《So What If I'm a Summoner Who Only Wants Fluffy Creatures?》


 Vol. 1, Chapter 1: The Summoner Who Only Wants Fluffy Creatures

    They call me Aurelius, and I''m a Summoner in a game called Elysium Online. Though my avatar may look like a young boy, with a rich head of dark hair and big round brown eyes, the person controlling him in reality is actually a balding sixty-something years old man who retired from a lifelong career of video game quality assurance and is now enjoying life... alone.


    Well, I hadn''t been always alone. I had a golden retriever whom I have named Aurelius, who had unfortunately passed away last year. She was my only family remaining in this world, and I was sad to lose her. In my loneliness, I came across an ad for Elysium Online with its new update, adding a new class called the Summoner to the game. What caught my eyes were the creatures showed in the advertisement, some of with are fluffy and cute, very much like Aurelius, and it lit a spark within my lonely heart. And so, I immediately went and downloaded the game and made an account, wasting no time at all to log into the game and painstakingly spent hours creating a character I was satisfied with, who I then named after my beloved companion, Aurelius.


    Since then, a year had passed and I have grown as a player of the Summoner class. I''ve made many online friends and even joined a guild. Today, my guildmates and I once again gathered to-


    "Aurelius, stop daydreaming during a raid!"


    "Oops, sorry, you know how it is when you get to this age."


    "What was that!?"


    "N-nothing!"


    Phew, that was close, my age was supposed to be a secret. I may be just worrying too much, but I feel like there''s a very huge gap between my age and my behavior and that I tend to not "act my age" as they say. It''s actually something I''m rather conscious about.


    "Aurelius, the boss is using its skill again!"


    "Alright, I got this! Peter, use [Sonic Charge]!"


    "Peter" is the name of one of the creatures I can summon, a [Sonic Rabbit], a rabbit looking monster that has very high speed. It''s [contract], which is something that a Summoner must obtain before being able to summon a creature, is dropped from the monster of the same name. While [Sonic Rabbits] have very poor defense and attack, it does have a special skill called [Sonic Charge], which is a skill with a 5 second cooldown that allows it to inflict a [Stun] status for 0.5 second upon a single target. New players who get cocky and tries to take on multiples of these rabbits at a time may find themselves being stun-locked to death.


    The skill works even on bosses, and with Peter stunning the boss and interrupting its skill, our tanking class players were given some leisure to dish out some additional damage instead. With a more damage focused team composition we''re going for today, perhaps we''ll be able to beat this boss in record time and leave the name of our guild in the hall of fame for all to see... at least for a week before someone else comes up with a faster way to do it.


    After recovering from [Stun] the boss uses an attack skill [Tail Whip], which Peter was unfortunately unable to avoid and had its Hp reduced to zero in a single hit, returning Peter back into its [contract] which takes the form of a card.


    "Sorry, I misread the boss'' action."


    "It''s fine, just focus on supporting."


    Aside from being a Summoner, I also have a subclass called the Enchanter, a class that specializes in supporting. As the Summoner also has support skills for the summoned creatures, the bonus for support skills provided by the Enchanter class gives it a good synergy with the Summoner class.


    The boss we''re currently fighting is the [World Breaker Behemoth], the raid boss that came out of the most recent update to the game. It is a humongous beast with a coat of thick dark fur and a purplish mane, gigantic claws on all four legs, and even thought the design of the main body closely resembles a lion, its tail is reptilian, all scaly and large and sinewy. This boss has three stages, first is the normal stage, and the second comes when its heath is chipped down to two-thirds.


    "Here it comes, the second stage!"


    Upon entering the second stage, the [World Breaker Behemoth] becomes covered in a red aura, increasing its attack power, defense, and speed. Not to mention, right after entering the second stage, it will unleash an uninterruptable skill, [Tremor], in which the boss stomps the ground repeatedly and sends out a damaging radial shockwave. Those that are not tanks and did not get out of the range in time will undoubtedly be taken out, and indeed, a few of the member of our raid party did get careless and fell prey to it. However, there''s no problem, this is what I''ve been saving my trump card for.


    "Aurelius, is it good to go?"


    "No problem, I''ve got more than enough Sp."


    Sp (Summoning Points), is part of a system implemented in an attempt to balance the once overpowered Summoner class. At one point in the game the Summoner class is capable of acting as an entire party on its own with the ability to summon as many creatures as he or she likes so long as there is sufficient Mp. To balance the class out, an Sp system was introduced.


    The Sp system is a system specific to the Summoner Class. Now, instead of Mp, the Summoner must use Sp in order to summon a creature, and Sp can only be gained by damaging enemies and will reset back to zero once the player character leaves the area. As the Summoner class itself has very little offensive abilities, players of this class must rely on either having a low cost creature with offensive ability or by having party members as the damage inflicted by those in the same party as the Summoner will also count towards the Sp. Of course, there are other less optimized ways of doing it, such as subclassing an offensive focus class. But, to utilize the abilities of the Summoner to the fullest, the former two methods are recommended.


    After restricting boss'' movements so that it does not stray towards the healers or any of the more fragile class while using its [Tremor] attack skill, the tanks'' Hps are in the red and the healers are occupied with taking care of them and do not have time to bother with those that had been taken out by the skill. This is where I come in.


    I hit the key on the hotbar and my character begin to go through his animations, flipping open his grimoire, the class weapon for Summoners, and produced a [contract] equipped to the grimoire in advance. Grasping the contract in his hands, my character held the contract towards the sky with a dramatic pose and in response, from the sky, a pillar of light showers down upon him. From the light, a winged woman wrapped in silk appears onto the battlefield.


    This creature is called the [Guardian Angel], whose [contract] can be obtained by completing the quest: [Heaven''s Trials]. Though on principle, I only go out of my way to collect cute, cuddly, and fluffy creatures, the [Guardian Angel] is a must have for any Summoner due to her arsenal of amazing support skills. Besides, her wings seems nice and soft, with I suppose make her a creature fluffy enough for me to go out of my way for after all.


    "Michaela! [Resurrection]!"


    I''m not actually shouting to activate the skill by the way. I''m just using the autochat feature which can be set to pop up upon specific actions. This has the handy application of making it seem like I''m talking to my creature while at the same time letting my party members know what I''m doing.


    With Michaela by my side, I now act as a secondary healer in the party, helping the rest to survive the rather difficult second stage of the raid in which the boss may randomly jump around and killing anyone unlucky enough to be caught in its landing zone.


    Eventually, we managed to survive through the second stage and were able to chip away at the boss'' health down to the last one-third. This is it, the final stage of the raid. Upon hitting the last one-third of its health, the dark purple fur on its body became red and fiery, signaling the beginning of the end.


    Immediately, the healers scrambles to refresh the defensive buffs while from the skies above, gigantic clusters of fire rain down, this is the uninterruptable skill activated upon the final stage of the boss, [Heaven''s Fall]. Right after all of the buffs were reapplied, the healers begins to unleash their healing skills in order to keep everyone alive as the fire balls fall in a randomized pattern. Meanwhile, a few selected secondary healers, myself in included, remains on standby. It was only at the end of [Heaven''s Fall] do we begin activating our skills, reviving those that the primary healers could not keep alive and restore their Hp back up to max.


    "Everybody ready? Here comes the final push!"


    During the final phase of the raid, the [World Breaker Behemoth] will cease all actions and begins charging its final skill [World Breaker] which will immediately wipe out the entire party once the bar displayed atop of its head is full. The only way to stop it is to win the fight before then. However, even when the boss isn''t moving, the healers can''t relax just yet, as there''s a secondary effect of [Heaven''s Fall] that creates a field effect called [Fiery Rain] in which the sky begins to rain fire and applies burning damage over time to all within the zone. This means that the healers have to be constantly healing while refreshing the damage buffs on everyone, all the while chugging Mp potion to ensure that they don''t run out of Mp and have to be careful to pace themselves to make sure they don''t run out of potions before the end of the battle.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    The damagers meanwhile, have to pile up as much damage per second as possible, making sure to use the most efficient of skill combinations so that they don''t find themselves in a period of cooldowns where they''ll be unable to dish out any effective damage.


    "Aurelius! You better be ready to go!"


    "Of course, I have more than enough Sp."


    The perks of being a Summoner is that, depending on what is equipped on you grimoire, you can change roles on the fly, and though having to build up Sp is a bit of a pain, once you have a large enough party focused on dealing damage, it shouldn''t be a problem. I as well, as planned beforehand, will change my role during the boss'' final phase.


    So I hit another hotkey, and immediately, Michaela was automatically dismissed, as one of the balancing applied to the Summoner was that the class can no longer have more than one creature present at a time. With Michaela gone, my character once more goes through another summoning animation. As I held the contract up towards the sky, the heavens began to split apart, overwriting the visual effects of the [Fiery Rain]. Through the split in the heavens, a great creature of pure white descends with its large feathery wings spread wide open, the feathers and fur upon its body fluttering as they brushed by the air, and upon its head, it wears a pair of spiraling horns as its crown.


    This is the strongest creature that I can summon at the moment, the [Holy Feathered Dragon]. To get its [contract], I first had to obtain the contract of the raid boss from the last update, the [World Ender Dragon], which was a rare drop, and then further craft it to its uncorrupted form with a large amount of rare materials, which is the [Holy Feathered Dragon]. While it was said that the [World Ender Dragon] was a better choice between the two with its higher attack output and aesthetic wise had a more "badass" design, the [Holy Feathered Dragon] was fluffier and cuddlier, and that''s all that really mattered to me. Of course there''s also the bonus damage it does against [Corrupted] and [Demon] type enemies and the automatic applying of [Greater Holy Weapon] and [Greater Holy Ward] on every ally character in the field after using its main attack skill, [Holy Breath], but such things weren''t on my mind at the time.


    Fortunately for us, the raid boss this time is a [Corrupted] type enemy, which means nothing can quite kill it as fast as my [Holy Feathered Dragon], and those who laughed at me for crafting the [contract] of its corrupted counterpart into this current form will be eating their words.


    "Let your light cut through the darkness, and your majesty banish the evil ones, let your judgment rain down upon those that would threaten this world! Behold to them the might of the righteous, [Holy Breath]!"


    By the way, that was also the autochat.


    A pure white pillar of light falls upon the boss and following that is an explosion of azure flames. The flames quickly expand, covering the entire field and every single ally the flames come into contact with gains the enchantments of [Greater Holy Weapon] and [Greater Holy Ward].


    Instantly, numbers flood my screen, large numbers going up to six digits, and combining with the various visual effects it soon becomes increasingly hard to see what everyone is doing, but it doesn''t matter, at this point, everyone is surely just spamming a set combination of skill and potions and hammering at the boss with only one thought, and that is to deal as much damage as possible in the shortest amount of time.


    Then, suddenly, it became silent. All of the sound effects of attacks and magic faded away as a cutscene played out, a cutscene of the boss falling onto the ground and promptly bursts into a cloud of dark mist that was quickly dispersed. After that came the victory fanfare, a delightful tune that I never get tired of no matter how many times I hear it play. As the screen fades and I load back to the field, I find a message displaying in my chatbox...


    ***


    Everyone was already celebrating by the time I loaded back into the field.


    "We did it! We actually did it! We beat the record"


    "Man, having the Holy Dragon really made all the difference."


    "Everyone will be trying to craft it now. Good thing you did it first, eh, Aurelius."


    Standing before me are the guys who made fun of me for crafting the contract for the [Holy Feathered Dragon], they all said that I should have kept the corrupted form instead of wasting high grade materials for an arguably inferior form. Well, whatever, they already knew my love for fluffy creature and were just joking around anyways, so it''s not like I hold a grudge, and at the end of the day, it''s all just a game and we''re all here to have fun.


    As I''m chatting with the guys while enjoying the background music playing in the field after the boss was defeated, I heard a jingle which was followed by a message, telling me that I have received a gift. Opening the menu and checking my mailbox, there was indeed a gift box sitting there. It says it came from [xXx_GodSlayer_xXx].


    "Looks like the guild master sent me something."


    "Is she trying to get you to sell her junk items for her?"


    "She should do it herself for once."


    "Well, I guess I''ll find out."


    Double clicking on the gift box, I patiently waited for the opening animation to be done with and finally discover what was inside.


    "Is this... the [contract] for [World Breaker Behemoth]?"


    "How do you like it?"


    Approaching me is the very person that had sent the gift, the guild master of my guild, xXx_GodSlayer_xXx. She is a Knight equipped with a sword and shield with a subclass of Warrior that specializes in dual wielding, and as shields are categorized as weapons instead of armor in this game, she gets a bonus for having a sword and shield equipped on top of the bonuses she has as a knight that specializes in the sword and shield. It''s a classic powerhouse build that''s boring but practical.


    "You got the drop? And you''re giving it to me for free?"


    "Yep, so go ahead and craft it why don''t you?"


    "Craft it?"


    "That''s right, so when the next World Something Something raid boss shows up, we''ll be ready for it."


    I see what she''s getting at. Since the [World Ender Dragon] is obviously related to the [World Breaker Behemoth] and the Behemoth just so happens to be weak against the [Holy Feathered Dragon], she thinks the next boss with a "World" in its name will be weak against the uncorrupted form of the Behemoth that can be crafted from this [contract].


    Truth to be told, I was thinking this as well ever since the footage of the next raid boss was leaked. The name of the boss is still undetermined, but from the design, it certainly seems to be part of the "World" line of raid bosses.


    "If you say so, but these are expensive to craft. I spent almost everything I had to get the Holy Dragon crafted."


    "Oh don''t you worry, now that we know your fetish for fluffy creature can be useful for the guild, we''ll all pitch in to help."


    "Well in that case, same time tomorrow?"


    "Actually, we have an offline meeting tomorrow, did you forget?"


    "Oh... oh yeah..."


    "Are you coming?"


    "I''m... busy."


    I lied of course, I''ve long since retired and I have no family around, there''s no way I could be busy.


    "Even though you just said we''ll meet in game the same time tomorrow?"


    Hot damn, what a slip of the tongue! My lie has been seen though, what should I do!? Should I say that I stealthily logs in on the company computer?


    "Well, it''s fine if you don''t want to come. It can be nerve wrecking if you''ve never been to one after all."


    "Yes well, do pardon me."


    It''s not like I don''t want to go, but what if they think I''m some kind of weirdo when they realizes that I''m a sixty-odd years old man playing a character that looks like an underage boy? I just want to feel young again, I swear! Is it so wrong to long for the days of your childhood? Well, whatever, maybe one of these days I''ll work up the courage to go. It''s better than being stuck home by myself I suppose. Heck, maybe I''ll go after all! That''s right, I''ll go, I''ll go out and have a good time for once goddamnit! And just to make sure I don''t chicken out, I''ll tell the guild master right now!


    Steeling myself, I start to type, telling xXx_GodSlayer_xXx that I''ll go after all. However, before I can hit enter, I notice that something odd appeared in the middle of the boss field. Shocked at this development, everyone began spamming the chatbox with questions, wondering if this is some kind of special event or a surprise post boss fight boss fight.


    Whatever it is, it took the form of what appears to be a rift in the middle of field. Of course, players being players, everyone immediately starts trying to interact with it. I too, am no exception. What happens next is that upon being interacted with, the rift expended, and for a moment everyone is wondering what will be coming out of it. Well, as it ended up, nothing came out, but instead, it sucked us in. All of the player characters within the field were immediately drawn into the rift, myself included, and while I was sitting in front of my pc, anticipating excitedly in regards to what might happen next, the strangest change occurred.


    I could feel my organs shifting ever so slightly forward, as if my body had suddenly gained momentum, the sensation you''d feel when you, say, fall off a chair. I too thought I was falling off my chair, that I had finally leaned too far back on this old chair and toppled it. But as I reached out to grab my desk to save myself, all I did caught with my hand was the void.


    In front of my eyes, a tunnel of a myriad of colors extends before me, the walls made of the colorful lights moving pass me as if I''m falling at high speed, and all around me I could see the same happening to the guildmates and friends that I was in the raid with.


    Immediately I begin to panic, the terror of falling besets me as I desperately reach out for something to grasp on. To my surprise, the hand that I thought would not reach anything actually caught something. When I turn to look, it turns out that it''s someone else''s hand, the guild master''s hand, the hand of xXx_GodSlayer_xXx in my own.


    "W-what''s going on!?"


    "I don''t know."


    Well, that is to be expected, I''ll be surprised if there''s an expert of falling through a rainbow wormhole right out of nowhere.


    As we continue to fall, suddenly, I feel an odd sensation in my chest, and immediately I suspect it to be a heart attack. Perhaps I''m dying of a heart attack right now and have gone in shock. However, to my utter disbelief, cards then came bursting out of my chest, and from what I can tell, they are the [contracts] that I have gathered from various creatures that were sitting in my inventory. Among them, one is shrouded in a sinister aura, and I see that it is the [contract] for the [World Breaker Behemoth].


    The corrupted bastard must be trying to break out of my control... or something like that, but more importantly, all of the [contracts] I''ve painstakingly gathered is flying away! Immediately, I reach out, trying to grab what [contract] I can as the cards scatter.


    "Wait, don''t let go!"


    However, in my scramble to grasp the [contracts], I seem to have let go of the guild master and though I reach out to her once more, we had drifted too far apart to be able to grasp one another and soon she went out of sight. Following her, one by one, I notice the others disappearing as well, and eventually, all that is left is I alone.


    ***


    End of Chapter 1

 Vol. 1, Chapter 2: A Summoned Summoner

    Before I realized it, I was no longer falling, and all around me was darkness. At first, I was under the impression that I was in just my room with all the lights turned off, that I had went to bed like always. However, my senses began to tell me that I am not alone as whispers and shuffling can be heard. My first instinct was to freeze, absolutely terrified at the possibilities of burglars having entered my home. My eyes remained opened, staring into the dark space around me, trying to get used to the darkness. Then, all of a sudden, my vision became clear and at the corner of my sight, a small icon appeared, it was an icon I recognize, one for the [Night Vision] effect within the game.


    Am I still in the game? But since when did Elysium Online have a first person mode?


    With [Night Vision] active, I surveyed my surroundings, first taking note of my grimoire lying on the ground with a single [contract] card sticking out of it like a bookmark. With my own hands, I reached out towards it, feeling the texture of the cover and the weight of the book.


    This feels all too real. I have no motion controls in my house and neither do the game supports it, and yet my hands reached out as if my own. And this sensation, this weight, I can feel it far too clearly for this to be a dream. Not to mention, this body, it does not ache and it feels so light, it''s as if I''m literally fifty years younger. Could this be real? It can''t be, it''s not possible, but for it to be fake yet feeling so real, we shouldn''t have the kind of technology and most importantly, I''ll never be able to afford something like that. So is it real or not? If it''s real then I don''t understand how it happened, and if it''s fake then I don''t understand it just as much. Trying to figure this all out feels like splitting my brain apart. Am I going mad? Is this what it is? Am I insane now from my loneliness?


    Light suddenly flood into the darkness as the door to this room was opened, blinding me momentarily. As I shield my eyes, I simultaneously turned off my [Night Vision] with but a thought.


    "Is this the one?"


    I hear from the doorway a young feminine voice, clear and soothing and full of youth.


    "Indeed, Your Highness, this is the one."


    "Can he understand us?"


    "He should, yes."


    As my eyes slowly adjust to the light, I turn towards the voices, seeing the silhouette of men in dark robes and a woman, or rather, a girl in a fanciful dress.


    "Hello, can you understand me?"


    "Um... Hello."


    "Thank goodness, I was afraid that we won''t be able to speak to one another."


    The girl''s expression is lively, her movements and gestures are natural. Speaking to her is like speaking to a real person and yet, I cannot escape the feeling that this is within a game, even though everything is so real, I could still see traces of the game here. For example, I can see this girl''s name floating above her head, I can see the quality of the clothes she wears, and even her weaknesses and resistances. Within the game, her name being displayed would be a given, while the rest of her information is revealed to me by my subclass'', the Enchanter''s, skill [Insight].


    "Let me introduce myself, I am Aurelia, the princess of-... Sir?"


    As she was speaking, I walked around her. I expected her to keep talking but instead she stopped and gave me a quizzical expression. Clearly, she''s reactive. However, looking at her from the side, one thing still bothers me. It''s her ears, the way they''re modeled is completely anatomically impossible. To begin with, I can''t tell at all where the fluffy fur ends and where the silky hair begins. Are those ears actually accessories?


    I extend my hand and brushed by her golden hair to check the side of her head. There were no ears, and now that just looks weird and so I immediately let her hair down. I check back at the girl again and see that she is blushing and looking at me as if I did something absurd. Those in the surrounding as well, seems to be rather exasperated about all of this. I guess I did something unusual, but I must know, I must find out, whether I''m truly insane or not. To tell the truth I''m rather scared that I might have gone mad from the loneliness.


    With no ears on the side of her head, does that mean that those droopy ears on top of her head are the real deal? I reached out to touch it. Feeling the fluffiness, it reminded me of Aurelius, my old pal, she had droopy ears just like these. Oh how I miss you Aurelius, why did you have to go? Though, I suppose it''s better for her to go before me than the other way around, the poor girl would have had to starve.


    "What are you doing to the princess!?"


    Surrounding me, are groups of armored men, each with spears pointed towards me. It seems that not only is the girl reactive, so is the others in the environment. However, all of this is to be expected, after all, when you have a girl with fluffy ears in front of you, you''d naturally want to touch her too, don''t you? As proof, every single mobile gaming apps nowadays involving girls allow you to interact with the girls via the touchscreen in some way. That''s right, all of my actions had been predictable so far and reactions can be scripted to match them. What should I do? What should I try next? What is truly unexpected of a player to do in this situation? What is so truly absurd, that the developers will never see it coming? If this is indeed a game, then how do I break it? Actually, now that I''ve gone so far, I''m really hoping that this is a game, that I went back to the game testing business after some spanking new tech came out and can''t wait to try them out, but just when I began testing, I suddenly went senile or something along the lines. Yes, it''s all becoming more plausible now that I''m following along that line of thought.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Speaking of which, this shouldn''t be an R rated game, should it? I certainly wouldn''t have gone to test something like that, I''d be too embarrassed. In other words... shall I give it a try? If this is indeed anything lower than an R rating, then it should be impossible to do. Yes, that is the only way. I shall strip! If this game is what I think it is, then I shouldn''t be able to take off my underwear no matter what. It''ll be stuck to me like part of my skin.


    And so, under the gaze of the princess and the soldiers surrounding me, I shed my clothing to the very last piece, and then, the moment of truth...... It slid off much more easily than I expected it to.


    "You... you deviant!"


    The soldier are getting increasingly angry with me, but that as well, is an expected reaction, if you can strip down to your birthday suit, that would be the appropriate reaction. Is this really a game? Or did I just get bolder with age? Perhaps since I''m so old, most company wouldn''t let me work there, so I had to find work with a smaller team that makes erotic games? Or perhaps, I actually founded this team and now I''m testing my very own game? Now that I think about it, this princess that is currently blushing like mad in front of me kind of look like Aurelius, her golden hair, her clear brown eyes, her droopy ears, if I squint, she does indeed resembles her. And her name, Aurelia was it? Isn''t that just a more elegant sounding Aurelius? I have no doubt about it now, this is a game of my own making.


    However, if I have a character based on Aurelius here, why would I make it R rated? Have I become such a deviant after getting even older? No, I refuse to believe it, this must be some sort of compromise, right? Since we''re a small studio, it''ll be hard to make a game to compete with the big companies with their AAA titles, and so we had to resort to features AAA titles would never implement. It has to be something like that, otherwise I''d really like to beat the shit out of my older self, which I would suppose is my current self.


    "Princess, just give us the order and we''ll cut this fiend down at once!"


    The soldiers look at me with anger and disgust, the emotions on their faces were very detailed and varied from character to character, more than enough to compete with the big companies I''d say. Then there''s the princess, standing before me, her face stoic but red and her bushy tail standing upright and tense behind her. Yet, her gaze never once turned away from me.


    "Stop! Lower your arms!"


    "But, princess-"


    "I said lower your arms!"


    The soldiers did as she said, their unwillingness and mortification clearly displayed on their faces. Even I, the object of their hatred, could feel their pain. Whoever did the motion capture for these soldiers must be a master.


    "We were the ones who had brought this person into our world without his consent. It is only right that he demands remuneration for dragging him into our conflict. And for this kingdom, whatever he demands of me is but a small price to pay."


    The tone of her voice is strong, but even amidst that strength, I can hear slight trembling. It''s subtle, very subtle, but not so much so that I can''t hear it. I could feel how this princess is trying to be strong for her people in spite of her fears. I can''t believe we got such a good voice actor, but then again, if this character is inspired by Aurelius, then of course I would spare no expense in bringing her to life. Good job, voice actor! Good job, me!


    "Brave hero, while I am most certain that you would like compensation for what we will be asking of you, I beg you to please be patient, for we have very little time. I swear upon my honor that I shall accompany you as much as you desire once this is over."


    The princess continues talking without me prompting her. This might be a problem, as I could miss crucial information if I don''t pay attention. Yet, if a button is added, it may ruin the immersion for some. I should probably write that down on a notepad or something later. But well, if I''m seriously going do some good old quality assurance, I better properly play it to the end before messing around. I''m getting pretty cold too, and though I doubt I''ll catch a cold in a virtual environment, I best put on my clothes.


    "Thank you, I''m glad that you understand. Now please, we must hurry."


    This character has lines for everything doesn''t she? I wonder if she''ll be a companion later on.


    After putting my clothes on, the princess and the soldiers lead me out of the room I was in, and upon arriving outside, I realized that I had been in some kind of small temple build in the middle of a meadow. The sun here is warm and the breeze cool. The sensation so layered that you wouldn''t think that this is all simulated. But this is a game... right? It is the only rational explanation.


    To affirm my sense of reality, I gazed upon the princess again, trying to search for anything artificial, and aside from her fluffy ears and tail, it''s hard to say, if she''s real or fake. But of course, there''s no way an animal eared girl can exist in reality, there''s just no way.


    "Sir?"


    "It''s nothing, let''s go."


    "Oh!"


    She looks surprised, but then again, I think it''s the first time I spoke didn''t I, since this is a game, I didn''t really thought it would matter though. But to react to what I say, how much scripting is done with her? Or did I just so happens said a key phrase that she''d react to? I don''t know, but something''s nagging at me in the back of my head. A nagging that I''ll ignore for now. Let''s just play the game and see where this goes.


    ***


    The smell of metal in the air, the blood curdling screams, the scent of burnt flesh, these were what my senses picked up upon entering the town.


    "This can''t be... we''re too late."


    The princess watches on with terror, while I can''t even bear to look at this blood soaked town for even a second with all its realistically rendered corpses littering the streets, either in pieces or burnt. And then there''s the smell, oh god the smell, the repulsive smell of burning flesh. It makes me sick to the stomach with a disgust I never thought was possible.


    Who the hell thought it was a good idea to put this in? What kind of sick bastard was even capable of reproducing this information in this virtual space? Even if this is an R rated game, this is too much, far too much. I can''t have approved of this.


    Then, right in front of us, a three meters tall creature landed. It has leathery wings and a long skinny torso with a comparatively stout lower body. Its legs are short, but its arms are elongated with sharp claws at the tip of each of its ten fingers. It has a long pointed chin and rows of uneven razor sharp tooth in its wide mouth. Its six red eyes, glared down at us who stood at the town gate, and its bloody lips twists into a horrendous smile.


    "I found the princess~"


    And without a warning, the [Demon] shot its long arm towards us and blood was spilled.


    "Sir... why did you..."


    Even if she asks me why, I didn''t really know. Maybe it''s because she looks a little like Aurelius. Maybe it''s because I was feeling rather heroic today. Maybe because I''ve just decided that I had lived far too long anyways. Whatever the reason is, I ended up pushing Aurelia out of the way and took the blow in her stead because I was too clumsy to get out of the way myself after. Thanks to that, I can feel the foreign objects in my body, I can taste the metallic flavor of my own blood surging up my throat and into my mouth, and most of all it burns, it burns where I had been stabbed. It hurts like hell! It''s... it''s all too real...


    ***


    End of Chapter 2

 Vol. 1, Chapter 3: All Too Real

    With my torso being skewed by the claws of a [Demon], I can see a Hp bar at corner of my vision, draining ever so steadily as blood leaves my system. The pain tells me this is real, but I can''t tell whether or not the Hp bar is a hallucination either. Is this real? Or am I going mad? Whatever this is, it certainly isn''t a game, no sane developer would put any of these things in a game, something people play to have fun with.


    The [Demon] eventually pulled its claws out of me, and I could feel more of my flesh being sliced apart as the sharp claws pulled away. Form his big ugly grin, I could tell, that the bastard''s having fun doing this.


    With the claws leaving my body, I immediately collapsed, my body has apparently gone into shock and I can''t move it at all. I was all too prepared to hit the ground and become like one of the several corpses strewn about this burning hellscape of a town. However, someone caught this body of mine and supported it with her small frame. Though I was turning cold due to blood loss, I could feel warmth flowing into my body from her slender hands. She''s using healing magic on me, I could tell because that Hp bar I can''t help but stare at is decreasing much, much slower that it was prior. However, it was still not enough, the [Bleeding] status effect is doing more damage than she could heal......... Shit! I must have lost a lot of blood, I''m thinking in gaming terms again. It''s because of that damned icon at the corner of my vision, the same icon you get when you get the [Bleeding] effect in the game.


    As the princess is healing me, the soldiers rush forward to defend her, only to be reduced to chunks of flesh with but a swipe of the [Demon]''s claws a mere moment later. Their warm blood splatters onto me as their bodies fall, reminding me yet again how all too real this is. I am torn, torn in between thinking whether if this is a game or if this is some kind of reality. However, whatever it is, my instincts is telling me that if I don''t do something, I''m going to die, and my bleeding guts tell me that there will probably be no respawns, that all there is awaiting me is the cold embrace of oblivion.


    Slowly, the [Demon] approaches the princess. I can tell that she is trembling, the arms holding onto me are shaking uncontrollably and yet, they still held onto me, they are still continuously healing me. The [Demon] relished in her fear, its ugly grin only growing wider and wider till a ball of fire struck the foul creature in the face. The men in dark robes, the ones that had performed the ritual to summon me here, with staffs in their hands, began launching offensive magic at the [Demon].


    With its grin no more and clearly enraged, the [Demon] spreads its wings and takes off into the sky, evading the magic projectiles while simultaneously preparing a magic attack of its own.


    "Princess, save yourself!"


    The mages were shouting as they fought.


    "Please leave us and run!"


    As the battle play out, I feel my body getting colder and colder, I can no longer hear anything and my vision is turning dark. Even the warmth from the princess, I can no longer feel it. Am I dying? Throughout my sixty-odd years of living, I thought I had a pretty good run. It certainly wasn''t perfect and there certainly were some regrets, but I thought I had it pretty good. I thought that I was fine with dying. I''m not exactly big on eating healthy and so I''m at the age where it wouldn''t be odd for me to just drop dead after all. However, the truth is, I''m terrified of dying, terrified of dying alone, cold and by myself in my lonely apartment, only to be discovered weeks later by the neighbors via the smell of my rotting, vermin infested corpse.


    "Someone, anyone, is anyone there? Aurelius? Aurelia? Is there nobody? I''m scared! Someone please answer me!"


    "I''m here, master."


    "You... is this really..."


    "Just call my name. Just call my name like you always do, and I''ll be there."


    "...... Come... Come forth, [Sonic Rabbit, Peter]!"


    From my blurred vision, I see a light, and then, more than seeing, I feel something running off at high speed, knocking into the [Demon], stunning it before it could use its magic. And as it was stunned, one of the soldier that were lucky enough to avoid being sliced into ribbons leaps forward and plunges a sword right into the [Demon]''s chest. Then, my vision turns dark... for only but a second before I can feel warmth again, and the Hp bar in the corner begins to fill, the [Bleeding] icon is also gone. Gradually, my vision returns, followed by my hearing.


    "I''m here brave sir, there''s nothing to fear."


    The princess continues to hold me in her arms, continuously casting healing magic, and alongside her are the robed men, doing the same. With of all their healing combined, my Hp is quickly refilling.


    By my hand, I feel something soft and warm, and when I look down, I see a rabbit-like creature snuggling up to my hand.


    "Peter..."


    I caress the small creature''s fur, feeling the softness, the fluffiness, the sensation I could never feel from across the monitor screen. I''m not going to ask how or why he''s here. Those questions are beyond me at the moment. The fact that he''s here for me is more than enough.


    "Princess!"


    More of them approach from afar, the [Demons], there must be more than twenty of them for as far as I can tell in my immediate view, and from my [Insight], I could see from a single glance that they''re no lower than Level 50, and going as far as Level 75. In gaming terms, they''re not that strong. Heck, I''m at Level 185 and yet I was almost killed in a single hit. In the end, this isn''t like the game I''ve been used playing, the numbers on top of their heads are merely estimate as far as I can tell. Level 185 I may be, I''m still a creature of flesh and blood, if you drive something sharp and pointy into me I''ll bleed and die. This can''t be a game, if it is, I''d like to meet the developers and give them a piece of my mind.


    I stand back up, facing the [Demons], as I consider the option of running. Amongst them, I see that some of them could fly. We won''t outrun them, and I doubt they''ll leave us alone. That last [Demon] seems to be targeting the princess.


    "Sir?"


    The princess looks at me, expectation fills her eyes. I have a feeling she wants me to fight, and really, if I were to summon something I''d expect it to fight as well, I''m a Summoner after all. Indeed, what should I do? I wonder about the numbers we have here, and just as I thought that, additional Hp bars popped up in the corner of my vision, five Sorcerers, one Knight, their Levels goes from about as far as 30, the lowest being 15. They won''t be able to put up a good fight at all. And while I could probably do some damage, with just me and Peter, and with my build gearing more towards support than damage, can I really fight all these [Demons] when even one hit can be fatal. Rather than an MMORPG, it feels like I''m suddenly playing an ARPG, the kind where you''re expected to die a lot. I don''t think I have enough stamina to dodge roll through all of them.


    Wait, if Peter is here, then perhaps the others are as well. As I thought that, an inventory window popped up, but there''s nothing in it. Everything is gone, only the things I''m equipped with remained, namely the clothes on my back and the grimoire which for some reason only has Peter equipped to it and... What''s this? It says here that something''s equipped on my right hand, which by all means should be empty.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I look down at my right hand, there''s nothing in it, but, stuck to the cuff of my sleeve, there is a card, a [contract], and this one is for...


    "Sir, you''ve only recovered, there''s no need to force yourself if you can''t fight. Let us retreat."


    As much as I would like to, we can''t, the flying [Demons] would catch up to us in no time.


    "No, I''ll fight."


    "But-"


    "It''ll be fine, just leave this to me."


    Did that make me sound like a reliable adult for once? Well, no time to worry about that. As for the [contract]... Let''s see, first I''ll have to equip it to the grimoire. Should I just stick it in between the pages?


    I open the grimoire held in my left hand, and I place the [contract] in between the pages and shut the book. Once shut, the grimoire starts to glow and the light seems to be moving up and down the pages of the book. What a familiar light, where have I seen it before? When I flipped back to the page where I had left the card, I then understood why it looked so familiar. On the pages, a copy of the [contract] has been made, both the front and back of it. This book, this magical tome, this grimoire, it''s a freaking copier! Which sort of makes sense, I suppose, as in real life, you usually want two copies of the contract for both parties to document.


    As the [Demons] came close enough for me to see their ugly grins, I sincerely hope I''m doing things right. If I screw this up, we''re all going to die and I have no reason to believe that it won''t be a permadeath.


    From the grimoire, I retrieve the [contract] and then held it up towards the heavens above, just like how it goes in the animation that played every time I summoned something in the game. And what was that Peter said in my head, call his name like always? Like the autochat or something along the lines? I begin to clear my throat.


    "Come forth from the heavens above and bring us the light of salvation! By our covenant, I call upon you, [Guardian Angel, Michaela]!"


    A pillar of light descends upon me, and from that light, an angel emerges.


    "Michaela, [Resur-"


    "Yes, my liege!"


    And before I even finished my command, Michaela spreads her wings and scatters her feathers to the surroundings, falling gently upon the fallen and shroud them in sacred azure flames. The corpses then start to piece themselves together, severed arms and legs would crawl along the ground up to their bodies and spilled guts would slither back where they have been dropped from. One by one, the dead returns to life, standing ready to fight the [Demon] scourge once more. At the same time, more Hp bars appear in my vision, far too many of it in fact, yet it is not clutter up my sight, as if I''m actually seeing them in my mind rather than my eyes.


    Targeting Michaela, I cast the spell [Greater Magic Boost], and then, before I could even issue the command, she immediately casts [Holy Weapon] and [Holy Ward] on her own, as if she already knows my intention and acted upon on her own accord. This was something that was never in the game, neither her automatic action nor her actually speaking to me in any way.


    With the [Holy Weapon] and [Holy Ward], the arisens charge at the [Demons], and while the [Demons] are at a much higher level than they are, upon contact with the magic boosted [Holy Ward] on the arisens, the [Demons] were burned by the azure flames, and with the [Holy Weapon], the arisens easily cut away at the [Demons], slicing into their hide like butter with a heated knife. It would seem that regardless of one''s level, what kills you will kill you. In the end, the numbers were merely estimates after all.


    By the time the sun had begun to set, we, along with the arisens had wiped every single one of the [Demons] clean from this town. And though the town was burned to ashes, so long as there''s someone to cast [Resurrection] everyone can be revived and together, the town can be rebuild... Or so I thought. However, at the end of the battle, one by one, the arisens begin to fall, their bodies reducing to glittering dust under the setting sun.


    "What''s going on?"


    "They have been called back to fight one more time, and after that, their earthly vessels have ran beyond their course and so returns to dust."


    Michaela, like never before, provided me an explanation.


    "Is there no way to bring them back?"


    "Only in a twisted form, in which their souls will be bounded to this earth and suffer for as long as they''re bound. There are certainly creatures that can do such a thing should you desire it, but the moment you do so, my liege, the covenant between you and I shall be rendered null and void."


    So there''s actual terms in the [contracts] now are there? Well, I don''t intend to raise an army of undead anytime soon, so I suppose there''s no worry about that for the time being.


    "Thank you Michaela, you are dismissed."


    The [Guardian Angel] bowed to me and then promptly disappeared, leaving her [contract] card behind.


    So death is truly permanent then. And now I must be here? For how long? To do what? Am I going to have to continuously fight these [Demons]? Heavily, I sighed at the prospects of my future.


    "You''ve done well, brave sir. It is a shame that the town could not be protected, but the [Demons] have indeed been repelled."


    The princess came up to me with lone soldier that struck down the first [Demon] following behind her.


    "Shall I help search for survivors?"


    "I am afraid that there is no need. The Court Mages have casted a clairvoyance spell, there are no survivors."


    "I see. Then where to next?"


    "Next, we return to the capital, you deserve some rest, brave sir."


    "It''s Aurelius."


    "Aurelius?"


    "That''s my name."


    "Sir Aurelius... What coincidence! To think our names would be so similar."


    The princess smiles a little, though somewhat bitterly, the sadness of losing the town is not lost in her smile.


    ***


    Since arriving at the capital, three days had went by in a flash. The days were peaceful and after living out these three days, eating, sleeping, waking up, taking baths, and everything in between, the reality of this world is sinking in. This must either be real, or I''m just extremely insane, or perhaps both.


    Waking up on the morning of the fourth day, I stared at the ceiling that I am gradually becoming more familiar with while on the unbelievably comfortable bed that I''m quickly getting used to. Easily, I rise up from the bed, and though I am getting accustomed to it, this body, this body that is exactly like the character I have in Elysium Online, it is surprisingly energetic. Indeed, it''s great to be young again.


    I left my room and traveled out into the hallways. Already, the servants can be seen coming and going. This is the royal palace by the way, and upon arriving days ago, the princess immediately had a room assigned to me, along with servants. It looks like she fully intends to have me fight from now on, and I''m not quite sure how to feel about it. However, she did promise me something in exchange.


    On the two side of the palace, there''s a pair of huge balconies overlooking the capital city, one on the east, and one on the west, perfect for viewing the sunsets and sunrises. Today as well, I went to the eastern balcony to view the rising sun, feeling the warmth of the morning sunlight.


    I am not sure what is happening, and if I were to follow my memories and assuming that there is no gaps, then it all began when that rift appeared after we defeated the [World Breaker Behemoth]. Somehow, I was sucked into this other world by it. Even while thinking it right now, it still sounds stupidly absurd. I can''t believe how easily the protagonists from these kinds of novels just took the whole situation in stride. My mind must have gotten inflexible with age. Well, whatever the reality is, I''ll assume three things moving forward, that I''m here, that I''m alive, and that if I die, then there''s no coming back. That should be the safest way forward. Safety is first in everything after all.


    "What shall you do from now on, my liege?"


    Even without me summoning her, Michaela is still able to speak to me somehow. This too, is something that never happened in the game. This world is undoubtedly different from the game, and yet, part of the game''s system seemed to have followed me into this world for some reason. I''m quite confused by what mechanics are at work here.


    "For now, I''ll fight back the [Demon] lines. In exchange, the princess will help search for the others. That was the deal we agreed upon and that is what I''ll do."


    The one that was sucked into that rift wasn''t only me, the others had been as well, my guildmates, my friends. If they''re here as well, then I have to find them. I hope they''re doing better than I am.


    At my feet, I feel something soft snuggling up to me, and so I reach down and pick the little fella up, caressing him in my hands. Since the Mp cost is rather low, I have Peter summoned at most times, in case I need him, and plus, he tends to snuggle up to me like this, which is most definitely welcomed.


    I''m still scared at the prospect of actually fighting with a body of flesh and blood, but I''m not alone. Peter is here, Michaela is here, and I''m sure my other [contracts] are also out there somewhere, waiting to be found. I can do this, with them by my side, even though I''m scared, I can still move forward.


    ***


    End of Chapter 3

 Vol. 1, Chapter 4: New World, New Rules

    Early in the morning, I was dragged out of bed. It seems that an army of [Demons] had been advancing towards a fortress to the east and my strength will be required there. Instinctively, I wanted to refuse. Something like being called to a battlefield is not something I imagine my retired life would wound up being. However, I''ve made a promise, not to mention that if I don''t protect this place, there''ll be nowhere else for me to go.


    "Princess, about the search for my friends..."


    "I am afraid we simply don''t have the manpower right now, Sir Aurelius. You will have to be a little more patient with me."


    "I suppose it''s not easy after all, not with the current situation."


    The fortress I''ll be defending is the last line of defense. Once past it, the [Demons] will have a direct path to the capital, and once they''ve reached the capital, that''ll be quite literally the end of the world. The situation of this kingdom, of this world, is far more severe than I realized at first. I can still remember the shock I felt the first time they showed me a map of this world and explained everything to me.


    At the moment, I am on the continent of Elgardia, and upon this continent, there are four races, each segregated to their own lands. To the east lies Mankind, to the west lies the Faefolk, to the north lies the Dragonbrood, and to the south lies the Beastkin. Of the four lands, three had been ravaged and corrupted, and now only the land of the Beastkin remains, with the [Demon] horde slowly closing in with each passing day from all three sides.


    This world is on its last legs and I''ll be defending it on three fronts. If this were a grand strategy game, I''d say the best strategy here is to reset and start over. Unfortunately, this isn''t a game, and if it is, it''s a severely sadistic one filled with ill will against the player.


    "Sir Aurelius... do you despise me?"


    All of the sudden, while we were riding in the carriage en route to the fortress I am to help defend, the princess suddenly sprung such a question on me.


    "Well, I..."


    Even though it should have been simple question, I found myself hesitant to answer. Do I hate her? In my heart, I can''t say that I feel such an intense emotion. However, somewhere in my mind, a certain line of reasoning says that I should. After all, she was the one who''s responsible for the rift that dragged both my guildmates and I to this world, one that we have nothing to do with, and was suddenly tasked with defending it. Why shouldn''t I hate her? I like to say that it''s because I understand how desperate she is, giving the state of the world, but I''m afraid I''m not so much of a saint, however much I''d like to be one. Most probably, the fact that she reminds me of Aurelius has something to do with it. The fact that she''s a rather cute looking girl may have some effects on my feelings as well. After all, I even took a deathly blow for her, for this girl whom I barely knew. What else could I say, other than that I have been charmed by her appearance. Such is the nature of men, I suppose.


    "I am simply not happy about the situation."


    About what situation? The state of the world? About being summoned? I did not say, I, myself have not yet sorted it all out. I''ll leave it up for her to interpret.


    "I do not expect forgiveness, but if you must blame someone, then I alone would be enough. It was I who decided on my own accord to summon you into this world. My kingdom, my people, they have nothing to do with this. Please do not begrudge them. I alone am to blame and I would do anything to appease you."


    The princess is shaking. Is it my tone perhaps? Or am I just wearing a scary look on my face? Now the soldier driving the carriage is staring at me as well. If I recall correctly, she was the one of the soldiers present when we fought the [Demons] at that burning town. Has she been listening in on the conversation? Please concentrate on the road instead.


    Just as I was thinking that, the carriage shook violently. We seem to have hit something and now the carriage is slanted on one side. Getting off to check revealed that we have hit a sizable rock on the road, and now one of the wheels has been broken.


    "I apologize for my carelessness. The carriage will be repaired at once."


    Well, that''s what happens when you take your eyes off the road.


    While the soldier repairs the carriage, I decided to wander off towards the river bank not too far from the side of the road. Staring at the calm flow of water and the clear blue sky reflected on the surface, it makes me think that this whole [Demon] invasion and end of the world scenario is a lie. A dark sky and a bloody stream would have fitted the mood better.


    Contemplating the state of the world, I inadvertently, glance towards the water and see a face reflected upon the surface. It is the face of a youth staring intensely back at me. It took me a moment to realize it was Aurelius'' face, my own face. I guess I do have a scary look on my face at the moment.


    I start rubbing my face, trying to relieve the tension from it before heading back to the carriage. Yes, now it looks much better. The boy in the reflection now just looks a little melancholic.


    A breeze gently blows by, sending ripples through the surface of the water, momentarily distorting my reflection and at the same time, something pure white enters the corner of my vision. Suddenly sensing a presence beside me, I jump backwards in surprise. Who could it be? The princess? Or the soldier that''s always seen with her? Turns out, it is neither. The one standing before me is a girl I''ve never seen before, wearing a one piece dress of white, her eyes blue like a cloudless sky, her hair white, curly, and fluffy, and on her head is a pair of curled horns, like that of a goat. From the looks of her, I''d say she''s a Beastkin.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Do you need something?"


    She did not reply me. All she does is keeping those blue eyes fixated upon me, those eyes that are like the open sky, seemingly pulling me into their vast void.


    "Sir Aurelius, the repairs have been complete! We should get going!"


    "Alright, I''m coming!"


    For but a brief moment, I turned away to reply, and by the time I turned back, the girl was gone. It didn''t look like there''s any place for her to hide behind and the river is far too shallow and clear for anyone to disappear into. Perhaps I''ve seen a ghost, that wouldn''t have been weird at all, considering everything that has happened. Besides, I don''t have time to investigate this mysterious disappearance. I have a fortress to defend.


    ***


    The fortress I am to defend is one that was build in the middle of a narrow mountain pass, tucked in between two ranges of steep mountains far too dangerous to be climbed. The fortress guards the only path on land connecting through to the capital, and both from its front or its back, a winding uphill path must be traveled in order to reach it, making it a strategically sound location for whichever side that is able to hold it. However, sound that it may be, the soldiers stationed here are nervous, reports have come in stating that the invading force of [Demons] are numbered in hundreds. In terms of numbers, the fortress, housing soldiers in the number of thousands, should not be afraid of such a small force, but that''s only considering the numerical advantage. It is said that a single [Demon] may easily take out ten Beastkin soldiers, and considering how the Levels of the [Demon] encountered last time were a few times higher than that of your average soldiers, I do not doubt that these few hundred [Demon] can indeed take this fortress. Not to mention, there is apparently the presence of a Champion of the [Demons] on the field.


    To put it simply, a Champion is a single unit far more powerful than the rest, an elite unit basically, or in some other games, they would be called the hero unit. In the case of the Beastkins, their hero unit, their Champion, is unfortunately, yours truly, and I alone will be responsible in turning the tide of battle, or so I was told by the commander here. Oh yes, just keep piling up all these responsibilities upon me, no pressure or anything.


    Seeing as I''ll be spending some time in the fortress, special quarters are provided for me. While the common soldiers have to cram themselves in a single shared space, my importance was recognized and was given a whole room of my own completed with a bed and a desk. Certainly, I am grateful for such hospitality, but by my own human wretchedness, I still feel that the room is a little too cramped for someone who has the entire success of the fortress'' defense on his shoulder. Or maybe that''s just the stress talking.


    Tucking myself into a corner, I hold my dear Peter in my arms and caress his soft fur. Just by doing so I can feel myself settling down a little better, as if the fluffy fur had drained all of my burdens from my.


    "There''s is no need to fear, my liege. By our covenant, I swear that we will carry you to victory."


    "Well, I''d be troubled if it were otherwise."


    At the moment, I only have Peter, a [Sonic Rabbit] and Michaela, a [Guardian Angel] to rely upon. It''s not a significant force, but having arrived into this world, I have gained additional perks that I did not have before. For one, the Sp system is no longer present and summoning relies entirely on Mp. This allows me to summon anyone at anytime as long as I have the Mp require to do so. However, the down side of this is that it also drains the pool of Mp I have available, and while that would never have been a problem in Elysium Online, here, there''s no such thing as an Mp potion, and so there''s is no way for me to quickly replenish the Mp I''ve lost. And so the more I summon, the less Mp I''ll have left for other skills. Another thing that has changed is the fact that I can now have more than one creature summoned at the same time, meaning that I''ll have a larger flexibility on battle, and though I only have two creatures to work with at the moment, that will soon change once I start retrieving the rest of my [contracts]... assuming that they also made it into this world that is.


    As I began to worry that perhaps I, as a Summoner, will only ever have two creatures with hardly any attack power to work with, a knock came upon the door.


    "Sir Aurelius, the [Demons], they''re here!"


    Looks like I won''t have time to worry about what might come in the future. If I don''t survive this, then it''ll be game over before I even get to the point where I have to fret about not having more creatures.


    The soldiers all gathered at the outermost wall of the fortress. The commander stood before them all while the princess and myself stood beside him. The princess gave a speech, and then the commander gave his own. I did not have to give one and frankly, I was far too nervous to pay any attention.


    "Shall we begin, Sir Aurelius?"


    "I''d say why not wait till tomorrow, but that''s not an option is it?"


    The commander laughed at the joke I told only to cope with the rising anxiety within me and pats me on the back.


    Well, here goes nothing.


    "Come forth from the heavens above and bring us the light of salvation! By our covenant, I call upon you, [Guardian Angel, Michaela]!"


    And with that, a large chunk of my Mp bar disappears and a pillar of light shines upon me. From the light, an angel wrapped in silk appears, taking on her corporeal form.


    "[Greater Magic Boost]!"


    As usual, I cast the buff on Michaela, and in turn, without needing me to hit any buttons or say anything, she cast [Holy Weapon] and [Holy Ward] upon all soldiers standing on the wall with us. After that I proceed to cast [Greater Strength Boost] on the soldiers, but it seems that someone had beaten me to the punch when I confirm that the buff had already been added with the icon that appears beside everyone''s Hp bar.


    Immediately, I turn towards the princess and saw that the visual effects of magic fading from her. If I recall correctly, the princess is a Cleric with a subclass of Enchanter, at least, that is what the [Insight] skill interpreted it as, but that''s just fine, as it''s easy for me to understand. I can only hope there are no inaccuracies as a result of the interpretation of the game''s system that came along with me to this world.


    Once everyone has been buffed with magic, the figures of the [Demons] can be seen climbing uphill on the winding paths. They seem to be either mindless or unconcerned of the archers that line up the fortress walls as they made no attempt to take any cover as they traveled. Perhaps they think their tough hides are strong enough to take the arrows? Well, maybe they could before, but now, now with the weapons enchanted with the attribute of [Holy], that''s going to end very differently.


    The commander draws his sword and proceeds to point it down towards the [Demon] horde.


    "Fire!!!"


    And with the most powerful voice I''ve ever heard in my entire life, the battle begins.


    ***


    End of Chapter 4

 Vol. 1, Chapter 5: The Strength of the Champions

    The holy arrows rained down upon the [Demons], easily piercing thorough their hide and setting them ablaze with the sacred flames. For perhaps the first time, these [Demons] felt vulnerable, and immediately began to scatter.


    "It''s working!"


    "Keep firing!"


    One by one, the [Demons] easily fell, and their cries and screams echoed throughout the hills.


    We''re winning. Our weapons are effective and we outnumber them by at least twice the amount. Logically speaking, they''ll never take this fortress at this rate, as it was said that more men are required to take a fortress than to hold it. We have all the advantage and they have none. Even if a Champion were to appear on the field, I''d say there''s nothing he could do.


    Or so I thought.


    All of the sudden, the sky was lit crimson, and with but a glance, I found the scenery familiar, so eerily similar to the visuals I was used to seeing during guild vs. guild events. Reflexively, I turned my hands towards the sky, the instincts nurtured by my experience told me that if I do not act quickly, both everyone upon this wall and myself would be dead in an instant.


    "[Frost Ward]! [Mana Wall]!"


    Rapidly, one right after the other, I cast these two spells. [Frost Ward] is one that increases the heat resistance of the target, and with the addition of the passive Enchanter skill [Intelligent Wards], it also deals [Frost] damage to attackers dealing melee damage. Meanwhile, [Mana Wall] is a spell that creates a barrier which absorbs incoming damage.


    Just as I finished casting those two spells, a giant fire ball fell from the sky, landing precisely upon the wall we are standing on, or at least it would have had it not been for my [Mana Wall] stopping it. This is the offensive spell, [Meteor], something that only a high Level Sorcerer could use due to its high Mp cost. It is also a very powerful area of effect spell that can easily bring the Hp bars of max Level player characters down to the red zone. Considering how taking damage is drastically more severe in this world, I do not doubt that everyone here, including me, would be reduced to ashes in an instant should it be allowed to land.


    "Pull back! Pull back!"


    As I hold back the [Meteor], the soldiers on our side begin scattering, retreating from the outermost wall and leaving me alone to deal with the massive ball of fire. And while I completely understand that since I am the one who has to be here to keep the fire ball at bay, I was hoping for someone to show some concern for the poor ol'' me who has to brave this danger alone. Even just a worried gaze over the shoulder as you run would have been fine, but apparently even that''s too much to ask.


    Eventually, the [Mana Wall] begins to show cracks, a visual effect not present in the game, but even I know that its approaching the threshold of damage it could take. I can only hope enough damage is absorbed from the [Meteor] for me to survive it with the added resistance from [Frost Ward].


    As the massive fire ball finally breaks through, I fear only the worst. It is at this very moment, a figure suddenly appears right before me, a woman with black hair and pointed upright ears akin to that of wolves. She''s the soldier often seen with the princess.


    "I apologize in advance."


    She charges towards me, tackling me off the wall and sending both of us down towards the courtyard below. Honestly, about right now I''m thinking that I would have a much better chance against the [Meteor] than this fall.


    "[Feather Weight]!"


    However, I was quickly proven wrong. Before we hit the ground, a [Feather Weight] spell was cast. It is an Enchanter spell used to decrease the total weight of one''s character, a useful spell if one ever becomes encumbered. Thought, since becoming encumbered is a mistake only newbies would commit back in the game, and being lighter doesn''t really affect anything else gameplay wise, it''s not a spell I actually learned. But here, in this world, thanks to this spell, my landing was much, much softer than I initially anticipated.


    "Are you unharmed, Sir Aurelius?"


    "I''m fine."


    I quickly stand back up and gaze back upon where I had just been and saw the raging fire and the collapsed top of the wall. Had I been caught in that, I don''t think even ashes would have remained.


    "Thank you, um..."


    "Merida, the name''s Merida, Sir Aurelius."


    Merida... If I recall correctly, she''s a Knight with a subclass of Assassin, not exactly the most optimal build, but I suppose it''s not like you can build yourself in whichever way you like in real life. The classes of the people here aren''t something they simply chose, but something that becomes them through their personal history and experiences.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Oh wait, Peter!"


    I can believe I forgot about him, Peter was up there with me too. Back in Elysium Online, summoned creatures have their own Hp, and if they''re killed they have to be taken to the cathedral to be revived, but there''s no such thing as a revival system in this world. If a summoned creature is killed, will they be gone for good?


    "Fear not, my liege."


    From above, the [Guarding Angel] descends, and in her hands, a small rabbit that is neither shivering nor frozen in fright, and within those beady little eyes, a great sense of bravery can be felt.


    "Michaela! Peter!"


    Peter leaped into my arms, snuggling up to my chest, as if telling me everything is alright.


    However, it''s still too early to celebrate, far too early, the battle is still ongoing. While I''m rejoicing at the survival of Peter, the blunt noise of the gate being battered upon is picked up by my hearing.


    "Damn they''re fast!"


    It did not take long, not at all, before they''ll be able to breach the first gate. I would barely have the time to retreat behind the second wall at this rate, though I never intend to retreat in the first place. It was fortunate that the spell used to drive us off the outermost wall was a spell that applies a [Burning] effect on whatever it hits. With the top of the outermost wall set ablaze and partially crushed by the [Meteor], the [Demons] cannot scale it and take the high ground, meaning their only entrance would be through the gates, and the single narrow pathway leading into the courtyard.


    I stand with fear and anxiety before the entrance, my feet shaking too much for me to move effectively should I be caught in a melee range. However, I am not frozen, I can still move if I must. By my sides are two units of infantry and behind me are Michaela and Peter, and though the princess had been made to pull back with the rest, as she should, I''m sure her spirit is with me. And so while I am afraid, I am not terrified as I face the [Demon] horde pouring in from the gates, and as they begin to spread out once they have arrived at the mouth of the narrow passageway, I make my move.


    "[Bind Circle]!"


    As its name suggest, this spell creates a circle on the ground which seals the movements of everything caught within. With max Leveled [Speed Casting] and max Leveled [Spell Power], it''ll bind the opponents for a full three seconds with a cooldown of ten. For the Enchanter it''s the ultimate crowd control spell.


    With the [Demons] at the front incapable of moving, the ones at the back have no means of proceeding, effectively clogging up the entryway and stopping their charge dead in its track.


    "Fire!!!"


    And of course, not missing this perfect opportunity, the commander ordered the men on standby atop the second wall to rain down arrows upon the immobilized horde. The [Demon] who had come without expecting arrows to hurt them brought very little means of protection against the projectiles, and at most, some had picked up logs and pieces of wood ripped either from trees or from the broken gates to protect themselves with. Very few survived the barrage of arrows by the end of the long three seconds, and even for those that did, they would find themselves being burned to death by the sacred flames emitting from the fallen corpses of their allies.


    With the corpses and the sacred fire, the entryway is once more sealed. With the [Demon] horde unable to advance, I turned my concern towards the one who casted the [Meteor] spell. Whoever it is, I highly doubt they''ll be able to cast that powerful spell for but a few more times, but even then it could be devastating if it hits the right place. We should be on the lookout for the caster and eliminate him if possible.


    "Sir Aurelius!"


    A cry called my attention towards the gates, and there I saw a figure clad in black armor, strolling through the azure flames without care. Nonchalantly, he steps over the corpses of his fallen ally and proceeds through the entryway, the massive two handed sword slung lazily over his shoulder scraping along the walls as he goes.


    Inadvertently, I gulped down the building saliva in my mouth. There is something imposing about that figure standing before me, something about him that oozes a sense of strength and confidence not seen in the common troops, and I''m not just saying that because he has a "Level 200" displayed atop his head. His relaxed stance, his gait, it all speaks volume about how utterly little he cares about the numbers we have here. I have no doubt about it, this one is-


    "It''s the [Demon]''s Champion! Fire! Fire right now!"


    Arrows cut through the air, flying at a speed that could barely be followed by the eyes towards the Champion, but just before the arrows struck, the Champion shifts his stance and with incredible speed, all the while moving his massive sword in front of himself.


    Immediately, upon seeing it, I have a feeling of foreboding, as his stance looks highly similar to one of the skills used very often by those of the Knight class, [Guarding Stance], which greatly reduces incoming damage for a short duration. And if my foreboding turns out to be true, then his next move will be...


    "Get down! Everybody get down!"


    I leap into the ground while yelling, but few followed, not understanding the meaning of my words and actions. Hopefully I am wrong. Hopefully it''s just me being stupid. Yet, in spite of my hopes, events proceed towards the direction I feared the most.


    After guarding against the barrage of arrows, the Champion shifts into his next motion, and I realize that my fears were all too true. With a single swing of his massive blade, a slash of energy shoots out, slicing through the upper edge of the second wall and cutting right into the archers that stood at the top. This is the follow up skill of [Guarding Stance]: [Counter Blast], a skill that returns the damage dealt by the opponents with added bonuses from the user''s own offensive power.


    I can no longer hear the commander''s yelling and shouting. At this point I can only assume the worst had happened.


    Getting up from the ground, I see that some of the ground troops here with me are looking back at the wall, shocked at what had just happened, while others remained guarded against the Champion, their expressions filled with fear and dread.


    Then, all of a sudden, the enemy Champion pointed his massive blade towards me.


    "__________!"


    I can''t make out what he''s saying, some kind of [Demon] language I presume. But I could kind of guess from his tone. Most likely, he''s saying something along the lines of, "So, you must be their Champion," or something like that.


    Again, I swallow down a big gulp of spit. I''m not sure where I got all these moisture from, even while I sweat buckets of cold sweat, but what I do know is that I''ll probably be in one hell of a ride for the next few moments to come.


    ***


    End of Chapter 5

 Vol. 1, Chapter 6: Champion Vs. Champion

    The sacred fire at the entryway is still going, and while facing this enemy Champion, I take comfort in the fact that surely, no one else but the Champion could so easily cross the fire. At the very least, no one else had tried to cross it yet. In this courtyard, only the enemy Champion, myself, and the infantry with me is present. Even though my [Insight] tells me that his Level is a little higher than mine, our side should still hold the advantage in the current situation. Even with the lost of a number of our archers, if I just take this Champion out, then we should still be able to win this battle.


    As I am about to order the troops standing by me to charge, letting them take the vanguard while I provide support, as I do in every other battles I''ve participated in so far, the Champion released a powerful shout. At first I have no idea what it was about, but after realizing that for some reason I just can''t take my eyes off him, I quickly arrive to the realization of the situation. I should have noticed it sooner, his weapon, his skill setup, and his incredible offensive power. In a large scale battle such as this, it would not be an exaggeration to say that this Champion now possess the absolute advantage.


    Without even waiting on my command, my troops go on ahead and charge at the Champion all on their own.


    "Stop! Stop, I say!"


    But they aren''t listening. In fact, I doubt they could properly hear me. Without much of a choice, I cast [Greater Protection] upon my troops and [Bind Circle] on the enemy Champion. With the champion''s movements sealed, my troops eagerly move in for the kill, but before the three seconds are even up, the Champion manages to shrug off the [Bind] status, and before anyone was able to put a dent in his armor, with but a single swing of the Champion''s greatsword, my troops were easily cleaved in half. I was very much afraid that this would be the case.


    Most likely, the Champion before me is a Warrior subclassing a Knight. The shout he released just now was likely [Warcry], a skill from the Knight''s skilltree that increases the [Hate] of all enemies caught in its range. It is normally a skill used by Knights to draw enemy attention away from the rest of their party. However, this skill becomes much, much deadlier when combined with the Warrior''s passive skill, [Gladiator], which increases the Warrior''s offensive power according to the amount of [Hate] the enemy in the area has for him. With the addition of the Knight''s skill [Force of Will], which reduces the effectiveness of enemy crowd control, and the specializing of two-handed swords, the most damaging of the Warrior''s weapons of choice, this particular build is made to be as unstoppable as possible while being able to kill as many enemies in the shortest amount of time. There are many names for this build, but those around me like to call it, the Berserker Knight.


    In Elysium Online, this build is useful for dungeon runs and for bosses that utilize minions, but most of all, it is the deadliest during guild wars, when entire guilds would battle it out on a large zone. With such an ability in this world, where better to utilize the raw power of this build than on a battlefield such as this, where the eyes of hundreds and thousands of soldiers can easily be drawn to you at once. At least in Elysium Online, there''s a limit on how many characters can appear in a single zone, but here, graphical and computing limitation aren''t an issue.


    With each of his swing, a number of Hp bars would disappear instantly in my mind''s eye, and all I could do was try to protect them in vain. The damage output is far too insane and the soldier''s [Hate] is far too high for them to not attack. In the game, since players have control over their characters, even if they are forced to target a specific enemy, there''s always choice to not attack. But here, [Hate] seems to literally mean just that, hate, and the soldiers affected by [Warcry] are likely made to feel that this Champion is an existence that must be taken out no matter the cost. The only thing fortunate about this situation is that I myself am not as affected, and though I simply can''t take my eyes of this Champion, I do not feel an emotion strong enough to be called hate. In fact, if there''s anything I''m feeling right now, it''ll be fear.


    In hardly any time at all, the courtyards had been painted red with bisected corpses strew about. The few soldiers that remained survived only because their [Hate] had been replaced by [Fear].


    "You there!"


    "M-m-me?"


    "Find whoever''s in command right now and have everyone retreat back to the third wall."


    "B-but, why?"


    "Just do as I say!"


    With that, I send the frightened soldier closest to me off. He didn''t seem to understand why I would want fewer men around, but I had no time to explain.


    The enemy Champion, likely sensing that I am up to something, disengages from the soldier he was dealing with and immediately chases after the one that I had just sent.


    "Peter!"


    Of course, I''ll be damned if I''m just going to let him do as he pleases. With Peter''s [Sonic Charge], I momentarily stun the Champion, and though he is able to recover almost immediately, I quickly use [Bind Circle], preventing him from moving long enough for the soldier to escape.


    Though I am not able see his face through his helmet, I can somewhat tell that the Champion is pissed off. After all, no one likes to be stun-locked. Immediately after the [Bind] wears off, he makes a beeline for me, his sword raised high and eager to cut me down. The remaining soldiers, in spite of their fears, throw themselves in his way to try and keep him away, but the Champion easily mows them down like weed and they soldiers were hardly able to do anything to slow the Champion down, not even enough to buy me time to draw any significant amount of distance. In hardly any time at all, I end up being caught in his range and the Champion did not hesitate to go for a swing, as if he knew all too well that I have no offensive capabilities, and with both [Sonic Charge] and [Bind Circle] on cooldown, there was nothing I can do to stop him.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I close my eyes, preparing for the cold embrace of death. I knew this moment was to come sooner or later. The moment I found out this world is on its last legs, I knew that this kingdom could never hold out for long and that I, as the summoned hero, would be the first on the chopping board.


    If I were to be reincarnated after I die in yet another world, this time I would like all the god-tier powers I could ever use and be surrounded by cute girls who all like me for some inexplicable reason. That would be good. Actually, that would be the least of what I should receive for all the trouble I was put though here.


    "[Bind Circle]!"


    As soon as I heard that voice I open my eyes again, and before me I see the Champion frozen in his tracks, his mobility sealed, and as he stand there, frozen, right behind him, a figure suddenly appears. The figure is Merida, and the skill she''s using is [Assassination], which teleports the user right behind the target to deliver a deathly blow.


    Merida''s blade cut into the Champion''s back, and as soon as the blade makes contact, azure flames spark to life, [Holy Weapon] is still active, as Michaela has been refreshing the buff without me needing to do anything, which is rather convenient, the few convenient things that I have gained in this world. The sacred fire melts right through the dark armor, allowing Merida to cut right into the Champion''s flesh.


    The Champion cried horrendously upon being struck, and as soon as the [Bind] wears off on him, he quickly pulls away from us.


    "I apologize, my strike appears to be far too shallow. I was hoping to at least cripple him with that blow."


    "No need, Merida, we saved Sir Aurelius, that''s the most important."


    Running to my side is the princess, who quickly checks me for injuries and asks me if it hurts anywhere.


    "I''m fine for the most part, but more importantly, why are you here? You should be behind the third wall."


    "I heard, but I can''t just leave you to fight on your own. I am the one who had you summoned into this world, and so I am responsible for you."


    While I''m glad for her concern, I don''t think it''s wise for a princess of a kingdom to be on the battlefield herself. From what I''ve heard, the rest of her siblings have all passed away and her father is ill with sorrow. Rather soon perhaps, she will have to be the one to bear the burden of the crown. Still, I can''t deny that she had saved me, and with another person casting crowd control spells, we should easily be able to stun-lock the enemy Champion to death.


    I turn my gaze back towards the enemy Champion and clearly he seems to be hurt. He might be Level 200, but he''s still flesh and blood it would seem, just like I am. Just one more, just one more blow and we''ll be able to finish him.


    Then, before I realize it, my surroundings became lit with crimson light and the temperature dramatically rises. From above us, a [Metoer] hurls right towards us. I hadn''t noticed it, I was far too focused on dealing with the Champion, and by the time I saw it coming it was already too late. I cast [Mana Wall], but I knew all too well that this spell is not going to be enough to fully absorb all of the damage from the [Meteor]. If I wish to survive it, I need at least [Frost Ward] also. Sadly, there was no time for me to cast two spell, and of the two, I chose the one that would buy us time. From behind me, I can already hear Merida dragging the princess away. Unfortunately, since we only noticed the [Meteor] after it got so close, I''m afraid she won''t have time to come back for me.


    As the [Mana Wall] starts cracking, I too begin to accept my fate. I was quite lucky to have survived this long, but I guess it just wasn''t quite enough. I suppose this is farewell. Goodbye, you ridiculously broken world, I hope you get patch out in tim-


    "Peter?"


    All of a sudden, I feel my chest being hit by a powerful force, knocking me back and probably stunning me too. In front of me I see Peter, gazing at me with his brave unwavering eyes, as if he''s telling me that it''s going to be all alright, just before the great ball of fire consumes him.


    A shallow but wide crater formed where the [Meteor] landed. I lay by the edge of it, the heat scorching me but it won''t kill. I had crawled away as soon as I could, and only once I was safely away did I look back.


    "Peter... why?"


    I didn''t think being attacked by my own creature was possible, but Peter went ahead and did it, all to save me. I tried summoning him again, but of course, it didn''t work. I could feel it, somehow, I could feel the option to summon him had just been grayed out.


    "No... Peter..."


    I rise back up to my feet and circle around the flaming crater, and there I see the Champion, his arms around the shoulder of another figure. With a staff in her hand and long black robes, I surmised that this person must be a Sorcerer. Atop her head, I see a "Level 200" on display. This must be the one, the one who casted the [Meteor].


