Eternal Courage 2

Chapter 43: Evil Takes on Another Face

Saku, Sora and Suzuna were now on their way to meet everyone else. Saku sighed "jeez, what a mess. To think there was Zhao, behind all the scenes"

"he hid it rather well" said Suzuna "no-one thought he'd be in league with Xene. And now he's met his end"

"So...what will happen now?" asked Sora curiously "I mean without him this whole championship...can't continue"

"I don't even think with a replacement it can continue" said Saku plainly "this is an official tournament, and there's going to be questions. However considering Xene's...circumstances we can't possibly hope to answer"

Sora understood what he meant "So...Cora is on the way here now?"

"yes that's right" said Saku sighing "I was hoping I had more time to brace myself when I introduced you to her"

"why is that?" asked Suzuna to which Saku rubbed his head

"It's...a bit hard to explain. Or I should say...a bit disbelieving" Suzuna tilted her head "What if I told you, Xene, Sora, Anaeus and Ayoko...come from the future?"

"From the...future?"

"Yes that's right" said Sora "and that Saku...is our Dad"

Suzuna jumped "wait...what!? Is this true?" she then looked between the two "I thought you two looked similar. I first thought you were siblings...but I wouldn't believe your Father and Daughter"

"I...don't blame you" said Saku a bit grimly "I have no idea how I'm going to explain that I have two daughters and a son, nearly as old as me"

"and considering what you said about Cora...I can see why you're worried Master"

"All I can do is...how they say 'burn that bridge' when you get there?" suggested Sora

"yeah, your right" said Saku "come on then, no doubt we're going to have many confused people to explain too" with two nods they followed Saku along.

Within the training hall, several participants were now being picked up by their family and leaving through the hall to the foyer, then to their home. Sora, and Anaeus' group had gathered in the training hall, along with Logan. Ryuu was there too, sleeping against a wall and even Jay stood by the corridor. Ellie watched them all go "I can't believe that Zhao is gone. Without him, this whole championship has gone belly-up"

"yeah" said Ayoko "he was organizing the whole thing"

"what about the part about fake overseer?" said Kai pointing it out "surely you should've noticed that part of the announcement"

"So...that means that we've been ruled by an imposter?" asked Anastasia "but how?"

"well, did anyone actually know the identity of the director?" said Anaeus "we could in actuality have being governed by anyone" just then Saku, Suzuna and Sora came through

"I think we're best of having them explain it to us" said Pulya

Most of the group had gathered around the threesome. "Saku, what's going?" asked Anastasia "what happened?" Saku sighed

"the overseer Zhao..." said Saku grimly "is dead. And has been for quite a long time"

"wait...so it's true?" asked Ellie "the director's...passed on?"

"Well Zhao has passed on" said Suzuna "but he was never the director, or anything of the sort. The real director was a mister Adam Abados"