After the glow subsided the cheers died down and was filled with awe. Muriel's eyes changed colour, not just colour, it felt other worldly, they were soothing to get lost in. But then she screams out loud, her scream was rather loud, as if it was not her, but her soul which screamed in agony. It's hardly been 10 seconds, yet her eyes were tearing as if she has been crying for hours, buckets of tears ran down her face. She closed her eyes with her hands with hid the beauty. And everyone jolted as if they woke up from a daze. they all ran to console the crying Muriel; Essence was frozen in place from what just unravelled in front of his eyes, yet before he could also go help Muriel A strong punch sent him flying, it landed on his face, nearly dislocating his jaw, It was Muriel's father John, He yells out loud "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY DAUGHTER, YOU PIECE OF SH!T. I WILL KILL YOU; NOONE NEEDS YOUR FORCED PROTECTION." john jumps towards Essence to land the finishing blow but Essence catches it with ease, as he rises up with power radiating from him "Dummkopf, you think I don't fight because I don't hit first?" John had to take a step back from the sudden power this kid of no stature just showed. It's like he is another kid all together, As Essence got ready to throw hands. "STOP IT B!TICH, MURIEL IS FU*KING CRYING HERE AND YOU WANNA FIGHT?" Cinder's loud complain brought Essence back to his senses "Oh yea, how's she now?" he said while running towards her. Everyone Else was shocked from how fast Essence changed his mind. John also calmed down and went to help after seeing Essence's sincerity.
Muriel stopped crying after some time, yet she refused to open her eyes. "Oh come on, it will be fine, we all are here to help you." Yet she shooed off their hands, A deep fear was painted over her barely visible face, she spoke with a shaking voice "....they all died..... all of them...." silence rained upon them all. Essence was the one to break the silence "Who are you talking about?" Muriel didn't respond, yet someone else did, someone rude "oof, how pitiful, looks like someone will need to live with their eyes closed!" Essence grew angry towards Robin "WHAT DID YOU DO?" "Keep your tone down apostle, do not vent your anger on me, it's not even my fault she has the saint's eyes! you could say, she was cursed for her good will, she deserves this." Essence was angered further by the blatant display of power by Robin; Essence started to regret choosing such an inhumane creature to serve, He was a slave to a monster, yet he could do nothing but continue as without this very monster, he was nothing. "Please.... take it away... use up one of those wishes, I don't want one!" Robin softened up "I shouldn't be this harsh with you. I tend to forget that you still are just a child even when you don't act your age. Also, I cannot take it away, it's linked to her powers, I feel rather generous, so I'll tell you how to stop it as well. Just keep her eyes closed" Essence gets up with a smile "No. You do this to not feel bad about being harsh to a child. right?" Robin Laughed out loud "Oh apostle. You never fail to amaze me!"
Everyone else looked at Essence in confusion, john nudged Cinder to get his attention. "Hey kid! is your friend mentally ill?" "Worse, he is a Hero!" Cinder answer just made John even more confused. Essence called out John "Uncle, uhhh you got like something to blindfold?" "What? Can I ask why you need something like this?" Essence didn't answer John, yet john understood what Essence entailed "You've got to be kidding me! I don't want a temporary solution! Give me my daughter back. I might have lost my wife, but I won't let it happen again. I Don't want your help which blinds my daughter, it's a price too high for me. I appreciate your help, but please, Go Away..." John bowed down to Essence. Everyone gasped at John show of respect. Was it leniency? Felt more of reluctance to acknowledge Essence. While Essence himself was left to sink deep in his already broken psyche. Is he really just being a pain? he didn't even help except riling up the people. Yet before he could sink even more, A sharp yet firm voice snapped him out of it "No! We need him!" It was Muriel, her eyes tied shut. She walked with her arms spread out to grab a support. Cinder ran up to lend a hand after which she continued her speech "He has brought something we couldn't give. He brought hope. I loved how you protected me dad, yet I still saw it. You lost hope when you saw the camp fall apart. Yet you persisted, for vain... you saved me over mom. You made a choice, then I will make one as well. He Stays and saves us al-" It's as if Slap's and Muriel have a history, 2 times in just a single chapter. But the Flame burns the brightest when the darkness reins. Cinder Catches John's hand before it could hit Muriel. "Don't push it Uncle, she is right. And I'm not a feminist but I also don't support men hitting women." "Says the guy with a pink underwear." Essence walks between John and Muriel and continues his bravado "I don't know about him, but I hit women, only the bad ones though, the hammer of justice is unisex." Muriel got annoyed of their stupid banter "Guys, We are in public, and you are standing in front of my dad, not to mention WE ARE IN A DEAD WORLD WHERE EVERY SECOND SOMEONE DIES! AND YOU ARE WASTING TIME IN YOUR STUPID ARGUMENT!" Muriel's outburst brought everyone to their senses. "I forgot we were in an apocalyptic setting. We talked as if the Author was trying to reach a word count or something." Essence choked over Cinder's words.
