Chapter 120: Walk With Me
You are not the voice inside your head. But the one who hears it.
Zane was the same.
He wasn’t the voice inside his head. It was the system. And he was the one who heard it every time.
But this time was different.
As soon as he stepped foot outside the Cathedral...
[ Ding! ]
[ Ding! ]
[ Ding! ]
[ DING! ]
[ DING! ]
[ DING! ]
[ DING! ]
His system went berserk.
Zane was forced to clench his head.
Seeing him, his comrades stopped walking.
Milo hugged his leg tighter.
The Emberlord frowned.
Xavier glared at Coin.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing. Do you think I would wait for him to leave to do something?"
Xavier stepped forward but Zane raised his hand.
"... I am fine. Just a headache."
Xavier squinted his eyes.
Tesla’s hand went inside his coat.
"I think I have something for th-"
"I am fine. Really. No need for pills."
Zane stopped Tesla and everyone else from worrying.
Windows were in front of his eyes but before looking at them, he wanted to test something.
"Wait a second." He said and walked backwards.
He was inside the Cathedral again and as he did that, his eyes widened.
The system windows vanished.
He stepped outside once more.
And the windows arrived.
He went back.
Windows gone.
He came out.
Windows returned.
What kind of game is this?
[ There is something inside the Cathedral that is stopping-
Zane went inside again.
The system stopped talking.
So it is true. No wonder no quests came inside.
Zane stepped outside again.
[ You believe me now? ]
Yes. Keep talking.
[ Just like the merged skill stopped working at the Church yesterday, this was the same but stronger. The Cathedral stops people from using Skills or anything. ]
But Kairon used it. The crown and the sword.
[ I saw that. It seems the Emberlord was in the Control here. He could stop people from using their skills and allow people to use them if he wants. ]
Zane nodded.
He opened his mouth but he sensed gazes.
Countless of them.
Everyone was looking at him.
Right. I do look weird jumping in and out.
"Is everything alright, Zane Atlas?" The Emberlord asked from the inside.
Zane turned around.
"Yes. It’s fine. I was just comparing the outside from the inside."
"... Why?" Coin asked the natural question.
"Yeah, kid. What kind of hobby is that?" Jammy chimed.
Xavier and Tesla also stared at Zane with a confused look.
This is bad.
"Are you alright, brother?" Milo also asked.
She also played inside-outside with Zane.
Zane sighed. He caressed Milo’s face and looked at Xavier.
"Look, I just suffered from a long trial. Cut me some slack. My mind is just... it’s in shambles, alright?"
Zane raised his voice, conveying his annoyance and stress. Which was true.
He didn’t have a proper answer but his anger would be enough of an excuse.
Xavier and Tesla looked at each other and nodded.
"You are right. The way you fought, I forgot you were a Human." Tesla said.
Xavier said nothing and patted Zane’s shoulder.
That was his way of showing support.
Jammy shrugged and the gutterborns showed thumbs up to Zane.
All of them showed their sympathy for him.
I am not going to a war, people.
Zane shook his head.
"Alright. Let’s go to the diner. Too much to do today."
He clapped his hand and started walking.
He walked past the gutterborns but only Xavier, Tesla, Jammy, Hena and Milo walked with Zane.
The group of the gutterborns didn’t move.
Zane turned his head around.
"What is it?" He asked them.
One gutterborn who was also the gardener came forward.
"We will come behind you."
"Why?"
"Because we want to."
Zane rolled his eyes.
I know why.
"Look, if you think I am a leader now. I am not. I am simply one of you trying to live. I don’t need a group walking behind me."
The gardener’s eyes drooped.
"You don’t want us?"
"Yes. I don’t want you..."
Zane smiled.
"Behind me."
The gutterborns frowned and Zane added:
"Walk with me."
The gardener’s eyes went empty.
He looked behind at the other gutterborns and they had the same expressions.
Xavier and Tesla were smiling and Jammy nodded with his cigar in his mouth.
Hena also stared at Zane and her mind remained a fortress no thief could climb.
Her bodyguard was beside her and he too had a smile.
"You always let me walk beside you. Thank you for that." He said.
"Not now." Hena remained cold as ever.
Zane sighed.
"You are taking too much time. There is no need to obey. Just be yourself. At least around me."
The gardener nodded. Slowly.
"Be myself? I don’t even know who I am."
"Let’s find it together then."
Zane kept the smile on his face all the while and the gutterborns pinched themselves to confirm if it was a dream.
They were willing to follow Zane’s orders, walk behind him, do whatever he would say.
All because Zane dared what they couldn’t.
But they didn’t know Zane went this deep.
The man wasn’t even looking for followers, he simply wanted friends.
"Alright. If you say so, captain."
The gardener agreed.
Zane nodded. "Call me Zane. All of you. No need for something else."
Everyone nodded and finally all of them walked towards the dorms for the students.
The diner was inside the building.
The gutterborns still walked behind Zane but not as followers, they simply walked behind him because there wasn’t any space beside him and some really wanted to walk behind him.
"Tell me all your names when we go inside." Zane said.
Everyone agreed.
Xavier and Jammy did some jokes on Tesla and everyone laughed.
The Emberlord watched all of that from the Cathedral with his hands behind his back.
If the portrait of the First Flame could see, he would find Coin’s fists clenched.
"You are a smart one, Zane Atlas. Becoming a leader without becoming one. Manipulating bastard."
The Emberlord gritted his teeth and raised his leg.
He brought it down but instead of the floor, he brought it down on...
"Anghhh!"
Kairon.
The Enforcer groaned in pain.
Coin closed the gates of the Cathedral and sat on one knee.
He held Kairon’s hair.
"You can’t even kill one little girl and a boy! What should I do with you?"
"No. No. Please. One more chance. Give me one last chance, sire. I won’t disappoint you. Don’t kill me!"
Coin clenched Kairon’s mouth.
He held it with his fingers narrowing it.
"One last chance. I am giving you one last chance. Do anything. Anything to make sure, to make sure..."
Coin gawked inside Kairon’s eyes.
"Make sure he never finds the relic in three days."
