《Master of Cards. *Reborn*》Chapter 51 : The Talk
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Kael kept an eye out on Joshua. Watching how much Joshua has improved, the use of magic cards that was similar to him. It was a splendid sight but the look of Joshua's eyes?
The Lord of Thorns seemed to be lost, perhaps lost in the thoughts of what Kael had previously. What if he had this power? Would things change? The answer would be yes, that powers and things will change accordingly. Lost in his own power, lost in what it means to be the Apex. A powerful being, yet he could not save everyone.
Some thoughts that Kael had in the past, this was looking like a mirror.
"Time to go say hi and see what's up with the lost Lord." Kael made his way to see Joshua sitting by the ground, putting his blade aside for a moment. Kael put a cigarette to his lips.
"So.. This was done by you eh?" Joshua turned to see Kael who had a cigarette to his lips. Joshua snapped his fingers to light the cigarette for Kael.
"Thanks." Kael said, taking a seat a bit further from Joshua. Seeing the distraught face on the Lord of Thorns, something he'd seen a few times but what could Joshua do? He's just lost as he was when Kael had first met him.
"Feeling lost in what you've done?" A weak nod by the Lord of Thorns where the Avatar of Destruction gave a weak smile of empathy.
"Do you ever feel remorse for what you do?" A question that Kael had no idea how to answer. Being in such a place, observing all the destruction that he has seen. There's a lot more that he wanted to say yet Kael could only keep his thoughts on a leash and say what he truly felt. The Lord of Thorns deserved this at least.
"No. I stopped feeling those emotions a long time ago. When you bear witness to the destruction all around you. It just makes you wonder about a lot of things. Whether people truly understand the horrors of war." Kael said to Joshua, a person who has been in maybe more than a few wars. Perhaps this was just how Joshua seemed to develop it. Normally one would have PTSD but Joshua seemed to be lost rather than despair.
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"You do not need to pray, You do not need to beg. You just do. That is what I am as a Lord of Thorns. I guess I am finally understanding such words." Joshua said, looking at his hands. Perhaps thinking that things could have been better. A look of reminiscing his thoughts. Kael had the same feeling when he became Lee, the changes he had in the many lives he lived. Kael got up, walking on over to Joshua.
"Try not to lose that side of you that's human. Keep it close to you. Remember you're still a human with all those powers. Don't lose track of it. Well. I'm bored as shit. So Maybe I'll help you out here." Kael said as he helped Joshua on his feet.
"But why are you here, Avatar?" That was the question wasn't it?
"Please, just call me Kael. We don't need formalities.I came cause Lucius wanted me to see this Outsider of yours. Might be something other than a demon. Could be another rogue God trying to take over another world." Kael said as he continued to smoke his cigarette, where Joshua offered him a rose which transformed into a pack of cigarettes.
"Thoughtful, Kid." Kael thought to himself. Smiling.
"Don't mind if I do." Kael doused his earlier cigarette then taking one of the cigarettes, lighting it up. Taking a deep whiff, the look on Kael's face showed how much he liked it. It was just a whole new sensation of its own. Must be the power of the Lord of Thorns' powers over the seasons and all things related to flowers.
"Now that's beautiful. A nice smell to it, no tobacco.. Tea cigarettes normally taste rougher than my usual pack but I guess it's been blessed by the Lord of Thorns. Makes this pack a whole lot more interesting." Kael said as he kept looking at it.
"Thanks for helping me."
"No thanks needed. Besides, training you might be more fun than just lazing around in my own world. I've done too much shit to it anyway." Kael chuckled to Joshua who chuckled as well.
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"Mood kindred... Is that the word for it?" Over the distance another regiment of the Drusken Empire came to view. Kael tapped his cigarette, spreading the ash away as he pulled out a card. Thinking of the Arcana set. Out of spite, to try this one out.
"Leo of Flames. Burn this army before me." Kael said as the card shattered from his hands, where the Drusken Empire's regiments were immediately taken away by the flames. Even their ashes had been blown away by the wind. The flame was far more intense but perhaps it was the influence of the Nimean Lion itself that was manifesting from the card itself. Though the look on Joshua's face wasn't like the lost lamb he met earlier. A bit more of an earnest and dignified rather than the lost one.
"Not bad on the control part, I saw a bit of your fight. You don't look like a lost lamb to me. More like a... A lost alpha wolf that's leading a pack to battle. It's a good look on you than the lamb when we first met." Kael said.
"I had a good teacher." Kael laughed at that statement. A good teacher? Perhaps.
"Heh, beating Master of Cards gives you that right." Kael said as the two of them walked back to the capital. The walk back was just the two of them reminiscing about their pasts. Comparing notes with each other and by the time they knew it. They were at the walls where the Lord of Thorn's familiars were present.
Kael joined Joshua where Iacus looked at him with surprise.
"Forgive my rudeness, Avatar." Iacus was about o kneel but Kael stopped him.
"Think nothing of it. You're the one who does all the planning right? I'll join you for a bit. Seeing the current state of Familiars. Seems like you could give me a run for my money, Joshua." A compliment to Joshua.
"Ice Reaper." Ice Reaper appeared by Joshua's side. A familiar face would be fun to see.
"Masters." Now that was cute, but that was something Kael had liked about Ice Reaper. Who was still as polite as ever.
"I'm lending you back to Kael's hands for the duration of this stay. Are you okay with that?" Ice Reaper nodded, then moving to Kael's side. Maximilian and Aurelia kept an eye on Kael. Now that was a thoughtful thought by Joshua.
"If you want to start a conquest. Just remember. I'm essentially a battering ram. You need something destroyed, then I'm your guy."
"Lord... I think it's best if you travel with the Avatar." Iacus's suggestion was met with glares from the other Familiars.
"Iacus... With all due respect, the Avatar nearly killed our Lord." Commander 151 spoke to him. Clearly Joshua's familiars were hostile but Kael can't blame them either. He did beat Joshua up to a near death and into a pulp.
"That won't be a problem, Rouge Rose. I'm just here to lend a hand. Besides, he's my rival. I'd like to see how we both work hand in hand anyway." Kael said as he patted Joshua's back. Some assurance.
"Ice Reaper and myself will be enough for the fight." Kael said as Ice Reaper returned to his scythe form. Oh this felt good to be back in his hands.
"Then Avatar. Can you start your conquest from the North?" Kael nodded.
"Got it." Kael and Ice Reaper faded away, first. Now headed into a new place, the North. They had a number of bases. Tanks, fighter jets and golems.
Now that was cute, a large regiment of soldiers. Would that be enough? Well, Kael was the Avatar of Destruction and now he's got Ice Reaper with his side.
"Let's do it like how we always do, Ice." Kael said as he swung the scythe upwards. Unleashing a trail of ice that emerged from the ground, sending the soldiers flying. Just a bit of a fight. Now pushing onwards.
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