Chapter 25: Chalu’s Journey (1)

In their secret meeting place, hidden deep in the forest, Chalu the chimpanzee, Mandu the smart elephant, Lomi the fast cheetah, and Raro the clever cat.

Four Beastfolk gathered in their secluded meeting spot, guided there by Chalu's instructions.

Mandu, the wise and matured elephant, was the first to speak up. "Why did you bring us here, Chalu?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

Chalu, with a mischievous glint in his eye, responded, "I want to show you something cool."

Lomi, the observant cheetah, looked puzzled. "What kind of something?" she wondered aloud, her brow furrowing in confusion.

Chalu wasted no time and demonstrated his new power. He summoned his aura and punched the ground, causing it to fracture and create a sizable hole.

Chalu's friends gasped in amazement as they saw the ground crack under his punch.

Raro, the cunning and skeptical cat, struggled to find words to articulate his disbelief. "H-h-how? Are you--- reall-ly Chal-u or are you some kind of spirit possess him?" he stammered, his voice trembling with doubt.

Mandu, always the sensible one, tried to make sense of what had just happened. "He's Chalu," he said, his voice tinged with disbelief. " Master Laksan already said there is nothing wrong with him."

Meanwhile, Lomi remained silent, her gaze fixed on Chalu with a mixture of awe and disbelief.

Chalu, unfazed by their reactions, chuckled softly. "Oh come on, I'm not what you think I am," he reassured them, his tone tinged with amusement. "I just... had a dream, and Jesus gave me a gift."

Raro's skepticism only deepened at the mention of Jesus, the God of Magic. "Jesus? The God of Magic... are you really sure you are Chalu, or did you become crazy?" he questioned, his disbelief palpable.

But Chalu remained confident. "Yes, I'm serious," he said, his determination shining through.

Mandu couldn't help but express his doubts. "But how? Jesus, the God of Magic, vanished 2,000 years ago. Why did he appear to you? Why give you this kind of thing, especially when he gave magic to our enemies, the Eldoans?"

Lomi, her eyes filled with curiosity, pressed for answers. "Yeah, explain that, Chalu."

Chalu sighed softly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Jesus told me about my mission," he confessed.

"Mission?" Lomi echoed, her interest piqued.

Chalu nodded, his expression serious. "Jesus said that I can unite the Eldoans and the Beastfolk as one, and he gave me this gift," he explained.

Raro couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Wait, seriously? You're saying you've got a mission to bring both factions together?" he blurted out, clearly astonished.

Mandu, always the voice of reason, sought clarity. "Even if Jesus told you that, why you?" he questioned.

Meeting their gazes with unwavering determination, Chalu explained, "He said I have potential."

Lomi probed further, her curiosity unyielding. "Potential on what?"

Chalu sighed and looked up at the sky, thinking about his new mission. "Out of all the Beastfolk, Jesus told me that I'm the one who can bring the Eldoans and Beastfolk together," he explained.

Raro continued to doubt Chalu's capabilities. "You say you have potential? But let's face it, you're not exactly strong or fast, and you don't even have a special ability like the rest of us Beastfolk. Sure, you're smart, but that's not exactly our top priority," he observed.

Mandu agreed, recognizing the difficulties they would encounter against the powerful magic of the Eldoans. "That's true" he murmured, nodding in agreement.

He chuckled, finding their disbelief kind of funny. "So, that's how you think about me, huh?" he joked, a playful sparkle in his eye. "Well, guess what? I've got this aura thing now, so I'm like a new and improved version of myself!"

Intrigued, Mandu asked, "Aura? So that's what Jesus gave you?"

Chalu nodded eagerly. "Yes, with this power, I can bring everyone together," he said confidently.

Raro and Mandu looked at each other, uncertain about the gravity of Chalu's words.

"This sounds crazy," Raro said. "Look There's a war going on between two factions, and we can't just stop it."

