Chapter 30 Epilogue: From Zero to Back to Hero?

The storm was coming that night. The lightning that flashed across the sky gave a creepy but solemn reminder of what lay ahead. Thunders clapped and then echoed throughout the whole town and with it came the first drop of the rain.

Two silhouettes – one tall and the other who was at his waist’s height – could be seen running away covering their heads from the falling rain. As they raced through the street, they finally came to a junction and took a right turn into one of the town’s neighbourhood. Their pace was constant, only to be disrupted by the occasional tangled of feet by the shorter silhouette.

“Come, boy!! Hurry up or else we are going to set soak right through our bones!!” The front-most figure did not stop even once. The boy behind just picked up himself with a groan. He looked forward towards the disappearing shadow and without hesitation, went after him.

Before long, they arrived in front of a porch of a single story bungalow.

“Buggers! We make it here in one piece after all!!” The tall silhouette patted the young boy’s back and looking towards the rumbling sky ahead, he said with a dry smile, “Looks like we are in time too before the storm lands.” With that, he cracked a laugh before another few claps of the thunder disrupted his self-immersion of a job well done.

He then proceeded to bang on the front door of the house. And each of the knock became louder in response to the lightning flashes and thunders that echoed throughout the area. And with it, the storm arrived at last.

“Blasted weather!” He continued to hit on the door as hard as he could.

“Coming!!” A deep loud voice could be heard yelling from within the house. “Who could be at this unearthly hour?!” After a series of heavy footsteps, the door slowly creaked open. What appeared was a middle-aged lady with a scornful look. Perhaps her sleep was disrupted by the sudden loud knock in front of her house. Or perhaps it was the bad weather. Whatever it was, the look on her face immediately changed into a warm smile when she saw who was her ‘unearthly hour’ guest.

“Darling?!!”

“Hey, wifey! I’m back.” And as the man pulled the young boy forward as if to urge him to enter the house, he then added, “And I brought a little guest with us.”

*****

I remembered vividly the first night I arrived on Mrs Greene doorstep. She was as grumpy as ever. But beneath that façade of hers, she warmly welcomed me in. And that house became my new home.

“A man must be of few words. His actions and his fists are all we need to gauge a man’s worth and value. A man who talks more than acts, who prefers to idle around and not act is both a coward and a pansy.”

This very words stuck in my mind for a very, very long time. Living with them, I was exposed to many of Mr Greene’s ideals. Those words were amongst them. And soon, his ideals became mine too as he trained me in the ways of warriors and fighters of old.

However, I was not trained in the art of deception and betrayal. The cowards and the pansies, who talked their ways through the ranks and idle around in the safety of their bunker had decided my fate. And those who I loved dearly too.

Even until today, I could still recall Mrs Greene’s expressions when she saw my face at her doorstep nearly eight months after her husband was killed in the war. Technically to her, I should be dead too. She knew nothing that happened to both of us. Only that we were ‘killed’ in action.

What happened though was something else.

I was a traitor to the country. A man who had no shame that sold secrets to the enemies and thus was killed mercilessly and had his badge dishonoured. But Mr Greene knew better and he paid with his lives.

And I paid with my future.

If being a traitor was not enough and changing my name thereafter, the car accident that paralyzed me from the waist down had truly and utterly fecked whatever life I still had left. The world which I had sacrificed my life for had finally deserted me.

*****

Regrets?

Of course, I had lots. A long list of what ifs.

But right now in this world of Noble Path Online, I had no regrets. Here, I had new allies and friends. Those who always had my back. And for them, I would do anything.

Anything at all.

And yet, all I could do now was to just wait. I could only look at them helplessly as my mind just wandered off from time to time contemplating my own fate back in the real life. Seemed like it repeating itself here.

However, at my current predicament, I did not give a jack shit to my fate. What was done, was done. I was more concerned about them.

The young, beautiful and slender-bodied blonde girl who lay unconscious right opposite of me.

The green child of mine resting just beside her while calling for my name in her sleep.

And of course Mimi too who, amidst her tears and shaking hands was nursing her loved one.

For now, this was our respite. Without any worry, this place was as safe as it could ever be. Only the sound of the running spring water that flowed from the statue that made for a good and peaceful melody was our constant companion since we first arrived here.

So, there were no regrets. Despite making the whole Kingdom of Asgard as our enemy, I would be willing to do it ten times over. A man’s worth was through his actions and fists. And through my actions and fists, I would protect my loved ones in one way or another.

Hmm…

My self-talk ended up with a sudden and bitter realization. I bit my lip and clenched my fist in response.

Feck it!

What the fecking fucktard I had been doing all these while then?! If I could do it here, what stopping me from picking the pieces of my own shit in the real world? Mrs Greene was right. I was a sorry excuse for myself. Special Force my arse.

I gave a bitter smile and some muffled laugh under more of my own self-cursing. I really was something else all these while, huh?

As I punched the ground beside where I was seated in a form of resolution to myself, the blonde girl opposite of me was finally starting to show sign of being conscious. I immediately stood up, went to her and knelt beside her body while caressing her hair. As my hands touched her cheeks, her eyes slowly opened.