Freedom Jumper-Chapter 86: What is Love! Don’t Leave Me!

The night was full of stars, harsh winds, cold temperatures, and a crescent moon that created a magnificent pattern of light once shining through the golden hue mana barrier.

Elijah was downstairs living in the memories of their match, reliving the moments with hand and body motions, and cooking a simple dinner filled with nutrition with Novius. Bear meat, eggs, and an avocado salad with hints of red onion, carrot, lime, and salt. The whole estate gathered downstairs, and once dinner started, they began sharing their thoughts on Elijah's incredible display of magic that only George was able to witness.

Surprisingly Don was lively at the table. Applauding, and even asking about the reason for his actions. Phloria had a smile on her face as she sipped a sweetened bitter green juice.

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Knock knock knock

"Come in."

Don's wheelchair slowly rolled into the bedroom. No words were spoken, nor eye contact was made.

"Elijah... I am sorry for how I acted."

"I don't blame you, I know you feel horrible not being able to walk again yet, but just remember, you are the reason why I am still alive, why both of us are still alive."

Don's eyes widened at this fact. "I-I know. But I was also envious of your power. Never in this kingdom has anyone been able to do what you can do. You have never even explained what kind of affinity you have! You kept everything from me! And left me in the dust!!"

While sitting on his bed, Elijah's hand curled up into a tight fist that brought him pain. "I am sorry, I just don't know how to do this whole child thing..."

Elijah decided to let it loose, it made absolutely zero sense to keep his secrets hidden from his family, and maybe it would help them understand their son better. The conversation was excruciatingly long and filled with questions and answers that Don couldn't wrap his head around. In the middle, he even left the room to call for his wife as she needed to hear the unbelievable story.

In front of Elijah stood and sat his entire family. Don continued to insist that they listen carefully, and by the time Elijah had finished, the carpet, bed, and chair that were occupied were slightly damp from tears.

"So... you are my son? Or you took the place of my son?" Phloria asked with a confused expression while being wary of Elijah.

"I... don't know. However, I do know that I love you. I love all of you. I love you all..." The second the words came out from this mouth, he hesitated while he felt his soul. It was real! There was no feeling of sickness and lies, but truth and a warm feeling that made the hairs on Elijah's arms perk up. A small and innocent smile appeared alongside a few tears.

"Why would you tell us this Elijah?" Julian couldn't fully process what was going on, and thankfully didn't try.

A small moment of silence hit the bedroom. "Because after the tournament, you will likely never see me again..."

"What do you mean??" Don believes what Elijah is saying about his past life, but all of it is making it hard to understand what exactly Elijah just said.

"After the tournament, I am leaving this kingdom and starting a new life... In a kingdom far away from here."

"I thought there was nothing but beasts outside the walls! You can't! You won't survive!" Phloria said with grief to her supposed son who was displaying a face that lacked emotion.

"There is life outside the walls, and I know you might not believe it, but there is. I will be coming home after the tournament, packing a bag, then leaving!"

"How do you think you are going to get out?"

This was a question Elijah hadn't thought much about. The only hole in his plan. "I will either wait for a tunnel gate to open, or I will escape through the Catacombs."

"You know what will happen! You will die! And I won't care because you aren't my son!!" Phloria left the room with the slamming of the blue pigmented wooden door. Her heart was thumping wildly to the point of palpitations and exhaustions after what she just heard.

Elijah's head dropped to the floor. He went into this conversation expecting backlash, and the unbelievability of his situation. But he did not expect himself to feel sorry for not just everyone around him, but himself as well. With the mind and wisdom of a century old man who accomplished great things in life, he felt like he was ready to abandon the people around him at the chance of a new life unperturbed by chaos and corruption. The idea of dropping his ego and realizing that he is the same as everyone else came flushing through his mind. That tunnel of infinite light and purpose had been completely blocked by debris and doubt.

A healthy life was what he was after, but was blocked by everything around him being destroyed. Strength was what he was after, but was crushed by the chains of the kingdom. Finding his purpose in this new life was something he knew he needed to figure out, but was distorted by the utopia he resided in.

