Before he could move in hands forth tomand lightning ferociously against the abhorrent hag, he was stopped as one of the walls suddenly caved in by way of a spear.


    "Hyoorah–!"


    Busting through the leftmost wall, arge man wielding a spear charged towards the hag, piercing her and sticking her to the next wall.


    "Gotcha''!" The man said in celebration.


    He was left perplexed by the sudden existence of the blue-haired, muscr man, who had two braidsid on his pauldrons.


    "Wreeegh–! Wreeegh–!"


    Unleashing an inhuman, banshee like wail, the monstrous old hag wreathed and contorted before shifting into a puddle of ck ooze, letting the man pluck the end of his spear from the wall.


    "Sorry, I was toote, Granny Martha," the blue-haired man with a scarred lip knelt for a moment.


    It was an unexpectedly somber moment from the man who just carried himself with boisterousness.


    "Who are you?" He finally asked the mysterious, braided-haired man.


    After a moment, the man stood up, facing him as his makeshift armor was revealed, that covered shoddy, ck-and-brown leather armor as he rested his spear against his shoulder.


    "The name''s Ansgar," The man introduced himself with a smile, "I''m one of the "Defenders of Gallvania", your wee, by the way."


    "Defenders of Gallvania"? He thought.


    "I didn''t need any saving, but thanks–I didn''t feel like hurting an olddy."


    "That wasn''t an olddy, at least…not anymore," Ansgar told him, ncing back at the pile of sludge.


    He looked back at it too, watching the grimy substance that sat in ce of the growly old woman who was alive just moments ago.


    "About that…do you know what''s going on here?" He asked, continuing his questions before an answer coulde as he looked into the man''s amber eyes, "and…this isn''t a dream, is it?"


    For some reason the question sparked augh from Ansgar who tapped his light-brown boot against the flooring.


    "What''s so funny?"


    "Nothing. It''s just–that''s always the first thing asked when we find somebody. "Is this a dream?"--I hate to break it to you, but an answer can''t help you," Ansgar told him.


    "Huh?"


    Ansgar approached him, stopping in front of him, "We''re all caught in the "Dream Cycle" here. I''m sure you''ve noticed it by now: the mixing of reality and dream. What I''m saying is, even if I told you it wasn''t a dream, what''s stopping my words or my existence from just being a dream to you? You have to figure that out for yourself," he said, "or, you can trust me."


    It was clear to him that the odd, braided-haired man certainly knew about the oddities urring in the city.


    Even more so, he now noticed the heavy, dark bags under the man''s eyes, though he smiled energetically, he was clearly exhausted.


    "Did youe here to find me?" He asked.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Something like that. We heard about someone acting "strange" on the run from guards, then from there I just followed the sudden burst of mana from within. You were identified by the guards already, "Sirius Federov"--anybody would know a big shot like that," Ansgar answered, resting his spear behind his shoulders, "...I didn''t expect to find Granny Martha taken though."


    There he goes again with this stuff about the olddy being "taken", he thought.


    "It''s time you tell me what''s really going on–what happened with the olddy?" He asked, narrowing his eyes, "She told me Belmon had this city…does that ring any bells to you?"


    Ansgar scratched his head, letting out a sigh, "Listen, I''m really not the guy to exin this–so juste back with me to the base, would ya''? Then you can ask all the questions you want."


    As Ansgar ushered for him to follow through the newly-opened hole in the wall while beginning to move, he stood still.


    "Sorry, but I''ll pass," he waved away the offer.


    Ansgar turned around with a slightly surprised expression, "What? Why? You''ve experienced the "dreams", right? You know what it means to stay alone, right?"


    He honed his eyes, "I also know that I don''t have the slightest idea who you are, or if this is even real. Or, if you''re affiliated with Belmon or not," he said, "besides, I''m not alone. I came here with somebody."


    Ansgar looked back, "Is that right?"


    "I''m looking for her."


    "Even more reason toe back to the hideout, we''re on the same side here," Ansgar told him, waving his hand for him to follow, "You might have noticed it with Granny just now, but the enemy is starting to make their move on you. Being alone is the worst possible decision you could make against the "Dream", Sirius. Trust me. I''ll stake my life on it–if you doubt it for a moment after visiting the base, you can kill me."


    He looked the man he thought as a boisterous oaf in the eyes, reading his intentions before letting out a quiet sigh, "You need me that badly, do you?"


    Ansgar nodded, "Any adventurer worth their weight knows the name "Sirius Federov". We need that strength right now–Gallvania needs it. You''re not obligated to help, but we can help you find yourpanion if you do."


    Theck of answers was beginning to annoy him, but with how confused and aimless he felt in this situation, he felt he had no other choice but to tag along.


    Well, this has all gone sideways, hasn''t it? If it''s my quickest way to get answers, and find Emilia, I guess I''ll check out these "Defenders of Gallvania", he thought.


    "I''ll check this out, but make it quick. I''m not exactly made out of time," he called out.


    "Alright, tell that to the "Boss Lady", not me," Ansgar waved.


    Though he found himself perplexed by the method of travel the stranger was using: a circr, purple gateway of swirling magic.


    He expected the man to havee from the outside in, but it was apletely different method.


    This doesn''t look like normal teleportation magic. Is it his innate ability? Either way, he definitely arrived here withplete intentions–not on a whim, he thought.


    "What''s the hold up? Are you scared?" Ansgar asked, standing in front of the humming gateway that sat in the dustden, empty room.


    "Not at all," he answered, brushing him aside, "just cautious."


    "Cautious is the least you need to be now," Ansgar told him, "the moment you stepped into Gallvania, you entered the belly of the beast, my friend."