Chapter 134: One day, someone will say enough. One day, someone is going to have to say it's over
Jason took Tobio through the halls of Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
"Where are we going now?" Tobio asked Jason.
"I want to show you something," Jason replied.
The two of them went up some stairs to a balcony in the fortress. Tobio was stunned to see the scene in front of him. The beautiful clouds floated around the fortress. Looking up, he could see the light blue sky, and looking down, he could see the navy blue sea. The British islands looked like small pieces of land from Tobio's view.
"How beautiful," Tobio muttered.
"That's right. It's beautiful." Jason agreed with him.
"Is this what you wanted to show me?" Tobio asked.
Jason nodded.
"Why?"
Jason didn't answer. Jason looked at the landscape in front of him in silence. Tobio wanted to say something but decided to remain silent.
"When I want to relax, I come here to observe the tranquility that this landscape conveys. There are no wars, no deaths, no hunger, no poverty. It's a quiet paradise that I can enjoy whenever I want. But that's not going to last long."
"Why do you say that," Tobio asked.
"I have a feeling. Dark times are coming, times of war. And not a nuclear war, or biological war. And we need strength to be able to defend this tranquility."
Tobio looked silently at the stage. He also wanted a quiet life with Sae; that was why he had agreed to be Jason's shadow.
"Is that your wish, Jason? To be able to live quietly?" Tobio asked.
A slight smile appeared on Jason's face.
"My desire? I don't think so. What is my desire? It's a question I'd like to answer. I guess I won't be able to get an answer to that question until it's complete."
Tobio didn't understand Jason's words. Jason then looked Tobio in the eye.
"You desire to live a quiet life with Sae. You want to start a family with her. I can't promise that you will fulfill your wish, but at least I will give you the strength to try. In return, fight for me. You who are the false god of the demonic sword, a simple dog that lives in darkness, become my shadow."
...
"What will you do then, Tobio?"
Tobio looked back at Jason.
"When do we start training?"
Jason smiled.
"Right now."
A magic circle shone under the feet of the two boys, and light enveloped them. Tobio felt as if his feet left the ground. When he felt again that he was on the ground, a saline aroma assaulted his nose, and a breeze caressed his face. Tobio opened his eyes to face the sea.
"The sea?"
"Yes, we are currently on an island that belongs to Greece, Santorini. More specifically, we are in a coastal town called Oia. One of the most beautiful in the entire Mediterranean, famous in good part thanks to its stunning sunsets." Jason explained.
Jason led Tobio through the village to the beach. They walked through the sand to a port.
Jason approached a boat. The owner was an old man who was getting ready to go fishing.
"Hello, good afternoon," Jason spoke fluent Greek.
The man, about 60 years old, was surprised to see Jason addressing him. He was about to leave when Jason called him. Aftovel quickly joined his thoughts. He was an older man who had lived through many things and immediately thought of the worst.
"I'm not selling my boat. Don't even think about taking it away from me!" The older man shouted at him.
He thought Jason wanted to buy his boat. The boat was all the old man had left, and he needed it to live.
" You are mistaken; you are mistaken. I just wanted to ask if we could take a ride with your boat, my friend and I want to take a trip on the boat to see the sea."
Aftovel didn't believe him. Surely the boy wanted to take advantage to finish him while they were at sea and steal his boat. Tobio gave the man a strange look. The boat was old and about to collapse, why would they steal it?
"What are you doing with my father?!" A man in his 30s ran up to the boat.
The man wore clothes similar to the old man. It was simple, torn, and dirty clothes. It seemed that the two had not showered in a while. The old man had long, white hair next to a long, white beard. He was 60 years old, but he looked 70 or 80. The 30-year-old man was bald with a careless beard.
"I was just wondering if you could give us a ride in the boat, we'll pay for that of course," Jason responded with a polite smile.
The old man's son also looked at Jason with doubt.
"Our ship is the worst in the whole port, why don't you go to another ship?"
Jason took a look at Tobio.
"My friend is a bit special. He doesn't like to travel in luxurious vehicles."
Tobio gave Jason a penetrating look. Jason saw that the father/son couple were still hesitating so he took out two 50 euro bills.
"50 euros per person, can you give us a lift," Jason asked.
The eyes of both shone, but they still doubted. Jason was helpless. If he forced both of them to accept, then the training didn't make sense. Just as he was about to double the offer, the son spoke.
"Only 50 is fine."
"Only 50 is fine."
He grabbed the money, almost afraid of losing it. Just when Tobio was wondering what this family's poverty level was, Jason spoke.
"Come on, come on up."
Jason came up without hesitation, and Tobio followed him. The father and son looked at each other and also boarded the boat. They set sail and headed for the sea.
The journey continued in silence. At a certain point, the fishermen threw out their nets.
"Are you living from this?" Tobio asked them.
"Live? That's funny. We don't live; we survive." The young man replied.
"What's your name?"
The young man looked at Jason.
"Perseus."
Jason nodded.
"Perseus, like Zeus' son."
The old man burst out laughing when he heard Jason's words.
"Hahaha, that's right. I gave that name to my son because of my worship of Zeus. A pity, a pity" The old man's last words were spoken in a murmur but did not escape the ears of Jason and Tobio.
"Do you believe in the Greek gods?"
"I believed in them, but it's over. I'm tired of thanking them for crumbs. I'm a fisherman, Perseus is a fisherman, even that's been taken away from us, eh. What we are! But they want us to adore them."
Everyone listened to the old man in silence.
"One day, someone will say enough. One day, someone is going to have to say it's over."
Tobio didn't understand what was happening. He had learned that the Greek gods existed because of the classes with Barakiel, but why didn't they help those who believed in them?
"What's your problem, old man?" Jason asked.
"It's the mafias' fault. They buy us the fish that we leave our skin to get at a minimum price. What we earn barely gives us enough to eat." Perseus explained.
"Why don't you sell it on your own," Tobio suggested.
"They will find thugs to beat us. We can't do anything against them. We still have this boat because it's old and nobody wants it. If it were new, I'm sure they would have taken it from us by now."
The tour of the sea is over. The fishermen were lucky today. They got a great harvest. They were happy, even though they didn't know this was Jason's work.
Jason and Tobio said goodbye to the fishermen. Once they left the beach, Jason faced Tobio.
"What do you think of the trip?"
Tobio thought about it for a moment.
"We have to end the mafia," he replied.
"Do we? I have no intention of doing it." Jason said.
Tobio didn't hesitate.
"Well, I'll do it."
Jason nodded.
"You have two hours."
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