Ep.56: A Painful Betrayal, Part 5

Ramsey looks at me and smirks. “Why am I not surprised? Always volunteering for some do-or-die mission.” Ramsey strides forward to stand next to me. “Alright, let’s get this over with.”

Anaea jumps to her feet, assuredly. “Good, I’m in too! I can’t forgive Cinder for what he has done to the Professor!”

“Huuuuuuh?!!” Maka, still hopeful that our adventure was almost over, starts to quiver once more, his ears low against his head. “Are you all insane?! You saw Cinder! He’s way stronger than us! Th-There’s nothing we can do!” Maka shouts.

I look over my shoulder at Maka and smile. “Maka, we can’t stay kids forever, and if we die, we die together…” I start to walk towards the entrance, “…though I have a feeling that this isn’t where our story ends, but where it begins. Trust me, I’ll protect you… even if it kills me.”

“Fukai?” Maka’s voice trembles, large round tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Alright! Let’s go!” I declare, excitement buzzing inside my very bones.

“Hey! Don’t go running off, Fukai!” Ramsey shouts.

“I like the idea of sticking together,” Maka states.

“Professor Gwyn, we need to patch you up if we’re going to continue on.” Anaea grabs Gwyn by the arm.

Gwyn begins to laugh, “Hahaha! Yes, this could work,” he says while wiping tears of joy from his eyes. “Let’s get started.” Gwyn lifts his right hand, connecting his thumb and ring finger, quickly followed by placing his palms together. Next, he intertwines the fingers of both hands, his thumbs connecting at the end. “Compound. Surgeon Green.” Suddenly a flaming green scalpel is conjured into Gwyn’s hand. “Hold on, students, it should take less than a minute for Surgeon Green to heal a wound like this.”

“Surgeon Green? Healing?” I comment, confused as I watch Gwyn heal himself.

“Professor Gwyn… what is that?” Anaea asks, intrigued.

Gwyn pauses for a second. “Oh, this?” he says while holding the scalpel. “This is a healing Technique that’s from a mystical art that has, honestly, been long forgotten.”

“And it’s allowing you to heal yourself?” Anaea asks, fascinated and enamored.

“More or less,” Gwyn replies.

“Wow! That’s cool, Professor Gwyn,” Maka says while looking at the scalpel.

“Hmmm… this all sounds familiar,” I say, thinking about it.

“Professor Gwyn, is it possible for someone like me to learn this Technique?” Anaea asks, hoping for a favorable response.

“Of course, Anaea. In fact, with enough discipline, anyone can learn how to use it.” Gwyn smiles as he heals his wounds completely. “It all starts with a spark, in there,” he points at Anaea’s heart. “Alright, I’m ok now.” He stands up. “Let’s go stop Cinder.”

“Alright! I’m pumped! Just you wait, Cinder! I’m going to kick your ass!” I declare with excitement.

“Shut up! You’re so loud!” Ramsey shouts as he smacks me upside the head.

“Ummm… you’re both being loud,” Maka says quietly.

Anaea runs past both of us and turns around while smiling. “Come on, guys, let’s go.”

Gwyn smiles. “Yes, I am so proud of the four of you,” he says softly.

As we descend into the Temple of Ember, my expectations become shattered upon reaching the antechamber of the temple. “Wow! This is amazing!” Deep underground is the true entrance to the Temple of Ember; the floors and walls are awash in a yellow-tinted ambient light that they themselves seem to be producing. “I can’t even…” Little balls of water are floating, suspended in the air throughout the entire chamber. Somehow, a calming warmth envelopes the entirety of the place we have entered. Looking around, I’m amazed by the beauty of it all. “I-I-I…” My father once told me that deep within The Deep Jungle is a source that gives the jungle its healing powers, making it one of the seven wonders of Tiesa, and that one would know the moment they see it. “How…?”

This was that moment for me.