[attr="class","ardereescroll"]It had been a few months now since Silas' death. While Ardere had still not recovered from this tragic loss, he had found the will and motivation to leave the squad base. It was time. He had to get out of the house more. Being cooped up in that office for weeks on end was no way to live, especially for a Captain. He had duties, duties Silas would want him to keep up with. Even though he was the Coral Peacock Captain at the time of his passing, he was always a Lion at heart. He died with a Lion's determination. So Ardere would attempt to honor him this way. He had to keep the squad moving forward, and once again become that pillar of strength. He just had to summon every ounce of conviction left in his body. Every last bit.
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The Hall of Heroes had been around some time, but it was generally a small place. After the war and the Shatter events, it had grown. Silas was not the only hero here. Even though Ardere knew of Nero's true fate, his empty grave was here. Lysander was here. Hell even Wolfe was here. The one that hit the hardest though aside from Silas, was his father. There were a few graves to visit today, and he brought plenty of flowers along with him. Chrysanthemum. They were flowers from Hino Country, the Land of the Rising Sun. They were traditional. He left some at his father's grave first, sitting there for a moment. Hey dad. Been a while. I.. Taking a breath, he let out a heavy sigh. I tried really hard to make you proud of me, and I thought I had really made it. But after my friend died, I just feel so lost. I really wish you were here to tell me what to do. He slowly walked over to Lysander's grave. Crouching down and laying a flower down upon the stone, engraved with the Rouge's name. Above it "The Ifrit" with his symbol carved made this grave prominent. It was one of the biggest head stones. I already know what you'd say to me old man. You'd tell me to scrape myself off the floor and wipe the dirt and shit off my cape. He wen't on, talking to the grave of his former mentor. You'd say that I had to fight for him, and I will. I promise that. My mentor, and my second father. Don't raise too much Hell in the afterlife. There's other people up there ya know. Wiping a few tears from his face, he chuckled to himself.
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The fire mage move over to where Wolfe and Silas were, the most recent additions to this Hall. Placing a flower on both of their graves, he sat down for a moment. Leaning up against his former apprentice's head stones, Ardere began to speak once more, but he was feeling a bit choked up. Shit. I'm so sorry guys. I'm so fuckin sorry. The Crimson King sat there for a moment before he began to sob. It was the first real cry he had let out in some time. Sitting in that office for months, no tears would come. But now, they finally came. This was the release he had been waiting for. He had been waiting so long. Now, the tears wouldn't stop. They flowed like rivers down his pale cheeks, endlessly into the earth that his friends lay in. He sat there for a few minutes, just crying before standing up. They had been the final few flowers left for his loved ones. Alright. That's enough of that. Enough of being sad. Now, it's time to be angry. Grinding down on his teeth, the tears slowly came to a halt. He had released his sadness back into the ether, but now there was his anger to deal with. Fortunately he had an outlet for this anger; vengeance. He had some daemon to hunt down, and he would ruthlessly destroy them and all of their kind. They had taken what was most precious from him, in some ways twice. It was a daemon cultist that killed his father, and now a daemon that killed his close friend and apprentice.
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A red aura was oozing out of the Captain's body, engulfing his form into flame. His mana was spiking significantly as it shot into the air like a pillar of flame. Bolting out of the hall, he ran into the woods outside Kikka. As his Crimson King form shimmered across his body, he laid his fist into a tree once he was deep into the forest. The tree was instantly shattered as the fragments were incinerated. Dishing out punch after punch, he destroyed several trees and large rocks. Rubble and wood splinters scattered across the ground. Shouting in anger, he relentlessly punched into the ground, leaving small craters in his wake. Why? Why him? Out of anyone you could have taken, it was a young man. He was just finally starting to forge a true path, a life worth remembering. He could've been the greatest hero of all of us! Ardere shouted at the Gods, the spirits, and anyone who would listen. His anger pierced the heavens as he screamed nearly loud enough to shake the entire forest. He let out his anger for hours, punching things until his hands bled. He just kept punching and kicking, destroying anything he could get his hands on. The fire mage did this until he fell to his knees. Panting in exhaustion, his Crimson King form dissolved. His body was covered in cuts and bruises, his uniform tattered severely. Sitting there breathing, he tilted his head back so his face looked up to the sky. After letting out his anger, he was beginning to feel a bit better. He had to find his direction. There were many paths that lay ahead of him, but which was the one that led to justice? Which led to closure? Ardere was determined to find out, and he would. He was not going to lay down and let this destroy him. He was going to stand. He would fight. This was his way. It had always been, and it always would be.

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