    With the Champion''s arm around her shoulder, the Sorcerer attempts to retreat from the fortress, but of course, I''ll have none of that. She killed Peter, and she will pay in blood. Targeting the two, I am to casr [Bind Circle] to stop them from escaping, but before I get to do so, a large round bellied [Demon] landed right in front of me, and in reflex, I cast the spell on it instead.


    At that moment, I realize that the fire burning the outermost wall has already withered and so have the sacred fire by the entryway, and so now the [Demons] are invading en masse.


    "Damn it!"


    With the [Demons] breaking in, I there is nothing I can do but watch the object of my vengeance stumble away.


    "Sir Aurelius, let us fall back to the others!"


    "Forget it, I have enough forces here to deal with these bastards!"


    "Sir Aurelius?"


    The princess seems to be surprised at my tone, I don''t blame her. I don''t think I''ve ever spoken so harshly before in my life.


    "Michaela!"


    "As you wish, my liege."


    With that, Michaela casts [Resurrection], raising those that had fallen just moments ago to fight one last time. I didn''t want to use this, not so early on, since the corpses will rise only once more before turning into dust, I wanted to use it as a trump card instead of a desperate measure.


    With the arisens holding the [Demons] at bay, the princess gained enough time to call for reinforcements from the third wall, and together, the combined forces of the living and arisens were able to push back the [Demon] horde. However, by the time the [Demons] have been routed, the Champion and the Sorcerer were already long gone.


    ***


    End of Chapter 6

 Vol. 1, Chapter 7: A Storm Approaches

    For now, the [Demon] horde had been chased off, and though I wanted to press on after them, I had been advised that it would not be wise as a snowstorm is brewing, and that this storm was the reason why the [Demons] decided to rush the fortress.


    Apparently, this storm is one that comes every season and would last up to three to four days. If they do not take the fortress before the storm, not only do they have to wait at least three long days in the extreme cold, they''ll have to deal with the risk of avalanches after. The fortress on the other hand, will have no problem with the storm or avalanches, as it was also build with the weather in mind and could even act as a shelter should it need to be.


    "Since they''ve lost, will they retreat?"


    "We don''t know yet, but I''ve sent scouts to investigate. We''ll know for certain before the storm arrives."


    I now speak with the commander, the new commander, the one before had died at the hands of the enemy Champion.


    "And if they do not retreat, can they survive the cold?"


    "I have no idea, they''re [Demons] after all, and who knows what their Champions are capable of. Personally, I''d wager that if they stay, most likely they will have some way of surviving, most of them may look like mindless beast at first glance, but I don''t think they''re all fools, least of all their Champions."


    "I guess either way, we''ll have to wait for the scout report."


    I look back to the courtyard where the battle had taken place. The grounds that was painted red with blood is now covered in a glittering dust thanks to the use of Michaela [Resurrection]. You won''t be able to recognize whose dusts are whose, but at least it''s a less brutal sight than the visceral scenery from before. At the outermost wall, the first gates are being repaired, the parts replaced by spares that were kept in the storage for such an occasion.


    "You must be tired after that fight, Sir Aurelius. You should go rest."


    "I''ll do that. Thank you for indulging me."


    "There''s no problem, we couldn''t have won without you, to be honest."


    "Well, that what I''m here for."


    Leaving the commander behind, I return to the room given to me and head straight for the bed. With one hand, I pull at the blanket, and with the other I search for the soft, fluff ball of warmth that I was so used to having by my side. But of course, he is no longer here, Peter is gone.


    "My liege, I''m sorry. If only I-"


    "Enough! Just let me rest."


    I realize I am being childish. More than a rabbit had died today and I came out of it better than most. I shouldn''t be sulking like this. And yet, there is nothing I can do about this sadness in my heart.


    I''ll sleep it off. I''ll just sleep it off. I''ll get over it by the time I wake. Having decided that, I shut my eyes and gradually let the slumber take me.


    ***


    By the time I wake from my somewhat restful sleep, it is already the morning of the next day and the scouting reports have come in. Form their observations, it seems that the [Demons] are staying after all, and we''re assuming that they have some kind of plan in mind. Even so, without knowing what their plans are and with the storm closing in, there''s nothing we else we can do but prepare for the worse and wait for them to come to us.


    "Sir Aurelius, it''ll still be a while before the storm arrives. Perhaps you would like a walk outside of the fortress?"


    After the strategy meeting, the princess came and invited me on a walk, and with nothing to do, I accepted. I felt that if I don''t get myself distracted, I''ll start thinking of unpleasant things again, not just about what happened to Peter, but the state of this world as a whole. I managed to survive the previous battle, but for how long can I keep this up? And even as I do battle on this side of the kingdom, what if there''s an attack happening on the other side at the same time? It''s impossible to defend the entire kingdom by myself. Perhaps if I have my guildmates then something could be done, but who knows where they could have landed. According to the princess, she had only intended to summon just a handful of heroes to her kingdom''s aid, but I was the only one she successfully summoned without issue. When I brought up the fact that others were drawn in with me, she had a bitter expression on her face. Apparently, their summoning ritual is something they''ve picked up from ancient texts, not something they fully understood and when they summoned me, at best they were still at the experimental stages.


    The others could still be stuck in that wormhole or perhaps they have landed somewhere in this land, or in the worst case scenario, landed in one of the lands ravaged by the [Demons]. Considering that three quarters of this world has already been taken by the [Demons], I can''t say that it''s unlikely, as much as I would like to deny it.


    "Sir Aurelius?"


    "Oh! Were you saying something? Sorry, I sort of spaced out."


    "No, I just... You haven''t said much ever since yesterday."


    "I''m just a little tired. Yesterday was a tough fight after all."


    "I see, perhaps then you would like to sit down for a little? I think I saw a rock that could be sat on back the other way."


    Right now, I''m with the princess and Merida, walking around the hill at the back of the fortress. In spite of the approaching storm, it''s not as chilly over here due to the fortress shielding it from the wind. It was like the princess had said, it really is peaceful here. Due to the low temperature, there aren''t any bugs and due to the approaching storm, the animals have all gone into hiding. It''s peaceful and so very quiet.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "I''ll just rest here then. Do go on without me."


    I decided to sit down on a rock with a rather smooth surface, and though the princess seemed a little concerned about leaving me alone at first, I insisted that she should go on without me, that she too deserves to relax a little and not concern herself too much with me. By the end of it, it was just me and the rock.


    How much longer can I hold here? Will the [Demons] attack during the storm or after? What are they even planning? All of those questions, I have absolutely no answer to and it''s driving me mad. I have no idea what I''m doing at all. What was the princess even thinking, summoning someone like me here... Not that she specifically picked me out to be their savior in the first place I suppose. It''s all just by chance. And I was quite glad for this younger body too. A shame that I won''t be enjoying it for long.


    "My liege..."


    "I know, Michaela, I know. Thinking about these things won''t help. It''s just that my mind tends to go places on its own during down time."


    "I believe there''s a stream nearby, you like watching water flow, do you not, my liege?"


    "I like the sound as well."


    "Then I propose that you should go, it could help clear your mind."


    "Yes, I suppose it could, but only if it''s not too far. The princess would worry if she can''t find me when she returns."


    "It shouldn''t be."


    "Then let''s go."


    Following the sound of water, I eventually arrive at the stream Michaela spoke of. It''s one that is small enough for me to leap across, but the water is clear and the sound it makes is indeed calming. Staring into the flow, I feel as if I could just lose myself into it, and upon dipping my fingers into it, feeling the cold water brushing by, it feels as if my thoughts are being washed away.


    "The cycle... must stop..."


    Surprised at a voice I was not familiar with, I immediately jump across the stream in my surprise. Who could it be? A [Demon] perhaps? I can only hope it''s not, as I have very low offensive capabilities, I can''t possibly fight a [Demon] alone. To my relief, the one that had suddenly appeared by me is anything but. Rather that a large ugly creature, the one I see before me is but a diminutive girl, wearing a dress of pure white and has a head of long curly white hair. I assume that she is Beastkin, as adorning her head, are a pair of curled spiraling horns like that of a goat''s. This girl, haven''t I seen her before?


    Wordlessly, she steps towards me, dipping her bare feet into the chilly water of the stream without even flinching as she approaches.


    Sensing something amiss, I take a step back, stopping only when I see that in her hand, she holds a card, one looking rather similar to something I am very familiar with.


    "Is that..."


    With the card in her hands, she stretches out towards me.


    "Take..."


    Easily, I receive the card from her and after having a closer look, I realize that this is indeed what I thought it was, this card, it is a [contract]."


    "Where did you find this?"


    She did not answer my question, instead, while my guard was down, she placed her hands upon the sides of my head. All of a sudden, my vision starts spazzing out like a broken monitor and static and glitches cover my sight. I can feel that something is interfering with my head, but I don''t understand what it is. Then, everything just turned black, as if a television that had suddenly been shut down.


    ***


    When I wake, I find myself all rolled up in several layers of blankets, lying beside a fireplace. From the drab looking ceiling and walls, I''d say that I am somewhere within the fortress, and from the furnishings and the installment of a fireplace, I reckon that this is an office of someone important.


    "Sir Aurelius, are you awake?"


    Watching over me is the princess, gazing down upon me with a face full of worry. I wonder what happened, the last thing I remember was going out for a walk with her. Then I told her that I was a little tired and rested on a rock. And then what happened? My head hurts and I can''t quite recall.


    Slowly, I push myself up and start peeling off the layers of blankets off myself as it is getting a little too stuffy.


    "What happened?"


    "We found you passed out in a small stream. You were drenched and freezing and I feared the worst for you."


    Hearing that I was drenched, I look down, and indeed it is as I expected. I''m naked. Well, I''m not going to make a big fuss about it, once you hit a certain age certain shame just goes out of the window.


    "The stream... what was I doing there?"


    I remember Michaela mentioning it to me, told me that I could clear my mind by the flowing water. It seems to have worked, a little too well maybe, since I can''t quite recall anything that happened after.


    "Sir Aurelius..."


    Gently, the princess took my hand into both of hers.


    "I cannot express how sorry I am for placing this burden onto you, for making fight like this for a world you barely know. To tell you the truth, I fully intend to care for you, even if you do not fight, I would ensure that you can live without inconvenience for as long as I can, as it is my responsibility for calling you here. But you did fight, and you fought without a single complaint, yet I didn''t even notice how worn out you were. I should never have left you there alone."


    Tears began to drop from her eyes, and it appears she truly feel bad for all of this. But what am I to say to her? I''m not exactly happy to be here either, and I can''t just tell her irresponsible thing like, "There''s no problem, leave it all to me," because there are indeed far too many problems and I''m not a good enough liar to say those things with confidence, and if my half-hearted attempt at comforting her is seen through, I''m sure it''ll just make her feel worst. If someone I''m feeling bad for suddenly feels bad for me instead, I''d feel bad for making that person feel bad, and I feel that the princess may think the same way.


    In the end, are there any words I could use to make her feel better? Because from my point of view, it''s all going to get worse from here on out. If I got so exhausted with just defending this fortress, how am I going to defend the rest of the kingdom?


    "I already said that I''ll fight, and in exchange, you''re going to help me find my friends. That was our deal, right?"


    "That is true, yes. But-"


    "Then I''m just fulfilling a promise I made, there''s nothing for you to feel bad about."


    That''s right, this is part of our deal, so there''s no need to feel bad about it. To begin with, if you''re going to summon someone to fight for you, this much is to be expected right? If they fight, getting tired and getting hurt is only natural, so it''s best she just get used to it.


    Briefly, I think back to Peter. He sacrificed himself to save me. I''m sad, that is still true, but he did it out of his own will, he did it even without me commanding him. This is what he wanted.


    Unconsciously, my hand reaches out and caresses the grimoire that mysteriously never leaves my side and could always be found when I need it, and as I touch the edge of the book, I feel something sticking out. Promptly, I turn to see what it is and notice a card sticking out. How odd, I thought I had Michaela''s [contract] tucked neatly in between the pages. Did it slip out? I was about to push it back in, but I then quickly realize that it isn''t quite in between the pages I had left Michaela''s [contract], in fact, this card seems to be stuck in a completely different position.


    Suddenly, it all begins to come back to me. By the stream, I met that girl, the same I met at the river by the roadside, the white haired girl with horns, and she gave me something. What was it? It was a card, a [contract] card.


    I draw the contact from between the pages and bring it before my eyes.


    "Sir Aurelius?"


    "This is..."


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Princess, I''d like to see the commander."


    "Right now?"


    "Yes, right now. I think I may have exactly what we need to deal with the [Demons]."


    ***


    End of Chapter 7

 Vol. 1, Chapter 8: Flanking Strategy

    Finally, the storm has arrived, one so very cold and merciless, engulfing everything trapped by it in a world of pure, lifeless white. Yet, within this storm, there are those that would brave it, plunging into the bleak whiteness, continually moving onwards even while they cannot see the path forward, with all that they could rely upon is the rope tied upon their makeshift harnesses prepared by the fortress craftsmen, linking them to one another. Leading their way is a large white beast with razor sharps claws that can easily dig into stone and a full body of thick fur that protects it from the cold. Right behind that very beast, is yours truly, Aurelius.


    At the moment, we''re traversing the mountain range in order to get behind the enemy lines. Including myself, there are a total of six members on this mission, five of whom are soldiers from the fortress and one is Merida who''s here to act as my bodyguard I suppose. Additionally, we have one more member, leading our path and without whom this endeavor would have been impossible, Timothy, the [Snow Liger].


    When I first brought my strategy to the commander, he was quick to dismiss it as impossible, for the mountains around here are far too steep to be climbed. However, with the retrieval of one of my [contracts], the one allowing me to summon Timothy, everything easily fell into place and after explaining the abilities of Timothy and the rest of my plan in detail, I was finally able to convince to commander to allow me to execute this plan and lend me a few of his men to do so.


    As mentioned, Timothy is a [Snow Liger], a creature found in the snowy mountain regions of Elysium Online and possesses the very useful [Climb] special skill that allows it to climb up essentially any surface. In game, this is explained as it using its sharp claws to latch onto walls and various surfaces to scale it. Timothy also possesses enough strength to pull not only the Summoner, but also his entire party up with it. On top of it all, it is also a creature with excellent speed, damage, and defense, making it one of the more popular choices of summoned creatures a Summoner may have in their arsenal. Above it all, the [Snow Ligers] have about the warmest, fluffiest, coat of fur around, easily making it one of my personal top ten summoned creature.


    With Timothy''s sharp claws digging into the surface of the steep, wall-like mountainside, Merida, myself, and four others steadily scaled to the top of the mountains and had begun to slowly make our way over towards the other side where the enemy encampment lies.


    To protect everyone from the raging snow and the cold, in addition to the thick fur coats we have wrapped ourselves in, I also casted [Heat Ward] beforehand and have been refreshing it just before the buff starts to wear off. The [Ward] spells are about the earliest spells learned by an Enchanter, and they are one of the cheapest spells one can cast, so I''m not worried about running out of Mp for the most part.


    For hours we trudged through the snow filled top of the mountains, completely blind in the torrent of snow, with the only thing guiding us being the mini-map displayed at the corner of my vision, courtesy to my [Insight] skill. However, there''s only so much I can glean from the mini-map and I soon find myself having to rely on Timothy with his superior senses to detect dangers ahead. Not to mention, while I at least have an idea of which general direction I''m heading in, those behind me are following me blindly, and after doing so for an extended period of time, I can tell that they''re starting to get anxious as they start asking me whether if I''m sure of where I''m going and even suggesting that this may be too dangerous and that we should head back. I best find a shelter soon, otherwise they might start mutinying, and that''s would be most dangerous in our current situation.


    Proceeding a little further, we eventually came across a sizable snowdrift, and on the spot, I decided that we''ve gotten far enough for the day and ordered a snow cave to be made. With Timothy''s claws, a tunnel was easily dug into the drift, and the rest of the men began compressing the snow to form a studier foundation within. It seems that after having served in that fortress for a good length on time, they are all trained in constructing makeshift shelters out of snow. In about an hour, the shelter was completed with plenty of room for six plus a large beast.


    Retiring into the snow cave, we gather around the fire pit dug into the shelter, warming ourselves without the need for the [Heat Ward], allowing me to rest and begin the slow recovery of my Mp. Meanwhile, Timothy lays about the entrance, keeping watch for what dangers that might come across us, there is after all, no guarantee that the [Demon] would not have the same idea we''re having, however crazy this plan may sound. In fact, historically speaking, whoever is able to pull off crazy maneuvers such as this tends to be the one to win the battle. Hopefully, in this instance, ours would be one of those, and not the many failed attempts that surely had happened but forgotten by the rest of history.Stolen novel; please report.


    "We''ve made good progress today, haven''t we?"


    "Indeed, we went further than I thought we would. Perhaps we''ll make it after all."


    Around the fire pit, the soldiers are beginning to make small talk and have begun to relax. That''s good, if any of them starts to panic, then I may be in some big trouble. I need all of them to work with me after all. Then again, maybe I''m underestimating them. The commander have assured me that these are the best of the best, and sure, they do seem young, but in battles and harsh conditions, there is without a doubt that they''re much more experienced than I am. As proof, I see that all of their Levels are at least 50, going all the way up to 70, which I believe are rather high for this world''s standard, with the exception of Merida who is around Level 30, and another one whose Level is around 15.


    I didn''t say anything about it when we set off. After all, this world isn''t like the game. Even if their Level is a little low, that just means they''re not particularly strong in combat and may in fact have other skill sets a combatant might not have. However, after watching over the construction of the snow shelter, I quickly realized that this Level 15 is about as clueless as I am when it comes to such basic survival skill. I mean, I have the excuse of being a city dweller around a region where it never snows. But this one is supposed to be a soldier of that fortress, the one guarding the pass in between two ranges of snowy mountains that are known to have avalanches.


    At the moment, the Level 15 is sitting away from the rest, and in fact, I think he''s specifically sitting away from me. Something is up, but when I look above his head, all I see is the name, "Soldier(?)". From that, I finally figured out that apparently the names appearing atop their heads is how I label the people in my view, which is unfortunate, since it means that I''ll have to put some work into truly knowing who anyone is.


    "You there!"


    "Y-yes!?"


    The voice belongs to a young woman. In fact, I think she sounds a little familiar. For now, I''ll probe for more information.


    "What do you do back in the fortress?"


    "I... I''m a healer, sir. I heal the comrades that have been injured in battle. I can also use protective magic to support them."


    In Elysium Online terms, she''s a Cleric subclassing as an Enchanter. This as well, sounds familiar. I''m starting to see now, from her demeanor, from her voice, from her abilities, I think I now know who this is.


    "Princess Aurelia?"


    "!!!"


    Her expression gave it all away. So it is her after all!


    "I can''t believe this! What were you thinking!?"


    "Sir Aurelius, let me explain."


    Merida comes up to me and shields the princess. What foolishness! If she wants her protected then why did she let her be here?


    "I suppose you knew this, Merida? And everyone here but me are party to this?"


    "It''s not their fault, Sir Aurelius, if there''s anyone here to blame then it would be me. I was the one who made them keep quiet about me being here."


    Standing up, the princess had Merida move behind her.


    "But of all the people, you did not bother to tell me?"


    "I fear that you would not allow me here, and against you, there would be nothing I could do."


    "Of course I wouldn''t, you''re the princess! What will the kingdom do without you!?"


    "I am inconsequential compared to you, Sir Aurelius. Without you, in time there will be no kingdom. However, so long as you are alive, there is still hope. That is why I am here. I can help you against the enemy Champion. You spells alone may not be effective enough against him, but together, we should be able to beat him, like before."


    "What are you saying? Even if I die, you can just summon another Champion, can you not?"


    Hearing my words, the princess begins to shake, her fists balling up.


    "I... I do not wish to drag another innocent soul into our problems."


    "And yet, my friends and I are perfectly fine to be dragged into this?"


    The princess lowers her head, unable to face me.


    "I did not know... I did not wish for this......"


    Even without seeing it, I can tell, from just her voice I know that she''s crying. What the hell am I doing? I thought I already understood how desperate she was, didn''t I? Didn''t I already know that the one she intended to summon was a savior, a hero, and not some random guy who plays a lot of games? The hell am I doing digging up that old wound!? Is the stress getting to me that badly?


    "I''m... I am sorry, princess. I know it isn''t your fault."


    "But it is, Sir Aurelius, you and I both know that is the truth. That it was my reckless actions that have brought you here."


    "That''s... not true."


    I say that, but my heart wasn''t in it. I can''t bring myself to deny that it was indeed her doing that have brought me here into this mess, and deep down, I know very well that no matter how one frames the situation, it will never be better. The situation is still the same, and I remained stuck here to deal with it, and god knows how many of my guildmates are in similar positions, or god have mercy, in a position worse than mine. How many were made to suffer for that mistake?


    "That is enough. We''re not here to talk about who is to blame for what. We''re here to complete a mission are we not? Sir Aurelius, I apologize for hiding this from you, and I will accept any punishment you deem appropriate for me once we return. However, now, I believe we should focus on the mission, and solely on that."


    In the end, Merida had to step in, and I''m glad that she did. I wasn''t sure how it would all go down otherwise.


    That night, we rested in utter silence, with only the sound of the wind blowing outside could be heard. As we all slept lightly, by the time morning came, we were all ready to set off, continuing our trek through the mountains.


    ***


    End of Chapter 8

 Vol. 1, Chapter 9: Finding Warmth Amidst the Cold

    It was another day of walking blindly into the white wall of snow. The storm did not slow down for even a little and proceeding forward was hard on both the body and the mind. For moments here and there, the thought that I might never see the end came to me, only for me to chase it away time and time again. If I let such thoughts consume me, then my feet would stop moving, and if my feet stop, then it''s all over. Right now, moving forward is all that matters. I can''t think about the end, I can only think about putting one foot in front of the other, and so on and so forth.


    Eventually, time came once more for us to rest, and more so than yesterday, I am eager for it. I''m so tired right now it feels like I''m as old as I remember myself to be. Everything is so heavy, even moving a few steps away feels like a chore.


    Like yesterday, a snow cave was constructed and we were all eager to crawl in to get away from the snow. Perhaps it is due to the fact that we have braved this journey together, today we huddled closer together than the day before.


    With the others I sat by the fire, munching on the dried rations handed to us for our journey. I hold it against the fire for a bit before munching on it, but it remains still cold. I should have left it there longer, but I was getting hungry and couldn''t wait. As I munch down on the dried jerky, lamenting about its lack of flavor, my tired body starts to slump, hitting the shoulder of the one sitting beside me.


    "Sorry."


    "I don''t mind. You may rest against me if you want, Sir Aurelius."


    I hadn''t realized it, but sitting by me is the princess, who I have avoided talking to since yesterday. You''d think that being as old as I am, I would have reacted to the situation better, but on the contrary, I took it terribly, and now I''m childishly avoiding her.


    "Tomorrow, if you don''t mind, may I take over casting the [Heat Ward] upon the troops? You must be tired after doing it constantly for two day in a row."


    "That would be a great help, thank you."


    It seems that even though my Mp hasn''t quite ran out yet, having to constantly cast spells like that can be rather draining on one''s mind, and thanks to that, for quite a while now I''ve been feeling some headaches that aren''t so terrible that they stop me from doing anything, but they''re not exactly pleasant either.


    "Sir Aurelius, I''m sorry to have come here without consulting you first. I may believe that it is the right thing to do, but to do so without your consent was rather insolent of me."


    Seeing her now, I remember a saying, one that, if I recall, goes like this: "Ask not for permission, but forgiveness instead." What she''s doing now is essentially that. I suppose you can say that she knows how to get things done, but just as she had said, she should have consulted me or at least said something to me first. We''re supposed to be working together right? Or am I not trustworthy enough? No, that''s not it, those are not the reason I am mad. In truth, I''m just not happy when things are occurring outside of my control.


    "It''s fine. At the end of the day, I just have to fight and win. That is what you summoned me here for, right?"


    The instant I said those words, I hated myself, because I said them knowing that it would make her feel bad. It was a petty revenge on my part, and Merida had noticed it too, shooting a glare my way that made me feel even more terrible, as I should. However, those feelings quickly dissipated when the princess, all of a sudden, leaned over onto me, and her warmth kept the ill feelings at bay, reminding me of the days I spent with Aurelius, my departed old friend.


    "Sir Aurelius, how is it that you can keep going like this, fighting against impossible odds for a world you have no connection to?"


    Impossible odds, she said. So finally she admits it, that this is impossible after all. Calling me the final hope of her people and all that, it really was just plain old optimism. Why bring this up now, of all times? Well, I guess I was the one who brought up having to fight in the first place. But, I''m not the only one here fighting. Everyone here is, the soldiers, Merida, even the princess is trying her best to stave off the destruction of this world.


    "How do you do it, princess? How does everyone do it in fact?"


    The princess lets out a small laugh.


    "Is it not rude in your world to answer a question with another question?"


    "Well, sometimes a question is a better answer than a straightforward answer."


    The princess laughs louder now, and her laughter brought some cheer to this previously gloomy snow shelter.


    "Perhaps you are right, Sir Aurelius, perhaps you are."


    Before I realized it, everyone had started talking about their reason for fighting, some speak of their family, and another speaks of his lover. For Merida, it has always been about the princess, apparently, the princess had taken Merida from the streets and into her care. Considering that I know Merida''s subclass is Assassin, and considering that classes in this world is less of a choice and more of the paths one have taken in life, I will not pry for more details. As for the Princess, she speaks of her late siblings, all passed away while trying to push back the [Demon] horde, some of which were good at fight thing, some were not, but everyone fought bravely to preserve their kingdom and their people. In their memory, the princess steels herself to do the same so that they will not have laid down their lives in vain.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "But back to my question, Sir Aurelius, how do you do it? All of us here have something to fight for, but this world is none of your concern, isn''t it? You''re only dragged into this, so why go so far? If you would only ask, I could have arranged for you to have a life without want far, far, away from the frontlines. Yet, even after I told you that I would take responsibility for you being here, not only did you not stop fighting, you went ahead and came up with this outrageous strategy. Pardon my lack of insight, but I simply do not understand your thinking."


    What was I thinking? Well, first of all, I can''t possibly leave an entire kingdom and an entire world to its ruin while I enjoy life by myself. And really, I''ve lived a long enough life to not be so concerned whether I enjoyed the last of my days or not. These are the reasoning I''ve come up with, something I could easily tell people and have them understand. But, what is the truth, really? Why do I fight? Why do I do anything? Honestly, I can''t remember anymore. What was I even doing before my Aurelius came into my life? Day in, day out, it was just work, work, work, but for what? I can''t remember any more. I''ve never really wanted a large home since I had always been alone, and I never wanted a car because the only place I go to is the workplace and the nearby supermarket, so taking buses would suffice. I don''t have a wife and kids either. With hardly anything to spend money on, my savings were just piling up. I could have quit anytime I want. Yet, day in, day out, I got off from my bed and got myself ready for work.


    "I promised to fight in exchange for your help in searching for my friends, didn''t I?"


    "But surely, Sir Aurelius, you should know that the chance for your friends to survive in this world is very low, right? More than likely, they''re already dead, especially if they''ve landed in the lands already ravaged by the [Demons]. All of that would be my fault. So why do you fight for a kingdom in which the princess had likely caused the death of your friends?"


    This girl, she doesn''t pull any punches. Does she want the truth that bad? Isn''t she afraid that I''d stop fighting once I realize my friends are all most likely gone? No, actually, if I have any brains, then I would have realized that sooner or later. Better to confirm my true reason for fighting now and incentivize me with whatever it is rather than for me to lose motivation later I suppose.


    I shift my position and have my back against the princess''. Leaning back against her, I get comfortable, before I begin reaching for the depths of my heart.


    "Sir Aurelius?"


    "I... I didn''t think so far. I was given a job, and so I just do it. I stop thinking about everything else, only about accomplishing the job. You say that my friends are more than likely dead, and you might be right, but I didn''t think about that, tried not to think about it. I need the motivation to get the job done. If I don''t think about how they''re all probably dead then I can keep going. And if I keep going, I''ll probably get somewhere, someday."


    "If I may ask, where is this ''somewhere'' you speak of?"


    "I don''t know. I''d like to say that I''ll know when I get there, but I might not even know it when I do. I think I might have had a dream once, I thought that if I worked hard I''ll eventually get to it before I know it. So I just kept working, I stopped thinking about how hard everything is and how I might not be able to fulfill my dreams after all. But then, at one point, when I really stop to think about it, I can''t even remember that dream anymore. My mind was just filled with work. I could try and remember, but then I thought that I might just get sad, so I stopped remembering, if I got sad, then I''d stop moving forward, and if that happens, I''ll never get anywhere."


    "So... you''re just fighting because you''re told to?"


    The princess sounds a little horrified in which I took a little offense to. It''s not as if I''m just doing what I''m told after all.


    "No, that''s not it. I''m fighting because if I don''t I''d just rot away. Perhaps if it had been someone else, they''d take you offer to live out the rest of their lives idly and without wants till the world is destroyed, but not me. Maybe it''s just a habit I''ve developed through the years, but I would much rather die than live my life idly while standing still. I''ll keep moving forward, even if there''s nothing waiting for me at the end."


    The gazes cast towards me are a mix of confusion, sympathy, and admiration. I suppose some simply did not understand me, perhaps some felt pity for me, and some admires this stubbornness of mine if nothing else.


    From behind me, I feel the back I''ve been leaning on leaving me, and I can hear that princess turning to face me. I wonder what face she is making. Is she sad or is she mad? Did she understand or is she confused? Not that I expect anyone to understand, nor do I require it. I''ll be myself, and that''s that.


    A pair of small arms stretched over my shoulders, pulling me into a soft, warm embrace. It felt so comfortable I almost fell asleep that instant.


    "I have received your determination, Sir Aurelius, but you must pardon me for this sadness I feel for you."


    Her warm reminds me of the days I remember most fondly, the days in which I look forward to going home rather than considering staying back at the office just to skip commuting, the days in which I have something, someone, to live for. Aurelius, my dear Aurelius, she had a large appetite, and her beautiful fur needs to be groomed now and then, meaning that I have to spend more than I ever had to before. Of course, she has to go on walks also, but there were no parks near where I live, so I had to get a car. With her in my life, all the money I''ve saved up starts to drain, but it did not matter. For once, I feel like I was truly living, that there is meaning in me being there. Even after I retired, the days spent with her did not feel idle one bit. Those were the days.


    My hand reaches out for the arms wrapped around me, feeling their warmth and softness at the tips of my finger.


    "You''re the same, are you not, princess? Haven''t you, haven''t everyone here been fighting against the impossible odds of this bleak world without the hope of ever seeing the end? Aren''t we all just focused on putting one foot in front of the other so that one day we might get somewhere? I may not have as many things to fight for as the rest of you, but there''s no need for worry, princess. It''s not as if I have absolutely nothing to fight for. My friends may still be out there. Even if the chances are extremely slim, for me, that''s more than enough reason to keep fighting."


    ***


    End of Chapter 9

 Vol. 1, Chapter 10: Battle Atop the Snowy Mountains

    Outside of the snow cave, gradually, the snow storm begins to die down. The winds are getting slower and the snowing is letting up. The visibility remains low, but it no longer looks like a world of bleak, pure whiteness outside. As I watch from the mouth of the shelter, I feel a slight elation at the thought of being able to reach the end of this journey. However, I must hold onto my heart and not let myself get over-excited. A calm heart is a heart that endures all hardship, that is what I believe.


    While watching the outside, I also happen to be resting my head on Timothy, the [Snow Liger]''s body, as he is the one lying in front of the entrance, guarding it. It would have been a pain for him to move so I just have him stay there, not to mention that he was comfortable and warm to lie on, and so I just thought, "Why not?"


    As I proceed to crawl back into the cave, suddenly, Timothy lifts his head and his entire body become stiff and tense. He had sensed something, and with a delay, I start sensing it as well through the Summoner''s skill [Shared Senses], which allows me to detect what my summoned creatures had detected.


    It seems like a small group is heading our way. They came from the opposite direction, the direction of the enemy camp. In other words, the group Timothy is picking up is likely made up of [Demons].


    So they have the same plan as us after all, and to think, they even took the same route as us. I guess it''s true what they say about great minds thinking alike, not that I find my mind to be particularly great.


    Swiftly but quietly, I informed the others of the enemy presence and they were immediately ready to spring into action, even the princess, who was the slowest, got ready within the minute.


    While Initially, I wanted to leave the snow cave as soon as possible to avoid the enemy trying to collapse the thing on top of us, one of the soldiers stopped me, saying that the enemy may not even be able see us in this snow, and that perhaps it is better for us to wait and see. In the end, it was as he had said, the enemy did not notice and passed us by. It seems like the soldiers know how hard it is to spot a snow shelter in a snow storm better than I do.


    Now that they have passed, the question is, what should we do? Should we keep moving on according to plan? Or do we diverge from the plan and intercept the enemy? But one of their Champions might be amongst them, either the Warrior or the Sorcerer, or even both. Considering the strength they displayed, if even one were able to flank the fortress then it''s all over. We''re going to have to take them down here.


    I announce my decision to the rest, and all agree on the course of action. My worry now is that the low visibility caused by the storm will hinder our combat.


    "There''s no problem."


    "Why is that?"


    "The Beastkins has keen senses, especially we who have been chosen to come on this mission with you, we are born to the climate and we will be able to keep track of our enemies and allies even in this snow."


    Of course, I have completely forgotten that the Beastkins are different from humans. Even if I can''t quite see anything in this snow, doesn''t mean that they can''t.


    "One last thing. Princess, you stay back, got it?"


    "Of course, I will provide support from a safe distance. I have no intention of causing you trouble."


    "Good."


    Right now, [Demons] suspects nothing and have their backs turned against us. We have the advantage and so we''ll make it count. Having summoned Michaela, and making sure to tell her to make her entrance discreet, without all that pillar of light gimmick, I had her cast [Holy Weapon] and [Holy Ward] on everyone, and after applying both defensive and offensive buffs, we were ready to strike.


    With my fingers lifted up high, I start counting down.


    One...


    Two...


    Three...


    And with dramatic flair, not because I want to show off but because I wanted to make sure everyone can see, honest, I swing my hand down, signaling the start of our assault.


    Those on the offensive spring immediately from their positions, and are swift to strike down the targets we have marked beforehand, mainly the ones looking like spell casters and healers of the [Demon] party.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    The cries of their fallen comrade quickly alerted the rest of the [Demons] but they are too late, we are already upon them. The initial party of twelve [Demons] were reduced to five in an instant thanks to the swift and expert killing of Merida who had taken down two, the three soldiers who have each taken down one, and Timothy who tore one apart with his claws and crushed another in-between his fangs. Meanwhile, the princess and myself remains on standby, and I searched via Timothy''s senses for a very specific target. It did not take long for me to locate him.


    There he is, stepping forward as soon as he realizes that his party is under attack, and immediately I knew, I had to stop him.


    "[Bind Circle]!"


    I rush forward, till he is just in my range and cast my spell, and though I knew very well that crowd control skills are less effective on him, I need only to stop his movements for a little bit in order to interrupt the use of his skill, [Warcry].


    It is fortunate, fortunate that only one Champion is present. They probably thought that sending both their Champions would be too risky for this mission. If only we have at least two Champions on our side, this whole thing would be much easier on me too. However, if I can take out this Champion here, then maybe, provided that they don''t have more than two Champions here, we could even the playing field here a little.


    Having interrupted his skill, even when hidden beneath his helmet, I can feel his gaze, his glare filled with animosity towards me. Good, because I too have a score to settle with the bastard, though I doubt I''ll be the one delivering the finishing blow, not only because I have low offensive capabilities, but also because Merida is right behind him, teleported there with her [Assassination] skill, and is ready to deal the deathblow while he''s distracted by his hate towards me. However, before Merida is able to connect her strike, a small [Demon] came leaping in, tackling the Champion to the side while taking on the blow himself. Merida easily cut down the vile creature, leaving a trail of sacred fire from [Holy Weapon] across its torso. Counting the Champion, the numbers of [Demons] have been reduced to four.


    Watching the small [Demon] hit the cold snowy ground, the Champion lets out anawful roar. At first I thought it was a [Warcry], but it does not appear have the effect of the skill. Does that mean it''s a genuine cry?


    With great rage, the Champion charged at Merida, wielding his greatsword with deadly force, sending clouds of snow up into the air each time it was swung, and even if Merida was able to dodge the swings, she struggled to maintain balance from being hit by the explosion of snow. Finally, after the fifth swing from the Champion, Merida found herself losing her balance and falling towards the ground. After hitting the ground, Merida scrambled to get out of her opponent''s sword range, but due to the deep layer of accumulated snow, she simply could not move fast enough to get away as she watched the towering blade coming down upon her.


    "[Bind Circle]!"


    Just before the giant blade cuts into Merida, the Champion''s movements have been sealed by yours truly in the nick of time, and not only that, I also had Timothy move into position for a follow up. By the time the Champion is able to shrug off the [Bind] status, Timothy was already flying at him, hitting the Champion with a high speed body slam and sending him flying.


    "You alright?"


    "I''m fine."


    I reached my hand out towards Merida, pulling her back up, but as soon as she got up, she quickly pushed me away as a [Demon] swung his weighty club at where I once was. It seems that one of them was able to break away from the soldiers.


    Immediately after the failed attack, Merida drove her sword into the [Demon]''s wide torso while Timothy mounted the [Demon]''s massive back, digging his claws into the flesh for a firm grip and tore into the [Demon]''s neck with his fangs.


    While the two deal with the [Demon], I check on the Hp bar in my vision and notice one of the soldier''s Hp in the red; the [Demon] must have gravely injured him to break through. He''s still alive though, and I can see the bar slowly rising. The princess should be applying healing on him right now.


    With the number of [Demons] reduced to three, we now have the upper hand. Just a little more and we could wipe them out.


    Leaving other two [Demons] to the soldiers, Merida and I focus our attention on the Champion who is staring down at us with great menace. I don''t even need to look into his eyes to tell, because right now, right in front of me, I can see him, shaking in terrible anger as he looks at us. However, I''m not even afraid, for we now hold the absolute advantage, with Merida, Timothy, and myself, it''s three against one. Even if he uses [Warcry], even if he has [Gladiator], if we strike from three separate angles, he''ll be completely helpless, or at least, that''s what I thought.


    All of a sudden, he went and dropped his greatsword into the ground, raising a small cloud of snow as the heavy piece of metal slammed into the snowy surface. Then, reaching his hands towards his back, the Champion drew out a pair of short swords with the quality matching that of his greatsword.


    The bastard, did he just changed weapons in the middle of a fight!? I can''t believe it! Of course he can do that, this isn''t a game and we''re not restricted by the system, he can switch to as many weapons as he can carry. Damn, why didn''t I think of this!? Even if this body is young, it appears that my mind is still that of an old man''s, being dull and inflexible.


    Switching to two swords must mean that the Champion is skilled in dual wielding as well, which either specializes in taking on multiple opponents at once or doing massive damage to a single target in quick bursts. Seeing as he had taken them out at this timing, his specialization must be the former. Of course, that is only assuming that everything is the same as in Elysium Online, which I have now realize very clearly is absolutely not the case in this world. If I just rely on my knowledge of the game, I am really going to get myself killed one of these days for some very stupid mistakes.


    ***


    End of Chapter 10

 Vol. 1, Chapter 11: Awakening

    In Elysium Online, there is a special dual class system in which a player character may have a main class, and a subclass. From the main class, the player character would be able to use the class weapons and have full access to all of the class'' skills once skill points have been used to learn them. From the subclass, the player will have limited access to the class'' skills, being able to use only the low to mid tier skills, and will not be able to use the class weapons of the subclass. By being able to combine classes and mix their various skills together is one of the biggest selling points of Elysium Online.


    Each class, main or sub, Levels up individually, and each class has their own distribution of skill points. The classes may also be switch out at any time, though the player would not be able to carry over their Levels from the previous class. For example, when a Level 100 Knight wishes to switch out to the Warrior class he had never Leveled up before, then he has to start at Level 1. If he trains the class up to Level 20 and then returned back to playing a Knight, then he''d return to being Level 100. And then, if he goes back to being a Warrior again, he''d be at Level 20. Like so, all classes Levels up individually. With the various classes at their individual Levels, the total Level of a character is calculated by the sum of their main class and subclass'' Level. For example, my character, Aurelius, is a Summoner at Level 100, with a subclass of Enchanter at Level 85, making him a Level 185 character.


    For skill points, while each class gains skill points individually, they are not transferrable between classes, meaning that a 100 Level class could only have 100 skill points to work with, no more, no less, and nothing could change that number, unless the player is cheating. As for the point distribution, it was made so that it would be difficult if not impossible to obtain all essential skill from a single skill tree, let alone two.


    Which is why, it''s odd, odd that the Champion of the [Demons] would think that he could win by switching to dual wielding which, considering how effectively he wielded his greatsword, should definitely be far more inferior. Sure, he could be more effective against multiple foes like this, but it''ll only be in a half-assed fashion. Against me, a Level 185 Summoner/Enchanter with an offensive summoned creature and Merida for backup no less. What makes him think that he can survive, much less win, by such a half measure?


    Of course, that was only if I''m thinking about it as if I''m still in a game. However, this world is no game, there''s no such thing as a limited around of skill points, in fact, it''d be weirder if skill points exists at all. In this world, in reality, you gain a skill by learning it, and you "Level it up" by practicing it. There''s nothing to say that one cannot master both the greatsword and dual wielding. I need to keep on my toes, while this world has a few things I found to be similar to Elysium Online, I can''t mistake it for the game.


    While I''m still caught up in my thoughts, the enemy Champion starts charging towards me with his two blades primed for a kill. Seeing my enemy suddenly coming at me, I reflexively cast [Bind Circle], but the moment I begin casting, the Champion quickly leaps backwards, causing my spell to miss.


    My eyes widen, surprised that he avoided it, even though if I think about it, it''s obvious that he would see it coming. I''ve been using it repeatedly against him after all. It''s not so hard to predict an opponent that uses the same move over and over again.


    With a kick off the ground, the Champion comes for me once more. Timothy moves up to intercept, rushing at the Champion with his razor sharp claws, barely missing as the Champion leaps into the air. From above Timothy, the Champion''s dual blades clamps down upon the Liger like a pair of scissors, drawing blood from Timothy''s back. This is the skill, [Deathly Swallow], in which the users leaps into the air and performs an overhead blow with the dual blades. If performed at the right time it can even allow the user to avoid certain attacks.


    Taking a blow on his back, I note the disappearance of great chunk of Timothy''s Hp bar and for a moment I fear that his spine may also be severed. Fortunately, that seems to not be the case as he quickly make use of his hind legs to kick against the ground and turn himself around to face the Champion once more.


    Meanwhile, as the Champion lands from his jump, Merida approaches from his blind spot, her blade held high and ready to swing. In game, though [Deathly Swallow] deals a high amount of damage, it also has a significant recovery time. Seeing that the skill requires the user to perform a strong leap, then surely, after landing, there should realistically be a short moment where the user wouldn''t be able to immediately regain his balance. Merida made the right call to aim for the moment he lands, and with luck, she should able to strike the enemy Champion down. Unfortunately, it appears that luck simply isn''t on our side.


    By holding his blade against his back at the right angle, the Champion defended against Merida''s strike, and from where I''m looking, I suspect that he had expected this to happen. Just as he had predicted my [Bind Circle], this Champion here has anticipated Merida''s moves as well. He had learned from our last encounter. Yet, defending against Merida''s attack was not the end of it. Immediately after deflecting her blow, the Champion shifts his weight forward, and from what I can tell, he''s going for a swing, one aiming right for me. However, I am too far away from him, his blade will never reach me, so why?


    It didn''t dawn on me till I saw the aura crackling off his blade, the aura that look very similar to a particular visual effect from the game, the one for the Knight class skill, [Counter Blast], a skill that follows up from [Guarding Stance]. As the Champion swung down his blade, and a wave of energy came flying at me, threatening to cut me in half. Never would I have imagined that [Counter Blast] could be directed to someone that did not attack you. But then again, isn''t that natural, if you can turn opponent damage into energy and fire it off as a blade beam, there''s no reason to direct it towards only the one that attack you. The only reason one would do that is if a game system is restricting you from doing so. In this world, the gloves are off and the rules have been completely changed.


    Time slows down for me as the energy blade approaches. As much as I would love to move away, I simply can''t, my body is so heavy even though this it''s suppose to be young. I suppose a Summoner doesn''t have in the way of dexterity stats. I''m going to die, aren''t I? If I say that I could go without regrets, I would be lying. I wish I had more time to study up on this world''s rules, to understand how the game system brought over to this world would interact with this new reality outside of the game. Well, no point crying over spilled milk now I suppose.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    I expect a painless death, but then, I suddenly feel a blunt force crashing into my sides. A lock of golden hair wavers over my vision. Immediately, I have a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. No... Not this again. I''m not worth so many lives. I''m just a good for nothing old man.


    I feel my body hit the soft yet cold layers of snow as something presses down on me. Immediately, I spring from the snowy ground and check on the one lying on top of me.


    "Aurelia!"


    "Sir Aurelius... are you fine?"


    Even after I told her to stay back, why is she here? Why did she jump right into danger like that?


    Quickly, my eyes glance over to her Hp bar, fearful of what I might see. I can''t bear it if someone else is to throw their life away for mine. Great is my relief when I see not a single pixel were gone from the bar and that the girl in my arms is fine and merely in shock from doing something so dangerous, that the energy blade passed us by without landing.


    I see her looking up at me, smiling, so earnestly glad that I appear to be unharmed, her tail swaying happily left and right, brushing away at the snow on the ground. In the distance, I hear sword clashing and occasional growling. Merida and Timothy must be engaging with the Champion right at this moment.


    What was I doing? Didn''t have time to study up on this world''s rules? Wished that I have more time? What excuses! I could have studied up whenever I wanted to. I could cram it all into my head in one night if I feel like it. What''s that about, "I was given a job, so I''m just going to focus on that," what''s that freaking nonsense? In the end I was only half-assing it. I have been half-assing it my whole life. Focusing only on my work and stop thinking about everything else? I was only running away from my problems, I wasn''t think about how to achieve my dream at all, all I did was try to forget about it and hope I''d just get there somehow one day. In fact, the only reason I am completely alone is because I''m bad at socializing and just never bothered with it, I completely avoided it because I was afraid I''d fuck up, and I just use work as an excuse to not have to talk to anybody outside of working, playing it off as if I''m some kind of guy dedicated to his job.


    I caress the princess'' head, feeling her soft hair and fluffy ears, and at my touch, her tail sways even more rapidly. Damn it, I can believe I wasn''t motivated with such a cute fluffy girl around. The hell is wrong with me!? Are you so afraid to aim for something, an actual concrete "something" in your life? Well, my life may have been reaching its end in the old world, but here, here is a new start.


    I pull myself from the ground, and taking the princess'' small hand into mine, I help her up as well. The snow storm, though lighter now, is still going, still so very cold. Yet, I feel so very hot, there''s something burning inside. How should I put it? I haven''t even achieved or done anything yet, but I feel so excited all of a sudden. Glancing at the princess standing so close beside me, seeing her gaze turning upwards to meet mine, I feel an increase in heartbeats all of a sudden.


    I see now, it must be kicking in, the teenage hormones of this young body.


    "Stay behind me, you hear?"


    "Yes, I understand."


    In the distance, just barely visible due to the snow, I see the enemy Champion locking blades with Merida, and though he should be strong enough to overpower her, the attacks from Timothy quickly redirects his focus, only for Merida to strike the moment turns his attention away. It''s amazing how well they play off each other, makes this Summoner feel rather lonely here.


    Upon realizing that I am on my feet however, the Champion immediately turns his attention towards me. I can feel a sense of urgency rising within him. He''s cornered, if Merida and Timothy keeps this up, then he''ll lose and he knows it all too well. And without a means to deal a decisive blow to either one of them, he decided that I would be the easier one to take out here, and once I''m out of the picture, so would Timothy, allowing him to deal with Merida with ease.


    Immediately, Merida moves in front of us, trying to keep the Champion away from both the princess and myself as Timothy goes in for a potentially lethal blow while the Champion is distracted. The Champion leaps into the air to avoid his attack, and though at first glance, it looks like he''s performing a [Deathly Swallow], he does not strike with his blade. Instead, he kicks off the Liger, using him as a platform to leap once more in midair, rising over Merida and landing behind her before using the momentum from his fall to charge towards me.


    Instinctively, I wanted to use [Bind Circle], and seeing the momentum carrying him, I doubted that he could change his direction in time to avoid my spell. However, just as I thought that, the bastard went ahead and flung one of his dual blades at me. That''s supposed to be an Assassin skill [Blade Toss] isn''t it? Then again, in this world, you wouldn''t need special skills to toss something. However, it came so unexpectedly, there was nothing I could do against it, or so I thought, but with the grimoire in hand, I successfully deflected it. Yes, deflected it, the blade bounced off the hard leather cover of the book, leaving but a small dent. This unassuming grimoire is after all, a high grade legendary weapon I had to craft myself, and one of the ingredients came from a high Leveled dragon, which according to flavor text, the cover is made out of the dragon''s hide. A flimsy knife toss like that isn''t going to do much good against it.


    The Champion seemed shocked that I managed to defend against his surprise attack, and in fact, even I''m shocked. If it were a moment ago, I could never have such reflexes. However, it shouldn''t be strange, not at all, after all, right now my heart is beating like crazy and my blood is boiling. Now, I truly feel young, both in heart and in body. A clam heart is a heart than endures all hardships? I still believe that, but right now, this doesn''t feel so hard.


    The Champion continues to charge at me, even though the weapon toss didn''t work, it doesn''t mean that he can''t take me out. If he drives the other sword he has into me, I''ll be sure to die, and at this distance, I won''t be able to make it with my [Bind Circle] before he''s in range.


    "[Bind Circle]!"


    However, even though my casting was interrupted by that toss, the one hiding behind me is more than ready.


    Not being able to see it coming, the Champion was helplessly caught in the circle and had his momentum stolen. And though he would be able to move in just about a second, it''s more than enough for me to take action. That''s right, I''m not just going to wait for someone to deal the finishing blow for me.


    With the grimoire in my hand, I swing it right into the Champion''s face, and though a grimoire is not a weapon that would output a high amount of damage with physical attacks, it still counts as weapon, and thus, would have [Holy Weapon] applied to it when Michaela casts the spell.


    As expected, sacred blue fire sparks to life the moment the book smashes into the Champion''s face, and as he goes flying backwards, I can hear a pained cry as his face burns with the heat of the holy flames. Even if the book''s damage is low, it seems like the magic boosted [Holy Weapon] is more than enough to do the trick. I can''t believe I haven''t thought of it before. I mean, even if you can, nobody uses the grimoire to directly attack in game, that''s just silly. That old brain of mind just can''t turn fast enough to break out of habit. But now, right now, my mind is turning so fast, I feel like I can see through time. You gotta love being young again!


    ***


    End of Chapter 11

 Vol. 1, Chapter 12: Still So Much to Learn

    [Holy Weapon]: This is a support spell that adds the [Holy] attribute to the weapons of allies within range, increasing the damage dealt to enemies with [Demon] or [Corrupted] attribute.


    [Holy Ward]: This is a support spell that creates a protective ward on allies within range, increasing their resistance to attacks with [Demon] or [Corrupted] attribute. Unlike regular wards, the [Holy Ward] also deals [Holy] damage on those with [Demon] or [Corrupted] attribute when attacked in melee range regardless if the caster has the skill [Intelligent Ward] or not.


    Thinking about it now, I''ve been relying on these two spells in about every fight since I arrived into this world, haven''t I? I never really thought about how to better use it, even though it''s something I used so often. Just goes to show how unmotivated I am for this. Even this operation that I proposed, it was just so that I could get this job done sooner, because I thought it''d be a pain to let things drag on.


    It may seem odd that I''d rather scale this mountain range than remain in the safety of the fortress just to get quicker results, but the way I see it is that the more I let this drag on, the more battles I''ll have to fight, and the more I fight, the more likely it is that I''ll die. The risks may not be as great individually, but as it piles up, I''m sure it''ll amount to something considerably threatening. And so, with that line of thought, I felt that the mountains were a safer bet by default. I may have not been very motivated and I may not believe that this world would last very long, but I still want the option that has the highest chance of letting me live the longest, such is the wretchedness that is I.


    However, that is behind me. Right now, I am in the present. Sure, it may not be in the best shape, and sure, I have thought that this world is hopeless, that I''m only here to delay its inevitable end ever so slightly, and that I''ll probably die somewhere along the future with the only comfort for it all is that I get to enjoy a young body again, if only for a short amount of time. But, that''s not living, is it? That''s just waiting to die. I think it was a teacher who told me this: "A person needs a goal to truly live," she said. I''ve forgotten it for a long, long time. I wonder why I suddenly remember it now. Perhaps I''ve been keeping it around, for when I get the chance to affirm the validity of those words.


    I''m not waiting to die anymore. I''m going to live. I''ll embrace this second chance to its fullest. Futile an attempt as it may be, I''m going to save this world, I''ll aim for this goal. This time, I''m going to truly live this life.


    Having been struck by my grimoire and burned by the sacred flames, the Champion was able to remain on his feet. I''m not surprised, one does not so easily knock down a Champion. Though I am still a little disappointed, I did put my back into it after all.


    From behind him, I see Merida and Timothy approaching. Of course, I do not doubt that the Champion can hear them coming as well. Even so, he does not turn to face them, he knows just as well as I do that his only chance of winning, is beating me right here, right now.


    Having tossed one of his dual blades, only a single shortsword remains on him, and with that single sword, he charges at me, and at the same time, knowing that he would come for me, I swing my book down once more at the enemy Champion.


    I was confident, assured that I had been at least a second faster that he was, and that my blow would reach him first. Yet, I ended up missing, The Champion ducked low and went prone to avoid my strike, and before I could react, he tackled me to the ground.


    My back slams into the snow and to my dread, mounted atop of me is the dark armored figure of the [Demon] Champion, staring down at me with fierce rage in his eyes. Yes, now that we''re so close to each other I can clearly see his eyes through the slit of his helmet, and to my surprise, they are blue, like a clear sky. His gaze gives off an impression of someone with great intellect, and for a moment, the fact that the one atop of me is a [Demon] most savage slip my mind, a moment that I am quick to return from when the Champion thrusts down at me with the shortsword in hand.


    With my bare hand, I caught the blade, it pierced right through my palm but I technically caught it. I could have used the grimoire, and in fact, I initially wanted to use it, but I don''t know what would happen to my [contracts] if the blade pierced through the book, which was why, at the last possible second, I used my hand instead.


    It doesn''t hurt!


    It doesn''t hurt!


    It doesn''t fucking hurt!


    I have to stop thinking about the pain damn it! I''m supposed to be good at that, right? I have to ignore the pain and power through.


    With on hand supporting the other, I hold back the blade from my throat, and though the strength of this Champion is greater than mine, I know that I need only to hold it out long enough for Merida and Timothy to come to my rescue. They weren''t that far away and should be here any moment now. The Champion is well aware of that as well, and so even as he desperately pushes the blade down, the bastard even goes so far as to twist it around, wedging open my wound and further amplifying my pain. Oh god, I can even feel the steel scraping against the bones in my hand.


    Even so, I have to hold, I have no intention of dying here and help should just be an arm''s length away. Come on! Somebody get this guy off of me! However, against all hope, a [Demon] appeared right out of nowhere squarely in-between the Champion and Merida along with Timothy, intercepting them and stopping them from reaching me.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Where the hell did this [Demon] come from? Did it take out the rest already? With such questions in mind, I check the Hp bar of the soldier, and with a quick glance it appears that they are fine. Then how, how did this [Demon] break through? Those soldiers sent with me, they may not have very high Levels, but they were skilled and worked very well together, I''d say that their team work rivals even the best of parties found in Elysium Online and there were three of them while the [Demons] were two. Unless they were taken out, I can''t imagine this [Demon] being able to break through.


    Then, I come to notice it, even as the Champion pushes the blade towards my neck, with my back against the ground, I see it with my own eyes. The sky, it''s clear now, and this [Demon] that came to the Champion''s rescue, this bastard has wings. He flew! When the snow storm calmed down, the bastard flew over the soldiers and got over here with ease.


    With the [Demon] holding back Merida and Timothy, I can no longer hope for them to come to my rescue. What now? What can I do to save myself? I could use [Bind Circle], but that will only hold the Champion for but a moment. Will that be enough?


    "[Feather Weight]!"


    While wondering what am I to do as the tip of the blades draws ever closer, feeling the cold steel touching my throat even, an ember glow surrounds the Champion''s body. All of a sudden, his push against me becomes all too light, and I am able to hold him back with ease. I can''t believe it, the spell that I had thought was useless in the game may very well turn out to be one of the most powerful abilities in this world, this world where weight accounts for more than just one''s movement speed. This is freaking brilliant!


    With a kick, I easily send the neigh weightless Champion into the air, almost letting out a laugh as I watch him floating helplessly in midair, his arms flailing, trying to reach for the ground to pull himself back only to fall short.


    From the corner of my eyes, I see a blur of gold charging in. Even though I told her to keep her distance and away from enemy focus, she still does whatever she pleases, that''s a classically willful princess for you alright. However, this time at least, I''m more than glad to see her here. Though, if I think about it, was there really a time when I''m not glad when she''s around? Apart from that one time she snuck up this mountain disguise as a solider that is. Can''t say I can think of any. Besides, now isn''t the time for thinking back, now is the time to think about what comes next.


    With a tackle, the princess sends the Champion floating off into the distance, close to the edge of the ridge in fact. She must be hoping to send him off the mountain with that one push. This princess is more dangerous than I thought! Unfortunately, while he''s neigh weightless, he isn''t completely without weight, and the Champion got close enough to the ground to thrust his hands into the snow, stopping himself from just floating off the edge of the mountain. Of course, I have no intention of just letting it end here. I''m taking this Champion out, right here, and right now.


    Recklessly, I pull the Champion''s shortsword out of my hand, feeling something being cut as I do so. However, at the moment, I really can''t care less. Right now, my mind is focusing on one thing and one thing only, to win this fight. Tossing the blade aside, I start running, rushing towards the Champion who had just barely managed to stop himself from floating off the edge. The Champion sees me coming and raises his arms to receive me, but I know that''s a feint, that he''ll try to dodge at the last second, he knows that his current light-weighted self can be all too easily be driven off the edge. Which is why, despite my apparent recklessness, I remember to cast my spell.


    "[Bind Circle]!"


    The instant I cast the spell, I see it in his eyes, the frustration of his final gambit being foiled, the agitation of being checkmated.


    "Be gone!"


    I leap into the air and send my entire body towards him legs first, dropkicking and sending the Champion flying, all the way over the edge. The moment he crosses that very edge, I see a white aura surrounding him and remember a similar visual effect from Elysium Online, the visual effect of the Cleric spell [Dispel], a spell that removes all magic effects on a single target. Having [Dispel] casted on him, the Champion starts plummeting even while the momentum from he was neigh weightless carries him further and further from the edge. There won''t be any surprisingly sturdy branch or a surprise cliff-hang to save him at this rate.


    Speaking of cliff-hanging, that is exactly what I ended up doing after dropkicking the Champion. The bastard had far less resistance than I had anticipated in his light-weighted state, and I ended up almost sending myself off the cliff as well. Now I cling to the ledge with my arms buried in the snow to keep myself from slipping. I''m not too worried, as the princess is on her way to save me, though I am a little concerned as with my [Insight] skill, I realized that the durability of the piece of the ledge I''m hanging onto is rather low when compared to other areas of this snow filled mountain, and I suspect this to be a snow pack, a cluster of snow that have accumulated over time, forming this fragile ledge.


    "Princess, please be careful, this ledge is rather fragile."


    "I- is that so. What should I do?"


    "Crawl on all fours, that should distribute you weight better. Or even better why not use the spell you used just now, [Feather Weight], that should make things much safer."


    "Very well, hang on tight, Sir Aurelius."


    Casting the spell on both herself and me, the princess pulled me up from the ledge and we immediately moved away after into safer grounds.


    But to think that the spell could be so useful... the princess practically disabled the Champion with it. Could it be? That the princess is the true Champion of the Beastkins?


    "Sir Aurelius......"


    "Yes?"


    Turning towards her, I am surprise to fine the princess collapsing into the ground. Quickly, I grab hold of her before she hit the snow, and with her in my arms, I can feel her warmth, no, her heat. Is she having a fever?


    "Princess, are you alright?"


    "I- I''m fine. That spell just took a little too much out of me, that''s all."


    That spell? [Feather Weight]? But that''s a dirt cheap to cast spell isn''t it? No wait, that was just in the game. While back in the game, it may be a hardly useful spell, here, it''s a spell that practically defies the laws of gravity. Wouldn''t such a spell be costly? To nearly negate to weigh of the Champion and his full set of armor, it must have cost a great deal of energy to do, and she even casted the spell two more times to save me. It seems like I still have much to learn. Once I get back, if I get back, I''ll have to start figuring out how things work here, and how the system that came with me interacts with this world.


    I hold the princess close to me, keeping her warm as I carry her back to the rest. From what I can tell, it seems like the remaining [Demons] have been taken care of while we were dealing with the Champion.


    And with that, the battle atop the snowy mountains came to a close.


    ***


    End of Chapter 12

 Vol. 1, Chapter 13: Mission Complete!

    The snow storm has passed and the sky is now clear. We''ve encountered an enemy unit en route, but in the end we came out on top. All that is left is to finish the mission.


    After having rested and recovered from the battle, we continued onwards to our destination. Initially, I wanted to have the princess stay behind with Merida watching over her, but after insisting to us that she had recovered from what they call "mana drain", it was decided that she would tag along after all.


    With the snow storm gone, we proceeded without obstruction, and by the end of our fourth day since setting off form the fortress, we arrived at our goal.


    "My liege, I have confirmed that the enemy is located near the foot of the mountain."


    "Good work, Michaela, any ideas on how they waited out the storm?"


    To confirm that we are indeed at the right spot, I sent out Michaela to scout out the enemy location. Hardly a proper use for an angel, but I''ve got no one else who could do this job.


    "They seem to have made shelters out of brick of snow."


    Igloos, huh. Not something I would imagine [Demons] would go and build. I guess that proves it, they''re intelligent, and not only that, they seem to have some kind of culture of their own.


    "Princess."


    "Yes?"


    "I know this isn''t exactly the best time, and I probably should have asked sooner, but where did the [Demons] come from?"


    Back in Elysium Online, [Demons] were a class of monsters, just enemies to be defeated. It was said that they were born from the [Corruption], but not much was revealed about them otherwise. Having come into this world, I also just assumed that these [Demons] are just monsters out of nowhere. It didn''t occur to me that there may be more to it, though it really should have.


    "The [Demons] came from the [Corruption], a dark force that turns all living creatures it touches into their twisted form you see today. However, no one knows where it truly came from. It happened all so suddenly after all. Like a plague, the [Corruption] swept across the lands and the [Demons] began appearing everywhere."


    "But the land of the Beastkins remained safe?"


    "Yes, through the protection of the Holy Beast."


    "Holy Beast? That''s the first I''ve heard of it."


    "That is true, isn''t it? It''s a shame that we never really had much time to tell you about this world even though we intend to have you protect it. Still, I''m sure you''ll meet someday, with the Holy Beast."


    "Hopefully we''ll have some time after this. I''d like to learn as much about this world as possible, now that I''ll be saving it."


    "Sir Aurelius?"


    "It''s nothing, now stand back."


    I have the rest of them move away from the area. They''ve done well bringing me here, and now, finally, I shall do what I came here for in the first place. With [Insight], I locate a spot where the largest amount of snow had accumulated, but also has the least amount of durability and would cause a great amount of damage if they were to come loose. In other words, from here, with the [Demon] encampment beneath us, I shall be causing an avalanche.


    In Elysium Online, the [Snow Ligers] have a skill called [Mighty Roar], which is a roar so powerful it creates a shockwave all around it, knocking down and stunning players that are standing too close when the skill is used. The boss, [Alpha Snow Liger] has a similar move, one that is much more powerful and has a side effect of causing an avalanche within the stage the boss is fought in, which is set atop a snowy mountain just like this one. Timothy may not be an [Alpha Snow Liger], but if he uses his skill at the right spot, it should still have the same disastrous effects. Fearing that, I even told Timothy to not use that skill until I specifically say he could.


    "Here should be good."


    I had Timothy move to the ideal point where a collapse would send the snow on this entire side of the mountain tumbling down. Then, I take a deep breath and run through the sequence of action I will need to take in the next few moments within my head.


    "Alright, do it!"


    And with that command, Timothy unleashes the skill [Mighty Roar] on the spot, generating shockwaves that reverberates the surrounding and causing cracks across the ground. With the weight from all the snow concentrated on this point, the cracks continue to grow until the ground begins to shift and the whole thing commences its collapse.


    As the ground beneath be starts to collapse, Michaela quickly take hold of me and with her wings spread wide, carries me up to the safety of the sky. At the same time, I use the [Dismiss] command on Timothy, turning him back into a card which automatically flies back to me before he could be taken away by the shifting snow.


    A large body of snow sank away, flowing towards the bottom, going faster and faster as it went, carrying more and more snow away with it in the process, till eventually, it all hits= the bottom. For a moment there, as I watched from the sky, I felt somewhat guilty. I know very well that these [Demons] have intelligence and apparently possess some kind of culture. Yet, here I am, wiping a large number of them out in this one fell sweep as if they were pests. Still, if it meant that we''re going to have to go into battle against each other and having to kill one another, then, though it may be cruel, with the utmost certainty, I''d much rather that they''re the ones who die instead of me.


    ***


    By the time we returned to the fortress, scouting reports already came in. The reports say that the enemy encampment has indeed been buried by the avalanche, something I have confirmed via Michaela, but along with that information came something startling. It would seem that amongst the [Demons] some have actually survived, including the Sorcerer Champion of the [Demons]. I didn''t think anyone could have survived that, but I suppose if anyone could, it''d be a Champion.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    As I worried that what I, what we, have gone through the trouble of doing was hardly worthwhile, I''m told that the survivors were only a handful, and that it will take some time before they could gather the strength and numbers to fight once more, meaning that for now, this fortress will be safe.


    During the debriefing session with the commander, I informed him of our encounter with one of the [Demon]''s Champions atop the mountain ridges. The commander took note of that, saying that he''ll posts guards to watch their flanks in the future. I was a little worried since he didn''t seem too concerned about it, but he said that there''s only so much that can be done if the [Demons] came from that way, and that all he could do is prepare to receive them and hope that they never make it. However, he did note that it was good to know that there''s someone as crazy as me on the other side, and now they won''t be caught by surprise.


    "W-was it actually that crazy?"


    Thinking back, maybe it was, and most likely, I was only able to make it happen due to having Timothy to help us scale the steep slopes and [Heat Ward] to keep everyone warm. I wonder how the other Champion did it. Perhaps he found a [Demon] that''s good at climbing just like how we climbed with Timothy''s help? I guess I''ll never find out.


    The debriefing ends with one hell of a scolding for the princess and the soldiers who allowed her to tag along. It seem like the commander doesn''t know about it, and for the soldiers to do this behind the commander''s back, the princess must be quite well liked by the people. The scolding was so intense that even I was too terrified to step in, though I suppose that''s not saying very much. In the end, it was only due to the princess'' begging that the soldiers did not get court-martialed and were subjected to less severe punishments instead. All''s well that ends well, I suppose.


    After the debriefing, I returned to my quarters. It has been a long day, but before I rest, I decided to make use of the ink and paper I asked for earlier. There''s much I need to take note of. The various "lesson" I have learned on this battle, I need to remember them as well as the various things I must relearn, such as my skills and how they behave in this world. I''ll have to keep track of it all.


    *Knock* *Knock*


    In the middle of my writing, I hear a knocking upon my door.


    "Who is it?"


    "It''s Merida, Sir Aurelius."


    Merida, what does she want with me? Isn''t she usually with the princess? Perhaps the princess sent her.


    Without my thought, I went ahead and invited her in.


    "What is it?"


    "Yes... well, it''s about taking the princess without your knowledge."


    "What about it?"


    "Do you remember, back on the mountain, I said that I would accept any punishment you have for me, didn''t I?"


    "I vaguely recall it, but..."


    I mean, I doubt I would have won that fight with the Champion had it not been for the princess. So in the end, bringing her turns out to be the right choice after all. Though, I still think it''s risky to bring her. I mean, if anything happens to her, wouldn''t it be bad for the kingdom.


    "Everyone else was punished aside from me. That would not be fair."


    That''s right, since Merida is under the beck and call of the princess and not the commander of this fortress, her punishment was left for the princess to decide, and knowing the princess, she probably let her off.


    "Weren''t you just listening to the princess'' orders though?"


    "I was, but as a vassal, by all means I should have stopped her."


    "Then why didn''t you?"


    "She threatens to come after you on her own if I didn''t, and so in the end, I thought it''d be better for her to be with the rest of us than alone."


    "...... I suppose that kind of willfulness is typical."


    "Of course, I should have stopped her, one way or another I should have done so, but because of my incompetence, I''ve caused everyone trouble."


    "I wouldn''t say there''s much trouble. In fact, she even saved me. I couldn''t have beaten the enemy Champion without her."


    "Be as it may, I''ve still done something I shouldn''t have, and a promise is a promise. I will accept any punishment you see fit, Sir Aurelius."


    "Even if you say that..."


    I''m rather troubled. Even if she said to punish her, I don''t know a thing about what to do. No, actually, I have quite a few things in mind, and none of them are appropriate. Looking at her, her black hair and her pointy upright ears, I want to touch them, along with that bushy tail of hers. I''d like to caress it to my heart''s content. However, I cannot, that''s sexual harassment. But wait, didn''t I just technically receive permission? She said to punish her as I see fit didn''t I? Doesn''t that mean I get to touch her as much as I want?


    ...


    ......


    .........


    What the hell is wrong with me!? No, don''t tell me, now that my teenage hormones have awakened, my libido is on the rise as well? I guess it''s natural, now that I''m a growing boy again.


    "Hey Merida, why don''t you sit down?"


    I gestured towards the bed. For a moment, I can see Merida stiffening, but she offered no complaints.


    "So it has come to this then. I suspect it would be the case ever since you went ahead and stripped in front of the princess."


    "Ugh..."


    I had forgotten about that, or rather, I have been trying to forget about that. I thought I was in a game at the time and was just trying various things out. Never for a second did I think that I had been transported to another world, that I was standing in front of real people. Ever since then, people have been saying that the summoned hero is a deviant behind my back and the maids at the palace kept giving me weird looks.


    "Well, whatever."


