“The Journey’s End?” I repeat at a whisper, a little puzzled before working to clear some wax out of my ears. “I’m sorry, Professor, did I hear you right?”
“It’s nothing, young Maka, it’s nothing. I was-” Gwyn says before being interrupted by a familiar voice.
“Psst, Maka. Over here.” Ramsey whispers as he and Anaea enter from another doorway. Anaea, noticing Ramsey’s whisper and crouching walk, looks around and notices Cinder at the altar and decides to mimic him.
My ears perk up upon seeing Ramsey and Anaea and I feel a sense of relief wash over me. I call out to them in a whisper, “Ramsey! Anaea! Thank god you made it! I-I don’t think I can do this by myself.”
“Well, we’re likely to need some help ourselves before this is through,” Ramsey replies, seeming like a weight has been placed on his shoulders.
I scurry over to Ramsey excitedly. “Ok, you can count on me…” I say with my thumb to my chest, but then, thinking better on it, change my hand to just my index finger up, “but, from a distance.”
“Hey!” Ramsey protests at me at a whisper as I drop flat, arms over my face.
“Umm… where’s Fukai?” I say, rising to my haunches and peeking around with one eye open.
“I’m not sure. We got separated along the way.” Anaea lets out a sigh and pats me on the head. “Knowing him, he’s probably causing trouble somewhere.”
Ramsey advances past me, every detail of his face outlined in a dark stoney expression as he stares down Cinder. “You shouldn’t worry about that idiot… just focus on what’s in front of you.” Then whispers under his breath, “And maybe we’ll learn something of this ‘Truth.’”
“B-But… but what if Fukai needs our… h-help?” I say, passion setting a small flame behind my eyes.
“Maka, Ramsey is right. Fukai can take care of himself. What’s truly important is saving the land of Apo;” Anaea turns to stare directly into my eyes, “Our home,” she concludes.
“I couldn’t say it better myself, Anaea.” Gwyn walks up behind us with a smile, “I couldn’t begin to imagine what you guys went through since we were separated.” He looks Ramsey in the eyes and smiles, “Someday though, I would like to hear the things you all saw. Especially you, Ramsey.”
I look over at Ramsey while scratching my head, “What is Professor Gwyn talking about?”
Ramsey remains silent.
“Like I said, that can be a conversation for another time.” Gwyn starts to walk towards Cinder, “We wouldn’t want to keep our guest waiting.”
“Stopping the Ashen from spreading is our top priority. Right, Professor?” Anaea says while following right behind Gwyn.
Gwyn smirks and taps his nose, “Certainly, young Anaea.”
Ramsey stands up fully from his crouch and follows. I hesitate briefly, before exhaling in resolution and also following. As we draw closer, I notice a shape within the flame, a shape that makes my heart try to jump out of my chest. Cinder carefully inhales then exhales as he opens his eyes. “It’s time to set things right.” Cinder looks down at the object in his hand.
“And, do tell me, what might that be?” Gwyn inquires while approaching Cinder.
“Master… I see you’ve decided to join me?” Cinder continues to stare at the object as it slowly beats-out a pulse.
“W-w-what the hell is that?” I say, disturbed by its beating and unaware that I finally cursed in front of my teacher.
Ramsey circles to the right to be behind Cinder, listening intently to their conversation.
“Wait! Is that a heart?!” Anaea shouts, the sight of it putting her on edge. “Wait… I’ve seen that before…”
“I’m sure your assumptions are correct, young Anaea, but let’s focus on the matter at hand.”
“O-Ok, Professor…” Anaea looks to Gwyn, worry creasing her brow as her eyes are again pulled to the heart.
“Cinder, I’m willing to forgive… I just don’t want you to do something you’ll regret for the rest of your life.” Gwyn smiles warmly and wipes a tear away as it falls down his face, “Please, you have always been like a son to me. That’s why it’s painful to see you like this.” Gwyn extends his hand towards Cinder, “Let’s go home together and forget about this, okay?”
“And what about the land of Apo?” Cinder asks quietly.
“Huh?” Gwyn says.
