Chapter 25 - Where the Truth Is 3

Storyline of Adventure Stage 9-10

Shane: “Ahhh!”

Espada: “Shane, you fool! Stop it!”

Li: “Attack, if you dare.”

Evan: “Li!!!”

Li: “So you’ve finally caught up, Evan.”

Evan: “Li! Just look at you! Taking the demonic power for yourself and trying to slay someone in the name of revenge!”

Li: “How silly of you. ‘Trying to slay’? You are too late. I will get my revenge.”

Espada: “You’ll have to get through me first!”

Li: “It would be my pleasure!”

Snipper: “Will that satisfy you? Killing without a second thought and not finding out what really happened that day?”

Li: “She admitted her sins to me. She told that she murdered my brothers.”

Li: “What more do I need? She was after the demonic power and used that power to kill my brothers!”

Shane: “…”

Espada: “No! Shane has been in agony ever since that day! Her demonic power went berserk. She didn’t mean to slaughter them!”

Li: “Just because she feels tormented over what she did does not undo what she has done!”

Espada: “Yes, we went to Golden Nation that day. We heard that a demon horde had attacked Golden Nation and went there to help out!”

Espada: “Once we arrived, the few monks remaining were barely holding them off. We stepped in to help them defeat the demons.”

Espada: “But when the seal broke on Shane’s demonic power, she lost control and went berserk. Shane was the test subject of a highly volatile and unstable experiment.”

Li: “Highly volatile… unstable experiment?”

Espada: “After her family was massacred by the demons, Shane vowed to get revenge and went to the Dark Arts Researchers and became their test subject.”

Espada: “They did all kinds of experiments on her and forced her to absorb the unstable demonic power.”

Espada: “When the demonic power broke free that day in Golden Nation, it possessed Shane.”

Espada: “We did everything we could to stop her, but the unleashed demonic power was too much for us. Our lives were all in danger.”

Espada: “Once the monks saw us start to go down, they sacrificed themselves to stop Shane and seal the demonic power again.”

Li: “The monks… my brothers?”

Espada: “They did everything they could to help her until the very end. Once Shane snapped out of it, she felt so guilty she didn’t know what to do. That’s why she was so willing to die by your hands today.”

Li: “Then what about my revenge!!! Who am I to blame for all of this?!”

Shane: “Your brothers…”

Li: “…!”

Shane: “When the demonic power took over, I saw everyone as the demons who slaughtered my family. I thought I was avenging them by annihilating those demons.”

Shane: “The Golden Nation monks held onto me with their dying breaths. As I woke up, I saw that my sword had pierced their bodies.”

Shane: “They smiled as they told me that it is a curse to try and avenge the dead.”

Shane; “A curse that makes you feel like you’ve committed a grave sin if you feel the slightest bit of happiness.”

Shane: “Since there’s no way to communicate with the dead, that feeling of guilt follows the living around like a shadow and twists the true wishes of the deceased.”

Shane: “It’ll eat you up inside. You can’t live like that. Those left behind must live on for those who are gone. The monks urged me to move on.”

Narration: Li knelt among the phantoms he created and stared into the distance, tears streaming down his face.

Narration: The dark phantoms looked violent and enraged. They were not the brothers he remembered.

Li: “That sounds like something they would say. Haha. Those feelings of revenge… They were just feelings of guilt.”

Evan: “These people are also just doing what they can do to save people. Don’t you think you should go after the one truly responsible?”

Li: “You are right, Evan. I’ve been taking out my anger on the wrong person. Shane, I forgive you.”

Shane: “…”

Li: “Evan, 	I feel I must leave for a bit. You’ll let me go, won’t you?”

Evan: “Please return when you can. We will be waiting for you. We’re your allies!”

Narration: Li disappears.

Bai Jiao: “Ahahahahaha! You pathetic Crusaders! I didn’t think I’d get to watch such a melodramatic play like this!”

Evan: “Who are you?!”

Espada: “They call him Bai Jiao!”

Bai Jiao: “I’m a little disappointed that the last of the demonic power went to a random person, but it’ll be returned to its rightful owner soon.”

Bai Jiao: “We have enough research data so one won’t make much difference. It was annoying sending in all those demons…”

Bai Jiao: “…after breaking the seals and sending in the Crusaders to take care of the demons afterwards.”

Shane: “Demons?! You sent them? You?!”

Bai Jiao: “Ah, that resentful stare. I love it! You’re all expendable. Shouldn’t you be grateful you’re able to wield such power at all?”

Bai Jiao: “Well, we’re soon to take back the powers you absorbed, but enjoy them while you can. The extra time is a little gift from me to you, since you played your part!”

Evan: “What are you?!”

Bai Jiao: “Noble heroes of Evan Expedition! Are you sure you have time for this? You must hurry back to the Seven Knights to stop the invader of Aisha.”

Evan: “Invader?!”

Bai Jiao: “Come to Crimson Canyon! Your precious Rudy will be waiting for you there. Ahahaha!”

Yuri: “He disappeared! What did he mean by that? An invader?”

Evan: “We must head for Crimson Canyon.”