    "Sir Aurelius?"


    I turned the chair at my desk towards the bed and sat down.


    "Merida, do you think that it''s possible for you to train me?"


    "Huh?"


    "After the previous fight, I realize how weak I actually am in a fight, so I thought some training would do me good. Also, I''d like to learn more about this world as well, and it''d be nice if someone could teach me about it."


    All this time, I was satisfied with my role as a Summoner/Enchanter, but after seeing how the enemy Champion fought, I realized that remaining as I am won''t do. I can''t just rely on the skills from Elysium Online. In this world, it should be possible for me to learn new skills outside of what the Summoner and Enchanter class provides, and I am going to have to learn them if I want to better my chances of survival.


    "So what do you think? Can you help me with that?"


    "O-oh, of course, though I can''t say it''s much of a punishment."


    "You''d think so, but I''m warning you, I am a slow learner. It''s going to be a torture to teach me."


    Merida chuckled. I don''t think I''ve seen her do that before as she tends to be rather stoic.


    "Very well then, I shall accept this ordeal. As for teaching you about this world, I''ll put your request through to the princess."


    "That would be much appreciated, thank you."


    "You''re always welcomed, Sir Aurelius. Now that''s settled, I should be returning to the princess."


    Merida then got up and headed for the door, and before she head out, she released a small sigh of relief.


    "What, were you expecting something else?"


    At my comment, her tail stood upright and rigid, and she turned towards me with a slight flush on her face.


    "It''s nothing! Good night!"


    And then she left. But oh my, I can''t believe I just went and teased her like that. I just had the urge out of nowhere. Is this some kind of youthful naughtiness? It''s good to be young again and all, but I best get my act together, the ability to suppress and control urges are what separates men and beasts after all. But what if you''re a Beastkin? Are they more beast than man, or the other way around? I suppose I''ll be finding out in time.


    ***


    End of Chapter 13

 Vol. 1, Chapter 14: Relearning and Retraining

    Three weeks, it has been three weeks since I arrived at this world, and ever since the fortress I have participated in many more battle though none were as large. Most of the battles fought since were small skirmishes here and there with [Demons] attacking remote villages and towns. Fortunately for me, I have not yet encountered any Champions in such battles as of late.


    In-between moving from one battle to another I''ve been taking notes on the notable skills and abilities I''ve brought over into this world from Elysium Online and how they behave in this new world. Additionally, I thought I should clarify it as much as possible what my classes do and what notable skills I have. Not that I need a reminder of it, but I might as well, as a refresher and in case someone picks it up in the future and requires the details.


    ***


    Summoner: A class that summons various creatures to fight on his or her behalf. Comes with various support skill exclusive to the summoned creatures but is otherwise lacking in skills outside of those and mainly relies upon summoned creatures to fight. In Elysium Online, a Summoner can only have one creature summoned at a time, but here, in Elgardia, there is no such limit. And while previously a Summoner must use the resource that is Sp (Summoning Points) to summon creature, in Elgardia, Mp (Magic Points) are used instead.


    Notable items...


    [Grimoire]: The main weapon class of the Summoner. By placing [contracts] into it, the Summoner may summon the creature the [contract] corresponds to.


    [Contracts]: Items with appearances of cards that can only be used by the Summoner. Through this, a Summoner may summon a creature the [contract] is obtained from. In Elysium Online, this item is obtainable through item drops from defeated opponents, but so far, the only things that have dropped from my enemies are their guts. It seems that [contracts], aside from the ones that came with me into this world, simply does not exist here.


    Notable skills...


    [Summoning]: This is the bread and butter of the Summoner for obvious reasons. This skill is used to summon creatures whose [contracts] have been obtained by the Summoner


    [Soul Bond]: A passive skill that allows the summoned creature to gain a stats boost based on the Summoner''s stats, allowing them to gain increased power as the Summoner Levels up.


    [Shared Senses]: A passive skill that let the Summoner be able to detect objects detected by thecreatures. In Elysium Online, the effects of this skill manifests as information on the map. In Elgardia however, it gives a vague sensation that something is around when the summoned creature detects them.


    [Blood Bond]: When a summoned creature''s Hp is low, the Summoner may use this skill to transfer his or her own Hp to replenish the creature''s.


    [Sacrifice]: This Skill allows the Summoner to replenish his own Hp by sacrificing one of his or her creatures, the amount of Hp restored is based on the creature''s own Hp.


    ***


    Enchanter: A class that specializes in crowd control and support spells, and though initially it seems like this class can''t output a whole lot of damage, with the right build, an Enchanter may be a devastating force all on its own.


    Notable items...


    Scepters: The main weapon class for Enchanters. It is supposedly for magical purposes, but a closer look reveals that it also has a fairly high physical attack stats. Looking at this makes me wonder if the developers secretly intended for the Enchanter to be an offensive class, especially since these "scepters" starts to look like maces once you start getting the higher Level ones.


    Notable skills...


    [Insight]: A passive skill that allows the Enchanter to see target stats, Levels, weaknesses, and resistances. In Elgardia, this skill behaves mostly the same, though sometimes it tends to bug out and screw up my vision. This apparently starts happening ever since I met that girl with horns. I intend to investigate this when I have some free time, if I even get free time that is.


    [Bind Circle]: An area of effect version of [Bind]. This spell creates a circle on the ground that inflicts a [Bind] status to all those caught within it. In Elgardia, it also affects allies caught in it as well, so extra caution must be had went using this spell.


    [Heat Ward]: A ward that creates a layer of heat around you and raises frost resistance. That''s all it does in Elysium Online, but here in Elgardia, it also keeps you warm.


    [Frost Ward]: A ward that creates and layer of frost around you and raises heat resistance. That''s all it does in Elysium Online, but here in Elgardia, it also keeps you cool.


    [Stone Ward]: A ward that creates a layer of stone around you and raises air resistance. That''s all it does in Elysium Online, but here in Elgardia, it also makes you heavier and slows you down, what with the layer of stone you have on you and all that. The layer of stone also serves as impromptu armor as well.


    [Air Ward]: A ward that creates a layer of whirling air around you raises earth resistance. That''s all it does in Elysium Online, but here in Elgardia, the whirlwind is strong enough to protect you from most projectiles, though projectiles with high enough velocity or mass may pierce it.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    [Intelligent Ward]: A passive skill that allows the [Ward] type skills to deal elemental damage in accordance with their own elements to enemies attacking in melee range. The effect will trigger when the enemy hits you, even if there is no damage. In Elgardia, the effect will trigger even if you block with a shield or a sword, those apparently still counts as being hit.


    [Heat Weapon]: A spell that enchants a weapon with [Heat] attributes. In Elgardia, it essentially covers the weapon in flames that is hot enough to melt through steel.


    [Frost Weapon]: A spell that enchants a weapon with [Frost] attributes. In Elgardia, it covers the weapon in a sheet of ice that freezes anything it comes into contact with.


    [Stone Weapon]: A spell that enchants a weapon with [Earth] attributes. In Elgardia, it covers the weapon in sharp and spiky stones and increases the weapon''s weight.


    [Air Weapon]: A spell that enchants a weapon with [Air] attributes. In Elgardia, it covers the weapon in a whirlwind of air that can easily bypass the enemy''s defense and slice into their flesh.


    [Greater Strength Boost]: The powered up version of [Strength Boost]. This spell increases the strength and attack power of all allies in range. In Elgardia, the spell literally increases the physical strength of the effected targets, which also increases their speed and allows them to leap great heights. Their bodies also become tougher, and increases resistance towards impact damage, but not so much piercing and cutting.


    [Greater Protection Boost]: The powered up version of [Protection Boost]. This spell increases the defense values of all allies in range. In Elgardia, this spell creates a layer of protective barrier over the effected target, protecting them from a certain amount of damage. It''s like a personal version of the [Mana Wall] spell.


    [Greater Magic Boost]: The powered up version of [Magic Boost]. This spell increases the magic power of all allies in range. There''s no observed difference between the spell seen in Elysium Online and its Elgardia counterpart.


    [Mana Wall]: Creates a protective barrier that disappears after taking on a certain amount of damage. No difference has been observed in this spell either.


    [Feather Weight]: Makes the target of the spell neigh weightless. In Elysium Online, it reduces the total weight of a character. In Elgardia, it behaves similarly, but due to the difference in how the concept of weight in treated here, the effects are far more practical, though in exchange, the cost to cast it is dramatically higher than its Elysium Online counterpart.


    ***


    These are the notes I''ve made on the various things I''ve discovered thus far. There''s still much to learn but the ongoing [Demon] invasion had kept me busy, both that and the training I''ve been getting from Merida that is.


    "Sir Aurelius, if you''re ready..."


    "More or less, I suppose."


    At the moment, I''m camped at the side of the road with the rest of the unit. We''re returning from an extermination mission against [Demons] camped near the northern borders. With some time to spare before dinner, Merida came and called me out for a sparring session.


    When we spar, Merida insists that we use real swords, said that it''s better that I get used to both wielding one and having to face one. Admittedly, it''s scary as hell, not just from knowing that you''re against a real sword, but the clashing of steel, the sound it makes, the vibration sent into your hand, it all conveyed a sense of my life being at risk to me. Granted, once I gradually got used to it, things get easier, but getting over it was just the first step, half a step even. I still need to learn how to properly wield it.


    "Come on! Your footwork is sloppy!"


    *Clang*


    "Your swing is too wide!"


    *Clink*


    "Put you back into it!"


    *Clank*


    "You''re too careless!"


    In a moment of carelessness, I let Merida slip through my guard, and by the end of it I could feel the steel against my neck, the cold contrasting against the burning sensation from the cuts all over my body. Despite my best efforts, I couldn''t come close to defending myself against Merida, much less put up a good fight against her.


    "Still too clumsy... You won''t to be able to actually fight in battle and expect to survive at this rate. If you don''t improve soon, that sword will only be wasted on you."


    In my hand, I hold the black shortsword left behind by the [Demon] Champion from that battle atop the mountain. Since they were high quality pieces of equipments, we decided to bring it back with us, both the shortswords and the greatsword, which weren''t too difficult to transport down the mountain as we had the princess cast [Feather Weight] on it.


    As I have a hand in defeating the Champion, one of the shortswords were granted to me, while the other one was given to Merida by the princess. As for the greatsword, no one was able to properly wield it, and so it was given to the blacksmiths to reforge. I wonder how it''ll turn out.


    "I suppose that''s enough for today. Come, Sir Aurelius, I''ll heal you."


    "Oh, you can use healing magic?"


    "Only enough for first aid, all soldiers learn it. However, since we have your angel for support, we hadn''t needed it much recently."


    By "we", she meant this unit formed specially to fight alongside their Champion, which would be me at the moment. The guys from the mountain as well are here and I''ve took the opportunity to finally learn their names, which I neglected to ask last time. They are Arnaud, Cecil, and Titus. We hang out from time to time.


    I sat down on some grass and let Merida begin her healing. She wasn''t wrong about it being only enough for first aid, the healing process was slow and the itching from the slowly mending wounds was hardly bearable. Many times, I tried to scratch those wounds only to have by hand slapped away by Merida. "If you scratch, it''ll only take longer," she said.


    "There, I believe that''s mostly done."


    "Thanks."


    "There''s no problem, the princess have entrusted your care to me after all."


    "I still can''t believe she listed herself as a member when this unit was formed."


    "We had to argue very hard to get her to rescind that didn''t we?"


    "Her bravery is admirable, but she needs to know that there''s something she should leave to others."


    "Perhaps she may not have been so concerned if a certain Champion of ours has proved more reliable, yes?"


    "Ugh..."


    Merida started laughing. When we first met, I thought Merida was someone that''s serious and stoic all the time, but it turns out, she''s someone who laughs just as often as anyone else. I suppose back then, she simply didn''t know what to think about me, and was very concern about how careless the princess was when it came to approaching me. However, now that we''ve gotten to know each other, she had let her guard down considerably.


    "No worries, Sir Aurelius, I was only jesting. You may take your time. There''s nothing you can do to rush this after all. In fact, if you start to take shortcuts, you would only do yourself harm in the long run."


    "I intend to do this properly. Taking shortcuts is the farthest thing on my mind."


    The road ahead is going to be long after all. If all I can think about is trying to get there as soon as possible, I''ll never make it. If I rush, I''ll only make more mistakes and set myself back further and further. I can only go at this slowly and steadily, that''s how you win the race.


    ***


    End of Chapter 14

 Vol. 1, Chapter 15: A Moment of Respite

    Day and night, whenever there''s free time, I was made to train. Merida trained me as if she was training a soldier, making me jog for long distances at a time, making me do pushups till I can count no more, and of course, who can forget the sparring sessions she springs on me every time I seem to be free. Her training regiment is harsh, but even I understood that they were necessary to make me suitable for combat.


    In Elysium Online, there are five stats: Str (Strength), Dex (Dexterity), Per (Perception), Vit (Vitality), and Mag (Magic). The stats a character may have are depended on the combination of the main class and subclass and so by changing classes, the stats would change as well. As a Summoner/Enchanter, the stat with the highest number is of course, magic. In strength and dexterity I''m highly lacking, while perception and vitality are considered average. However, ever since I began training with Merida, my strength, dexterity, and vitality have began to rise, which is something that hardly ever happens when Leveling the Summoner and Enchanter class. Though, in spite of the increase of my stats, my Level remains the same. It''s like I have received buffs, I can even see the timers of when they would wear off. In other words, it is like real life. If I train daily I''ll be able to build and maintain my muscles, but if I slack off for long enough, they''ll start to decline.


    At any rate, though the training may be hard, if I keep this up, I should have the stats about equal to that of a Level 30 warrior in no time.


    *Clank*


    My sword was sent flying by a strong parry, and before I realized, a blade was held against my neck.


    "What''s wrong? You seem rather distracted."


    "Sorry, I was lost in thoughts for a little bit. I have no excuse."


    Merida sighed, looking rather disappointed. I guess I would too if I took my time to teach someone only for them to not pay attention when I am teaching.


    "It won''t happen again. Now, where were we?"


    "No, that''s enough for today. Go rest, Aurelius."


    It seems like I''ve made her mad. I suppose I''ll have to redouble my efforts tomorrow if I want to win back her favor, or so I would like to say, but I''m having trouble keeping up as it is with Merida sparing no effort in wringing everything thing out of me to make me ready for battle. A part of me is grateful to her because I would never have enough will power to make myself go through this, but another part of me can only pray for this hell to end.


    ***


    After taking a bath, I collapsed on top of my bed, though, while I call it mine, I have very few memories of actually sleeping on it, mostly due to me having to constantly move from one battle to another and having very few opportunities of returning to the palace.


    "Oh, I want to just sink into this fluffiness and let slumber embrace me, but I can''t! If I sleep now I won''t be able to sleep tonight, and if I don''t sleep tonight, Merida will get mad at me for oversleeping. What a dilemma! What a conundrum!"


    "What''s a dilemma?"


    "Whoa!"


    Without my notice, the princess had apparently entered my room.


    "Princess, what are you doing here? And please, can''t you at least knock?"


    "I was about to, but then I heard some screaming and yelling all of a sudden, and I thought something might have happened."


    "No, that... that was just me venting."


    My face must be rather red now. I didn''t expect anyone to hear that. Was I that loud?


    "Was Merida''s training too hard?"


    "Well, no... Actually, yes, it is in fact quite hard, but I imagine everyone had gone through the same."


    "That''s true, but if it''s too hard for you then it''s fine to say so. If you push yourself more than you can handle you might end up breaking."


    This is something I''ve noticed, that the princess sometimes treat me rather delicately. At first I thought that she''s like that with everyone, but according to Merida, while she is in fact like that with everyone, she pays special attention towards me. I wonder if my youthful appearance is making her feel protective towards me.


    "I don''t want to hear that from you, princess. You''re plenty reckless yourself."


    "Ah, but in the end it all worked out fine didn''t it?"A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "It''s not going to work out fine all the time, princess."


    "I know, but I am responsible for you. If anything were to happen to you, I-... It would be a great lose for this kingdom."


    "Don''t worry about it. I have Merida with me, don''t I?"


    "That''s true. Also, now that I think about it, you two are getting rather close aren''t you?"


    "Are we? Well, I guess we are. We did spend a lot of time together these days after all."


    "She even dropped the ''Sir'' and simply called you Aurelius."


    What''s this? Is she pouting? It doesn''t look like she''s pouting but somehow it feels like she is. I wonder if she''s jealous that I''m taking Merida away from her. I mean, they''re always together up till now, but since Merida is occupied with me, she now has less time with the princess. Or is the princess jealous of Merida now they she''s closer with me? Nah, can''t be. I mean, what have I ever done to warrant such attention? There''s just that one time I leapt in front of her and to protect her from the [Demon], and there''s that other time when we defeated the [Demon] Champion together, but other than those, I can''t quite recall doing anything special with her...


    ...


    ......


    .........


    "Sir Aurelius?"


    "Oh, yes, about that, I don''t particularly mind if you drop the ''Sir'' you know."


    "Is that so? Then I suppose I''ll call you Aurelius as well from now on."


    "Please do, I prefer it that way."


    So which is it, is she jealous of me, or Merida? She seems happy to be able to just call me by name, but that could be just "normal" happy and not so much "especially" happy. I wonder if I should ask her, but then again if I ask at the wrong time, she may not give me the truth. I''m going to need to create an appropriate atmosphere for such a conversation, one that is less casual and more intimate. The question is, how? How am I going to do that? I''ll just have to follow my guts, that''s how. I''m not good at making conversations anyways, much less leading it. I''ll just keep talking and keep an eye out for my chances.


    "Anyways, why did you come looking for me in the first place, is there something you need?"


    "Ah, the thing is Merida mentioned that you looked rather tired and that perhaps she was too harsh in her training, so she asked if I would like to take you around the city for a breather."


    "Is that fine? Don''t you have your own businesses to take care of?"


    "It''s completely fine. I''ve been meaning to take you around for a while now. It''d be rather sad to make you protect a place you''ve never even seen before, wouldn''t it?"


    "I guess so."


    "Then it''s settled then! Shall we go now or later?"


    The princess seems very excited now, with her ears all perked up and her tails swaying left and right. Makes me want to cuddle her and feel her all over, which, I''m sure, would lead me straight into the dungeons if I actually give into the impulse.


    "Now would be good, we wouldn''t want to be out too late."


    If I stick around my room, I''m sure that I''d be tempted to lay on my bed again, and if I do that, I''ll definitely fall asleep and won''t wake up till nightfall. Better to catch some fresh air, I''m sure I''ll feel more awake once I''m moving about outside.


    ***


    Perhaps it''s the blood of the beast flowing within, perhaps it''s the bestial culture and traditions, but when walking around town, it seems that the thing the princess most want to do is eat. We''d go from one eatery to the next, ordering snacks and various bite-size food. With food being the basis of survival, I''m sure that a town full of eateries and food stalls would be considered a paradise for the Beastkins. Still, I''m a little worried about the rate the princess is going. It does not seem healthy to eat like this.


    "Um, princess, don''t you think you''re eating a little too much?"


    "What are you saying? For once I''m in town without a guard, so I''m going to eat to my heart''s content."


    So it seems like I am not considered as a guard. Looks like Merida''s words ring true, I am in fact seen as unreliable.


    "I understand that you want to let loose once and a while, but let''s not do it behind Merida''s back. She''ll kill me if she finds out."


    "It''s fine, it''s fine, just enjoy yourself, Sir- I mean, Aurelius."


    She stuffs something into my mouth as we speak, a miniature sandwich, with what appears to be cheese and ham. I wonder what a pig-like Beastkin would feel about this. Could this be considered cannibalism? I mean, it''s not like humans consider monkeys as the same as themselves, but we don''t exactly feel comfortable eating them, at least not in most parts of the world as far as I know. I wonder if I should ask, but I don''t want to make this weird either.


    "Aurelius?"


    "Hm? What''s up?"


    "Are you not enjoying yourself?"


    "That''s not true, I''m having plenty of fun."


    I mean, it''s mostly eating but the food is certainly good. There''s nothing to complain about that.


    "Are you sure, I mean, all we''ve been doing what I want to do."


    "Well, I was the one who said I''ll defer to you after all. Besides, you''re the princess here, right? Just do what you want, that''s what you always do anyways."


    "T-that''s not true! I just wanted to help the best way I can, that''s all. I mean, unlike the rest of my siblings, I''m not good at politics. All I have is my magic, so I''d much rather be fighting by your side than sit around and do nothing."


    No good at politics, huh. Usually, if someone says that they''re not good at something, I''d tell them that they could learn, but sometimes, you just don''t get what you don''t get. Sometimes, you''re just not cut out for something and no amount of studying will help. Even so, Aurelia is the princess, the sole remainder of her line in fact. If she doesn''t do it, no one can take her place, not unless someone drastically changes the ruling system here, and that''s something that never goes smoothly from the get go, and in a time when the world is just one step away from destruction, can the kingdom survive such a shakeup? I wouldn''t bet on it, not me.


    What can I do? What can I tell her? I''m nothing special, and I don''t come from a background that grants me some specialized knowledge on anything that could be of use. I''m just a game tester after all. Even so, when I see this girl in front of me being sad and down, I want to do something.


    "Aurelius."


    I feel my hand being grasped in hers, her small but warm hands. Her eyes were turned up towards me, looking at me with concern. I guess I must have made a troubled face while I was in thought. Even though I was thinking of how to be of help, in the end, I was the one being helped.


    "Aurelius, I know you''ve tagged along with me all day, but would you come with me to one last spot?"


    I make a smile. How can I refuse such a cute girl?


    "I don''t see why not. I''ve been hanging out with you all day after all, might as well go all the way."


    ***


    End of Chapter 15

 Vol. 1, Chapter 16: For Bringing Me into This Hopeless World, I Thank You

    Following the princess, I was led to a wide meadow filled with wild grasses and flowers. In the middle of it all, a large tree stands tall. The princess walks up to the tree, gazing upon it with longing and melancholia.


    "One of my siblings, my eldest sister planted this tree. She went to fight against the [Demons] soon after she planted it, said she''ll be back by the time this tree has grown. She never did. Still, I quite like this place. It''s all very calming is it not? The lush field, the blue sky, makes you think that the end of the world is all but a lie doesn''t it?"


    "I''m more of a riverside person, but yes, this place is rather calming."


    The princess then sat down beneath the shade as a gentle breeze brushed by, sending her silky golden hair fluttering about at just the right angle to create a scene right out of a painting. She smiles as her droopy ears twitch slightly at the breeze, making it so that I have a difficult time taking my eyes off her.


    Waving her hand, she beacons towards me to come over, though something about it makes me rather shy. Perhaps it''s her tender gaze, perhaps it''s her gentle smile, or perhaps it''s because she''s patting her lap as she''s calling me over. I can''t say that I don''t like where this is going, but then again, I don''t think I''ll be able to handle it. When was the last time I got so close to another person anyways?


    At my back, I felt a slight nudge pushing me forward. I turn to see Merida behind me. I called her here because the princess suggested that we head out of town for a bit. I''m sure she would have been angry if we went beyond the safety of the city walls without telling her, and though I''m trusted with the princess within the walls, outside of it is another issue all together. After all, too many things can go wrong outside and help is simply too far away to reach.


    "Feel free to relax, I''ll stand guard here."


    "Hold on, just give me a second."


    From my grimoire, I drew out a [contract] and through it I summoned Timothy, the [Snow Liger], into this field.


    "I''d feel bad if I made you do all of this by yourself. Let Timothy here be of help to you."


    "Much appreciated, I''m sure Timothy will be of great help."


    With that, I head off towards the princess, who had been waiting patiently, smiling as I approach her.


    "Come lay your head here."


    "I... I''m good."


    "Come now, don''t be shy."


    With "reluctance", I eventually laid my head upon her lap. It was nice and soft with just enough springiness. These are muscles build from constantly walking from one place to another. The princess is apparently a busy person if these fine thigh muscles are of any indication.


    "So, now what?"


    "Hm? What do you mean?"


    "I mean, now that I''m lying here, what do we do next?"


    "Don''t you worry about anything, Aurelius, just shut your eyes and rest. You''re tired, aren''t you?"


    I feel the fatigue sinking in as I lay there, the temptation of just letting her spoil me slowly taking over. When was the last time I get to experienced being spoiled like this? Must have been a lifetime ago. However, as my eyes meet the gaze gently looking down upon me, there a thought I can''t quite shake away starts to form, it is in regards to something that has been bothering me for a while now.


    "You sure go out of your way awfully often to take care of me, don''t you, princess?"


    "Well of course, you''re my kingdom''s savior after all. As the princess of this kingdom, your health is my priority."


    The reason is sound enough, but still, I can''t quite shake off the feeling that there''s something behind her gentle gaze. I wonder if I should bring it up.


    "What''s wrong? Are you still not convinced?"


    Frankly, I can''t say I am.


    "Princess."


    "Yes?"


    "It''s just that sometimes, you seem apprehensive of me, I feel like you''re always going out of your way to placate me one way or another."


    "And why shouldn''t I? I''m doing such an awful thing as to drag a stranger into this world to fight for my behalf. Of course I must do everything I can to satisfy you, to make up for what I''ve done, don''t I?"


    She''s not wrong, not at all. I should accept this all gladly as my just reward for all the hard work I''ve put in, no? Yet, why am I not happy about this? I''m not glad at all for receiving such a reward. In fact, it only makes me feel bad. Why is that?Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    The answer is upon the princess'' face, the melancholia and the guilt displayed upon her expression is clear. Yet, this is a guilt that she must bear, for this world, for her kingdom. Back in the mountain, she said that she doesn''t wish to summon another Champion to take my place, that she doesn''t want to drag another innocent soul into this battle for a world on the verge of destruction. But, in spite of not wanting to, I''m sure she will. She will once more summon another Champion should I be unwilling or unable to fight. For her kingdom and for this world, that is the sin she will have to bear.


    How can I be glad to receive a reward when someone who has done far more than me, who bears a burden far heavier than mine, is left to suffer? How can I let myself be pampered by the princess when she is the one who has done so much more than I have?


    From her lap, I got up, and I sat while facing her.


    "Aurelius!? Is something the matter?"


    "I... I was not exactly happy that I was dragged into this world."


    Upon my words, the princess frowned, as if she was afraid that this moment would come.


    "... I know."


    "But you know what, I think it''s about time I get over it."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I mean, it''s not so bad here. The weather is nice, and the food''s delicious. And most of all, I''m quite glad for this body I received. It''s like I''ve received a chance to do over my life. You see princess, in my old world, I have plenty of regrets, thing I wished would have gone differently, thing I wished I had gone about doing in a different way, but it was far too late for me to change any of that. However, being here, in this body, it feels like I have another chance, another shot at this. And sure, the world isn''t exactly in the best shape, but even so, I want to live it out. It''s all thanks to you summoning me here, that I got to experience all of this. So I thank you, princess, for summoning me."


    For several moments, the princess remains silent, as if this had gone so much differently than she had anticipated.


    "Princess?"


    "I... I am very sorry, for what I''ve done to you."


    "You said that already, and like I said, I''m over it, I have no intention of mulling over it forever. Not to mention, I''m starting to like this world, and I feel like protecting it, not because anyone forced me to, but because I want to of my own free will. No matter what happens from now on, I won''t blame you for any of this, I promise."


    "Aurelius... Thank you, for telling me this. I was worried for so long, even though I said you don''t have to fight, I was worried what I am supposed to do if you suddenly say that you don''t want to fight anymore. I wasn''t lying when I said you''re my kingdom''s last hope you know."


    "You''re welcomed. With that said, you should take it a little easier on yourself from now on."


    "Take it easier?"


    "You''re trying too hard to be useful, is what I''m saying. You''re the one who said it, right, that I should take things at my own pace, otherwise I''ll end up breaking down. Per haps you should practice what you preach, Your Highness.


    "...... I suppose you''re right."


    The princess then proceeds to lie down on my lap instead, and though the sensation of her soft hair somehow felt ticklish on my thighs, I made an effort to hold it in.


    "You lap''s nice and hard."


    "Do you like your pillows tough?"


    "I suppose I prefer them to be on the tougher side, yes. What about you, Aurelius, do you like them soft or hard?"


    "I''m somewhere in the middle, not too soft or too hard, leaning more to the softer side."


    "I see. And how did you like my lap?"


    "Huh? That''s a rather strange question."


    "I suppose, but won''t you answer it for me, it''d like to know."


    "What kind of weirdo wants to know how their lap feels to someone else?"


    "Did you just call me a weirdo?"


    The princess pinched the side of my thigh, it did little damage.


    "Well, for your reference, I found it to be rather comfortable. The size and the bounce were just right."


    "Hmph, glad to know you enjoyed them."


    "What''s this? You''re not actually mad at such a little thing, are you?"


    "Sure I''m mad, is a princess not allowed to be angry at a little thing?"


    "I think it''s hardly appropriate and not very wise."


    "Yes, Aurelius, it is very foolish to lose to one''s temper over a little thing, and it''s especially inappropriate for a ruler of a kingdom to do so. However, you said it earlier, that I should take it easier on myself. So at least for now, while we''re on a break, won''t you let me be spoiled?"


    What''s this? The princess seems to be in a mischievous mood all of a sudden. Was it something I said?


    "What''s this all of a sudden? I don''t think I''ve seen you act like this before?"


    "Oh how should I put it? It feels like a heavy weight had been lifted off me. All of a sudden, it feels like things aren''t so hopeless after all."


    "Hey, let''s not get ahead of ourselves, there''s still a long way to go before this kingdom is saved."


    "I know. But still, let me have this moment, especially since I''m sure that there''s plenty of hardships ahead, let me pretend, at least for these few moments, that everything is going to be alright."


    "If you say so. Now just relax and rest, princess."


    Gently, I caress her hair as she quickly fell asleep. She must have been tired, apparently much more than I am. I am suspecting that when Merida asked the princess to take me out for a breather, she was actually using me as a bait to make the princess herself rest. What a devious tactician you are Merida, as expected of my trainer. I look forward to learning from thee in the future.


    ***


    As the sun was setting and it came time to return, the princess had to be woken up and helped onto the carriage, where she continued to sleep. And once she returned to the palace, she quickly took a bath, skipped dinner altogether and went straight to bed. Clearly, she was very tired and hasn''t had a proper rest for a long time now. But now it looks like she can properly sleep tonight.


    "You''ve lifted a great burden from her today, Aurelius."


    "I didn''t do all that much. All I said is that I want to fight for this world."


    "Those words are comfort enough for the princess. She has been feeling very guilty for your involvement with this world, and very much worried that you may abandon us at a moment''s notice."


    "Well that''s fine and all, but her troubles aren''t exactly ending anytime soon."


    "And I''ll be there by her side when they come, as will you, won''t you, Champion?"


    "I intent to, yes."


    "Both the princess and I, we''ll be counting on you. Which is why I''ll be working you extra hard starting tomorrow."


    "Laying on the pressure already, are you?"


    I shrugged and resigned myself to my fate. If I am to survive the coming battles, much less save this world, I''m going to have to become much tougher. At the very least, I can''t be a weakness for the others during battles.


    With such a thought in mind, I took a bath and went to bed, preparing myself for the new day.


    ***


    End of Chapter 16

 Vol. 2, Chapter 17: At Last, We Meet Again

    "Aurelius! Aurelius! Wake up!"


    The news came in the morning and the princess herself came barging into my room to deliver it. It would seem that towards the western frontlines of the kingdom, a group of Champions had been sighted.


    Upon receiving the news, I immediately got out of bed and quickly washed up. The training that day was canceled as I was told to immediately head over to meet with these new Champions, not only because they might be my guildmates, but it was also important that I secure their cooperation with the kingdom. To tell them to fight for the kingdom''s sake is complicated business, and for a moment I contemplated not going. I mean, if they figured out that this world is on the verge of destruction and has the intention of helping, wouldn''t they make their own way towards the capital? However, while I hesitated, it appears that the princess has every intention of going, the princess who was responsible for dragging them into this world in the first place. With a feeling of ill foreboding, I decided to tag along.


    "Are you intending to tell them?"


    "That I was the one who summoned them here? I must. If I am to ask them to fight on this kingdom''s behalf, then they must know the truth."


    "And if they don''t take it well?"


    "Then so be it, I am prepare to face the consequences of my actions."


    "Or, perhaps you could just not tell them."


    "In time, they will find out, and when they know that they have been deceived, their resentment with only be stronger."


    "Yes, you''re right. I suppose it''s best to deal with it now than later."


    Right now, on my way to the western front, I am very nervous, nervous about how the others would react when they learn that it was the princess who had dragged them into this mess. Yet, princess seems to be calm. Even though she will be the one to take the brunt of their anger, she appears to be hardly shaken. Or is she? Usually she''s a lot chattier when we sit together, but right now she stares into the distance with her droopy ears tense and drawn backwards.


    I reach out for her hand, surprising her greatly and causing her to jump at my touch.


    "Aurelius?"


    She turns towards me with a look of wonder mix with expectation. I feel that she wants something from me, hoping for something. What is it that I can do? What exactly can I offer? Not much, that''s for sure, but even so, I recall that short time we spent in that meadow, under that tree her sister had planted. That time, she seemed genuinely glad. What was it that had her so glad? I hardly did anything substantial. All I did was said that I wish to fight, that I was glad to be here in spite of everything, and that I would not blame her for any of this. Mere words, really, and I am not someone who puts much faith in words. Of course, I have every intention of keeping my promise, though I could never know if that will change in the future. Words bind me to nothing after all. Even so... even so... right here, right now, I want to do something for her.


    "Princess... please listen."


    "Yes, Aurelius?"


    "No matter what happens, I''ll be on your side. Even if everyone blames you, I will not."


    Tightly, she squeezes my hand in hers and lowers her head, as if both thanking me and hiding her face from m sight.


    "Thank you, Aurelius. Thank you so much..."


    Her voice is nasal and her shoulders are trembling, but her hands hold on tightly onto mine nonetheless.


    I suppose she was scared after all. How could she not be, when she''s about to possibly face the wrath of those several times more powerful than her, those that could probably tear her apart with ease should they wish it. Of course, I have no intention of letting that happen. What kind of Champion would I be if I let the princess of the kingdom I am defending be harmed on my watch?


    ***


    It took about half a day to reach the western front by carriage. Apparently every location within the kingdom is reachable within a day now with everything beyond tainted by the [Corruption], all except for the southern lands due to it being highlands bordering rough waters. With the raging sea and the tall cliffs as natural barriers, all attempts by the [Demons] to approach form the south had been repelled without anyone lifting a single finger.


    With the southern ends guarded, the kingdom of the Beastkins need only to worry about the north, east, and west, and from what I''ve heard, the west has been facing a difficult situation for a while now. The [Demons] approaching from the west aren''t very strong nor are they very intelligent, acting more akin to animals than beings with sapience. However, the [Demons] aren''t the main issue of the western front. Rather, their biggest problem is the ever expanding forest, gradually devouring grounds with its growth and pushing the line back slowly but steadily.


    The forest used to belong to the Faefolks residing in their lands to the west, but now, due to the [Corruption], even the forest had gained the [Demon] attribute, and now acts with malevolence towards all that is un[Corrupted] by gradually expanding and devouring them, bringing [Corruption] to all that is caught within its verdant belly.


    At the moment, the base of operations on the western frontlines is situated in a small farming village that used to have nothing much to see, but is now fortified by walls and fences of sturdy logs and soldiers can be seen coming and going. Temporary housings and tents have also been set up for the soldiers, assembled from cheap locally acquired materials and ready to be abandoned at a moment''s notice. It is at this camp did we meet with the commander of this garrison.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Your Highness!? We weren''t expecting you. Had you sent a message ahead we would have properly received you if nothing else."


    "No need, commander, I''m sure you have more pressing task at hand to attend to."


    "Pardon me, but am I right to presume that you''re here for the newly arrived Champions?"


    "Yes, you are quite correct commander, but before I meet with them, tell me, how did you encounter them?"


    The commander starts reciting the events. Apparently, in the middle of the night two nights ago, the [Demons] from the forest launched an assault and managed to break through the fortifications via weaknesses in-between the fences.


    Of course, it was hardly the garrison''s fault that the weaknesses are present, as the farmlands are wide and it was difficult to cover each and every corner. It was not as if they could abandon them either, as they were the livelihood of the farmers here, and they would get very anxious if the product of their blood and sweat were to be forsaken, and the soldiers may risk a having a revolt on their hands.


    Usually, [Demons] sneaking in were hardly a problem, as they were rather weak and can be easily defeated even by a common guard. However, that night, the [Demons] were oddly intelligent, and they poured in through not one or two, but all of the weaknesses within the fortification, and though individually they were not strong, in great numbers, they can be highly dangerous. That night, a [Demon] must have knocked over a brazier as well, since a fire had spread during the attack, sending smokes and embers up into the night sky as well as the screams and cries of the villages and soldiers being slaughtered left and right. However, right then, perhaps because they saw the fire, or perhaps they heard the screams, three individuals climbed right over the wooden walls and into the village. Without being prompted, they began slaughtering the [Demons], cutting through them by the numbers and felling them like grass before a scythe. It was an awe-inspiring sight and the moment the commander laid his eyes upon them, he knew that these must be the Champions the princess had called upon.


    "Have you told them yet, that they have been summoned?"


    "No, not directly at least. When I asked them whether or not Your Highness had sent them, they appear to be confused, and so I dropped the matter and decided to inform you of their presence while I await your instructions. I hope that was wise."


    "Yes, I believe that was indeed wise. Thank you commander, may I meet with the Champions now?"


    "Of course, let me show you the way."


    The commander shows us towards a large tent set in the middle of the camp, it appears that whoever these Champions are, they have been considered to be rather important.


    "Champions, the Royal Highness, Princess Aurelia has come to meet you! I request that you come and greet her!"


    However, there are no replies nor are there any movements that can be heard from within the tent.


    "How odd, could they have left the camp?"


    The commander stopped a passing soldier and asked whether if he had seen the Champions or not, and apparently, two of them have been seen leaving their tent just moments ago.


    "And the other one?"


    "Haven''t seen her all day, sir. Perhaps she is still in the tent?"


    Once more, the commander called out into the tent. Again, there was no reply.


    "Aurelius, can you go and check?"


    "Guess I''ll have to. Hopefully it''s someone I know or this will be awkward."


    At the princess'' behest, I sneak a peak into the tent. The interior of it seems to be divided into two separate sections via a makeshift curtain hung from the tent''s ceiling. With the curtains in the way, I can hardly see much form the entrance, and so I make my way further inside. Upon entering, my ears begin to pick up the faintest sound, something akin to breathing, but louder. It is the sound snoring. Someone here is sleeping in the middle of the day.


    My hand reach out and carefully move the curtain aside, and there, beyond the curtains, I find her, sleeping on top of linen beddings, a young woman with long and flowing hair of pale gold, her impossibly flawless porcelain skin all too visible in her loose fitting shirt. She is the one known as xXx_GodSlayer_xXx, the guild master of the SlayerZ guild.


    "Thank goodness..."


    I feel my eyes tearing up. Sure, she was just a player I know online, but she''s been helping me along in Elysium Online since very early on, when I still have much to learn, and eventually eased me into joining her guild. As far as I know, she was a person with a great amount of patience and care, and she was a good friend.


    "...hmm...?"


    Apparently having sensed my presence, she starts to stir in her sleep.


    "Guild master, hey guild master."


    Gently I shake her, and she responds by drowsily opening her surreal crimson eyes.


    "Hmm? Who dat?"


    "It''s Aurelius. You know, the Summoner from your guild?"


    "Auri... Aurelius...? Hmm..."


    And she falls back to sleep, or so I thought, but then suddenly she spring up from her makeshift bed.


    "Aurelius!?"


    "Morning, guild master. You know, it''s not good for your back to just spring up like that."


    However, she isn''t listening, and instead she reaches out and starts pulling on my cheeks.


    "Oh my god, you''re actually here! I can''t believe it!"


    "Yesh, I''m heer, so pleash, just let meh goo."


    Since her main class is Knight and her subclass is Warrior, her strength stats was high and it was difficult to pry her hands off me, not to mention it hurts like hell. It hurt so much I can see my Hp slowly depleting.


    "Aurelius, is everything alright!?"


    The princess calls from outside. From her voice, she sounds worried, either due to the commotion or that I''m taking so long.


    After slapping xXx_GodSlayer_xXx''s arm a few times, she eventually let me go, though I can feel my cheeks swelling by the time. I''ll have to get the princess to apply healing later.


    "So whatcha been up to?"


    "A lot actually, but we can chat latter, right now there''s a person I want you to meet."


    "Oh wow, to think you''re actually introducing someone to me, usually it''s the other way around."


    "Yes, I reali-"


    "You know, because you''re bad at making friends."


    Ah... poking fun at me right out of the bat, I missed this, sort of. It feels like ages ago since I''ve had a conversation with her.


    "Yes well, this person is important so we shouldn''t keep her waiting."


    "Sure thing, just give me a second."


    And immediately, she starts changing right in front of me.


    "Whoa whoa, hold on a second. At least let me turn around first."


    "Oh who cares, it''s just an avatar anyways."


    "You do realize this isn''t a game right?"


    "After everything I''ve seen, it more than sunk in that this isn''t a game, but I just don''t feel like this is my actual body, you know. It''s like, so much different and just doesn''t feel like, well, me."


    "If you say so......"


    Speaking of, it makes me wonder if xXx_GodSlayer_xXx is a guy or a girl in the other world. If I was a betting man, I''m putting my money on her being a guy.


    "Alright, now let''s go meet with this important person of yours."


    "Yes... let''s."


    It is a happy thing that we are able to meet again like this, with the both of us alive and relatively well. However, I cannot help but feel dread over things to come. How will she react to what the princess is going to tell her? How will the other two react? Will they become my allies, or will I have to face them as enemies? At this point, I can only pray that everything goes well, or at least, that it doesn''t come to its worst conclusion.


    ***


    End of Chapter 17

 Vol. 2, Chapter 18: We Call Her Cecilia Now

    After xXx_GodSlayer_xXx has been woken up and brought out of the tent, she was greeted by the princess and was subsequently taken to the tent used as a war room. There, the princess explained everything to her.


    "I see, so you''re the one who summoned us."


    "That is correct, Lady Cecilia, I have summoned you here to fight against the [Demon] horde."


    On a side note, here in Elgardia, xXx_GodSlayer_xXx calls herself Cecilia rather than GodSlayer, which makes things much easier for everyone involved.


    "Yes, I''ve heard about the situation. Your world is in quite a dire state isn''t it?"


    "It is indeed. If nothing is done, our world will surely perish, and that is why we need your strength, the strength of Champions such as yourself. For the sake of this world, I beg of your assistance, and in return I shall grant you anything you wish for."


    The princess bows her head low towards Cecilia, formerly known as xXx_GodSlayer_xXx, socking pretty much everyone present within the room aside from Cecilia and myself with the humbling gesture.


    "I understand. You can count on me, Your Highness."


    Surprised, the princess raises her head and stares blankly towards Cecilia, wondering if she had heard right. She was not expecting things to go so smoothly.


    "Are you sure? You could die, you know."


    The one who brought that up was me, and though I said I''d be on the princess'' side, I also don''t want a friend to stupidly throw their life away without a second thought.


    "Yes, I''m sure."


    "You''re aware that this isn''t a game, right?"


    "Of course, and that is precisely why."


    "What?"


    "This is reality, Aurelius, complaining won''t get us anywhere and it most definitely won''t get us home. The only reasonably thing we can do is to try and solve the problem."


    I''ve thought about it before, about how mature Cecilia was even back in Elysium Online, so much so that it puts the sixty-odd years old me to shame. Is this experience gained from running the guild, or is her maturity what allows her to run the guild so well in the first place? Or perhaps she''s actually older than I am. Is she actually a super old dude playing as a cute girl? I shudder at the thought of actually finding out as I gaze upon the beauty that is the avatar now called Cecilia. The contrast does not paint a pretty picture.


    "Princess, you''re the one who summoned us here, right? Will you return us home once this whole thing is over?"


    "I will do all I can to find a way."


    "So you don''t know how?"


    "I am afraid so. Even the summoning rituals we used to call upon you were something we have replicated from ancient records and are something we currently have no full grasp on."


    "I see... But you''ll find a way, right?"


    "The royal scholars and mages are looking into it as we speak."


    "Good, but if you dare go back on your words, after the [Demons], you''re going to have us to deal with instead. Understand?"


    "Of course, Lady Cecilia."


    The atmosphere was tense while the princess and Cecilia went back and forth with their conversation. The princess did excellently as she calmly replied Cecilia. Had it been me in her shoes, my knees might just give out from stress and fear. Even more surprising though, is Cecilia. I had known that her negotiation skills were strong. I was there with her during the guild alliance meetings. But to be here, listening to the strength of her voice rather than just reading the chat, to be under the intense gaze of those red eyes of hers rather than staring into the chatbox, it was a completely different experience than what I could have expected.


    "Now with that taken care off..."


    Once the talk was over, Cecilia allows her face to relax and puts on a smile. Casually, she walks over to the princess, and though Merida reflexively tried intercept, the princess stopped her with a quick gesture, not wanting risk offending the mighty Champion before her.


    "Princess, your name is Aurelia, correct?"


    "Yes, that is correct."


    "May I call you Relia instead?"


    "Pardon?"


    "I mean, your names a little too similar to Aurelius here, so I thought it''d be nice to have a nickname for you. Unless you don''t like it of course, then I won''t push you."


    "Oh, in that case, I have no objections, you may call me whatever you wish."


    "That''s great! And you can call me Cecil if you like."


    Excitedly, Cecilia takes hold of the princess'' hands in her own. At this point, I have one thought: Isn''t Cecil a guy''s name? Is Cecilia a geezer like me after all? From the way she''s rubbing the princess'' hands in hers, I cannot deny the strong possibilities.


    "Well, it''s all nice and fine that you''re willing to fight with us, but what about the other two with you, will they be as calm about this?"


    "Oh Aurelius, always the worrywart, don''t worry about it, I''ll convince them personally."


    "If you say so, I''ll leave it in your hands."


    "Yes, you do that."


    I have to say, it was fortunate that the first Champion we found was the guild master. Had it been anyone else, we might actually have a hard time convincing them to work with us, heck, we''d be lucky if they don''t antagonize us when they find out that it was the princess that had dragged them into this mess. With Cecilia, a.k.a. xXx_GodSlayer_xXx, here, I have one less thing to worry about.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Thank you, guild master, you''re a life saver."


    "Hey, don''t stand on ceremony with me, not after everything we''ve been through. Also, you call me Cecilia too, guild master is too stiff, and that other name is just embarrassing here."


    "Well it''s better than ''SixtyNine69'', I think. Speaking of..."


    "Don''t you worry, he''s here too. Without his help, I wouldn''t have made it so far."


    "I see, that''s good to know. And I guess you''ve been through a lot yourself haven''t you. If you ever feel like it-"


    "I''ll tell you all about it afterwards, but right now, we have more pressing matters."


    Pressing matters... In this case, there should be nothing more pressing right now than that one thing.


    "The forest is it?"


    "Indeed. However, now that you''re here, maybe we''ll finally able to do something about it."


    "That will have to depend on what we''re dealing with here. Can you brief me on the situation?"


    "Alright, but what do you already know?"


    "That the forest is bad and gradually expanding and that the [Demons] are weak but constantly attacking."


    "That''s the gist of it, but only most of the [Demons] are weak, mainly the ones that look like a mix of goblins and monkeys and the ones that look like wolves. However, the ones that look like boars and bears are actually rather strong, though they rarely show up outside of the forest."


    "You''ve been to the forest?"


    "Only once, but the [Corruption] status effect builds up while we''re in there so we had to return and let it wear off. We didn''t get very far I''m afraid."


    "What happens when [Corruption] stacks up to the max?"


    "I wouldn''t dare to find out. We''d probably gain the [Demon] attribute, but I don''t know what else might happen."


    [Demons]... I already know that the [Corruption] turn other living this into [Demons], but I have no idea what becoming a [Demon] entails. Surely, it''s can''t just be the horns and dark aura, though I suppose there''s no way to know unless I ask a [Demon] myself. They seem to retain intelligence, but their hostility towards other un[Corrupted] beings seem to suggest that their minds have been warped. Well, I''m sure it''s something worth looking into if I ever have the luxury, but not right now.


    "Anything else I should know? Like the growth of the forest. How fast is it actually growing?"


    "Abnormally fast, I''ve heard that it grew about three meters the day before yesterday and five meters the day before that."


    Three meters before yesterday, and five meters before that... Is there a factor in the disparity between the numbers? I wonder if there''s a pattern here.


    "Is that true, commander?"


    I turn to confirm it from the man himself.


    "Yes, the Champion here is not wrong."


    "Can you give me the details on how much the forest expanded each day?"


    The commander than proceeds to detail the approximate measurements of the distances covered by the forest''s growth each day up till three months ago, and indeed it was as I suspected, there was a indeed pattern.


    "The forest''s growth is slowing down, but then it suddenly picked up speed around two months ago, and then it starts slowing down again?"


    "I reckon that it means something?"


    Cecilia had her arms crossed as she cast her expectant gaze towards me.


    "It means something alright, but I can only hope I''m right."


    "Go ahead, shoot. Let us hear your thoughts."


    I nod and turn my gaze over to the princess.


    "Just to confirm, the forest''s abnormal growth is caused by the [Corruption], right?"


    The princess nodded.


    "Yes, that is correct."


    "But what is the [Corruption]?"


    "Well, from what I''ve heard, they say it was a blight brought on by ''the dragon that brings the end''."


    "Dragon that brings the end?"


    "It''s an old legend, about a chosen that is to be a god, a guardian for this world, but in the end became the bringer of destruction. However, we all thought that it was merely a legend, until now."


    Here, Cecilia cuts in.


    "Well, for me, it looks more or less like some kind of magic."


    "I-is that so!?"


    The princess appears to be shocked upon hear our answer. She apparently doesn''t think it made any sense. To her, magic might as well be some kind of science, something formulaic, and tends to make some kind of sense to her and her people. But for us, for those from a world without magic, that''s a different story. The sense of the word carries a different meaning for us. However, though our understanding of the word is different, we may not necessary be wrong.


    "It might be, and that''s the angle I''m going for."


    "A-angle, is this really a time for hypothesizing?"


    The commander seems to be in distraught, I guess he''s a man who sticks with the proven and the established. Not saying that it''s a bad thing of course, the fundamentals are important, but sometimes you just need to get out of the box a little.


    "Sometimes you need a little leap of faith, commander. The world is in a desperate time, and as they say, it calls for desperate measures."


    Bit by bit, I unravel my hypothesis to them, and after much deliberation, which each pouring what knowledge on the subject we have, the hypothesis becomes a theory, and around that theory, a plan was formed.


    After I was done outlining the plan, the commander scratches his bushy beard and stared at me with an odd look, one that was a mix of exasperation and admiration.


    "Your plan is bold, Champion, reckless even. I see the stories about you are true."


    "Um, what stories?"


    "The stories about your battle atop the eastern mountains for one."


    "Oh, that..."


    Now that I think about it, I was lucky to have come out of it on top. It was fortune that allowed me to succeed that time, such as the fact that we ran into the [Demon] Champion who was taking the same route as we are for example. Had we not encountered and intercepted him there, though we might have wiped out most of the [Demon] horde, the fort would have fallen into the Champion''s hand and we would have lost the battle. I wonder if I''ll be able to have the same fortune this time around.


    "Oh yes, Aurelius was amazing back then. The battle was at a stalemate, but Aurelius would not have it, and so he approached the fortress'' commander and went, ''Grant me some of your man, I shall return with victory in hand shortly.'' It was at that moment I knew that he truly was the Champion I have prayed for."


    Oh god! What are you saying, princess? Aren''t you dramatizing it too much? That was nothing close to what I said!


    From behind, a slender yet somehow muscular arm came and wrapped around my shoulder.


    "Looks like you have a fan, Aurelius."


    "Please don''t tease me, Cecilia. And for your information it wasn''t as great as she made it out to be. I won because I was fortunate."


    "Let me guess what you''re thinking. Right now, you think that since last time you won with luck, this time, you might fails since you don''t expect to get lucky a second time. Did I guess right?"


    "That''s close I suppose."


    The arm wrapped around my shoulder then went and pinched my cheek.


    "Hey! That hurts!"


    "Let me tell you something, Aurelius, you adorable idiot you. Luck is good for everything, in battles and in life. However, to stand on top, you can''t just rely on luck that''s occasionally handed to you. No, you must make your own luck."


    "I don''t think we can make luck."


    Once more, I was pinched.


    "Maybe not, but we can damn well try. After all, that plan of yours isn''t just something you slap together haphazardly was it? No, of course not. I know you, and I''ve relied on your tactics in more than a few raids and guild wars, you wouldn''t just slap together a plan and call it a day. That plan just now was something you put together after collecting all the information and knowledge available here, it''s the best you can put together with everything available to you at the moment. I believe that."


    The good old guild master, she sure knows how to give a speech. If someone tells me that she a highschool girl, I''d smack them in the face and call them a liar. I''ll bet half of all my money that on the other side, that she''s actually a wise old man with a long flowing white beard. And if she is indeed a highschool girl, I''m going the bet the other half of my money on her being someone who was reincarnated from said old man with the long flowing white beard.


    "Yeah, yeah, I get it. It''s not like I''ll be able to come up with anything better than that right now anyways."


    I play it of coolly, though admittedly, I was kind of moved by was she had said, not that I''ll tell.


    "That''s the spirit!"


    And for acting cooler than I actually am, I was rewarded with a slap in the back by a Level 200 Knight/Warrior. Half my Hp bar vanished in an instant.


    ***


    End of Chapter 18

 Vol. 2, Chapter 19: Reunion

    "Ah yes, before I forget..."


    After the meeting was over, Cecilia came and held out what appears to be a card towards me. Immediately, I recognized the card in question. It was one of my many missing [contracts].


    "Where did you find it?"


    "It was with me from the beginning, must have gotten stuck to me back in that wormhole."


    "Right, the wormhole. Sorry for letting go of your hand back then."


    "It''s fine, we were all falling and panicking at the time. The important thing is that we''re all fine now."


    "So you say, but you didn''t seem to be panicking at all. In fact, you looked like you knew what you were doing."


    "That''s not true, I was crazy scared back then. I probably just don''t look like I was to you."


    "Maybe."


    "I''m telling you that''s exactly how it is. Don''t ''maybe'' me!"


    "Right, sorry."


    "Anyways, the operation starts tomorrow, so let''s go have some fun while we can."


    Cecilia turns towards the princess.


    "Relia, you don''t mind if I borrow him for the day, do you?"


    "No, of course not, I''m sure you two have a great deal of catching up to do."


    And so, with the princess'' permission, I was dragged off to god knows where by Cecilia. I apparently did not have a say in the matter. Well, I''m sure if I just sit around in the camp, Merida will get me to train again, which I am not necessary opposed to, but I would like a break once in a while. On the other hand, whether or not hanging out with Cecilia constitute as a break remains to be seen.


    ***


    Flowing through the village and into its fields, there is a canal, and where there''s a canal, there''s a water source, and that''s where I had been taken. It would seem that Cecilia and I share a similar liking for flowing waters, though for me, I prefer just sitting around it, perhaps reading a book while I''m there while Cecilia prefers something more interactive. And so there we are, sitting by the river bank, each with a makeshift fishing rod in our hands.


    "I didn''t know you have a thing for fishing."


    "Well, I do fish once in a while, and besides, it''s not like there''s much to do in this village in the first place."


    "In that case, I wonder what the other two is up to."


    "Last I heard, they said they''ll be helping with the fortification. The [Demons] apparently did some damage."


    "And yet we''re here, fishing."


    "I''m sure if they need our help, they''ll ask."


    "A little difficult to ask someone who''s still asleep, isn''t it?"


    "Well, I mean they could have woken me up."


    "I''m pretty sure that they''re just trying to be nice."


    "Then it''s their lost."


    "I don''t know, I kind of feel bad."


    "Are you really feeling bad, or are you afraid that they might think badly of you for slacking off?"


    "Where the hell did that come from?"


    "I''m just asking. You''re going to miss out if you don''t at least stay a little true to yourself you know."


    "I''ll keep that in mind."


    Time passed with us just chatting away and not catching anything. Perhaps our chatter had scared away the fishes.


    "So, what happened while we were separated, when you first arrived in this world?"


    It took me awhile before I gathered up the courage to ask her. I thought that I probably should prepare myself, in case I''m about to hear something that might be difficult to handle.


    "When I first arrived you ask. Well, at first I was confused. I just woke up in the middle of some fields after all. But I managed to pull myself back together after realizing that there are others with me there, three others, to be exact."


    Three... and yet, I heard that only two were with her here. Where''s the other one? They couldn''t have gone their separate way, right? Not in this world which they knew nothing about. Don''t tell me...


    "Who were the three?"


    "Well, there SixtyNine69, then there''s Toto, and there''s... Veldar, he didn''t make it."


    "Veldar did?"


    I remember Veldar, he was an Archer/Assassin, a build that specializes in long range single target damage. Since he was always on the backlines, he often calls the shot in his party. I''ve been in his party before, and from what I could tell, he''s a rather nice guy. I''ve never seen him angry, and when mistakes had been committed, instead of scolding, he gives encouragements to the members on his party.


    "May I ask what happened?"


    "We were ambushed. It was when we''re still wondering around not knowing where to go. Since our opponents were [Demons] and we were out in the field, we first thought that it was just going to be like always, a fight against mob enemies, nothing special. But we were wrong, the [Demons] here aren''t just dumb AIs that walks up to you in a straight line to be slaughtered. They''re smarter than that, and we should have realized it sooner.Stolen novel; please report.


    So there we were, just fighting as we usually would, not particularly caring since we were slaughtering them left and right. Their Levels were definitely much lower than ours too. But then, one had managed to sneak up behind us by hiding within some tall grass, and it leapt at Veldar while he''s attention was elsewhere and drove a dagger into his neck. There was blood, but we thought nothing of it, we''re so used to seeing such things in game after all, at most, we might have found it ridiculously gory. But then, the smell hit us, the disgustingly heavy metallic scent, after that was the drowned cries of Veldar choking on his own blood. To say that we''re utterly shocked would be an understatement. Even now, I can still feel the chills that went down my spine.


    We didn''t have a healer with us, and we only carried what was equipped on us, everything else was gone and we did not even have a single potion on us. We just stood there and watched him die. His body didn''t even disappear afterwards, it was just left there, unmoving. There were no resurrections no matter how long we waited. And so, in the end, we decided to at least bury him before we moved on. Do you know, even now, I still have his Hp bar in my vision, just that empty, grayed out Hp bar sitting in the corner of my sight."


    "Cecilia..."


    "Anyways, we kept walking, scavenging whatever that seems edible until we reached here. You have no idea how hungry we were after wiping out those [Demons] that were invading the village, bet they don''t tell that part of the story. We ate like wild men and stopped only when we passed out. I''m sure it was embarrassing for everyone involved, I think one of us vomited a few times for eating too fast."


    "Sounds like you''ve had it rough."


    "Not as rough as you. I''ve heard you know, stories about you being sent to war and fighting the [Demons] head on."


    "Yeah, well, at least I was well fed."


    "It''s not as if we were starving either you know, we''re just... a little hungrier than we''re used to, that''s all."


    A little hungrier, I''ll bet that''s an understatement. Something she said just so I don''t feel bad. Even though she''s the one who had been through worst, she''s still watching out for me.


    Wordlessly, I reach my hand around her shoulder and pull her closer to me, till both our shoulders are touching. It''s somewhat embarrassing and I''m not even sure if I should be doing this, but the princess tends wrap her arms around me in one form or another anytime I feel down or worn out, and upon feeling her warmth, it always made me feel batter.


    "Pardon me."


    Probably, I should have said it before I started reaching my arm around, but it should be fine. It''s not like the princess ever asked me before doing it herself and you don''t see me complaining, nope, none at all.


    Fortunately, Cecilia has no complaints either, and she merely sit beside me silently, her head resting on mine, since my avatar''s a head shorter than hers.


    ***


    We returned by the time the sun begins to set, and upon our return, we did so with a bucket of nothing, not a single fish had been caught.


    As we enter the camp, two individuals come up to greet us, and the moment I note their figures, names immediately pop up on top of their heads. On the right is the man with the fiery red hair and a fashionable goatee, the name displayed on the top of his head is [SixtyNine69]. On the left is the small girl with a witch''s hat, long white hair, and a pair drowsy looking eyes, the name displayed on the top of her head is [Toto].


    "Aurelius!"


    "Six!"


    The man with the indecent name waves his hand as he greets me with a big silly grin on his face, and I start running towards him the moment I spot him. I leap into the air with my hand held high while he brings his own hand towards mine slamming into one another and creating a single resounding clap.


    "Good to see you, buddy."


    "Good to see you too, Six."


    SixtyNine69 and I go way back. We started around the same time and met in the beginner''s area. On a whim, we partied up, going here and there to complete a few quests and had a few conversations. As it seemed like we somewhat get along with one another, we added each other to our respective friend''s list. Since then, we partied together here and there, and even when we''re not in the same party, we still chat when we don''t feel like questing or grinding. In a way, it could be said that he''s my closest friend in Elysium Online.


    "Welcome back, Aurelius, GodSlayer."


    "Yeah, I''m back, and I told you to call me Cecilia!"


    As for Toto, she mainly keeps to herself, and while she''d help out in quests or item farming sometimes if we asked her to, she hardly ever asked for help from anyone. Basically, she''s a mostly solo player. I can''t say that I know much about her since we rarely play together, but she''s polite when talked to and is never unpleasant, so I suppose she''s pretty nice. Cecilia seems to know her in real life though, so maybe she''s an old man too.


    "So, anything happened while we''re gone?"


    To Cecilia''s question, Six shrugged.


    "Nothing, no attacks, no sightings. It''s completely calm."


    "I guess they must still be recovering from their last failed attempt."


    "That was a rather massive attack after all, and it was pushed back by us just like that. I''d be shocked if they have the numbers to mount another attack anytime soon."


    Cecilia turns towards me, on her face is a big grin.


    "Looks like you were right, Aurelius, tomorrow might just be the perfect opportunity to attack."


    "Whoa, what''s this about an attack!?"


    From what he said, it looks like Six hasn''t heard about our plan. Taking this opportunity, to the confounded Six, Cecilia puffed out her chest and crossed her arms, striking an imposing stance.


    "Listen up, SlayerZ! A stratagem has been devised, and tomorrow, this garrison will move to strike down the enemy, and we shall be the vanguard!"


    "Wait what, seriously! I thought there''s nothing we could do about the forest!"


    "Ha! Six, thou of little faith, Aurelius here had already seen the path to victory, the forest shall be culled!"


    Oh god, why does she have to put it like that!? Somebody, stop her before she goes overboard and cause some kind of misunderstanding!


    My gaze turns towards Toto, who seem to understand my plea.


    "GodSlayer, please stop, you''re embarrassing Aurelius."


    "Oh, what''s there to be embarrassed about? It''s good for raising troop moral right? Or are you trying to say that your plan is going to fail? That we''re going to all die?"


    When she puts it like that, I can''t say anything back to her. I mean, who would want to execute a plan that would fail?


    "I- I mean, at least wait till you have the commander''s permission before you start shouting about it. You have to remember that you''re not the one in charge right now."


    Then, from behind me, a soothing voice cuts into the conversation.


    "Oh, that''s quite fine, the details for the plan had already started to spread around the camp, the official briefing would come after dinner, but most of everyone already knows. If they hadn''t heard about it, they''ll hear it soon."


    "P-princess!"


    I can''t help but feel nervous, nervous about having her around my guildmates, after all, while Cecilia had accepted working with her, the others have not. And having heard the story about Veldar, I understand now how difficult it must have been to simply just say "Okay, I''ll work with you." Seeing how gloomy Cecilia was when she told me about Veldar, how well will the others take it, knowing that the person who caused this is right in front of them, and is telling them to fight for her.


    "Aurelius, did you enjoy your time?"


    As if ignorant of my worries, the princess greets me with a smile.


    "Yes, I had fun. Anyways, shall we go over there for a bit?"


    I''m going to have to get the princess away from the others while I let Cecilia sort this out with SixtyNine69 and Toto. Hopefully it goes well. Tomorrow''s plan would be difficult to execute without then.


    "You have something you want to talk about, Aurelius?"


    "Yes, kind of..."


    "Can it wait? I have some other business to attend to at the moment."


    Oh, so she has some business does she? Good, whatever gets her away from here.


    "Very well, then I''ll wait. There''s no problem."


    "Thank you, Aurelius."


    Again, she gives me a smile as she walks pass me... straight towards the others.


    "I am the Princess of the Beastkins. Sir Sixty-Nine Sixty-Nine and Lady Toto, it was I who had summoned you to this world. I beg of you, please save our world."


    And there she goes.


    ***


    End of Chapter 19

 Vol. 2, Chapter 20: United, We Stand

    When the princess revealed the truth to them, I have no idea how the other two would react and I feared for the worst. Toto, fortunately, reacted rather calmly. She seemed a little distraught by the news, but after being given an explanation of the situation, she understood that our summoning wasn''t something done out of ill will nor was it a result that could have been foreseen by anyone. After hearing the full story, Toto readily accepts the fact that in order to survive and to improve our situation, she is going to have to fight, whether she likes it or not.


    The one who did not take it so well, was Six, who in my impression had always been a carefree guy, but the expression he showed when being told the truth was anything but. When Toto said that she would work with the princess and when it was revealed and both Cecilia and I have agreed to work with the princess as well, never have I seen him so angry, so upset. Granted, the player avatars in-game don''t make much of an expression, but I''ve always felt that he''s a cheery, carefree guy through chats. He shouted at us, saying things like "How could you?" and "Veldar''s dead because of her!" before he went and ran off. He and Veldar, I was told after he ran off, that they knew each other in real life.


    "Oh, look what you''ve done. I told you to leave it to me didn''t I, Relia?"


    "I know, but, I do not want to appear as if I''m hiding behind your back. I want to confront you, all of you, face to face, that is the least I can do after what I''ve done to all of you."


    Against the princess'' sincerity, Cecilia was rendered wordless with a frown stuck to her face. I too, am without words with this willful princess, however that is hardly my concern at the moment.


    "We should go after him, right?"


    "We should, but I think only one of us should go. We''ll only agitated him more if we all try to talk to him at once."


    "Who should go then?"


    "I''d say you should go. You''ve known him the longest of us three, yes?"


    "T-that''s true, but what should I say? I''m no good at this."


    Cecilia places her hand on my shoulder.


    "You''re his friend, you know him better than anyone here. I''m sure whatever that comes from your heart will do. What he needs right now is someone that understands him. That''s why it has to be you."


    "I don''t know, wouldn''t you be a better choice?"


    "If you believe in me that much, then as they say, ''Believe in I that believes in you,'' and go get him."


    I look around me, and I see the gaze cast towards me, Cecilia, Toto, and the princess, every single one is looking at me with confidence. All of them seem to think I can do this. If they''re so confident, then, I suppose I''ll have to trust in their judgment.


    "I get it, I''ll go get him."


    With that, I start running after Six. To aid me in my search, I call upon Michaela and Timothy, one will search from the sky with her eyes and the other will search on the ground with his nose.


    ***


    Surrounding the village and its farmlands are wooden walls made from logs, however, due to the vastness of the walls and the limited time it took to construct the fortification, numerous vulnerabilities may exist, and so, surrounding the village itself, are rows of tall fences with platforms build behind them so that the soldiers may peer over them. Atop one of these platforms, I find Six, staring into the darkness covering the farmland.


    "Six..."


    Slowly, he turns towards me, his eyes red from crying. It''s strange, seeing at a grown man cry, you don''t get see it that often. Then again, perhaps that''s just the avatar, that on the inside, Six may just be a child.


    "I''ve heard. That you knew Veldar from real life."


    "We knew each other since we were kids, and I was the one who got her into the game in the first place."


    Her? So Veldar is- No, that''s not important right now.


    "Six, what happened, it wasn''t anyone''s fault, no one wanted this."


    "Wasn''t it!? Wasn''t it that princess'' fault that we''re here in the first place?"


    "It is indeed her fault that we''re here, I''m sure no one, even the princess, would argue that, and I know that to you, she might as well have killed Veldar herself. But Six, it was an accident, an accident she had indirectly caused, yes, but one that she did not wish for to happen. She thought that she was summoning heroes, not a bunch of people playing an online game."


    "How do you know that for sure? What if she''s lying?"


    I can''t say I like where this is going, Six here is prepared to doubt everything to the last detail, just so he has a reason to keep on hating the princess. That might be the easiest for him, to just focus all of his pain into his hatred. Should I let him do that? So long as I can get him to keep fighting, it shouldn''t matter if he hates the princess or not, sooner or later he''ll recognize that, one way or another, we''ll have to fight to survive, right?This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "Maybe she is, maybe this is just a desperate gambit to have us save her world for her."


    For saying those words, I hated myself a little. Even though I said that I would be on her side, here I am, badmouthing her. And in truth, it''s not just because I need to convince Six that we need to fight regardless, rather, it''s because I too, have a bit of such doubts in my mind.


    Heavily, Six sighs.


    "So that''s what it comes down to, saving this world? Why should I? Aurelius, tell me, why should I save this world? Why shouldn''t I just let it burn?"


    Has he gone beyond caring? Does he not realize that letting this world burn will mean that he will go down with it? Does he blame this world as much as he does the princess?


    "Then you don''t have to, Six, I won''t force you if you don''t want to."


    At my words, Six seems to be surprised. I guess it''s natural, to expect someone to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, or at the very least, it is the moral high ground. The life of one versus the life of many, both logically and morally speaking, it all too simple a choice, when it doesn''t involve oneself in any way of course.


    "What? What are you saying, Aurelius?"


    This world isn''t a game, fighting isn''t just about pressing a few buttons. It''s hard, even painful. In the end, I can''t, and I won''t, make someone fight for something he despises. I don''t want to force someone who has nothing to fight for stand on the battlefield. In fact, if I did, I''m sure nothing good will come out of it, to have someone who doesn''t care for anything anymore fight alongside you can only spell disaster, since you''ll never know if they''ll just throw the towel and quit on you when you need them the most.


    "I won''t force you to fight, Six, and I won''t let anyone else force you to fight either. You just wait here, wait for me, wait for us, we''ll save this world and then we''ll come get you. Once we''re done, we''ll go home together."


    "But I..."


    "Don''t worry about it, we understand. No one will blame you, and I won''t let them either. So just wait for us, we''ll come back for you."


