Resi ignored the warning words of his leader. His ambition got the best of him as he saw the future celebration once he held the holy grail. He couldn't let this holy grail go after all the sacrifices they made. If that disappears, their efforts will be rendered moot and their growth will be set back even further.
Resi ran towards the grail with his feet leaving indentations on the ground below him. The dust flew behind him creating a swirling pattern. He didn't notice that Gotang was right behind him, ready to stop him from his advance.
Resi was only a few meters away from the holy grail, just a few steps and he would reach their victory. The grail was almost in the ground about to submerge itself and never be seen again. Resi unfolded his arms and tried to reach the grail but something physically stopped him in his tracks.
Vines burst out from the ground and crawled their way towards Resi's whole body, encapsulating him except his head. His moves were inhibited, his arms were forced to stay flat on his waist. He tumbled as the restriction made him lose his balance.
His face was right next to the holy grail. He could see its golden luster filled with colorful gems and intricately carved silver. He got a faint smell of wine and the scent of victory but that quickly disappeared as the holy grail sunk right in front of his eyes. He failed and the holy grail was lost forever.
He heard the sound of something crashing on the ground. He looked to his right and saw Gotang restrained by the same vines. He winced, afraid that he disappointed Gotang by not being able to grasp the holy grail.
"I couldn't get it."
"It's okay kiddo."
Gotang smiled, seeing the pain and frustration in Resi's eyes. He didn't want Resi to feel burdened by failure so he consoled him.
"It's not that big of a deal. What's more important is your safety. Don't go rushing in like that next time, okay kiddo?"
Resi winced. He knew how much Gotang wanted to achieve the goal of owning the holy grail. Years, months, and days were spent preparing for this trip and countless sacrifices were made just to get the right intel for the mission's success. He knew that it was a big deal and Gotang was just consoling him. That made the failure even harder to accept.
Gotang tried to stand up but being tied up by the vines limited his mobility to regain his footing. He squirmed, trying to get his feet on the ground but another earthquake hit the ground.
The ground around Gotang and Resi sank, leaving a small land for them as a platform. The ground that sank became a pool of black acid as it sizzled and bubbled on the surface. The soil debris that fell on the acid instantly evaporated into the air, depicting the dangers of the black acid.
The soil beneath Gotang and Resi's platform started to shed. It fell onto the acid and a golden metallic luster revealed itself in the form of a bowl. They were in different bowls spaced a few meters from each other as they looked at each other.
Golden chain links started to grow from the heavens and connected the golden cups they were in into a golden beam that was parallel to them. Bang and the others who were the spectators saw the whole contraption that Gotang and Resi were trapped in. It was a golden scale.
Resi moved and it displaced the scales they were in, making Resi's platform move downwards and Gotang's platform move upwards. Gotang assessed the situation and remained calm. He shouted towards Resi.
"Resi don't move."
Resi followed his leader in this critical time. He noticed the results of his actions and concluded that they were in a precarious position.
Gotang knew the hidden result because of this scale. Only one person can be saved. The other would plummet to their deaths in the pool of acid, suffering a mind-numbing pain before they disintegrate into atoms and there will be no remains left, not even bones.
The people spectating the two of them also noticed the inevitability of death between one of them. They looked on in horror as they faced a terrible decision. The worst part of this was that they could not do anything. The black acid prevented them from climbing up the scales and saving them both. Some of them fell to their knees with hopelessness in their eyes. Some buried their heads in their chest and prayed for a miracle.
The sound of wings flapping entered their ears. They felt a cool wind whizz past them as Ligi unfurled his cape and turned into his demon wings. The wings' cartilage almost reached the ground like they were spikes. He started flying as the wind lifted everyone's spirits. They stood up and looked at Ligi like a savior, a light in a dark tunnel.
Ligi flew up as he debated with himself. He did not know what to do and who to save yet he felt strangely calm. The responsibility of someone's life and death didn't bother him and deep inside, there was a sense of comfort in the fact. He had a direct hand and influence in who gets to live and who gets to die and that gave him a sense of superiority and absoluteness. Ligi ignored those feelings and buried them deep in his heart. He denied ever thinking those kinds of thoughts.
He flew towards Gotang and looked him in the eye, indicating a need for help in making the decision. He knew he should feel conflicted on who to save.
"What should I do? I can only carry one of you."
"Remember the favor I asked you?"
Ligi remembered the time when he asked for help from Gotang. He wanted to learn the skills and tricks from him to be a better defender and Gotang taught him the twist maneuver. Before he taught him, Gotang asked for a favor in exchange for the skill.