After things cooled down, Essence and John shook hands and formed a temporary alliance. Muriel also was giving a comfortable place to sit and look at her status panel. Essence and Cinder jumped up in happiness after they saw her skills. It was a healing skill called "Saint's magic hands" It was quite powerful, healing all injuries at the touch of the hand. "I call bullsh!t." said Essence before piercing has hand with his rod-sword. Everyone was taken aback at Essence's rushy attitude. "Dude, are you nuts? what if her healing doesn-" A bright green glow surrounded Muriel's hand, healing Essence in mere seconds. Cinder was silenced for quite a while. Yet Essence couldn't be any happier "DUDE! Now we don't need to care about any injures! I can finally peruse my glass body strong punch build." But then something grim got his attention, A man drenched in blood was bolding towards the base. He was shouting 1 word, yet just that one word brought endless amount of despair "GOBLINS!" It's not the beast they feared. nor their numbers, 1 man could easily take out 10 if no more goblins just by swinging anything as a weapon. it's something which a man who lives in a society would probably never have experienced, ferocity! Its stupid to think any man would be able to take down 10 goblins. It may beat down one to a pulp, but he will tremble before taking the finishing blow, that single moment is all it takes for that puny beast to come out victorious. Looking at these, who shed their skin in fear, Essence could see, these men, they are all who hesitated. Stopped at the final blow which lost them their loved ones. He laughed out loud "Wow, is this my army who will kill those beasts? All talk no Balls[1] I guess." Cinder smacked Essence hard on the head "You are the hero Dumbfu*k, follow my lead." Cinder got ready to prove his strength. "If I'm the hero, then who are you?" Essence said with a mocking tone while pulling out his rod-sword ready to slay some goblins. Cinder smiling replied with a cold but knowing tone "I'm the Flame of Undying Hope." Cinder ran with insane speed, but Essence outran him a dealing the first blow to a small goblin, from the looks of it, it was just these small ones with 5 hobgoblins. Looked like an easy fight, but essence knew it couldn't be so easy, and oh right he was, He climbed up a nearby broken building and saw they were surrounded. Chills ran threw him veins by their sheer number. Down below seeing Essence's dreaded face Cinder shouted while killing 2 goblins with 1 swing of his Cricket bat "Count?" "Thousands, they are surrounding us, maybe we should have made a will before leaving Bonbey." Hearing Essence's words of despair Cinder cheered him up with good news "We have a healer now, right? Leave this Front Lane to me, send like 2 people who might save me before I die." Essence continued his same tone "Dude, that's like jumping off the 20th floor. Give me a minute, ill figure something out." Maybe Essence jinxed himself this time, The hidden group of goblins also attacked. "Welp, you can see we don't have a minute, don't worry I won't die, I call myself undying for a reason." Cinder shoots a Heat bullet towards a goblin running towards him as he runs off to kill more. Essence also slapped his face to come back to his senses. There was no time to waste.
He ran back at the base just to see it empty, no soul in sight, they all hid in their houses, cowering in fear, there was just 1 man standing with no fear, John. Muriel was also standing right beside him healing his internal wounds. They couldn't be fixed instantaneously as they couldn't be touched. But that didn't break John's will. He was an Inspector before he retired after being shot in a shootout. The gun left him traumatized and he didn't want to leave his family. He started a wresting Gym to help teach people to be in shape and be able to defend themself. A man of good ideals and A lot of respect, The Gang which shot him also Asked for forgiveness after finding out his story. He was perfect even after the apocalypse, he built a fortress of strong men and women, and his daughter was also blessed magic which helped them. But the perfection of his life all shattered in just 1 single night. maybe it was the Nightwatch who dosed off, maybe it was the guards who failed to hold the ground. Yet deep down he only blamed himself for the countless deaths... including his beloved wife. The goblins went ferial towards women. John saw his wife, alive but worse than a corpse. Enraged he killed all the goblins which defiled his beloved but before he was done, his wife breath her final breath. Muriel had to see her mother in such a state as well. He shielded his daughter from those vile beasts and today he will as well. He alone will stand so the other won't have to suffer his pain. Essence laughed in amazement "So there are still people like you in this world. Now I see why this Camp if full of fa**ots. It's you who is at fault. protecting these freeloaders. Let me be clear, I was here to HELP protect you people. Not GUARD you all, I'm not a hero for pus*ies, but for warriors." Essence walked away leaving the camp Unprotected. Then who will save them now?
[1] Balls