Too much damage had been done, and the only way out was to solve the problem at its root...

By finding an entirely new tunnel to progress through.

"Elijah. I have seen what you can do which is why I want the best for you. Your affinity of space, and your ability to fly can get you anything you want. But, tell me, why do you want to leave this kingdom?"

"Because the kingdom we all love has a despicable secret. Underneath the whirlpool is a void of nothing. Within this void lies a spell that affects the minds of the people. No one ever wants to leave without returning quickly, everyone dismisses the idea of life outside the walls, and while you may not think anything of this, there is almost zero crime within this kingdom. Without good, there cannot be evil. What is below the whirlpool is evil, and very likely... The King and his Council know everything about it."

"I think you are crazy Elijah!" Julian immediately left after hearing what he thought was nonsense come out of Elijah's mouth. The only one left was Don, the one who used to spend the most time with Elijah. The one who is the reason for both of them being alive.

"Why are you still here?" Elijah asked with a grim tone.

"Do I think you are crazy? No, I do not. What you are saying makes logical sense. This kingdom has been here for six thousand years, and we have always dismissed the idea of expanding or exploring outside. The only reason anyone goes outside is for the beast cores... Any beast core found within The Catacombs is practically unusable for unknown reasons..."

"What makes you different, father... I mean Don." Elijah stuttered.

"Are you saying I am not the first one to accept this idea?"

Elijah hadn't thought about it much. What makes Novius different from everyone else? What makes his father different?

Or...

What if it is me?

"You are not. Novius, and a new friend Niko have accepted my ideas. Also, Amaris knows maybe even more than me, but he came from a kingdom outside of the walls, which is why I know life outside exists." Elijah knew his last statement would surely break an egg, and in fact... it did.

"What?! The Ice Judge that visits you is from... Another kingdom?! The outside!"

"Yes, I know it might be hard to believe, but he described its beauty to me. An infinite expanse of water, tall and majestic architecture, farmlands much bigger than the ones we have here, trees that touch the clouds, and walls that do not block the view of the outside!" Elijah's hands were no ring in the air while describing and picturing the beauty.

"Amazing! But... I can't go with you right? Ever since that day, my mind has slowly been questioning everything around me. I think the reason why I don't have a reaction like your mom and brother is because I slowly led myself to believe something like this was real..."

"I am not sure. To be honest, it's going to be more dangerous than I can imagine... I think going through the Catacombs in a cave system that reaches outside the walls is the best idea, especially when no one even knows of such a cave system. I want to take you, and as many people who are willing, but I can't ask everyone around me in case the council finds out..."

Don sighed. "I understand, and with my disability, I doubt I could even make it with you. If only Richter were here, I would at least have a friend to talk to..."

"Richter, what happened to Richter?"

Richter was a fellow Elijah only saw once. With the similarity of having a water affinity, he always had the guy in the back of his head.

"Haha, that guy is probably dead. He was at his station just next to the gate when the raid happened. I doubt he made it out alive since I haven't seen him since..." Don expressed his feelings with a sarcastic and condescending tone. Don was distraught, and chose to avoid the harsh feelings within him.

'What a legend. That guy probably decided to escape the walls as he saw it as his only choice... Wait! If I remember correctly, the West Gate was wide open, as if intentional to let the beasts in, but what if he did it on purpose. To escape, but also in hopes to decrease the damage done to the wall from the beasts that would trample over the openings! The chances of him surviving are...'

Elijah kept this thought to himself to not give Don false hope.

"Well, I am going to leave, if you find a way to escape with me, please let me know. And if you do escape, it's up to you if you want to come back and save everyone. If what you said was right, you leaving us would change nothing if you don't grow in power to stop what is happening here. I won't tell you to do anything since you have proven yourself capable—as well you being over a century old—but keep in mind that you are now a child. I don't know the effects of living a second life, but just maybe, you are slowly turning into your age..." Before Don left the room and softly closed the door, words of love leaked from his throat.

"I love you, Elijah."