Naro was still descending the shaft, the air getting hotter with each steps. Strangely... there was no sound except

  There was still some time left before he truly met face to face with Paro, and so-

  Naro thought.

  'This... This is really the end.'

  Well- not really, no. He still had four more powerful beings to kill.

  The Devourer included.

  'But... Will I even be able to survive Paro ?'

  Earlier, he had "steeled" his resolve and declared to himself that he would kill him.

  But now with only a few steps until he truly has to fight him...

  His true feelings came out.

  'I'm scared.'

  He sat on the ground and hugged his knees.

  'I'm scared.'

  A demigod, a corrupted one but still a divine being.

  He was going to attempt in slaying one...

  Slay one of the Guardians of this planet.

  He tucked his head in between his knees.

  'I'm scared.'

  Scared of what would happen if he lost. Scared of what would happen to Rami, the village, all the kingdoms of this world, the people living in it.

  If he died here... everything would be lost.

  He doubted anyone would even take up the mantle... Not even the Demigod Candidates.

  He inhaled... and then exhaled.

  '... it's useless. I can't get those damn thoughts out of my head.'

  He tried to anchor himself, digging his memory with every moment where he was happy.

  But only one truly surged and it was a memory where he had been... the loneliest.

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  He was sitting on a comfortable chair near a table, his gaze was set on what was on it-

  A big delicious-looking cake with ten candles on it.

  "Happy Tenth birthday, little Rascal !

  The boy's gaze then lifted up to the person sitting across him:

  His foster father, Hama.

  Without his helmet, the guardian looked like a handsome man in his thirties, clean shaved with long grey hair with streaks of red.

  "Thanks."

  The man raised an eyebrow.

  "What's with that tone ? You're not happy to celebrate your birthday ?"

  The boy looked around the large dining room, then looked back at Hama.

  "It would be better if there were guests."

  Hama shrugged.

  "Well there would be if you had made any friends, Naro."

  "..."

  "..."

  The man seemed to have realized his mistake when he saw the hint of sadness in his stoic son's eyes.

  "Sorry sonny, that was pretty mean," he said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

  "But you know it's true."

  The boy looked away and pouted.

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  "Girls don't really like me, the boys around my age and even the one of them who has part of your Authority, just want to fight me. Can you truly blame me ?"

  The man gave him a deadpan look.

  "Many of these issues would be solved if you talked, Naro."

  "Urgh...", Naro relented

  Hama sighed.

  "But it's part of my fault too," he said "I should've made you learn more things than combat in your youth... Well, there's still time !"

  Naro took a slice of the cake and put it on his plate.

  "You could've at least invited your Guardian friends. Maybe it would've made this birthday salvageable."

  He started eating the cake.

  "I did kiddo, but none of them came. They're all busy with their own things."

  He continued:

  "Fatale still has to supply the kingdom with some ressources, Spike's doing his own things... Don't ask me what, I don't know either."

  Hama took a big slice of the cake, to Naro's dismay.

  'Greedy !'

  So this was the greed mentioned in the ancient texts...

  "And Paro... well I already told you his story, haven't I ?"

  "He shrunk himshelf anfd dug deep under je ground, yeah ?"

  "Don't talk with your mouth full ! It's rude !"

  Naro swallowed at that.

  Hama exhaled in exasperation, his gaze having a small hint of melancholy.

  "But yes, that's him. Your deadbeat uncle."

  Naro raised an eyebrow.

  "But he had a good reason, though ?"

  "That reason is completely naught now, it's been ten years and look at us (The Guardians)"

  He gestured by opening his arms.

  "We're still sane ! the least he could do was coming to your birthday party, nothing kept him from doing that !"

  Hama breathed in... then exhaled again, his gaze settling on the candles of the cake.

  "Instead he let his paranoia get the best of him, and now... it's only the two of us today."

  He lifted his saddened gaze back to his foster son.

  "I... I really wanted this day to be special, Naro. I'm sorry."

  The boy was done eating his slice of cake.

  "It's fine, old man. I never thought of birthdays as anything special."

  "That's not your fault though, I'm just that way."

  He looked at the plate, his gaze as empty as it.

  "If anything... I'm sorry you have to put up with a kid like me for ten years."