    Before I realized it, I had spouted some crazy things from my mouth, promising the world when I really don''t have anything in my grasp. There''s no guarantee that we''ll be able to save this world, there''s no guarantee that any of us could come back, but even so, I feel like I needed to do this, I need to make Six feel safe, I don''t want him to feel trapped. I want to let him know that it''s okay to turn away, and sometimes, that''s just what a person really needs, a way to just turn around, a path to escape when it gets too hard. They don''t have to take said path, but having one there can be more than enough comfort.


    Again, Six sighs.


    "I''m surprised, Aurelius."


    "About what?"


    "Just a few days ago, at least that''s how long it was for me, you were too shy to even come meet us offline. Now look at you, standing in front of me and saying all these cool sounding things."


    "Well, technically, I''m still in my avatar."


    "Is that why? Because the way I see it, this place a lot scarier than real life back in our world, avatar or no."


    "I suppose I''ve been through some stuff as well."


    "Were you fighting? You were the first one that arrived right? Have you been fighting all alone this whole time?"


    "I was fighting, but I wasn''t alone Six, plenty of people were by my side, even the princess was there and I wouldn''t have survive without her, that is the truth, regardless of what you think of her."


    "I see...... I guess I must be looking very childish about now."


    I shake my head.


    "That''s not true. You have every right to be mad. You got dragged into this world without even knowing why and had to watch your friend die. It''s not something you can just walk off, and I won''t forgive anyone who even suggests that you should."


    "Thank you, Aurelius."


    Six lets out a small smile, it is a somewhat bitter smile, but I do feel a genuine warmth from it.


    "I get it, I''ll fight, Aurelius, I''ll fight alongside everyone."


    "Are you sure? It''s not going to be easy or pleasant you know."


    "I know, but I want to keep you safe, to keep everyone safe, so that we can all go home together. I won''t let what happened to Veldar happen to anyone else. I''m going to fight, I don''t care about that princess of yours, I don''t care about this world even, but for you guys, I want to make sure you''re all safe, so we can go home together."


    "Six..."


    "I''ll watch your back Aurelius, so you better watch mine."


    There it is, that big cheery grin of his. This is the carefree, optimistic person I know.


    "Of course! You can count on it, Six!"


    Our hands clasp onto one another''s, making a promise between friends and comrades. This path is going to be long and difficult, but even so, we''ll walk it together.


    ***


    The day after, at the break of dawn, the garrison assembled before the expanding forest. No [Demons] have been sighted as of yet.


    "I see they''re not going to come out to greet us."


    Cecilia stands proudly at the forefront of the soldiers, and alongside her are Toto, Six, and myself. We shall be the ones to lead the charge into the forest, and the soldier behind us will make sure that we would not become flanked or overwhelm by the enemy.


    "The troops are ready, Champions. Would you like to say a few words to them?"


    The commander came up to us, requesting a speech. Wouldn''t this usually be his job? Well, we all have some things we''re not good with I suppose.


    Gladly, Cecilia turns towards the troops, and with a big grin on her face, she crosses her arms and stick out her chest.


    "I''m sure you''re all tired, tired of losing, tired of turning tail and running, tired of build fences after fences for a place you know you''ll eventually have to abandon. Well, that ends today! Today, we will be the ones pushing back! Today, they will be the one turning their tails and running! Your waiting is over soldiers, because today, we''re going to win, and it''s going to be but one of many victories to come! For you kingdom! For your home! For your loved ones! For Elgardia!!!"


    "For Elgardia!!!"


    The troops pumped their fists in the air as they shouted in unison. Their combined voices were so powerful that it felt as if the ground itself was shaking. Of course, that was merely my imagination, which is a shame since it would have been nice to be able to be able to shout our enemies to death.


    Atop the tall wooden walls fortifying the village, I see the princess standing there with Merida by her side, seeing us off. At first I was actually worried that she might try to tag along, but this time she''s rather content in staying, probably because I have my guildmates with me now. She does look a little lonely, but I rather she feel a little loneliness than having her charge into danger with us.


    "Aurelius, if you will."


    At Cecilia''s prompting, I draw a [contract] from my grimoire, and with a dramatic pose, I turn the card towards the heavens. A pillar of light shines down upon me, and from the light, an angel materializes upon this mortal realm.


    "Michaela!"


    "Yes, my liege."


    I cast [Greater Magic Boost] upon Michaela, and in turn, she cast [Holy Ward] and [Holy Weapon], and following that [Greater Strength Boost] and [Greater Protection Boost].


    With that, we set forth towards the forest, ready for war.


    ***


    End of Chapter 20

 Vol. 2, Chapter 21: The [Corrupted] Woods

    "The source of the forest''s growth is magic. That is what you''re going with, Aurelius?"


    "Quite right, Cecilia, and in this world, magic runs on something called mana. To describe it in the simplest way, it''s some sort of energy."


    That was something I have learned during the many lessons given to me during my down time at the palace. At the very least, from how mana was described and how it was said to create physical mass in all sorts of spells, I have determined that mana in most likely some form of energy. If that is true, then it would explain the pattern of the forest''s growth.


    "Simply put, the further the forest is from the energy source, the slower it grows."


    "That may explain how the forest''s growth slowed down, but after a period it picked up speed again, didn''t it."


    "It did, which is why I think that in order to continually accelerate the forest''s growth, the [Demons] would bring another power source from somewhere and placed it near the region where they need the forest to expand. As for the location, our best guess would be around where the edge of where the forest was a month ago, when its growth suddenly accelerated once more."


    I turned towards the commander and have him show me where the forest was approximately a month ago.


    "There, the power source should be around here."


    "And if we destroy said power source, then the forest would stop expanding, is that what you''re saying?"


    "Exactly, and if all goes well, the section of the forest may collapse all together since its rapid growth was sustained by this power source in the first place."


    "Guess we''ll have to go get it then, won''t we, Aurelius?"


    "We''ll have to, Michaela''s [Holy Ward] should stop the [Corrupt] status effect from stacking up, though I''m more concerned on whether or not there''s an actual power source or not. This is, in the end, just a theory."


    As I was concern about the possibility of me being completely wrong and off the mark, a small hand came and grasped mine.


    "I trust you, Aurelius. You haven''t failed us before."


    "You give me too much credit, princess."


    "Even so, I leave the fate of my kingdom to you. Right now, we have no better options."


    Putting it like that, what else am I to do? I''ll have to do it one way or another, don''t I?


    "I get it. I''ll do everything I can."


    That was the conversation that happened within the war room yesterday. I can only hope that my guess was spot on, or at least even half right, otherwise we''d all be going on a wild goose chase where good men would have to die for something that wasn''t even there.


    ***


    As we approached the forest, the [Demons] began to surge out of the gaps between the trees. Most of them are the smaller [Demons] the ones that looked like monkeys and the ones that looked like wolves. The troops prepared for battle and so did we, the Champions.


    Cecilia took the front and faced down the [Demon] horde where it was the thickest, halting the enemies charge with her shield. She was using the Knight skill, [Guarding Stance], and as the [Demons] smashed into her immovable shield, she activates the follow up skill, [Counter Blast], firing a bladed shockwave into the horde, mowing several enemies down in a single swing.


    While Cecilia moved in, Toto had already begun casting her spell. Toto is a Sorcerer/Enchanter and uses a build that concentrate solely on skills that increases magic power or help her deal damage more effectively in the Enchanter skill trees, maximizing her damage potential, but as a drawback she could do very little else other than casting offensive spells. In this world without Mp potions, she''ll have to be careful to not run out of Mp before the fight is over, especially in long fights such as this.


    Once Cecilia had halted the main body of the [Demon] horde Toto unleashes her spell.


    "[Firestorm]!"


    A whirlwind of fire appeared in the midst of the [Demon] horde sweeping across their numbers and quickly reducing them to charcoals. The [Firestorm] is a mid-tier Sorcerer spell that does a moderate area-of-effect [Heat] damage, however, due to Toto''s focus of magic boosting skills in her skill tree, even a mid-tier spell such as [Firestorm] can deal massive amount of damage in a very short amount of time.


    With Cecilia and Toto taking care of the bulk of the [Demon], the troops moved in to deal with the scattering remnants. Six as well, taking advantage of disarray of the scattering [Demons], approached from the flank and intercepted them one by one. Six is a Warrior/Assassin, who specializes in single target damage and duel wielding in the Warrior''s skill tree. For the Assassin''s skill tree, he has points mainly in the Assassin''s movement skills and offensive skills with special movements, using them to move through enemies and hitting them from all sorts of angles. He''s a pain to face off against in 1v1 PVP, and despite not being a build with a whole lot of Hp, Six has a high survivability in fights due to his excellent use of these movement skills to evade damage.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Moving from one [Demon] to another, Six made short work of each and every one of the [Demons] with speed and precision, felling them one by one in an almost rhythmic fashion with his dual blades.


    In hardly anytime at all, the horde was cleared with very few survivors being able to retreat back to the forest. The troops were amazed at the speed in which we were able to clear out what seemed to be hundreds of [Demons] at once, but in truth, they were rather weak compared to us, and clearing out mobs such as this a hundred at a time is what we do mostly back in Elysium Online. Still, we can''t be relaxing just yet, the forest is just ahead of us, with far stronger enemies waiting within.


    We eventually arrived in front of the forest, the tall trees and reaching braches appeared to be a giant maw into a bottomless stomach.


    Cecilia addressed the rest of us without taking her eyes off the forest.


    "Everybody ready?"


    Six stared into the forest and took a deep breath.


    "It doesn''t matter, there''s no turning back now."


    Toto nodded in agreement.


    "One way or another we''ll have to see this through."


    And finally, I gulped down a mouthful of spit in my mouth before letting out a heavy sigh. Hopefully, I''m not wrong about all of this. Oh please, please let me be right, or else the blood of everyone here will be on my hands- No, I suppose blood is already going to be on my hands. I cannot guarantee that there will be no casualties in this battle. People will die, believing that this strategy of mine will bring them victory. My hands are fated to be bloodied over and over again so long as I continue down this path. I can only hope, pray, that all of it will not be in vain.


    "Let''s go... Let''s win this!"


    ***


    Before setting foot into the forest, the troops were split into two. There are the ones who would remain behind and defend the village, and those that will enter the forest with us. In my opinion it was good of the commander to have the foresight to reserve troops in case we fail, not to mention that when amongst the trees, there''s probably not much space for all these soldiers, especially when they''re suppose to be centered on us, the Champion, who will be doing much of the heavy lifting with them providing support when needed.


    Upon entering the forest, my vision starts spazzing out, like a broken television. It seems like my [Insight] skill is acting up again.


    "Aurelius?"


    Cecilia called out to me in concern, prompting everyone else to turn towards me.


    "I''m fine, my vision just acted up a little, it happens from time to time."


    "Should we turn back?"


    It was Toto who suggested it. She may be quiet but I see now that she''s also quite considerate.


    "No, it''s too late to turn back now. Besides, it never got in the way before."


    "Very well, but make sure to tell us if you''re not feeling well, alright."


    "I don''t take you for the worrying type, Cecilia, but yes, I''ll be sure to tell you."


    It did not take long for my vision to recover, but upon recovery, a line of text appeared before my vision. [World Devourer Woods] it said, popping up as if announcing the name of a raid boss at the beginning of the boss'' stage.


    "[World Devourer Woods]!?"


    "Aurelius?"


    Again, the others turn towards me.


    "Is anyone seeing this? Toto?"


    I turned to Toto because she too has the [Insight] skill, she had taken it so that she could see the enemy''s elemental weakness and so enables her to deal the maximum about of damage. Granted, she could have just looked those up online but she said she couldn''t be bothered to remember them all.


    "No, I don''t see anything."


    "What did you see, Aurelius?"


    "The name, [World Devourer Woods]. Doesn''t that sound familiar, Cecilia?"


    Cecilia took a moment to think, and with a snap of her fingers, she quickly recalled.


    "The ''World Destroyers'' right, at least, this seems to be the naming convention related to them."


    "The ''World Destroyers''? What are those?"


    Six don''t seem to have an idea about it. I guess he isn''t the type to browse the forums.


    "That''s what the players are calling the series of raid bosses that came out or is coming with the latest updates of Elysium Online, Starting with [World Ender Dragon] and then [World Breaker Behemoth], with more to come in subsequent updates."


    As he listens to my explanation, from his facial expression alone, I can see Six piecing it all together in his head.


    "So Aurelius, you''re saying that this entire forest, this [World Devourer Woods], is one of those bosses?"


    "Could be, or maybe it''s just a coincidence."


    "One way or the other, it doesn''t matter right now. What''s important is that we beat it, right?"


    "Cecilia''s right, we can leave that for another day. For now, let''s focus on the battle, and speaking of..."


    Emerging from the shades cast by the trees, more [Demons] came to intercept our advance, and not just the smaller ones either, but the boars and the bears as well, and scurrying in the underbrush, I think I saw some rabbits also, very evil, very demonic looking rabbits. And the birds fluttering over us, those are likely [Demons] as well. It''s clear now, that the attacks from before were merely harassments, right here, right now, the forest, the World Devourer, is serious.


    "It seems like the forest is pulling out all the stops."


    Cecilia flashes a smile, showing no fear or even a glimpse of distress whatsoever.


    "That just means it''s feeling threatened, Aurelius."


    She then turns towards the rest of the troops.


    "You see this? The forest is getting scared, it''s feeling threatened by us! All hands, battle formation! Let''s show them that they are very right to be afraid!"


    The troops ready their swords and let out a resounding warcry, shaking even the leaves and branches hanging above us. Shaken, the monkey [Demons] sitting atop the trees commence their assault, hurling stones at us with what appears to be makeshift slings.


    While the stones do not do much damage against the armor worn by the soldiers, for spells casters such as Toto and I, both lacking heavy armor, they''re quite a threat, especially if they hit our heads. Fortunately, two of the soldiers were quick enough to realize that and came to our aid, shielding us from the assault above.


    "Focus on the enemies on the ground!"


    Cecilia was quick to give out a command, and the soldiers adhere to her as if it is the most natural thing to do.


    "Toto, get rid of the enemies above!"


    And of course, being our guild master, she gives orders to us as well, and for us, there''s never a reason to not obey, as her judgment has always been sound.


    "[Firestorm]!"


    With a wave of her wand, Toto transformed the upper half of the forest from a scenery of lush green into an hellish inferno of burning red, and the [Demons] from above all fell down to the ground almost simultaneously while being covered in a ball of fire.


    And so, with that spectacular opening, out second battle for the day begins.


    ***


    End of Chapter 21

 Vol. 2, Chapter 22: The Power Source

    In our expedition into the forest, there currently are 29 members split into 6 units. Aside from us, the Champions, each unit comprises of 5 members, and each of them would have at least 1 healer to support the rest. For us, our main task is to deal with the [Demons], and for the other 5 units, their job is to hold the [Demons] back so that they do not flank and overwhelm us.


    In combat, Cecilia and Six would cut into the bulk of the [Demons], while Toto would hit the [Demons] with low-tier area-of-effect spells such as [Chain Lightning], [Icicle Rain], and [Aero Blade], rotating between them while the others are in cooldown. Meanwhile, I focus mainly on support while sending out Timothy to backup the troops that are having difficulty holding the enemy.


    A little known fact is that [Snow Ligers] are as deadly in the forest as they are in the mountains, as their sharp claws allows them to dig into the surroundings trees and their strong legs let them leap from one tree to another. In fact, it could be argued that it''s much tougher to face a [Snow Liger] in the forest than the mountains, as in the forest they have far greater maneuverability. Careless players may find themselves suddenly surrounded by [Snow Ligers] hiding above trees and have their Hp shredded before they could do anything about it.


    As for my other creature, the one from the [contract] Cecilia had given to me the other day, I was told to save it for later. It was a creature that is very effective against most enemy types, with more enough defense power to act as a tank. However, since that isn''t exactly a run-of-the-mill creature and costs a significant amount of Mp to summon, it''d be wise to bring it out only when I need it.


    "There''s no end to them!"


    Said Six while cutting down one [Demon] after another.


    "Is it me or are they more and more of them the deeper we go?"


    Said Cecilia as another row of [Demons] were mowed down by her [Counter Blast]


    "We must be getting closer"


    Said Toto as a cluster of [Demons] were impaled by her icicles.


    As we went deeper and deeper, the more numerous the [Demons] become, as if the forest itself is getting more and more desperate to keep us away. However, it''s not just the [Demons] getting more severe, but the [Corruption] as well. Despite of the [Holy Ward] applied to us, the deeper we went, the more the [Corruption] status effect stacked on. Right now, next to everyone''s Hp bars, an icon can be seen, one representing [Moderate Corruption]. It''ll get dangerous once we hit [High Corruption] and upon [Extreme Corruption], it''s all over. I imagine that we''re all going to switch sides and fight for the [Demons] once that happens, and it''ll be all over for the Beastkins. What''s worse is that the [Corruption] status is not something that could be cured other than visiting the cathedral back in Elysium Online and there''s no cathedral that could do so in this world, at least, not one that anybody here knows about.


    The only way to rid ourselves of this status effect is to leave the forest and wait for it to wear off, which we will have to do if we ever reach [High Corruption]. Once that happens, for our own safety, we will have to pull back and return to the village.


    Bit by bit, we advanced onward, and we had to fight for each and every step of the way. The [Demons] kept piling against us, either desperate to get in our way or to delay us as much as they can, knowing that we will succumb to the [Corruption] eventually.


    "This is bad, Aurelius. At this rate, we won''t be able to get anywhere. Any ideas?"


    Slowly but gradually, it becomes clear that we''re being overwhelmed by the enemy numbers, and Cecilia is the first to realize that we''ll be in trouble if we go on like this.


    "We either push on or turn back, those are our only options. No tricks can help us against sheer numbers I''m afraid."


    "Then how close are we to the goal?"


    "Very close, I''ve just confirmed with Michaela."


    Earlier on, before the operation begins, I have already sent Michaela to scout ahead in the air, to search the spots where the commander had marked as possible locations for the power source, and though she couldn''t get close enough without the risk of being attacked, Michaela had indeed detected an anomaly, a cluster of something very twisted, something very [Corrupted]. Even now, Michaela is guiding us from above, and she has confirmed that we are indeed closing in onto it.


    "Then there''s only one thing to do."


    Cecilia shoots me a big grin before turning towards Toto.


    "Toto, Plan B! Think you can do it?"This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Of course, there are no issues."


    Toto raises her staff and a red light emits from the gem attached to the top. Following that, even the sky starts to become red, a scene that I am unfortunately rather familiar with.


    From the sky, a gigantic fireball falls towards the earth. It''s the highest tier of fire spells [Meteor]. The [Meteor] then crashes several meters before us, sending out a flood of fire around the crater formed at ground zero, reducing everything to ashes. Then once more, another massive fireball falls from the sky, and then another, and another, and yet another. Five [Meteors] in a row, and one landing further than the next, forming a fifty meters long fiery trench that cut across the forest, a path right through the [Demon] horde.


    "What the freaking hell!"


    Five consecutive [Meteors]... Not only would that drain Toto of her Mp, what''s worse is that she went and completely ignored her cooldowns. I''ve tried it before, since this isn''t like the game anymore and since cooldowns are something imposed for balancing back in the game, I thought that I could just ignore it. And sure enough, I found myself to be capable of just that, the cooldown can definitely be ignore, though not without a price. When I tried to push past the cooldowns, I was struck with an incredible pain, as if my body was caught on fire and I thought my skin was about to melt off. The princess told me that it''s a phenomenon called "mana burn" something that happens when a person tries to cast the same spell before the body can recover from the first cast. From what I was told, in this world, a person''s body develops a mana pathway, something like a magical circuit, for each spell they acquire, and using the pathway before it "cools down" can cause a significant amount of damage to the caster.


    "Toto!"


    I sprint up towards her and catch her as she fall to the ground, and through my arms, I feel her trembling in pain.


    "Au... re......us... fro...st... ward..."


    It seems that she''s in so much pain that she couldn''t even speak properly.


    "What the hell, Cecilia!"


    "Toto was the one who suggested it. She knew exactly what she was getting into. Now are you going to sit around and glare at me, or are you going to make use of this chance she made for us!?"


    We''re going to have a talk later, me and Toto and Cecilia, about why wasn''t I informed about this, but right now, I need to focus. With Toto still in my arms, I cast [Frost Ward] on everyone, to protect them from the flames. At the same time, Cecilia gave her order.


    "Into the fire, now!"


    Six arrive by my side to help me with Toto, and together we carry her into the fire as the rest follow suit us. Of course, I''m sure there are those that have doubts about the act of simply diving into the flames, but it''s either that or be left behind for the [Demons] to nibble on.


    For the most part [Frost Ward] was able to protect us from the flames, and though we could still feel a slight burn, the damage was offset by Michaela who''s providing us with the healing spell, [Grand Area Heal], which is a healing that extends to all allies within the same zone, though in the case of this world, I''m not sure how far this "zone" is suppose to extend to, but the range is at the very least sufficient to reach us from all the way up in the sky.


    We proceed through the trench of fire, and at the end of it, we come upon at a clearing within the forest, and in the middle of this clearing, is giant plant, about five to six meters in height, and a whole bundle of horror.


    ***


    On the top of the plant we encountered is a blooming flower, red with a sinister shade of purple, and surging from it is a mass of demonic aura. The horrific part however, was the fat stalk connected to the flower, which appears to have several objects entangled within. Said objects were humanoid, or at least vaguely humanoid, as most of their bodies were fused with the plant. The humanoids have pale grey skin, their forms appear to be naturally slender, and their ears are long and pointy. I''ve heard of them in my lessons, the race with long pointy ears, the ones that live in the western parts of Elgardia, the Faefolks, they call them, a collective of tall slender humanoids and small winged humanoids, all of which have long pointed ears. They''re elves and fairies basically.


    Entangled within the fat stalk of this sinister plant were undoubtedly the elves, and they appear to be in a vegetative state. Grey fleshed fairies can be seen floating around the vegetative elves, apparently in the midst of attending to them. Dropped on the ground are several jars, seemingly filled with some kind of nectars, I would guess that the fairies and feeding the elves with this, keeping them alive to serve as a constant source of nutrients for this flower perhaps.


    "I think we''ve just found the power source."


    I nod to Cecilia''s statement. It was my guess that there would be a power source of some kind, something that is feeding the growth of the forest. Never could I imagine it to take such a horrible form. The [Demons], are they actually sapping energy or life force or whatever from actual people? That''s all sorts of messed up.


    "Steady now, Aurelius, those elves are more likely than not [Corrupted], having spent such a long time in this forest, they have to be. They''re [Demons] just like the rest, and we''ll have to kill them if we want this world safe and get back to our own."


    "I know, Cecilia, I know. I don''t need to be told again. Besides, if we don''t win this, we''re not walking out of this alive either way."


    From behind, the [Demons] we have bypassed vie the fiery trenches created by Toto''s [Meteors] are catching up to us, and in front of us, the fairies appear to be readying for battle as well.


    "Archers take aim at the front! Knights, guard our rear!"


    Without missing a single beat, Cecilia gave out her commands, and the troops immediately fall into positions.


    "You there!"


    From the Knights, I pick out two from the defending lines.


    "Watch over my friend for me, will you?"


    "Of course, leave Lady Toto to us!"


    Leaving Toto in their care, I face forward, Timothy on one side, and Six on my other. I then turn my gaze towards Cecilia. I have a quite a few bones to pick with her for what had just happened, but there''s more important things happening. I''ll have to take my mind off it and continue to trust her. That''s the best course of action.


    As I turn towards her, Cecilia too, turns towards me. Her eyes are stern and true, and she gives me a nod before turning her gaze forward.


    "Fire at will!!!"


    And so begins the third battle.


    ***


    End of Chapter 22

 Vol. 2, Chapter 23: Battle in the Forest Depths

    As our arrows rained down upon the fairies, a multitude of [Mana Walls] were deployed, defending against our first barrage. Fairies are fragile creatures, and a good hit from even one arrow would be very deadly for them, however, to make up for their fragility, the fairies have a very high magic stat, allowing them to cast powerful spells and granting them high magic defenses. The only way to take down a fairy quickly is the use of physical attacks from range.


    "Keep firing! Do not let up!"


    Knowing the particularities of fairies, Cecilia had the Archers press on with their barrages, keeping the fairies on the defensive so that they do not get a change to hit us with their own barrage of spells. An elemental ward could be cast to further our defensive capabilities against the fairies'' spells, though only two wards can be active on a person at a time, as wards of opposing elements will cancel each other out and fairies are capable of using spells of all elements, making them terribly difficult to defend against, even more so when there''s a large number of them.


    Behind us, another battle is occurring, one against the [Demons] that we had managed to break through thanks to Toto''s reckless use of the [Meteor] spell to cut a path for us. For now, the troops are keeping them at bay, trying to buy us time to deal with the demonic flower that I hope is the one fueling the forest''s rapid growth.


    A sudden explosion set off beside me, it was a spell cast by one of the fairies hiding behind the [Mana Walls]. It did not come close to hitting me as I was maintaining a [Mana Wall] of my own, trying to cover as many of our own men as I can, but the explosion was close enough that I was hit by the blast and got knocked off balance and my ears were made to ring like crazy by the loud sound. As I try to get back up form the ground, by my side, I see charred corpses with their parts strewn about, I''ve seen such a scene a number of times already, whether it be of my allies or my enemies, but I can never get used to it.


    As my ears continue to ring from the explosion, I feel my mind drawing away from the battle, from myself, or rather, from my avatar. Suddenly, it becomes as if I''m seeing all of this in a third person perspective. I can feel a nagging at the back of my mind, that all along, we might have been far too reckless, that somehow, we''re still in a gaming mood, that we''re doing this as if we''re playing a game, as if even if we fail, all we have to do is to wait for the countdown to our respawn. Should I be surprised? In the end, we''re just gamers, that''s all we are. Even if we force ourselves to fight, trying to ignore the fact that we may all too easily die, we''re just going to fall back onto our old habits, onto the only way we know how to do this, the way we do it in-game, doing everything with the greatest efficiency, trying to clear a dungeon the fastest, trying to slay the raid boss in record time. We''re all so used to pushing it, that before we realized it, we have become reckless, and while back in Elysium Online, the consequences are negligible, heck, it may even drive us to improve. But here, here is a different story, if we die, it''s all over. There''s no respawn, no second chance. We can''t do it like this anymore.


    Though, in spite of all that''s said and done, this world, at least the way we perceive it, still feels too much like a game. The Hp bars, the Levels, the menus, it all invokes the feeling of a game. Even our avatars, like Cecilia had said, just doesn''t feel like us, and though I could feel and see through this very bodies, sometimes, it really feels more of an avatar and less me. I think perhaps that subconsciously, we all still think that this is a game, and who knows, perhaps we even want to believe that this is still a game, that the friends we lost may come back once the play session is over.


    "Aurelius! Focus!"


    Cecilia tackled me to the ground while a fire ball flew past. The impact calls me back to reality, this reality. I''ve no time to space out, do I? I should save those kinds of things for later. Right now, all that matters is surviving this fight. Certainly, I wished that we could have avoided this whole situation, with [Demons] at my back and [Demons] at my front, just [Demons] everywhere, but since we''re here, we have no choice but to push through. One way or another, we have to get through this.


    "Sorry about that."


    "Don''t you ''sorry about that'' with me! What was that!? I thought I told you to say something if you''re not feeling well!"


    "Now''s not really the time for that is it?"


    With the help of Cecilia, I rise back up to my feet. Calming myself against the backdrop of magical explosion, I begin to observe the situation. Soon, the Archers will run out of arrows, and the fairies will be the ones going on the offensive in just a few more moments. As of now, we''re already being hit hard with magic left and right and what magic users we do have are at their limit with defending against them, but if we don''t break through the fairies'' [Mana Walls] soon, we''ll be in for a very, very rough ride.


    Should I summon another creature? But that one specializes in defense, forcing it to go on the offensive won''t do any good. Then, should I go forward? No, that won''t do any good either, I''ve trained to wield a sword and fight close up, but I''m nowhere near being good with it. I''d say I''m at the level of a Level 5 Warrior. If I go out in front, I''d be dead in the matter of seconds. In the end, is there nothing more I can do? Am I stuck? Did I make a mistake somewhere?


    "Aurelius, we''re going to need a refresh on that [Frost Ward] pretty soon."


    "Yeah, I got it."


    But what is [Frost Ward] going to do? It won''t help us out of this predicament... Wait, [Frost Ward]?


    "Hey, Aurelius, you live around the city, right?"Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Now''s hardly the time, Cecilia."


    There was a big grin on Cecilia''s face, a wide, wicked grin.


    "I used live closer to the country side, and there''s a hill close to my house you see, it used lush and green."


    As Cecilia speaks, I come to realize it, that the scenery all around me had been dyed in the color of red.


    "Have you any idea, Aurelius, how quickly a fire can spread in the forest given the right condition."


    I''ve heard it from Cecilia before, that she used to live around the countryside before moving to the city. She moved because her house caught on fire and burned down. Remembering that little piece of information, I''ve come to understand what she was talking about.


    The [Demons] coming at us from behind, they weren''t coming after us, they were running, running away from the fire ranging behind them, a fire caused by the [Meteor] spell. By the time I turned around and check, the fighting behind us has already settled down, as the [Demons] have either been cut down by our troops, or was consumed by the fire.


    Soon, we used up the last of our arrows, but deviating from my predictions, the faries are not counter attacking. Instead, the fairies are now busy with the raging fire around them, trying to douse the fire with water and frost spells with only a few are trying to hold us at bay.


    Is it just me, or is this the second time we have used a man-made disaster against our enemies? First it was me with the avalanche, and now it''s Toto and Cecilia with their forest fire. How many more times will we have to do this, I wonder. If we keep this up, how much of the world would be left by the time we''re done?


    At this moment, with the fairies visibly shaken and in disarray, from their rear, Six and Timothy emerge from a burning bush. Being protected by the [Frost Ward] and Michaela''s healing, they were largely unharmed by the flames, though Timothy may be in some discomfort due to the heat. From behind the fairy lines, they start wrecking havoc, cutting and tearing away at one fairy after another within their reach. When the other fairies realize this, they ascend further into the air, trying to avoid being cut down, and by doing so, they now leave the demonic flower exposed.


    Somehow, it seems that Timothy is much better at working with people other than me, and knowing that makes me feel a little lonely. I suppose he just works well with those with the Assassin''s class, since he''s a predator himself, and predators prefer attacking from stealth.


    Now that the [Demonic] flower has been exposed, I turn towards Cecilia, who in turn nods back to me, giving me the go-ahead. And so, I reach towards my grimoire and from within, I draw out a [contract], the one that Cecilia had returned to me just the other day. Right now is not exactly the most optimal situation to bring this one out, but her abilities will be the one last push we need to win this fight. Like I mentioned before, this is a creature specializing in defense and isn''t quite effective when it comes to charging enemies up front. That is because while its defensive prowess is strong, it does have a few structural weaknesses here and there. However, in this situation, that should not be a problem.


    "Come forth, Frederica!"


    From above the heavens, several lights begin to fall to the earth, parting the clouds, casting away the thick smoke rising into the sky, and eventually landing all around me, surrounding me, as if the lights had come to greet me. Then, the lights fall into formation, forming a vague shape as seen in the night sky, and upon that shape, a silhouette traces over, and with a burst of light, a creature takes form. Standing before me now is a giant crab roughly two meters tall and about twice as wide, a giant crab with fur growing on its shell, a furry, fluffy crab. This is the [Celestial Crab], one of the creatures encountered during the [Heaven''s Trials] quest line. I named her, Frederica.


    "Frederica, charge!"


    By my command, the large furry crab charges forward, and though the fairies fire off magic from above, they can hardly do any damage to Frederica''s shell, and though if all of the fairies present concentrated their fire on her, even she would stand no chance, most of the fairies here are fortunately occupied by the raging fire closing in on them and the flower they protect. Another weakness of Frederica''s are her legs, more specifically, the joints of her legs, and since she''s a crab and is therefore only able to proceed properly sideways, her joints would be exposed to the enemy. This wasn''t a problem in game, as there''s no such thing as weak spots in Elysium Online, an MMORPG, but here, weak spots are very, very real, and so I was reluctant to deploy Frederica while the enemies are close to the ground. However, now that they''ve taken off into the air, Frederica''s legs aren''t as easy to hit.


    Not even slowing down as she tanks the magical blasts from above, Federica swiftly arrives in front of the giant flower with hardly a third of her Hp bar depleted, and now that she''s so close to what they are trying to protect, the fairies all turn towards the crab, neglecting the fire in favor of a much more immediate threat. However, they''re too late, the plant''s already in range.


    Frederica activates her skill, [Scissor Rush], and with her pincers, she rapidly slice and dices the fat stock of the flower and shred it into ribbons in an instant. Red blood and transparent green sap mix together as the elves fused to the flower are cut down along with it, and as the flower fall, there a great wailing from the fairies reaches my ears, and though I can''t tell what they were saying, I can certainly feel that they were in incredible distraught by what had just happened.


    "Target eliminated! Fallback! Fallback, now!"


    With Cecilia''s order''s we begin to retreat into the fire we have caused, not minding it so much now that we know that we''re protected against it. With their high magic defense, it''s possible that the fairies may come after us, but I doubt they''ll come out of it unscathed as these are the flames of Toto''s [Meteor], the highest tier of [Heat] damage spells and combined with Toto''s magic boosting passive skills, it''s not something one gets to just walk though. Even with my [Frost Ward], boosted by the effects of [Greater Magic Boost], those it had been applied too still take damage from the fire and it was only by Michaela''s equally powerful healing that we were able to move through the fire mostly untouched, mostly.


    The fairies are at the highest, Level 90. They won''t survive the fire, at the very least, I highly doubt it. In the end, Cecilia''s and Toto''s plan worked out perfectly, serving to both cut a path through the [Demons] and eventually destroying them, as well as the brining about the downfall of the fairies. Still, I can''t shake off the feeling that so much could have gone wrong. What if my ward and Michaela''s healing aren''t strong enough to withstand the flames? What if we were actually nowhere near where we need to be? What if the giant flower ended up not being the power source? It may have worked out this time, but it''s still too reckless. One way or another, I''m going to have to have a word with them later.


    Our return is uneventful, with the [Demon] presence completely absent on our way back. Perhaps they left due to the destruction of the power source, or perhaps they''re fleeing the fire. Either way, our journey back to base was rather peaceful compared to when we were delving into the forest.


    With that, our first expedition into the [World Devourer Woods] came to a close.


    ***


    End of Chapter 23

 Vol. 2, Chapter 24: The So Called Champions

    Three days have passed since the first expedition into the [World Devourer Wood], and for three days, the fire have been burning the forest, sending clouds of dark smoke into the air, covering the sun, making day time seem like dusk. When the winds changed directions, flakes of ash would fall upon the village like snow, all the while smog covers the small hamlet, making it hard to see and unhealthy to breath for all living in the vicinity.


    To treat those critically affected, mostly the old and the very young, Clerics from the capital have been sent. Around the village, Enchanters have begun erecting a large scale [Air Ward] to cast the smog away from the village. I look forward to the ward''s completion, because I am frankly quite sick of the smoke, literally, I''m sick in bed thanks to it. It''s had to breathe and I''ve been coughing nonstop.


    "There, feeling any better, Aurelius?"


    The princess had her hand on my chest, using her healing magic on me, alleviating my sickness greatly. However, so long as the smog remains, the symptoms will return soon enough, the problem won''t go away as long as we''re all breathing in this foul air.


    "Much better, thank you. And on your side? I hope you''re not pushing yourself too much."


    "I''m fine, really. I''m just trying to do what I can."


    She may say that she''s fine, but I remain unconvinced. One look at her and anyone can tell that she''s exhausted. Before the Clerics from the capital arrived, she had been the one tending to all the sick in the village. The Clerics from the military may be good with healing wounds, but when it comes to sickness, the princess is definitely more skilled. Apparently, even if it''s the same spell, the effects varies from person to person. The princess explains it as the result of the difference in training, but even now I still haven''t fully grasped it, perhaps because my spells and skills are something that I use via the assistance of the "system" rather than something I''ve learned on my own.


    "I hope the ward gets set up soon."


    "A large scale magic like that takes time to prepare, but it should be done before the end of the day. So rest assure, Aurelius, you won''t be sick for very long."


    "I''m not worried about me, more so the villagers."


    "There''s no need to worry about them, the Royal Clerics are very skilled, more so than I am."


    "Ah, and yet you''re here attending to me instead of one of you Royal Cleric, even when your skills are inferior. Is that how your treat your Champio- Ouch, ouch, I get it, I get it already! Mercy princess! Mercy!"


    For the crime of mouthing off to the princess, I was sentenced immediately with a pinching to my thigh. The girl even used her nails, how horrid!


    "Sheesh, talk about abusing your patient."


    "Now, now, I''m sure that hardly even hurt for a Champion of your caliber."


    She''s not wrong, my Hp bar hardly moved a pixel. Still, it hurts, and being hurt isn''t pleasant.


    "I would still like to avoid pain if I can."


    "Then I suppose you should do a better job of avoiding it then."


    Oh, what''s this, the princess appears to be in a bad mood now. Did I hurt her feelings? But she was the one who said that the Royal Clerics are more skilled than her in the first place. What to do, what to do...


    "Regardless, skilled or not, I rather you by my side than a Royal Cleric I hardly know."


    "Really?"


    Oh man, she''s so easy to handle.


    "Of course, those Clerics of yours may be better for healing my ailment, but talking with you is healing for my mind."


    "I''ll have you know, flattery won''t get you anywhere, Aurelius, but if you really think so, I suppose I could stay with you a little longer."


    So she says, even while visibly blushing. Is it fine for the future ruler to have such a readable face? She''s going to need to build up some resistance towards such cheap compliments, I''d say. Perhaps I''ll tease her more when I have the time, though not right now, not when I''m in her mercy.


    "I hope the villagers aren''t too mad at us."


    "Is that what you''re concerned about?"


    "Well, yeah. They had to suffer for our actions after all."


    "While I''m sure there''ll be some grumbling, rest assure, the villagers won''t be mad at you. A little smog is a small price to pay for finally being able to drive the forest away. I''m sure they all understood that. Had it not been for you and the rest of the Champion, they would soon find themselves forced to leave their homes behind to be devoured by the forest."


    "I sure hope so, princess, I sure do very much hope so."


    "I''m telling you it is so."


    It looks like the princess'' mood is turning for the worst again, probably because I made it look like her words don''t have much credit to them. I mean, I don''t distrust what she''s saying, I''m just a skeptical guy, I wish she would understand that. Well, I guess she''s just at that sensitive age. If I recall, she''s at a sensitive age. About sixteen? Seventeen? Around those numbers I believe.


    "Speaking of which, how''s the forest? Any change?"


    "None, which is a good thing I suppose. There''s no expansion, no growth, and the fire continues to burn."


    "Good, I suppose all that work isn''t for nothing at least."Stolen novel; please report.


    "But you''re not happy about it?"


    "Can you tell?"


    "Well, you''ve been somewhat grumpy since your return. Did something happen?"


    "It''s just that I''ve been thinking that we may have been too reckless. The way we fight puts too much at risk, and even when we win, we overlook the far reaching consequences of what might happen due to our actions."


    "Have you talked to the others yet?"


    "No, I didn''t want to ruin to celebratory mood after winning the fight, and then I got sick the very next day, so I didn''t actually have the chance to talk."


    "I see. Well, personally, I think the sooner you get it off our chest, the better. Best before your next battle."


    "That''s my intention, but I want it to be in a more private setting. It wouldn''t do any good if the troops hear their Champion arguing after all. I''ll have to do it after the ward is set."


    "I agree with that idea. Not that I''m asking you to not show weakness, but if you think that it''s best settled privately, you have my support."


    "Yes, thank you for that. Now, I think you should get some rest yourself. If you keep pushing yourself, you''re going to collapse, and then Merida''s going to be real mad."


    "That wouldn''t be good, would it? In that case, I shall return to my own tent. Rest well, Aurelius."


    "You too, princess."


    ***


    Another day passed after that, and by the next day, finally, the large scale ward has been put up, clearing the area of smog and keeping more from entering the vicinity of the ward.


    The massive [Air Ward] took fifteen Royal Enchanters the span of roughly two days to create. The effect would last for three days before another needs to be created again, and as the forest fire ranges on, it was said that this process will have to be repeated at least ten to twenty more times before the smog clears up.


    Heading towards the outskirts of the village, I have Toto and Cecilia in tow, and from their solemn expression, I''m sure they know what is to come.


    "I''m going to cut straight to the case. Why didn''t you two tell me about that little maneuver of yours, the one with the [Meteors]?"


    "Look, Aurelius, Toto just wanted to help. If you''re going to blame anyone for this, blame me. I''m the one who gave her the go-ahead."


    I shake my head, showing my disapproval and disappointment.


    "That''s not what I''m talking about right now. I just wanted to know why I wasn''t informed about it."


    Toto comes forward, her eyes down cast and half her face hidden by her witch hat, making it hard to tell what her expression is. However, from how fidgety she looks, she''s akin to a child trying to hide after being found out for doing something she''s not supposed to.


    "It... It was something I came up with on the spot. I''ve been experimenting and I knew that you could ignore the cooldowns. So when more and more [Demons] start to appear in the forest, I told GodSlayer about it. She said to wait for her signal before going through with it. Since she''s our guild master, I thought telling her would be enough. I''m sorry, sorry that I didn''t tell you about it. B-but, you seemed occupied at the time so..."


    I reach out my hand and place it upon her shoulder. Upon feeling my touch, Toto tensed up a little, perhaps thinking that I''m going to be mad.


    "Well, it''s not like I don''t get it. It''s hard to communicate properly in battle. I won''t blame you for not telling. But still, don''t you think that it''s all a little reckless? What if my [Frost Ward] isn''t strong enough to defend against the fire? What if Michaela''s healing can''t keep up? What if our target wasn''t actually the power source?"


    I try to put it as gently as I can since Toto seemed like a very timid child, but even as I speak with the most harmless voice I can conjure, she ends up shaking anyways.


    "That''s enough, Aurelius. It was in the middle of battle. I''m sure she didn''t think that far ahead."


    "Fair enough, but what about you, Cecilia? You''re the one who gave her the go-ahead. If it''s you, then you could have considered the risks right?"


    "Well, we won didn''t we?"


    "But in exchange, we caused to smog to fall over the village and some people got very sick. If it weren''t for the princess, some might have even died."


    "This is a war, Aurelius, collateral damage happens."


    "There could have been a better way. We could have fallen back and return with a better plan, couldn''t we? To rely on a plan so spontaneous is too dangerous, to both ourselves and those around us. We''re not playing a game here you know."


    "You don''t think I know that!"


    All of a sudden, Cecilia snaps at me.


    "C-Cecilia?"


    This is the first time I''ve seen Cecilia so openly angry. Even Toto seems shocked, and those two knew each other in real life.


    "I''ve already promised everyone we''d win! I can''t take that back just because things got a little hard! I had to push on! What else was I supposed to do!?"


    Cecilia continues yelling, apparently throwing a tantrum and breaking down right before my eyes. I see now, I was mistaken. All this time, I only though about how mature and understanding she was being. I thought that she was handling it surprisingly well, this whole being summoned and made to fight for a dying world situation. With the weight of having to lead us and the Beastkins into battle, and with the idea that while we''re busy fighting here, another [Demon] horde may be invading elsewhere, with everything being so dire, she must have felt the pressure to succeed, too much pressure as it would seem.


    I did not even think for a second that it all may to too much for her, too much for anyone here. No, maybe it''s because we all were somewhat expecting Cecilia, our reliable guild master to shoulder it, that Toto and Six handled it as well as they did. But I should have known. Unlike me, Cecilia might not have the experience I have in dealing with such desperate situations, the feeling of being boxed in. Through my long monotonous life, I have encountered such situations before, the endless "crunch hours" that pops up whenever a game is close to its release dates, when everyone is expected to work overtime for little to no pay, when it was normal to sleep in the office, or even not sleep at all in order to make the deadline. I can''t recall how many times I''ve broken down crying back then before I learned how to deal with it. Now that I think about it, that wasn''t normal, that definitely wasn''t normal. I don''t think of myself as anyone special, but I should have understood that the kind of things I got used to aren''t necessary ordinary to someone else.


    I stretch my arms wide open and reach out. This is the only way I know to make her feel better, it''s something I''ve learned since coming to this world, something the princess did for me every time when I seemed down. In the past, I didn''t think much of it. That it''s just a hug, jus two people in close contact with one another, what''s the big deal? I''ll be fine so long I have something fluffy to stroke on. But that''s not quite right, feeling the warmth of the other person, feeling the heartbeat of another person, surprisingly, it naturally calm you down, at least, that''s how it was for me.


    Cecilia hardly hesitated before diving into my arms, falling onto her knees and burying her face into my torso. Then, all of a sudden, I feel something warm leaking on to my clothes, followed by unrestrained sobbing.


    I reach my hand down, caressing her soft silky hair. Meanwhile, Toto comes closer, and with her small hands, she too embraces Cecilia from behind.


    "It must have been hard on you Cecilia. I''m sorry I didn''t notice."


    "I''m sorry too, I had no idea."


    After hearing out apologies, Cecilia shakes her head even while it''s buried in my belly.


    "No... I''m the one who sorry. I''m sorry I couldn''t do better. It''s all my fault that the village is-"


    "The village is fine. The princess and the rest did everything they could to help, and now the village is fine. You''re not alone in this, Cecilia, we''re here with you, and the people of this world are here with us as well. We''re not fighting this war alone."


    Cecilia nods as she continues her sobbing.


    "It really does suck doesn''t it, this whole situation we got stuck in without our consent. But, I promise, I''ll stick by your side till the very end. You will never have to face anything alone."


    "Me to, I promise too. I''ll be with you, forever."


    To the promise from Toto and I, Cecilia again, nods in reply, her sobbing stronger now, and her grip on me seemingly tighter than before. I''m going to be completely soaked at this rate, but that''s fine I guess, since we''re in this together. For you, I''ll gladly soak up all your tears.


    ***


    End of Chapter 24

 Vol. 2, Chapter 25: The Holy Beast

    Lately, I noticed that I''ve been making promises that I may or may not be able to keep. I am not a person that places much faith in words, and there''s really nothing stopping me from failing to keep these promises, so why? Why did I keep making such promises? I suppose it''s because I have nothing else to give. The only thing I can give them is my word, these fragile words that can be all too easily broken by any number of circumstances. But like a parent who lies to a child who is too young to understand, it was something I hope would suffice for the moment, that even for a little, give them courage in these desperate times.


    There will probably be more battles to come, and those promises I''ve made, those empty words, I hope it can give them something to hold on to when they have nothing else, something to keep faith in when all else fails. I know that it may sound ridiculous, but in the most desperate and hectic of times, it helps to have something to hold onto, even though ultimately the promises may not hold up. Hopefully, the promises I''ve made will be able to carry them through troubled times while the illusory words remain intact. And of course, I must add, that I have every intention of upholding these promises, but I am only a single man, and there may come a time when circumstances force me to break my word, because I am very mortal, and may very well die in one of the many battles to come. Sincerely, I hope that such a time does not come to pass.


    ***


    "And so, what''s the situation so far?"


    A day after the large scale [Air Ward] had been set up, a meeting was held in the tent serving as the war room, and though it''s called a meeting, the only participants are the commander of the garrison and myself, and it''s mostly to catch me up on recent affairs as well as taking the chance to discuss a few matters regarding the future. Apparently, I''m already being treated as a tactician of the Champions.


    "Calm, very calm, Sir Aurelius. There has been hardly any sighting of [Demons] since the forest was set on fire, and the forest itself shows no signs of expanding either. It appears your theory was correct, the growth was indeed being fed by a power source."


    "That''s good to hear, commander. I was worried if it was all a wild goose chase for a moment. It is fortunate that our gambit paid off."


    The meeting continued on for hours, detailing future plans of pushing the forest back and there''s even talk of invading the land of the Faefolks and lay waste to the main body of the [World Devourer Woods], which was once supposedly the home and protector of the Faefolks, the [Holy Protector Woods].


    "But to lay waste to an entire forest, is that wise?"


    After all, back in our own world, deforestation was already causing some huge problems. If it could at all be avoided, I would prefer to not destroy the environment at all.


    "Believe me, Champion, laying waste to the land is the last thing the Beastkins wish for. However, if said land is threatening all life, do we have any other choice but to destroy it?"


    In other words, sometimes you have to cut down a few trees to preserve the forest, and if the world can be saved by burning down a few forest, then so be it.


    "Still, this can be troubling, that''s a great deal of forest to burn, and a lot of ashes and smoke to be created."


    "We are well aware of that, which is why we plan to consult the Holy Beast on the matter."


    "You''re talking about the guardian of the Beastkins."


    "Exactly, in fact, the princess will be paying a visit. Her Highness is not merely our princess, but also a priestess of the Holy Beast as well you see."


    "I see, and will speaking to this Holy Beast of yours resolve our problems?"


    "I would hope so, if anyone is capable of it, then it''ll be the Holy Beast."


    "Then while the princess is working on that end, what shall we be doing. We can''t exactly launch another expedition into the forest while it''s burning can we. Even with my [Frost Ward] and Michaela''s healing, it may still be dangerous. Then there''s the smog to worry about too..."


    "Actually, Sir Aurelius, you''re going too."


    "Go where?"


    "To the Holy Beast. She wishes to meet at least one of the Champions you see, and it was decided that you would be the representative for the rest."


    "Why me? Why not Cecilia?"


    "We''ve asked Lady Cecilia about this matter already, and she said you would be the best to go."


    "And I suppose the rest will stay here and defend the garrison?"


    "That''s the plan, yes."


    "Well then, I guess being away a little wouldn''t hurt."


    After leaving the meeting, I went to see the others, and it appears that they knew about this already. Really now, offering me up as representative without my consent, you guys are just pushing jobs you don''t want to do onto me aren''t you.


    "At any rate, I should be gone for a day or so. Hopefully nothing will occur during that time."


    "Don''t worry about it, if anything happens, we''ll take care of it."


    Even though it was just yesterday when she cried her eyes out, Cecilia is already back to normal, putting on an air of strength and confidence. I can only wish I have the ability to bounce back so quickly.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    "Alright, hold the fort while I''m gone, I should be back soon."


    Having said my farewells to the rest, I was ready to set off. Though, to tell the truth I am more than a little nervous when I was told that I have to meet with the Holy Beast, otherwise known as the [Holy Guardian Beast], the protector of the Beastkins, a being of divine nature. Sure, I was told that I would meet with it some time ago, but I wasn''t exactly expecting for it to happen so soon. I wonder if it''ll try to eat me if I somehow offend it. Well, whatever, I''ve been through worst I guess. I''ll cross that bridge when I get there.


    ***


    We left next day morning, with me riding along the princess and Merida towards the center of the kingdom, where the Holy Beast resides. It feels like forever since I rode around like this, even though it should only have been a few days. Then again, I remember that not too long ago, I was sent here and there on carriages such as this with troops riding and marching alongside me on a daily basis, intercepting [Demon] forces and attacking [Demon] encampment within our borders. Those were busy days, not that they are exactly over. I got to rest due to being sick and having to meet with the Holy Beast, but sure enough, I''ll be thrust into battle once more after this is over. I should probably relax a little while I can, or so I tell myself, but that''s easier said than done. After all, I''m meeting a being whose existence is close to that of a god. Even if I said that I''ll cross that bridge when I get there, the feeling of restlessness is just something I cannot get rid of.


    "You sure look nervous, Aurelius."


    "That is because I am, princess."


    "There''s not need to fret though, the Holy Beast is a very gentle and kindhearted guardian. She won''t be easily offended."


    "Not easily offended does not mean impossible to offend though."


    "You worry too much, you know that? Keep this up and you''ll go bald in no time."


    "I''ve made peace with balding a long time ago."


    "If only you can do the same about everything else."


    "Now you''re just making me sound like a worrywart."


    "Are you not?"


    "I am well aware that I am, but I don''t want to hear that from you."


    "Ah, but you see, I was only worried because our Champion is a man who worries nonstop over every little matter, and so I fear constantly that he may stress himself out over a whole bunch of nothing."


    Maybe it''s just me, but the princess has been getting rather cheeky with me lately. I guess it''s not a bad thing as it''s a sign that we''re getting more used to one another. Still, I miss the days when she''s more tender and gentle, not that she isn''t now, it''s just that she currently comes with some thorns. Prickly, prickly thorns. But, from another point of view, you could say it adds to her charms a little, and the fact that she''s only like this in front of a few others makes me feel a little special. Not that I would say it out loud though, nope, not me.


    A good part of the day was spent sitting in the carriage as we traveled south, towards the center of the Beastkin territory. Though we had set off during the morning, by the time we arrived, it was already near dusk. Might as well that it''s far away I suppose, it''d be terrible if this sacred place is touched by the [Corruption] as well.


    The dwelling of the Holy Beast lies in a cave hidden within a small forest. Though the forest seems to be nothing special at a glance, the moment I set foot into it, I can feel a surge of energy, filling my body with strength. Even though I''m tired from the long trip, even though my bum is sore, the pains were instantly dispelled the moment I walk in, making me feel like I''m fifty years younger. Oh wait, I''m already fifty years younger, I wouldn''t exist if I go further now would I? Still, this forest is filled with what I could only describe as "life energy", makes me wonder how it''ll be like once I enter the cave the Holy Beast is said to dwell.


    Upon arriving at the entrance of the cave, I discover a sight to behold. The mouth of the cave sits at a small island in the middle of a pond of the clearest water I have ever seen. Within the pond are fishes swimming livelily about, and on the surface is a colorful array of water lilies in full bloom.


    From the mouth of the cave, two women clothed in loose white robes, one with fluffy triangular ears and the other with pure white antlers, emerged to greet us.


    "We''ve been awaiting you, Princess Aurelia, and you as well, Champion."


    They wave their hands across the air in sync, and with that one gesture, stones float up to the surface of the pond, forming a bridge for us to cross over.


    Entering the cave, I once more feel a surge of power flowing through me, and though I see nothing by the Hp bar, where status effects are usually displayed, I am beyond doubt that I am being affected by something.


    "Aurelius?"


    Noting that my footsteps are slowing down, the princess turns towards me with a worried expression.


    "Don''t tell me, you still haven''t recovered from your sickness?"


    "No, I''m quite fine, princess. In fact, I was surprised by how energetic I feel upon entering this cave."


    The princess looks upon me with wide eyes after listening to my words.


    "That must mean you''re favored by the Holy Beast. Perhaps it is no coincidence that you became our Champion after all."


    "You mean, you''re not feeling this?"


    "No, I''m afraid not, then again, I might be used to it. I have spent a long amount of time here in my training to be a Cleric after all."


    "And you Merida, do you feel nothing?"


    "I am sensing that this place is indeed special, but that''s all. I don''t feel particularly energetic."


    As we talked, our footsteps gradually slowed down, and so with a bit of impatience, our guide, the two women from before turn towards us.


    "While we do not mean to rush you, please, let us go see that Holy Beast while she''s awake."


    While she''s awake, do they mean she spends most of her time sleeping? Wouldn''t that be rather worrying for a guardian of the land to be like that?


    "Does the Holy Beast usually sleeps a lot?"


    The two guides turn to glance at one another while showing a slight exasperation on their mellow expressions. Did I say something wrong, I wonder.


    "Ah yes, forgive his ignorance, I have not yet told him of the Holy Beast''s condition."


    The princess came to my defense, though I suppose this wouldn''t have happened if she told me before hand. I guess she must have forgotten. I wouldn''t blame her, since she''s apparently always busy.


    "Aurelius, you see, the thing is, nowadays, the Holy Beast is constantly drained of her energy in an effort to keep the [Corruption] at bay."


    "So she''s sleeping in order to try and recuperate?"


    "Exactly."


    But if she''s already so tired, will the Holy Beast be able to help with the smog problem we''ll have in the future? I want to ask, but I''m too afraid to bring it up. Those two, the guides, they''re looking like they don''t like me very much.


    "Now that that''s settled, shall we move on?"


    "Of course, sorry for the delay."


    With that we moved on further into the cave until finally, we''re at deepest part of the cave, the dwelling of the [Holy Guardian Beast].


    The cavern is large and spacious, with a large hole above letting in natural lights from the outside. In fact, the cavern is so large it could serve as a boss arena, a large boss arena for a large boss, a raid boss, one with the body of a lion and the tail of a reptile. This room, I think I''ve been here before.


    And there she is, standing proudly in the center of the room, the creature I can swear confidently on my life that I''ve seen as well, and though its fur and mane is now pure white, and it''s missing a few spikes here and there, I could still recognize this behemoth of a beast.


    Unbelievable, to think that the Holy Beast I''ve heard so much about, is actually the [World Breaker Behemoth].


    ***


    End of Chapter 25

 Vol. 2, Chapter 26: The Keepers

    The [World Breaker Behemoth], it was a fearsome raid boss that could not be cleared without four full parties of players who know what they are doing. From the boss'' massive damage output to the various hazardous field effects that it could dish out, it was not something one could even survive without a properly constructed party and an inventory full of potions. It was a boss so hard, all but the most hardcore of players called for it to be nerfed. Our guild, the SlayerZ formed a raid party to challenge this boss. For our party construct, we minimized our support and healing, and instead maximized our damage output, relying on not only the healers but the skills of each individual player to increase survivability while dishing out the most damage imaginable. In the end, for our efforts, we were able to clear the boss within record time.


    It was right after, wasn''t it, that we were pulled into this world. It all started with the [World Breaker Behemoth]. And right now, the spitting image of the raid boss is staring down at me. Though its mane is no longer dark purple, its body no longer ebony, and its fur fluffier than before, I would not mistake it for anything else. This is indeed the creature we painstakingly studied down to the smallest detains, the timing of its skills, the pattern of its attacks, and even the size of its hit boxes. Cecilia, myself, and many others spend a whole night strategizing on the best way to beat it, and we spent days gathering and scheduling the right members to fight it. From the way it moves towards me, from the way it stares down at me, I have no doubt that this Holy Beast before me and the one we fought that fateful day is undoubtedly the very same.


    "Fear not Champion, no harm shall come to you while you are in my domain."


    All of a sudden, I hear a voice in my head, a voice of a woman.


    "Was that the Holy Beast?"


    "Yes, this body is not built for speech, and so I send my voice into your minds."


    "Built?"


    "Indeed, we, the Keepers, are created along with the lands, and we exists to protect it, or at least, we used to. I fear that I am the only sane one left."


    "Wait, just hold on for the moment. How about we start from the beginning? This conversation is going too fast for me to keep up with."


    Hearing my words, the Holy Beast acts as if she realized something and posture herself proudly with her head held high.


    "Oh yes, I haven''t had company quite a while now, I seem to have forgotten my manners. Greetings, Champion, I am the Keeper of this land, the one they call the [Holy Guardian Beast]. And of course, it is good to see you as well, Princess Aurelia, and you as well, Merida."


    The rest all bowed and replied with their own greetings upon being mentioned by the Holy Beast, I am the only one who didn''t react in time and ended up not bowing, earning the stink eye from the two who guided us here. Well, the ball''s already rolling, I can''t freeze up here.


    "I am... I mean, good to finally meet you. As you may already have heard, I am Aurelius, one of the Champions here to fight the [Demons]."


    I stuttered a little there at the beginning, but I think I did pretty fine for the most part.


    "Yes, Aurelius, good to meet you too, though you seem a little pale. Is my form terrifying to you?"


    "Huh? Do I look that bad? I-I mean, I''m just surprised. I did not expect you to be so huge."


    I wonder, if she can send her voice into my head, can she read my mind as well? Does she know that I''ve fought her before, as the [World Breaker Behemoth] in the game? To begin with, what is the relationship between the game and this world? We were suspecting it when we realized that the forest was called [World Devourer Woods], but to think World Breaker is here too, a raid boss that had already been released, pretty much confirming our suspicious about this world having some kind of connected to Elysium Online.


    Coming out of my thoughts, I find the Holy Beast''s gaze upon me, and I realize that she must have said something to me, something I must have ignored while deep into my thoughts. What now, should I find something to reply with? What did she say? Probably something relating to her size since that''s what I mentioned earlier. Should I reply with something? But I don''t know what she just said. What to do? Maybe I should just change the topic?


    "Pardon me, but I have a question."


    "Ask away, Champion."


    "Why do they refer to you as a ''she''?"


    Already, I am regretting my decision. I can feel the gazes on me, the princess and Merida staring at me in shock while our two guides sending me glares that could kill. Without even turning to look, I can feel them upon my back, boring a hole into me. I mean, I can''t help it. It''s the only thing that came to mind. She has a mane yet they called her a ''she''. I mean sure, her voice is that of a woman''s but since she''s projecting it into our minds, I''m sure she could make it sound like whatever she wants. Though, unlike the rest, the one being asked the question herself seemed amused.


    "Ah, an interesting question, Champion. Let''s see, it may not the right answer, but I believe it is because we, the Keepers, are associated with the land, with nature itself, and nature is seen as a nurturing mother. Thusly, the Keepers, associated with it, were seen as motherly entities, and so, we are referred to mostly as ''she''."


    "Oh, that makes sense I suppose. But what do you mean it may not be the right answer? You mean you never actually confirmed it?"


    "I never asked, the Keepers have no genders and I have never been bothered by what I was being referred as. But ah, you sure know how to begin a conversation, Champion."


    Really, I do? I would have assumed that questions of such nature would only make things even more awkward though. Then again, I am speaking to a divine being, so I''m guessing that their sensibilities are different than ordinary folks. Either that or the Holy Beast is being sarcastic.


    "However, as much as I am enjoying myself, you are not here to chat are you? Let us cut straight to business, shall we?"Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    The princess, taking it as her cue, promptly comes forward.


    "Keeper, we have come to seek your council in regards to the forest to the west. You see, plans have been made to burn it to the ground but there are concern in regards to the ash and smog that will surely come after."


    "I understand, Aurelia. I shall call upon the winds for you, to ensure that the ashes never fall upon this land."


    Wait, that''s it!? That''s all it took? No hesitation, no need for negotiation? We''re just going to burn down potentially one-fourth of Elgardia and no one is even going to bat an eye?


    "You look almost disappointed, Champion. Is something the matter?"


    Apparently, my exasperation did not go unnoticed. I know that I may have said something about the princess wearing her feeling on her sleeve, but it seems that I too may share the same problem.


    "I''m just a little surprised. After all, the forest, the [Holy Protector Forest], it is one of the Keepers, right?"


    "It is, yes, but unfortunately, all of the Keepers aside from myself have long gone mad from the [Corruption] and even now they propagate this ailment upon their lands. They must be destroyed if we seek to salvage what is left."


    "And... pardon me for my ignorance, but what will happen to the land after its Keeper is gone?"


    The Holy Beast remained silent for a moment, as if the words were caught in her throat, figuratively of course, since she speaks directly to the mind.


    "The land will become desolated and barren. No life will be sustained upon those lands, none of ours, and fortunately, none of the [Demon]''s either."


    "So, to save this world, we will have to destroy the rest of it?"


    "If we must, yes. However, fret not Champion, for as Keeper, we do not, nor are we able to, truly perish. In time, a new Keeper will be reborn, hopefully, this time, one that is untouched by the [Corruption], and life may once more resume upon the land."


    That''s good to know, but wait, did she say "hopefully untouched"? Does that mean what I think it means?


    "Is there no guarantee that the newly reborn Keeper will not be afflicted by the [Corruption]?"


    "I am afraid I cannot deny the possibility that they will not be [Corrupted] again. Not as long as the true source of the [Corruption] remains."


    So the Keepers could not be truly destroyed, yet as long as the [Corruption] is around, they may become enemies again, and the cycle of battle continues. In other words, to truly end this once and for all, the source must be destroyed.


    "And the source of the [Corruption] is?"


    "I do not know."


    "You don''t?"


    "No, I am afraid I do not, Champion. I apologize."


    Seriously? Even the Holy Beast doesn''t know. Well I guess if she did she would have told the Beastkins a long time ago. But without knowing where or even what the source is, won''t we just be running around in circles while in the dark? We wouldn''t get anywhere like this would we? We''d just be fighting one fight after another, and another, and then another, with absolutely no end in sight? Will we have to spend an entire lifetime here, unable to go home and constantly fighting?


    As I feel the despair seeping in, I a small soft hand grasps onto mine, the thin, tender fingers intertwined with my own. The pleasing softness and the comforting warmth allowed me to still my wavering heart, just long enough for me to get a grip on myself.


    "Worry not Aurelius, we have the best scholars in the kingdom looking into it. I''m sure we will have some answers soon, so please, until then, keep faith in us, as we do you."


    The princess'' words are comforting, as is her voice. I haven''t really thought about it, but being here in this hopeless world, having to fight constantly with no end in sight, I seem to have ended up rely on the princess a lot more than I realize. I''m willing to bet that it''s thanks to her that I''m taking this better than I would have. I wonder if she''s doing this consciously. If she is, then she is good, very good. If not, then bless her kind gentle soul.


    "There''s nothing else I can do about it I suppose. Forward is the only way to go for me, for all of us."


    "That''s right. We''re all walking on the same path now."


    I turn back to the Holy Beast.


    "Thank you, for answer my questions, Keeper."


    "It was no trouble. You''ve been a great company, Champion. However, if there are no further businesses, I am afraid you must pardon me. My body is feeling heavy and I think it may be time for me to slumber once more."


    "Very well then, Keeper, rest well."


    Once more, the princess and the rest offered a bow, and this time, I too did the same. And with that, we were guided out of the caverns and into the forest, where we headed back to our carriage and began our trip back to the western front.


    ***


    "It''s getting a little too dark to continue traveling isn''t'' it?"


    "Fret not, Merida is more than capable of seeing in the dark. She''ll get us back safely."


    By the time we left the Holy Beast''s dwelling, night had already fallen. However, wanting to return as soon as possible, it was decided that we would continue our journey back regardless. Briefly, we had stopped for a quick meal with the rations brought over from the garrison before moving on again.


    There''s still a good deal that I haven''t had the chance to ask, about the relationship between Elgardia and Elysium Online, about why is it that we were summoned after defeating the [World Breaker Behemoth], but those questions will have to wait another day. My head is already spinning from what I''ve already learned.


    "You know, I''ve just realized something. Why haven''t I been told of the Keepers till now? The fact that we would eventually be facing them is a somewhat important information, don''t you think?"


    The princess furrows her eyebrows, and I must say, even her troubled expression is adorable, but that isn''t going to help her here. She said that we''re walking on the same path, in that case, such thing will have to be straighten out.


    "I didn''t want to burden you with that information, since you tend to worry too much about such things...... No, to be honest, Aurelius, I simply withheld the information from you because I trusted that it would be the right decision."


    "Why, it''s the only way to stop them right? I know that it would cause devastation to the land they reside, but still, that''s our only shot right?"


    "Is it? Is that truly the case?"


    "You tell me, I just got here."


    "I don''t know, I truly do not know, but Aurelius, I shall let you in one a secret, one you must swear to never repeat to anyone."


    All of a sudden, I could feel a sense of great pressure from the princess, as if she''s about to lay upon me a burden of massive proportion. Even so, I must know, I must learn more and push on forward, otherwise we''ll all be trapped in this cycle forever.


    "You have my word, Aurelia."


    To my affirmation, the princess nods solemnly.


    "The last time I visited the Holy Beast, she revealed a secret to me, that she had been dreaming. That in her dream, she too has been [Corrupted], and through her, all of those living upon this land were driven mad and they began ravaging the lands, till in the end, nothing is left."


    "What does that even mean?"


    "I do not know for sure, perhaps she had peered into the future, or perhaps, it is we who had been [Corrupted], that it is we who were the [Demons] ravaging the lands."


    The princess starts shaking, her fears running wild. With her shaking hand, she reaches out to me, grabbing my arms and placing my hands upon her cheeks.


    "Tell me, Aurelius, what do I look like to you? Am I really who I think I am, or am I a [Demon] deluded into thinking that I am a person?"


    Her face felt warm and soft, her hair smooth and silky. Can this really be a [Demon]? The Holy Beast said she had a dream, but perhaps that all it was, a dream, because right in front of me is the princess, the beautiful, adorable, and sometimes moody princess. There''s no way she is a [Demon].


    "I see Aurelia, the princess who summoned me to protect her kingdom, her world. There''s no need for worries, princess. It was but a dream, just that."


    So I say, but, back in Elysium Online, we did fight a corrupted Holy Beast, the [World Breaker Behemoth]. I don''t believe that is a coincidence. Perhaps she was dreaming of that world instead? Our world? In the end, what is the connection between this world and ours? I''ll have to come back again when I have the time. It may not have much to do with the [Demons] but at least I might find out about what that dream was about and finally put the princess'' fears to rest.


    ***


    End of Chapter 26

 Vol. 2, Chapter 27: Onwards, One Step at a Time

    The question raised by the princess, about whether or not we''re the [Demons], whether or not that we''re the threat to this world. At first it sounded absurd, but the more I thought about it, the more unsure I became. How exactly does one prove that he is not what he thinks he is? To me, we look nothing like [Demons] but perhaps that is only so in my eyes, perhaps my perception has been warped, or perhaps this is exactly what a [Demon] is supposed to look like in this world. However, in the end, it doesn''t matter. If we do not strike at them, they would strike at us, and for us Champion, it never mattered, because for us, this is merely survival. No matter which side we fight for, our goal should be winning and return home, whether it be for [Demons] or otherwise. I may not know many things about this world, but I do know one thing for the time being: It was the princess who had promised us a way home, no one else.


    ***


    When I got out of my bedding and left my tent, it was already well pass noon. No surprise given that the princess, Merida, and I had returned to the garrison deep into the middle of the night. Still, even though I had slept through the morning, the sluggishness remains, making me want to stay in the bed till the end of time.


    "Good afternoon, Aurelius."


    Soon after leaving my tent, I bumped into Toto who appears to have just been to the war room.


    "Good afternoon. Something going on?"


    "Not really, the commander, the princess, and I were just discussing a few things. There was something I thought would be useful in our next battle."


    "Oh, interesting... But wait, the princess is up already!?"


    "She''s up since this morning."


    "I am somehow both amazed and terrified."


    "Merida''s trying to make her rest right now I think."


    "Probably for the best."


    Toto nods in agreement.


    "Anyways, where are the others?"


    "Cecilia should be in our tent, and Six should out patrolling with the troops."


    "Is that so? I guess I could wait for Six to come back."


    "Is there something you want to tell us?"


    "Yeah, about a few things I learned from the Holy Beast that I''d like to share with the rest of you."


    "I see. In that case, let''s wait at our tent, I''m heading back there right now."


    "Well then, don''t mind if I do."


    With Toto, I went ahead and visited the tent Cecelia, Six, and she shared. It was a tent large enough for three to share comfortably in, but a fourth would have made it too cramped, which is why I was given my own tent. It wasn''t as big, but I think having a small tent all to myself was better than having to share a large one. I''m a guy who likes my personal space after all.


