The Final Ashfield

Chapter 6: Departure And Purpose

Matsuda walked over to Anna, picked her up and directed the boys towards him. 

"Come."

…

After a few moments, they made it out of the ash tree passage and in front of them stood a giant ash tree almost 400 feet tall. 

It was their treehouse home. 

…

"Grab only your clothes and shove them into these bags!! We don’t have time to worry about anything else.", he told them, throwing 2 backpacks at the boys. 

He placed Anna down on a bed. 

"Hurry!!!"

–

Matsuda quickly started to rummage through a chest of items in a corner. 

“Where is it? Where is it?!” his hands shook, throwing out clothes to get to the bottom. 

“Ah!” he clapped, finding a few papers and folding them. 

He put them into a pouch and grabbed jackets for the boys. 

“Put them on. Quickly!” he told them.

BOOM!!

A loud blast erupted in the distance. 

"Damn it!! They're already here!!" 

“W-Who?” Jace asked.

“Eclipse.”

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Matsuda walked into the children’s room and removed the dresser from the wall.

A trap door was under it. 

“Come.” he told them, going down, with Anna on his back and the book in his hand.

A spiral staircase stood inside of the Ash tree, descending into the depths.

On the wall was a torch which he picked up, as they descended down.

This was underneath us the entire time…? Jace marveled. 

“There isn’t much time to tell you this but… there are a few things that you need to know before you leave…” Matsuda spoke grimmly. 

“W-What?! Hold on a second! Wait uncle! We can’t just leave here!!” Jace pleaded.

“It’s our home! Anna’s home!!”

Aleximus remained silent. He still hadn’t spoken a word since earlier. 

“Listen to me Jace. I can’t have you arguing with me right now!! Guild’s have tracking runes engraved on their member’s bodies! Once a member dies, the rune goes out, and they come looking for the body along with whoever or whatever killed them. They are already on their way!” Matsuda shouted. 

Jace got quiet.

His uncle had never screamed at him before. 

"You may not know what it means, but he was a third Sanctum level mage. A weakling for me, but an insurmountable wall for you two! The Eclipse guild consists of hundreds of people on his level, and dozens at peaks above that!! You can't handle anything." He said, speaking the truth, while simultaneously crushing Jace's spirit. 

"...." Jace fell silent. 

Matsuda continued speaking. 

“Now, about what I was previously going to say. It concerns your mother and father…” 

Aleximus’s eyes regained life as he looked up at Matsuda, interested. 

“Our mom and dad?? What are you even talking about!?” Jace said in his confused panic.

“They died years ago!! What could they possibly have to do with all this??!”

Matsuda continued walking, attempting to find the right words to say.

“Yes…I did tell you both that... and I am sorry to say that it was a lie– No…” he cut himself off.

“More like a half-truth.”

The boys’ curiosity took center-stage.

“While it is true that they left you with me to keep you all safe, it wasn’t a part of some kind of will… your parents aren’t dead.”

“So–” Jace began.

“ –I don’t know where they are.” Matsuda cut him off. 

“Why tell us this now? Why not before?!” Aleximus yelled.

Matsuda glared at him. 

“QUIET!” he commanded.

The boys went silent… which coincidently alerted them all to a stomping coming from above them.

CLOMP! CLOMP! CLOMP!

Loud footsteps echoed above them.

“They’re here already? Hurry!!” Matsuda urged them as he opened a door at the end of the staircase.

“Go through this tunnel. When you emerge, you don’t stop! No matter the reason!! Here, take your sister! Make sure to find a proper burial place for her! There is money from the outside world in here for you. It should be enough to give you a start.” he urged, handing Aleximus the bag and Jacender the book. 

He stared at the two boys, melancholy of the time he had with the 3 siblings. 

He kneeled down and hugged them tightly.

“U-Uncle Matsuda!!” Jace stifled his cry. 

“I know…I know. It’ll all be okay. I promise. I’ll just have a talk with them upstairs and be behind you shortly.” he tried calming Jace down.

Aleximus bit his lip, knowing that wasn’t the case. 

“You two know nothing of the outside world. So this must be quite the blur for you. I…I’m sorry for that.” He turned around, facing the stairs.

“Aleximus, in that pouch are letters of introduction to the Pendragon family and some Ash Tree wood for your travels. Make sure you do not lose it. As you both know, the wood does not burn. So aside from being useful to yourselves, it is quite valuable since it's only found here. As for you Jace, that Codex is eternally bonded to you. I cannot separate you. Although in the future it will most certainly help you through a great many battles, it will also no doubt feed off your life force and magic in doing so. Be sure to become stronger. Stronger than anyone else. When you get to Pendragon, you may find someone who can split the Codex from your soul.” Matsuda walked up the stairs. 

“W-Wait!!” Jace reached out.

Aleximus grabbed him and shook his head in sad warning, turning towards the tunnel.  

“Let’s go…”

Thank you, Aleximus. You are a smart boy. Maybe keeping this from you three wasn’t the wisest course of action, but I am sure you will soon figure out who you really are and where you come from. Until then, I love you children with all my heart and soul. I hope God blesses you on your journey. Matsuda prayed, a tear running down his face. 

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Jace’s chest heaved quietly up and down as he and Aleximus ran through the tunnel. 

So many things happening at once, he didn’t know how to feel. 

“D-Dammit!!” he shouted, stopping. 

“Why us?! What did we do to deserve this?!” he yelled, punching the wall. 

