. Thanks." I got off the stairs and took a few steps down.

"Any time."

"I don't want to go on this adventure and let the empire fight you without me. That giant ship is the key to taking down the invading force. If we defeat it, they will have a hard time trying to recover from their losses. That is my mission. After that, our journey will definitely begin!"

"If this is what you believe is the right course of action, do not hesitate to do what must be done. Fight for what you believe in, and let no one stand in your way."

"I fight so that all of you don't have to. I've lost a lot, and I'm not prepared to lose more. Thanks again." I got out of the throne room, knowing what I must do. Now that I have a goal in mind, all I need to do is prepare and get everyone ready.

I only needed to talk to Mia before doing anything else, however. When I reached the roof, I began looking around for my beloved girl. A girl I see as a sister and a lover, which gives me conflicting feelings. It helped that Mia did not hesitate to show her true feelings to me, making me slowly adapt to the idea. I finally found her standing alone, leaning on the handrail, and watching the battle unfold. I approached her without making too much noise but stopped a few feet away from her.

The roof of the citadel was like a billionaire's dream balcony. It is furnished with beautiful sofas, tables, swings, and much more. The decorative flora around the place is all real and gets taken care of regularly, thus maintaining the natural beauty of every plant. His Majesty would often hold parties with important people here, but today it serves no purpose.

"I never thought I'd see the day where you'd be afraid to look at me." My voice startled her. She did not turn around to look at me but instead kept looking at the horizon.

"So you stabbed me, big whoop! Well, Zack did it before, and he's not sad about it. If you want, I can get Alex to stab me as well. Then my three faithful companions would have all stabbed me at one point in time." I said humorously and chuckled to myself, not earning a response.

"Unless you wanna count Alex stabbing me with a fork that one time because I wanted to eat 'his' piece of lasagna?" I made air quotations gestures when I said 'his' and placed emphasis on it. "Which, let's face it, was mine."

She did not respond. I decided to take two steps forward and put the humor on hold for a bit and try to be a serious boy. It broke my heart to see her sad and ashamed of me. It hurt me more knowing that she is forcing herself to put distance between us.

"If it makes you feel better, I'm not mad about it," I stated.

"I am," She finally replied.

"But you didn't hurt me or-"

"It's not just about that!" She shouted, turning around and facing me as she did so. "It's the fact that I attacked you and hurt you and Zack! I went mad and, and..."

"I don't blame you. No one does. You were not in control, and I get that." I took two more steps forward.

"Stay back! I... I don't want... Just stay away!" Her eyes began dripping tears as she spoke.

"Listen. I understand how guilty you feel. You went out of control, and I get it! But can I really blame you? Alex is our friend, after all. We were raised together, and you were there for him when no one else was! I had to carry him to that room, Mia, I had to carry him! Do you think I was held together? I let Zack punch me so hard until I fell on the floor, bleeding! Zack cried on this shirt that you stabbed me with! None of us were coping with his loss, Mia. I don't know what was going through your mind, but heck, I would have gone mad too if I were you!"

"But... But I stabbed you..."

"Yes, you did. But who's to say I didn't deserve it?" I asked.

"What?"

"If it makes you feel better, you can stab me again and again until you're satisfied."

"Shut it, idiot!" She snapped.

Not a word was uttered from either of us for a moment. Silence consumed the scene as she looked down at her feet, unable to look me in the eyes in shame. I couldn't help but walk to her and wrap my arms around her. Nevertheless, her guilt was too intense and did not allow her to welcome my embrace. She pushed me away, not even looking at me as she did so. And so I decided on an idea that will make, nay, force her to change her mind about this. A stupid idea that is too reckless and dumb, but an idea.

I climbed the handrail and stood on it with my back facing the incredibly high drop that will instantly kill a human on impact. She looked at me with eyes widened by shock and still dripping in tears.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"It's up to you. I see only two ways this could end. Either you grab my hand or let me fall. What do you say?"

"Justin, don't do this."

"What? I'll most definitely survive. But lots of bones will not, sadly. They'll heal, but do you really want me to fall and break them?" I asked.

"Get down from there!" She begged. I decided that I will not give her the time to make a decision.

"Three... Two... One..." And with the countdown finished, I dropped off the roof of the building and watched as she cried my name from above.

I closed my eyes and waited for my body to make an impact with the ground. I did not have a problem with her stabbing me, nor did I have a problem with her getting mad over Alex. I want to see her happy, however. I never dreamt of the day where she would be afraid to look at me. It was my fault for leaving with Ethan and leaving her with enough time to think about the situation. From the second I saw her get into that elevator, I should have run to her and stopped her from ever entering it. I am a really bad boyfriend.

As I was falling, making it halfway to the ground, I felt her arms wrap around me before she whisked us away to the roof. I opened my eyes to see hers looking at me. I grabbed onto her and watched as she landed us on a couch with my back laid against it. I grabbed her beautiful red lips and kissed her with all my passion. That's where the make-out session began and lasted for some time. She tried to get off of me and sit down properly, but I pulled her back in.

"Listen. I don't want you to feel bad about stabbing me. All I want is to see you smile and laugh. It breaks my heart to see you miserable, Mia. Demon or not, I'm truly blessed to have you by my side. I couldn't ask for anyone else to be with me. I..." Once again, tears threatened to fall from my eyes. "I want to spend my last moments here with you. As much time as I can."

Mia did not hold back the tears, either. "I... I don't wanna live in a world where you don't exist. I can't bear it. You are the first person I've ever met. You're the person who I've fallen in love with. I'm not sure if a demon like me truly deserves you, but I'm sure glad you're here, Justin, with me. I may be a demon, but you're my heaven."

I pulled her towards me and kissed her beautiful lips before sitting upright and taking her in my loving embrace, never wanting to let go. "I love you," I said before kissing her again.

"I love you too."