    "Cecilia, we have a guest."


    "Hmm...?"


    It appears Cecilia is still in bed. It''s one thing to say that she''s not a morning person, but it''s already way pass noon, if she keeps this up, she''s not going to wake up till evening. I''ve heard that there are some Beastkins who are basically nocturnal, preferring the night to the day. Is she trying to become one of them?


    "Cecilia, Aurelius is here. Come on."


    Toto shifts the curtains dividing Cecilia''s section of the tent form the rest and heads right in, leaving me to wait in the space at the center, the neutral grounds within this tent I would suppose.


    "Oh hey, it''s Aurelius."


    Cecilia, half asleep, peeks out from her curtains with her drowsy eyes and disheveled hair.


    "Good morning, though it''s actually afternoon already. How long are you planning to sleep?"


    "As long as it takes to sleep away this headache I guess?"


    Well, I can''t say I don''t understand how she feels. There are days when I just want to lie on the bed a never have to get up too. Still...


    "It''s only going to get worse the longer you stay down you know. Go get some sun and you''ll get better in an instant, I guarantee it."


    "Ugh... If I must. Toto, help me up, my back kinda hurts."


    "That''s because you were lying down for so long."


    Toto went and tried pulling Cecilia up from her beddings only to find her own strength insufficient. I suppose as a Sorcerer/Enchanter, she doesn''t really have much in the way of strength, either that or Cecilia is simply that reluctant to leave her bed.


    "Should I help?"


    "Yes please."


    Though I too am of a build that does not place much emphasis on strength, I have been training with Merida, obtaining various buffs in regards to my physical attributes. It may not be much overall, compared to those of with a more physical focused build, such as Six and Cecilia, but it should at least be enough to drag this one girl out of bed, unless she''s actively fighting it of course.


    With my strength combined with Toto''s we were able to drag Cecilia onto her feet and keep her that way, long enough to get her to do her stretches and cast her drowsiness away.


    "Aurelius, will you give me a moment? I''m going to have her dressed."


    "I don''t suppose you''ll take no for an answer?"


    "You''re... going to stay?"


    It seems like Toto didn''t realize that I was only joking. Is it my tone, or is it because we just don''t know each other well enough?


    "No, I''m going to leave. I was just joking."


    "Oh, you were? You scared me a little."


    "Seriously?"If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "I mean, I though you''re like Cecilia, thinking that there''s no problem since it''s just an avatar and such things along the lines."


    "Right, I get what you mean. I''ll be going now."


    It looks like not everyone is as detached to their avatars as Cecilia. As for me, well, I''m more in the middle ground. I''m more or less conscious of the fact that Aurelius is me, yet sometimes, I feel somewhat disconnected from him. Maybe it''s because the sensations Aurelius experience as a younger man is far too different from what I experienced as my older self. And then, there''s that time when I felt as if I''m peering down at him from a third person perspective, as if the mind had been separated from the body, and I become more perceptive and calm in that state. I wonder what that was, during that battle within the forest, when all of a sudden I felt disconnect from this body known as Aurelius. Was that real? Or did I just imagine that?


    Eventually, I was called back into the tent, and now, rather than the loose blouse and pants she wears to sleep, Cecilia is properly wearing her shirt and trousers.


    "Mornin'' Aurelius!"


    "It''s already afternoon."


    "I guess it is. At any rate, Toto said you have something to tell us. What is it?"


    "It''s about the things I''ve learned at the Holy Beast''s place, but I think it''s best to wait for Six before I start."


    "In that case, you could have let me sleep a little more."


    "Cecilia, you''ve slept plenty already."


    "What are you Toto, my mom?"


    Briefly we chatted about a bunch of nothings till Six eventually returned, and it was then our meeting, the meeting just between the Champion who were summoned into this world, began.


    "First of all, let''s talk about what we went there for in the first place, which is the countermeasures for the ash and smog that will result in our burning of the forest as part of the invasion plan. The short of it is, the Holy Beast had agreed on protecting the land. She said that she would ''call upon the winds'', so there''s apparently nothing to worry about on that front."


    To my news, they appear rather delighted, especially Cecilia, who looks as if a great trouble have been lifted from her.


    "Good, I was a little worried that we might have to go challenge the [World Devourer Woods] with axes or something."


    "You''ve actually considered that?"


    "Well, it has to be done, right?"


    "Anyways, moving on, I will now talk about the Holy Beast and the opponents we will be facing..."


    I spoke of the Holy Beast, about how she''s the spitting image of the [World Breaker Behemoth], and I spoke of the Keepers, about the consequences for defeating them and what may come after their defeat.


    "So if these Keepers cannot be truly killed, and they keep coming back and keep getting [Corrupted], the fighting will never end?"


    Six looks a little bit devastated at the news, not that I blame him, I was taken aback too when I heard about it.


    "They won''t come back immediately, it would take at least a decade before they return, at least that''s what the princess told me. A decade of peace should be more than enough for the princess and her scholars to find a way to send us back."


    There''s no guarantee of course, but I can''t have Six, or anyone here for that matter, breaking down on me now. I need them, and we need each other if we''re going to pull through this.


    "And the Holy Beast, you said that she''s exactly like the World Breaker?"


    Cecilia leans forward while questioning me, looking rather curious about the situation than devastated, though she might be putting up a front.


    "Not exactly, but like how the [Holy Feathered Dragon] is the purified form of the [World Ender Dragon], the [World Breaker Behemoth] would be the [Holy Guardian Beast]."


    "I see, and with the [World Devourer Wood], I suppose now we can assume that all of the Keepers are related to ''World Destroyer'' series of bosses, and that this world is undoubtedly related to Elysium Online."


    "Still, we can''t approach this as if we''re in a game."


    "I''m keeping that in mind. I''m just saying that perhaps figuring out the connection between this world and the game might help us in some way, it might even be the key to getting us home."


    "I sure hope so."


    "Here''s an idea, the next time you go to the Holy Beast, I''ll go with you. You''re not the best when it comes to conversations after all. I bet you probably had reservations about asking someone you''ve just met too many questions when you were there, didn''t you?"


    Unconsciously, I gulp down a ball of spit. Of course, she wasn''t completely right, there was also the fact that the revelations I''ve had that day were too much to handle, but still, she wasn''t completely wrong either.


    Upon hearing my audible gulping, Cecilia smiles quite pleased that she was able to read me.


    "That''s a fine idea, yes, let''s do that next time."


    Well, like they say, two heads are better than one.


    "But still, we have to fight all of the Keepers, huh. This is going to be tough."


    Hearing Cecilia, Six nodded, agreeing with her.


    "You''ve got that right. We had a hard enough time in that one battle with the forest as it is. I''m not sure about having to deal with two more of these."


    Toto had her eyes cast downwards, her hands gripping the fabric of her dress.


    "Can we... really do this?"


    As expected, it''s hard isn''t it, to know that your work is so far from done, to know how difficult it is to take even one step and then have a hundred more laid out in front of you. It almost makes me regret telling them this. Still, I can''t withhold such important information from them. They''re my friends, my guildmates, and my fellow Champions, leaving them in the dark would be unwise.


    "It''s probably going to be hard, very hard, probably harder than we could ever imagine."


    My muttering caught the attention of everyone in the tent, and I can feel the weight of the gloom sinking in.


    "But we can''t stop, I''m sure we can all agree to that. If we stop, it''ll be the end of it all. That is why, even if one step forward is all that we can manage, even if it''s only one step at a time, we''ll move forward, and then, bit by bit, I''m sure we''ll get there eventually."


    Honestly, I have no idea what I''m doing, saying all these things. However, I have been in these situations before, where everything seemed unreasonably difficult. At times like those, I simply stop thinking more than necessary, and just push forward, one step at a time, and eventually, it gets easier, slowly and steadily, I got closer to the end. Though, one thing I did regret was the fact that I eventually stopped thinking entirely, stopped looking for other ways forward, and in the end, I ended up goingoff the course and getting lost in life.


    "We''ll keep our eyes forward as we plant one foot in front of the other, and I''m sure, together, with everyone here, we''ll find a way through."


    Facing everyone, I sat upright and with my head held high. I need them to believe in these words of mine, I need them to keep faith and not lose hope. If we fall into despair now, we''ll never see the end, we''ll never find our way back home.


    Everyone stare at me while I spoke, their gaze fixed and their face rigid. Was that too out-of-character for me? Did they find my words too silly or ridiculous? Such fears surged through me as I await their response. However, eventually, someone''s face loosens, and she beamed a smile.


    "You know, that was probably the most inspiring thing I have ever heard you say."


    It was Cecilia, and though she was smiling, I can tell that she was trying hard to put on a front, but thanks to that, Six and Toto began to loosen up as well.


    "Really, I thought it was kind of cheesy. Gave me goosebumps in fact."


    Really, Six, it was that bad?


    "I... I thought it was cool though."


    Looks like Toto liked it though. Then again, it sounds like she''s forcing it too. Hmm... Maybe I should stop giving these speeches.


    All of a sudden, I heard the grumbling of a stomach resounding throughout the tent, felt it too actually, for it was actually my stomach that was crying out for sustenance.


    "Well, well, well, what a coincidence, I haven''t had anything to eat myself. Let''s say we cut this meeting short and go grab something to eat?"


    "I mean, I suppose so. It''s not like I have anything else to report."


    "That settles it then! Six, Toto, what about you two, any of you wanna join Aurelius and I?"


    "Actually, I got a little something to take care of. I''ll join you two later."


    Six then went ahead and left the tent. I wonder what''s this business of his is.


    "I''ve already eaten. You two go ahead."


    Looks like it''ll be just Cecilia and I then. Well that''s just fine, it''ll be awkward for me anyways, after that little speech I just pulled out of nowhere. God, thinking back to it now, I kinda just want to jump into a well and stay there for a good few days. That was so embarrassing!


    "Guess that''s that then."


    With that, Cecilia dragged me out of the tent, and as she does, she whispers into my ear.


    "Give them time, they know you''re right."


    "Cecilia?"


    "Come now, let''s go, I''m getting plenty hungry myself."


    Looks like she''s going to pretend that did not just happened. Well, not that I need to confirm what she meant. I guess it was silly for me to expect to just get them to flip over and become motivated after a little speech, but at the very least, given time my words will sink in, at least according to Cecilia, and I would very much like to believe in her.


    Our fight will be a long one, and it''s not going to be easy either. Even so, I believe what I said. As long as we keep moving forward without losing hope, as long as we keep our eyes forward, looking for a path leading onwards, eventually, we''ll see the end. At the very least, we''ll have a better chance of seeing it than if we simply stood around and did nothing.


    ***


    End of Chapter 27

 Vol. 3, Chapter 28: Another Day, Another Step

    Two week after the initial expedition into the [World Devourer Woods], our attempts to push back to forest have been progressing smoothly, albeit gradual. So far, two more of the forest''s power''s sources, the [Demonic Flowers], have been destroyed. However, with each trek into the forest, the fatigue of both the troops and ourselves, the Champions, piled on, as penetrating the defenses has proven to be a arduous process. Having to fight through hordes of beast-like [Demons] on not only the ground, but also atop the trees and in the air, has made it draining to make even a bit of progress. While it has been fortunate that the casualties remained low, as our fatigue stacks on, both the commander of the garrison and myself have predicted that we will be taking more losses as we continue down this path. Luckily, Toto has been looking into new strategic possibilities since early on, and soon, we expect to see the fruit of her experimentations.


    "Morning Aurelius. Slept well?"


    Upon leaving my tent, Six was there to greet me, apparently ready to head over to patrol with the rest of the troops from the looks of it.


    "Feels like I''ve been rammed by a truck, my body aches like it too. Yesterday was too rough."


    It was only yesterday did we return from destroying our third [Demonic Flower]. The [Demons] came at us like a swarm of ants, rushing us in hordes and were apparently using their bulk to form walls of flesh to keep us from proceeding further. Even when we did arrive before the giant flower, there were far more fairies in place than usual, and they were far stronger that the ones encountered before. It''s as if the ones we''ve encountered up till that point had been only there as caretakers of the flower, while the ones we encountered yesterday were the ones trained for combat. I have no doubt in my mind that the forest will be pulling all the stops to protect its [Demonic Flowers]. If we don''t step up our game soon, we''ll undoubtedly be stuck in a stalemate once more, and with [Demon] threats from the other lands, we simply can''t afford to have our time wasted trying to maintain just one of our frontlines. Right from the beginning, this has been a triple fronted war. It''s like playing a strategy game on max difficulty, except that this is hardly any fun, and if we get a game over we''re going to die.


    "Aurelius?"


    Oops, I lost myself in thoughts again, and I reckon that I look pretty grim while thinking my depressing thoughts.


    "Anyways, how''s the new sword serving you?"


    For now, I''ll change the topic. Of all of us, Six is likely the most fragile. I can''t let him think that things are going badly.


    "The black sword? It''s fantastic! In fact, it''s so good it''s almost scary, cutting through enemies is like cutting through water now. Though, if I have to complain, I''d say that it actually feels too good to swing and doesn''t strike a good balance with my other sword. It feels rather awkward when swinging one sword after the other."


    The black sword here is the same as the one I got from the [Demon] Champion fought atop the mountains. While it has been given to me, I never actually got to use it very often since I mostly stay in the rear of the formation. Eventually, I ended up deciding that Six would probably make better use of it than I ever could. In exchange, he gave me one of his, which is a short curved blade.


    Speaking of the weapons taken off the [Demon] Champion, apparently, the royal blacksmith back in the capital had just finished reforging the Champion''s greatsword not too long ago and the princess sent a message back, telling him to send it our way. If all is right, then it should be arriving sometime today. Even while I say that this isn''t a game, a part of me is somewhat excited at the prospect of getting my hands on some spanking new gears, especially one gotten off a strong enemy. I can''t wait to see what kind of work the royal smith had done with it.


    After cutting short the conversation between Six and myself so that he may join patrol, I head off towards an open field nearby that has been set aside for Toto and her experiments.


    ***


    "Good morning, Sir Aurelius."


    Entering the texting field, the soldiers and craftsmen who saw my approach greeted me with friendliness.


    "Good morning. Where''s Toto?"


    Upon asking, they direct my sight upwards.


    Upon the experiment field, constructed for the sake of Toto''s experiments on the strategic delivery of troops into the forest, a large platform over ten meters in height stands tall. This platform is of the most curious shape as it is not completely flat, with the only flat plane on the platform at the highest point which is then followed by a sharp curve downwards before ending on a slight curve upwards. Rather than a platform, it''d probably be more accurate to call it a ramp I suppose. On top of this ramp, I see Toto, mounted on what appears to be the same apparatus she had tested before.


    "Isn''t that the one that couldn''t get very far?"


    "Worry not, Sir Aurelius, modifications has already been made. Observe."


    Listening to how proud the craftsman sounds, I look towards Toto with curiosity and anticipation. I wonder what exactly they changed. It didn''t look at all the different from before and even the materials look similar.


    On the ramp with Toto is an assistant, and with a nod, Toto signals him, prompting him to give her a push, sending her apparatus down the curve with her atop of it. As the apparatus tumbles downward and picking up speed, the clacking of the wooden wheels installed upon it bouncing up and down resounds across the testing field, causing me to feel myself frowning at the implications of those sounds.


    "It sounds like it''s falling apart!"


    "Don''t worry, Sir Aurelius. Lady Toto knows what she''s doing."


    I certainly hope so. I mean, sure, even if she crashes, she can easily be healed with the healing magic of this world, but if she happens to break her neck or hit her head on the fall, I can''t help but feel that healing magic might not be enough.


    Reaching maximum speed as it hits the end of the ramp, the apparatus flies off the upwards curve and into the air. At this very moment, Toto, without a single sign of panic, pulls what appear to be bolts from the lower sections of the apparatus, causing the wooden wheels to detach and fall towards the ground.


    I see now! So that''s why the wheels seemed so loose. It''s supposed to come off, thus reducing the weight of the apparatus.


    Without the weight of the wheels, the apparatus hovers across the air with its pair of wide spread wings made with leather and wooden frames. Once all appears stable, Toto begins to turn the pedals installed with her legs, turning the propeller at the front of the apparatus connected to the pedals via gears and chains. I''ve been calling it an apparatus, but really, what Toto has been building the whole time were aircrafts, more precisely, human-powered aircrafts. Apparently, she was quite a hobbyist for such things back in our world and has been attempting to recreate a functioning craft with the technology and technique available in this world.


    Toto''s aircraft flew over five hundred meters before crash landing, a new record by far. As she was wearing protective gear and the landing was rather smooth, she had been mostly unharmed, though the attention of a healer was still needed just in case.


    "So, what do you think?"


    In the healers'' tent set up in the testing field, even while being treated, Toto and I start discussing her aircraft.


    "The landing doesn''t look too safe."


    "Nothing a little [Greater Protection Boost] can''t fix."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Can it be steered?"


    "Slightly, just enough to get it to go where you want it to go, provided that you have the ramp pointed at the right direction."


    "And the ramp? Do we have to build a new one every time we push the frontline forward?"


    "I''m sure we can just slap some wheels on it, probably..."


    Probably, she says. That does not inspire confidence, but for her to make such stride in two weeks is more than I could ever asked for. I had thought that I''d be a little longer before we see any results, but with the help of the craftsmen from the capital and Toto''s directions, something that may just be workable is now within grasp.


    "Will it work?"


    I ask, finally, the most important question.


    "We won''t know till we actually try it. As to whether to do it or not, I''ll leave it up to Cecilia, you, and the garrison commander."


    While I don''t know about the other two decision makers here, personally, I want to try it. If it works, then it will change everything. War will never be the same in this world ever again, and most importantly of all, it''ll make our jobs here that much easier. But, before I go bring this up to Cecilia and the garrison commander, there''s one thing I have to do first.


    "I''d like to have to ride on it myself first."


    "You''re going to have to I suppose. Come, I''ll show you how to work it."


    Standing up once the healers are done with her, Toto leads me out of the tent and back to the testing field, where a second aircraft is ready and waiting atop the ramp. Since these things are bound to crash, two or three of the same were made for each testing session.


    After climbing up to the ramp, Toto proceeds to sit me down on the small seat on her aircraft while giving me instructions on how to operate the thing.


    "Once you take off, you want to pull the bolts here and here to dislodge the wheels, and you pull the pulleys here and here to steer. Also, don''t forget to pedal."


    So far, it''s not too complicated, simple enough for anyone to immediately pick up. For its user friendliness, I''d give it passing marks. However, there''s a problem, a problem not inherent to this apparatus. Said problem, is my very own fear of heights.


    "Ready. Set."


    "Wait, wait, wait! Hold on, Toto, I''m not-"


    "Go!"


    And then her assistant just goes on ahead and pushes me down the ramp.


    Feeling the momentum of accelerating down the steep ramp, the force pushing against my innards, and the rumbling of the loosely attached wheels, I can feel my instincts screaming at me that my life is in danger.


    I couldn''t quite remember what happened afterwards. All I recall was a great deal of screaming and my sights blurring, either due to the speed at which I was going or my tears obscuring my vision. However, as far as Toto considers it, the test was more or less a success, since even in my panicked state, I managed to have the thing fly well over five hundred meters. Well, I''m sure it''s because I was pedaling like my life depended on it.


    At any rate, I spend my time recovering in the healer''s tent for the rest of the morning, dreading the fact that I''m most likely going to have to fly again sometime soon. Ah, how long will this war last I wonder, and how many more times will I have to ride that death machine?


    ***


    Around noon, Cecilia had finally woken up. As always, she''s hardly a morning person, but at least nowadays she no longer sleeps till late into the afternoon. Slowly but surely, she''s adjusting.


    "Cecilia, good timing."


    I call out to her as soon as I catch her leaving her tent.


    "Hm... Aurelius... Mornin''."


    "It''s already noon."


    "Still feels like morning..."


    "Do you even know what morning feels like?"


    While yawning, Cecilia starts to stretch under the warmth of the sun at its zenith, gradually becoming fully awake.


    "So, is there something the matter?"


    "We just got a little package from the capital. I''d like you to come take a look with me."


    With a quirked eyebrow, she looks at me with curiosity since I usually never bother to go out of my way to tell her about fresh supplies and new equipments sent to this camp. Such matters are usually discussed between the garrison commander and me. If it''s important, we''ll let her, along with everyone, know during the meeting. For me to go out of my way to get her, even the not yet fully awakened Cecilia is sensing that something is up.


    "Sounds like you''ve got something for me."


    "Something you''ll like I think."


    I lead the way towards one of the supply tents, this one in particular serves as an armory for the garrison. Sitting in the corner of the tent is a stack of boxes, one of which appears to have been opened recently.


    "There, take a look."


    With a gesture, I direct Cecilia towards the opened box, of which she is quick to peer into.


    "Is this for me?"


    "You''re the best one here to wield it, both the princess and the garrison commander agree."


    Within the box, there lies a set of black sword and shield, made from the greatsword of the [Demon] Champion fought atop the mountains to the east. Originally, the greatsword was far too heavy to be wieldy for all but those explicitly focused on building up their strength, with this in mind, the royal blacksmith back in the capital had split the large blade in half and used one part for a new sword and the other for a shield.


    "What do you think?"


    "It''s a little heavy."


    Testing her new armaments, Cecilia swings and thrusts the sword a couple of times feeling its weight. Once she''s done with the sword, she does the same with the shield, simulating a few shield bashes against opponents of differing weights. Her movements are smooth and practiced, as if these skills had already been a part of her for the longest time. It makes me wonder if it''s due to the guidance of the system that came with us into this world, or perhaps something ingrained into these new bodies of ours. I''m a little worried, since my interface tends to spaz out now and then. If it gets worse, will I lose my ability to use my skills and magic?


    "It''ll take some time, but I can get used to this. I do love how powerful the swings felt."


    "Glad you like it. You would not believe how hard it was to beat the guy who owned the original sword and how much trouble it was to bring it back down the mountain. The damn thing was so heavy."


    "Hey, whatever it takes to get the best gear, right?"


    "Meh, I''m more of a get them while I play kind of guy."


    While I''m sure all of us know by now that we''re not in a game, and that we should absolutely not treat this world as such, from time to time we still joke about it. While I''m wary of it at first, recently, I''ve been thinking that it''s fine. In small ways, it helps us cope with our situation, and in some other ways, it even helps us figure out what needs to be done. The mindset of playing a game isn''t something that cannot be applied to real life after all. So it should be fine, so long as we remain aware of the nature of our situation, it should be fine to fall back on it just a little.


    "Welp, thanks for the new gear. Speaking of, how''s Toto doing with her''s?"


    "You mean the aircrafts? Well... it works, I guess..."


    "That so? I though it looked goofy at first, what with the pedals and ramps, but if it works, it works I suppose."


    "I can''t say that ''goofy'' is the word that comes to mind when riding on the thing. Still, while it can certainly fly to an extent, I don''t think it''s quite practical yet flight distance wise. I guess you can say it''s still got a long ways to go."


    A swift slap lands upon my back for that little joke of mine. A quarter of my Hp disappears in an instant.


    "I''m sure Toto will figure something out, that girl''s got smarts."


    "I don''t doubt that, I''m just worried that she won''t make it in time."


    "You worry too much, you know that?"


    "So I''ve heard."


    I''ve been told to relax, and while I certainly do try, it''s easier said than done. Troubling thoughts just come as they please and there''s really nothing I can do to distract myself. In the past, I would just focus on my work and forget about everything else, but since at the moment my very work includes dealing with these very troubles, there''s really no escape. Woe is me, I suppose.


    With that, I have no more businesses to attend to and I returned to my tent, only leaving it when time came for dinner. After dinner, I retired for the day.


    ***


    Another day passed, and once more night came. Tonight, I spend it not in my tent, but atop one of the outermost walls of the garrison, my eyes set towards the forest. In the dark, the embers from the fire we had set to destroy the [Demonic Flower] can been seen much better that in the day, though the rising smoke makes everything else hard to make out, even with the [Night Vision] skill active.


    Eventually, I spot a silhouette approaching from the sky, a winged figure shrouded in silk. However, unlike her usual graceful flight, it appears that she''s struggling to maintain her altitude. I turn my glance towards the small Hp bar beneath mine, noting that it''s blinking red, and beneath said Hp bar, the blue Mp bar had long ran empty. I expected her to return in this state as I''ve been looking at it all day as I went about my business, not letting it bother me too much. After all, from here, there''s nothing I can do for her but pray.


    I raise my hand and let the soldiers as well as the healers waiting alongside me to prepare to set off.


    When we received Michaela, she was badly hurt, her feathers were ruffled and her wings in tatters, her clothes torn and cuts can be seen in her flesh. I almost felt bad for sending her out there, almost. It must be done however, and as the one who has the ability of [Flight], she is the only one who could do.


    Holding her in my arms, she whispers to me.


    "My liege, I have the location of the next Flower."


    "Well done, Michaela, well done."


    I continue to hold her as the healers tend to her. Gradually, her Hp bar fills. I could just dismiss her and she''d regenerate in time, but I''d feel bad to just leave her be as is. I wanted to at least ease her pain before sending her away.


    "One more thing, my liege, before you dismiss me."


    "Go ahead."


    "At the [Demonic Flower], there was someone else amongst the fairies. It was a Champion, my liege. An Archer, I believe."


    Gently, I caress her soft hair.


    "Good work, now we can devise a countermeasure. Now, go ahead and rest, Michaela."


    With that I dismiss her. Michaela''s body disappears into specks of light, leaving but a [contract] in her place. I return the [contract] to my grimoire as I call upon one of the soldiers with me.


    "Wake up the commander and gather the Champions. I want a meeting to happen right this instance."


    ***


    End of Chapter 28

 Vol. 3, Chapter 29: Planning the First Flight

    The location of the next [Demonic Flower] has been discovered. Starting from the very edge of the [World Devourer Woods] the distance has been estimated to be at one thousand four hundred and thirty three meters, about one and a half kilometers roughly speaking.


    "It''s not too far, but not exactly close either, especially not with all the [Demons] in the way."


    A clear frown appears on Cecilia''s face while staring at the newly marked location on our map in the war room. Having led a total of three expeditions into the forest, she has gained a good grasp on how difficult it is to advance within the woods.


    "And there''s a Champion to boot. They''re supposed to be about as tough as we are, aren''t they, Aurelius?"


    Six scratches the back of his head, troubled by what is to come. I feel that he may be reaching his limit with all the fighting that he''s done in the past few days, and I don''t see him allowing himself to relax either. Even when there''s nothing going on, he joins the rest of the troops on patrol and trains with them when he can. He''s hard working, I''ll give him that, but he''s too tense and I fear that the stress might start to get to him.


    "I won''t lie, Six, they''re tough. But remember, so are we. According to what Michaela said, there''s only one Champion on their side. We have him outnumbered."


    "But what if they have more and it''s just that Michaela didn''t see them?"


    He brings up a good point. Michaela had to retreat rather quickly after being struck by the Archer Champion''s arrow. There was no time for her to properly confirm if the Archer was the only one.


    "If it''s any comfort, the Faefolks generally do not like outsider in their lands. If they were forced to summon a Champion, it is likely that they would keep them to as few as possible."


    Stepping in is the princess, trying to help with the unease. Though I am indeed thankful for that, I don''t think she''s helping very much. Even now, Six still doesn''t like or trusts her a single bit, and he hold everything that comes out of the princess'' lips in contempt.


    "But you don''t know for sure, do you, princess?"


    As expected, Six is even more agitated now.


    "I apologize. You are quite right, Sir Six, I should not have spoken about what I do not truly know."


    Hearing the princess'' apology, Six clicks his tongue and moves himself towards a corner, his arms crossed over his chest. It''s clear that every word the princess utter will put him in an ever worse mood. Now that the princess knows better, she cautiously keeps her distance from him.


    With those two settling down, I turn my focus towards Toto.


    "How''s it going with your aircrafts, can they take us all the way?"


    "Not even close. The frame is still too heavy to fly us very far. We''re testing with lighter materials now, but most of them aren''t strong enough to carry passengers either. If I have to be honest, this is actually harder than I initially thought it would be. However, if we can somehow magically make what we already have lighter, I''d say it might work."


    With that, all of our gazes turn towards the princess, and without showing signs of being overwhelmed by the sudden expectation, the princess speaks calmly.


    "At best, I''ll only be able to cast [Feather Weight] trice. Any more will be beyond my limit."


    The Enchanter spell, [Feather Weight], is a spell capable of altering the weight of a single target. It was a cheap and rather worthless spell back in Elysium Online, but here in Elgardia, it''s an extremely powerful spell that can render even a Champion powerless. Of course, with power comes a prince, and the cost of casting it is exponentially higher than its Elysium Online counterpart. That being said, as Champions, we should be able to cast it more than three times without problem. If only anyone here had spent precious skills points in learning it in the first place. In Elysium Online, weight has only been a factor when players carry more items in their inventory than their carrying weight limit. Players that know what they''re doing will rarely even go over that limit, and even if they did, a movement speed penalty is hardly worth spending a skill point on a skill that does very little. Needless to say, neither Toto nor I, the only two Champion here with the Enchanter as subclass, have the skill.


    "Assuming each aircraft can carry two passengers, we''ll only be able to fly six members over if we rely on the [Feather Weight] spell from the princess. If we can, I want at least twice that number."


    I agree with Cecilia, six is too few. Heck, I''d say the even twelve isn''t enough, unless they''re the best of the best, and even then, I doubt all of them would return alive.


    "Princess, do you know any others capable of the [Feather Weight] spell?"


    Previously, I''ve asked the princess to teach me the spell, but the thing is, I absolutely couldn''t understand it, not one bit. She said something about having to temporarily destroying the balance that holds all things in place, and after that my mind went completely blank, not for my lack of attention, but that I simply could not make sense of anything she was saying. Frankly, I don''t think she knows how to explain it either, since it felt as if she was quoting someone else. What I do understand is that this spell, the one spell that is considered the most worthless in all of Elysium Online, is one of the most powerful and difficult to grasp spell in Elgardia, and few are capable of wielding it. Honestly, I don''t expect the princess to know someone who can wield such a spell, and even if she does, I don''t expect to be within arm''s reach. Considering the state of the world, I''d say most of these mighty casters are either dead, or are already part of the [Demon] horde.


    "The priestesses of the Holy Beast should be able to wield the spell."


    To my surprise, the princess actually named someone, and they''re close by as well. We can easily go get them and return in a day or two.


    "Are you sure?"


    I ask just to confirm.


    "They should be able to, I was taught the spell by the Holy Beast after all. There should be no reason that they wouldn''t know it."


    This is great news, perhaps with this, our plan might be viable. But wait, did she say that it was the Holy Beast that taught her the spell? The [Holy Guardian Beast]... She''s capable of transferring her thought right into someone''s mind, can''t she? With the princess'' inability to explain to me how the spell works, perhaps it''s not something so easily put into words. Perhaps rather than words, it''s something that can only be communicated through a much more direct means.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "That settles it then, we''re going to have to pay the Holy Beast another visit. Who wants to come?"


    I scan the room and Cecilia is the first to step forward. We had already discussed it previously, that the next time I visit the Holy Beast, she''ll come with me as backup, in case I get overwhelmed again with all the things thrown at me. Of course, the princess is coming too. Being currently in charge of the kingdom and a former priestess of the Holy Beast, who else here is better fit to ask the Holy Beast any favors.


    In the end, the members that will be going are Cecilia, the princess, and of course, yours truly. Six and Toto will remain at the garrison. With Six stating that someone will have to defend the place just in case something happens and Toto needs to get the aircrafts prepared by the time we return.


    With that, the meeting concludes, and though I would love nothing more than to finally head to bed, dawn had already arrived.


    ***


    "Back so soon?"


    The two priestesses of the Holy Beast, one with triangular feline-like ears, the other with pure white antlers of a dear, both stand before the entrance to the Holy Beast''s cave. Somehow, they feel somewhat unfriendly, and perhaps it''s just my imagination, but I think they''re kind of staring at me. Well, maybe they''re like that with everyone.


    The princess steps forward and state our businesses, prompting the two priestesses to consult one another with but their eyes, nodding to one another before finally leading us into the cave.


    While following suit, I once more feel the sensation of being charged with energy as I go deeper, the fatigue I''ve been feeling from the lack of sleep instantly being dispelled the moment I stepped in. To Cecilia walking beside me, I lean close and whisper, trying not to draw the ire of the two priestesses leading the way.


    "Can you feel it, the energy in here?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    "You know, like all of a sudden you feel more energetic."


    "Not-"


    Cecilia stops to yawn.


    "Not in particular..."


    That''s odd. Is it just me that feels this way about this place? Why is that? I guess I''ll ask the Holy Beast later if I get the chance.


    "Welcome once more, Princess Aurelia, Aurelius, Merida. And I see a new Champion has come to visit as well. This is indeed a lively occasion."


    With her voice resounding within our minds, greeting us with an abundance of friendliness, is the Holy Beast, apparently quite glad to have some company. It makes me wonder if being stuck in this cave all day has made her lonely.


    After each of us had taken our turn to return the Holy Beast''s greeting, the princess wastes no time moving to our main business here.


    "So you wish for my servant''s aid? Very well, one of the two will go with you."


    Like before, the Holy Beast is quick to agree in regards to helping us. She''s rather generous, though perhaps it has to do with how desperate our situation is.


    "Your Holiness, may I have a few words?"


    After seeing that the business had been quickly concluded, Cecilia steps forward. As always, she''s not hesitant to take action on her own accord. If it were me, I don''t think I would have spoken up so freely.


    "Go ahead, I do not mind. In fact, I do so enjoy a good conversation now and then."


    "Then I''ll cut straight to the chase. What is this world''s connection to our?"


    "There are a myriad of worlds out there, Champion. What makes you believe that there is a connection between this world and yours?"


    Cecilia proceeds to explain to the Holy Beast about Elsium Online, about the concept of video games, and about how there''s a great deal of similarities between the MMORPG and Elgardia.


    "An entirely imaginary world created within a... What did you call it, a computer? And you would interact with such a world through a ''player character''? How should I put it? This makes those of your world sounds almost godly, to wield such fantastic power."


    The Holy Beast appears to be extremely intrigued by what is being told to her of our world. Never would I have ever expected a divine being to display the child-like curiosity I''m looking at right now.


    "It''s the power of civilization!"


    Cecilia proclaims with pride, thought, really now, it''s not as if you''re the one who achieved any of this. Let''s not get ahead of ourselves, alright?


    "Civilization, is it? How curious. For the longest time, I thought of civilization as nothing more than a way for mortals to rebel against nature, to prolong their lives and make harvests more bountiful. To think that it is capable of creating something even I could not even dream of before now. You''ve opened the eyes of this Keeper today, Champion, and for that I thank you."


    "Oh it''s all good. Civilization''s great and all, but we still need nature to survive, and we''re sort of in trouble on that front to be honest. And please, just call me Cecilia, I''m not one for stiff titles."


    "That I shall do, Cecilia. I wish I have a more informal name to give, but I am afraid that I am just the [Holy Guardian Beast]. This is what I am known since morals have become aware of me, and I have not been given another name since."


    "In that case, would you mind if I give you a nickname?"


    A cold sweat rolls down my back upon hearing those words, and from behind me, I can feel some intense glares. It''s the priestesses, they must not think highly of something trying to give a pet name to a higher being that is the Holy Beast. But why me as well? I didn''t say anything. Please just glare at Cecilia instead.


    "Let''s see... Holy Guardian... Guar... Bea... Beatrice! How does that sound?"


    "Beatrice... Very well then, you may address me as Beatrice from now on."


    Beatrice, is it? Personally, I don''t think it''s all that fitting. It''s lacking in a dignified feel suitable for a Keeper. Looking at the princess and Merida by my side, they seem to think the same as seen from their bitter smiles. Well, naming conventions aside, I feel that we''re slowing forgetting something.


    "Uh, while I hate to rain on your party, aren''t we forgetting something? You know, about the connections between our worlds?"


    At my mentioning of it, Cecilia widens her eyes, apparently only just realizing it. It seems that while I may have reservations about speaking freely with the Holy Beast, Cecilia is simply too talkative, to the point that they veer off topic.


    "In regards to that, Cecilia, Aurelius, I truly have no idea. By the time the Keepers, including myself, were born, this world was already here. We know many things about this world, but for things outside of it, I am afraid you may have more luck seeking out someone that is more primordial than I."


    Looks like in the end, the Holy Beast knows nothing. But who''s older than one of the Keepers? I''m told that they''re as old as the land. What could possibly be older than that?


    "Where can we find someone older than the Keepers?"


    To my question, the Holy Beast hangs her head low, slowly shaking it. She does not know if such a thing even exists.


    "That''s a shame."


    "I apologize for my inaptitude."


    "No, you''ve done more than enough for us, Ho-, Beatrice."


    "I am glad to be of aid, it is why I am here."


    "That being said, can I ask one more thing of you today?"


    Again, I can feel their glares, as if telling me to leave already. They really do hate me, don''t they, the priestesses. I wonder if I''ve done something to make them hate me so much. Or perhaps, it''s a jealousy thing, since us Champions tend to get along swellingly with Beatrice here.


    "You want me to teach you the [Feather Weight] spell?"


    "Or anything else that may be useful. Is that doable?"


    "That depends on person to person, but I am willing to grant you the power. Now, if you will, come closer."


    Towards me, the Holy Beast lowers her head, kind of feeling like she''s snuggling up to me. Just barely, I suppress my urge to press myself against her fluffy face.


    "Close your eyes and relax, Aurelius."


    I do just that, shutting my eyes and focus my mind. I start to hear the breathing of everyone around me, they''re light and quiet, but I hear them clearly. Eventually, my head starts to feel light, and I gradually lose the feeling of the ground beneath my feet. It''s as if I''m floating, yet, I don''t feel afraid. Then, all of a sudden, something pops into my vision. It''s a box, within which bold red texts were written. [Error] it says.


    Realizing that something is wrong, my eyes snap open. Yet, the error message remains within my vision. Soon, another [Error] pops up, with yet another flowing it. One after another, the error messages starts appearing, to the point that my vision is becomes filled with nothing but the red text box.


    "Aure... us, w... at''s wr... g!"


    "... et aw... y f... om th... H... ly B......st!


    Faintly, I can hear voices calling out, but I can''t quite make out what they''re saying due to the static in my hearing.


    By the time my vision starts spazzing out as well, I''m already panicking. I have no understanding of what''s happening, but I do know that something is very, very wrong. Then, as if a screen of an old television, my vision turns to black with a snap.


    ***


    End of Chapter 29

 Vol. 3, Chapter 30: Visions

    It was a room of pure white, a room so clean and sterile that not a single dust can be seen, nor were they allowed to exist here. The only thing notable here was a door of steel in one of the padded white walls and a one way mirror on the other. A child, a small girl stands in the middle of the room.


    She can''t quite remember why she was here, something about being infected with something foreign. Vaguely she could recall the last memory she had of her home, with her mother in the kitchen and her father in the living room at the time, watching the news. Her brother was helping her mother with the dishes but she had snuck away before she could be called. Suddenly, the door bell rang. Her father went to the door. Curious of who had come to visit, the girl went to take a gander. Men in suits entered. There were a great deal of yelling and shouting. Then, she was here. That was all she could recall.


    "I... we don''t expect forgiveness, but you must understand that you are our only hope."


    This day, things were a little different than usual. The walls had scratch marks on them, the bed she slept on was crushed, and the steel door was torn off. Someone had entered. Probably, this was the first time someone was in the same room as her. Before, they always watched her from a distance, with the only things that interacted with her being machines.


    This "someone" is a man wearing a white coat, he was on his knees and his hands were on the girl''s shoulders.


    "We need you, or it''s all over for everyone. Do you understand? Even your parents, you little brother, they''re all going to die."


    Those words made the girl reconsider, that maybe she shouldn''t leave like she had wanted to, wrecking the room and tearing down the door in the process. She could not longer remember the faces of the members of her family, but the mention of them tugged at her heart. She doesn''t understand what was going on, but she came under the impression that if she leaves, her father, her mother, her brother, bad things would happen to them. And so, she remained, letting the machines controlled by the people in white coats do whatever they want with her.


    Since the day she tried to leave, there were some changes in her environment. Letters begin to come, letter from her family, telling her of how they were doing and words of encouragement to keep her going. The people in white coats as well, interacted with her more often, though rather than out of friendliness, the girl sensed that they''re done to appease her, because they knew that they could do nothing to stop her if she wishes to go. The letter as well, she suspected were not real, merely fabricated, but she could never know for sure, she could never go and find out, since she had to stay. If she leaves, something bad might happen, to her family, to everyone, so she stayed.


    "Hey. What do you think? Should I have left?"


    Suddenly, the girl speaks up while looking at my direction with her impassionate blood red eyes. I look around, finding my surrounding to be the usual room the girl resides, and as usual, there is no one here.


    "Are you talking to me?"


    I ask, pointing at myself.


    The girl nods in response.


    "So you can see me."


    "I see them sometimes, shadows, but I''ve never seen on as clear as you."


    "Zero, who are you talking to, is someone there?"


    The speakers come blaring to life, it''s how the people from outside the room talk to the girl. They called the girl "Zero", as in, "Patient Zero".


    The girl ignores the question, and the people on the other side promptly yield to her. They can''t make her do what she doesn''t want to do, that''s something the girl had figured out a while ago.


    "Tell me, do you think I should have left?"


    "I don''t know, I really don''t. I am afraid that I don''t know much more than you, or rather, somehow, I only know what you know."


    Her life, her time here, when I came to, I saw flashes of it, as if I''m recalling memories of my own.


    "I see..."


    The girl looks rather dejected upon hearing my answer. It must be troubling for her, to want to leave but not knowing whether she should. If she does leave, then something bad might happen. But, what if it''s all a lie, a lie told to keep her here? She wouldn''t know unless she actually leaves, since no one here would explain anything to her properly, only brushing her questions off with vague answers.


    "Hey, maybe I can go check on your family for you?"


    So I suggest, out of pity for the girl. Maybe she can settle down a little if she at least knows how her family is actually doing and if they actually wrote those letters to her.


    "How are you going to do that? Aren''t you in a cave?"


    A cave? Looking around me, all I see is a white room.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "Don''t you know where you are? I''m looking at you right now, and you''re in a cave with a big white cat."


    A big white cat...? She must be talking about the Holy Beast. Is she looking at me and my surroundings in the same way I''m seeing her and what''s around her? In that case, does she know about my life as well, did she see into my memories like I did hers?


    "I see, I guess I can''t check for you after all. I''m sorry."


    "It''s fine. I didn''t expect much anyways."


    "Can you at least tell me where you live though? I might be able to check for you afterwards."


    "I don''t remember where I lived."


    I guess not. I myself didn''t remember my own address till I was at least twelve. She seems to be younger than that. But wait... how long ago was it since she had been taken? Now that I think about it, she doesn''t at all look that different from the day they took her away from her home. It should have been quite awhile since they took her, since the people in white coats around her have aged quite a bit since she first met them. Heck, thinking back, some of them are no longer here and a few had gone from strapping young men and women to wrinkly senior citizens with a head full of gray hair, with some not even having any hair any more. How long has this girl been here? And why hasn''t she changed even a bit?


    Suddenly, my vision starts to spaz out.


    "Ugh, not again..."


    "Are you leaving?"


    "I think so."


    "I see..."


    Knowing that I''ll soon be gone, the girl gazes at me with a lonely look, thought only briefly, returning to her default impassionate stare.


    With that, like an old television, my vision snaps to black.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ***


    Opening my eyes, the first thing I see is the princess kneeling over me with a worried look on her face.


    "Aurelius, you''re awake! You are, right?"


    "I am, but..."


    From behind the princess, I hear voices arguing back and forth, voices mixed with anger and suspicion.


    "Stand back! No one will touch him while I''m here!"


    "You expect us to stand back? After what he had done to the Holy Beast? There''s a limit to what we are capable of tolerating, Champion."


    As I am being helped up by the princess, I see before me Cecilia, her sword and shield raised against the Holy Beast''s priestesses, both of whom are looking towards me with clear hostility. Meanwhile, Merida stands by the princess, her hand on the hilt of her blade, ready to draw at any time. Looking at this scene, it doesn''t take much to understand that things had taken a nosedive while I was unconscious.


    "Can someone explain to me what is going on?"


    Immediately, the princess answers me question.


    "When you approached the Holy Beast, both of you appear to experience some sort of spasm and fell unconscious after. The Stella and Celestia, the priestesses, they became very upset after that and think that it is your fault."


    I scan the surrounding for the Holy Beast, and it is as the princess says, the Holy Beast is indeed unconscious, her large form lying still on the ground.


    "Why did that happened?"


    "I don''t understand much of it myself. I was hoping you or the Holy Beast might know something."


    I don''t know about the Holy Beast, but I definitely have zero idea of what''s going on. I remember a strange dream involving a little girl in a white room but that''s about it.


    "Princess, perhaps we should excuse ourselves for today."


    The suggestion comes from Merida, vigilantly watching over the situation between Cecilia and the hostile priestesses.


    "But wait, what about the Holy Beast?"


    I mean, we can''t just leave her like this, right?


    "While I feel the same, Aurelius, Merida is quite right, we should prioritize our own safety for now. I do not know what happened to the Holy Beast, but I''m sure she''s strong enough to recover from it. We on the other hand, may not be so fortunate if the priestesses get their hands on us."


    The princess'' words carry a dangerous vibe, as if suggesting that those two priestesses are capable of something terrible, those two seemingly demure ladies. I find myself in disbelief, but since it''s from the princess, who had apparently served as the Holy Beast priestess herself, she should know a whole lot more than I do about them.


    "Cecilia, we''re pulling back!"


    Having made up my mind, I call Cecilia back, but in that single moment of her turning her attention towards me, one of the priestesses, the one with the cat ears, closes in within a beat of the heart.


    "I said stay back!"


    But before Cecilia gets to do anything about it, the cat-eared priestess is already in front of her, catching Cecilia in the range of one of the most dangerous spell I know.


    Magical lights surround Cecilia, and though Cecilia is quick to react, trying to push the priestess back with one of her skills [Shield Bash], instead of the priestess flying backwards, Cecilia ends up being the one pushed back, even though the priestess did nothing but stand still.


    "Wha-"


    Like an air filled balloon, Cecilia gently floats away, allowing the cat-eared priestess to proceed, and from where she''s looking, her next target appears to be the princess. Of course, Merida would not have any of it, as she was already behind the priestess the moment Cecilia floated off. It''s Merida''s skill, [Assassination], in which she teleports behind her target before striking.


    "Pardon me, priestess."


    Merida prepares to strike with the pommel of her sword, planning to knock the priestess out. However, as the strike is about to connect, Merida freezes. Looking at her feet, I see her standing atop the edge of a magic circle, one that I am familiar with. It is the spell, [Bind Circle], and the caster is the priestess with antlers. From her composure, I''d say that she had already predicted that''s what Merida would do. Due to having those antlers on her head, she''s not as fast as the cat-eared priestess, but it appears that what she lacked in speed, she makes up with her mind.


    With Cecilia incapable of fighting and Merida''s movement sealed, the cat-eared priestess is free to approach the princess. But why would they go for her when it is me they want? The answer is obvious, it''s because the princess knows the spell: [Dispel]. With it, she''s able to easily nullify the effects of [Feather Weight] and [Bind], and then there would be no end to this fight. To secure a quick victory, the princess must go down.


    "[Air Ward]!"


    With the casting of this spell by yours truly, a whirlwind appears around the princess and pushes back the cat-eared priestess.


    "[Area Dispel]!"


    And while protected, the princess quickly casts the very spell that the priestesses had been trying to prevent from being casted, removing the magical effects from everyone within a five meters radius from her. With this, the battle is reset to its initial phase.


    "Looks like we won''t be leaving anytime soon with these two in the way."


    So says Cecilia as she charges forward, rather intent on ending the fight while the priestesses'' skills are still in cooldown. Following behind her is Merida, likely sharing the same line of thinking.


    On the other end, the priestesses ready themselves to receive the two attackers. With their most powerful skills on cooldown, in theory the priestesses should be going on the defensive, but-


    "[Greater Power Boost], [Greater Protection Boost], [Greater Magic Boost]!"


    "[Air Weapon], [Heat Weapon], [Air Ward], [Heat Ward]!"


    These spells are cast onto the faster of the priestesses, the one with the cat ears. Upon receiving these buffs, the cat-eared priestess cracks a wide grin before bumping her fists into one another, as if saying that she''s ready to take on anything. Then, with her at the center, a flaming whirlwind forms, a result of the [Ward] and [Weapon] buffs interacting with one another I presume.


    The flaming whirlwind forces Cecilia and Merida to halt their charge, while the cat-eared priestess presses forward, trying to engulf both of them in her miniature fire storm.


    In response, I cast [Earth Ward] and [Frost Ward] on the two, hoping that it''ll be enough to let them hold out against the scorching fire and razor sharp winds.


    "[Area Dispel]!"


    Again, [Area Dispel], but this one comes not from the princess, but the priestess with antlers. Instantly, the magical effects on Cecilia, Merida, and even the cat-eared priestess are erased. The action bewilders me, since it should put the cat-eared priestess, who is like the princess, a Cleric with the subclass of an Enchanter, at a disadvantage against the two combat classes before her.


    Why would she do such a thing? Isn''t this just a waste of mana? While asking myself such questions, the cat-eared priestess vanishes from Cecilia and Merida''s sight only to reappear right behind them on the next instance.


    My eyes widen at the sight. Isn''t this the Assassin skill, [Assassination]? Why would a Cleric with an Enchanter subclass be able to use it? Ah, but of course! How could I forget! Didn''t the Warrior Champion we fought atop the mountain used a skill outside of his class as well. Just because [Insight] say that they''re of a certain class, it doesn''t mean that they can''t learn skills from other classes. To begin with, there are no such things as classes in this world, just different sets of skills, skills that one can freely learn without arbitrary restrictions.


    With her bare hands, the cat-eared priestess prepares to strike at Cecilia and Merida, both of whom had not yet realized that the priestess is behind them. While I''m not sure how much damage she can deal with just her bare hands, I have no intention of finding out. Somehow, I have to stop her. Hopefully, she''s in my [Bind Circle]''s range.


    "Halt!"


    I hear a voice resounding from within my mind, accompanying it is a might roar. Turning my sight over to the source of the overpowering sound, I see the Holy Beast back on her feet.


    "Oh Great Keeper!? Are you unharmed?"


    Halting their actions as commanded, the priestesses quickly turn their attention to the Holy Beast.


    "I am fine, there''s no need for worries."


    "What shall we do with the Champion, the one call Aurelius?"


    "For now, nothing."


    Then, the Holy Beast turns her gaze towards me, her piercing eyes seems to be trying to see through me, trying to find answers.


    "Don''t look at me like that. I don''t know what happened either."


    "Is that so?"


    "I was hoping you would have answers."


    "I am afraid that I do not have an understanding of this either, Aurelius. This is the first time in my entire existence that this had happened. It was as if my very being had been invaded. I don''t understand how that is possible."


    "Is it not possible?"


    "A mortal is incapable of violating a being of divinity. Unless you are of divine nature, or perhaps even a god, you should not be able to do so. Champion you may be, divine you are not... Or are you?"


    "I severely doubt I am."


    "I don''t sense divinity in you either. So why? I am puzzled."


    So in the end, what the hell was that? If even the Holy Beast doesn''t know, how am I supposed to figure it out? ...... Wait! Before I blacked out, there were error messages filling my screen. The system attached to me reacted to it. In that case, perhaps the answer lies within the ritual in which we were summoned here? Or, alternatively...


    "I am sorry, but I am tired now. Would you let me rest? It has been quite a day."


    It seems like this whole ordeal had taken quite a toll on the Holy Beast. Frankly, I''m quite tired myself.


    "We understand, Holy Beast. We shall excuse ourselves for today. But, before that..."


    "Worry not, Aurelia, I still remember. You may take one of my priestesses with you. I would suggest taking Stella. It''s hard for Celestia to move around due to her antlers."


    "Very well, we''ll take Stella then, as you suggested."


    And so, we bid the Holy Beast farewell. On our return trip, I sat at the driver''s seat with Merida. It was getting rather unbearable you see, the glares from the cat-eared priestess, the one called Stella, even more so when she''s sitting right across me in the carriage.


    ***


    End of Chapter 30

 Vol. 3, Chapter 31: Far Gone Dreams

    After returning from the Holy Beast''s dwelling, I once more gathered the Champions, and to them I explained about the vision I experienced, about the girl in the white room.


    "Are you sure that''s not just a dream?"


    A good question from Six. Indeed, I too asked myself if that was a merely a dream. Thinking back, it all seemed so surreal. However...


    "I thought so too, but the system did react to it, with a bunch of error messages before I blacked out."


    "Are you sure it''s not just telling you that you''re about to black out?"


    Toto asks with her head tilting to the side.


    "I guess that might be the case too."


    "So you don''t actually know then?"


    "I guess not, I suppose."


    "Well, I say there''s no point thinking about this right now. There''s not much we can glean from just this single occurrence can we? If we want to find out what happened, we can always go back to Beatrice and see if we can''t recreate it at a later date."


    While I agree with Cecilia in that if we want to find out more about what just happened, we''ll have to recreate the event, I''m not too thrilled at the prospect. I mean, I''m sure to be on the top of the priestesses blacklist right now. I''m already hesitant to return to the Holy Beast''s dwelling, much less try to pull something that might knock the Holy Beast out cold.


    "That''s fine I guess. I just want you guys to know what I saw, that''s all. We can leave finding out what it was to another day. I intended for this to be brief anyways, since we have another meeting to attend to, isn''t that right, Toto."


    Toto nods in response.


    From the Champion''s tent we moved to the war room. There, the garrison commander and his captains, the princess and Merida, as well as the priestess were already waiting for us.


    "We didn''t make you wait long did we?"


    "Not at all, Sir Aurelius, in fact, you were quicker than I had anticipated. Still, I don''t understand why you had to speak with the Champions alone when you could have easily debriefed them here, in the war room with the rest of us."


    From his tone, I get the impression that the commander doesn''t seem to like the idea that we''re keeping secrets from him. Though, it''s not like I can tell him just tell him about a crazy dream I had. He''d just tell me not to waste his time.


    "I''m sure the princess had debriefed you of what occurred at the Holy Beast''s dwelling already. I merely did the same, though there are also a few personal issues to get out of the way, issue that I thought best be dealt with before we get to the more important matters."


    "Is that so? In that case, I can''t say that I don''t understand."


    I guess that convinced him for now, but from how easily he lets it go, I feel that he might still be secretly skeptical. I should probably think of how to deal with him when trust issues start to surface in the future.


    "Now then, let us begin."


    The meeting ended up being rather brief, dealing with mostly detailing the plan that had already been decided while Cecilia, the princess, and I were gone. Additionally, we found out that the priestess, Stella, is more than capable of casting the [Feather Weight] spell up to six times, twice the amount the princess can handle. I''d say it''s a happy miscalculation, but due to our underestimation, only six aircrafts had been reserved for our plan, the rest had been used for training candidates that will accompany us into the air, none of which survived their eventual crash landing intact. Of course, more could be built, but it''ll take time, time we do not have.


    Due to the presence of the Archer Champion within the [Demon] ranks, the strategy was to use the smoke from the burning forest as a cover, allowing us to approach unnoticed if all goes well. With the [Demon] Faefolks getting more adept in dealing with the fire''s we''ve caused, it has been estimated that the fire should be completely put out in two days or so, perhaps even sooner.


    In short, in order to take advantage of the fire, the latest we have to deploy is by the next day, which does not give much time for us to prepare.


    ***


    When night came, I find myself unable to sleep. I can''t help but feel that I haven''t quite done all I can, even though that there really wasn''t much I could do.


    "You''ve prepared as much as you can, my liege, now you must rest for the coming battle."


    Again, Michaela, the only one of my creatures capable of speech she speaks to me without being summoned.


    "Michaela... how do you feel?"


    "I''ve since recovered. You may summon me tomorrow without worries."


    "I see... Can I ask something?"


    "Of course."


    "What are you? You and the rest of my summoned creatures, I mean."


    I haven''t really thought about it. For awhile now I''ve been thinking of them as part of the Summoner''s skill set. However, here''s Michaela, talking to me, caring for me. Are they really just part of my skill?


    "Me? I am a Guardian Angel of course. I exist to protect the creature of this world from evil. Though, since I am now under your contract, I suppose you would be the priority of my protection."


    I knew that, it was the description the [Guardian Angels] have in Elysium Online''s bestiary after all. I was expecting something different though, something like what she is in relation to this world for example. Is she a manifestation of my skills as a Summoner? Or is she something else entirely.


    "Michaela, do you remember the time when I contracted you?"


    I still remember clearly how I got her [contract]. It was written on one of the most viewed Summoner guide in the forums after all. She was a reward for the [Heaven''s Trials] quest.


    "Of course, my liege. I often think back on the day we met fondly."


    Fondly she says. All I remember was a quest clear screen with her [contract] listed as one of the rewards. I wonder how she remembers it.


    "I hope one day, you''ll remember as well."


    That being said, I''m not sure what she meant. I remember it perfectly fine. There really wasn''t much to remember in the first place. It was like any other quests, having to fight mobs and collect their drops and finishing off with a boss at the end.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Can''t you just tell me? I''m curious as to how you remember it."


    "I could, but if I tell you now, you''d just be too bewildered to sleep. Do give it some time."


    I have not a single idea about what is being said here, but whatever, I''m getting tired. There''s no point thinking about anything when you''re tired.


    "I''ll be going to bed now."


    "Good night, my liege. Sweet dreams."


    ***


    The land was covered in snow and ash. Forest and cities burned while the rivers were filled up with blood. It''s the end of the world, simply put. A boy, ageless and eternally youthful, chosen to serve one of the gods to the end of days, was threading through the thick layers of snow upon the earth as yet more snow fell upon him. In one hand, he clutched a grimoire, the Book of Covenants, an artifact granted by the god that marked him. Meanwhile, his other hand was bleeding and made useless by a deep cut that had the bones in his fore arm exposed.


    "You appear to be quite heavily injured."


    Descending from the skies above, a winged being wrapped in silk, her concerned gaze upon the boy''s injury.


    "Some healing would be nice."


    The boy''s tone was flippant in spite of his wounds, and the angel frowned upon realizing why.


    "You''re a Champion?"


    "Of the God of Covenants to be precise."


    "The Mercenary God..."


    There was a slight hint of disgust in the angel''s voice, and it did not go by unnoticed.


    "I see he''s not well liked even amongst the angels."


    "It is difficult to favor a god who makes deals with mortals. Offering service in exchange for a price, such is the behavior of the demons."


    "I suppose to the angels made to grant their aid freely, he''s difficult to understand. That said, are you going to abandon me to my wounds now that you know where my allegiance lies?"


    Gently, the angel landed before the boy.


    "No, I won''t. The angels do not discriminate. We will bring salvation to all those in need."


    "Even if that''s how you''re made, I say the mind set is admirable, if nothing else. However, you realize that this is going to cost you."


    "I am well aware of that, Champion."


    The angel''s passive gentle gaze turned into a sharp glare. Her sight set beyond the boy, aimed at a hazy figure obscured by the heavily falling snow.


    "Is that friend, or foe?"


    "A friend does not approach with weapons drawn, angel."


    As the hazy figure got closer, it could be seen with a sword on one hand and a shield on the other, both at the ready.


    "Betrayer!"


    The figure said the name as if a viper spitting poison, unpleasant and with murderous intent. Her uncannily red eyes as well, were like those of serpents, zoned in on her prey, ready to kill the first chance she has.


    "Betrayer? I''ll have you know, I am merely carrying out the covenants formed with our god. All of my actions only serve to fulfill the promises made."


    The boy grinned cheekily at the woman that had been following him, as if showing that he had nothing to feel guilty for.


    "So you''ve gone mad from the Corruption, is that what you''re telling me? Am I supposed to take comfort in that?"


    "If you see my actions and my reasoning as those belonging to a madman then there''s no point in trying to reason is there?"


    "No... I suppose there isn''t."


    The woman readied her sword and shield, prepared for a battle. The boy as well, faces her, and though one of his arms continued to bleed, his remaining good arm clutched his grimoire firmly. They stood staring down one another, the boy getting paler and paler as blood escaped his limp arm while the woman watched him coldly as her golden hair fluttered in the cold winds.


    For several moments, neither of the two made a move, both stood motionless observing one another, trying to figure out the perfect approach. The boy knew he had to finish this in a single move, that he could not afford a prolonged fight. The woman as well knew that the boy will unleash his most powerful abilities when given the chance and does not intent to make any mistakes that would grant him such openings. Meanwhile, the angel found herself frozen in place, unable to move, fearing that anything she does, the two will react, and whatever action they might take would undoubtedly bring about ill consequences.


    Then, the woman shifted her stance, apparently ready to charge, but at the very moment, the boy grinned wickedly. From beneath the snowy ground before the woman, a small and seemingly soft object emerged with great speed, scattering the snow as it surfaced and slamming into the woman''s abdomen, knocking her backward and stunning her. Looking closely, it could be seen that the said object was actually a creature akin to a rabbit, one capable of moving at high speed.


    With the woman being stunned, the boy took his chance and flipped his grimoire open with but one hand, easily arriving at the page he was looking for as he had a finger shoved in-between the desired pages right from the start.


    "In the name of our covenant, come forth!"


    The moment he uttered those words, the dark clouds in the skies above tore open, allowing rays of warm light to shower the snow covered ground. From where the clouds were torn, a great white figure emerged, with curled spiraling horns and wide feathery wings. It was a feathered dragon that exuded a holy light. Or at least, that''s what the woman with the sword and shield saw.


    In truth, the sky did not split open and there was no dragon. Before the woman was a floating creature without limbs and has but a single gigantic eye taking up the whole of its face. It was a creature known as the Dream Eater, and gazing into its giant eye would entrap one in an illusion created by the creature.


    With the woman caught within the illusion, the boy let out a sigh of relief.


    "Alright, now just keep her like that for as long as you can."


    So long as one is maintaining eye contact with the Dream Eater, one will be trapped within its illusion, but at the same time, the illusion would wear off once the eye contact has been cut off.


    "Now then, angel, would you heal me while we have the chance?"


    "Of course, as I have said before, I will save all those before me in need."


    With power of the angel, the boy''s wound was quickly mended, his flesh seamlessly melded together without feeling a shred of pain.


    To test the effects of the healing, the boy swung his arms about, turning and twisting it. He felt neither pain nor sore, none at all.


    "Impressive, I could use someone like you around."


    The angel shook her head in response.


    "I am afraid not, Champion. We angels will not serve any particular master. We are only here to answer cries of those in need."


    "Then I think you''ll find this covenant beneficial."


    "And why is that, Champion?"


    "Because I will save this failing world."


    The angel was perplexed, and she looked upon the boy with his confident grin as if some sort of madman. Perhaps the woman was right, the boy has indeed gone mad.


    "This world is beyond saving. Its own creator wished it so."


    "And yet here you are, angel."


    "I am merely here to ease the pain of the denizens before the end comes."


    "The end won''t come."


    "What makes you say so, Champion?"


    "Because a covenant was offered and accepted. We, the Champions of the God of Covenants will fight in order to preserve this world. That was what had been decided."


    "Just because a promise was made does not mean it will come to pass."


    "But we won''t stop until it does, that is our way. So what do you say, angel? Or have you already lost all hope?"


    The angel remained silent, but the fact that she did not immediately reject the boy kept him optimistic. Then, finally, she responded.


    "I say we should continue this elsewhere. Your Dream Eater will not hold the woman forever, and I doubt you and I will fare well if more are on your track."


    With the boy in her arms, the angel took flight, leaving the snow covered field and the woman behind, disappearing into the veil of falling snow and ashes.


    ***


    "Aurelius... Hey, Aurelius!"


    When I open my eyes, I see Cecilia staring down upon me, wearing her full armor and sword and shield, looking prepared for battle.


    "Cecilia, you''re up before I am? I must be dreaming."


    Lightly, she kicks me in my side.


    "You''re not dreaming! Get up! It''s the day of the operation, remember?"


    Hearing the word "operation", it all starts coming back to me. That''s right isn''t it? Today''s the day we attempt the aerial approach into the forest.


    "Oh shoot! How late am I!?"


    "Everyone''s already gathered. We''re all waiting for you."


    "Shit! I can''t believe I actually over slept, of all people."


    Slowly, I push myself off the bedding, fighting against this sluggish body of mine that seems to be going against my will and just wishes to go back to sleep.


    "I know, right? We were expecting either you or Six would be the first one at the ready. Did you get enough sleep last night?"


    "It''s probably that weird dream I was having."


    "Dreams are all weird if you think about it."


    "No, but this one is really weird."


    While talking, I start getting myself changed. I didn''t mind that Cecilia is here. It''s not the first time I''ve been naked in front of people and frankly, I''m still feeling somewhat disconnected with this body.


    "So what did you dream about?"


    "Well it''s...... Huh, I can''t quite recall."


    "It mustn''t have been all that important. Anyways, quickly get changed and get over alright, everyone''s waiting."


    "Roger that."


    Boy, having Cecilia wake me up was surreal. That aside, what did I dream about? Cecilia said that it must not have been important, but I feel that there might be something more. If only I can remember. Well, I''ll save it for later. There are more daunting matters right now.


    ***


    End of Chapter 31

 Vol. 3, Chapter 32: Day of the First Flight

    Holding back a yawn as I go, I arrived before the front gates of the garrison. Soldiers were already lined up and waiting while the Champions and the priestesses stand before them. Seeing my arrival, Cecilia waves me over and have me assume my position in front of the soldiers, all eight of them. These are the men and women handpicked by the garrison commander and Toto to fly with us on her aircraft. Among them, four are Knights, two are Sorcerers, and another two are Clerics. Including us Champion this makes twelve of us, the exact number of how many we can send at the moment since we have only six aircrafts available and each have a maximum capacity for two passengers. They look capable enough, but still, I can''t help but worry. After all, the last time we entered the forest, we had about twice this number and even then the fighting was harsh. To have to do it with half of what we had, I can''t say I''m feeling all that confident.


    On the bright side, I suppose we won''t have to contend for every step with the hordes of [Demons] that the forest will most definitely send our way, and in the case that our flight goes wrong, the smaller numbers will make it easier for us to make a swift retreat. Of course, we could just scrap this plan all together and g back to our usual tactic of marching into the forest with a larger force. Yes, we could do that, but during the meeting yesterday, it was considered far more dangerous than ever before, and that is because of the presence of the Archer Champion.


    Since our enemy is a Champion, without a doubt that even a single shot from him would be deadly. Our best bet against this Archer is to quickly close our distance and overwhelm him in close combat. The Archer should know that as well, which is why we expect him to keep his distance while the forest sends wave after wave of [Demons] to impede our advance. With us kept at bay by the numerous [Demons], the Archer would then pick us off one by one. Knowing this, we can''t simply just march in from the front any more. We''ll have to find a way to get around, and an aerial approach seems to be just what we need at this moment.


    As Cecilia makes her speech, about how if this works, we''ll change the way war will be fought forever, I inspect the troops from where I stand. They all seem rather light weight, most likely so that we can get the most mileage out of the aircrafts as possible. Yet, light weight as they are, they are all well trained and their well toned muscles are easily visible where their skin is exposed, all except one......... No, it can''t be. This is just ridiculous- Did that soldier just avoid eye contact with me?


    I walk up to the soldier, and upon seeing my approach, she starts panicking and her eyes start darting about, trying to find a way out of the situation. However, there''s nowhere for her to go, whether she runs or stay, the result would be the same.


    My hand reaches out, grabbing hold of her helm and tearing it off her head, tossing, no, slamming the damn thing onto the ground once it''s off.


    "So, anything to say for yourself, Princess Aurelia?"


    "Umm... Oopsies?"


    I want to smack her, I really do, maybe even do a pile driver, but I''m sure everyone here will stop me. Instead, I point towards the princess with my index finger and turn towards Toto.


    "Toto, this here isn''t one of the members you chose right?"


    "Hey, that''s rude! Don''t point at me and call me ''this''. Don''t you know who I am?"


    "I am damn well aware, princess, but do you?"


    The princess stiffens, probably because my tone reflects my anger, and I am most furious at the moment.


    "You said you wouldn''t do it again, right?"


    "But you looked so nervous during the meeting. I thought you might need my help."


    "If you think so then you should have said something during the meeting!"


    "B-but if I did, you''d just reject it."


    "You god damn bet I will!"


    I don''t think I have ever shouted so loudly before in my entire life. I mean, sure, I''ve been shouted by my boss like this before, but I myself have never done it. However, the most surprising thing here is that even while being shouted at, the princess retains her composure, and from the look in her eyes, I can tell that she firmly thinks that I am the one who''s wrong. I''d say that I''m impressed, cause I''m pretty sure being shouted like this would make even me want to cry, yet here she is, so steadfast in her willfulness.


    A pair of arms emerges from behind me, grabbing onto me and pulling be back.


    "Now, now, Aurelius, calm down. I''m sure the princess means well."


    The one stopping me is Cecilia while the commander jumps in-between the princess and I.


    "Yes, calm down, Sir Aurelius, if you wish to blame someone blame me. It was my carelessness that allowed this to happen."


    "You guys are far too forgiving! This is exactly why she keeps pulling this shit!"


    Even though I know I shouldn''t, I simply can''t help but get angrier when being told to calm down.


    "I understand."


    The words were said with a calm and soothing voice. Upon hearing it, my anger starts dissipating and I look towards the princess, the one who said those words.


    "If I''m such a nuisance to you, then very well, I will stop."


    "Good."


    With just that one word, I send her away. Still, what a mess, and what an embarrassment. She''s supposed to be the princess of the Beastkins, yet here she is, behaving like some brat. What will the soldiers think? To see such a willful princess, what will the people think of being ruled by such a person?


    "Pardon me, but perhaps you are too harsh on her."


    The one saying that is the commander of the garrison. I don''t understand, he should be the most infuriated of them all. Why is he speaking up for the princess like this? It''s not like he''s sucking up to her is he? Can''t be, the princess had already left.


    "I certainly don''t think so, commander, she needs to understand her position."


    "Is that how you see it? Not that I condone her actions here, but I think she understands her position very well."


    "Are we sure we''re talking about the same person?"


    "A person has many sides, Sir Aurelius. When you''re not around, she would often say that it is imperative that each and every single one of the Champions here must survive, that the life of one of yours is worth more than a hundred of ours. Compare to one of yours, even the life of a princess is but an insignificant price to pay. A princess may be replaced, she said, a savior on the other hand, they do not come by so easily."


    "And you agree with that?"


