Chapter 6

The fairy flies around the impoverished village. She laughs as her aura restores the village. The elves cheer and shout in awe as branch houses strengthen to planks. Magic particles fill the village, ascending it out of poverty. 

"The System of Redemption is here to stay!" Grisha exclaims. "With that young maiden over there, anything is possible!"

'The words that started it all,' Astelia thinks to herself.

She looks at her younger self and sighs as her consciousness revels in sadness. Astelia looks at her consciousness and hugs her. Holding back tears, she tells her that it'll be okay. An older Grisha walks up to Astelia, sighing as she looks at her stat sheet. 

"You went up in rank again," Grisha says. "Still haven't gotten rid of it?"

"I'll never get rid of her," Astelia responds. 

She slowly breaks down, coddling her consciousness like a desperate mother protecting her child. Grisha summons a giant blade out of thin air and smites it down on Astelia. Two flames of magic pop up and clash with the attack. She looks to see Lumina and Zane protecting her from the smiting. 

"Stop it!" Astelia pleads. "You can't fight a system!"

Lumina grunts a little, being pushed back by the sheer strength of the giant blade. She regains her footing and uses more of her strength. 

"I won't leave you here!" she grunts. "I will stick with you through the whole process!"

Grisha's sword breaks and Lumina looks to Astelia. She musters up a smile and holds out her hand. 

"Even through an apocalypse, we'll be here for you…"

Astelia jolts up awake screaming. She looks to see that she's fully clothed and the others are asleep. The night comforts her as she silently sobs. Even after eating the plate of food Zane left for her, she still feels empty. A dark pit in her heart still has yet to be filled. She grows frustrated at the current circumstances, trying to reset. Just then Zane rubs her back, trying to cheer her up. 

"You collapsed in that river you know," Zane whispers. "Just trying to see how you're holding up."

Astelia lies on Zane's shoulder, trying not to cry. Even an iron statue will melt with enough heat placed on it. 

"You know I was just like you once," Astelia mustered up. "Thought I could do something about the cruel reality of Portonda." 

"If you think I had the confidence to think that you're mistaken," he sighs. "I'm surprised I'm even recognized at all. My status can be described as the perfect vessel for all I know."

"Well, you can't help that you know. It is still very rare to have a Hero of Neutrality."

Zane chuckles, knowing how dumb it is in execution. He sits up and holds out his hand. 

"This is very cliche," he snickers. "But sometimes you need cliche to get a person to smile. I'll be here anytime you need me." "I couldn't care less if you won't be there for me when it doesn't suit you, but I'll be happy if my expectations can be broken for once."

Astelia hugs Zane from behind. Her heart warms to his presence as she closes her eyes. She takes in the moment of peace and comfort. 

"At this point, you make it impossible for me to leave your sight," Astelia says smiling. "A person that tries his or her best regardless of the cards God dealt them, that's a great person."

She looks up at Zane and smiles. Clinging onto his arm, she kisses him on the cheek. 

'I think I finally understood what Grisha meant,' she thinks to herself. 'Maybe the reason why she was keen on making everyone was…'

She flashes back to a more solemn Grisha. A spiritually lost fairy, trying to hold in hope for a better future. She shakes her head, vowing to never make her feel like that again.

On a tree, Grisha and Akali sit together, eating apples. They look at their Heroes with a proud look on their faces. 

"Some things never change huh," Grisha says, snickering at Akali. "That human is something huh?"

"I agree," Akali responds, yawning afterward. "I guess I did put all my stakes into the right basket this time."

They both continue to spectate the two heroes. Chowing down on the many apples they pick off the trees. 

Grisha: "I never was disappointed in her you know?"

Akali: "She thought you were, seeing as you kind of left her in the dust."

Grisha: "It isn't my fault the God wheel found another Hero of Redemption! I hated training him too."

Akali: "Tell me about it, the last time I was picked I had to deal with an arrogant little shithead. Had to put him out of his misery before anyone would doubt my strength."

Grisha laughs out loud, barely containing herself. Akali looks at her with a disappointed look before continuing to eat her apple. 

Grisha: "Well, it was the same for me too. Why do you think no one has heard from the new Hero of Redemption?"

Akali: "You are one ruthless bitch huh? No wonder Astelia turned out like you when I first met her."

Grisha: "Eat a nutsack! I trained her well! Emotions are for the weak, and should only be fuel for Redemption!"

Akali: "No wonder why the other system spirits don't like you."

Grisha: "I'll kill you!"

Akali: "You can't even if you used one hundred percent of your strength."

Akali chews down another apple, looking at Grisha blankly. Grisha playfully barges hits at her, making them both laugh until the morning. 

Zane wakes up to both Lumina and Astelia next to him. He sighs and gets up. He puts newly sewn blankets around Astelia as he goes for his morning workout routine. The two girls wake up an hour later and fail to move from their futons. Astelia forces herself to get up when a certain rambunctious fairy shows herself to Astelia once again. When she sees the fairy, she tears up. The fairy tried to play it cool but started to tear up soon afterward. 

"The System of Redemption is here to stay!" Grisha exclaims with tears in her eyes. "With this maiden right in front of me, anything is possible!"