Cinder smiles. “You never cease to amaze me, Master. You can drop the act, I won’t think less of you.”
“I’m sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Gwyn shakes his head with his eyes closed. “But I’m a little disappointed in you. After everything I’ve done for you, it-”
“I really hoped that the wound I inflicted on you would have been enough to put you down. Hmm… I guess it was a miscalculation on my part,” Cinder ponders to himself.
“Miscalculation, you say…” Gwyn smiles. “Maybe next time you should aim for my heart.”
“I concur.” Cinder locks eyes with Gwyn.
“Umm… th-this isn’t normal… h-how can you guys talk so casually about killing each other?” I state my concerns.
“Maka, I…” Anaea looks at me from a distance.
“Enough…” Ramsey mumbles to himself. “Enough of all this bickering!” Ramsey points at both Gwyn and Cinder. “I don’t care what happened in the past. I don’t care if you guys kill each other. All that matters is stopping the Ashen from consuming everything!” Ramsey shouts at the top of his lungs.
“I’m sorry, young Ramsey… you’re right. The longer we wait, the less time we have to save the Deep Jungle,” Gwyn says while taking a step closer to Cinder. “I’m sorry, Cinder, but this is for the greater good.”
Cinder stares at Gwyn, not moving an inch. “I guess you’re fully gone, Master.” Cinder closes his eyes. “This truly saddens me.”
The moment Cinder opens his eyes, I can feel a shift in the room. “I…” Everything is telling me to run, but I am petrified by fear as tears begin to fall, trailing wet lines down my fur.
“Would you say this is the Journey’s End, Master?” Cinder asks, calmly staring into Gwyn’s eyes.
“What are you trying to say?” Gwyn rasps, irritation seeping into his voice.
“When a person has experienced a bad life, they chalk it up to being dealt a bad hand. But what if everything had been calculated?” Cinder says in a commanding voice.
“Shut up,” Gwyn mumbles.
“Nineteen years ago, you robbed me of a happy life… which started you down a path that you could never come back from, Master! And all for the Truth?!” Cinder’s face twists in pain for a moment looking at Gwyn, before settling into determination.
“The Truth?” Ramsey’s dark expression changes to one of interest.
“Shut up.” Gwyn’s ears twitch at his own tone, his irritation seemingly growing.
“I thought I knew you, but I was fooling myself. Fair, just, wise… Secretive, but willing to share with those close to you, ha! Funny how time changes…” Cinder gazes down at the flaming heart.
“Professor Gwyn, what is Cinder talking about?” Anaea says, a little worried as she approaches from behind.
“Don’t listen to him, young Anaea. These are the words of a mad-man,” Gwyn commands.
“I remember the first time you came looking for this place. You didn’t realize I was following you that day…” Cinder recalls to Gwyn.
Gwyn remains silent.
“Don’t you see, Master, this place became an obsession from your twisted desire for the Truth,” Cinder says with conviction while slowly reaching for the flaming heart. “Now you’re so far gone, I don’t think you realize where this journey ends for you.” Cinder grasps the beating heart in his hands, lifting it up unflinchingly, despite the flames, “Now, Master, let me show you my moment of Truth.”
“No! Damn you, Cinder!” Gwyn shouts, running towards Cinder while connecting his thumb and ring finger together.
“All your ambitions end here!” Cinder begins to place his thumb in the middle of his palm.
“NOOO!” Gwyn shouts.
“And just like a thief in the night, it disappears right in front of his very eyes,” I say while doing an epic flip over Cinder and snatch the ball of fire right out of his hands, landing off to the side of Anaea and Maka, with Gwyn between me and Cinder, and Ramsey beyond. “Kekekeke! Alright, I’m awesome!”
“Idiot,” Ramsey comments while shaking his head.
“Fukai!!” Maka and Anaea seem very happy to see me.
“I know. I know. You don’t have to thank me… Wow! This is incredible! Is this ball of fire beating?!” I ask, my head tilting in surprise.
“Idiot, it’s a flaming heart.” Ramsey looks at me in disappointment.
“*Cough!* I knew that… Yep, you know me! Kekekeke! I was just testing you,” I say while smiling and rubbing the back of my head.