    "I do, Champion, and you''d be hard pressed to find another here that doesn''t. THis is the reality of our situation, the depths of our desperation despair before you arrived, if you will."


    His eyes are dead serious as he makes that claim.


    "Can''t you just summon more?"


    "If we could, don''t you think we would have done it by now? In fact, unbeknownst to you, we have been trying to recreate your summoning several times now, to no avail. It appears that the covenant can only be made once."


    Covenant. That''s what he said... The word resonates in my mind, like I''ve heard of it not too long ago.


    "The covenant?"


    "It''s part of the summoning ritual. The summoning of beings as powerful as yourself isn''t within its price you see."


    "And the price?"


    "Only the princess knows."


    Covenants, prices, things that I''m hearing about for the first time... I suppose even now, there are still things she hides from me.


    "I still don''t understand why you would find our lives that much more valuable than yours. Don''t you value your own lives?"Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "You have no idea how many we''ve already lost, and we''re prepare to lose even more, till there''s not a single one of us remains. Surely you realize how desperate a position we are in. Most of the world has been tainted and overrun by [Demons], and with each passing day, we lose more ground. For the longest time, all we have known were loses and defeats, until you came. You have no idea how much joy we felt when we first heard of your victory in the eastern mountains. For the first time, we saw hope. We were on the brink of giving up, to simply let the [Corruption] take us, but you, you allowed us to stand our ground, because for the first time in what seemed to be eternity, you gave us something to believe in that was not utter despair. So go ahead, Champion, feel free to ask anyone here, not just the soldiers, but the villagers as well, and see if anyone is unwilling to lay down their life for you. I''m confident, most confident, that each and every men and women here will gladly do so."


    At the corner of my eye, I catch the soldiers lined up before us nodding along with every word said by the commander. Is it true then? That this world is so far gone that people would gladly die for someone like me?


    I turn to check on my guildmates, and from their tense expressions I can say with confidence that they are just as spooked as I am. Of the three, I''d say that Cecilia looks to be the calmest, but knowing her, perhaps she''s the one feeling the most weight upon her shoulders.


    "I understand... No, actually, I don''t, not really. The desperation you felt is beyond me."


    I mean, logically, I understand. If only us four can save the world, then it makes sense to sacrifice everything to keep us alive. But, how can a person just allow him or herself to be sacrificed just like that? I understand that if there''s only a few, but surely not everyone can be this self-sacrificing. Exactly how terrifying the [Demons] had to be for them to turn out this way?


    "You! You''re late!"


    Suddenly, I hear the commander yelling at someone. Apparently, it''s the eighth soldier that was supposed to join us on this flight, the one the princess was attempting to replace.


    "Apologies, sir, I... I overslept somehow."


    To the soldier''s reply, the commander merely grunted and told him to get in line. I suppose now is not the time for punishments.


    "Alright, now that we''re all here, let us make our way to the platforms."


    With Cecilia''s word, we begin our march out into the meadows. As we proceed onwards, the words of the commander and the looks on the approving soldiers continues to haunt me. This weight on my shoulder, I can feel it crushing me.


    ***


    In the middle of the meadow, tall structures can be seen, three of them. They are the ramps used for launching the aircrafts, though we''ve gotten around calling them "launching platforms". "Ramps" were apparently too silly sounding for Cecilia''s taste. Wheels have been installed onto them to move them around with more ease, making them look somewhat similar to the siege towers I sometimes see in movies.


    "I can''t believe we''re actually doing this."


    Standing beside me, Six starts talking as we watch the aircrafts being pull up the launching platform via a sort of a archaic elevator, made from a wooden platform with ropes attached to the platform on one end and weights on the other.


    "Did you think it wouldn''t work?"


    "I mean, look at it. Doesn''t it look a bit cartoonish? What with the wheels and ramps."


    "Maybe, but it works. With enough momentum we can generate lift and gain a substantial amount of air time. The science is clear."


    "You say that, but here we are, about to apply magic to it."


    "Magic is a science... in this world... probably..."


    "I wonder if there isn''t a magic that would let us fly around."


    "I heard that some of the Dragonbrood have something like that."


    "Too bad they''re all [Corrupted]."


    "Yeah, too bad indeed. Too bad that three quarters of this world are in the same state. Too bad we''re even summoned here in the first place. Too bad that-"


    "Aurelius, are you feeling alright? You''re getting a little worked up."


    "I''m fine. I just can''t get what just happened out of my mind."


    "Try not to stress yourself out, alright."


    "I''ll keep that in mind, but what about you, how are you feeling? That was a lot to take in."


    "Me? I don''t particularly care. I just do whatever I can to get home. Whatever happens to the people here is their own business."


    "That is, as they say, cold, my dude."


    "Hey, what can I say, that''s how I am. And who even talks like that anymore? How old are you?"


    I ignore that last part.


    "Frankly speaking, I''m a little envious. I sort of always wanted to be aloof like that. Life would be much easier if I could just get myself to relax a little."


    My words got Six to start scratching his head, pretending to be troubled, though his clear blush gives it away all too easily.


    "Well, I mean, really, I wouldn''t be so aloof is you guys weren''t here. I wouldn''t know what to do if I was alone. I mean, I couldn''t been able to lead the soldiers like Cecilia, I wouldn''t be able to sit around a table all day coming up with plans like you do, and I certainly can''t build all that ridiculous contraptions like Toto had done. Really, more than you''re envious of me, I''d say that I''m rather envious of all of you."


    Six''s words sounds like those of someone unsure of himself. Makes me wonder if he''s actually quite young. He doesn''t seem to be able to handle stress all that well either, though he certainly bounces back quickly enough with the right support. Frankly, I''m a bit curious, but I don''t want to pry if I don''t have to, so I''ll leave it at that.


    "Looks like they''re about done setting everything up, let''s get going."


    "Hey, what do they say before going on a flight again? Break a leg?"


    "No, that''s definitely not it."


    ***


    When the time came for takeoff, the princess arrived upon the scene. Even if she had just left not too long ago, she has to be here, since none of this would work without her [Feather Weight] spell. Arriving alongside her was Merida, who had been curiously absent when the princess was pulling her little stunt.


    "Aurelius, I must apologize for the princess."


    Leaving the princess'' side for a bit, Merida approaches to speak with me.


    "That''s fine and all, but I''m more curious as to how you let this happen a second time."


    "I''m afraid that I was asleep when it occurred. If not for that, I would have stopped her without fail."


    "You overslept? Hard to imagine."


    "Yes well, it would appear that the princess had added a little something to my dinner last night. It was not commendable, but I feel quite proud of the fact that she made it so that I couldn''t even tell the difference in taste."


    Am I hearing that right? She says that she''s proud? I don''t get it.


    "Don''t look so confused, Aurelius. I am the one who had taught her about it."


    "You taught her how to drug you?"


    "I taught her about medicine and poisons. You see, Aurelius, before the [Demons] started appearing, the princess has many siblings, not all of which she gets along with. I merely did what I can to ensure that she can live a long and prosperous life even when I''m gone, preferably with as few enemies as possible."


    "I see..."


    Note to self; be careful the next time the princess offers food. But anyways, that explains why Merida hadn''t stopped her, and I''ll bet that''s why the soldier that the princess was replacing had been late.


    "Well, keep a tighter watch on her will you Merida. I can''t help but feel that she''s getting worse in her recklessness."


    "She''s just worried for you. Did you realize that you''ve been wearing a rather grim look recently? Even since you heard that you''ll be going up against a Champion, I think."


    Was I? Well, I can''t deny that I might have. I definitely didn''t want to have to face another Champion again. I still remember how close to death I had been before. I managed to win last time, with the princess'' help no less, but there''s no telling what will happen this time, or the time after this. Call me a coward, but I would prefer to not fight someone while at a disadvantage or even on equal terms, especially with my life on the line. Not to mention, I am starting to have a sneaking suspicious that the other Champions might just...... Regardless, this is this and that is that.


    "Even so, it doesn''t change how reckless and stupid she was being."


    "Which is why I''m apologizing to you right now."


    "It''s not going to change unless she apologizes herself, and I don''t mean simply offering an apology superficially. She needs to understand exactly how stupid her action was."


    "I- I understand. Now then, I should return to the princess. I bid you good luck, Aurelius."


    "Thank you. Also, if you don''t mind, let the princess know... Tell her that we''ll have a talk once I return."


    "Understood. Now, if you''ll excuse me."


    With that, Merida leaves the platform, and arriving after her, is Stella, the cat-eared priestess of the Holy Beast. She will be applying [Feather Weight] on four of the six aircrafts while the princess will apply the spell to two, leaving both of them with mana to spare just in case. The spell will be applied while we''re riding atop of the aircraft so that both the riders and the vehicle will have their weight reduced, since if we''re heavier than the aircrafts, we''d just weight it down and send it plummeting straight to the ground.


    "I thought the spell only affects a single target."


    I bring up the question as the spell is being applied.


    "I mean, what do you even define as a single object? The plane was made of multiple parts and even people are made up of different cells. Is there something that is truly a single of anything?"


    Answering my question with another very abstract question is Six, seated behind me.


    "Six, you say some surprisingly profound things sometimes, you know that?"


    "Hey, what can I say? I''m full of surprises."


    Eventually, all six aircrafts have had [Feather Weight] applied to them and are ready to take flight. At this moment, I call forth Michaela and have her apply [Holy Ward] to the aircrafts in order the ward off the flying bird-like [Demons] that patrols the skies above the forest. Additionally, she will also be the one to cast [Dispel] to remove [Feather Weight] upon landing so that we can fight without the fear of floating away.


    With only three launching platforms prepare, naturally, only three aircrafts may takeoff at a time. The first three with be the ones carrying Cecilia and Toto, Six and myself, and finally, a Knight and a Cleric. We waited for the winds to calm, and then, at roughly the same time, the aircrafts were pushed down the ramp, building up speed and went gliding off across the air.


    As expected, this is terrifying. I''ve done this only once before and getting used to being so high up is just not possible in such a short amount of time.


    "Don''t look down! Don''t look down! Don''t look down!"


    But behind me, someone is freaking out even harder. Seriously, if I had known that Six is afraid of height as well, I would have switched partners, because frankly, his panicked chanting isn''t helping.


    I try ignoring him, turning my attention towards our goal instead, even thought I can''t actually see it, with the area being obscured by the rising smoke. Perfect. The enemy wouldn''t be able to see our approach either. Hopefully it''ll remain that way.


    Turning behind me, I check on the others. Everything seems to be going well. The remaining three aircrafts have taken off successfully and is having some degree of success falling into formation with the limited steering the aircrafts provide. In the middle of said formation is Michaela, as the only one here who can fly about freely and knows the precise location of the next [Demonic Flower], she is tasked with guiding and supporting us in the air.


    "Aurelius!"


    "Huh?"


    Faintly, I hear someone calling out to me. I think it''s Cecilia. I wonder what''s wrong...... How odd, my vision is turning red... My Hp... it''s draining fast. I feel something wet on my lap. And in my chest, there''s a burning sensation.


    I move my hand over my torso and I feel something wet and warm, and buried there, in my chest, it feel the shaft of an arrow.


    ***


    End of Chapter 32

 Vol. 3, Chapter 33: Preemptive Attack

    My body feels sluggish and I can feel my warmth escaping me. My mind is fading, no coherent thoughts are coming to me, even though I should know that this is the worst time to be fading away, all I feel is panic as darkness begins to cloud my vision.


    Then, all of a sudden, I notice that I''m looking down upon myself. I see the arrowhead protruding from my back, I see Six panicking, wanting to do something and has no idea what to do. From here, from this third person perspective, my mind starts to clear.


    "Michaela..."


    I speak not with my body, not the one injured down there, as every time I tried opening my mouth, it''s flooded with blood surging forth from my punctured heart and lungs.


    "Miss Cecilia, I believe it''s best that we abort this operation and land right now."


    Nodding in response to Michaela, Cecilia turns towards the rest.


    "All hands, mission abort! I repeat, mission abort! Land immediately! And Six, you grab Aurelius!"


    With Cecilia''s command, the troops begin to land. How we planned to do so with the minimum steering provided by the aircrafts? Well, we jump. It was decided that since landing the aircrafts within the densely packed forest would be near impossible, it''s best that we just abandon them and fall onto our landing point. And thanks to the [Feather Weight] spell, there''s no fear of falling to our deaths.


    As we float gently towards the ground, Cecilia releases a might shout, strengthening the hearts of her allies and drawing fear and aggro from our enemies. It''s the Knight skill, [Warcry]. A good call, since the Archer can easily shoot down any of us while we''re falling in open, unable to move anywhere but slowly floating downwards.


    As expected, another arrow cuts through the air and flies towards Cecilia who easily blocks it with her shield. However, the impact of the arrow was powerful and it sent the currently lightweight Cecilia flying backwards. But, just as it looks like she''d be flying all the way back to the garrison, she hits something in midair, a glowing transparent "something". It''s a [Mana Wall], one casted by Toto.


    With a big victorious grin, Cecilia kicks off the [Mana Wall], her sword glowing as she activates her follow up skill after blocking the arrow, [Counter Blast]. Yet, instead of swinging towards the direction where the arrow had came from, she instead swings her blade towards her back, launching the bladed beam towards the sky, in turn, as per the third law of motion, Cecilia propels forward.


    "Michaela, [Dispel]!"


    Heeding Cecilia''s request, Michaela casts the spell, removing the effects of [Feather Weight] from her, causing Cecilia to fall at an ever greater speed.


    ***


    While falling, I can''t help but lick my lips. It''s getting dry from all the wind hitting me while I streak through the air like a shooting star. But really, I might be getting a little nervous as well. I mean, this is quite a move I''m trying to pull. I''ll bet Aurelius is going to have a real fit at me later, though I suppose there''s no point worrying about that, since I''ll be dead if I don''t pull this off.


    With my shield in front of me, the shield Aurelius got for me, I check the cooldown timer in my vision. Looks like it''s almost done counting down. It''s so odd, to have a HUD stuck to you like this.


    Shifting my focus from the countdown, I see the trees of the forest getting closer and closers. I brace myself for the inevitable impact. Then, I turn my attention back to the countdown. Three... Two... One!


    "[Guarding Stance]!"


    Raising my defense, I approach the ground. In my way is a tree, thoroughly scorched by the fires we had caused but still standing strong. Shield first, I smash into the ashen bark, breaking right through while feeling a dull pain in my arm, however, it appears that this body of a 200 Lvl character is much sturdier than I thought, since my arm somehow still remains intact. Aurelius warned us that what is supposed to kill you will still kill you in this world, but there''s still a certain amount of sturdiness that comes with these bodies. After all, according to himself, he was almost bled dry from a fatal wound. Something like that usually comes with various complications, even if you did recover from it. Not to mention, being a Summoner, he''s build isn''t all that strong in terms of defense anyways so I get why he has the impression that we might get killed easily. That being said, after that impact, half of my Hp bar disappearing in an instant and I think I might have some fractures here and there. I best end this quick.


    After smashing through the ashen tree, I land feet first, skidding across the soil on my feet, and as I does so, another wave of pain runs up my legs while another portion of my Hp vanishes. However, it''s all good, my legs are still holding, they haven''t snapped. Everything is going as well as they can be. Now I just have to find this Archer and finish him off. That''ll take a weight off our worrywart of a Summoner''s chest for a bit.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    I raise my sword, the black sword reforged from the other Champion that Aurelius had beaten. Though usually, the sword''s pitch blackness seems to devour even the lights around it, right now, it is glowing with the intensity of a brilliant star. The damage I''ve received from my less than graceful landing, the damage I blocked with the shield. Now it''s been converted into attack power for me to fire off as I please.


    "[Counter Blast]!"


    I swing my blade in a circular arc, bisecting the surrounding ashen trees with a force so great that the top halves launch into the air before crashing down. With this one move, the trees within a fifteen meter radius of me were mowed down in an instant. The ashen trees'' to halves then crash to the ground, raising ashes and dust into the air, but before they obscure my vision, I spot a cloaked figure on the move. Of course, I have no intention of letting him escape. Having gone this far, Aurelius will be furious if I failed, though I suppose he''s going to be furious either way with what I just pulled.


    Charging through the ashes and dust, I run after the figure while maintaining my shield in front of me, hiding as much of myself behind it as I can while I sprint. The Archer''s footsteps are swift and light, difficult to track with hearing alone. Fortunately, I''m close enough to see his vague outline even through the dust in the air, but soon, if this keeps up, I''m going to lose him. Knowing that, I draw a light breath, trying to avoid inhaling the ashes and dust, and release a roar. It''s the Knight''s skill [Warcry]. Being caught within the range of this skill, the cloaked figure can''t help but turn around and have his full attention upon me. Unless he can run backwards, he won''t be getting away.


    An arrow pierce through the cloud of dust, unable to run, the Archer has apparently chosen to attack. But of course, I expected that, fighting back is his only viable option at this point after all. The arrow slams into my shield, causing a dull metallic sound to resound. The shock of the impact is great enough that I feel myself being push back slightly upon receiving the attack. Had this been a shield of ordinary steel, I''d say that the arrow would most likely have pierced it. I''ll have to thank Aurelius for this shield afterwards, as well as the blacksmith that reforged it.


    Still, even though my shield can take it, it''s not wide enough to completely cover my entire body. This is the Archer that had shot Aurelius in the heart while he''s in flight. If I keep letting him draw his bow, I''m sure I''ll be hit eventually.


    With that in mind, I stomp with all my strength into the ground with my right leg, making a leap forward with my shield facing my front. This is another one of the Knight''s skill, [Shield Charge]. It''s an offensive skill that allows the user to close the distance between them and their opponents in an instant and deals knockdown upon hit.


    Without a hitch, my shield slams into the Archer Champion, sending him flying and into a tree stump of a tree that I''ve just cut down. Since I was able to land a hit so easily with my first attack, it would appears that this Champion is a pure Archer, likely subclassing the Assassin class and only picking up the passive skills that raises critical rates and damage multipliers in the Assassin''s skill tree. This build usually have some stealth skills for moving around, and as for defensive skills, they would likely have [Shadow Step], a skill that lets the user move a short distance in a state of invulnerability. This Champion here must have used [Shadow Step] to avoid being hit by my [Counter Blast] and so was unable to do anything against my [Shield Charge] while [Shadow Step] remains in cooldown.


    I walk up to the Archer Champion, his body lying against the tree stump. While the [Shield Charge] skill does not apply stun in Elysium Online, likely due to stun and knockdown combined would be considered overpowered, I suppose being hit by something with the force roughly equivalent to a mini truck would keep anyone from standing up for a short while.


    As I raise my sword, the Champion looks up at me, and for the first time I see my enemy''s face clearly. The Archer Champion has big round red eyes, his skin pale and gray, his hair silver in color and grown to shoulder length, and his ears are long and pointy. Somehow, I feel that I''ve see him somewhere before. Even though I don''t know anyone with eyes redder than mine and with skin so gray and pale, there''s something familiar about him that I just can''t put my finger on.


    Then, I feel the air shifting behind me. This sensation... It is the sensation of something suddenly appearing in the space behind, causing the air occupying that space to be pushed aside. There''s only one skill that is capable of causing such an effect: The staple of the Assassin''s skill, [Assassination].


    With my shield still facing the Archer, I swing my sword towards my back. To my surprise, the sensation was akin to swing at air, and where my sword had swung through is a body of dark fog, gently drifting away before forming into a person shaped figure upon reaching a distance. There''s no mistaking it, that was undoubtedly [Shadow Step]. But to use [Assassination] only to cancel it out with [Shadow Step] before landing an attack, why would anyone do that? Did he react to my swing? No, that couldn''t be, few has the kind of reaction speed I do. Did he expect me to counter him then? But normally, no one would expect that I am fast enough to counter that move. They couldn''t have seen that coming. So why, why did he... Don''t tell me!


    Quickly, I leap to the side just as the ground I stood upon starts to glow in the shape of sigils within an expanding circle. An instant later, electricity bursts forth within the circle and had I been even half a second slower to realize what was going on, I would have been caught in the midst of it.


    To think that it was as Six had feared, there''s actually more than one Champion. Would being right give him more reason to be paranoid, I wonder. He''s anxious enough as it is too. Well, I suppose it won''t make any difference if I just deal with them here, or so I would like to say, but after that one leap, I felt something snapping at the back of my heel along with a sharp pain that sent me collapsing onto my knee. Perhaps due to me suddenly jumping without caring for posture, or perhaps it''s the injuries sustained upon my reckless impromptu landing, regardless of the cause, it would appears that the Achilles tendon in my right leg had snapped and I won''t be moving with much liveliness anytime soon. The day just keeps getting better and better doesn''t it?


    ***


    End of Chapter 33

 Vol. 3, Chapter 34: 2v2

    It was a mistake after all, coming here alone. I had thought that I could catch the Archer off guard and finish him off before more damage was done, before he shoots down more of us. However, it seems like I took a little too much time. While just one step away from finishing off the Archer Champion I hesitated, I thought that he looked familiar and couldn''t deal the finishing blow when I should. Thanks to that mistake, now I find myself facing two of them, with one of my legs injured no less.


    The Archer draws his bow, and reflexively, I raise my shield. Following the soft whistling of a flying arrow, I hear a dull clang from my shield. It was like being hit back a sledge hammer, it''s the same powerful shot from before. This must be the Archer skill [Impact Arrow], a single powerful shot that applies a knockback effect. With [Guarding Stance] I should be able to resist the effect, but upon feeling the sharp pain in the back of my right heel, my stance quickly crumbled and I find myself flying backwards.


    After landing with my back against the ground, I spot the second Champion step forward. In his hand is a wand, the weapon of choice of the Warlock class. Warlocks are a class specializing in runes, spells that can be placed on surfaces and activated by either coming in range of it or triggered by the caster. Since he used [Assassination], I assume that this is a Warlock with subclass of Assassin. Not the most effective combination I''d say, as Warlocks are mainly played as a DPS class, stacking up multiple runes with various effects on one spot for massive damage output. For a class like this, it''s best to subclass something that boosts magical powers instead.


    Though, I do know someone who subclasses an Assassin with Warlock. The Warlock has a skill called [Rune Master], which increases the power of the runes placed down in accordance with the how close the Warlock is to it when placed. The closer the Warlock is, the more powerful the runes placed down. That guy, the one subclassing an Assassin as a Warlock, he would use [Assassination] to get behind his target and place a combination of runes down, then moving out of his opponent''s range with the use of [Shadow Step]. Doing this, he would be point blank when placing down the runes, making full use of the [Rune Master] skill''s effect. Still, since he had to wait for the cooldowns of [Assassination] and [Shadow Step] before launching another attack, his DPS is quite low, though admittedly, he''s a pain to deal with in PVP matches. And to make up for his lack of overall damage, I remember that he would often teach up with an Archer subclassing an Assassin. Their usual tactic was that the Warlock would use runes to immobilize enemies while the Archer would pick them off. Otherwise, the Archer would draw enemies in, and while their foes had their focus on the Archer, the Warlock would move in and ambush them with runes......


    Wait a minute, isn''t this... This situation right now...


    With a wave of the Warlock Champion''s wand, crimson lights surround me, and upon the ground I am laying upon, runes of fiery red starts to form. Quickly, I claw for safety, trying to get out of the range of the forming runes. However, as I drag myself away, I hear a soft whistling, and following that, I feel a piercing pain in my back. An arrow had struck me, the Archer has absolutely no intention at all in letting me get away. The pain took away the strength I''ve gathered, and I fall flat onto the dirt. At the same time, the runes are complete and I''ve lost my chance at escaping.


    Looks like this is it for me. I guess my gamble didn''t pay off at all. You win some and you lose some I guess. I''ll leave the rest to you, Toto, Six, and Aurelius, I better not see you on the other side when I get there...... Fuck. How did it end up like this anyways? We should have been partying after setting the new clear time record for the [World Breaker Behemoth]. Why the hell did we end up in this world? This isn''t fair. This isn''t fair, damn it! What did I do to deserve this!? Why do I have to deal with saving the world and all this nonsense!? I just want to go home and take a nice long shower in my own bathroom and go to sleep in my own bed in my own bedroom. Is that too much to ask? I hate this! I hate this!


    The runes glow brighter and brighter, and as heat and light erupts from the ground, I shut my eyes, hoping that my death would be swift and painless. The heat lasts only for an instant and when I open my eyes again, there is nothing but darkness in front of me, as if a dark mist is constantly in front of my eyes.


    This must be death. I wonder if my consciousness is going to be floating in this darkness forever.


    The answer arrives much more quickly than I expected when the darkness beings to part and reveals the light. And with the light flooding my vision, I see a fiery pillar in the middle of...... the forest? Why am I still here? Am I not dead? I look down upon myself and seeing that everything is intact, I let out a sigh of relief.


    "Don''t relax yet, we''re not quite done."


    This voice... Turning around toward the source of the voice, I find Six dragging me along by the neck of my armor. I get it now, that dark mist, that wasn''t the afterlife, that was just Six dragging me along with [Shadow Step].


    Soon, the fire pillar before me starts subsiding, and though the fire, I get to see the surprised expression of the two enemy Champions. Looks like they weren''t expecting Six to show up.


    The Archer starts drawing his bow, but Six was faster, he always had the fastest reflexes among us. From the bag he''s carrying, Six took out a black orb and tossed it into the left over flames from the fire pillar. Upon catching fire, a large body of smoke bursts from the orb, filling the space between us and the enemy Champions. It''s the Assassin skill [Smoke Bomb], or it was supposed to be, but while in Elysium Online, smoke bombs just appear out of nowhere, here, we needed to get our own supplies of bombs. Luckily, the craftsmen in this kingdom actually know how to make one. Regardless of the smoke, the Archer lets his nocked arrow loose, but by then Six had already ducked down, making the arrow miss its mark. From his lowered position, Six reaches into his bag and pulls out an olive colored cloak and lay it over me. It''s cold to the touch. Seems like [Frost Ward] has been applied to it.


    Before I even get to wonder why [Frost Ward] has been casted onto this cloak, from the sky, fire begins to rain down, crashing into the ground and setting the ashen grounds ablaze. This must the Toto and the Sorcerers. They''re probably using the smoke to pinpoint this location, bombarding it to cover for our escape.


    "Let''s move, Cecilia. Can you run?"


    Six kneels over me, trying to help me up.


    "No, I can''t run, not now."Stolen novel; please report.


    "I''ll have to carry you then."


    "That''s not it, there''s a Warlock Champion here-"


    "I know, I stepped on a rune when I came running in after you. Fortunately, the rune was fire based and Toto casted a [Frost Ward] on me beforehand."


    "Then you know if we don''t take them out here, there''s going to be more."


    The runes, they are only visible when they are being placed down. After that, only the caster and those with the [Insight] skill can see them. The only ones here with [Insight] are Aurelius and Toto, one of whom and currently unconscious and the other is a Sorcerer that needs to be protected in the backlines. Navigating around the runes will be difficult, and it''ll be even more so with the Archer present, picking us off while the runes keep us at bay. Not to mention, with the Warlock''s ability to use [Assassination] and [Shadow Step], you won''t know when he''ll appear in our midst and place a rune right under out feet. I only got this close because I pulled something so stupid no one else would think or expect it. As for Six, he was able to make it this far because I distracted them. If we don''t take them out here and now, I''m afraid that we won''t get another chance.


    "Fine... Michaela did say that if you think that you can win, we''ll finish it here."


    Michaela? Not Aurelius? I wonder if he''s fine. Well, if Michaela is still present, he must be still alive at least.


    "Don''t worry. We have a chance at winning. Now, brace yourself."


    ***


    From a kneeling position, I take a deep breath, and upon filling my lungs to the maximum capacity, I unleash a roar so powerful, the ashes littering the surrounding grounds roll up into the air by the force of my voice.


    "Now what?"


    "Now, we wait. Make sure to keep an eye out, Six."


    Before long I hear a soft whistling, and cutting through the smoke screen, an arrow flies towards me. The arrow hits my shield which I have stabilized by jamming its bottom end into the ground, though the force of the shot is so great that it pushes me back despite it all. However, that doesn''t matter, all that matters is that the Archer is still within range to hear my [Warcry]. I was sure that they would try to increase their distance from us, and thus securing the absolute advantage in long range combat. However, it looks like they weren''t able to make it too far. I must have done quite some damage on the Archer with the [Shield Charge].


    "Six!"


    "Got it!"


    With gusto, Six leaps through the smokes, tracing after the trajectory of the arrow that came for me.


    "I see him!"


    From beyond the smoke screen, I hear his call, and reflexively, my lips curl upwards. Right now, the Archer would most likely try to shoot Six down as he approach. Unfortunately, that wouldn''t work. [Warcry] compels all enemies in range to gather their attention onto the user of the skill, and him or her alone. According to Aurelius, even if you realize that your attention is being forcefully drawn, you still won''t be able to turn your eyes away.


    As of now, the Archer''s only choice is to take shots at Six while his gaze is drawn towards my direction, or take a shot at me instead and try to take me down, thereby, cancelling the effect of [Warcry]. However, with me hiding behind the smoke screen and shield, even if he has a general idea of where I am due to having his gaze drawn towards me, will he be able to kill me before Six reaches him? I highly doubt it, and he knows it too. That is why he''ll come, I know he will, after all, I...


    The moment I feel the air shifting behind me, I turn to my back while having my shield facing the Archer, my reaction speed faster than before since this time, I expected him to come. For the first time, my blood red eyes meets with his, and from the look in his eyes, it clear that he''s surprised, surprised that I was able to read him, as if I already knew the way he fights. Reflexively, the Warlock Champion uses [Shadow Step], trying to get away from the range of my blade, but he is too late, the moment he appeared within my sight it was already over. While he may be invulnerable in [Shadow Step], I can still see his trajectory, I can predict where he''s going to reappear from the dark mist, and though he''d have made more than enough distance away the reach of my sword by then, I do have one skill that allows me to strike well beyond the length of my blade.


    Inevitably, the Warlock starts reappearing from the dark mist, and at the same time I swing my sword towards the direction he''s escaping towards. Though my blade is far from being able to reach the Warlock, from the tip my sword, a wave of energy shoots out as I swing. This is the Knight skill: [Counter Blast]. I have converted the damage blocked from the Archer''s last shot into my own.


    The wave of energy cuts right through the Warlock, splitting him in half from top to bottom. At the same time, the ground beneath me starts glowing in red. They must be from the runes he placed beneath me. With no time to get out of the way, I pull the cloak Six had given me and try to cover as much of myself as I can, hoping that the [Frost Ward] on it would protect me.


    From beneath me, fire bursts forth. I was hoping for it to be fire. It was either going to be electricity or fire. While Warlocks does not have any elemental specialties, with so many to choose from, one is bound to develop a preference towards a certain elements when using it against an enemy without any particular elemental resistance. The Warlock/Assassin I knew back in Elysium Online, the one often paired with his Archer friend, he had a preference for fire and electricity, said he likes the flashy effects. For pure damage, he''d usually go with fire, and for crowd control, he goes with electricity.


    "So, it was you after all..."


    ***


    By the time the smokes had cleared, Six had returned with his hands covered in blood. Sitting by the stump of a tree, I greet him with a forced smile.


    "Did you do it?"


    "Yeah, I did. It was as you said, he couldn''t shoot me as I approach from his flank."


    "I see..."


    We let moment silent pass between us.


    "How are you feeling?"


    At my question, Six sighs and turn his head up towards the sky. Though, there''s probably nothing much to see, as it would be covered in smoke and ashes.


    "It feels gross. I mean, it''s gross too when I kill the [Demons], but maybe because they look more human than the rest, it feels worse."


    "I''m sorry, Six. I intended to finish them off on my own."


    "Well, I''m going to have to do it eventually, better sooner than later I say. Can''t have just you and Aurelius do all the heavy lifting after all."


    Is it just me, or is he sounding a bit more grown up that before? I guess something like this can change a person. Aurelius and I, we''ve probably changed somewhat as well. If you ask me thought, I prefer not to have to go through these kinds of changes.


    "Let''s head back, Six."


    "Will do, I think I''ve had more than enough today."


    ***


    Leaving the forest, we meet up with the Knights on standby before the edge of the forest, making sure that no enemies slip by while the Clerics tend to Aurelius in the back. Or at least, we should have. However, upon our arrival, what we find are bodies of Knights, Clerics, and Sorcerers strewn about the ground. Fredericka, one of Aurelius'' creatures, is flat on the ground with the neigh unbreakable shell of hers cracked. Those that still stand are facing away from the forest and towards a single figure.


    The figure appears to be a woman, one that possesses muscular limbs covered in dark purplish fur, her hands and feet more akin to a halfway between feline paws and the human hands, yet hanging from her back is a scaly, sinewy tail. She wears little armor, with only a chest piece on her torso and a helmet, one very similar to the one of the sorts that the Beastkins use, the kinds with compartments for the ears to fit in. From her feature and her armor, it can be undoubtedly said that this figure is one of the Beastkins. Which is why it''s so confounding. Why is one of the Beastkins, one of our allies, lifting Toto by her head, seemingly threatening to crush her with but a twitch of her fingers?


    What has happened while I was gone? What went on while Six and I were fighting? Such questions are floating about my head but none of them matters, I know only one thing: Before me is an enemy, and I must take her down before she does the same to another one of our own.


    ***


    End of Chapter 34

 Vol. 3, Chapter 35: The Bestial Champion

    It was surreal, floating down towards the ground while being about as light as air filled balloons, surreal and terrifying, especially for someone like me, who''s afraid of heights. At least, it should have been. Yet, I felt nothing, as I look at myself from the outside, from the third person perspective, I felt the same as staring at my own character across the screen, which is to say, not very much at all.


    Thought I felt very little about our landing, I was quite furious when I saw Cecilia flying off towards the forest, in an attempt to go after the Archer on her own I''ll bet. Always with these reckless maneuvers of hers. I thought I said to consult me before trying something like that beforehand the last time I confronted her about this. Though, thinking back, she likely had to make her decision on the spot, seeing that we have been ambushed and that I have been shot. Even so, I wished she''d cut back on that recklessness of hers. It''s not good for my heart, and there''s a hole in it as it is so I rather she not make it worse.


    While landing, Michaela has been casting [Greater Heal] on me nonstop, replenishing my Hp even as they deplete. It was only after we landed, when the Clerics came to join her, did the healing outpaces the damage caused by bleeding, but of course, in order to fully heal me, they had to pull the arrow out, which agitated the bleeding and caused me to go into shock, something I was rather surprised didn''t happen earlier. I suppose this body is stronger than I gave it credit for. Before I blacked out, or rather, the body blacked out, however, I was able to summon Frederica, who I have positioned in front of the Clerics for protection. I doubted that the Archer would be able to so easily penetrate her shell and it would allow the Knights to move more freely about without concern for the healers.


    It really should have been bizarre, looking down on my own unconscious body, but having played video games so often, it didn''t feel any particularly different from the usual affairs. The only thing different is the lack of "Game Over" or "You Died" written over the screen. Of course, it''s not "Game Over" for me in actuality either. The bleeding had long stopped and the Hp bar as well had stopped decreasing. I''ll be fine, probably. Being unconscious, there''s not much I can do. I''ll just have to leave myself in the hands of Michaela and the Clerics. Rather than myself, I''m more worried about Cecilia.


    I looked over towards Michaela, who was already gazing towards me, not the one unconscious on the ground, but the phantom peering over from above. It looked like she was aware of where I am, whatever "I" meant at this point.


    "Michaela, I have a plan. Pass it on to Toto and Six."


    As a phantom, I spoke to her, as it appeared that I am able to communicate with her even in such a state. I suppose it''s not that surprising, considering that she could do so with me even while she''s not summoned or is far away.


    "As you wish, my liege."


    The strategy was to have Six dive into the forest to get Cecilia out. Using the smoke bombs on him, he would be able to create a smokescreen against the Archer all the while signaling his location to Toto via the rising smoke. From there, Toto and the Sorcerers will bombard the area, providing an opportunity for Six to extract Cecilia. However, knowing Cecilia, I doubted she would want to just retreat when she''s close to winning, and so I had Michaela relay to Six that he is to back Cecilia up if she thinks that she has a good chance of winning. She''s reckless, yes, but she''s not stupid and definitely not irresponsible, not completely at least. Surely that if another person is involved, she''ll have to put more thoughts into their safety as well.


    At first, Six and Toto were confused, but Michaela played it off as if I had planned this out in advance. She could have just said that I''m communicating with her even while unconscious. After everything we''ve seen, it shouldn''t be all that unbelievable. Then again, explaining what''s happening to me, which I''m not all that clear on either, might take some time, and time was not something we had at the time. What''s important was that they believed her and began the execution of the plan.


    And so, Six set off towards the forest, taking the Knights with him as rear guard. However, upon entering the forest, he stepped onto a trap, runes, more specifically, and it was then we knew that the Archer was not working alone. Fortunately, to protect him and Cecilia from the bombardment that will occur later, Toto had casted [Frost Ward] on Six and a cloak offered up by one of the Sorcerers. The runes were fortunately fire based, dealing [Heat] based damage that was mitigated by Toto''s ward.


    The plan was simple, uncomfortably so, but with so much unknown elements and so little time, there''s not much more I could do on the spot. The rest I leave to Cecilia''s intuition and hope for the best.


    Soon, smokes can be seen rising from the forest, and as the healers continued to tend to me, I watched the fire balls being flung into the air and crashing into the already burnt forest. The bombardment had been going on for a while, yet, there were still no signs of Six and Cecilia exiting the forest. Anxiety began to creep up on me the longer I waited, my mind wondering what has happened to them in places I could not see or reach. It was around this time, when it approached us from our flank. Though appearing to be a Beastkin at first sight, I couldn''t help but feel that something was wrong. Her dark fur, her sinewy tail, something about them felt off, and soon, even the Knights began to pick that up.


    The Knights went and attempted to halt this Beastkin''s advance, but those that went to intercept it were easily knocked aside and sent into the air by the sheer strength of this dark Beastkin. Seeing the Knights fall, I realized that they were no match for this enemy and immediately sent Frederica forward while trying to scan the enemy with my [Insight], though it did not appear to work. It seems that it''s a skill I can only use while the body is conscious.


    With a single strike of its bare fist, I hear something crack, and though Frederica is not a creature that makes a sound, even I could feel how painful it was when I saw her collapsing on the spot. Upon disabling Frederica, the dark Beastkin leapt over the [Celestial Crab] and landed right before me, but before she got to do anything, Toto came to the defense of my unconscious body, standing in front of me and creating a [Mana Wall] to halt the dark Beastkin''s advance while ordering all troops to attack. However, with but a single swing of its fist, the [Mana Wall] shattered. Quickly, Toto tried to cast another spell, something to push this enemy back, but she was not quick enough and found her own head trapped within the powerful grasp of the dark Beastkin''s paw.


    ***If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    At the corner of my awareness, I see Six and Cecilia returning from the forest, in one piece it seems. Though I wish I get to breathe a sigh of relief, the situation occurring on this end is making that rather impossible.


    Having witnessed her speed and strength, I have no doubt in my mind that this Beastkin is no doubt a Champion, or at the very least, she possesses the strength rivaling to one. With Toto in her grasp, with myself unconscious, with Frederica out of commission, and with this Bestial Champion just a few steps away from my unconscious body, I am at a loss. Do anything carelessly, and there goes Toto''s head, the fact that the Bestial Champion has not yet crushed her head while being more than capable of doing so communicated that to me. In other words, this is a hostage situation, meaning that there''s room for negotiation, that there''s something she wants. At least, that''s what I like to think. After all, she could have easily slaughtered us all in one fell swoop, I am more than sure of that. So now the question is: What does she wants?


    "Champion."


    A voice resounds in my mind. With gut feeling alone, with no indication or proof whatsoever, I turn towards the Bestial Champion before me, somehow knowing that the voice came from her. Through the visors of her helmet, I can tell, that her golden, cat-like eyes are upon the space above my unconscious body, the place from where "I" am watching. Like Michaela, she knows where "I" currently am.


    "You can see me?"


    As the phantom of the third person perspective, I ask her, wondering if she can hear me. In response, she nods. Then, once more, her voice starts echoing in my mind.


    "Whatever you do, no matter what happens, you must, first and foremost, conquer the forest."


    To conquer to forest? The [World Devourer Woods]? Indeed, due to its ability to expand, it may be best to deal with the forest first. But why? Why come so far just to tell me this?


    "To the north, the Dragonbrood stirs. Soon, they will launch an all out invasion into this land."


    As if reading my mind, the Bestial Champions grants me this answer. It appears that she wants me to focus on the forest rather than the Dragonbrood that will be invading in the near future.


    "But how do you know they''ll be coming?"


    "The winds told me so."


    The winds, eh? What a vague and unreliable answer.


    "I''ll think on it."


    "Make sure you do, Champion, make sure you do."


    Apparently done with her business, the Bestial Champion lets go of Toto, dropping her on the ground. She then becomes covered in magical lights, lights that I''ve seen before somewhere. Six and Cecilia take the chance to attack, but all of a sudden, a strong gust swirls around the Bestial Champion, causing her to float up into the air like a balloon caught in the wind. The lights she was covered in, it was the same lights from the spell [Feather Weight].


    With that, the Bestial Champion disappears into the sky, leaving only the memory of her somewhat cryptic words behind.


    ***


    I wake up staring at the ceiling of a tent. No longer can I see myself, my vision now fixed to my eyes. I wonder if I''ll get to go into the third person perspective again, or even different kinds of views. A bird''s eye view would be extremely helpful if I can achieve it.


    I try getting up, my body feels somewhat sluggish but it''s doing better than I thought after taking an arrow through its heart. As I move, something stirs beside me. Sometime ago, I lost consciousness for real, my vision fading away even while I was a phantom, and so I really have no idea who came and went through this tent.


    "Aurelius?"


    It''s the princess, curled up beside where I lay and just waking up after sensing my movements.


    "Good morning, princess. Or rather, good evening. It''s dark out isn''t it?"


    Her small slender arms reach out, surrounding me. Her head burying itself into my neck.


    "I told you! I told you that I should have gone with you!"


    Even while sobbing, she''s still going on about that.


    "If you went, you might have been the one with an arrow through your chest. You wouldn''t have survived that."


    "Better than risking you, I say!"


    I understand, I know it in my head that the lives of the Champions are more important than that of a single princess'', but...


    "Aren''t you afraid of dying? Not a single bit, princess?"


    "I... I am not..."


    I don''t buy it. The way she hesitated, I don''t think she meat what she said. To begin with, the princess has been hiding a great deal of things from me since the beginning hasn''t she? I''d say that to keep things from me is just like her. Even so...


    "Well, I am. I''d be sad if you died, Aurelia."


    I still remember, the warmth of her arms while she embraced me while I was near death. That was the first time I encountered a [Demon]. When it attacked, I pushed the princess out of the way and got some holes put into my guts. It was so painful that I could barely move. It felt so long ago, but in truth, it should only have been but a few weeks. Even so, I remember clearly, how she held me, how she kept pouring healing magic onto me even though she could have just left me there. I suppose it''s because I was a Champion, that my survival was more important. Still, she was there when I thought I would die alone. Probably, that time, I had already formed a bond with her, a one-sided bond to my summoner. Not due to any magic or ritual, but something closer to the heart.


    Then, once more, she fought the Warrior Champion atop the mountain with me. Again, she was by my side when I was close to losing my life, and again, she helped me survive and win the battle. By then, I was all too ready to forgive her for everything, for summoning me here, for putting me in this mess, even though by all reasons and rationality, it hardly made up for what she had done.


    Even though I knew her for only a while, and in fact, I can''t say I know her all that well at all. She''s important to me, at the very least, I don''t want to lose her, I want to get to know her better. Silly, perhaps even juvenile, I know. But, I speak the truth when I said I''ll be sad that if she were gone, that much is for sure.


    "Are you sure?"


    With her eyes downcast and her face away from me, she asks me.


    "Very."


    I place my hand on her head, gently caressing her. If I had a kid or a grandkid, it''d probably feel something like this.


    "Even though I was the one who dragged you and your friends into this mess of a world?"


    "There''ll be no mess if we take care of it right?"


    "Even though I have nothing I can repay you with?"


    "You can''t repay anything if you''re dead, can you. Unless making me sad is your idea of repaying."


    "That''s not true! That will never be true."


    "Then please, stay safe, princess. Don''t make me so worried every time."


    "That... that''s not fair. I worry about you too. I was so worried, that you might not wake up. I kept telling myself that I should have gone with you, even if you disagree."


    Tears spill onto the ground, they have been for a while now. How troublesome, for my sommoner to be so emotional. I wouldn''t be able to fight if I constantly worry about my creatures each time I send out my creature to battle you know.


    "You have to be stronger than this. You''re going to be the ruler of this kingdom, aren''t you? You have to stay strong and believe in me, believe in us. We''re the Champions you''ve summoned aren''t we? As the summoner, you have to believe, believe that we can get the job done."


    Here I go again, spewing nonsense and things I don''t believe in. I wonder if this is how parents feel when they lie to their kids. It''s probably not a good thing, but I need her to be strong, I need her to be better than I, myself, can be. It''s only going to get harder from now on after all.


    "Princess, believe in us. We''ll save your kingdom, we''ll save this world."


    Even if I have to spew lies upon lies, I''ll keep her going. So long as she keeps moving onwards, she''ll arrive somewhere eventually and I hope wherever she arrives at, it''ll be a good place.


    Hearing my words, the princess nods hesitantly. Perhaps she doubts me, perhaps she doubts her own ability to keep on believing. Still, so long as she trusts in my words even if just a little, then hopefully, they can become her strength to find a way forward.


    ***


    End of Chapter 35

 Vol. 3, Chapter 36: The Lost Champions

    All night long, the princess cried. All the while, I watched over her till she cried herself to sleep. It took quite a bit before she finally settled down, about two hours I''d say.


    Such a child she is, too nice, and far too kind for someone who would be queen. Even if Merida said that she had taught her the use of drugs and poisons, I doubt she''ll ever use it for more than putting someone to sleep. Is that a good thing? For those around her maybe, but for herself, I think she needs to toughen up a little, be harsher, crueler. Otherwise I don''t think she''ll go very far, not with the world as it is. I have no doubt in my mind that they''ll be tough choices ahead, and I fear that she might not be equipped to deal with them.


    Seeing the princess lying beside my bedding, I reach out to wake her only to stop upon realizing that Merida is probably nearby. I should get her to carry the princess back to her own tent.


    As I consider the option, the princess'' droopy ears twitch and immediately she springs up, looking towards the entrance to the tent. She''s kind of like a dog, rather, I suppose she is a dog of sorts. Having gotten used to the Beastkins, I sometimes forget that they''re half beasts.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Oh, it nothing to worry about, Aurelius, though I think someone is here to see you."


    It is exactly as she says, turning towards the entrance, I see a figure peeking in from the outside.


    "Is this a bad time?"


    Smiling forcibly, as if a child knowing that she''s going to get in trouble yet still trying to put up a brave front, is Cecilia.


    "Shouldn''t you be sleeping? You''re going to have a hard time waking up tomorrow if you''re up till this time."


    "I''ll have you know that I tend to be awake during these hours. It''s a side effect of being in college you see."


    Did I hear that right? Cecilia''s in college? I thought she''d be older than that.


    "I believe I''ll excuse myself here, I''m sure both of you have a great deal to discuss. Good night, Aurelius, Cecilia."


    With that, the princess slips out, evacuating the premise before the storm begins, and now only Cecilia and I remain.


    An awkward silence fills the space in between us. I have a great deal to say to her, but I''m waiting for her to speak first, mostly because I''m not feeling well enough to get mad and I don''t want her to realize that. I''d like to enjoy the sight of Cecilia fidgeting over the thought that I might break into manic rage at any moment for a bit longer.


    "Look, Aurelius, about today..."


    Well, technically, it should be yesterday, since I''m quite sure that we''re way pass midnight.


    "I know it was reckless of me, but I seriously thought it''d work out, and well, it did, so..."


    While rubbing the back of her head, she keeps up that forced smile of hers. How should I put it? It''s strangely irritating that she''s trying to play it off as some kind of clumsy mistake she made. Still, irritating as it is, I don''t feeling like yelling at her, I feel like I might faint if I do, that''s how weak I''m feeling. Instead, I simply let out a sigh, just to let her know I''m not happy.


    "Well, you know what you did. Not to mention, you''re the guildmaster, it''s not really my place to be telling you what you should do."


    "Au-Aurelius?"


    Strangely, Cecilia appears to be a little shocked after hearing what I have to say. How odd, I thought she''d be a bit happier to be left off the hook.


    "Look, I know I''ve done something bad, b-but I was panicking too. I was just trying to do what I thought was best. I mean, I was scared you know, when you got shot. I thought I had to do something."


    Well, I figured that much. Really, I wasn''t planning on blaming her too much for it to begin with. At best, I might yell at her a bit just so she''d think twice before trying to pull something like that again and expect it to go well.


    "Like I said, I''m sure you know what you did. There''s really no point for me to say anything about it. I don''t intent to nag and I really don''t feel up to it right now either."


    After all, it''s not like Cecilia''s an idiot. She knew how dangerous that was and she''s more than capably of learning from her mistakes. Even if things turned out well in the end, I trust that she knows that it''s because she got lucky and will act accordingly in the future.


    "I''m sorry, Aurelius..."


    "There''s no need to be sorry. You''ve done nothing wrong to apologize for, right?"


    At my words, Cecilia looks upon me with shock on her face as blood seemingly drains from her complexion. Her eyes turn away from me, her hands ball into a fist, clenching tightly and trembling.


    Something''s not right here? What''s wrong with her?


    "Please... don''t be like that..."Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Her voice trembles as she speaks. I don''t get it. I don''t understand why she''s in such a state. Don''t be like what?


    "If you''re mad at me then just yell at me all you like! Just... don''t be so cold... I- I said I''m sorry, didn''t I?"


    Cold!? Do I sound cold? Maybe I''m being a little callous but that''s just because I''m feeling tired, that''s all. Why would she think that? I told her that there''s no need to be sorry, didn''t I? Or did she think that I was being patronizing? Something''s definitely wrong here. This isn''t the sharp-minded Cecilia I''m used to.


    "What are you talking about? I''m not mad, honest... Well, I mean, I''m a little mad, but it''s not so much so that I''m going to rage on about it. I don''t mean to sound cold either, I''m just feeling a little weak, that''s all."


    After clarifying everything, silence persisted for a moment between the two of us. It was truly but a moment, yet it felt like it lasted for minutes.


    "Oh man, I thought I was in big some trouble there for a moment. Phew."


    Like so, Cecilia quickly returns to her normal self. That great and all, but, how should I put it, I''m a tad bit miffed, miffed that I actually fell for her little act. She''s good though, I''ll give her that. She had me thoroughly convinced that she was actually upset about my apparent callousness.


    "Well, good for you."


    "Now, now, Aurelius, don''t be like that. For what it''s worth, I''m actually quite worried that you might be upset with me."


    "Well, if I weren''t before, I certainly am now. And there I was, actually feeling bad for you."


    "Alright, I get it. I''m sorry, alright."


    So she says, but it certainly doesn''t sound like she''s sorry.


    "Ah, whatever. If there''s nothing else, do you mind? I''m still feeling rather unwell from having an arrow shot through my heart and my blood draining from my body."


    "Yes, well, I actually have one more thing I want to discuss."


    All of a sudden, Cecilia''s tone becomes sullen. As much as I would like to, I don''t think I should tell her save it for tomorrow.


    "Go ahead then, I''m all ears."


    Cecilia debriefed me on her battle within the forest, about the Champions she fought, about their tactics, and about their classes and abilities. As she described what happened, her tone grew solemn and while listening to her, grim thoughts began surfacing from the depths of my mind.


    "Sounds like it was the right decision to send Six after you."


    "It was, he really saved me."


    I am dancing around the issue, the issue that I suspect is on both of our minds. However, at the moment, I''m not sure if I should bring it up, not unless I''m absolutely certain that she''s thinking of the same thing. If I am to bring it up, then there will be no going back for her.


    "Aurelius, do you think that...... No, never mind."


    She''s hesitating. Is she thinking of the same thing as I am after all? Is she afraid that I''ll come to the same conclusion as her? Are we both having the same idea and are afraid to share it with one other? I''m going to have to gamble, won''t I? I should know that Cecilia''s not as tough as she likes to seem. If I let her bottle it all up here, I am afraid she might only get more reckless in the future.


    "The two Champions you fought, the Archer and the Warlock. Did they seem like someone you know?"


    Cecilia''s eyes widen in surprise. Looks like she did not think that I might figure it out.


    "How did you figure?"


    "I see the pair from time to time. Never really played or chatted with them though. Six probably has no idea who they are, since he logs in at different times from them."


    With me mentioning Six, Cecilia seems just a little bit more relief. Looks like she is worried after all, about the rest of us finding out, finding out that we''re actually fighting against our own guildmates, fighting against those that are stuck here in this world just like us. I don''t know about Toto, but frankly, I don''t think Six would take it very well.


    "Yes, it''s just as you said. I know those two. Or at least, I think it''s them. I''m surprised that you accepted it so quickly though."


    "I''ve been thinking about it, ever since I first stepped into the forest, about what would happen to us if we were to succumb to the [Corruption] effect the forest afflicts us with. That, and what would happen if someone were to land in the forest, or anywhere else for that matter, when they were summoned. There were four parties in that raid of ours, and each one had six members, twenty-four members in total. Yet, so far, we have only found four here, in the Beastkin''s territory. I''ve considered that we may just be arriving at different times, but even so, some of us must have landed in the [Corrupted] lands somewhere. In other words, the Champions you fought in the forest, and the Champion I fought in the mountains, they were, well..."


    "Chances are, they might be our friends."


    "Correct..."


    "You''re awfully calm about this, Aurelius."


    "I''m not calm, Cecilia, I''m not calm at all, but I just have too many things to worry about. Trying to get us all home is all I can handle. I don''t have the leisure to wonder about who it was that I''ve killed."


    I say that, but the truth is, I was too afraid to think about it, the idea that I''ve not only killed someone, but someone that I might have once played with, someone that I might have chatted with, someone that was just caught up in the same situation as I.


    "Do you mind?"


    Before I notice it, Cecilia has already moved beside me. In response to her, I lightly shake my head. Promptly, she sits down beside me, hugging her knees with her back facing against mine.


    "We can''t let the others know."


    "They''ll realize it eventually, just like how you and I did. We can''t keep it a secret forever, Cecilia."


    "But if they find out, they''ll stop fighting, and they won''t survive if they don''t fight."


    "I think you might be giving Six and Toto too little credit."


    So I say, but I''m thinking about the same thing, thinking about how I can keep this secret from the rest. Heck, I never wanted Cecilia to find out either if I could help it. But, I want to be convinced otherwise, that those two are stronger than what Cecilia and I give them credit for.


    "I mean, they''re not like you and me. We''re kind of abnormal, don''t you think? We can even chat about having fought and killed people who might be our friends like nothing."


    Are we though? Are we really talking about it like nothing? I don''t believe so.


    "That''s not true."


    "What makes you say that?"


    "You can''t sleep, can you? You haven''t been sleeping well at all since you got here."


    "Aurelius, how-"


    "I hear you, you know, pacing around in the night, all worried and anxious."


    "Was I being that loud?"


    I shake my head.


    "You weren''t, I just have good hearing. That, and I couldn''t sleep either. Nighttime is when I get the most scared, it''s the time when all the scary thoughts I tossed into the back my head during the day resurface. It''s the same for you, right?"


    "Wow, I never knew that we''re so alike."


    "Why so surprise? It''s normal. That''s right, we''re plenty normal, Cecilia."


    "I guess we are... Hey, Aurelius, can I stay here like this for a bit longer?"


    "Go ahead. I don''t think I''ll be falling asleep anytime soon anyways."


    In the end, we never did decide whether or not to share our secret with Six and Toto. There were still doubts on whether it would be better if we did or did not. All night long, we went back and forth, never coming to an agreement. We don''t remember where our discussion ended, only that by the time we woke up, it was already pass noon. Yet, due to spending all that time debating about Six and Toto, I had forgotten to mention it, the words said to me by the Bestial Champion.


    ***


    End of Chapter 36

 Vol. 3, Chapter 37: The Way Forward

    Sluggishly dragging my lazy body out of my tent, I greet the blazing afternoon sunlight with distaste. Usually, I''d always wake when the sun rises, no matter how little sleep I''ve had. It''s a habit I''ve maintained through the years and I found it to be a good thing. However, it seems that I overdid it last night. I think I only fell asleep around the time the sun starts peeking out from the horizon. Haven''t pulled an all-nighter like that for the longest time.


    After showering in the sun, feeling just a bit more energetic, I turn back to the inside of my tent. There, lying beside where I slept, hogging the blanket, is Cecilia. I doubt she''ll be waking up anytime soon.


    Leaving Cecilia be, I go through the routines I would perform in the morning, washing up, checking in with Six and Toto, then with the princess. All appears to be normal today, that is, until I arrive at the war room.


    "Good timing, Sir Aurelius."


    The commander greets me with a grave countenance. Immediately, I feel the usual weight upon my shoulders. Can''t a guy just get a single day in which nothing happens?


    "I take it that we have bad news, commander?"


    "What gave it away?"


    "I''ll go get the others."


    "No need, I''ve already sent for them. They should be arriving shortly."


    With nothing else to do, I stand around waiting, my foot tapping away in anxiousness as the minutes seem to stretch on forever. After some time, the firsts of the usual members arrived, them being Six and Toto.


    "So, what has gone wrong this time?"


    Seemingly more flippant and usual, Six appears to be less tense that he had been the last few times in these meetings. I suppose winning the fight yesterday had gained him some confidence. Seeing the effects of that experience have on him, I can see now why Cecilia doesn''t want to tell him the truth.


    "........."


    In contrast, Toto is mostly silent, more than usual, as if worrying about something.


    "Something wrong?"


    "Huh? Oh, it''s nothing, Aurelius, nothing at all."


    Her mind seems to be in the clouds, but I''m sure whatever it is, she''s figuring it out. She''s quite smart after all.


    Following Six and Toto, the princess, Merida, and the Holy Beast''s priestess, Stella arrived. We nodded to one another as they came in, though the priestess gave me an odd look as she entered. Then against, she had always been giving me these looks. It''s like she had taken an issue with me since day one.


    Then, finally, Cecilia arrived, and with all the key members present, the meeting begins.


    "I''ll get straight to the point. Just now, a message had arrived from the north. The Dragonbroods, they''re advancing towards us as we speak."


    The Dragonbrood... The mention of them reminds me of what I was told just yesterday, the words told to me by the Bestial Champion. So it was true after all, that the Dragonbrood will be invading this land. But damn, they sure are quick. I know she said that they''ll be coming soon, but I did not expect to hear from them the day after. That''s way too soon.


    "When will they arrive at our borders?"


    The commander nods towards the princess, acknowledging her inquiries.


    "Three days at most, or so the message says."


    Three days, that''s astonishingly quick, but I''ve heard that many of the Dragonbroods are swift with their feet and some even have limited flight capabilities. Of the four races in Elgardia, they are the ones with the greatest mobility.


    "Three days!? That''s not much time at all! We must mobilize at once!"


    Looking at us, the Champions, the princess says so. Naturally, she expects us to reinforce the north. Unfortunately, I can''t quite give her my answer, because I haven''t decided on what to do just yet. The Bestial Champion''s words aside, right now, I myself would like to prioritize purging the [World Devourer Woods] from our borders. With us having defeated their two Champions just yesterday, their losses should be quite substantial, both in their overall fighting prowess and, if they even have such an emotional capacity, in their morale. At the moment, we have the advantage and with luck, I''m confident that we will be able to push them beyond our borders. However, if we give them a chance to reorganize themselves and time for the forest to expand, it''ll be sometime before we get back to where we are right now. If I can help it, I rather not have our fight with the forest drag on longer than it needs to be. But, in the end it''s all just my assumption, we don''t actually know how much of a lost the [Corrupted] Faefolks suffered or if their morale had taken a hit. What is for certain, however, is that if we don''t do something, our northern borders will be overrun by [Demons].This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    So now then, what to do? One option we have is to send half our forces to reinforce the north while the rest remain and fight, once everything is taken care of on one side, we''ll rejoin once more and focus on what''s left. However, with half our forces, our effectiveness would of course be halved and there''s no telling if that''s enough on either ends. Another option is to leave the forest be for now and focus on the north, and once that''s taken care of, we can turn our focus back onto the forest. However, there''s no telling how long the fight up north will take, and by the time we''re done, the forest may have already expanded far more than it had initially. In the end, should I just listen to the Bestial Champion and focus on defeating the [World Devourer Woods] before all else?


    "Of course! We can''t just leave those living up north to die, right?"


    Readily, Cecilia agrees with the princess, and I can''t help but want kick myself for not mention what the Bestial Champion had said to me sooner. If Cecilia had heard about it before hand, perhaps she wouldn''t be so quick to decide.


    "I don''t know, I mean, we can''t just leave the forest alone to expand either, can we? Everything we did up till now will be going down the drain!"


    Six appears to disagree with Cecilia''s sentiments. I suppose he never really give much of a damn for those in this world to begin with. For him, the priority is to end it all and go home.


    "........."


    Toto on the other hands remains silent, she hasn''t made a decision it seems, but knowing her, she''ll probably align with Cecilia in the end.


    "I feel sorry for the northern frontlines, but I believe we should place our priority upon ridding the forest from our land first."


    Like Six, the garrison commander is against reinforcing the north, an understandable decision since his station is over here, and if the Champions leave, him and the troops under him will have to fend for themselves just like before, and they weren''t doing all that well at all before we came.


    With that, it''s two against two, two votes for reinforcing the north with two against it. Now, the eyes of all those present fall upon Toto and yours truly, us two who remain undecided. So then, what will it be? Frankly, I have the answer. It seems like no matter which I choose it can only be a mistake, that only bad things would come these choices. Yes, that''s right, no matter which of the two paths I''ll choose, we only stand to lose grounds, it''s just a matter of losing it to the Dragonbroods or the forest. Either way we do it, we still lose, it''s a situation that we simply can''t win. What if we just split the troops? Send half of us to the north and half of us will remain? The best of both worlds. But, will it work? Or will it simply make it so that we lose both fronts. As they say, the lion that chases two hares will catch neither, something along those lines.


    "Give me a day- no, just rest of the day would be fine. I need time to think about it."


    "I''m the same as Aurelius, I need time to think this through."


    Neither Toto nor I were able to make the decision on the spot, and though I could see that Cecilia and, especially, the princess were feeling rather nervous about the situation up north, in the end, they allowed us time to properly make up our mind.


    ***


    To go or not to go, the question really isn''t so simple and straightforward. The problem here is deciding which path will result in the least losses that would undoubtedly occur and what steps should be taken to minimize said losses. If possible, I''d like a choice that would result in no loss at all, but having only today to decide, I suppose it''s hoping for too much.


    "Champion."


    From behind me, I hear a usually disdainful voice calling out to me. Oddly, today the disdain seems to be lessened somewhat.


    "Stella, was it? It''s rare for you to approach me on your own."


    "I rather not if I can help it."


    "You don''t like me very much, do you?"


    "Trust me, it is for a good reason. Though, I will admit that lately I''ve gained some new perspectives. For good or ill, I do not know yet."


    As always, her stare bores into my being and her currently stoic expression makes it difficult for me to read her. Even her bestial traits remain as stoic as her face, her cat-like ears always upright and rigid and her tail always still.


    "Hear me out, Champion. I will go to the northern frontlines. I will use all of my strength to hold back the [Demon] horde. I won''t be able to stop them, but I''ll be able to buy you time."


    I quirk a brow at her words. Why tell this to me specifically? Wouldn''t the princess or Cecilia be better choices to bring this proposal to?


    "How much time?"


    Regardless, I''ll consider it. More than anything, what we need is time, in fact, we never seem to have enough of it these days. Everything needs to happen quickly, always trying to get a step ahead of the enemy, always short on time. That''s war for you, I suppose. But damn, what would I give to take a nice long break now and then.


    "Three more days, with my current capabilities, I''d say three more days is the most time I''ll be able to give you."


    "Three days!? What in the world can be done in such a short time? We''d barely be able to destroy the next [Demon Flower] and make it back in that time."


    "That is up to you to figure it out. I am only stating what I can give you."


    "I''ll think about it. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do much with it, but I appreciate it nonetheless."


    "I hope you''ll find a way, truly I hope so."


    With a polite bow, Stella leaves me to my thoughts. I watch her walk away, her slender tail swaying as she goes. From here, her back seems so thin, her shoulder so small. Can she really hold back a horde of [Demons] for three days? I suppose she won''t be alone, there are going to be troops alongside her as well. I''ll have to take her word for it, but even so, what can be done in just three more days? What can be done to improve our situation for the better in such a short amount of time?


    ***


    The sun begins to set. At this rate, the day will be over. Yet, I have not come up with anything. There''s nothing that comes to mind at all, nothing but the understanding of how helpless I am against the changing tides the world.


    Beneath the amber glow of twilight, with the green meadow turned reddish gold by the setting sun, I run into Toto, returning from her testing field. Maybe it''s the sunset, but for a moment there, I thought I saw fire in her eyes.


    "Aurelius, hear me out."


    The sun continues to set, the lights beginning to fade and darkness approaches. The day is ending, and though the beginning of the night was to be the call for me to finally give in to my helplessness and accept the inevitable, from Toto, I see a glimpse of light.


    At times, I forget. Even though I say it to the others often, I myself get caught up with my own narrow views and let it slip my mind from time to time, that I am not by myself, that I am not moving forward alone. There are the others too, each finding a way forward. At times like this, I need only to reach out.


    ***


    End of Chapter 37

 Vol. 3, Chapter 38: Two Fronts

    "How long does it need?"


    "I''ve already had the craftsmen working on it. The day after tomorrow is the earliest they''ll have something to show."


    "Will something so makeshift really work?"


    "We''ll just have to test it. How much extra time did you say we''ve got, three days?"


    "That''s what Stella said, but it''s hardly enough, is it?"


    "No, it''s not, and that''s assuming everything goes well."


    "At any rate, let''s bring this plan of yours to the others. Let''s see if they have some ideas of their own."


    Walking side by side with Toto, the two of us returned to the garrison camp just as the sun completely disappeared beyond the horizon. Waiting for us at the entrance were Six and Cecilia eager to hear our answers.


    "That''s... rather insane."


    "Really, Cecilia, you''re the one saying this?"


    At the moment, we are in the Champions'' tent. Here, Toto and I disclosed what we have discussed out in the meadow.


    "I''m saying this is insane even for me. Aurelius, aren''t you getting desperate? You too Toto, are you sure you''ve thought this through?"


    "We don''t have the time, we either do it or we don''t."


    Usually, I wouldn''t associate Toto with recklessness. However, with this plan of her and what she is saying right now, there''s certainly a sense of danger about her. Even so, I''m betting on this plan. As Cecilia said, I''m getting desperate, but I''m not just going along with whatever sounds good either. I side with Toto not because I''m hoping that her plan might work out, but because I sincerely believe it has a chance to work.


    "You could die you know, and not just you two, you might get everyone here killed."


    Cecilia is scared. She''s trying to not show it, but from her frantic tone, it comes through.


    "The situation will only get worse from here. If we don''t do something, we''ll die all the same. It''s just the matter of sooner or later."


    She knows I''m right, she has to. Fighting a two-fronted war is never good. We''ll eventually be worn down and one by one, we''ll fall. If we don''t do something about this now, what awaits us is a slow and painful death.


    "It''ll be all over if this doesn''t work, you two realize that right?"


    "It might be over if we don''t do something either."


    Cecilia sighs. This is the longest one I''ve ever heard from her.


    "There''s no point in me saying anymore is there? The two of you are smarter than me, and with both of you agreeing with each other, even if I try to argue, I probably can''t convince either of you otherwise."


    "Thank you, Cecilia."


    "Make sure you come back, alright. I don''t know what I''d do without you."


    Cecilia pulls Toto into her embrace, holding her tightly.


    "You too, Aurelius. Don''t you go kicking the bucket either."


    "Of course, I have no plans of dying as of yet."


    Like always, I hand out a promise I have no guarantee of keeping like candy. It''s basically second nature to me now. One could argue that it''s a bad idea to give others false hope, but I think that it''s important to have something to cling to, especially in times like these, when hope tend to be rather scarce.


    ***


    At night, we sent Cecilia, Six, and Stella off to reinforce the northern frontlines. Six wanted to stay, but with Toto being needed here to supervise the construction and Michaela''s [Holy Ward] being needed to enter the forest, it was for the best that Six went with Cecilia. Our farewells were filled with worry, thinking that this may be the last time we will ever see each other. We all wished that there were more time, to do this farewell more properly, to be able to say things that we had wanted to say just in case the next chance never comes. Sadly, it cannot be helped; time was the one thing we do not have.


    At the break of dawn, the princess and I rode towards the dwelling of the Holy Beast yet again. It is necessary, as Toto''s plan requires the cooperation of the Holy Beast. Without her help, nothing will be able to take off. For this reason, the princess stayed behind, hoping that things would come along smoother with her around. Though the Holy Beast had never turned away our call for aid, you never know if her whims were to change. To make sure we can even get this plan off the ground in the first place, everything that can be done, must be done, in order to better our chances even by the smallest fraction.


    Now it is evening, we have returned to the garrison camp. I have the carriage drop me off near the testing grounds and immediately head over to find Toto. Balls of lights created from the spell [Fairy Light] floats above the field, lighting up the area. With their lights, I can see a pile of assorted parts assembled and are being load up into carriages. Looks like they were getting ready regardless of whether or not we''ll get the Holy Beasts aid.


    "Aurelius, how did it go?"


    Spotting me before I did her, Toto comes up to me.


    "She agreed to help. There''s no problem at all."


    "I heard from Cecilia, that she has been rather agreeable to each and every of our request to till now. We''re lucky to have her on our side."


    "Is that why you''re already prepared?"


    "There''s that, but it''s also because we don''t have time to wait for permission before starting. Every moment counts."


    I''m surprised. I''ve always thought she was more docile from how quiet she tends to be. Never have I thought that she''d be so proactive.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Nothing much, I''m just thinking that maybe you''re more like Cecilia than I thought."


    Hearing that, Toto furrows her eyebrows.


    "That''s not true. I''m not crazy like that."


    "No, I suppose not. Still, you both make me anxious when you''re out of my sight."


    "Is this about the chain [Meteor] casting I pulled last time? I though you forgave me for it already."


    "I did, but it''s not like I can just erase it from my mind. Did you have any idea how scared I was when I saw your body flopping onto the ground?"


    "I said I''m sorry..."


