Chapter 71: The Storyteller

1. Rohas Miguel-Blake Siño

2. Thomas Merik-Sarah Vane

3. Mateo Valentino-Nicole Cane

4.Anderson Lopez-Natie Gin

5.Reed Elias-Tenor Hilton

6. Lovely Rose-Arinet Vicinit

7. Gasil Finn-Hit Austin

8. Jasper Clint-Noelle Denis

9. Arthur Vince-Ryder McAllister

10.Alex Lance-Lee John

*Riiiiiinggg riiiiinnggg*

Hmmm? I took out my phone, someone is calling me, it was my mother. I accepted the call.

"Ayyyyy, kumusta kat sisa Mateo? Pogi pogi si apok ya" my grandmother said

"Can you please give me my phone back mother?" My mother said

"Why? She's my grandson, I want to see him again"

"Yeah, nice to meet you grandmother" I replied

"Si Mateo sa?" A voice

My grandmother raised the phone to someone, it was my grandfather. They are at a table eating.

"How's it going Mateo?" My grandfather asked

"Yeah, I'm doing great" I replied

"Mother, can you raise the phone please?" My mother asked

My grandmother raised her phone up higher. My other family members are also there, my cousins, aunt's, uncles and others, eating and having fun. They looked like they were on a beach.

The sound around them is so loud, I could hear a speaker playing music, people talking, the sound of water on the beach.

"Hello Mateo!" They all said greeting me and waving

I greeted and waved back

"Kumusta, are there no bullies in that school?"

"Are you studying?"

"Have you made friends?"

"Are there people bullying you?"

They bombarded me with questions and I answered the lyingly or truthfully, tears started to come out of my eyes. This is the only time I see them again. Their faces gave me back the beautiful past memories.

"We are sorry that we didn't invite you on this vacation, well you know, your school and studies" one of my aunt says

"Yeah, I understand" I replied

"Mateo, what is your dream in the future?" One of my uncles asked

My.... Dream? I have this one dream

"My dream? I want to be famous, like our last name marked in a statue or somewhere for people to see" I replied

"Hmmm? Why so?" My grandfather asked

"If grandfather's father became famous for joining the war in the past, and grandfather also became famous because he is a well-known bodybuilder, then I will be the next one to be famous" I replied

"Wooooooooooow"

They clapped for me

"Then, you need to learn more and properly if you want to reach that" one of my aunt says

"Ooooooiii, is that you Mateo?" A voice of a girl

I looked up, there was a girl waving and shouting, it might be my partner.

"I'm sorry but I need to go now" I said to my family while standing up

"C'mon, let's have a little more talk, is there any problem?" My grandmother asked

"No, just nothing, it's a group work" I replied

"Okay, just like I said again, be good at school" one of my aunt said

We all said farewell to each other, turned off my phone and put it in my pocket.

"Name" I shouted

"Nicole Cane, You?" She replied and asked

Mateo Valentino" I replied

Wait a minute, she is with someone!? Hmmmm, a girl, is that..... Luna!? What is she doing here!?

"Oh, if you're wondering why is someone with me, she just wanted to watch the practice" Nicole said

Luna waved to me, I waved back. She carried Nicole's bags and went to a shaded spot.

"You might already have seen my power, there's no need for me to explain it. What is your power again?" I said

"The Storyteller or story telling" she replied

They called me to an unfamiliar practice place since the Fighter's Ground is occupied. Why the hell there's a lot of grounds or clearing in this city? Who made all these? And some of them are far away from school.

And, how do I keep getting new kinds of those things like i can charge a weapon along with my Inner Beast charge and that heart eyes thingy during my practice with Blake.

"And what does The Storyteller do?" I asked

She summoned a book and quill on her hands out of nowhere. She started writing something in the book. Something came out around her, it's like a violet sphere, covering us.

"It's pretty simple, really, I can weave stories that come to life. But I can't take full control of my opponent and narrate myself, I can summon something like monsters, skeletons, a lot more but I can't make anything immortal" Nicole replied

The violet sphere shimmered, and within its embrace, a faint whisper of wind began to swirl. I felt a chill run down my spine, not from the temperature, but from a sense of unease that was settling over me.

