Further Beyond: Ascension

Sabatsday, 7th of Julius, 470th Year of the Fifth Era

Johannes was in deep shock when he had gotten news from his father of Josias' exile from the realm. He was given the gist of what the elder council had decided regarding his fate. Hearing this, Johannes and his wife immediately left their clan house to confront Josias.

When they arrived at the front of Josias' home, they were also met with the rest of his companions. Sadrach, Hesekiel, and Mateus were also there. The worried and confused look on their faces told Johannes that they were there for the same reason as he was.

Johannes stepped up to the stairway and approached the door carefully.

"Josi! Josi, I know you can hear me! Please let us in so we can talk!" Johannes called out as he banged on the doors with worry.

The door was opened by Serena who met him with an apologetic expression.

"Ito Sere, we need to talk. With you and Josi both. What is this madness about exile everyone is talking about?" Johannes asked as he moved to enter the house but Serena held out her hand to his chest, stopping him from entering "Sister, what's the meaning of this?"

"...My husband has just returned from a long meeting with the elders. I think it's best if we allow him to rest." Serena's tone was serious and Johannes faltered for a bit as he exchanged glances with the rest of his companions.

While Johannes was perplexed not wanting to actually bother his dear companion Josias, his wife Maria quickly came up beside him and pleaded to Serena directly.

"Serena, please… Let us speak to my brother…" Maria had held Serena's hands and gave her a pitiful gaze. Johannes saw Serena faltering for a second with a difficult expression.

"Maria, I… maybe another time when-...!"

"It's alright, dear. Let them all in…" Johannes heard Josias' voice from inside cutting Serena off. Serena turned to look back inside the house before sighing.

"Well, you heard the man." Serena shrugged her shoulder before opening the doors wider and calling out to everyone there "Please, come in, everyone…"

Johannes motioned for the rest to come along with him. As he entered, he saw Josias sitting down with his back against the wall of the front hall. In Josias' hand was a tankard of tuak while a larger pitcher was next to him and another empty pitcher sprawled out. Johannes squinted his eyes at the sorry sight.

"I already tried to stop him." Serena said with a defeated tone before she sat down on the ground next to Josias "Nagged his ears off but he wouldn't listen."

"God forbid a man enjoy a drink in the comfort and privacy of his own house…" Josias took another swig from his tankard. Serena could only shake her head as she covered her face with her hand.

"Alright that's enough from you…" Johannes took the pitcher of tuak from Josias and handed it over to Sadrach. Josias had clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes but he didn't pursue the matter any further. "What example are you trying to show your younger siblings? Your mother would scold you as well!"

"A grown man still being scolded by his mother for drinking?" Josias scoffed with a dry chuckle. "You don't have to worry about any of that anyways. My mother and younger siblings have moved to the king's hall. Mother said this place reminded her too much of father. The council was already discussing how best to take care of her and my younger siblings. My grandfather has already said that the Hutabaru clan would spare no expense on guaranteeing her comfort."

Johannes and the rest of their companions nodded to his explanation. It made sense considering the breadth of loss the Sigumogo clan had incurred. As it stood now, within the village, Josias was the only fully-acknowledged Sigumogo man. Timotheus' unmarried status worked against him in the eyes of the adat while Josias' uncle Partogi was… Well that was another matter entirely.

For a while they all sat there quietly, not wanting to say anything as Josias also remained quiet. But the silence was deafening. They all doubtless had so much to say. Well, Johannes at least. His wife Maria also had things to ask Josias but when they were now faced with him, they were at a loss of words.

Josias didn't look as haggard as he did during the funeral, but he wasn't in top condition either. Everyone knew how he was now a fourth star warrior, but he looked worse off than he did after their first hunt for the rhino monster. Johannes wanted to tell him to pull himself up and to strengthen him, but what words could he say? He's personally never experienced a loss quite as brutal as Josias'.

"We heard you were going to put yourself through exile…" Maria finally broke the awkward silence as her eyes started to cry. "Ito Josi… I… I'm truly sorry, once again… If it weren't for my father, all of this… I…"

Johannes quickly put his arm around his wife who could do naught but cry in front of Josias. Josias gave an exasperated sigh as he looked up towards the ceiling. He was probably trying to hide his saddened face but everyone there could see his eyes were reddening once again. And it wasn't because of the drinks.

"I already told you…" Josias said weakly, his voice shaking as if every word had to be pried out of his mouth "There's nothing to forgive, sister…"

"Then why won't you look at me?" Maria asked back as her tears were fully rolling down her eyes. "...I'm sorry things happened the way they did, and if I could have stopped my father, I would've… If I could be the one he struck down that day instead of bapatua maybe things would be better off for our realm!"