“Jace…” 

“–No! Why aren’t you angry?! After what he–” Jace stopped, seeing Aleximus’s face.

It was riddled with veins, his hands twitching. 

“Not angry? Jace…don’t make me laugh” he clenched his fist, hand bleeding.

“Angry would be putting it lightly” he turned.

“In fact, I’m elated that we’re finally leaving here…” continuing to walk. 

“W...Why?” Jace asked, hesitant.

The edge of the tunnel was in sight. 

“I’m going to find his guild," he spoke, referring to Hatagi. "...And everyone he loves…” Aleximus's eyes glazed with wolf-like hunger as he walked through the tunnel's exit.

The moon’s light beamed on his face.

“AND WIPE THEM ALL OUT” 

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“Good…Quite good.” a man smiled.

…

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Jace and Aleximus walked through a meadow of flowers which had a small river running through its middle. 

They had been walking for 3 hours in total silence. Both contemplating what had just happened. 

Aleximus's words replayed in Jace's mind over and over. 

Though he had his own feelings on the death of Hatagi and its justification, he didn't want his brother to be consumed by it. 

"Let's stop here." Aleximus mumbled. 

Laying Anna's body on the ground gently, his face twitched in anger seeing her motionless again. 

He exhaled, calming himself down slightly. 

Jace, however, noticed. 

"Hey Aleximus…" he began.

"Don't. I know what you're going to say, but I don't want to hear it." Aleximus shut him down. 

Jace exhaled as well, preparing his next words. 

"What happened to Anna wasn't your–" 

THUD!!

A punch flew into Jacender's face. 

Aleximus roared furiously. "SHUT UP!!! JUST SHUT UP, YOU HEAR ME?!" 

"Not my fault? Then who's would it be exactly?!" He yelled, tears streaming down his face. 

"It was my fault!! All I had to do was listen!!! Just listen!" 

Jacender got up slowly, understanding. 

THWACK!!

He punched Aleximus back. 

He understood, slightly. They were brothers after all. 

And because of that. He knew this was the best way to get through to him. Let all their emotions out. 

Jace threw another one. 

"Ugh!" Aleximus grunted, swiftly kicking Jace in his face as he was falling.

"Auhhhkk!!" 

They returned the blows, one by one, letting their fists do the talking until the moon disappeared and dawn was afoot.

…

"So… you feeling a bit better now?" Jace grinned through the pain.

"S-Shut up…" Aleximus heaved, finally relieved to have gotten it all off his chest. 

The boys were laid flat on the ground, done with their scuffle. 

"Hey ‘Lex, doesn't this meadow here… remind you of the view from the axis?" Jace said. 

"Yeah. Just a bit. With all 3 of us here, alone on the hill, it does feel like that, huh?" 

Aleximus's lip wavered slightly as a tear fell down his face. 

"Hey Jace …" 

"Hm?" 

"Here. Let's… bury her here. I think it's the closest it's ever gonna feel like home.”

He whimpered, sadness shining in his eyes.

“And right now, I want Anna to have a piece of home." 

Jacender stood, the sun rising with him, and the light beaming through his hair. 

"That sounds good. We’ll bury our Anna here." He replied, helping Aleximus up.

"Ready to go?" Jacender asked. 

Aleximus stood in front of the small grave they erected for Anna. 

Putting her in the meadow, she was surrounded by many beautiful flowers with a tiny stone tablet placed over the grave. It read: "Anna Ashfield. The best sister one could hope for."

Aleximus smiled slightly, turning around and facing Jacender. 

I'll avenge you, Anna. I swear it. Until then, be well. Aleximus promised. 

"Well, we're off!"

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[An Unknown Place] 

Matsuda Onix was chained to the ground in the middle of a stage. His clothes ripped and his body drenched in his own blood. 

The room was dim and in the audience were many cloaked figures. Worshipers perhaps.

CR~EAK

A door opened and an old man with gold and white robes emerged. On his face stood crooked glasses, and in his hand, a staff of two snakes.

"RISE FOR FATHER JEREMIAH!!" A voice decreed as every cloaked figure rose. 

The man smiled with his eyes closed, raising his arm for quiet. 

Silence fell over everyone with haste. 

Matsuda coughed fiercely, spitting blood onto the stage. 

"Ah!" The man raised his eyebrows in slight surprise. 

"It seems our friend is able to join us!" He said, opening his arms and laughing.

"...Friend?" Matsuda groaned. 

"Don't make me laugh… it hurts…" 

Father Jeremiah narrowed his eyes, reached down, and began to pat Matsuda like a dog.

"Why of course! Whether a devout believer or a sinner like yourself— All disciples of God must treat thy enemy as you would your most trusted brother!" 

"Get off of me!! Whatever you're going to do… do it quickly and be done with it!!!

Jeremiah smiled once more, but this time imposingly. 

"Why in such a hurry my friend?" He said, opening a book.

On its covers were wings and a snake. It grew brightly. 

"For its only times like these in which I'm reminded of one of my favorite verses!"

The worshippers below knelt. 

"!! Thats—!" Matsuda realized.

"Good and upright is the Lord: Therefore will he teach sinners in the way…" Jeremiah interrupted him, holding the staff in front of Matsuda's face.

"The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies." 

The staff shone brightly.

The worshipers collectively spoke and the beam from the staff struck Matsuda as he let out a hellish roar of pain. 

"Amen." 

《Chapter 6: Departure and Purpose》Fin