[IC] A Hero Tale {Complete}

[tex]

"Haha, I admire your resolve, but what you're talking about is suicide. If you could barely hold your own against Adarine, Prisma alone would make short work of you. Even if I told you where my people are, you would be walking face first into your own demise with your current strength and experience."

[Jensoman]

"Yeah...still, it'd be good to know where I need to go to save my friends." Jenso responded. "I'm going to get stronger before going there, then. I need to heal from my injuries first, though.." He muttered.

[tex]

"Hah! You're definitely as interesting as they said you were!" Nexus chortled, "Well, I can't tell you where we are, but if you can find our Tower, you'll be granted access without any resistance, I assure you." The world around them began to shake and vibrate suddenly, and Nexus shook his hand. "Keep away while you can, golden boy. Although most of us do not seek blood recklessly, we will not hesitate to kill you if you get in our way."

[Jensoman]

Jenso nodded at Nexus. "Alright, thanks.." Jenso muttered to the man. He was unsure if he could trust Nexus, but he seemed sincere. He looked around himself as the world around him began to shake and vibrate.

[tex]

As Jenso fell away, Nexus chuckled and waved him off. "Good luck," He whispered, as Jenso awoke in the elemental temple once again.

[Jensoman]

As Jenso woke up, he headed out of the temple and overlooked the world once more. He wanted to head back to Lark earlier, but perhaps there were other places where his aid would be needed. He needed to get stronger, and he didn't know where the Tower of the Order of Chaos was that Nexus mentioned. As such, this seemed like the best option for him right now.

He believed that he might as well do some good while getting stronger at the same time, in order to eventually attempt to save Dacer and Tiger. And it could be an exciting new adventure as well! As he overlooked the world, he tried to spot areas where he hadn't been before.

[tex]

Although he searched the horizon, there wasn't much to be seen. He noticed the outpost, and even the Forest where Lark resided in the far horizon, as well as the wastelands of Orobo, and the far of reaches of Pharie's snowlands to the north. The the east however, there was a large white wall, in a square, and beyond that, a large flat plain.

[Jensoman]

Jenso nodded to himself and checked his wounds to see if he would be able to climb. If he had been healed enough, he would attempt to climb down the mountain. 'East it is..' He thought, doing his best to safely reach the ground. He intended to go to the east towards the large white wall that he had seen.

[tex]

As per the norm, Jenso's wounds had healed in record time. Though, despite this, his arms seemed to still have subtle scars along their lengths. That blue arcane fire did a number on his skin, somehow weakening his healing factor. Perhaps there was something more to Ada's magic than he'd thought. And what of Nexus' words? Who exactly were the Order of Chaos? Only time would tell, and seeing just how powerful Ada was, it might be quite a while before Jenso stood a chance against their full ranks..

---

~ End Of Chapter 47~

[tex]

~ Chapter 48 ~

_{Path Interrupted, Once More}

Jenso spent quite some time heading down the mountainside, but within an hour, he was already on the ground, and halfway across the second half of the rocky plains. He found himself met with a large chasm however, with a single rope bridge leading to the other side.

"Treacherous, is it not?" A familiar voice called out. Behind Jenso, stood Vale, once again, with his trademark wide-mouthed grin, brandishing his sharpened canines. The sun was just coming up now, and Vale looked skinny, his white eyes refracting the light like opals. "My my, I can feel your Ki, more thorough than ever!" Vale taunted, moving close to Jenso and extending a hand towards his face.

[Jensoman]

Jenso turned around to face Vale and glared at him. He was a little surprised, but not as much as he had been since their previous encounters. He had gotten used to the man's tone of voice by now. He tried to move out of the way of Vale's hand. "...You knew that Ada was manipulating me all along, didn't you." Jenso plainly stated. In truth, he truly didn't know if Vale was aware or not. But the fact that he always managed to track him down no matter where he went could mean that he had known everything from the start.

[tex]

"Aye, aye!" Vale said, rather matter-of-factly, " I knew, of course I did, my blade, Yin, she whispers to me, Yang, all that might be, whether it comes to pass or not! I'm happy to know you were not killed by Shadra, a timeline where you slaughtered Ada without remorse, ahaha.." Vale nodded and smiled wider. "Truth be told, perhaps your mercy does not hold abysmal weakness as I'd once thought, considering the circumstances of the order and their people, You are a mere tadpole in this world!"

[Jensoman]

Jenso glared at Vale. "So...does that mean you work for the Order, then? Did you follow me around to make sure I'd go to Ada like she intended?" He asked, getting in a combat stance. The way Vale spoke still somewhat confused him, but he tried not to get distracted.

[tex]

"Please," Vale wretched, spitting on the ground and cringing vividly, "I wouldn't associate myself with the likes of chaotic criminals, Such behavior is reprehensible, My Neutrality retains order and form! Lest you believe me or no, I've little mind for it." Vale shook his head and smiled. "The next time we meet, perhaps, perhaps we'll have a discussion as equals, but for now!" Vale drew his sword, and revealed the black steel to Jenso. Two white circles of steel were glowing at even spots near the center. "You've learned to harness your arcane energy, what a splendid turn of events, albeit to a lesser degree than most. Your aptitude knows no bounds, golden boy. But despite your Ki's raw amount of power, your control is weak, unrefined, for lack of a better term, sloppy! You shape it like water, but water cannot be shaped!"

[Jensoman]

Jenso frowned at Vale and relaxed. He didn't understand the man at all. If he knew Ada's entire scheme, why didn't he try to stop him? He gave Vale a faint smile. He did not see the man as an enemy, but he didn't particularly enjoy his presence either. "So you mean that I need to train my Ki next, then? How do I learn how to control that?" He asked.

[tex]

"If you want to survive, wouldn't you know, you've made quite an unfortunate name for yourself, Adarine especially seems to have quite the obsession with you now, though I cannot reveal much! Haha! Your path guides you far, safe maybe but for a small while, you will know in time where this might lead you. Off to the east now, is it?" Vale asked quickly, looking past Jenso with a grin.

[Jensoman]

"So I just need to listen to you, and let myself run into some trap again, huh?" Jenso responded to Vale with a tone of annoyance in his voice. "If you know what's going to happen, why are you just...is this all a game to you or something?" He added.

[tex]

Vale lower his blade to the round and huffed with a smile. "Why yes, yes it is!" He admitted, "Though, I can never know which stream, branch, or river will take shape despite the hundreds, thousands, millions, trillions of possibilities! If I interfere with fate, what would that make me? A god, of course! I have no wish to play with the paths of mortals. Watching, standing back, it's such fun! Although my help may even be a nuisance, Deadly perhaps, that might discourage me as well, or does it really? Haha, who knows, who knows!" Vale withdrew his blade and clapped his hands together with a chuckle. "Perhaps your next destination will teach you more than I ever could! Run along, little Jenso, I'll be trailing closely behind, a rat, no a cat! Meow!!!"

[Jensoman]

Jenso just stared at Vale for a few moments in complete silence and just blinked. "...Riiiigghhht..." Jenso eventually muttered, and shrugged. He began to head over the bridge towards the east as he had intended to earlier. He believed that most normal people would have considered Vale to be a mad man. His attitude certainly proved that he was, but not everything he said was complete nonsence.

[tex]

Vale snickered and spun towards the edge of the chasm. "Ah, what a wonderful morning... I wonder how he'll fare against those who do not threaten his safety?" Vale whispered to himself, moments before he hopped off the edge of the chasm and into the darkness below.

---

~ End Of Chapter 48~