I Know the Secret to Surpass Level 100

As the last embers from the final battle died out, the winds were colder, yet they brought comfort and peace. The people, unaware of what happened at the Black Castle, lived their daily lives like nothing happened.

People lived like nothing happened, but it wasn't like that for the one who fought. They were tired, body almost in the brink of collapsing, and all they could do is wait for the time that they could recover.

Midnight was sitting under a tree as he watched over Melissa who was sleeping on the ground. A pile of leaves were made to be her bed while a large leaf from a tall tree was her makeshift blanket.

He stared at the woman, impressed by how much she and Elliot looked alike. "Wow. Carbon copy. Complete duplicate."

"I know," Francoise laughed. "Melissa and Elliot looked so much alike. And they behave the same too. But then if you look at his father, then you'd also think that they look alike. Elliot will always look like the both of them and yet none of them at the same time."

"Maybe because he's born of Black and White?" Midnight asked. "Elliot will always have the energy of both powers from his. As someone who has the same powers, I'm sure Lance felt the same too."

"And you, grandpa?" Sun asked. "You have Black and White too. What do you feel?"

"Black and White? I have cosmic powers, what do you mean?" Francosie asked, completely oblivious.

"You have white hair with some black streaks on it, you have black and whites," Sun giggled before launching himself from the ground.

"Why you little…" Francoise growled before running after his grandkid.

Midnight sighed at the two, looking around and realizing that they haven't seen Elena or Rebecca. "Where are they?"

--

Elliot kept on tripping as they ran towards where his mother was. He was always caught by his friends before he would fall to the ground. He always thanked them, but his mind was still stuck in a haze.

"You okay, bud?" Lance asked. "We're finally going to see your mother. Why do you look so scared?"

"It's been years since I last saw her," Elliot muttered, pausing from his tracks as the others continued.

"We'll catch up!" Lance yelled to them, stopping beside Elliot and placing his hand on the shorter man's shoulders. "You should calm down and tell me what's going on in that head of yours."

"I don't know what I'm going to say to her," Elliot confessed. "Do I greet her? Do I say, 'Hi', or should I just hug her and bawl my eyes out?"

"You can do all of those at the same time with your Hasty Aspire," Lance joked, immediately earning him a glare from Elliot. "I'm just joking. You don't have to think about it too deeply. You're finally seeing your mother after thinking that she died. Why should you overthink everything?"

"Because maybe in my mind…" Elliot paused, looking down with a bitter smile. "I'm scared that she won't come back to the way she was. You heard them. She's in a trance, and even when Malice is dead, she still hasn't recovered."

"Maybe because she needs time," Lance said. "You should go to her and not think if you should do this or do that. Go to her and do what your heart wants to do. She's your mother, and you have waited for so long to talk to her."

"All this time, I thought I'd never get to see her again." Elliot chuckled bitterly. "But now that I have the chance to see her, I'm scared."

"That's normal. You're getting all of these huge emotions and your child heart can't process all that," Lance teased, causing Elliot to playfully punch his shoulder. "Ouch!"

"You should've just left me behind, idiot," Elliot scoffed, preparing to launch himself from the ground to catch up to his group. Before his feet could detach from the ground, he heard a shuffling behind him.

Both boys brandished their weapons, shocked by how the enemy was able to conceal their presence as if they were never there.

"Who's out there?" Elliot asked. "Show yourself! Malice is dead. You no longer serve a queen."

"I never served her out of my own will."

On a large bush, a woman appeared. She walked towards them, back arched with age and body withered from time. "Now that she's dead, my body could not keep up. I have to give this to you."

The old woman offered a box to Elliot. The boy was hesitant to receive it, but his heart wanted to take the box.

"What is that?" Lance asked, pointing his white sword at the woman. "Some kind of attack?"

"No," the woman grinned. "It's the last piece of Princess Melissa's soul."

Elliot immediately took the box and opened it, revealing a pale blue marble-like sphere inside. It was encased in velvet and soft foam to keep it safe.

"I saved up for that box, so that one day, I could give it to the princess," the old woman coughed. "But I'm afraid my body could not last long. I have to be punished for the crimes I did."

"Come with us," Elliot offered, opening his hand for the woman as he held onto the box with the other one. "You should give this to her."

"I'm afraid I cannot," the woman smiled, her body slowly turning black. "The several hundred years of time I have will now be taken. Go to her quickly. Go to your mother!"

Elliot shook his head. "There must be something that we could do for you."

"There is," the woman grinned, tears flowing from her eyes. "Tell her I'm sorry."

"Elliot, let's go," Lance said. "The orb is slowly losing its light."

"Then at least tell us your name," Elliot urged. "So that I can tell my mother who her hero is."

"Tell her that she's the brightest star in the skies of Hell," the woman said, her body slowly tearing apart. "Tell her that big sister Elena will always love her."