Ligi nodded in confirmation as he guessed the next word of Gotang.
"Go and save Resi."
Ligi knew that Gotang would say this. He knew that he would sacrifice himself for the kid that he treated like a child. There was no way in hell that Gotang would save himself first, that's just not who he was.
Why does Ligi not feel conflicted by this? He should be torn from effectively killing his mentor, the man he looked up to. He should be pushing back on the decision, denying the sacrifice that he had to take. He should feel anger, rage, sadness, and a whole other slew of emotions from his adrenalin but he felt none. He felt indifferent, partial, and dispassionate about the decision to his painful death.
Ligi nodded in affirmation to Gotang's decision as he started to fly across towards Resi. Gotang smiled, knowing that Resi will be saved.
Resi saw Ligi fly towards him and he knitted his eyebrows. Why is he seeing Ligi fly towards him? He should be flying to save Gotang right? Ligi must be flying towards him to say his goodbyes, right?
He saw Ligi, with a deadpan face, grab his clothes and started to lift him.
"No, wait why are you lifting me?!"
Resi struggled to free away from Ligi's grasp, denying the help he was given. Ligi looked at Resi with an apathetic face and grabbed Resi with both his hands and flapped his wings. Resi started to feel weightless as the force he was exerting on the scale get lessened.
"No! Ligi! Why are you saving ME?!?!?!"
Resi struggled even harder. He didn't want to be saved because he was the one who caused this. He was the reason they were in this mess. If he didn't chase after the holy grail then Gotang wouldn't be in a dangerous position. He needed to take the blame or else his guilt will eat him up. He was feeling weightless yet his heart was heavy.
"LIGI I SWEAR TO GODS YOU MOTHERFXXXXX I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T RELEASE ME!!!"
Resi shouted with his voice pushed to its limits. His voice started to crack as he flailed around from Ligi's grip. Gotang's platform started to descend into the acid. He didn't look worried as he looked towards his members. Their jaws were on the ground and their eyes were moist. They couldn't believe that their unyielding, strong, and invincible leader would die right in front of their eyes.
Gotang looked towards Lobo and nodded his head, indicating a change in leadership, a passing on of the responsibility. He looked towards Bang and smiled. He turned his eyes to Ligi and their eyes met. He smiled, thankful for honoring his decision. He finally looked at Resi and showed a half-smile and a stern eyebrow as he nodded continuously.
Gotang plummeted into the acid.
Everyone watched as Gotang was submerged into the boiling hot acid beneath him. The world seemed to stop as Resi, Ligi, Bang, Lobo, and the rest of the Defending Tip looked on in horror as Gotang's legs started to disintegrate. Some couldn't look on and some couldn't take away their eyes from the disaster.
Gotang's face showed no pain, no suffering, and no regrets as his life began to fade away and melted into the acid. They saw him smile without care as if the acid wasn't making him bear an insurmountable amount of pain. The vines that constrained him started to melt as he got free from its clutches, but it was too late. Almost half of his body was consumed in the black acid.
Resi had his jaw wide open, disbelief ran through his face. This must have been a dream. This cannot be happening. A million thoughts ran into his mind as he almost passed out from the shock. His vision started to blur and he saw spots in his vision as he saw Gotang with the same uninjured face, full of joy and emanating reliability.
Ligi had no reaction to Gotang hitting the acid. He looked at every gory detail as the acid started to devour Gotang's whole body. He felt no pain. The two of them plummeted down due to Resi's weight. Having to carry someone was already his limits. His wings beat harder as he decelerated from their fall and only stopping half a meter away from the acid.
Bang couldn't believe a strong person like Gotang would die in a place like this. The movements, the skills, the power, and the wisdom he showed throughout the journey in the Dreaded Valley showed Bang that Gotang was practically invincible. He couldn't understand how he could so easily sacrifice himself for Resi. He couldn't believe the uncaring and resolute expression on his eyes.
Lobo felt frustrated at his inability to save his leader. What good was he as a vice leader if he could not even save his own leader, his mentor. His heart stopped as he saw Gotang hit the acid, effectively killing him without any saving grace. Gotang's fate was sealed the second his feet touched the acid.
Gotang endured the best he can to stay alive while his lower body was being consumed and disintegrated by the black acid. He still had to do something before he can leave peacefully from this world. He waited until the vines that were restraining him from his movements and his skills were dissolved by the acid. To do that, he had to survive the pain from his lower body being disintegrated.