    She''s starting to sulk, with puffed cheeks and all that. It''s a cute look, kinda fits with the small frame of this avatar of hers. Still, I better put a lid on it before it gets worse. What we''re trying to do here will probably be one of the most important operations in this war and possibly the last if we mess up. I need her focused and in a good mood.


    "I know. I''m sorry I brought it up. At any rate, how do you plan to bring the construct over to the Holy Beast''s place? It ended up being pretty big didn''t it?"


    "The craftsmen had the idea of making the individual parts first and assembling them after they''re transported. Assuming nothing goes wrong, everything should be there by morning on the next day and completely assembled by the day after that."


    As Toto explains, I watch the individual parts mentioned being load up into the many carriages waiting on the field for the loading to finish so that they may set off. I say, the Beastkins sure come up with some nifty ideas. I wonder if it''s their intellect or if it''s something in their instincts. After all, even back in our world, there are quite a few from the animal kingdom that are skilled builders. Could it be the combination of the two? In that case, with their beastly instincts and human-like intellect, might they possibly be able to outdo humans? That''s quite a food for thought isn''t it?


    "Do you think it will work?"


    "What are you saying? You''re the one who came up with the idea, didn''t you?"


    "I know. But still..."


    "Yeah, I get it. I think about it all the time, if a certain strategy or approach I come up with will work, or if the formation is going to hold against the enemies, or if there''s something I''m not seeing or might have missed. But, you''ve done your best at this very moment. You''ve done all you can think of. We can only hope for the best now."


    "You''re sounding like Cecilia."


    "That''s because she said the same thing to me, paraphrased of course, I can''t remember the exact words. At any rate, you think it would work, I think it would work, and the garrison commander doesn''t deny that it might work. As for our friends, well, they don''t disagree strongly enough to stop us. And so, now we''re here. What else are we going to do but keep going?"


    "Yeah... you''re right. There''s not much else we can do now. Thanks for the talk Aurelius. I should go do a final check before sending the parts off."


    "I''ll leave you too it then. I''ll see you later."


    "Yes, see you later, Aurelius."


    ***


    After leaving Toto, I return to the camp. The atmosphere is tense here and so far I''ve only been greeted by the gloomy and anxious faces of the soldier passing me by. I don''t blame them. This one attack is going to be all or nothing after all. We have placed all of our eggs in this one single basket, and should it fall, it will be all over for everyone, for the kingdom, for this world, and for us. Everything will be overrun by [Demons], everyone will become [Corrupted], and we will never see home again.


    Even so, it''s only a matter of time before the [Demons] overrun us. True, if we stay our hand and strengthen our defenses, we may find another chance in the near future, that we may be able to hold out on both fronts as we bide our time for another opening to strike. It''s true that it''s possible, but I feel that is it also very wishful thinking.


    Defending against two fronts will be hard enough, and it is all too possible that while we''re defending against the forest and the Dragonbroods, a third front may appear. Though I may have repelled them before in the mountains, there''s no telling if the [Demons] may try to approach from the east yet again. And even if a third front does not appear, there is no telling that we would even have the strength left to counterattack when the opportunity reveals itself. That is why we must launch the attack now, while we''re at our full strength.


    "Aurelius, how are things on Lady Toto''s end?"


    Approaching me is Merida, who is oddly not with the princess at the moment.


    "The individual components have already been crafted and ready for transport. There are no problems so far."


    "Good to hear that everything is going smoothly, though it''s nerve wrecking isn''t it, when everything is going so well."


    "Feels like something bad is bound to happen and you prefer it to happen sooner rather than later, right? I''m surprised that you feel this way too. You always seem more of the coolheaded type."


    "The years of training and discipline kept me calm, but that doesn''t mean I''m not scared, I simply learned to not show it."


    "I guess that''s not something you can ever really get rid of, huh? Anyways, where''s the princess. It''s rare to find you away from her. If I recall, the only time you''re away from her is when she herself send you out, right?"


    "That''s quite right, but she''s speaking with the garrison commander right now, and while she does so, I thought I''d speak with you."


    Something that Merida needs to speak to me about, something important enough to leave the princess for. Can''t it wait? I''m pretty certain that I''ll have to report to the princess in regards to the progress of Toto and her team of artisans anyways. Unless of course, it''s something she''d rather not have the princess hear. I say, I can only have bad feelings about this.


    "Don''t look so serious, Aurelius. What I am about to bring up isn''t something so terrible."


    "Is that so?"


    "Hopefully, that is."


    Oh boy, that does not inspire confidence.


    "Shall we find somewhere more private then? My tent maybe?"


    "Of course, I was about to suggest it myself."


    With Merida, I walk back to my tent. Upon arrival, I pull open the drapes covering the opening and invite her in. There, standing before the entrance to my private space, Merida seems to be hesitating a little.


    "What''s wrong? Don''t tell me you''re getting shy after all this time, Merida?"


    "Of course not. I am just wondering if you invite Lady Cecilia to share a bed with you often."


    Oh, can she smell that? That was a day or two ago wasn''t it? You''d think any scent of her would be gone by now, but what do I know? My senses are clearly not as good as Merida''s.


    "Our debates went on longer than we thought and both of us ended up falling asleep before we got anything out of it. Not much else really happened."


    "I know, I could hear you two from my own tent. I was merely teasing, though you sure aren''t easy to tease are you. It''s as if you have the sensitivity of an elderly man."


    "Who knows, perhaps I''m older than I look."


    Well, I am, but more importantly, doesn''t the princess share a tent with Merida? In that case, did she hear the conversation as well, about the [Demon] Champions possibly being our guildmates?


    "Merida-"


    "Yes, the princess has heard as well, and so do those near your tent that night. The princess had made sure they remain silent about this however, so rest assure."


    "I see, that''s considerate of her."


    After all, if people start talking, eventually, the secret will reach Six and Toto''s ears. Neither Cecilia nor I have decided to tell them yet, and if they do find out, I want them to find out from one of us. I wouldn''t want them to think that we''re hiding something from them out of some ill will. And also, though it may sound calculative of me, letting them hear it from us first would allow for some immediate damage control and keep their emotional state from getting out of hand.


    "Indeed, she has done you some large favors..."


    Suddenly, I feel am edge in Merida''s voice. I see, so that''s what this is about. For the longest time, I thought that due to my combat prowess, my position within this world is absolute, that whatever I desire will be provided, for I am the Champion, one of the very few that may bring salvation upon this world. However, with this secret in the princess'' hand, she now has an axe above my head, to be dropped as she pleases.


    "And I suppose that she wants me to return said favor? Would saving the world be enough?"


    "You misunderstood, Aurelius, the princess has absolutely no intention of threatening you and neither do I. I am merely trying to say that the princess has your wellbeing in mind at all times. With that in mind, I ask you this, Aurelius: Have you considered... marriage?"


    What was that? What did she just say to me with a straight face?


    "Pardon?"


    "I said, have you considered marriage?"


    Ah, I see, so I did hear her right the first time.


    "For this and everything you''re about to say next, Merida, my answer is: No!"


    ***


    End of Chapter 38

 Vol. 3, Chapter 39: A Proposal

    At the moment, between Merida and I, there is an air of tension.


    "I think you might have misunderstood. I don''t mean to marry me, but-"


    "I know who you''re talking about and the answer remains the same. No."


    I have no idea what is on her mind. Marry the princess? Why would I do that? To begin with, I don''t think of her that way. I mean, sure, she''s pretty, and as a person of the opposite sex, it lifts my spirit when I see her, but romantic is not what I would describe our relationship. Besides, she''s too young, waaay too young for me. Maybe I''ll start thinking differently if we wait a few years, but right now it''s out of the question. Even if the princess is fine with it, I certainly am not.


    "I... I certainly did not expect you to reject so vehemently."


    Merida frowns deeply, a reflection of how troubled she is feeling undoubtedly.


    "The truth of the matter is, I''m much too old for her. I may look like this, but I''m actually around four to five times her age."


    "Five times? Is that true? You certainly don''t act like you are though. At most you seem like a slightly more mature child to me."


    As expected for an Assassin, she goes for where it hurts most.


    "Regardless of what it seems to you, I''m actually a wrinkly, balding old man. You wouldn''t have the princess wed someone like that, would you?"


    "That''s irrelevant."


    So she says, with the straightest face I''ve ever seen.


    Well, I suppose in politics during the olden ages, when bloodline determined much of one''s position and status in life, marriage is a game where anything goes so long as both parties are of age and have a certain amount of wealth or prestige. It''s not so much about romance and more about gains and conveniences. In a sense, it''s almost like a business. Even so, even if it is how their society works, this does not sit well with me.


    "Irrelevant to you perhaps, but to me it''s important."


    But how is it important? I would like to be able to explain it to Merida but I can''t seem to be able to put it all into words, not towards someone from a completely different word with a completely different set of values. Where do I even begin?


    "You become very protective when it comes to the princess, don''t you?"


    She says as she watches me with a calm look in her eyes, surprisingly lacking in frustration. You''d think she''d be more irritated since I''ve been stubbornly refusing her all the while not coming up with a proper explanation for her in regards to my behavior.


    "She held onto me as I thought I was about to die alone in a place I know nothing about, and she saved my life time and time again. She is precious to me, that being said, my feelings for her remain to be that of adoration, something one may have for a precocious child. It''s not enough for me to consider marriage."


    "I see, I understand where you''re coming from now, but please, at least listen to my explanation. I''ll start from the beginning."


    "Not saying that it would change my mind, but perhaps you should have done that from the start."


    "I''m sorry, I suppose I prefer to cut into the heart of things without beating around the bushes."


    Sure, I suppose that''s what an Assassin would say.


    "So, Aurelius, to put it simply, the princess wishes to join you in the coming battle."


    "This again? You know the answer to that already."


    "The princess has anticipated that reply as well. Your reaction is not at all unforeseeable by any measure."


    Getting snarky are we? Well, not like that would affect me in the slightest.


    "But how does this went from that to marriage? That''s quite a leap."


    "So it would appear, but Aurelius, do tell why you are so opposed to the princess being on the battlefield."


    "It''s because she is the future ruler of the Beastkins and personally I''d like her to be safe."


    "The princess feels the same way about you. Not only are you one of the Champions, you are someone precious to her as well. She would like to stand by your side and ensure your survival, especially for this battle. You and Lady Toto said it too, haven''t you, that if we can''t win this, there''s probably no future for us, that this will be the battle that determines whether this world would fall into darkness or preserve the path to salvation. Isn''t it reasonable to ensure we do everything we can to win? Surely, having the princess by your side will be to your advantage, no?"


    "You''re not wrong, but even if we win, it is not over your realize. If we had won, but the princess had fallen on battle, what then? Who will rule the kingdom then?"


    "Your underestimate our system of government, Aurelius. Perhaps your world has a much more advanced civilization than ours, but we are no fools either. Someone will replace the princess if she were to pass away without an heir. In fact, who do you think is running things while the king is bedridden and the princess here in this very camp?"


    Damn! It looks like I stretched my argument too far and ended up with one that is flawed. I didn''t stop to consider that she might have replacements lined up. No, actually, I somewhat suspected that to be the case, it''s not unusual to have next of kin or, lacking that, regents lined up to rule should something happen to the current ruler. The argument I made was a poorly thought out gambit that accomplishes nothing but make me appear condescending towards the kingdom, as well as show off my occasional lack of forethought.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "I apologize if it seem like I was looking down on the kingdom, but even if there is a replacement, will things truly go so smoothly? While is has been fortunate that the princess and many others has viewed the Champions to be highly valuable assets, placing us even above the lives of hundreds of others and granted us a great deal of prestige to us, do every single person in the kingdom believe the same? Will we, the Champions, still be allowed the freedom we have once the princess'' influences are no more?"


    "You will, if they are wise."


    If? In other words, it''s not a guarantee that whoever in the position to replace the princess would allow us to do as we please as we have so far? I don''t think I''ll like the idea of our power being limited. If that happens, I doubt Toto would be able to use up resources to construct the various contraptions she has in her head and I doubt Six would be very happy being told what to do by the people he cares absolutely nothing about. And most of all, we might be forced to fight even if we don''t want to. The princess had said that all will be provided for me to live a comfortable life till the inevitable end to this world should I not desire to fight. The next candidate for the throne may not be so kind. I would like to maintain the freedom of choice when it comes to fighting, after all, some of us, those that are here and those that we may find later, they may not desire to fight and some may even be children, children trapped in older looking avatars. If that choice is taken away, I don''t think I''ll be able to fight alongside this kingdom. I''m not exactly sure what I''ll do at this point, but I''m not allowing one of us to be forced onto the battlefield unwillingly, that''s for certain.


    "And if they are not wise? If they only care about their self-interest? What then?"


    Ignorance and greed, these are the two things that can easily ruin anything should they come from a person in the position of power. For argument''s sake, even if we win the coming battle, if this sort of person takes power, everything we worked for may go right down the drain. To not only force us into battles unwilling, but to also use us for their personal gain, that cannot be allowed either.


    "Yes... I suppose that''s not out of the question for those that may inherit the throne after the princess. In fact, should the princess be gone, it is likely they may begin to compete with one another for the crown and whatever little land is left by then. Even with the [Corruption] at our door steps, old habits and stupidity die hard, and the wise are indeed very few."


    So there are people like that amongst the Beastkins after all. I was wondering about that since I had been fortunate enough to meet only good and understanding individuals. However, since they do exist, then the princess must put them in check.


    "If there''s even a single percent of chance that they might get in our way and ruin our chances, then that''s a good enough reason as any to ensure the princess'' survival. Arguably, she''s more useful back in the palace than on the battlefield."


    And this should be the final nail in this argument. The princess will have to stay, not just because I personally want her safe, but also that she may protect us from threats within. The conclusion of this debate is clear. Thinking this, I see a smile on Merida''s face, a smile that looks, to me, rather wicked. Like that of a cruel hunter watching her prey falling for her trap. Wait a minute... Don'' tell me-


    "True, you are not wrong, Aurelius, the princess may be more useful in the palace. However, that would be at the cost of your safety. Now with Sir Six and Lady Cecilia gone, you will be more exposed than ever, no? Even with the troops you may take with you, they will have their own mission to carry out and may not be able to protect you at all times and even if they did, the protection they may offer will only be meager at best, and that is at the cost of the overall combat prowess of the platoon. However, there''s the princess. While she is not much use in direct combat, she is more than capably to devoting herself to both you and Lady Toto''s protection, and you should know how effective she can be with her healing and defensive arts taught to her by the Holy Beast herself. After all, she has saved your life time and time again, has she not?"


    So, this is her end game. I can''t believe it. I can''t believe that I didn''t see this coming. Or rather, I had more or less forgotten about it entirely. I was so busy trying to convince Merida that the princess should be off the battlefield that I forgot all about it. She said she prefers not to beat around the bushes but there she was, doing just that, distracting me and made me trap myself with my own rationale. I had thought Merida to be like a hawk, swooping down from above and swiftly snapping the necks of her prey with her talons. However, now I know that she''s more like a snake, slithering around the bushes, rattling her tail, turning my attention elsewhere before striking while I''m distracted. For the longest time, I though of her to be more of an Assassin, forgetting that she is also a Knight, one who spent her time beside the princess, observing etiquette and wit undoubtedly required to navigate the aristocratic society.


    In the end, the conversation ended up exactly where she wanted and by now, even I know the where the most logical conclusion of this argument lies and what is the best possible choice that may solve all the problems mentioned. Damn it, she must have known that I have a tendency of not backing down from an argument till I made my point. She must have observed my past interactions with the princess very closely.


    "But having her on the battlefield would put her in danger. Even if we win, if she dies then..."


    I put up the last of my resistance. Perhaps, just perhaps, if I didn''t played up the candidate to take the princess'' place on the throne to be such a threat, I might still have a chance. Then again, probably not, that would simply lead to arguing that the princess can do more on the battlefield and if she dies, someone else will just replace her, and whoever that is might even do a better job than she can considering that this person would probably not be as eager to go into battle and therefore more suitable to rule. In other words, one way or another, the princess gets what she wants.


    "Then, Aurelius, you should marry her. In this case, if she passes away in battle, you would be next in line for the throne. And while you may not have the full support of the nobles or the members of the parliament, your reputation and prowess in battle will be more than sufficient to earn you the support from those in the military, and their support is massive especially in times of turmoil like these, that''s more than enough for you to rule without issues."


    Honestly, after all that, my head hurts. Thinking on my feet simply isn''t my forte, I prefer to sit down and contemplate quietly. Even so, I attempt my last desperate struggle to think of a reason to not do this, a logical reason, or at least a reason that sounds reasonable. To say "no" simply because I don''t want to will only make it harder for me in the long run, since I''m sure I''ll be making a great number people do what they prefer not to do in the name of victory sometime into the future, just as I''ve been doing all these time. Everyone''s sacrificing themselves here, and so I can''t say "no" just because I don''t feel like it. In the end, however, I simply could not find a reason to refuse, at least not one that my throbbing head can come up with.


    "Very well, I get it. You''ve talked me into it."


    With that, Merida lets loose a sigh of great relieve. She had fought well. Very few had beaten me in a debate, not to say I''m any good at it of course, I''m just really, really stubborn in most cases, something the princess and I have in common I suppose.


    "Thank you, Aurelius, the princess will be pleased to hear that you have agreed to her proposal."


    "I, on the other hand, am certainly not pleased. I still think she should just stay behind. I... I rather not lose her."


    "And she rather not lose you, or any of the Champions. Rest assure, Aurelius, she will do everything to defend you and Lady Toto, and I will do everything to defend her."


    ***


    End of Chapter 39

 Vol. 3, Chapter 40: Marriage

    Three days have passed since we sent Six, Cecilia, and Stella to the northern frontlines. Having received the message that Toto''s new project, the basket that we will be putting all of our eggs in, will soon complete its assembly, we moved to the Holy Beast''s dwelling.


    "So, it seems I''ll be getting married."


    "Um... Congratulations?"


    As Toto and I are observing the finishing touches being performed on the new vessel, I thought I''d inform her about recent events.


    "It''s not really something to be celebratory about. It''s a marriage of convenience."


    "I see. So, who are you marrying?"


    "The princess."


    "Princess Aurelia? Does that mean you''re going to be a king?"


    "That''s the convenient part of the marriage, I suppose. This way, we will still retain the freedom we have right now even if something should happen to the princess. The princess allowed us a choice whether to fight or not, but those that comes after may not offer us the same."


    "Are you thinking about Six?"


    "There''s Six, or whoever we''ll join up with later. Only those willing to fight will fight. That''s something I won''t give up on, even if I have to turn against this very kingdom."


    "I see..."


    Then, for a lengthy amount of time, Toto remained silent, to the point that it got somewhat awkward for me to just stand beside her. By the time I could bear it not longer, I decided to start up a conversation on my side.


    "Things seems to be going smoothly aren''t they, despite this being the first time they''re putting this together."


    "Well, for the most part we just used magic to fix whatever''s not working. For example, you see that section, the pieces aren''t fitting properly so we simply used healing magic to meld them together."


    Looking at where Toto is pointing, at the bow of the vessel, I take note of the fact that the wooden pieces have certain places that look more organic than the rest, with root like protrusions growing on the surface. Is that the work of healing magic? I didn''t even know they could do that? Then again, I never really saw healing magic as more than something to be used on wounds and sickness, that is to say, to restore Hp and cure status ailments. My thinking, it seems, still remains to be too inflexible.


    "Aurelius."


    "Yeah?"


    "I''m sorry."


    "You''re confusing me, Toto. Did I miss something?"


    "What I''m trying to say is... When I congratulated you, I didn''t really mean it."


    What, was it sarcastic? I couldn''t tell at all. Her delivery was so flat I could hardly tell it apart from how she usually speaks.


    "Okay, but why exactly?"


    "Well, I thought you were messing around. Having fun and getting married at a time like this. I didn''t realize that you were thinking about us all the while, even though I should know better than to think of you that way."


    "Honestly, I would have thought the same thing, so it''s fine."


    Toto shakes her head.


    "I didn''t realize it before, even though I really should have, but you''re always thinking about us, aren''t you, Aurelius? About Cecilia, Six, and me, and the rest of the guild who aren''t here with us at the moment. That part of you is just like Cecilia, I think."


    "Okay..."


    "What I''m trying to say is: I''m sorry for getting mad at you, even though you didn''t deserve it."


    All of a sudden, I feel like petting her, and I would do just that if her pointy witch''s hat isn''t getting in the way. How should I put it? Toto is a rather straightforward person isn''t she. That honesty of hers is almost that of a child''s. Makes me wonder about how young she really is. Should I even be letting her fight?


    "Toto, I hope you don''t mind me asking, but..."


    "What?"


    She looks up at me, with what are appearing to me to be precocious little eyes. I am hesitant to ask, it''s no good to ask someone their personal information in-game, and while this isn''t in the game anymore, I don''t know. I mean, I wouldn''t want people to know I''m actually an old man inside unless I absolutely have to, such as using it as an excuse to decline a marriage proposal. But, on the other hand, this is important, very important, so I''ll have to ask.


    "Toto, how old are you actually."


    She looks at me, wide eyed and surprised. I wonder if I offended her by asking. She''s not going to be mad, is she?


    "I- I... I''m twenty... twenty-six, actually."


    "Is that so?"


    She appears to be flustered. Is she embarrassed? Or perhaps, dare I say, she has something to hide.


    "Yes! I mean, I might not act like it, but I''m an adult."


    "I see. Alright then."


    I can''t say I believe her completely, but I doubt anything other than animosity would come from interrogating her. Pushing too far will only have negative effects, and so I''ll have to leave it at that for now.


    ***


    By nightfall, the vessel has been completely assembled. Over fifteen meters long and five meters wide, with the height of about ten meters, it''s quite a titan. Toto, when asked for a name for this vessel, appropriately named it "The Basket".


    As for what it is, well, essentially, it''s supposed to be a hot air balloon, but the shape of it is closer to a ship, so I guess it''s more of a blimp? Well, either way, one thing is for sure, it can''t fly on its own. The materials are too heavy and we don''t have any special lighter-than-air gasses to lift it. What we do have, is magic, more specifically, the [Feather Weight] spell. With the spell combined with hot air generated by fire magic, the airship should float. The other problem is steering, as in, we have none. Not that it could not be implemented, but with its weight reduced by the [Feather Weight] spell and its wide surface area, the ship would be at the mercy of the winds even more so than the planes we had. For this issue, however, Toto already had an idea in mind before she detailed it to the craftsmen. The answer to our problem is the same thing that caused it in the first place: Wind.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    From the sudden assault and retreat of the Bestial Champion, Toto observed her movements even while threatened, and the way the Bestial Champion combined the [Feather Weight] spell and some kind of air manipulation to make her swift exit gave Toto the idea. For the airship, the same will be applied, which is why the airship came with "fins" that will catch the winds from the back. With the [Feather Weight] spell combined with air manipulation, we will transport an entire platoon right into the heart of Faefolk territory and launch a surprise assault at the very core of the [World Devourer Woods], where the [Demonic Tree] lies. As for the source of these two magic, we too, have made arrangement. The one who will be casting the spells is the one who taught the princess and the priestesses the [Feather Weight] spell in the first place, the Holy Beast herself. She will be the one to enchant nigh-weightlessness onto our airship and call forth the winds that will carry us all the way to the [Demonic Tree].


    Honestly, I''m a bit worried. Our plan relies so much on the Holy Beast, too much, I fear. When I came here to make this arrangement, to request her for her aid, while she readily agreed, she also confessed to me that lately, she felt weaker, likely due to using her powers to shield the western frontlines from the constant smog coming from the ever burning forest. Hearing that, I can''t help but be afraid that something might go wrong. She asked me to keep it a secret though, since it would accomplish nothing but cause panic. Regardless, this plan is our only shot. If we don''t do it now, we''ll probably not have the resources and strength to do it later. Let''s hope everything holds together till the end.


    "Looks like we''ll be able to set off right now if we want to."


    "We could, yes, but it''ll be far too dark to navigate. Better wait till morning before setting off. Besides, don''t you have something important to attend to, Aurelius?"


    "Yeah..."


    "Getting cold feet?"


    "I guess."


    "Is it too late to back out?"


    "I''ve already agreed to everything and most of everybody has already heard about it. If I back out now, it''ll affect morale, and I''d be doing a terrible thing to the princess. But, really, I wish I hadn''t agreed in the first place."


    "But you have no choice, right? If anything happens to the princess, you want our freedom protected, right?"


    "It''s only necessary because the princess wants to come to battle with us, if only she''d stay behind, there''s no need for all the hassle. If I wanted to, I guess I could have just forced her to stay."


    "You say that, but you agreed to it anyways."


    "Yeah, I did..."


    "Why is that? Is there something more? Or could it be? That you''re actually interested in the marriage but were just playing hard-to-get?"


    And she said all that without even blinking. I can''t tell at all if she''s joking or not.


    "Toto, I''ll smack you, you know."


    I stare the girl down with my most menacing gaze. That wasn''t something to joke about. Not at all. I certainly don''t think so.


    "Sorry... I mean, Cecilia does it to you all the time, so I thought that maybe I can cheer you up the same way."


    "No, you have to understand that if I smack her, she''ll return the favor five times as hard. I wouldn''t have enough Hp to survive that."


    "I don''t think she''s hit you that hard..."


    "I wouldn''t dare to find out either way... Wait, what were we talking about again?"


    Whatever it was, it seems that have slipped my mind. And as I scratch my chin, trying to recall, Toto is chuckling beside me, making it that much harder to gather my thoughts and remember.


    "Aurelius, it''s time for you to get ready."


    Calling for me is Merida. Here to make sure I don''t run away I suppose? I have no intention to, none. I''ve made many promises that I have no way of knowing if I''ll ever keep, but those that I can keep, I''m not going to break.


    "I''ll see you later then, Toto."


    "Yes, well, good luck, I suppose."


    As I wave at Toto, I proceed towards Merida, who then leads me into a tent set up nearby. There, several maidservants await me, apparently they were sent for after it was decided that the princess would be wedded tonight. I think I even recognize some of them from the palace. Together, they prepare me for the ceremony, tidying up my hair and dressing me up in a thick white robe. It''s cozy, but I wouldn''t want to wear this during summer time. It''s surprising though, I didn''t think that the Beastkin would be holding wedding ceremonies like this. It''s not exactly... beast-like? Then again, I can''t exactly tell where the beast ends and where the human begins with them. It''s all very intriguing. I hope one day I get to slow down and learn more about this world without having to worry about fighting.


    Once prepared, they lead me towards the field where the airship was being constructed, in the time it took for me to get prepared, they turned the grounds into a place of celebration. Braziers were put up, numerous enough to light the grounds but far apart enough to not be stuffy. Food of all sorts were brought out and placed upon large leaves on the ground in neat rows, and beside them, the soldiers are gathered and seated, awaiting the main event while occasionally stealing glances and whiffs at the food but never touching, the feast only begins after the ceremony. A dais has also been set up, and before the dais, stands the [Holy Guardian Beast] in all her dignity.


    I am led to the dais, and as I arrive, so does the princess, wearing a similar robe to mine. The two of us climb the single step up the dais, and as we do so, the soldiers cheer loudly, their collective voices sending tremor through my very being. I can see that they are ecstatic for this, for the union between their princess and their Champion. What auspicious occasion. Seeing them like this, I try putting on a smile despite feeling rather troubled deep down. That''s right, I remember now, I was trying to tell Toto why I felt that I needed to do this in spite of other, less favorable but altogether viable, options. The answer is quite simple, actually.


    The truth is: I''m scared. This is the true reason why I am marrying the princess today. Toto said I''m playing hard-to-get and she''s not entirely wrong. While it''s true that Merida had debated me into submission, making it so that I am basically admitting that marrying the princess would be my best option, I could just be stubborn and unreasonable and refuse her regardless. My reason for ultimately accepting lies deeper. As I debated back and forth with Merida, and both she and I brought it up, the memories resurfaced, the memories of the times I almost lost my life. How many times would I have died now had it not been for the princess? Three times? Or maybe four? How many other times have I come close to dying were it not for someone else''s intervention? Once? Twice? Honestly, altogether that''s six times too many. When I think about the upcoming battle, I can see it in my mind, my body, this avatar, lying on the ground, bleeding out or torn apart, feeling cold as everything turns dark, my consciousness fading away into a black uncaring void. I''m terrified of it, to the point where I would see it in my dreams and never be able to go back to sleep. This fear, is what ended up driving me to accept the offer, because despite putting up a front and making it seem like I am reluctantly allowing the princess onto the battlefield, the truth is, I am probably the one who wishes her there the most.


    "Aurelius?"


    The princess looks at me with concerned gaze. Looks like I''ve spaced out for too long.


    "Nothing... it''s just... what am I supposed to do here again?"


    Looking at the nervous wreck I am, the princess laughs shyly before wrapping her arms around my neck and leaning in for a peck upon my cheek, and as her soft lips part from my skin, she whispers lightly to me.


    "A gesture of affection. The female kisses upon the cheek, and the male kisses upon the forehead."


    With that, she backs away and waits for me to return her gesture with a bright flush on her face.


    Slowly, I lean in, my hand reaching around to the back of her head, brushing through her soft golden hair as I press my lips against her forehead.


    Together, we turn towards the Holy Beast, who then calls upon a soft breeze to surround us. As the breeze brushes us by and gentle lights shower upon us, and in my vision, a message pops up, telling me that a [Soul Bond] has been formed with none other than the princess. This special effect is present within Elysium Online as well, it came when they introduced marriage into the game. It allows the two characters who are married to one another full view the other''s stats without the need for a [Insight] skill, as well as their equipments and inventory, something [Insight] cannot do. On top of that, so long as the two characters are in the same party, they''ll obtain a slight boost in their stats as well. It''s neat, but not something that will provide too much of an edge against regular players.


    With that, the princess and I are now married, and the troops gather here starts cheering wildly as the ceremony concludes, even the usually serious and stoic garrison commander is getting rowdy for once. Still, how should I put it? Things don''t feel all that different from before. I guess I''m just marrying for convenience after all, so there''s not much meaning in this. Still, I am kind of disappointed, convenience or not, getting married is sort of an important event in one''s life isn''t it? Not that I''d know much about it.


    Then night ends with a joyous and festive air and the troops head on to bed with satisfied smiles on their drunken faces. All things considered, I''m glad everyone enjoyed themselves. After all, this may be the last time we''ll get to do something like this.


    ***


    End of Chapter 40

 Vol. 3, Chapter 41: Over the Clouds

    The airship technically counts as a single target, yet, its size is far from comparable than a single person. In this world, the larger the target, the greater the Mp cost would be to cast a spell upon it. If the princess were to attempt to cast [Feather Weight] upon this vessel, more likely than not, the resulting mana drain would kill her. And so, for this monumental task, we have requested the aid of the Holy Beast who readily answered our plea.


    At first I was worried since she would not only have to apply the spell to the airship, but the soldiers numbering over a hundred that we have stuffed into the vessel as well as the supplies we will need for the return trip after the battle. However, without even breaking a sweat, the spell was successfully casted and with the fire beneath the balloon lit, airship began to float. With the airship lifting off, the Holy Beast began summoning the winds that will both deliver us to the heart of enemy territory as well as protect us from the wild turbulence high up in the sky.


    Upon feeling the winds picking up, the troops were ordered to cut the tether tying down the airship. With that, our platoon of over a hundred troops was carried into the air and before I knew it, we were above the clouds.


    ***


    I say, I was a bit worried at first when she said that she was weakening, but to still have so much power left over, it makes me wonder how powerful a Keeper can be at their strongest. Considering that we''ll be, for the first time, going up against another Keeper in the upcoming battle, I can''t help but be afraid.


    Suddenly, I feel a hand grasping on to mine, prompting me to look to my side. Greeting my gaze is the princess, wearing a white caster''s robe with chainmail beneath for the coming battle.


    "You''re shaking. The Beastkins have sharp senses so we can tell if someone is afraid quite easily. You are both their Champion and the one who would be their king, try not to make them too nervous for you."


    "Really, this coming from you?"


    Quietly, while pouting, she pinches my arm. It hurts, but it makes me less nervous at least.


    At the moment, the princess and I, as well as Merida, are gathered around a corner within the lower deck. With over a hundred troops stuffed in here, this corner here is the least crowded and stuffy location available. Of course, there''s also the upper deck, but to access it, one will be required to wear tethers with hooks that will attach them to the various railing built into the upper deck of this airship. This is not only due to it being dangerous to be out in the open so high up in the sky, but our reduced weight may cause us to fly off at the slightest gale that may slip through the protection of the Holy Beast''s winds. At the moment, Toto is up there, inspecting the airship to see whether or not it''s holding together.


    At the center of the lower deck, there is a furnace. This is where the spell casters build their fire and through a chimney-like construct, the heat and flames would be funneled up towards the massive balloon made out of soft leather above.


    On the deck even further below, casters work to create layers of clouds around the ship, covering all but the lowest tip of the ship to act as camouflage as we approach the heart of Faefolk territory. It may seem a little too much considering that we''re so high up, but considering that this plan hinges on the element of surprise, any and all precautions that can be taken will be taken.


    From the lowest tip of the ship, lookouts are stationed to watch for our approach towards the target as well as incoming hostiles that may or may not exist at our current altitude. Hopefully, we don''t run into anything.


    Last but not least, the inside of the ship as well as parts of the upper deck is protected by an [Air Ward] in place to prevent depressurization at this altitude where air is sure to be thin. One of the priestess of the Holy Beast, Celestia, created it for us. She was rather embarrassed when her antlers were caught on the doorframes when entering and exiting the ship though. I have a feeling she hates me more now, even though it was Toto and the craftsmen who designed this ship.


    All in all, for something so abruptly put together in the shortest of notice, we have a rather functioning vessel, though it''s mostly a patchwork of wood and magic. It''s not something I would call a marvel of engineering, and more so the crazed jury-rigging of some very desperate people based on a design born from an imaginative mind of a twenty-six(?) year old. In other words, we are flying on a cloud of dreams and imagination sprinkled with a metric ton of fairy dust. Between this and the upcoming battle, can anyone really blame me for being terrified out of my mind? Heck, even I''m surprised that I''m not foaming out of my mouth at the moment.


    Still, with so many people crammed into one space, I''m surprised it''s so quiet. Other the fire raging within the furnace in the center of the deck, there''s hardly any sound. It''s a far cry from the ceremony yesterday. I guess everyone''s just as nervous as I am, perhaps even more. The idea of flying without wings is probably something very foreign to them after all, but they all went along with it anyways because we, the Champions, said it would work. Do they actually have this much faith in us, or are they so desperate? I suppose either way, this is it, there''s no turning back even if we want to, there''s no steering on this thing after all. The only thing we can do is let the wind guide us and be done with what we came here to do.


    I rise from my spot in the corner, letting go of the princess'' hand as I got on my feet.


    "Going somewhere?"


    "I''ll just be taking a look around. It''s not every day you get to ride on an airship after all."


    The princess chuckles, apparently finding something funny.


    "You speak of it as if it''s a rare occasion, but I would have never even dreamt that I would be flying in the sky like this. It''s just not possible until you Champions arrived."


    "Well, flying is pretty common in our world though, heck this airship and the planes Toto designed were actually something considered to be rather primitive."


    "That''s an amazing world you live in. I wonder if I''ll get to visit."


    "There''s really nothing much to look at, you''ll get bored of it in no time."


    The princess mildly shakes her head in response.


    "Oh, but I think I''ll enjoy it very much if I were to see it with you by my side."The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    This princess, she says the darnest things doesn''t she? What are you trying to accomplish by making this old man blush? All you''re doing is make things awkward for me.


    "In that case, why don''t you come and have a look around with me?"


    "Oh... O-of course, I''d love to."


    Did she just stutter?


    Slowly, almost hesitantly, the princess gets up to her feet, only to lose the strength in her knees and falls forward. I would like to say that I caught her, but it''s more so that she fell right into me.


    "I... I guess my legs fell asleep."


    So she says, but with her in my arms, I can more or less feel it, the trembling of her slender frame. I guess she as scared as the rest of us, but I wouldn''t have noticed if I wasn''t touching her directly like this. She sure can put up a front. Wish I could say the same for myself.


    "Guess they did. You need a shoulder?"


    "Yes, that would be much appreciated."


    I lean my shoulder close, and the princess grasps onto them with all her being, sticking to me in a way that makes it somewhat hard to walk. I guess she''s is really that scared. I wonder if it would better to just have her stay put.


    "Is it too hard to walk like this?"


    "I''ll manage."


    Well, she already said that she''s coming with me. Knowing her, she''ll probably stick to her word and insist on tagging along no matter what I say. We''re not in private here, if I start an argument before the eyes of the troops, it going to affect morale.


    On a whim, I shake the princess''s arms off, prompting a small cry of confusion from the princess. While she is confused, I wrap my arms around her, pulling her closer, and as I hold her close, I offer up my free hand. The princess, beginning to understand what I am doing take my hand into hers, allowing me to guide and support her as we go.


    "Now it''s easier to walk, right?"


    "Y-yes, I suppose it is."


    The princess is flustered now, enough that her shaking is completely gone. Her face blushes with bright red as we head towards the stairs leading towards the bottommost deck, and though she tries to hide it, form the musing look the soldiers we pass by are giving us, I''d say she isn''t very successful. Well, serves her right for saying such cute things before. Consider this payback.


    "Um, Merida, would you like to join us?"


    "I''ll be fine here, princess. There''s no need for me to accompany you on this vessel and I think it''ll be nice for you two to spend some times just between yourselves. I doubt you''ll get many chances to do so going forward."


    In other words, she doesn''t want to be the third wheel. I don''t really mind though, it''s not like having her around will make any difference. Not for me at least.


    "I see. Thank you, Merida."


    The princess apparently doesn''t seem to think the same. Speaking of which, I haven''t really asked her did I? About what she thinks of this odd relationship. I didn''t think to ask, since the idea came from her in the first place. Once this battle is over, perhaps I''ll find some time to mention it.


    ***


    "This... this is rather dizzying."


    Even while clinging onto me, the princess stares through one of the openings used to view the outside on the bottommost deck. The opening is rather narrow, about as narrow as the space between the tips of my middle and index finger. Through this opening, the princess looks upon the land far beneath us and seems to be getting even more nervous upon realizing exactly how high up we are.


    "D-do, everyone from your world fly like this?"


    "I wouldn''t say everyone, but we usually go even higher."


    "I wonder how you handle it."


    "Usually we don''t get to look down like this and our vessels then to be... better put together."


    "You sound as if this one isn''t put together well at all."


    Well no, it''s isn''t, but if I say it out loud, she''s just going to get more nervous.


    "Well, we do have far better tools for such things."


    "What kind of tools."


    "The kinds that are impossible to use by human hands alone."


    The powers tools at least.


    "A-are you speaking of the Relics? No wonder those of your world are able to construct such marvels."


    Looks like she misunderstood, but, well, I did word it in such a way that would make it all sound that much more impressive. Still, I better correct her, she''s going to get mad at me for making fun of her if one of the others tell her the truth anyways.


    "No, it''s nothing so impressive. We have something called electricity you see..."


    I start to explain vaguely about the concept of electricity, relating it to something akin to mana they have in this world, but not as easy to manipulate and not as versatile. I try telling her that we generate them through reactors and conduct them throughout the city, but it seems like she got the idea that they''re like ley lines, which are apparently the flow of mana beneath the ground that tends to align with landmarks. By this point, I somewhat realize that neither of us actually understands what the other is saying and toss in the towel. Perhaps we''ll save complicated stuff like this for another time, when we can learn about one another''s world more leisurely.


    After a brief tour down at the bottommost deck, we return to the lower deck to find some chatter, at the center of which is Toto, looking rather troubled by the attention surrounding her. Curious, I discreetly turn towards Merida.


    "Something happened?"


    "Nothing much, a Sorcerer just started striking up a conversation with Lady Toto, mostly praising her for the creation of this vessel. Then some other spell casters started joining in as well. They seem to admire her greatly."


    I see, so Toto has got herself some fan. I have a few buddies of my own, namely, Arnaud, Cecil, and Titus, the guys part of the unit that fought by my side against the Warrior Champion atop the mountains. They became part of a roaming unit formed around me to combat [Demons] around the northern borders. I haven''t seen them since I''ve been dispatched to defend the western front. With the north in trouble at the moment, I hope they''re doing alright.


    "L-like I said, I was only copying what I''ve seen back in my world, and it''s a rather poor copy at that."


    "But the laws of your world works differently than ours, don''t they? To be able to adapt technology in your world to work in ours is quite impressive indeed."


    "No, you don''t understand, it''s just that the magic in this world is rather convenient."


    "Ah, brilliant and humble, as expected of a Champion."


    Those guys seem to using any excuse they could find to shower praise on Toto, and while they''re laughing and enjoying themselves, they''ve apparently mistaken Toto abject rejection of their praises to be humility and bashfulness. Toto, on the other hand, rather than being red from blushing, seems to actually be turning blue. She really don''t seem to be enjoying this, and I sort of understand, I myself am not someone who likes to be praise or take credit when I don''t feel like I deserve it. Though it''s not that I don''t understand why they wanted to say things that might make her happy either, Toto''s avatar is small and cute after all.


    Well, as it doesn''t seem like she''ll be able to break out of it herself, I suppose I could lend a hand.


    "Toto, how goes the inspection up top?"


    Seeing me cut through the crowd, Toto face brightens, as if a ray of light is shining down upon her.


    "Everything is doing fine. At least, the airship is holding together."


    "Good to know. How about you sit down, you must be tired."


    I point her towards the corner the princess, Merida, and I have been occupying, the least crowded spot available on the lower deck.


    "Yes, I would very much like that, thank you."


    As the corner is meant for the princess, Toto''s little fan club did not follow her, as that would mean crowding the princess and possibly making things unpleasant for her.


    Speaking of Toto, I was wondering if I should even let her be here. She said she''s twenty-six, but somehow, I don''t buy it. I get the feeling that she''s younger than that. Still, she wants to be here, and if I''m letting the princess come, I suppose trying to stop anyone else would be hypocritical of me. I guess if they want to fight, and they know what they''re doing, there''s no reason for me to stop them. There''s probably no meaning in trying to force them to step down either, since the ones stubborn enough to refuse listening will just find another way, like the princess for example.


    Quietly, I sigh. If only I''m more capable somehow, no one else would have to do this. If only...


    As I am about to join up with Toto and the princess, from the bottommost deck, one of the lookouts emerges.


    "We... We''re nearing the [Demonic Tree]!"


    And so it begins. I only hope that this does not become the beginning of the end.


    ***


    End of Chapter 41

 Vol. 3, Chapter 42: Raiding the [Demonic Tree] (First Phase)

    The [Demonic Tree], the core of the [World Devourer Woods], it is a large tree sitting at the center of Faefolk territory. Standing at fifty meters tall and its trunk fifteen meters in width at its thickest, the Tree could easily be spotted even from high up in the air, sitting solitarily in a wide clearing.


    "All hands, prepare for combat!"


    At my command, all troops spring into action. [Frost Ward], [Greater Protection Boost], [Greater Power Boost], and [Greater Magic Boost], the princess and I begin apply these buffs to all the soldiers on board, with a [Holy Ward] and [Holy Weapon] from Michaela to finish it off. At the same time, one by one, [Dispel] is cast upon the cargos of supplies we brought aboard. While these supplies are meant to sustain us on our return trip, there also serve the function of weighing the ship down, thereby allowing us to lower its altitude at a gradual pace.


    "Open up the rear!"


    Once all is ready, I shout out the command, prompting troops to turn the cranks controlling the drawbridge-like door covering the rear. This is where we''ll be deploying from.


    A blast of gale floods in as soon as the entrance begins to lower, and as the torrent of air hits me, I become deafened by the sound of the roaring winds, winds so great that if it weren''t for the [Air Ward] within the ship''s interior, we would have been blown away. I turn to my side and I see Toto saying something to me, but I can''t quite hear her. As the ship continues to drop in altitude, the winds eventually calmed down and my sense of hearing returned.


    "My liege, we should be reaching the right altitude for jumping in ten... nine... eight..."


    Beside me, Michaela starts counting down, and once she hits one, I give out my command.


    "Mission start!"


    Row by row, the soldiers starts jumping with hand joined together. Each row is comprised of five soldiers that are to act as a single unit, and so the joining of hands isn''t merely used to help alleviate the fear of jumping, but to also ensure the unit remains together as they land.


    Finally, for the ones furthest in the back, it is our turn. From the right, Toto grasps my hand, and to the left, I grasp the princess''. With our hands linked to one another, surprisingly, I''m not as terrified as I should be, either that, or I have simply gotten used to the fear of being so high up by riding on this airship made of magical duct tapes and dreams.


    "Ready, set, go!"


    In sync, we push ourselves off the edge, and as we go forth, a view of the endless sky joining with the vast earth greets us. Within this scenery, with me caught in between the heaven and earth, I feel an overwhelming sense of freedom, as if nothing is binding me. Of course, I''m terrified of the fact that I''m falling from such a great height, but for just a bit, I think I can understand how some can enjoy sky jumping. That being said, now''s not the time to appreciate the view.


    "Toto, begin Phase One!"


    Toto nods in response and points her staff towards the ground, towards the forest surrounding the [Demonic Tree].


    "[Fire Ball]!"


    A ball of crimson red shoots off form the tip of Toto''s staff, streaking across the air before crashing into the trees and erupts into a torrent of red hot blaze. Following suit, the casters of the other units send forth their own flaming orbs, creating a rain of fire upon the trees below, scorching and burning the woods surrounding the [Demonic Tree].


    The fires, of course, aren''t just for show. They serve to cut the [Demonic Tree] off from the rest of the forest, from the [Demonic] beasts and fairies under its command. While the fairies may use water and frost magic in an attempt to douse the fire, it should take some time for them to deal with the flames strengthened by [Greater Magic Boost].


    Gently, even with the blazing scenery of carnage surrounding us, we land upon the clearing around the [Demonic Tree]. As we touch ground, [Dispel] is cast on us, allowing us to regain our weight. I have to say, I feel much more relaxed with my weight back. It felt as if I''m in some weird limbo to have most of my weight absent. All in all, it''s good to have my feet pressing against the ground again. In the sky, I spot the airship gradually crashing into the burning woods nearby. It should be fine, however, since the supplies we left within should have [Frost Ward] applied to them. They''ll be retrieved once the battle is over.


    At the moment, the platoon has been scattered across the clearing, mostly due to the wind. We have anticipated this, which is why we formed units of five when performing the landing. No matter, everyone should know what to do. The plan given is simple and clear.


    "Toto, being Phase Two!"


    "Okay."


    Holding her staff up high, Toto is surrounded by specks of crimson light, dancing about her. The spell takes a few seconds to cast, but it is the most powerful spell in the Sorcerer''s arsenal. That''s right, it''s the highest tier [Heat] damage spell, [Meteor].


    Before long, the sky turns red and a great ball of fire descends from above, hurling towards the [Demonic Tree] at terrifying speed. At the same time, around the base of the Tree, magical lights flash brilliantly and the [Demonic Tree] is instantly shrouded in a white glow. With my [Insight] skill, I can tell that it''s a [Frost Ward]. As for the casters, at the base of the Tree, I spot a pair of fairies and a trio of elves, their skins grey and eyes red. Just as the Holy Beast has priestesses serving her, I suppose these must be the priests and priestesses for the [Demonic Tree].


    Pulled by gravity and driven my magic, the [Meteor] crashes into the Tree, or so it seems. However, just as it was about to make contact, the guardians of the [Demonic Tree] had managed to put up a [Mana Wall] preventing a direct hit. The [Meteor] was our biggest spell and it consumes a great amount of Mp. Worst of all, the only ones here that can use it is Toto, and by my estimate, she has about five or four of them left. Every hit matters and yet we blew it on our first strike. But, this was well within expectations.


    From another direction, a [Fire Ball] crashes into the Tree, blossoming into a scarlet blaze. I knew that each Keeper have servants and guardians by their side, it was something explained to me by the Holy Beast, and I also knew that their numbers are usually few. While I did not expect that there would be five of them around the Tree, it did not do anything to affect my plan. There''s another reason which I have done nothing to prevent the scattering of our troops, and that is because I wanted it to happen. Having landed all around the [Demonic Tree], our platoon may strike from any direction, meaning that the five guardians here will have to split their attention between all directions. While five is a number a tad bit higher than what I was anticipating, I doubt they''ll be able to hold off every one of our attacks coming from everywhere simultaneously.


    That being said, there is, however, a problem. The [Frost Ward] placed upon the tree, while it does not nullify the damage completely, it greatly mitigates the damage that could be done by the [Fire Balls]. We''re going to have to get rid of it somehow, and to do so, we''ll have to deal with the guardians.


    "Toto, switch to Plan B!"


    With a nod, Toto shoots a [Fire Ball] into the air, acting as the signal to advance to the next phase of the plan.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    With the signal fired, we begin to move in closer to the tree, and hopefully so will the rest of the platoon. At the moment, our unit consists of Toto, the princess, Merida, me, and a Knight whose name I didn''t quite catch when he first introduced himself to me. As we move forward, Merida and the Knight took vanguard at the front, the princess and I following suite for support, and Toto remaining at the rear, protected as our main fire power.


    Suddenly, a pulse of verdant light burst forth from the Tree, prompting us to halt our advance as we observe the situation with caution.


    "That light..."


    It is something very familiar to me. Even without [Insight], I know what it is.


    "It''s the light of healing magic."


    I hear the princess whisper, almost as if she''s finishing my sentence.


    I''ve heard from the Holy Beast, that the [Demonic Tree] possesses powerful life magic. However, the question remains, why healing magic? It''s not as if the [Demonic Tree] has been badly damaged as of yet. So why does it find the need to use it? Is it to heal the forest that we set on fire? But there''s no point in doing that before the fire is put out, and as far as I can see, the fire is still raging strong.


    "Aurelius!"


    A cry from Toto prompts me to turn towards her, only for me to finally realize what the Tree''s magic was for. Before me, I find Toto entangled within the blades and stems of overgrowing grasses and weeds, all the while realizing too late that it was happening not only to Toto, but to all of us. The grass that we were trampling on, the weeds that we paid no mind to, as of right now have become our biggest threat, entangling us within their leafy grasp even as they continue their seemingly endless growth, consuming us, submerging us in a sea of rapidly multiplying foliage. This must be the doing of the [Demonic Tree], its healing magic had made these plants grow wildly, and I think it might have even mutated them to some extent. Healing magic, the power to manipulate life, never did I realize how terrifying a thing it is till this point.


    In half panic, I turn towards Michaela who is floating high up in mid air, watching the battle from above as she provides support.


    "Michaela! Why isn''t [Holy Ward] working!?"


    With everything within this forest being [Corrupted], the grasses beneath us should be no different. So why? Why isn''t [Holy Ward] reacting? As I wonder this, I receive my answer as Michaela''s voice echoes in my mind.


    "The [Wards] only react when you are being attacked. These plants are not attacking you, they are merely growing, albeit aggressively."


    In other words, so long as they''re not doing any damage, the [Ward] would not react? Well, I suppose if it''s not so, anything that touches may set off the [Ward]. Still, at this rate, we won''t be able to reach the Tree, we won''t be able to take out the Tree''s guardians, and we won''t be able to destroy the Tree before reinforcements arrive, and once that happens, everything is lost. We have gambled everything on this operation, now that we''re so close, now that the Tree is right in front of us, when we''re just one step away, we can''t fail. We can''t afford to, we can''t!


    "Aurelius, I''ll burn through the grass with magic."


    "Hold it right there Toto, you can''t waste your Mp on this. We can''t afford to have you waste your spells on anything other than the damn Tree."


    That said, what am I going to do? With the massive amounts of leaves and stalks coiling around me, I can''t really move. I can''t reach the [contracts] in my grimoire and I can''t even draw my blade to hack away at the grass.


    With the passing of each idle moment, the more we are trapped. Time is of the essence and as I struggle against the foliage to reach my shortsword tucked away at my back, I am tempted to have Toto just burn it all away.


    Should I really let her do it? However, if I allow it, we might not have enough firepower to deal with the Tree. We can''t afford that, we have gambled everything on defeating it.


    "Aurelius, we can''t wait any longer. You have to let me burn them."


    "You can''t, save it for the Tree!"


    But, then what? If we can''t break free, all that is left is defeat and death, and that would be the end of everything. At least if I allow her to break us free, we might still have a chance. Damn it! Is there no other way?


    Desperately, my eyes dart about, trying to find a solution in my surroundings, hoping to spot anything that may be of use. And then, my eyes land upon Merida and spot something very strange. What is so strange? Well, the fact that she is free and untangled by any grass or weed.


    With the black shortsword taken from the Warrior Champion in one hand and her own steel sword in another, Merida rips asunder the foliage coiling around us and setting them ablaze with azure flames from the [Holy Weapon] enchantment. The flames then spread, burning the grasses and weed growing in our surroundings, keeping them from reaching us.


    "Merida, how did you break free!?"


    "How? I merely stepped into the ''shadows''. I believe Sir Six is capable of this technique as well, is he not?"


    Stepped in to ''shadows''? Is she talking about [Shadow Step]? But that skill wasn''t supposed to allow the user to phase through objects. It only allows them to be invulnerable when attacked. Then again, thinking about it now, wouldn''t that be the same as being intangible? In which case, it should not be all that illogical for the user to be able to pass through solid objects.


    "I am afraid I have never seen him walk through objects before. Not to mention that such a thing is not common for our world."


    "It''s not very common in this world either, but we can save that for another time, can''t we?"


    "Yes, we''ll do that."


    I turn to check on the others, making sure they''re all in good condition before pressing forward with Merida and the Knight leading as they hack away at the foliage to make a path setting them ablaze with holy flames as we steadily proceed.


    "My liege!"


    "I got it!"


    At Michaela''s warning, I stretch my arm forward.


    "[Mana Wall]!"


    Before Merida and the Knight, a [Mana Wall] forms, just in time for a barrage of arrows to slam into. The skill, it was called [Million Rain], I think. It looks like the flames have aroused the guardians'' attention, and with the other units presumably trapped by the aggressively growing foliage, they can afford to focus their attention towards us and only us.


    As I hold up the [Mana Wall], barrage after barrage of arrows continue to rain down upon me one after another, and once the arrows stop, magic starts raining down in their stead. The five guardians, they must be rotating with one another, taking turns to attack as the other''s skill goes into cooldown all the while pacing their attacks in such a way that by the time the rotation is complete, their skills would be ready once more and the barrage may begin anew without missing a beat.


    "At this rate, we won''t be able to advance. Merida, can you go and free the other units?"


    "It will be done."


    But before she leaves, she turns towards the princess.


    "And princess, do take care while I''m gone."


    "You too Merida, do come back to me as soon as you can."


    "I''ll try."


    With that, Merida disappeared into a dark mist. At the same time, another pulse of magical light bursts forth from the [Demonic Tree], filling the surrounding foliage with life and causing them to grow and multiply with even more ferocity than before, forming a wall of leaves and stems so thick that they smother the holy flames. With great urgency, the Knight, the princess, and Toto, strike at the foliage with their own weapons, the Knight with his sword, the princess with her dagger, and Toto with her staff, all trying desperately to hold the wall of green at bay. However, with the rate that they''re growing, the holy flames appear to not be enough to keep them at bay, and even while the mass of foliage closes in, a new problem arises.


    "Princess, my [Mana Wall] isn''t going to hold. You''ll have to switch with me."


    "Ri- right now!?"


    Out of breath from frantically swinging her dagger, the princess turns towards me with a troubled expression. Still I have no time to baby her, she''s either going to do this or we''ll all be dead in a second. Besides, she''s the one who wanted to come in the first place.


    "On my mark..."


    "Wait, at least let me catch my brea-"


    "Now!"


    Almost seamlessly, as I let down my shattering [Mana Wall] the princess puts up a new one. After all that complaining, it seems like she could pull it off when push comes to shove.


    "I said to let me catch my breath!"


    "Tell that to our enemies!"


    After switching place with the princess, I draw my shortsword and begin whacking at the growing grasses. These things are relentless thanks to the Tree''s healing magic. Would we even be able to last at this rate? In that case, maybe I should summon Fredericka? But while she''s tough and is capable of rapid attacks, her summoning cost is too high and her mobility would be terrible in such a terrain as her legs would easily get tangled up by the foliage. I don''t really want to call her out while we''re still so far from the Tree. Not to mention, if I summon her now, I might not have enough MP later. Then again, if I don''t summon her, there might not be a later.


    Damn it! If only there''s a more cost efficient way to do this. There''s must be something I can do, from all the things I''ve learned of this world up till now, there must be something I can use. There must be something in my memories that I can use. God damn it all! Why can''t I recall anything useful? What''s the point of being young again when my memory is just as bad?


    With the frustration of feeling trapped and the intensity of the situation, I can''t help but reach up to my hair and start pulling. The stress is just that bad. Still, at the cost of losing few strands of hair, the pain brings me clarity, and with said pain and clarity, I now see what I need to do. That it, I know exactly what I can do, something that can''t be done in Elysium Online but can easily be done here.


    With this, I see a way out.


    ***


    End of Chapter 42

 Vol. 3, Chapter 43: Raiding the [Demonic Tree] (Second Phase)

    [Air Ward], [Heat Ward], [Air Weapon], and [Heat Weapon]. If I remember correctly, these were the combination of spells the priestess of the Holy Beast, Stella used. I cast the four spells onto myself, but not before placing [Stone Ward] upon the others with me.


    As they are opposing elements, the [Heat Ward] erased the [Frost Ward] applied onto me upon casting. A minor inconvenience at the moment, as there aren''t any fires around other than the holy fire, which only burns those with the [Demon] and [Corrupted] attribute.


    "Aurelius, what are you doing?"


    All of a sudden, a clump of rocks starts talking to me. Oh wait, that''s just Toto covered in stone.


    "Just a little something I saw a while back. If I remember correctly, it goes like this."


    I slam my fists into one another, triggering the effects of [Heat Weapon] and [Air Weapon]. It appears that my fists are considered weapons. Fire and razor sharp winds ignite from my knuckles, cutting and burning into my own flesh.


    I clench my teeth, I did not expect it to hurt this much. How the hell did Stella pull this off while having a shit-eating grin on her face?


    However, the dominoes are not done falling just yet, as the damages done to my own arms trigger the effects of [Wards]. Now form my own body, fire and razor sharp winds burst forth from my body, dealing damage to the attacker, who is none other than myself. The damages done by the [Wards] in turn trigger themselves, dealing yet more damage to the source of the attack, which is again, me. By doing so, I create a perpetual whirlwind of fire around me. With the winds cutting up the surrounding foliage to shreds and the flames reducing their tiny pieces into ash near instantaneously, the grasses and weeds could not reach us, no matter how rapidly they grow.


    This is strong, too strong, this perpetual, self triggering, area-of-effect damage around me. If self-damage is possible in Elysium Online at some point, I''m sure it would be patched out immediately for how utterly broken this trick is. Or, well, I suppose they could just make it so that the [Wards] do not trigger upon self-damage. Personally though, I think the game would be made more interesting if they keep it in, but that''s neither here nor there in this current situation.


    Strong it may be, there is one down side to it all, and that is it freaking hurts! Being cut and burned at the same time, I didn''t think it would hurt this much. But then, just as I am thinking about how much it hurts, a finger of mine flies off, and it is only now do I realize how much trouble I''ve just put myself in. To think that even with [Greater Protection Boost], I can still sustain this kind of damage.


    "[Greater Heal]!''


    As I am in shock at losing a finger, a soft light surrounds my body and my finger is instantaneously restored. It''s the spell, [Greater Heal], but I thought only Michaela has this spell, and I had her stationed high up in the sky so that enemies attack would not reach her while she cast her ultra wide ranged [Greater Area Heal]. Did she disobey me and came down?


    Lifting my head, I quickly realize that it was not Michaela, but the princess. While maintaining the [Mana Wall], she somehow managed to cast a second spell.


    "Two at the same time!?"


    Hearing my surprise, the princess chuckles.


    "I too was once a priestess of the Holy Beast. Handling two spells at once is a piece of cake."


    Even while her face is hidden beneath the rocky armor created from [Stone Ward], I can hear her grinning widely underneath from her voice, as if saying that I''ve underestimated her all these time and only now am I seeing her true capabilities.


    "And the new spell?"


    "I''ve requested it from the Holy Beast, and thought I am no longer her priestess nor am I a Champion, she was kind enough to grant me the request."


    Looks like the princess has done her share of preparing while I wasn''t watching. I suppose I might have been a little unfair to her before, perhaps it''s about time I stop treating her like a child.


    ***


    From afar, fires can be seen burning. Some are the azure holy flames while others are crimson red. I surmise the azure flames of the from those that either Merida has freed or has figured a way to free themselves, and the crimson flames to be those from the Sorcerers that have ran out of patience and decided to make use of their limited Mp to break themselves out. Either way, once more, from all directions, our forces begins their attack anew with fire balls and arrows flying towards the [Demonic Tree].


    With the renewed assault, the guardians'' attention is split once more. Somehow, the princess managed to hold off the guardians'' barrage of arrows and spells long enough for our second wind.


    Briefly, I turn to check our rear. The flames behind us, the fires we started in order to deny the [Demonic Tree] reinforcements from the surrounding forest, have grown dim. Soon, the bestial [Demons] from the forest will be able to cross the fire and when that happen, it''s over for us. With this in mind, I arrive at my decision.


    "It''s time."


    I reach over to my grimoire, the grimore of which has its cover made from the hide of a high level dragon, and pull out a [contract], of which is thankfully immune to damage somehow. It was fortunate, that both items somehow managed to not be damaged by the whirlwind of fire, because of all things, I have forgotten to apply any protection to them. Indeed, it was fortunate.


    From the [contract] I call forth Fredericka in all her fluffy eight-legged glory and jump atop her large body.


    "Princess, get on!"


    "Hold on, this is heavy."


    Being covered in stone, the princess required the help of the Knight to help her aboard, but heavy as she is, Fredericka can handle it as amongst my creatures, her strength is unmatched aside from those of the most legendary rarity, and her top tier defenses more than ensure that the storm of fire and razor sharp winds are incapable of even scratching her.


    "Now, forward!"


    On my command, Fredericka sets forth at full speed, weaving through the grass field with the grace rivaling even the most agile of land creatures, and even while the foliage reaches out to entangle her many legs, they were quickly cut apart and burned by my double-edged whirlwind.


    From the direction of the [Demonic Tree], and arrows cuts across the air to reach us, aiming for one of Fredericka''s leg, or more specifically, the joints of her legs, the parts of her that are the most vulnerable. However, the arrow would never reach, as it is quickly deflected by my scorching winds. Truly, this is the ultimate defense as well as offense, that being said, the price is too steep. For all its usefulness, it does not change the fact that it hurts like hell, in fact, I''m pretty sure this is what hell feels like, the winds constantly cutting into me feels like I''m being lashed at by the devil himself and the fires feels nothing less like the everlasting inferno. Not to mention that if it hasn''t been for the combined healing from the princess and Michaela, I don''t think I would last. My mind as well, has already distanced itself from the body, entering an out-of-body-like state, looking down on Aurelius the avatar from the third person. This is the third time it has happened, and I am thankful for it. It is a useful ability, if I can even consider it an ability at all.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Soon, we arrive near the base of the [Demonic Tree]. Naturally, the guardians are there to meet us, with their focus solely upon us and leaving the Tree''s defenses to the [Frost Ward]. Clearly to them, we are the biggest threat, and if the fire balls flying at the Tree aren''t the ones coming from Toto, the [Frost Ward] would be sufficient and what damage is done can easily be healed by the [Demonic Tree]''s powerful healing magic. On our end, in order for our offensive to be effective, we must first disable the [Frost Ward] with the princess'' [Dispel], and to do so, we will have to break past the guardians.


    It should be fine, there''s nothing to worry about. It''s not as if they''re Champions. Even I should be able to do something about them if it''s one of one, or perhaps even two on one. I am much more powerful than they are. So long as I remain on my toes, I shouldn''t lose. It''s time to show the fruits of my training with Merida.


    With our rapid approach, one guardian steps forward, one of the elves with grayish skin and blood red eyes. When I saw him from afar, he had a bow in his hands, but right now, he''s wielding a pair of daggers and running up towards us.


    Without giving it much though, as there was no need to, I turn towards my back, and a moment later, there he is, the same elf, his daggers ready to strike. To start off with [Assassination] is a common tactic of those with the Assassin class as it allows the user to instantaneously get close to his or her target and deal a high amount of damage from the get go. However, an experienced player would rarely do such a thing. Why? Because the skill is so convenient and effective that it is the go to for anyone who just picked up the class, and it remains the most effective method to deal damage when battling NPCs. However, in a PVP environment, against another human being, it''s a different story.


    When we fought within the forests, in our expeditions to reach and destroy the [Demonic Flowers] that feeds the forest the energy it needs to spread, not a single elf was seen actively battling. Any that were seen were fused with the [Demonic Flower], serving as some sort of fuel for the generator that is the Flower. This is why I expected the elves to be inexperienced combatants, at least when it comes to fighting up close.


    Lo and behold, my expectations turn out to be true and the elf seems to be extremely surprised that I was able to predict his movements. Still, he did not falter in his swing even as the fire and wind surrounding me is tearing him apart. His daggers come straight for my neck, determined to finish me off even if he himself will be torn asunder, only to be blocked by the princess'' stone covered arm.


    With his attempt to put an end to me failed, there was nothing he could do but to be burned and cut by my whirlwind of fire. Quickly, he tries to retreat, but he ends up being caught by one of Fredericka''s claws which promptly snipped him in twain. One down, four more to go.


    From atop Fredericka, I leap towards the guardians, not to engulf them in my whirlwind, though that would be fine in itself, but to have them step out of the way. Seeing my approach, the two elves step aside while the two fairies ascend higher up into the air. With their focus upon avoiding the walking area-of-effect damage that is I, the path towards the [Demonic Tree] opens, and Fredericka, with the princess atop her, swiftly breaks through and climbs along a thick root up toward the trunk, gaining both distance and elevation. Seeing this, the fairies quickly give chase while the elves attempt to deal with my presence.


    The fairies hover above the princess and Fredericka, and with a wave of their floral wands, they bombard the two with frost magic, not with icicles or frozen spikes, but simply frost. They are trying the freeze the two, draining heat from their bodies even through their thick armor. Frost was Fredericka''s one weakness. Heat she could take, but like because of that, frost is her worst enemy. The princess as well, due to having [Frost Ward] upon her, a protective field that is literally made of frost, she suffers a similar disadvantage with the cold.


    Of course, something like elemental disadvantages are easily adjustable, and the princess quickly casts [Heat Ward] upon both Fredericka and herself, swiftly restoring the heat they''ve lost. What makes it even better is that, from our observation, the fairies would never use fire spells. From what I knew from Elysium Online, the fairies were born to be protectors of the forest, and therefore it is ingrained into them to do nothing that would cause great damage to it, and that of course includes fire. Which is why in Elysium Online, while they are capable of any element, they are incapable of wielding fire. Or at least, they should be.


    A ball of fire crashes onto the root Fredericka is travelling upon, creating a great wall of inferno, stopping Fredericka and the princess in their tracks. Seeing the fires from afar, my heart falls sharply. I was hoping that it would not be the case, I was betting on the fact that fairies could not use fire, but in truth, the though came to me more than once, that rather than incapable of wielding fire, they merely chose not to, simple as that. I was hoping that it would not be the case, that fire would be impossible for them, but I suppose that''s what happens when you make so many gambles at once, you''re bound to get unlucky.


    With the abilities to wield all four elements, no matter which [Ward] the princess puts us, the fairies will simply counter it with another spell, and with the risk of mana burns, that is to say, the need of cooldowns, the princess is unable to switch between [Wards] without waiting a good period of time.


    Quickly, I try to get to her, with both of us together, we may have a better chance, but at the moment I start moving, a blade of scorching wind cuts into the tendon of one of my legs, causing me to fall over. Meanwhile, the elves are watching me with their bows drawn, waiting for the moment I let down my raging [Wards] before putting an arrow right in between my eyes. At this rate, I''ll either die by my own [Wards] or by the arrows of the elves. Either way, death is my only outcome if nothing changes. But of course, if there''s anything I''ve learned, if there''s one thing that never remains constant, it''s the battlefield. A minute, a second, sometimes that''s the time it takes for the tides to shift.


    A blade slices through the air, spinning at great speed and flying at a deadly velocity. It''s an Assassin''s skill, the upgraded version of [Blade Toss], [Sword Suriken]. With a curved flight path, the flying blade cuts the butterfly wings of one of the unsuspecting fairies clean off before cleaving the small frame of the other into two. Both fairies plummet towards the ground, with the one still alive releasing a sharp unintelligible screech.


    The fairy''s cry called the attention of the elves, and within that split second of negligence, a figure appears suddenly behind one of them while remaining in the blind spot of the other. With a single swift moment, the figure''s blade cuts into the throat of the elf before her, flooding his windpipe with his own blood and making it so that he could barely make a bloody gurgle before he falls to the ground.


    The sound of his ally hitting the ground alerted the remaining elf, but he is too late as the figure had already circled around him. In the same manner as the one before, the figure dispatches the elf before letting his lifeless body hit the earth.


    With the elves gone, I cast [Stone Ward] and [Frost Ward] on myself. As opposing elements cancel each other out, I am able to dispel the raging [Wards] I applied onto myself without the need for [Dispel]. Once the [Wards] are gone, only then, does my Hp bar starts to rise.


    "The battle isn''t over yet. It''s no time to rest, Aurelius."


    The figure, Merida, lends me her hand.


    "You took your time."


    I smile at her, glad that she''s here.


    "For the record, I think I''m right on time."


    She pulls my arm around her shoulder, supporting me since I can''t quite stand on my own just yet, not until Michaela''s healing mends my cut tendons.


    From the base of the [Demonic Tree], I watch Fredericka climbing up the root of the Tree with the princess atop of her. With no one standing in their way, they now travel swiftly towards the trunk of the Tree. Then, I look towards the forests surrounding the clearing. The fires we have set had been doused. Soon, the reinforcements would be here. If we don''t hurry, then-


    Before I can finish my thought, another pulse of magic bursts forth from the Tree, and just as I wonder what it could be this time, I see the guardians we have just defeated starting to rise up, their bodies mending themselves.


    I know this skill. This is the skill exclusive to the Cleric class and the [Guardian Angel], the highest tier healing magic, [Resurrection].


    ***


    End of Chapter 43

 Vol. 3, Chapter 44: Raiding the [Demonic Tree] (Final Phase)

    Before our eyes, the guardians that we''ve somehow managed to defeat are rising to their feet once more, to fight again one last time.


    "Aurelius, get to the princess! I''ll hold them!"