"Dear, what the hell are you saying? No!" Johannes shook his sobbing wife, trying his best to snap her out of it but it was almost to no avail. "What happened was a tragedy!"

After a few moments of trying to calm her down, finally Josias unleashed his fiery aura before smashing his fist against the wooden wall of the house. It left a slightly burnt crack on it.

"This isn't about you damn it!" Josias shouted angrily as he got up in a fighting stance. The women had gasped in shock while the men immediately moved to hold him back. "Not everything wrong in life has to be about you or your fault!"

"Josi, stop it! She's your sister!" Mateus had quickly held Josias up along with Johannes. They pinned him against the wall but the energy of a four star warrior wasn't something two three star warriors could contain without issues.

"Josi! Please, come back to your senses!!" Serena shouted as she gave her husband an anguished look.

"Don't hold him back!" Maria finally said as she pulled her husband away from Josias to his surprise. "Let my brother go! Let him!"

Maria finally put herself between the three men. Not seeming to care about her husband's worry, Maria faced Josias.

"If hurting me would help you heal, then do it!" Maria said firmly as she stood against Josias "If you hurt me, perhaps you could harm my father in some way. If that would even help in giving you closure, then do it! Strike me! All I want is for you to pull yourself out of this!"

"Maria, are you insane?!" Johannes screamed out loud. What the hell was his wife thinking?

Yet despite her requests, Josias just stood there silently. He looked at her with a face that was no longer filled with rage. Instead it was the look of a broken man whose tears did little to mask his sorrow.

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As now both Maria and Josias were crying, Josias moved his hands to grab Maria. But instead of harming her, he had pulled her into an embrace.

"...I'm sorry, I… I didn't mean to shout, sister." Josias said intermixed with slight sobbing "Harming or hurting you is the last thing I'd ever want to do… As much as it pains me to say, not even bapauda meant for this horrible thing to happen…"

"No… Your pain… I feel it with you, brother." Maria said as she too hugged Josias. "It's painful to see our family like this… It just hurts so much and everyday I just pray for the suffering to end. As I am now, I'm not even able to act out my proper duty as a wife to my husband."

"Hasian, I don't care about any of that! Whatever you're going through, I'll always be there for you. It's a promise I made both to your father, God, and my own self." Johannes approached and hugged the both of them as well "And you, Josi. Your sister here has been suffering for all of your sakes in silence. Never before have I felt as useless as I am now… If there is anything that I could do for you all, just say it and I'd do it!"

Noticing all of this, it would seem Serena couldn't hold herself back either as she too embraced Josias and Maria. Soon enough, their other companions also joined in, putting a caring hand upon the grieving Josias and Maria. Even Hesekiel did so as he approached and silently embraced Josias.

"How is my namboru dealing with all of this, Hese?" Josias asked his cousin weakly.

"...She's been better." Hesekiel answered curtly as always but his expression was difficult. "She speaks even less than me now."

"We're not the only ones hurting here, sister." Josias finally said "I lost a father, but namboru Pauli lost a father and both her brothers…"

As the air within the room calmed somewhat, everyone finally sat down once more as a conversation could truly be held. Johannes finally reiterated his question regarding Josias' self exile. Where was he planning on going, who he was planning to go with, why such a conclusion was made in the first place.

"I said during the Tonggoraja that it was to maintain peace among the realms…" Josias explained "What I said is indeed true, but it isn't the whole truth. In all honesty, too many things have changed too fast. I… I'm also of a mind with my mother in that everything here reminds me too much of my father and grandfather. I just… I just want to get away from it all. Take a break and try my best to at least be a proper husband to my own wife here."

Johannes saw Josias holding Serena's hand as he said that.

"Where do you plan on going though? The Bontarmata republic in the north? The place of the Banuans?" Johannes asked to which Josias shook his head.

"I've been speaking about it with Serena and I had just gotten done discussing it with my father-in-law." Josias started his explanation "The both of us are planning to sail farther west. To Terradome, in the Bontarmata Kingdom of Feldonia. The Ephorus' older brother is a prominent figure in that kingdom and we plan to stay there for a while. I'll be taking all the wealth I can take with me and hopefully I can make myself useful there. It's also a promise I made with Serena."

"What exactly are you two going to be doing there?" Mateus asked with a curious expression. "I've barely been outside of the Halaklands myself, but I've heard of stories of these western kingdoms. They seem so far-fetched I could barely believe it myself."

"Well, Serena's uncle lives in the great capital of that kingdom. In that place lies great academies for magic, medicine, and I've also heard they have a place to train warriors and knights and the like. My father-in-law has already started drafting letters of recommendation for the church and the academies in Feldonia. God willing both me and Serena would be able to do some good over there. If not for others then for ourselves."