He used the last of his strength and produced a transparent liquid in his head. It dripped down into his face and it shot forth outwards, splitting into different streams. One stream of the liquid hit Resi, one hit Ligi, one hit Lobo, and one hit Bang, and one hit every single remaining member of the Defending Tip.
The stream of transparent liquid hit their heads and was absorbed into their skins. For a second, they were stunned as they heard a familiar voice inside their heads.
————————
Last letter to my family, the Defending Tip
I know what you're all thinking. It's me. I just couldn't let you guys off without a final goodbye so I condensed my thoughts into the liquids that I shot off towards you guys.
Don't be sad. Remember what I told you, always look on the brighter side and never look back. You guys are now responsible for the Defending Tip and Lobo will need all the help he can get. Don't hesitate to call him out on his mistakes. As you know, Lobo can lose his cool at times but that's why he has you guys.
I've always treated you guys as my family and I did the best I can to accommodate everyone's interests. If there was one thing that I wanted you guys to remember me by, remember me by the sword I gave you guys.
A sword can be used either to attack or to defend. Its long edge allows you to reach those that you never thought you could reach. Its hilt prevents you from being injured by your own sword. Your ambitions will soar into the heavens but don't be too caught up in it or you'll injure yourself from overexertion.
I wish you all the best with all my love.
From your leader, Gotang
—————————
The members of the Defending Tip heard the voice of their leader directly in their heads. They listened to their leader for the last time, savoring every word of wisdom he taught them. Millions of memories came to them as they reminisced about their leader's greatness.
One man from the Defending Tip was a homeless man living in the dirty streets of the Suno town. He was destitute and just waiting for the day death comes by his wooden door. He had no future and no family. One day, he was out begging for scraps of food and he came across a man. This man didn't look at him with pity nor with disgust. He looked at him like he was a person.
Gotang gave the man his food and went on his way. There was no one around them to see the gracious act. He only did it out of the kindness of his heart. The next day, Gotang came back and fed him again with more nourishing food, food that he has never seen before.
For a week, Gotang would come to him and offer him food with nothing in return. Gotang spoke to him and he, to this very day, remembered his exact words.
"Do you want to come to our home?"
The man quickly agreed and followed Gotang to his base. In there, he met a lot of people who treated him with kindness and respect. The members' behavior reflected that of the true nature of their leader. He quickly adapted to their home as they gave him food and kindness to assimilate him better in this new environment.
He was given the task of cleaning out the trash and helping out with miscellaneous tasks like lifting heavy stones. In exchange for his work, he was given food and shelter. After doing it for a year, he was given more serious stuff as people started to trust him more and more. He was given money for him to spend at his leisure. It was his first paycheck which made him immensely happy at the accomplishment. He could not believe the stark difference from when he was homeless to now living with his new family.
He had a job and it made him content. The other times that he applied for a job, most employers turned their backs to him and closed the doors. There were even some who employed him yet they did not pay him for his services. Gotang was able to give him a life.
The man swore to repay Gotang in any way he could. He saw that they were out adventuring a lot and he begged someone to teach him how to fight. He trained until his legs gave out and his mouth wanted to puke but he persevered. Gotang saw the efforts put in by this man and recruited him into the army.
Gotang gave him a sword and taught him a skill. He still remembered the excitement he felt when he held a shining sword that gleamed in the moonlight.
After a few years, he now had a family of his own and his strength allowed him to fight alongside Gotang. It pleased him greatly seeing the might and strength of Gotang. His unyielding spirit made him look invincible to their eyes, yet he saw him dying in the most painful way possible. He just could not believe what was happening.
He wanted to jump into the acid to try and save Gotang but it was too late. He wanted to bargain with the god of death to take his life instead of Gotang. Gotang still had a lot of good he had to do in the world. Death took him too early. As he absorbed the information given to him by Gotang, he swore to himself to continue his legacy. He will continue to spread joy and kindness to others like what Gotang did to him.
His experience was not unlike the experiences of most of the members of the Defending Tip. They all came from a humble background and was took in by Gotang to lead them into a better life. They had stable jobs and a full stomach, some even had families of their own. They enlisted into the army as a way of paying back some of the good that Gotang had done for them.
They wanted to see Gotang lead them into victory and into the big stage. Some of them were in denial as they looked up, angry at the injustice the heavens had done to them. Some punched the ground, angry at their incompetence and absence in the last seconds of Gotang's life. They shed tears and shed blood as different emotions filled them in these trying times.
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