Nicole continued writing in her book, and the violet sphere pulsed with energy. Suddenly, the wind within it picked up, whipping around us like a mini-tornado. I saw a glimpse of an image within the swirling violet light a hazy, ethereal figure, a woman with a weathered face and sorrowful eyes.

"This is the story of Elara, a legendary warrior who lost everything in a single battle" Nicole said

The wind intensified, swirling around the ethereal figure, and the violet sphere pulsed with a growing power.

"Elara was a fierce warrior, but she was also a compassionate woman. She loved her people fiercely, and she would do anything to protect them. She believed that the strongest warriors were also the most kind. But her enemies were ruthless. They ambushed her army, and she was forced to make a choice, her own survival or the survival of her people."

The image of Elara shifted, her face filled with anguish. The wind roared around her, carrying the weight of her grief.

"Elara chose her people, she sacrificed herself to give them a chance to escape."

As Nicole spoke, the violet sphere grew brighter, the wind inside it forming into a miniature, swirling storm. The air around us was filled with a palpable energy, crackling with an almost electric power.

I felt a sense of dread creeping into my heart. This wasn't just a story. This was something far more powerful. I instinctively backed away, my eyes locked on Nicole's hand, where she continued to scribble in her book.

"But Elara's sacrifice was in vain, Her enemies, fueled by their hatred, pursued her people relentlessly. They tracked them down, one by one, and destroyed them all."

The image of Elara shattered, leaving only a swirl of wind and violet light. The sphere pulsed, a storm of energy gathering within its embrace.

"Elara's final moments were filled with regret and despair, she had lost everything, her people, her hope, her faith in humanity. In her final moments, she swore that no one would ever experience such pain, such loss again. She vowed that she would haunt her enemies, forever reminding them of the consequences of their actions."

The violet sphere blazed with light, the wind inside it whipping into a frenzy. It was too late for me to back away. I felt a jolt of energy coursing through my body as the sphere erupted, unleashing the storm that had been brewing within.

I was engulfed in a wave of violet energy, a vortex of wind and light, carrying with it the echoes of Elara's pain, her rage, and her unyielding vow.

I braced myself, my heart pounding in my chest. What was going to happen next? Was Nicole going to attack me? Or was this the power of her story taking hold, unleashing its own form of justice upon me?

The violet storm raged around me, swirling with an intensity that threatened to tear me apart. The air buzzed with energy, crackling with a power that was both exhilarating and terrifying. It felt like I was caught in the eye of a hurricane, a storm of emotions and memories swirling around me.

I tried to focus on my Inner Beast, to call upon its power for protection, but the storm was overwhelming. The energy pulsed through my body, disrupting the flow of my own power. I felt like I was being pulled apart, my inner strength battling against the force of the story.

Then, I heard a voice. It wasn't Nicole's voice, but a soft, mournful whisper, a voice....... Of sad one.

"Why... why must it always end this way?"

The voice was like a whisper of wind, but it seemed to resonate deep within me. I felt a surge of sympathy, a connection to this Elara, this warrior who had lost everything. I was no stranger to pain and loss myself.

As the voice faded, the violet storm began to change. The energy shifted, becoming less chaotic and more… focused. It was as if the story was taking shape, weaving a narrative around me.

Suddenly, I felt a surge of power within me. It wasn't the raw strength of the Inner Beast, but a different kind of power, a power imbued with a sense of purpose, of justice, of sorrow. It felt like a wave of emotion, a collective memory of Elara's pain and sacrifice.

I channeled this new power, letting it flow through me. It was a strange feeling, like being swept up in a tide of sorrow and determination. I felt a clarity I hadn't known before, an understanding of what it meant to be truly powerful.

I looked at Nicole, who was still standing there, her face pale and drawn. She was no longer writing in her book, her eyes filled with a mixture of awe and fear.

Elara started running right at me, I charged both of my arm. She darted forward with her sword ready, I swung my right arm and saw her near me.

*Swift*

She is suddenly gone.

*Clank*

I hear a sound of a metal behind me, I looked behind, Elara is there, her sword ready to swing. I panicked and just swung my right fist to her.

