Diverging Paths

The dark skinned saint looked at Finsley somberly and lended his scarred hands filled with calouses and damage.

"Come Finsley, it's finally your turn"

With that Finsley did what he said.

Then the world started glowing..

In the modern world it's possible to forcefully infect the mundane by simply using the prowess of the saints. By opening a gateway to the dream realm and transporting a mundane human with them, the mundane gets infected in the process. All though not much is proven and tested yet so this is all the public information you could find.

***

Then suddenly they were there.

In the Umbrella Sect's hidden underground base.

Finsley felt weird though it was as if he felt a different wavelength in this world than in the waking.

"Woah! What is this feeling.."

"You're probably feeling the shock. It's normal so don't worry?"

'Shock? Well I guess you can call it that'

He studied his surroundings.

He stared in awe as the waking world's base is so much different than in the dreaming.

The base felt ancient, it's darkwood was ridden with dark feathered decorations and raven images, statues and anything Resh related.

He toured around the base before time was up and honestly he had a blast. Since the compound was built in divisions just like the original albeit a lot smaller.

'Original? Hmm.. Which one copied which?How curious.'

Finsley was currently in the training grounds. It had a sand floored quadrangle with some wooden training equipment spread out. The cave roof of the opened space loomed over him in all it's dark overwhelming presence.

'I'd be dead instantly if this thing collapses'

He approached one of the wooden training dummies, to practice his martial arts.

He began bouncing lightly on the sand. Dust scattered from his feet. His right hand bopping up and down from his hips to chest and left hand from his chest to head. It was his mixed martial art combining the ancient Karate and Kung fu

He then punched a Poor dummy's face and followed it up with multiple sharp horizontal kicks..

He pushed the dummy with his leg's power and then dashed towards and let out a twisting kick that made him change his center of balance to hit a back heel on Jhau-

The dummy's face.

As he was gonna continue the combo his communicator suddenly went off and the Sect messaged him to come back to the gateway.

'Dang it's time huh.'

He went back and glanced at Shin and Jhaun who was in a gloomy mood.

They were the only three left, ready to comeback in the waking world.

Since Saint Resh could only take 1 or 2 at a time, there was a slight interval. So they had to wait for a while, awkwardly.

Shin looked at Finsley who was staring at him a second ago, and tried to open his mouth but no words came out.

'It's better not to agitate him again. I'm gonna miss him though. It really is such a bitter goodbye. No closure, no nothing.'

Tears formed in his eyes but he hid it by turning his back infront of them.

Jhaun was seen trying to comfort Shin but he couldn't. He also needed some comforting.

Only Finsley was seemingly okay but inside his heart and soul was in great turmoil. It had to be after this he was gonna leave his remaining family without even saying a word..

'For christ sake why am I so childish. Wait no they deserve this. And for most I deserve this. I need to feel pain as pain is the tool that molds people. I'll need every motivation I'll get. For the path I'm taking. I need to be stronger.'

After a excruciating awkwardness they were finally came home.

Everything went smoothly, yet the trio couldn't help but be depressed.

Shin was still crying in a hidden corner, Jhaun was in the bathroom looking at himself with a disgusted smile while Fin was in his bunk distracting his pain by studying the ring and the scabbard once again.

Then came the morrow..

The moment came for Jhaun and Finsley to leave. Jhaun will go to the southern part of the division, while Finsley was going to the south-east of the Quadrant.

Jhaun said his final goodbyes with bitter tears streaming from his bloodshot eyes, Shin also did the same and some others followed suit.

Jhaun and Finsley were getting transported by different apcs so Finsley was approaching his assigned APC while trying to hold back his emotions and halt his relentless painful tears. But he couldn't while approaching the APC, icy drops kissed the snow and suddenly he felt warm and fuzzy.

With streaming tears and wearing ugly crying faces Shin and Jhaun hugged Finsley from the back.

Finsley opened his eyes and shock then he reverted to his pitiful state, and submitted to the love and comfort of their hug.

With snot dropping from his red nose Finsley finally expressed his emotions. He couldn't hold it back anymore, it was like the whole ocean being kept by a tiny fragile beaver dam.

"I'm sorry guys! I love you both,so so much. I know it's nobody's fault okay.. I-I shouldn't sulked and shamed you guy! I really am, I.. really don't deserve to be your brother."

Jhaun looked at him with a similar tone and expression.

"I get it man, I am so so sorry for being such a coward! I should've helped you guys! I'm nothing without you both.."

Tears streaming from his foggy glasses.

"Same! Ever since I met you guys it's like I've found my other halves.. All I've ever dreamt was to be the best with you guys by my side."

Finsley wiped his tears and smiled.

"No ill be the best and you two will grovel at my feet."

Jhaun responded with anger.

"NO! I'll be the best, what are you talking about you bogan."

"No! Im gonna be the best! In fact I'm already the best, and the tallest!."

They laughed in unison all sadness fell apart and dissappeared to nowhere. Several weights lifted from their soul but then..

"What are you up to boys?"

They stared at the owner of the voice. It was the dirty old homeless lady.. Coming to get her revenge.

Jhaun screamed.

"What the spell!"

"Did you wish for this again?"

"Shin listen to me this time we actually throw him as bait."

They ran trying to escape the hag until finally security came and rescued them.

Finsley in a tired voice.

"How did she even get here in the first place."

Shin gasping for air.

"I don't even wanna think about it"

Jhaun added.

"I swear I didn't wish for this."

They laughed once more until it was time for both to leave Shin.

"I'm gonna miss you guys."

"Don't worry I'm probably gonna visit sometimes if they'll let me, I don't know about the inbred though."

"Man shut up, well to be frank I'm not sure if I'm gonna back. Life can be predictable but I'm positive that we'll met again someday as we three are inseparable."

"True."

Satisfied Jhaun and Finsley went to their assigned APCs and waved goodbye as they approached it.

***

Finsley riding on the backside of the APC using his scabbard as a cane to rest his head on its top.

He was going to his home city, then soon to his home village. Or rather what was left of it..