Beast tamers
Present time; Approximately 5 months later.
"Dada, I think you should go home."
"No, It's best I wait here."
"It's been five months already."
"It doesn't matter, I want to be the first person he sees."
Chiodi's eyes tightened as he let out a soft groan, Vague voices spoke around him registering no identity in his head. Where he layed felt warm and soft and a calm vibe lingered in the air. His mind was slowly returning from the abyss he had fallen into.
"He's waking up."
"Go and get Aberewa."
Chiodi heard hasty footsteps leave as his eyes opened slowly. His eyes locked with Maduk's in an enigmatic reunion, The room went quiet with a chilling breeze sweeping through the windows, Maduk broke the awkward silence as he lit a spliff.
He sighed and he inhaled and exhaled a faint trail of smoke then adjusted his hat and relaxed in the chair.
Chiodi: You shouldn't be smoking here...
Maduk: It's good to see you too.
Maduk left his chair and walked to the window with the spliff in-between his lips, "You've been out for 5 months Chiodi" He stared into the distance with puffs of smoke escaping from his mouth. "How do you feel? Can you remember anything? Anything at all?"
Chiodi managed to sit on the bed resting his back on the wall with his gaze fixed on Maduk. " 5 months" he thought, while to him it seemed like a night's rest,he couldn't find the word to use to express his weakness as his eyes grew watery.
His mind twirled memories till it met the last scene, he remembered the hooded black figure who impaled him with a strange technique as he used his hand to locate the scar.
Chiodi: I remember being useless, I remember watching two rookies whom were supposed to be under my protection get killed without stopping it from happening..
He stopped as he cleared his throat in an attempt to hide his sob, "And got defeated shamefully in front of those I was supposed to protect while you were gone."
Maduk crushed the spliff under his feet and faced Chiodi, "Hey! I don't like those tears. Wipe them quickly,two fine ladies will soon be here. You don't want them to see you like this."
Maduk offered a tissue paper he picked on a table beside the window, "Plus it's not your fault. It's mine Chiodi." He returned to the chair beside the bed with a dark solemn eyes. "That saint rookie Wazobia was right, if I had being there from the start then maybe all those tragedies wouldn't have occurred. It's my burden to bear..."
Chiodi wiped his eyes and cleared his throat, he noticed the dark circles beneath Maduk's eyes which revealed how tired the priest was on first sight. Chiodi observed the room for a few seconds before returning his gaze to Maduk.
"... Please forgive me Chiodi for always coming too late, this have always been my flaw. I'm deeply sorry for everything Chiodi." Maduk looked somewhere above Chiodi's shoulder as his eyes sunk in and sadness peeked out.
"Maduk, no!"
"It's the damn truth and you know it."
"Don't say that! The past isn't your fault!" Chiodi stressed trying to leave the bed as his stiff back held him back, "Please don't say that."
Maduk adjusted his hat and took a deep breath, "I'll fix it all Chiodi, I know I will" he said staring at his palms.
"No Maduk! We! We'll fix it all! Together." Chiodi said reassuringly.
Maduk smiled as those words warmed his heart and calmed his aching soul, the fire of regret in his mind cooled but still had faint traces of life. "Hahahahaha! Then we all need to get stronger Chiodi. Stronger than we've ever been before for the storm ahead" he declared as life returned to his eyes.
Chiodi: You don't have to tell me that. I'll surpass you soon enough!
Maduk: Hahahaha! I love challenges! Can you keep up?
Two footsteps hurried through the door revealing two lovely looking ladies, both dressed in white deaconess robes. Both eyes were filled with joy seeing Chiodi awake.
Without any notice Aja squeezed Chiodi in her arms pressing his head hard against her chest as tears formed in her eyes but with no sign of sadness on her face, "I was so scared Chiodi, I thought you'd never wake up. Dada told me you'd certainly come back around but I feared the worst."
Chiodi froze in her embrace as his head layed on her soft comfortable chest, his arms couldn't find the courage to wrap around her. For him this was enough, He was satisfied with being this close to her. " I'm so sorry I left you worried Aja."
She released him and locked her eyes to his until he couldn't take it anymore and broke off, "How do you feel?" She asked with so much compassion twinkling in her excited eyes.
Chiodi: Never felt better Aja... Umm can you hug me again?
"Hold on! Maduk!!! You didn't call me here to watch a couples reunion did you!?" Aberewa demanded as she gave Maduk a dead stare.
Maduk rested in his chair with his legs on Chiodi's bed and his fingers crossed behind his head, "Hey! It's all part of it. Enjoy the moment for once Aberewa."
Aja's face turned red at the word "couples", she was both shocked and excited but hid both perfectly behind a plain smile which she and Chiodi shared.
"I'll smack your face" Aberewa said as she smiled and sat on the other side of the bed placing her right hand on Chiodi's head to feel, "Your body temperature is stable and every other thing is fine just like you said it would be Maduk. But how?" She asked Maduk.
"He has undergone his innate awakening, It came right on time healing the parasitic technique he was struck down with." Said Maduk as he lit another spliff, "I wasn't sure it will happen until a few months before the incident."
Chiodi: I don't understand?
"Neither do I." Stated Aja and Aberewa in unison.
Maduk sighed as he inhaled and exhaled through his nostrils then began to explain, "There are times when gifteds are forced to awaken, which means by the influence of an external force they are able to sense the sixth sense and manifest it's vibe. It's very rare but through history it's happened only a few times and Chiodi here is one of those rare situations."
"Impossible!" Aberewa said firmly.
"Hahahahaha! But it is, Chiodi is a living proof Aberewa." Said Maduk with much excitement.
"I thought it was the pain I felt that awakened my vibe that day."
"It was the pain,true. But not just the pain, Anger fuels intentions and when someone has a powerful innate vibe anger can help alter an artificial awakening to help achieve an intention." He adjusted his hat and continued, "The parasitic technique cut the connection with your temporary vibe giving way for your innate awakening to surface."
Aja stared at Chiodi who seemed taken by his thoughts, the truth in Maduk's words seemed to have a positive effect on him, "Does that mean that Chiodi has a double awakening?" She asked curiously.
"Well, You can call it that. Such occurrences are rare only to Beast Tamers actually. It's more like the end of his demo awakening and the new beginning of an actual awakening."
"That's just insanely amazing. A Beast Tamer right before my eyes!!!" Declared Aberewa looking amazed