Mandu nodded in agreement as he looked at Chalu, a sigh escaping his lips. "Chalu, I understand your conviction, and I won't dispute the possibility that Jesus met you and bestowed upon you this power with the intention of unifying our people, both Beastfolk and Eldoans. However, it's important to acknowledge the reality that convincing the Eldoans won't be easy."

"And also," he added, his tone somber, "I still hate them for what they did to our Beastfolk. That's why every time I hear about them, it makes me a little bit mad."

Chalu and the others exchanged glances, understanding the depth of Mandu's emotions. They knew that the wounds of the past ran deep and that overcoming such animosity would be one of their greatest challenges.

Then Lomi's emotions bubbled to the surface as she remembered her loss. "And they also killed my father. That's why I'm angry at them too," she said, tears welling in her eyes.

Chalu felt a surge of empathy for his friends, their shared suffering reinforcing his determination. With a heavy heart, he addressed them, his eyes lifting towards the sky above. "Lomi, guys," he started, his voice carrying the weight of their collective sorrow. "That's exactly why I'm driven to end this war."

Silence fell over the group as they absorbed Chalu's words, each grappling with their own doubts and fears. But as Chalu's unwavering determination shone through, they couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope stirring within them.

As his friends listened intently, Chalu's unwavering resolve shone through his words. With unwavering determination, he met their gaze, his eyes ablaze with purpose. "If we can put an end to this war," he continued, his voice steady and resolute, "our people won't have to suffer the loss of their loved ones in this meaningless conflict."

Mandu, his heart heavy with the weight of their shared pain, nodded slowly, his eyes reflecting a mix of emotions—hesitation, concern, and a hint of sadness. "Even if you said that, I'm still against it, sorry Chalu," he said softly, his voice laden with reluctance.

Chalu's chimpanzee eyes met Mandu's elephant eyes with a deep sense of understanding. "I know, I know you're hurt," he began, his voice soft yet determined. "But if we continue like this, what about the future? What about a world where everyone is happy and no one has to suffer anymore?" His gaze grew pained as he continued, "That's why I need to stop this war."

Mandu, observing Chalu's pained expression, felt a pang of empathy. He sighed heavily. "Fine, I can't stop you from doing this," he relented, his voice carrying a sense of resignation. Then, with a silent resolve, he inquired, "So, what's your plan?" Turning back to face Chalu, he awaited his response, his eyes reflecting a mix of concern and determination. Despite his hatred towards the Eldoans he is still ready to stand by Chalu's side in whatever path lay ahead.

Chalu, grateful for Mandu's reluctant support, took a moment to collect his thoughts. With a determined glint in his eyes, he turned to face his friends. "My plan," he began, his voice steady, "is to gather allies from both the Beastfolk and the Eldoans who believe in our cause. We'll start small, spreading the word among our community, and then expand outward, convincing others to join us."

Raro, couldn't help but express his doubts. "This is... this is risky," he muttered, his cat-like instincts causing his belly to furrow with uncertainty. Then, after a moment's pause, he amended with newfound enthusiasm, . "You know what? I'm in!"

Despite Chalu's earnest intentions and Mandu's reluctant acceptance, and Raro joining in. However Lomi's deep-seated hatred for the Eldoans remained unchanged. Her heart still burned with the pain of losing her father to their conflict. As the discussion continued, she couldn't shake off the bitterness that consumed her whenever the Eldoans were mentioned. Her gaze remained cold, her emotions guarded, a constant reminder of the unresolved pain that fueled her anger.

But Even though Lomi still harbored anger towards the Eldoans for her father's death, seeing her friends' determination to stop the war sparked a flicker of hope within her. Despite the apparent impossibility of Chalu's goal, but their steadfast resolve touched something deep inside her.

With a sigh, she decided to set aside some of her bitterness, allowing a small ray of hope to penetrate the walls she had built around her heart. "Okay," she said, her voice heavy with reluctance but tinged with newfound optimism. "I'll support you, Chalu. But I won't easily trust those Eldoans."

In this way, Lomi expressed her loyalty to her friends while she still hate the Eldoans about what happened back then.

 ...