*Chlick*

I..... Destroyed her sword, her sword shattered into pieces. The shard falls to the ground one by one. I then raised my left fist and punched her in the face. She flew upwards, then fell to the ground.

She stood up, barely. She looked at her shattered sword.

"Her sword was broken. But that won't stop her, she can repair the sword that was gifted to her since she was young" Nicole's magestic like voice echoed from the sphere

I looked at Elara, her sword rebuilding. The shattered pieces on the ground went fly up to go and rebuild the sword.

"Her sword was a gift from her ancestors, imbued with the power of starlight. It cannot truly be destroyed"Nicole's voice echoed again

Elara straightened her back, her eyes filled with a steely glint. The newly reformed sword gleamed in her hand, a testament to her unwavering resolve.

"It seems you are the one who has forgotten the power of a story, a story can be rewritten, changed, molded, but it can never be truly destroyed. And this story, my story, is not yet over" Elara said

She lunged at me, her sword flashing like a streak of lightning. I braced myself, instinctually calling upon the power of the Inner Beast.The aura of the Gigantosaurus, imbued with Elara's sorrow, surrounded me, but it was a different kind of protection, more defensive than aggressive. It was a shield of empathy, a reminder of the warrior's sacrifice.

I dodged Elara's swing, feeling the wind of her blade brush against my cheek. I returned the attack, a powerful punch fueled by Elara's memory, landing on her shoulder with a thud. She stumbled backward, surprised by the raw power of my strike.

"Elara's vow is to protect those she loves, to ensure that no one experiences the pain she did. She is not driven by hate, but by a desire for justice."Nicole's voice echoed

The energy within the violet sphere pulsed, and Elara suddenly moved with a speed that was almost impossible. She was no longer just a warrior, but a creature of the story, moving with grace and fluidity. She disarmed me with a swift, intricate maneuver, the blade of her sword barely brushing against my arm.

"And Elara, accidentally fell over to his opponent, landing on top of him" Nicole's voice echoed

What the! What is she doing!? I looked at Elara.

*Thud*

She fell to me, we both fell to the ground, landing on the ground hard. We both regained consciousness.

"Elara knew how strong and handsome his enemy was. She was in love! She he tried to flirt with him, trying to steal his heart" Nicole's voice echoed, with a giggle

Elara started touching and caressing my face.

"I know you, thy fallen warrior, so..... Handsome" Elara said, her voice so angelic and beautiful than before

I just watched her, my eyes wider out of shock. I charged my right arm trying to not getting noticed.

"You're strong, a hero, they say. A man who inspires others to fight for what is right. But, beneath the surface, I sense a strength that goes beyond brute force. A strength borne of resilience, of unwavering hope, a strength that mirrors my own."

She leaned closer, her breath tickling my ear.

"Uhhh, Mateo, you have to something" My Gigantosaurus out of no where

"I... Can't, I am just too stunned!" I replied

"I see you, Mateo, I see the heart that beats beneath the warrior's facade. A heart that has suffered loss, but a heart that still holds the potential for greatness. You, Mateo, are more than just a fighter. You're a beacon of light in a world that's lost its way."

Her gaze was intense, her expression a mixture of longing and admiration, a look that I had never witnessed in her before. It was as if the wall of grief and sorrow that had always surrounded her had finally begun to crumble.

I could feel.... something romantic inside me.

As she leaned closer, her lips brushed against my cheek. The touch was a fleeting spark, a whisper of a feeling that sent a jolt through me. It was so unexpected, so out of place in the midst of this strange, swirling storm.

"Perhaps,I shouldn't have judged you so quickly. You... you are not what I expected."

Her touch was so intimate, so vulnerable, that my heart skipped a beat. I couldn't help but respond, a flicker of something akin to warmth stirring within me. SHE'S TOO CLOSE!!!!!!

*Tick*

Huh? Wait a minute, my arm already half charge? I looked to my right to see at my arm.

..............

"Are you seeing this!" I said to my Gigantosaurus

"Uhhhhh, yeah, I don't know what the hell is happening!" He replied

There's a green charged and pink aura blazing on my arm.... There is........ Black........ Black aura charging...... The aura on my right arm is charging faster than before.

I also see a black line, I followed where it connected, I connected to me and to....... Luna.