  That made Hama get out of his saddened state.

  He frowned.

  "Boy. I want you to remove that thought from your head immediately."

  "Hu-"

  He cut in, "Naro. Do you have any idea how important you are in my life ?"

  The boy didn't answer.

  "This party... It was for me also. I wanted to mark the amount of time I managed to not succumb to the Corruption, and mark the day the reason that kept me going appeared in my life."

  His eyes softened as he looked straight into Naro's eyes.

  "You're my tether, Naro. but not in the bad way the people frame it. You kept me from going insane, made me learn how to properly raise a kid even if you have your own issues."

  "You made me learn how to feel pride for someone else."

  Hama smiled brightly.

  "That's how important you are to me."

  The boy's eyes widened and seemed to have a shine to them now.

  "Haaa.... this sentimental talk really isn't for me ! No wonder you're so awkward at times..."

  Hama grabbed his fork and started devouring the giant slice of cake he had taken.

  Naro was silent for a bit then asked:

  "Old man ?"

  "Yeah washup ?"

  'And you told me this was rude earlier... Hypocrite.'

  "I'm... I'm going to try to talk to other people. It's going to be hard but... I'll do my best !"

  Hama swallowed.

  "Hm ? What's with the change of attitude ? oh well, sure."

  He was about to take another bite with his fork until...

  "..."

  "Wait, huh ? you're really going to..."

  Naro nodded multiple times.

  "Oh. Well, I'm glad you made up your mind !"

  He said with a smile.

  Then he thought for a bit and asked :

  "Kiddo, will you promise me something ?"

  Naro was about to take another slice of cake but instead looked up at his foster father.

  "Yes... ? What is it ?"

  Hama drank the juice near his plate.

  "I know you'll meet Paro one way or another so... If you meet him one day, try to beat him up."

  Naro was flabbergasted.

  "W-what !?-"

  "That deadbeat didn't come to your birthday when he could. I think that's only fair."

  He put his drink down.

  "So, will you promise me ?"

  This was completely insane but...

  A part of Naro wanted to indulge in the old man's madness.

  "I promise,"he said with a smile.

  "Good ! make him see stars from the blows !"

  Hama laughed brightly, Naro started laughing too.

  Maybe this birthday party isn't so bad after all.

  ________________________________________

  Back in the impossibly warm shaft, Naro started to calm down.

  The memory didn't give him a sudden boost of strenght, nor did it erase his fears.

  It gave him a bit of determination and as long as it tricked his brain in thinking so-

  It was enough.

  He lifted his head up from his knees.

  Breathed in... Regretting it, then breathed out.

  'Let's go over my current information.'

  Paro had shrunk his Authority and his body with it. That means he's quite weakened but not as much to put him on equal foot with Naro.

  'He definitely has better senses than that knight from last time.'

  That knight seemed to know where he'd use his Dash and punish him for it, forcing him to learn how to use the ability properly.

  If Naro were to be punished by Paro... a blow could potentially kill him.

  He sighed.

  'Thankfully I have the Rune of Life with me just in case.'

  Now about the tools at his disposal...

  'Dash and Storm Strike. They don't seem like much but they really elevated my fighting style.'

  He could use the Dash ability as many times as he wanted- or so he thought.

  And while fighting the Below-Magma Knights he found out that Storm Strike could be used as more than a thrust, but a horizontal and maybe even vertical slash. The problem was that it could leave him open if not used correctly.

  Naro stopped hugging his knees and sat up with his hand finding his chin.

  'The key to defeat Paro would be to use both of these skills, evading and striking... Wait...'

  What stopped him from doing both ? He could potentially cut the downside of using Storm Strike, using it as he uses The Dash.

  'Well first of all: the fact that I've never tried it once.'

  Using new moves in a fight that could potentially kill him was dangerous.

  The Rune of Life would protect him just in case but still : He was not immortal.

  He stood up and lowered his visor.

  'I have to beat him anyways, I'll find the right opportunity to use this new find.'

  He started walking again, a newfound fire lighting up in his eyes.

  'I will defeat you, Paro ! I'll keep that old man's promise !'

  And as he descended towards his fight, a low tremor reverbated accross the shaft.