“Umm… guys?” Maka says, attempting to garner our attention.
“Why are you here?” Ramsey seems unmotivated.
“Well, you know… right?” I clear my throat and say with a big smirk, “A hero always shows up at the last minute!”
Ramsey rolls his eyes, “Yea, right… More like you got lost and just happened to stumble upon us.”
“Shhh! Damn, Ramsey, be cool.” I fold my empty hand to a horn shape in front of my mouth and whisper-shout across to Ramsey, “I’m trying to impress everybody.”
“I’m g-glad you’re safe!” Maka says while lightly hopping over to me. “I almost had to s-step up in your absence… and I’d’ve done it, too,” Maka says as if he’s trying to convince me of something.
“Uh-huh…” I intone.
“Fukai, I…” Anaea walks up to me, quietly wringing her hands.
“I know.” I place my hand on top of Anaea’s head and give her a gentle smile. “We’re going to save Apo, no matter what.”
Anaea silently nods her head.
“Well done. Well done, young Fukai,” Gwyn says while slowly approaching me. “Now, hand the heart over, and I should be able to undo the damage done to the jungle.”
“Wait, what?! For real?! This is a beating heart?! That’s amazing!” I say, barely containing my excitement.
Ramsey, Maka, and Anaea seem to relax a little after hearing Gwyn’s words, and Ramsey circles back around to be close to us, still keeping a close eye on Cinder and Gwyn.
“Damn it, Fukai, you don’t understand! This situation is bigger than all of us!” Cinder shouts in anger.
“You may be right… There are a lot of things I don’t understand, but there’s one thing I’m clear on: handing this over to you would spell doom for this planet,” I declare as I reach forward, about to walk over to Gwyn and hand over the heart.
“Let’s…!” Cinder exhales, then inhales. “I know you guys have no reason to believe me… a-and I hate the fact that I’ve involved you guys… but-” Cinder looks directly at me with an intense sincerity. “But I couldn’t delay, not after seeing how fast the jungle has decayed. At this very moment, you hold the fate of Apo in your hand… It’s choices like these that have a lasting impact on the future,” Cinder pleads with me.
“I…” I hesitate for a moment. Cinder’s words strike a chord within me, something that I can’t shake. “Father, what would you do?” I whisper to myself, staring at the heart still beating in my hand.
As everyone looks at me, Gwyn begins to make his move, crouching to charge towards me.
Cinder quickly connects the thumb and ring finger of his right hand together, followed by placing that thumb in the middle of its palm with all the other fingers raised, while saying, “Compound. Repositioning Combustion.” Cinder looks at me and snaps his fingers. In an instant, we both combust into fiery particles and swap positions, little motes of sparks still coming to life around us that quickly die.
“Fukai!” Anaea reaches out to where I was, embracing Cinder as he arrives and quickly recoiling.
“Too easy,” Gwyn smiles as he stands out of his feint. “Oh, my foolish Cinder. To think it was so easy to bait you into trying to be the savior,” Gwyn gloats while quickly snatching the heart from out of my hand as I stand there in confusion at what Gwyn just said.
“Professor Gwyn…” Maka starts to tremble while backing away, his fear-instinct seeming to kick in.
I lock eyes with Ramsey and nod my head, a decision made.
Anaea flinches as one of the flaming motes catches her off-guard.
Gwyn connects his thumb and ring finger together, followed by placing his thumb in the middle of his palm, fingers raised, and then touching his palms together. “Compound. Flaming Vortex Cannon.” Gwyn raises his arm in the air, a spectral manacle with six glowing orbs circling around it appears on his wrist with a chain leading down to a giant, spectral, flaming cannon. “Let’s stop with all the pretense, right, Cinder? You were right about one thing though…” Gwyns casts a sinister smile down at all of us.
“Shit!” I feel like I am suffocating just standing near Gwyn. “Not good!” I take a few slow steps back.
“Now is the time for The Truth! Diiiiiie!” Gwyn shouts as he launches the giant fire cannon towards them.
I close my eyes. “Just breathe,” I say as everything slows around me and all sound dies away