"...What of my namboru (aunt) and my other little cousins? Are they also going with you?" Sadrach asked Josias to which he shook his head.

"No… I tried convincing my mother as much as I could but despite her aversion to staying in this house, she's shown concern with raising my younger siblings in a completely foreign environment. She also doesn't want to go far from my father's grave for pilgrimages. I want to respect her wishes. Besides, grandfather and tulang Mora have already agreed to take care of her."

"Whatever may be, your mother is still Hutabaru and we will take care of her no matter what." Sadrach nodded.

"Will my little sister and brother also be staying here with inangtua (aunt)?" Maria asked. To her surprise Josias also shook his head to her question.

"I… I've also talked about this with Serena. I was going to tell you eventually." Josias said "We'll be taking Tiur and Tigor with us to raise them up away from bapauda Togi. It's not that we don't trust you, Maria, but you are currently a member of the Sinatua and those two children are Sigumogo."

"So you're going to be taking our little siblings away too?" Maria asked with a pitiful expression.

"Josias, I assure you, we at the Sinatua would welcome my wife's younger siblings with open arms." Johannes said.

"I know you would, truly. I don't doubt that. It's just, with how things are with your grandfather in Saorma and bapauda's status along with the vacuum of power in our council, I couldn't bare to leave the two's fates anywhere near the Halaklands."

Maria had a dejected look but she couldn't contend against Josias' words. Johannes felt saddened as he held his wife who was now laying her head to his shoulder. As Josias had an uneasy look on his face, Mateus finally asked a question with an expression that looked like he was searching for something.

"...I've heard the westerners have a far more advanced knowledge of medicines and healing than we do. Is that true?" Mateus asked Josias and Serena.

"Far more than we could even imagine, ito." Serena answered. Mateus nodded before he looked like he was in deep thought. Finally, he exhaled his breath and looked to Josias and Serena.

"Then if it isn't too much, can you convince the Archbishop to put both my name and Arta's name there as well?" Mateus asked with a sincere tone. The look in his eyes was hopeful as well. Everyone was shocked when they heard his questioning but Mateus gave his explanation before they could ask. "Don't act so surprised. You all know my wife's condition isn't the best, Serena especially. She's only been holding on just barely because of Serena's medicines and if Serena was to go along with you, we'd be quite troubled. Besides, I could convince my father-in-law to go with you all if I said it was for Arta's sake – which it is – while my own father wouldn't be against me trying to spread my own horizons."

As Johannes heard Mateus' explanation his own heart skipped a bit. It made sense. While people could see such a journey as a form of exile, but looking at it from another perspective, couldn't this also be seen as a huge opportunity? An opportunity to see the wider world, improve their abilities, stations, and understanding and perhaps even bring back what they learned to the Halaklands?

Sadrach was the next person to speak up. "My own father met my mother on his long journey towards the eastern countries. My grandfather before that also travelled the breadth of this continent… It wouldn't be anything new for a Hutabaru to embark on such a journey…" Scratch then turned to Johannes. "But needless to say, I'll be taking my wife with me as well, lae Jojo."

Johannes was starting to understand where all of this was going. He exchanged a glance with his wife and while she looked unsure, he knew she was starting to think about it. It was a lot to think about but at the same time, with how tumultuous the Halaklands were becoming, perhaps it really was the best option. He would still have to convince his own father and grandfather. But considering his status as a married man, he was by tradition and custom his own independent man.

"Gabe naeng mangaranto do ho sude? (So you all want to rantau?)" Johannes finally said. "...Well, if following Josias means my wife gets to be with her beloved younger siblings, I don't see why not. I'll have a lot of arguing with people to do though."

"What of you, Lae Hese?" Sadrach asked Hesekiel who looked like he was deep in thought. He looked like he had a lot on his mind but he soon gave an answer.

"I'll convince my mother." Hesekiel said with a firm nod.

"Well then. I guess it is what it is, Josi." Johannes finally clasped his hands together "As far as we're concerned, we are with you always, lae."

***

Josias didn't say much when he heard all his companions telling him of their determination to follow along with him in his exile. It was an overwhelming feeling as the tears appeared once more from his eyes. Serena – who looked to be equally as moved as he was – embraced him as well.

"God bless us all of you… truly…" Josias said as he tried and failed to contain his emotions. "I don't know what else to say… besides thank you…"

He wasn't even sure if their clans would truly let them go but just the thought of them following him even in his lowest point. It was enough to make a grown man cry. Even throughout all of the adversity, he felt like there was still a purpose left in him.

Whether it was good or bad, only time could tell. But that won't stop him from hoping.