[Joe side]

Meanwhile outside the universe

As I observed Chalu and his friends from outside the universe, a sense of satisfaction washed over me. Seeing the depth of trust they had in Chalu reaffirmed my belief in his potential. It was clear why I had chosen him for this important task.

Turning my attention to the creation system, I couldn't help but express my newfound understanding. "So, this is why you chose him," I remarked, a sense of admiration coloring my words. "His friends' unwavering trust in him speaks volumes about his character."

With a sense of purpose, I turned towards the creation system, my determination shining through. "Can you fast forward the time by 2 weeks?" I asked, my voice tinged with urgency. It was time to move forward, to see what the future held for Chalu and his friends.

The creation system responded promptly to my request. "Affirmative," it acknowledged, ready to accelerate time and reveal the next chapter in our journey.

Anticipation surged through me as I watched the creation system in action. With a simple command, time fast-forwarded by a weeks, the World of Eldan blurring fast as days flashed by like seconds.

.....

[Meanwhile Inside the World of Eldan]

As the two weeks passed within the world of Eldan, Bale and Lyro found themselves locked in a fierce training session at the grounds designated for honing their magical abilities.

Bale, with a confident demeanor, effortlessly summoned elemental forces, casting fire and water spells without the need for incantations. Across from her, Lyro displayed his proficiency with earth magic, shaping the earth into a solid stones with practiced ease.

As Bale sent her Water Blaze surging towards Lyro, a powerful stream of water infused with flames rushed at him. But Lyro was fast. In an instant, he conjured earth magic, crafting a solid barrier resembling a Stone Wall. This barrier intercepted the fiery water, stopping it abruptly.

"Not bad," Bale remarked, impressed by Lyro's counter. But Lyro wasn't finished yet.

Then Lyro smirked confidently. "How about this?" With a quick gesture, he conjured another spell, this time shaping the flames into an arrow. "Fire Arrow."

But Bale remained unfazed. With a swift movement, she transformed her water into ice, freezing the fire arrow in its tracks. "Freeze."

Feeling the momentum on her side, Bale harnessed the power of the wind, propelling herself towards Lyro. With a precise strike, she unleashed a Wind Palm, catching Lyro off guard and causing him to stumble backward.

Caught off balance, Lyro grunted in frustration, his pride wounded by Bale's skill. "Augh!" he exclaimed, attempting to regain his footing.

Bale couldn't help but laugh at Lyro's predicament, taunting him playfully. "Still not up to par, huh?" she teased, a smirk playing on her lips.

Lyro's words stung Bale like a sudden slap of disrespect. "Hmm, you're just a gorilla," he teased

Lyro's snide remark hit Bale like a sharp jab, momentarily catching her off guard. "What did you just say?" she demanded, a flicker of annoyance in her eyes.

But instead of facing her head-on, Lyro chose to retreat, his voice trailing behind him with a mischievous "bleh!!!" as he made his escape.

Bale's irritation flared, her patience wearing thin at Lyro's taunts. "Hey, come back here, you!" she called out sharply, her voice tinged with frustration.

 .....

[Meanwhile inside the beastfolk community]

In the midst of the Beastfolk community, rumors swirled about a chimpanzee named Chalu. People were talking about how he was coming into their territory, chatting about bringing everyone together and this mysterious concept called aura

Boss Gori, a formidable gorilla known for his dominance in the area, received the unsettling news from his monkey informant. His fur bristled with agitation at the mere suggestion of a challenger to his authority.

"What? Some chimpanzee thinks they can waltz in here and threaten my position?" Gori growled, his voice rumbling with barely contained fury.

Then Fixing his steely gaze on the trembling minion before him, Gori demanded answers. "And who is this audacious chimpanzee?"

The monkey hesitated, fear evident in his eyes as he uttered the name. "Chalu, boss. His name is Chalu."

At the mention of Chalu's name, a fierce determination ignited within Gori. Clenching his massive fists, he vowed, "Chalu, you're going down!" With a resolute snarl, Gori prepared to confront the perceived threat head-on, unwilling to let anyone challenge his authority unchallenged.

To be continued