    "But-"


    "I can handle it. It''s not as if they''re Champions and I''ve struck them down before. And if I may be blunt, with your current skill, you''ll only get in the way. So go now, while you can!"


    I am hesitant to leave. Merida had only taken them out because she caught them by surprise, and at the time there were only two of them. Now, there''s five, even the fairies has decided that we''re a bigger threat and needs to be dealt with rather than the princess that is now approaching the Tree. However, she''s right. I''ll only get in the way. More importantly, if we don''t deal with the Tree''s [Ward] somehow, we won''t be able to deal enough damage before reinforcements arrives.


    "Stay safe, Merida."


    "I''ll do my utmost."


    From my grimoire, I pull out yet another [contract].


    "Timothy!"


    From thin air, with a gust of cold accompanying him, the [Snow Liger] appears before me. Promptly, I climb atop him and point him towards the princess.


    "Go, as fast as you can."


    Unlike Michaela, Timothy does not speak, but somehow, I can feel his compliance. With his powerful legs, Timothy begins to sprint, moving at such speed that if I were a second late in grabbing onto his fur, I would most like have been blown off. With his razor sharp claws, he digs into the bark of the tree, easily scaling it as he would in his natural habitat atop the mountains.


    Seeing us trying to break away, the fairies give chase, raining down fire and stone at us, the elements most effective against a [Snow Liger]. However, while he does not have the defensive capabilities of Fredericka, Timothy is much more agile, allowing him to deftly weave his way around the blasts of magic.


    That being said, this is still a problem. So long as these fairies remain in the air, there are no ways for either me or Timothy to retaliate, and with Merida busy with the rest of the guardians, we can only rely on ourselves to deal with these two. If only I have a flying creature with me, then taking care of them would be a cinch. Alternatively, I could use [Feather Weight] to allow Timothy to leap high into the air. If only I had obtained the skill form the Holy Beast. I haven''t requested it since that one time I tried, and something happened back there that rendered us both unconscious. I didn''t dare to try again, the priestesses are pissed at me enough to pick a fight last time, and more importantly, I needed the Holy Beast in top condition to summon the winds that would carry our makeshift air ship over the forest. I couldn''t risk it just to get a single spell.


    Another shot of magic flew by my head accompanied by a terrifying high pitch sound. It was a spike of stone, and having missed both Timothy and me, it embedded itself deep into the massive root we''re running atop of. Even with [Greater Protection Boost], I''m not sure if I would survive if I was hit. Something needs to be done here and now, before they eventually strike me down.


    "Timothy!"


    Timothy turns around, facing the fairies, even before I give him my command. It''s as if he could read my thoughts.


    I gaze upon the fairies, measuring the distance between them and us with my [Insight] skill.


    "About two? No, three, three should do it."


    Sensing something amiss, the fairies try to take off higher up into the air. It is, however, too late, as they are well within my range.


    "[Bind Circle]!"


    The magic circle appears above them, catching the ascending fairies within it, binding them and rendering them defenseless aside from their distance from the ground, which prevents anything short of a ranged weapon from reaching them. It''s not going to be pretty, not at all, but I''m going to have to try, without any ranged weapon or flying creature, I''m going to take them out right here and right now.


    I pat Timothy on his side, and without the need for words, he immediately knows to leap into the air. To move about within the mountain range at great speed, the [Snow Ligers] have powerful legs that allow them to both climb and jump while carrying prey. Timothy of course, is no exception, but, while his leap is powerful, propelling both of us high up in the air, high enough to easily vault over a fully grown man, it is still too short to reach the fairies. One leap simply isn''t enough. Which is why he''ll do a second jump, and he''ll do it in mid air.


    "[Mana Wall]!"


    In Elysium Online, the [Mana Wall] is but a static shield that stops damage, placed upon which ever direction the player is facing. However, that was in the game, when the character can only be registered as facing towards the front, the back, the left, or the right, or somewhere in-between, never above or below, Elysium Online was not a game with that sort of dynamic. However, here, in Elgardia, things are different, whether it be above or below, without the restriction of a reality simulated by a game engine, I can place the [Mana Wall] in whichever direction I please. And so, for this specific case, I chose to place it beneath Timothy as he is in mid-air, effectively turning the wall into a floating platform.


    However, one was not enough, according to [Insight], it''ll take three leaps from Timothy to reach the fairies. And so...


    "[Mana Wall]!"


    I cast the spell a second, time, bypassing the cooldown. The very moment the second [Mana Wall] manifests, I feel the sensation akin to lava flooding through my veins and needles stabbing into the centers of every single nervous systems in my body. It is the sensation of "mana burn" the consequence of casting a spell before one''s body is ready.


    With a swift movement, Timothy, crushes one of the fairies in between his fangs while I fight against the pain of mana burn for just long enough to haphazardly fling my grimoire towards the other. The grimoire smashes into the small fragile frame of the other fairy, igniting the tiny creature in azure flames via the effects of [Holy Weapon].


    With the fairy caught within his fangs turning into glittering dust, the eventual fate of all brought back by [Resurrection], Timothy lands back onto the massive root with a feline''s grace. But even then, I am hardly able to hang on and end up rolling off of the large cat-like creature after feeling the soft impact of the landing. The pain coursing through my body has become too much to handle, even while I''m in my out-of-body state.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Quickly... to the princess..."


    Even so, I can''t stop here. I don''t have the time. If this battle doesn''t end soon, everything will be lost.


    Gently, Timothy carries me within his jaws, carefully delivering my body towards the trunk of the [Demonic Tree], where the princess awaits.


    ***


    As I draw closer to the trunk, I feel the cold air spreading from the [Frost Ward], dramatically lowering the temperature. Not liking the cold very much, I have Timothy release me from his jaws and with a bit of struggle, climb atop him once more and bury as much of myself as possible into his thick coat of white fur. It''s soft and warm, and I would love to just spend the whole day buried in it. Of course, I am more than aware that can''t be done; there''s not even a second to waste, much less a day.


    Proceeding atop of Timothy, I find the princess, standing before the colossus trunk of the [Demonic Tree], the princess gazes upon the gigantic [Frost Ward] swirling above. Something is wrong, even though time is of the essence, she does not seem to be doing anything but stand there.


    "Princess, what''s wrong?"


    Her ears perk upon hearing my weak voice, turning immediately towards me with a shocked expression.


    "Aurelius, what happened?"


    "I just over did it with the spells, nothing that''s going to kill me. More importantly, why haven''t you dispelled the [Ward]?"


    At my question, she turns back towards the [Ward] swirling above.


    "I have tried, but it''s far too massive. I don''t think I have enough mana to deal with it."


    Her words confuse me, though I am quick to come to an understanding of what she is saying. It appears that I have made another miscalculation. I had thought that the casting of [Dispel] comes at a flat cost, that it''ll cost the same amount of Mp each time it is cast, just like in the game. However, I suppose that was just wishful thinking. As the scale of the target grows, so does the cost of casting [Dispel].


    I concentrate at the corner of my vision, where all Hp and Mp bars of everyone in the platoon are visible. It seems that the princess still have a third of her Mp left. Is that enough? I don''t know and [Insight] only shows information of something I am viewing. Unless the princess uses [Dispel] on the Tree again, I won''t have a clue. I can''t have her waste any more Mp though.


    "Either way, I''m glad you waited for me."


    "I waited because I knew you would come, I somehow felt it."


    Is that so? I wonder if that has anything to do with the [Soul Bond] effect.


    "Well then, I suppose you''re thinking about the same thing that I am."


    "I would hope so."


    The princess helps me off Timothy, who I then promptly send to Merida. Hopefully she won''t need the help, but having come so far, I feel like maybe our luck might be running out anytime now.


    With my arm over the princess'' shoulder, the two of us approaches the trunk and place our hands upon the bark of the [Demonic Tree].


    "There is more than one way to dispel a [Ward], and this is something we can both do, right, princess?"


    "Indeed, though I''m sure mine won''t be as powerful as yours."


    "But mine alone won''t be powerful enough. We''re going to have to do it together."


    "Then together it is. Are you ready, Aurelius?"


    "Even if I''m not, we''re going to have to do it. There''s no turning back now."


    At the same time, we take our breaths, and then, together...


    ***


    From beneath the [Demonic Tree] a wave of heat surges forth, meeting the swirling frost above and fights it for dominance over the temperature. However, it is not meant to be, the heat is only as strong as the frost, and so in the end, neither is able to dominate, and both cancels the other out.


    "They''ve done it."


    I watch from afar with my [Insight] skill as I stand amidst a field of azure flames. At my side is a Knight, and if I remember correctly, his calls himself Gil. Diligently, he hacks at the plants without rest, keeping them away from me. His breathing is becoming erratic and clearly fatigue is catching up on him. He won''t last long, but, hopefully, he won''t have to.


    From the ground, I feel tremors, and as I turn to find the source, I spot a stampede of beast-like [Demons] rushing towards us. The flames we have set upon the surrounding woods can no longer be seen. All that is left is a thin veil of smoke rising up towards the sky.


    "Gil, protect me."


    The Knight as well sees the stampede and turns to looks me in the eyes upon being asked. I can see his arms and legs shaking, but towards me he puts on a big smile.


    "Gladly, Lady Toto."


    I can''t tell for sure with his helmet on, but I think he might be rather young, as young as Cecilia perhaps. It''s crazy, to be able to put on such a bright smile in the face of such danger. Is he doing this because I''m a Champion? Is this how much trust he puts in me to win this? I... Can I really win this? I have to, right? Since if I don''t everyone would die. I wonder, if this is something that Aurelius and Cecilia have to deal with, if this is what they think about all the time.


    I remember, on the other night, Cecilia spent it in Aurelius'' tent. Six said that they might be doing the "deed", but I don''t think so. Six was asleep at the time, but I can hear them, vaguely, but I can hear them. They seemed to be arguing about something, I''m not entirely sure, but I think they''re talking about Six and me, and they sounded worried. At times, I am relieved that they''re here. Around them, I feel safe, like they''re going to take care of everything. I just have to do my best so I can help them. But, during times like that night, when I see those two talking in secret while casting their worried gazes towards Six and me, I can''t help but feel like I''m just being a burden, that my best isn''t enough.


    But, even so, I have to do this, I have to win. I want to go back with Aurelius and the princess. I want to see Cecilia again. I want the soldier that followed us here to be able to go home to their families.


    "Everything, I''ll give everything for this."


    I call upon my spell, gathering what they call "mana" towards the tip of my staff as my Mp bar drains. It is a strange sensation, even though I''ve never casted a spell outside of games before coming to this world, this came to me so naturally, as if I''ve been doing this all my life. As the mana gathered together, clustered and compressed to their fullest, they begin to release their glow, what the people here call the light of magic. The light glow brilliantly at the tip of my staff, and I feel a pressure throughout my arm, as if blood is about to burst from my veins. I''m at my limit, this is the greatest amount of mana I can gather at a time, but I need more, more than this.


    "Lady Toto! The [Demons], they''re coming!"


    From behind, I hear Gil calling, but I am unable to respond, is it taking me everything I have to keep my mana concentrated. Just a little more, a bit more. I have to do this.


    And then, I reach the absolute of my limits, and I release the spell.


    "[Meteor]!"


    The instant the spell is cast, the sky turns crimson, and from beyond the clouds, a great fire ball descends, drawing towards the [Demonic Tree]. Upon the moment of impact, a loud noise resounds and shockwaves born from the collision blow across the field, creating powerful gales. I brace myself, fighting against the gale for my footing as I watch the giant [Demonic Tree] catching fire. However, it''s still standing, and throughout its massive trunk and branches, surges the energy of life. It is desperately trying to heal itself, and with how powerful its healing is, I don''t doubt that it''ll be as if none of this had even happened in a few moments'' time. That is why, though I promised not to do this ever again, I went and did it again. I can think of no other ways to win. That''s why, I''m sorry, Aurelius. You can yell at me as much as you want later, but just let me push it, just one more time.


    Another ball of fire falls, followed by another, and then another. Four consecutive [Meteor] spells. Intense pain assaults me, as if I''ve been splashed with acid and set on fire. The pain is so intense, even my spirit left the body. Now, I look upon my own avatar on the ground, a feeling akin to watching a game from across the screen.


    One by one, the [Meteors] crash into the [Demonic Tree]. Two plummets into the Tree''s base and set the roots on fire while another two smashing into its trunk, forcing even this massive Tree to start bending, uprooting the now burning roots. Even so, the Tree continues to burst with the lights of healing magic, trying to fight against the fire. It''s no use, however. As soon as a part of the Tree heals, it is quickly turn into ashes. The Tree''s healing is no longer able to catch up with the all consuming fire.


    The Tree continues to tilt, and the roots that were supposed to hold it in place, are scorched and start to break apart. As my vision fades away, I see the Tree hitting the ground, creating tremors that turn over the earth over great distances.


    I''ve done it. We''ve won. But, what happened to Aurelius and the princess? They were at the Tree. I hope they got away in time. And what will happen to me now? Am I dead? Will I disappear? I wonder, if I die here, will I be able to return?


    I can''t see anything anymore. Even though it was so chaotic just moments ago, I can''t hear a sound. Even though my body felt as if it was on fire, now I''m so cold. I... I''m scared. Is there no one? Cecilia? Aurelius? Six? Somebody... please...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ***


    End of Chapter 44

 Vol. 3, Chapter 45: [World Devourer Woods] (Cleared)

    "Stand firm! Do not falter!"


    "They''re breaking through our left flank!"


    "Quick! The princess and the Champions!"


    Awoken by the chaotic cries, I open my eyes to find atop of me a set of hideous fangs, wide open and dripping with drool, ready to gnaw down into my throat. Instinctively, I try to defend myself, but my body is far too heavy, too sluggish, to move. Unable to do anything than stare at the eyes of this wolf-like [Demon], my heart cries out in desperation only for the [Demon] to disappear from my sight a mere moment later.


    It went by my eyes too swiftly to properly register, but I do believe that someone had tackled the beast. Now, somewhere beside me, I can sense some frantic struggling, one that soon ends with a gurgled whimper before all become still.


    "Aurelius, are you hurt?"


    With a tired expression and all over her splashed with droplets of blood, Merida gazes down upon me with worry.


    "I... I''m...... not sure..."


    I can hardly even tell if I''m dead or alive and it''s a struggle to even speak. The last thing I remember was using [Heat Ward] on the [Demonic Tree] in conjuncture with the princess. Neither of us have enough Mp to do it alone, and having summoned all three of my available creatures and used plenty of spell, I too was running dry. It must have taken us everything we had, perhaps more, to dispel the [Demonic Tree]''s [Ward]. I suppose this is what the so called "mana drain" feels like.


    "After the Tree had fallen, the rest of the [Demons] of the forest fell upon us with a suicidal charge, as if they knew their end is upon them. The soldiers fought to ensure both the safety of both you and the princess. We have yet to locate Lady Toto, but once we retrieve her, we''ll begin our retreat."


    Just barely, I give Merida a nod. The situation does not seem good, but I do not have the strength to move or even think. My body is weak and my head feels heavy, and every time I tried to lift myself, the whole world starts spinning. It is impossible for me to take any action at the moment. Like so, unable to move, unable to help, I lay there on the ground with the chaotic sounds of battle in the background, the fatigue of my body drags my mind back into darkness.


    As I drift between waking and unconsciousness, I have no sense of the time passed, and by the time I realize I am awake, that the scenery before me is no longer a dream, the battle is long over. As I lay atop a makeshift stretcher, I see the tired troops marching alongside me, moving through the ash covered forest with heavy and sluggish footsteps. I turn my sight towards the corner of my screen. The names and Hp bars, when we started, there were over a hundred of them, enough to clog the screen, but now all that remained displaying are about twenty and a little over. More, far more, than half of our men, lost. However, amongst the twenty-odd names, I found [Toto], [Merida], and [Aurelia]. Those close to me are alive, and while I do feel a shred of guilt for feeling this way, for the most part I can only feel relief, relief that we were lucky enough to come out of this alive.


    Night eventually falls and while usually the stars would lit the sky, tonight there are none. The smog has obstructed them, turning the night sky into a pitch black void. To keep me warm, the soldiers carrying me lay me beside a campfire, and to prevent the ashes form falling on us as we sleep, they set up makeshift shelters that are essentially a piece of fabric stretched and affixed over tall branches. Still, while we have prevented the ashes from falling on us, we could not keep away the smog and I hear many of the troops starting to cough, and eventually, even I succumb to it.


    "I''ll put up an [Air Ward]."


    Unable to take it anymore, I start getting up in spite of the pain running through my body and the spinning world around me.


    "Stay down Aurelius, you''re not well enough."


    "I''ll be fine, Merida, it''s just a little spell."


    Now then, I need to cover not just a single target, but an area with the [Ward]. How should I go about this? Perhaps it will work if I think of the entire unit as a target rather than each individual? Or maybe I should think of the surrounding space as a target rather than the troops? Well, either way, I''m going to have to give it a shot.


    "Air War-"


    Suddenly, it feels as if my head has been hit by a truck. Every single thought leaves my mind, my vision goes blank, and my entire body goes limp. It feels as if I have just had my cord pullout without any warning.


    ***


    There is a room, a room with white walls, devoid of anything but a single bed and a one-way mirror on one side of the walls. Or at least, it should be, at least that''s how I remembered it from last time I was here.


    "Ah, I thought it has been a while since I''ve seen such a clear vision. It''s you, you''re back."


    A young girl greets me with a big grin. She''s the same as last time, though she seemed a little more cheerful than before. It might have something to do with the changes to the room.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Zero, what''s wrong, did you see something again? Or is it someone? Is it Seven? Or perhaps Nine?"


    Aside from the girl, there is another man here, one wearing a clean white lab coat. I think I remember this man, he was the one kneeling before the girl the last time I was here, begging her not to leave. He''s grown old since then, his slick black hair are now completely grey and his sharp features have been replaced with sunken cheeks and eyes. Looking at him, I get a feeling that a great deal of time has passed and yet, the girl remained the same, exactly the same as the day I met her.


    "No, doctor, this one is from a different place, but it''s nothing out of the ordinary."


    The girl assures the man with a smile. Seeing this, I take back what I thought about her being the same as the last time. Clearly, other than her appearance, something has changed. Her mannerism has certainly become friendlier, and she has seemingly become more sociable than before. I have no doubts now; a great deal of time must have passed here.


    "So, what do you think? It''s been a while since I''ve seen you. My room must have been quite different from what you remembered, right?"


    "Yeah, there was nothing in here at all last time, none at all. I can hardly believe it''s the same room."


    The white walls are still there, the one-way mirror is there too, but now the room is much more... decorated. Yes, I suppose decorated is the word. The bed is in the corner, as always I suppose, and in the middle there''s a small tea table, white as the room, and I have no idea what''s it made from. And well... how should I put it? There''s the Plushies, there''s just plushies everywhere.


    "Pretty well made, right? I made them myself."


    Without warning, a whole bunch of them start floating towards me, feeling as if they''re inviting me to take closer look.


    "Go ahead, grab one if you can."


    At the girls urging, I reach out towards one, one that looks more or less like a rabbit. However, my hand just goes right through it. It doesn''t seem like I can touch anything here.


    "Can''t touch them? That''s too bad, I made them nice and soft too. By the way, the one you just picked, that''s a Sonic Rabbit. They can run really fast, faster than normal rabbits. I named this one Peter."


    "........."


    As the girl introduce her toy to me, my mind simply goes blank, my thoughts jammed from all the questions that came rushing in. Sonic Rabbit? Peter? Where did she get those names? I can''t be from me, right? I mean, when we first met, Peter was already... And now that she mentions it, quite a few of the plushies she has is starting to look familiar.


    "How did you come up with these?"


    "Hm? I just do, I guess."


    She tilts her head innocently to the side, seemingly not putting too much thought into answering.


    "I mean, there''s not much to do here. Even when they want me to help with their tests and experiments, all I do is just sit around. Occasionally, they''ll ask me to do specific things, but that''s pretty much the extent of it, so I have all the time in the world to come up with ideas."


    "I guess you must have been really bored here."


    "Oh, like you wouldn''t believe. I wished they let me out already, but all they''ll say is ''someday soon, once everything is over''."


    "''Once everything is over'', is it? Sounds like that''s going to take a while."


    "I know, right! I wonder if it''ll ever be ''over''. That is why..."


    She whispers into my ear with the most wicked grin across her face.


    "So you''ve been sneaking out..."


    "Don''t say that out loud, what did you think that whispering was for?"


    Well, I don''t think they''ll hear me. As far as I can guess, I''m likely just this girl''s vision. We can communicate like this because I''m having a vision of her while she''s having a vision of me. It''s like a video chat basically. I''m not actually here, only my image, a phantom.


    That aside, I wonder if it''s fine for her to be outside. She''s infected with something isn''t she? I hope it''s not airborne.


    "Oh, are you going already?"


    Hearing her say that, I notice that my vision is darkening, and I feel sensations throughout my body. It''s warm and sort and smells a little beastly. Most likely, I''m waking up over on the other end.


    "I guess I am."


    "That''s too bad. Will you visit again?"


    "Honestly, I don''t know. I don''t even know how I get here."


    "You don''t? Yet you''ve been here twice already?"


    "Now that you mentioned it... Well, I''ll figure it..."


    But before I can finish my sentence, she''s already gone from my vision. Instead, as I open my eyes, a blinding light floods into my sigh. It stings, but after a while, the soft light leaking through the ceiling of the tent becomes comforting.


    Feeling some a pressure on my chest, my eyes turn downwards, finding there a pair of fluffy ears twitching in the breeze. Instinctively I recognize them to be the princess'' and I start patting her head, hard, and when there''s no response the patting becomes more of a light hitting, and only then does she appear to have felt it.


    "...... Aurelius?"


    As she raises her head, I notice something out of place. Her hair and her fur, what used to be gold are now pale and white. I almost thought I mistook someone else for the princess for a moment there.


    "Did you do something with your hair, princess?"


    At my question, her hand goes to caress her own hair.


    "Oh this? This is but a side effect of severe mana drain. You''re the same too. See."


    She holds up a mirror for me, and indeed she was right. My light brown hair is now all white. This combined with slight pain and sore I''m feeling all over my body, it''s like I''m an old man again.


    "How''s Toto? How is she doing?"


    "Bedridden I''m afraid. The mana burn she had was far worse than yours or mine, and it wasn''t all that long ago the last time this happened for her either. I don''t think she''ll be able to move any time soon, but I do believe that she''ll eventually recover, given enough time and rest."


    "Stupid girl... That said, without her, we couldn''t have won, could we?"


    "I highly doubt so. Had she not done what she did back then, we wouldn''t be here, that is what I believe."


    I let out a sigh of relief. All of this feels like a dream. I can hardly believe that we made it out there alive. Of course, I had no intention of dying nor did I think that we didn''t stand a chance, but still... I guess I didn''t really thought about getting this far.


    "And you, how are you doing, princess?"


    As I ask her, the princess flashes a bring smile, as if she''s waiting for me to ask. Perhaps I should have asked about her first, but seeing her moving about and talking cheerily, I expected her to be doing well.


    "I''m fine for the most part, though I do feel rather sluggish and my body is sore all over. Honestly, I can wait to soak myself in a hot bath."


    "You enjoy baths?"


    The princess cast an odd gaze towards me.


    "Do you not?"


    "No, you simply don''t strike me as someone who enjoys baths."


    Since, well, my old pal Aurelius didn''t enjoy them very much and would always try to hide whenever she hears water running in the tub.


    "What''s that suppose to mean!?"


    Oh boy, looks like I''ve made her mad. No big deal, compared to the [Demonic Tree], the princess is much easier to handle.


    ***


    End of Chapter 45

 Vol. 3, Chapter 46: Shifting Paradigm

    It appears I have been mostly unconscious for most of the trip back to the western garrison. That being said, I don''t feel particularly weak after presumable days of without water or food. When I asked about that, it appears that I''ve been regularly fed and rehydrated. Apparently, rations were dissolved in water and slowly it would be fed to me through my mouth. Seems sensible enough, but when I expressed surprised over the fact that I did not choke however, the princess starts to flush and asked me to not mind the details. I have a bad feeling about that.


    So, with that bothering me, I decided to go visit Toto. She is apparently conscious during the journey back, and since I doubt Merida will give me the truth, Toto make the obvious choice to go probing for information.


    With my weak body, I stumble across the camp grounds. There appears to be fewer soldiers here now. With the [World Devourer Woods] gone, most have been called to reinforce the north, leaving but a minimal number of troops here to keep watch. It''s a little underwhelming and somewhat melancholic. I mean, it took a great deal to take down the [Demonic Tree], we gave everything we''ve got and some even gave their lives, but the world moves on as if nothing much had happened. It''s only natural, I know, after all there''s something urgent to attend to, but a feast would have been nice I suppose, something to punctuate all of the hardship. Well, I suppose we can have one after the trouble up north is deal with.


    "Aurelius, good to see you up. Though, are you sure you should be moving about?"


    From behind, the garrison commander approaches me. Thinking about it, we''ve been through a good lot haven''t we? I still recall the hours of us two sitting in the war room with Cecilia, the princess, and the garrison captains, going back and forth trying to come up with plans. It was such a stressful time my head hurts just thinking about it.


    "I''m afraid being stuck in a tent with little to do isn''t doing too well for me. I''ll just be having a light walk though, so there''s no need to worry."


    "If you say so. At any rate, there''s still a few things I need to take care of, mostly to do with the transferring of personnel to the north, so if you''ll excuse me."


    "Yeah, don''t let me keep you."


    The commander, he too, seems a little melancholic. I suppose after being stationed here for such a long time he''d feel lonely if so many of his men were to leave at once. And then there are those who never came back from the last operation. It can''t feel good to lose man. I''m speaking only for myself here, but when playing a strategy game, even when it''s across the screen, I tend to feel distressed when my own units are lost. For the commander, being here in person, personally know each of those men, it must weigh heavily on him more than I can ever imagine.


    I sigh silently. At least we''ve won, at least I''m alive and so are those I care about. I don''t dare to ask for more.


    ***


    "...... and then she got flustered and left you see, which got me suspicious."


    "Well, if you have to know, I''d say it''s akin to how a bird feeds its young."


    "That... is not the image I want in my head."


    "Then you shouldn''t have asked."


    "Leaving that aside, how are you feeling Toto?"


    "I''m fine, thanks for asking... is what I''d like to say, but having you mention it so offhandedly somehow pisses me off."


    "Well, I''ve already heard that you''re fine for the most part."


    "For the most part, yes, I''m quite fine, aside from the fact that I can''t quite move on my own. It''s like every joint in my body is on fire when I try."


    "Sounds terrible. Did you have it this bad last time?"


    "No, at least, I don''t think so. The healers told me that it''s best that I refrain from casting for a while."


    "How long?"


    "A month at the minimum..."


    "I guess you won''t be joining the rest up north then."


    "I guess not..."


    "Well, you just take your time and leave the rest to us. You''ve done more than enough this time around. Without you, we probably wouldn''t make it."


    For once, Toto''s drowsy looking eyes widen, mixed with both a feeling to surprise and relief.


    "You''re not mad?"


    Mad? Why would she think that? Did I get THAT mad last time?


    "No, you made the right call. Even that other time, I think you''re not wrong either. I should have trusted you more, both you and Cecilia."


    "Trusts... I see... Then..."


    "Then? Then what?"


    "No, it''s nothing."


    It''s not nothing, at least, that how it feels like. Something is definitely on her mind. I would like to probe her for more, see if I can''t get at least a hint out of her, but I doubt that''ll go as well as I see it in my head. Besides, I feel my mind dulling. I''m getting tired again. I''m getting tired far more easily these past few days. They say it''s a side effect of mana drain.


    "Well then I should let you rest. I''m getting plenty tired myself."


    "Alright then, see you later, Aurelius."


    "Yeah, I''ll see you soon."


    ***


    That night, news arrived that the king''s condition has worsen since princess'' absence. Upon receiving the news, the princess immediately sets off towards the capital and accompanying her was Toto, Merida, and me. Once the princess is safely in the capital, I''ll be heading for the northern frontlines to join up with Cecilia and Six. That was the plan, at least.


    "Hey you two, glad to see you well!"


    Greeting us as we get off the carriage is Cecilia, looking haggard and beaten, but still managing to put on a smile.


    "Cecilia?"


    Toto is visible surprised, almost stumbling as she sluggishly climbs off the carriage.


    "Missed me? And Aurelius, what happened to your hair, it''s all white."


    "Nothing much, I just pushed myself a bit too hard, we all did. And you? What are you doing here, is everything up north taken care of?"


    Bitterly, Cecilia shakes her head.


    "We have bad news."


    "Then please, let us hear it."


    The princess emerges from the carriage, her now white hair a mess. She was taking a nap on our journey back as she had been busy nursing both Toto and me, leaving little time for herself to rest.


    "I''ll get straight to the point then. The northern front, it has fallen."


    We moved from the castle courtyard and into a private room. Here, there are Cecilia, Toto, Six, and finally, yours truly. The princess had moved on to see the king and then the meeting scheduled to have with her ministers, expecting to hear the rest of the situation there.


    In regard to the north, it is where the Land of the Beastkins borders the Land of the Dragonbroods. The terrain is made up of mainly flatlands though further north into the Dragonbrood territory, one may find great mountains and valleys where the Dragonbrood make their homes. Cutting across the plains, there is a great river flowing from the west, dividing the north form the south, and before this river the Beastkin had built a great city that has been converted into a fortress against the north. With the great walls of this fortress city as well as the rapid torrent of the great river, it made an all out invasion difficult for the Dragonbroods. So far, only those bearing the abilities of limited flight and those capably of swimming against the currents may cross the river. That being said, the Dragonbroods are strong, a small number of them may easily wipe out a town. The [Demons] I''ve encountered when I first arrive upon this world and those that I''ve fought at the eastern fortress, those were apparently of the Dragonbroods.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Strong as they were, however, they are not invulnerable. With the walls as well and the river, there was one more thing keeping the Dragonbroods at bay at the fortress city, weapons stolen from the eastern lands, the Land of Mankind: Cannons. While arrows and swords have difficulty piercing the Dragonbroods'' hide, a shot from the cannon can easily shatter the bones and crush and organs underneath. For the sake of holding the Dragonbroods at bay, all cannons the Beastkin has in possession are installed within the fortress city. As such, the Dragonbroods, the small numbers capable of crossing the great river, tends to circle around the fortress and attacking instead the villages nearby, hoping to cut off supply to the fortress. Prior to being called to the western front, those were the [Demons] I''ve been dealing up north.


    A few days ago, however, thing changed. All of the sudden, the Dragonbroods launch an all out assault on the fortress. They had with them a large numbers of winged dragons, aquatic dragons, and even boats were prepared. It seemed as if they fully intend to take the fortress city. At first, with the help of Cecilia, Six, and the priestess of the Holy Beast, Stella, they held them off with far less trouble than anticipated, but a few days into the defensive, a change occur, the flow of the great river, all of a sudden, had slowed down, to the point in which the Dragonbroods, those unable to fly or swim, were able to cross safely on their boats, and with their vast numbers, they quickly overwhelmed the fortress city and forced a retreat. Only few were able to get out in time, and amongst those that were left behind, the Holy Beast''s priestess, Stella, was one of them. The day this happens, is but a day after the fall of the [Demonic Tree].


    "The river''s flow... Don''t tell me-"


    "The river flowed from the west, all the way up from the land of the Faefolks. I think it''s possible that the defeat of the World Devourer has affected it somehow."


    It sounds absurd, but I am afraid that Cecilia''s words may have some truth to it. Soon after the fall of the [Demonic Tree], the leaves of the trees within Faefolk lands, they began to turn yellow out of season. The Holy Beast had also said that once a Keeper is slain, the land in which the Keeper presides will no longer be able to bear life and will become barren. If that is true, then it makes sense that of the most essential things necessary to sustain life, water, would be the first to go.


    "It looks like taking out the World Devourer backfired on us."


    I turn my eyes away, not daring to meet Cecilia''s gaze. I was the one who insisted that we have to deal with the World Devourer. I was responsible for this defeat. This is my fault.


    In frustration, I ball my hand into a fist, or try to, only to stop when I feel a small weakly hand clasping onto mine.


    "There''s no way we could have known. We only decided on what we thought was best."


    Defending me- no, defending us, is Toto, who forced her weak mana drained body from her seat to stand by me.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not blaming anyone, and there''s no need to. Thanks to you two, the World Devourer is taken out. We now have one less enemy and one step closer to home. Isn''t that right, Six."


    "She''s right. I''d say our gains are greater than our losses."


    Feeling as if I''ve dodged a bullet there, I regain my composure and help Toto back to her seat. As she sits down, she smiles at me, as if saying that she has my back. I nod and return her smile.


    "And afterwards, what happens after that?"


    "Yes, well, there is one more occurrence. Do you still remember the Champion from the other day, the one that showed up while you were unconscious? It''s the one that looks like a Beastkin."


    The Bestial Champion. She was the one who suggested to defeat the World Devourer in the first place. In the end, I decided for myself that it was the best course of action to take, but for her to suggest such a thing to me... Did she know this would happen?


    "Yes, I''ve been told of her."


    Up till now, I''ve pretended that I never did get to meet the Bestial Champion in person since I haven''t told anyone of my out-of-body experiences, as there just always seems to be more important things going on to just bring this up out of nowhere, though it does make this situation a little awkward.


    "Well, she appeared again, and oddly enough, this time she actually helped us. She held back the [Demons] and brought us time to escape."


    Six then cuts in.


    "I''ve happened to hear from the Beastkins, that she smells of the [Corruption]. Wonder why she would help us against the [Demons]. Do you think that maybe the [Demons] have their own faction?"


    [Demons] with their own factions? I wonder. To begin with, we really have next to no idea what the [Demons] are other than that they are the enemies.


    "I don''t know, Six, I don''t know. And really, I''m more concerned about the Dragonbroods that have taken over the fortress city up north. Have they made their next move yet?"


    Cecilia shakes her head.


    "We don''t know yet, but we''re expecting the reconnaissance reports to come in any day now. We''ll just have to wait and see."


    I do suppose that waiting is all we can do at the moment, not to mention that we will still need time to rest. Rather than being anxious about the lack of information, I feel more relieved. Neither Toto nor I are fully recovered, and I''m sure Cecilia and Six needs their rest as well. The next battle can wait, a least for a little bit.


    ***


    After our little meeting, we went ahead and returned to the rooms we were given in the palace. For convenience''s sake, our rooms were right next to one another''s.


    Entering my room, there a feeling of unfamiliarity. I suppose it''s not all that odd, since I''ve spent most of my nights in this world in tents. I''ve only ever got to sleep in this room for very few nights in comparison.


    Carefully, I lay on my bed, not wanting to mess it up as if it belonged to someone else. Still, it''s comfortable, more so then the makeshift beddings used in tents. If I get used to this, I don''t think I''ll be able to go back to sleeping in tents ever again. This softness, this warmth, my fatigued body is already melting into it. I don''t want to move anymore. I think I''ll just fall asleep right here... But, I still have to check with the princess. She made mention that she would like to talk to me a little afterwards, mostly in regards to what might happen should her father, the current king, passes away and how to best prepare for the occurrences. I''ve never been interested in the politics of this world before, but it''s thanks to this ignorance that I''ve been cornered into my marriage with the princess by Merida in the first place. I can''t help but think that if I had been more savvy about how things work here, I could have easily side-stepped that. So, partly to ensure that what happened with Merida doesn''t occur again, and partly because I am technically the future king now, I am going to have to learn a bit more about how this kingdom is run.


    With this in mind, I force myself off the bed. I''m still rather tired, but I''m sure I''ll feel better once I''ve taken a bath.


    "Taking a bath, Aurelius?"


    In the halls, I run into Six, spare clothing and towel in hand, just like I am.


    "Want to soak together? The bathroom here is huge."


    "Sure."


    "Hmm~ I see you''re not the type to get shy."


    "It''s normal where I''m from. Is that the same for you?"


    "Not really, but with this body, I can''t say I mind. There''s just a bit of a disconnect with me and this body, you know."


    "Is it? I''m already used to it."


    "I guess you''re more adaptable than I am then."


    "The being said, this goatee of mine, it''s starting to prick."


    "So trim it then, if you ask the maidservants I''m sure they''ll get you something you can use."


    "Yeah, but well, the thing is, I don''t know how."


    "Just walk up to one of them and ask."


    "No, not the maids, I mean I don''t know how to shave."


    "Oh, you don''t?"


    "What could I say? I''ve never been the hairy type."


    "So... I suppose you''re going to want some help then."


    "Yeah, so, um... Could you?"


    "Guess it can''t be help. Alrighty then, old man Aurelius here will teach you a thing or two about shaving."


    After borrowing a razor from a maidservant passing by, we headed on to the bathroom.


    "Hey, cast [Greater Protection] on me first."


    "Sorry buddy, but I''ve been told not to use any spell if I can help it, at least until my hair stops being white, so you''re out of luck. You''re just going to have to be careful as you go."


    "Seriously!?"


    "Yup, you''re out of luck."


    "Fine... Here goes nothing I guess."


    "That''s right, keep the blade as flat as possible."


    "Yep... I''m doing that."


    "Do it slowly, there''s no need to rush."


    "I am doing it slowly."


    "........."


    "............."


    "Phew..."


    "Not bad for your first time."


    "How do I look?"


    "Younger, it''s like you''re a boy again, though I think I''m going to miss the dandy look. It would have been nice to just trim it."


    "I think I like this better, feel''s more refreshing."


    "Well, I suppose if you change your mind you could always grow it back."


    "What are we going to do about all this hair though?"


    "Just let them wash down the drain."


    "Alright."


    Having helped Six with his facial hair, I proceed to soak myself in the large bath.


    "Ahh~ Finally."


    The water feels nice and warm. Good on the maidservants to prepare it for us. I wonder if they boiled it over the fire or just used magic. Might be a bit of a waste to have a Sorcerer on boiler duty though.


    "Hm?"


    As I am relaxing, all of a sudden, my vision starts spazzing out again. I''ve been thinking that it hasn''t happened for a while but here it is, acting up just when I''ve forgotten about it. At least it doesn''t do so in battle. That would have been disastrous. I''m going to have to get this fixed sometime soon. I wonder if the Holy Beast can do anything about it.


    As I settle back down into the warm water, I notice something else in my vision: An exclamation mark blinking red in the corner. In Elysium Online, this indicates that there''s something new in the menus, whether it be a message or an alert.


    For the first time in a while, I access the menu. For the most part, it has been useless in this world. Not even the most commonly used function, the [Inventory] has a use since I can''t for the life of me figure out how to place item in there, or if it''s even possible in the first place. Having opened the menu, I can see another exclamation mark clarifying where the alert is from. This time, it''s the system''s menu. All I have to do is concentrate on it and like so I access the system settings. There, I find a particular option blinking, an option that says "Turn Off HUD". I know this, you can use this when you want a clean screenshot without all the clutter on screen. Why is it blinking now of all times? I guess it''s because something is wrong with my "HUD", what with all that spazzing out. I wonder if it would stop if I just turn it off.


    Without thinking too deeply into it, I turn off the HUD, just to see what would happen. And then, it''s as if a fog has been lifted from my vision, a fog I wish had never left.


    The first thing I notice is the smell, a noxious stench, as if there''s rot in the water. Looking down, I find the water to be in a disgusting color, looking like a mix of dirt and blood. Immediately, I shoot up from the large tub, standing where I can see just outside the small windows of the bathroom, there to allow steam to escape. What is see, is the sky, not a starry sky with dotted with starts, but one tainted by an unpleasant mix of red, yellow, blue, and green, swirling in the sky.


    "____________, ________?"


    I hear a voice from behind me, voice speaking in words I cannot understand but definitely heard somewhere before. I think it sounds similar to the language the Warrior Champion spoke to me when we first encounter one another.


    I turn towards the voice, towards the space where I vaguely remember Six is hanging around. There, I see a pale skinned creature with parts of his flesh that are turning dark and coarse, like the thick hide of a beast. As he speaks his intelligible language, I find his teeth to be jagged and hideous and his red eyes staring at me to be uncanny and disturbing.


    Suddenly having a thought, I turn my gaze downwards. I see my own flesh to be sickly pale with rough black patches growing, and in the reflection on the surface of the putrid water, I see a set of jagged fangs and a pair of red eyes staring back.


    It would appear that, somewhere along the line, we have become [Corrupted].


    ***


    End of Chapter 46

 Vol. 4, Chapter 47: Escalation

    I made an excuse and left the bathroom. Told Six that I''m suddenly feeling very tired. He said something to me as I left, but I couldn''t understand him. He spoke in foreign words unfamiliar to me, a language not of the world I knew.


    I rush my clothes on and hurry to my room, trying to remain as calm as I possibly can. The scenery on the way back is now so different that finding my way gets difficult. Every time I pass someone, whether it be a servant or a guard, I avert my eyes. Every single one of them looks like Demons, with their blood-red eyes and dark flesh, malformed teeth and sometimes even limbs, they make me want to run in the other direction. But I can''t let them know that something is wrong. I have no idea what would happen if I do and I have no desire to find out.


    With cold sweat drenching the body I just bathed, I somehow made it to my room, and while I would love nothing more than to just lay on my bed and hope that when I wake up this all turns out to be a dream, I am reluctant to even stand near the bed as it now has a look and texture akin to a moldy sponge. Compared to this, I much rather sleep in the Corrupted Woods. There, at least the grass still looks like grass and trees still look like trees, though they might try to strangle you in your sleep.


    I remain in the center of my room, not wanting to touch or be near anything, not even the walls, feeling like they might suddenly pull me into their solid mass. All that surrounding me now are the moonlights filtered through the windows, not pale and serene like I remember them and is instead a sinister and eerie crimson. The light makes me feel so uncomfortable, that I feel like I might lose my mind if I stand in it for too long.


    In this discomfort, I distract myself with my thoughts, thinking to myself how and why this is happening. At the moment, the most obvious answer I can think of is the H.U.D. All of this began when I turned it off and if I had to guess, the world only looked like what it was, what I would define as normal, because of the H.U.D. It may be how I was able to communicate with the people of this world as well. Through the H.U.D., I was able to understand the words spoken to me, and somehow, I may have inadvertently been speaking their language as well, like how Six was saying words I don''t understand in the bath. But wait, in that case, why can''t I understand the words of the Demon Champion I encountered at the eastern fort, the Warrior I finished off at the top of the mountain. He spoke an unfamiliar language as well, one that, if my memory serves me right, sounds somewhat familiar to the words spoken by Six in the bath. My H.U.D. was certainly turned on back then, and that was also before it showed any signs of malfunctioning. So why, why couldn''t I understand him?


    I pondered the question for minutes, pacing around the room as I try to ignore my surroundings. The answer eventually arrives, and it is a sinister thought that makes me scared just thinking about it, yet it comes to mind regardless.


    It might have to do with the summoning ritual. That was my conclusion. They summoned us here as Champions, ones that will fight for their cause. Compared to them, we are extremely powerful. A single one of us is worth a thousand of them. That meant that it is imperative that we see the summoners as friendlies and their enemies as our own foes. The H.U.D. made sure that we would align with the summoners and no one else, as we could communicate with no one else.


    However, with the H.U.D. off, I now see the world as it is, a world mired in the ''Corruption'', and I myself, at least in body, succumbing to the effects. So in the end, are we all ''Corrupted''? Has the world ended already without anyone realizing it? No, that''s not quite right, something doesn''t make sense, there''s something is missing here. But what is it? It''s nagging at the back of my head and I can''t quite put a finger on it.


    ...


    ......


    .........


    "Yes, that''s right. If everyone''s ''Corrupted'', why are they fighting against each other? What''s all this about? I don''t understand. Are we being lied to?"


    Of course, even as I ask the questions at empty walls, answers aren''t going to come bouncing off them. The only answers I am getting are ''maybe'', ''perhaps'', and ''I don''t know''. More importantly, what do I do about this? This isn''t going to last for the rest of my time in this world, is it? Damn it all, I should never have turned the H.U.D. off. That was so stupid of me, just messing with that without thinking. Now I can''t even turn it back on because I need the H.U.D. to be able to access the option in the first place.


    I tuck myself in a corner, and though I have tried calling out to Michaela for help, there is no response. It seems that along with my H.U.D., I have lost all access to my skills and creatures as well, even the ability to communicate with them it seems.


    What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? Damn it all! Damn my stupid self! I can''t believe I just screw myself over like this. This is the absolute worst!


    As I curse myself and my stupidity over and over again, I eventually grow tired, and in that corner, where the crimson moonlight barely reaches, I fall asleep.


    ***


    In the middle of the night, my eyelids snap open. Inadvertently, I have fallen asleep, but with the things that need taking care of hanging onto my mind, I seem to have unconsciously kept myself from falling into too deep a slumber.


    In my room, there is a small desk, and within the drawer, there should be some paper along with a pen and a well of ink. Without the H.U.D., I probably can''t effectively communicate with the others. Even if they can understand me, I, on the other hand, cannot understand them. My assumption is that the H.U.D. not only allowed us to understand the spoken language of this world but somehow also makes us speak it or translate whatever we say into it without our notice. Most likely, it is one of the effects of the summoning ritual. I seem to vaguely recall the princess expressing relief over the fact that I can communicate with her the first time I met her, so it''s likely that she was counting on this part of the summoning ritual to work. However, with written words from our own world, perhaps they can read them, provided that the H.U.D. doesn''t do anything to mess with what they see on paper that is.


    My other curiosity is whether or not this H.U.D. would appear different to someone else. I mean, clearly, this is the H.U.D. based off of the one seen in Elysium Online. Is it designed to be this way? Or more likely, is it merely appearing as something most familiar to me? Knowing now that this H.U.D. also alters one''s perception, I''m putting my money on the latter case. With that said, let''s put this aside for a moment, I''m getting sidetracked.


    With the paper and pen obtained from the drawer, I start to write down what happened to my H.U.D. and that I can''t understand them, as well as my own theory as to what I think it is. Hopefully, this can explain to them clearly what is going on with me. Then, there''s the fact regarding the current state of the world, or perhaps, the state of the world as it has always been. Looking at the blood-red moon and they sky swirling with chaotic colors, while I can''t say for sure, they sure do invoke the same feeling as those of the Demons and the Corrupted. Heck, if I am to look myself in the mirror right now, I am pretty sure that I would mistake myself for a Demon, if I''m not already am one. So then, are we all Corrupted, or are creatures of this world just that ugly in nature? And if we all look like this, why does the H.U.D. only shows me a different version of the Beastkins but reveal the ugly, Demon looking, forms of those of the other races? Why does it only translates the Beastkins'' language, but not that of our supposed ''enemies''? Perhaps it is as I had guessed just a few moments ago, that this is another trick of the summoning system used to bring us here. It tricks us into allying with those that summoned us and have no choice to take the summoners'' word for it as we have no way of speaking to anyone else.


    I wonder if the princess is aware of this. She did say that she and her court magician had only a surface understanding of this summoning system, so maybe not, but she does have a habit of hiding things from me, so I can''t rule the possibility out. I am also questioning if the ''Corruption'' is even real, or if it''s just a trick to make us fight.


    ...


    ......


    .........


    "Who''s there!?"


    I spoke without turning around after feeling a presence via a set of light footsteps within the room. However, after getting no reply, I feel a sense of danger and quickly turn around with grimoire in hand, trying to summon something to no avail.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    In front of me, I find a being that I can only describe as separate from the rest of the world as it appears to me now, an existence that appears neither Demonic nor Corrupted, but somewhat ethereal. As she moves closer, her pure white hair flows behind her, and when the crimson moonlight shines upon the silver strands, they do not turn red, but instead, it is the moonlight that becomes pale and white. On her head, she wears a pair of curved, spiraling horns, horns akin to that of a goat''s, and her eyes are pale blue, like how the sky should look alongside a bright sun. This girl, I''ve seen her before, twice in fact, both time by the river bank if I memory serves me right. She was the one who handed me the ''contract'' for the [Snow Liger], Timothy, and I believe that it was after meeting her that my H.U.D. started behaving oddly.


    Seeing her, one thing sticks out like a sore thumb, and that is the fact that she looks no different from how I remember her, form the times I saw her through the H.U.D. It is as if my H.U.D. had not altered her appearance to me, or perhaps, it could not.


    In her hands, she clasps a flat rectangular piece before her chest, holding it dearly before extending it towards me. Like with Timothy, she brought me another ''contract'', and like with Timothy, the moment I receive it, she extends her hand towards my head. Seeing that coming, I quickly shrink away.


    "The cycle must end."


    The ''cycle'', that is what she just muttered. I vaguely remember her saying it as well the last time we met.


    "What ''cycle''? What do you mean by it? Come on, you can''t expect me to get it just by saying the noun without any explanation."


    Tired of constantly getting no answers, I grab onto her shoulder, the contract I received kept in between my fingers. I stare into her eyes to find answers, only to find them glazed and staring into space. It''s as if she''s asleep, as if she''s sleepwalking. I proceed to shake her, but there is no change, and as I begin to get frustrated, I find her small, almost fragile fingers upon both sides of my head.


    My vision starts spazzing out and colors start flying all over my sight. It is a sensation so overwhelming that I can''t help but feel nauseous. Soon, it becomes difficult to even hold on to my consciousness and my mind starts fading to black.


    ***


    Upon opening my eyes, a blue sky greets my vision, and shining through the window, warm yellow sunlight. Pushing myself from the floor, I find in my hand a [contract], proving that what occurred last night was not a dream.


    After getting up, I scan the room, and all appears to be normal, what I consider to be normal at least. And as I look around, I find my sight to be somewhat cluttered. Focusing on the corner of my vision, I find there to be two bars, one green and one blue, representing Hp and Mp. The H.U.D. appears to have been restored, and I can more or less guess who had done it.


    I turn my eyes towards the [contract] in my hand. Twice now, that girl had brought these to me, but I still don''t know what she wanted. ''Cycle'', is the only keyword I got out of her, something that seems to be the hot topic of the moment. Turning the [contract] over, I find it to be the one belonging to the [World Devourer Woods] of all things. Like the time with Timothy, the girl has brought me yet another [contract]. What is she after? Is something I am unaware of going on in the background. Well, I''m sure there''s nothing I can do about at the moment. Lately, no, it''s been like this since the moment I''ve entered this world, this entire time, I feel like I''m running around in the dark. I know next to nothing about this world, everything that happens feel overwhelming and beyond my understanding, and I have to cope with that while fighting for my life at the same time. Sometimes I feel like just giving up and just charge on ahead blindly. It''s so much easier to just do whatever someone else tells you to without having to think of anything. But, that won''t do, will it? I''d just be following my old habits again, the habits that lead me to my lonely dead-end of a life.


    "What to do? What to do? Gotta figure it out......"


    A knock comes from the door just as I fall onto the bed. The bed feels soft, nothing like the texture it had last night. Now it feels so nice and comfy, I don''t really care what it is in its true form. If I can''t see or feel it, then it practically doesn''t matter. What matters is what I''m feeling right now. Speaking of right now, I better get to the door.


    Swinging the door open, I find the princess waiting with Merida by her side. She seems tired and I spot bags under her eyes. She must have had a rough night.


    "Good morning, Aurelius."


    "Good morning to you too, princess. You don''t look like you''ve had a good night though."


    "Yes, well, I had to meet with several of my father''s counselors and members of his court. The discussion in regards to what to do with the invading Dragonbroods dragged on for a while. The good news is, however, that we were able to come to a consensus. Anyways, shall we go get breakfast?"


    "Sure, breakfast sounds nice."


    Side by side I walk with the princess towards the dining hall, and as we walk, we continue our conversation.


    "So what''s the plan?"


    "We''ll be moving the capital further into our territory, effective as soon as I announce it in a moment. From that point onwards, this city shall be the frontlines."


    "Sounds like a sensible move."


    "It is the best we can do at the moment. However, there are some concerns about the new location. You see, the capital will be moved southwards, to a sizable town neighboring farmlands and ranches."


    "Seems like a pretty good place to be."


    "It is, at least the supply of food will not be a problem, which is why the location was chosen. However, the lord in charge of the territory... He can be said to be a rival of mine, certainly a man with enough influence and support to depose me from the throne. Of all things, he opposes the use of Champions, spreading the idea that the Beastkins should resolve the current calamity with our own strength without relying on the Champions of unknown origins."


    "Can you win without the Champions? I was under the impression that things were pretty desperate here."


    "It is! The lord is merely a fool who had never even been near the frontlines, much less seen it! He likely thinks that the reports of our desperate situation were merely exaggerations."


    The princess'' ears and tail stand stiff as she goes on about this lord and I think I can hear a faint growling if I lean in close enough to her.


    "You have to pardon Her Highness. She and Lord Remus had a, let''s say, somewhat strained relationship."


    "I think ''somewhat'' is an understatement, Merida. The princess here looks like she''s about to bite someone''s head off."


    "Well, enough about the ignorant fool. No, rather, Aurelius, I recall talking about wanting to see you last night. Do you remember?"


    One by one, beads of cold sweat start to roll down my back as the sleep-deprived, cranky princess stares me down. I had completely forgotten about that because of what happened to me last night.


    "Y-yeah, sorry about that. I fell asleep while waiting."


    "No, that''s quite fine, I didn''t have time to seek you out either last night. I just wanted to know if I kept you up waiting."


    Looks like she''s not mad me and is just generally cranky from her lack of sleep. That''s good; one less trouble to deal with.


    "Anyways, what I wanted to tell you... I''ll get straight to the point. I would like you to take charge of the kingdom''s army."


    "Wait, the entire army?"


    "Indeed. If my father were to pass away, then you would be king, and your supporters will mainly come from the soldiers on the field. As such, I believe it will be a position most fitting, don''t you think?"


    Me? Commanding the army of the entire kingdom? If I am going to be blunt, I say that I wouldn''t give myself that position even if I am the last man remaining. I am simply not qualified, for responsibility so great.


    "Now hold your horses here princess. Just because I''m stronger than the average soldier, that doesn''t mean I am fit to lead."


    "Worry not, the position is merely a decoration. You will be provided with the most trusted and capable advisors to aid you."


    "Then why even put me in such a position in the first place?"


    "To make a show of power and authority. If all things go well, it will show that the soldier will follow you to wherever you may march, that you are both certainly the right man to follow and the Champion that will lead us to salvation. Surely it will do more than enough to silence even the most ignorant of lords."


    As she speaks, something in the princess'' eyes sends chills down my spine. There is something very cold in her gaze, a frigidity I have not felt before.


    "Will the noblemen even allow it this kind of power play?"


    "They have no choice, my father, His Majesty had already agreed to it."


    "But... but will things actually go as well as you''ve planned. Plan go awry all the time, you should know that. Betting it all on one thing, it''s better to-"


    "It WILL go well, so long as you win. That is what you intend to do, yes, Aurelius? You said it yourself, right, on that mountain top, that you will save this world. That''s why you can''t lose here, right?"


    What is going on? It''s like she''s a completely different person now. The princess I know wasn''t so cold and relentless, was she?


    "C-can... can I have some time to think it over?"


    Inadvertently, my voice trembled. Upon noticing it, the princess'' eyes widen as if she was made aware of something, and then cast her sight downwards.


    "Very well, but you don''t have much time. I''d like to have everything organized before the Dragonbroods arrive. You have until tomorrow."


    She relents, for now, but I have a feeling that regardless of what I say, she''ll go ahead with it no matter what. Somehow, she''ll force it on me, that''s how headstrong she can be.


    As I break away from the princess, planning to head back to my room, Merida leans towards me subtly, enough to not be noticed by a casual observer.


    "The king is said to be not long for this world."


    That brief message grants me some clarity on the situation. All of a sudden, I can feel the desperation in the princess'' cold gaze.


    I turn back to the princess, only to find her already walking away. I do not go after her. Right now, I don''t have the answer to her predicament, none other than to comply with her wishes, to agree to this all or nothing plot of hers. Something such as this... While I don''t deny that sometimes we do have no choice but to bet on such methods, and indeed we did in the final battle against the [World Devourer Woods], I want to rely on it as rarely as I would rely on winning a lottery to pay my bills.


    ***


    End of Chapter 47

 Vol. 4, Chapter 48: Raise the Flag

    "I''ve decided. Let''s go with your plan."


    It is night time, and by now I have made my decision.


    "Are you sure?"


    Hearing my ready compliance, the princess appears to be surprised. It doesn''t look like she expected my answer so soon. Did I look so unwilling before? I must have. Because I actually was very unhappy with this ploy of hers, and even now, I am still uneasy. However, there is something I would like to ascertain, something that might help us in the long run, and perhaps, if we''re lucky, solve all of our problems. For this to happen, it may be more helpful, even imperative, to have all the soldiers under my command.


    "All I have to do is win, right? Then I''ll do just that."


    A frown appears on the princess'' face as I say those words, the words mirroring what she had said to me this morning. Even though she should be getting what she wants right now, she looks a little hurt.


    "I am sorry, Aurelius, I realize my words must have been harsh. I would not have forced these burdens upon you if I had a choice."


    "What are you saying, isn''t that what we''re precisely here for? Otherwise, why even summon us in the first place."


    I meant to comfort her, to reassure her. I did. But, her frown only grows deeper and now it looks as if she''s about to cry.


    "I know... I know. This is my sin to bear, to summoning you and your friends into this broken world. I won''t ask for forgiveness, but so long as this world can be saved, I''ll give you whatever you desire, absolutely anything, you have my word."


    Anything? That''s a bit much to promise. I mean, what if, at the end of all this, I say that what I really want, above all else, is to destroy this world myself? What then? I better not say it out loud though. The princess right now feels rather unstable. If I say something like that, she might get paranoid, even if I tell her that''s just a joke.


    "I just want my friends to return home safely, that''s it. Of course, I wouldn''t mind a bit of a reward."


    "Just ask and you''ll have it. Like I said, I''ll give you anything, you and your friends. And of course, we will fulfill our promise of returning you back to your own world once all is done. So please, please, save us."


    "I intend to, don''t worry about it."


    The door to the princess'' room shut behind me as I walk away. Knowing that the Beastkins have keen senses, I let out a huge sigh only when I am far enough.


    Right then, that''s the easy part of the plan dealt with. From here on out, there will only be the difficult parts.


    "Hopefully, I am not committing a major mistake right now."


    ***


    It was earlier today, in the afternoon. Discreetly, I gathered all four of us Champions to a meeting, one in which the subject discussed would be kept only amongst us four.


    As Toto was still recovering, our meeting took place at her bedside, and there we crowded together and spoke as softly as possible to avoid being overheard by the Beastkins with heightened hearing.


    "So, any thoughts?"


    Silence, complete and utter silence was the response I received.


    At first, they were confused when I called such a discreet meeting out of the blue, but after explaining my experiences last night, the confusion only doubled. It seemed that no one present knew what to think.


    "So they tricked us!?"


    The first to finally respond was Six, quite furious at the implication that our cognitions were messed with by the H.U.D.


    "I can''t say for sure, after all, the summoning ritual they used is just as much a mystery to them as it is to us."


    At least, that was what we were told. That too could be a lie, everything could be a lie. However, I certainly had no intention of saying all these to Six. He already has enough animosity towards those of this world, making it worst will hardly help. I can''t have him treat everyone around us as enemies before anything is verified.


    "So I just checked, but I can''t find the option to turn off the H.U.D. anywhere. Are you sure you didn''t just have a nightmare?"


    "It''s not a nightmare, Toto, I''m sure. This [contract] proves that it did happen."


    I pull out the [contract] of the [World Devourer Woods], the [contract] handed to me by the horned girl.


    "Are you sure you didn''t just receive it after the battle and didn''t realize that you''ve had it till now?"


    Cecilia remained skeptical, thinking that the [contract] might have dropped like loot and automatically wound up in my inventory.


    "Well, I don''t know what to tell you guys. I''m starring at the button right now. The [turn off] option is right there in front of me."


    Again, silence. No one here has any idea what to believe. Do they believe what they are seeing right in front of their own eyes, or do they trust in something that was just told to them by someone else, a friend he may be?


    "Say that what you saw is true, what then? Just because everything looks like they are [Corrupted] to you, it doesn''t necessarily mean they are, right? It could be that this is just how the world really looks like."


    Cecilia has a point, a point that I too had considered. But then, I thought, what of that girl, the one with the spiraling horns? Even with my H.U.D. off, she looked completely different from her surroundings, as if she''s the only ''pure'' being around... Or, perhaps it was she that is [Corrupted], that she is the [Demon]. Of course, I couldn''t come to a conclusion on that, I have no information to work on and what information I do have may or may not be true. Everything may be true, or perhaps it all was just a big lie. I don''t know. I simply have no way of verifying it all.


    "It is as Cecilia said, maybe the H.U.D. is only making the summoner''s faction look like friendlies and everyone else looks the same, maybe that''s the case. However Doesn''t this mean that the [Corruption] isn''t what we thought it is? All along, we thought that the [Corruption] created the [Demons] and the monstrosities we''ve been fighting all along were exactly that. However, if everyone looks like that from the start, then was there really even a [Corruption]? Maybe this whole time, we were just fighting a war against regular people, thinking that we were slaying [Demons]."


    "That, or perhaps we were the [Corrupted] all along."


    From Toto, came a chilling hypothesis. Are we the [Demons]? Are we actually the ones threatening this world? That was a terrifying prospect, the fact that we may, in fact, be the monsters. However, I do not believe that is the case.


    "No, I don''t think so. It wasn''t just us, the entire sky as well, was looking all twisted and evil, so I think maybe it''s everyone in this world."


    "Or perhaps that''s just how the sky looks like in this world."


    Six has a point, a frustrating point that reminded me that nothing I know from our world, neither of the online game nor of reality, may apply to this world. For all we know, it could be operating on completely different sets of rules. The existence of magic and the fact that this incomprehensible thing is a science to them is evidence of that.


    "This is all sorts of frustrating."


    Cecilia laid back on her chair and starts pinching the bridge of her nose. Looks like she''s at the end of her patience for this, and frankly, so have I.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "As it looks like we''re not going to be getting any concrete answers anytime soon, I propose we take a break from questioning reality. That''s not exactly the purpose of this meeting. No, I gather you here today for something else. It is about what we''ll be doing from now on with this information."


    "Sounds like you already have something in mind."


    "Don''t I always, Six, don''t I always?"


    I don''t of course, but thankfully, everyone within the room allowed me to have the moment.


    "Well? Go on, tell us."


    "Alright, so here''s the plan..."


    ***


    The very next day after I accepted my position, the princess made it official to all. A brief ceremony was held and I was dressed in fancy robes. In those heavy and stuffy clothes, I walked up to the throne. The eyes of the noblemen gathered were concentrated on me, and within their gazes, some held confusion, some held admiration, while others held disdain. A Champion I may be, I was still but an outsider. To most of them, I might as well be but a weapon, one preferably under control than being in control. Apparently, as I had been told in whispers by the maidservants, even many of the kingdom''s generals thought that this decision was unwise. Even so, I went up to the throne and received the king''s blessings.


    It was the very first time I met with the king, and he looked thin and frail, practically skin and bones. He couldn''t walk without being helped and appeared to be extremely light, so much so it felt like he would scatter to the wind if I were to touch him with too much strength. Just how sick was this man? I recall thinking.


    With all that said and done however, the ceremony went off without a hitch, and I am now the Beastkins'' supreme commander. By the decreed of His Royal Majesty, King Romulus, I now hold authority over all of the kingdom''s army.


    "In truth, I wanted to stay."


    "So why don''t you, princess? Nothing has stopped you before."


    At the moment, I am seeing off the princess in the courtyard as she prepares to head further south, to where the new center of government will be located while the current capital becomes the new frontlines.


    "As you have seen, my father is very ill. I''d like to spend more time by his side for the foreseeable future. Not to mention, now that we''re moving into Lord Remus'' land, there''s a need for me to keep a tighter rein of things. While it is true that the royal family holds the highest authority in all of the land, that place is still Remus'' territory."


    "Really now, Your Highness, is there a need for such mistrust? Not to mention, I certainly can''t appreciate you badmouth me in front of our ''supreme commander''."


    From behind, a voice that said ''supreme commander'' as if he spat out the vilest of phlegm. I turn to see a man with long gray hair and a pair of ears standing sharp and tall above his head, a man looking very similar to the king, except much younger and definitely much, much healthier.


    "Would you look at that, Aurelia, your Champion is confused. Have you not told him about me?"


    How should I put it? This man, his expressions, every word that comes out of his mouth, they make me what to punch him. Just give ''em one right in the teeth.


    "That is ''Your Highness'' to you, but yes, I suppose it''s time I point you out. Aurelius, this is Lord Remus. I believe I spoke of him briefly once or twice."


    "Why such open contempt? While I may have heavily opposed your use of the summoning ritual that, mind you, we know so little about, I only did so in the kingdom''s best interest."


    "You have done more than heavily oppose me, Lord Remus, you''ve turned more than half the court against me. You obstruct my every move made to save this kingdom, this world."


    "You were also making very reckless moves, Your Highness. Need I remind you that when you performed the ritual, after ignoring every single opposition no less, you ended up with but a single Champion, with three others scattered across the kingdom. Clearly, the ritual did not go according to plan. We are fortunate that it went as well as it did, but should something go wrong-"


    "But it worked, and that''s what mattered. The Champions did arrive, and they did save us on more than one occasion, and none of that happened because I was sitting around debating what is to be done while pushing responsibilities around."


    Lord Remus sighs, one that sounds rather insincere, after the extensive argument.


    "Very well, regardless of how you went about doing it, you did produce favorable results, so I''ll give you that. While I too am happy that it ended up that way, do remember this well, princess, it is only because we were lucky, very, very lucky. I doubt we''ll be able to get such luck every single time. Now then if you''ll excuse me."


    Having said his piece, Lord Remus leaves with a brisk pace and climbs nimbly into his carriage.


    "While I hate to admit it, this lord does have a point. We did get lucky."


    "And I am lucky that I have you by my side."


    There she goes again, saying the darnest thing. It puts a smile on my face, even though I suspect she''s only saying it to detract from the conversation.


    "Shouldn''t you get going?"


    "I suppose I should, but before that... Aurelius."


    "Yes?"


    "Win this. Prove that you are the one who will save us."


    "I have no intention to do any less. As for you, do take care of yourself and not let Merida worry so much for once. And of course, I''ll be counting on you to take care of Toto as well."


    "Oh, will you stop worrying? I''ll be fine and so will Lady Toto, and we will be waiting eagerly for when we are able to return."


    She pouts before turning away from me as she proceeds to her carriage, where Cecilia can be seen just finishing saying her goodbyes to Toto. Once the princess is on board, the carriage begins to move, and as the carriage leaves the castle courtyard, the princess peeks out of the window, waving to me as she goes further and further, till she is out of sight.


    ''Win'', she says. Well, I certainly have no intention of dying here. Hopefully, my plan actually works out as I hope this time, or else, well, I''m not sure what I''m going to do if it doesn''t.


    ***


    Two days after the princess'' departure, the Dragonbroods finally arrive upon our doorsteps. Atop the massive city walls, I look down to see the Dragonbrood [Demons], marching like a horde of ants in the distance, very large, bulky ants, some with wings, some with huge claws, some seem to drip flaming saliva from their lips.


    Alongside me are Six and Cecilia, while Toto is still recovering from her mana drain and has gone with the princess. Hopefully, by the time she recovers, this will all be over.


    "I thought they told you that you are not to fight until your hair starts regaining its color, right?"


    "It is ''recommended'' that I do not. Nothing is actually stopping me from doing so, except maybe the threat of excruciating pain, but well, we''ll cross that bridge when we get there."


    "I hope you know what you''re doing."


    "So do I, Cecilia, so do I."


    With my [Insight] skill, I begin scanning the approaching army, searching for a particular target. In my search, I spot a few items of interest.


    "Cannons..."


    "They must have brought it over from the northern fort."


    Six leans into the edge of the castle wall, squinting to get a better look into the distance.


    "Do we have any cannons in this castle?"


    "I''m afraid not, Six, the four from the northern fort were the only ones the Beastkins salvaged from the kingdoms of Mankind. They have no more"


    "Salvaged?"


    "Yes, salvaged. Apparently, they''ve already been overrun by the Dragonbroods long before we got here."


    "What happened?"


    "From what I''ve heard, it was either Mankind or the Dragonbroods that first manifest the [Corruption], and as they were the closest to one another, with no natural barriers in the way, they were the first to clash. Mankind lost that confrontation."


    "Sucks to be them I guess."


    Six turns his gaze towards what may soon be the battlefield, apparently not thinking very much of those known as Mankind of this world. They say that the race of Mankind are the ones closest to the humans we know, but it seems for Six, so long as they do not belong to our world, they do not matter.


    "So, you two have seen these cannons in action, right. How well do they work?"


    The one to answer me is Cecilia.


    "They have better piercing power than most spells the Beastkin Sorcerers can use, and the grapeshots are great at knocking out the flying Dragonbroods off the sky. But, with only four of those, they are only good against so many enemies. I wonder why they even bothered bringing them though, the Beastkins don''t have scales and hides strong or thick enough to protect them from arrows and magic. To use the cannons against us seems rather pointless, inefficient even."


    "It must be their Champions'' idea. They might have a trick up their sleeves."


    "You sound like you know them."


    "They were the first Champions I''ve fought when the [Demons] tried to invade through the eastern mountain range. Back then, I didn''t realize they were Dragonbroods, didn''t know enough to differentiate them. Not that it mattered, I still won, barely. Hopefully, she doesn''t hold a grudge for that avalanche. And speaking off, there she is."


    Off into the distance, riding atop the shoulder of one of the larger Dragonbrood [Demons], I see a familiar figure, a Sorcerer with a wooden staff in hand, wearing a long black robe and a pointy hat. Even from this distance, I can feel her eyes on me. I''m sure we''re both reliving it in our heads, the battle at the eastern fort.


    "Sir Aurelius, they''ll soon be in the range of our Sorcerers."


    One of the general the princess left with me, one of the many to serve as my advisors came up to the three of us. He has a pair of sharp eyes, scaled limbs with claws, and a head of emerald feathers in place of hair. I don''t see ears on him, but I don''t think I want to go looking. He is a Beastkin with an inherent elegance in him, yet, perhaps due to seeing many battles, there is a ruggedness in his elegance. If I recall correctly, his name should...


    "Gulford, was it?"


    "Indeed, I am honored you remembered."


    "No need for formalities, you and I both know my current station is for show."


    "In that case, let me tell you this: Your plan, it is insane."


    "Yeah, I get that a lot nowadays. If it doesn''t pan out, we''ll go with your plan."


    "Just make sure you don''t die. You may be mad but your power is still needed."


    "Don''t worry. Dying isn''t part of the plan. Anyways, I believe I asked someone to pick up that little thing I ordered. Is it coming any time soon? I kind of need it soon, very soon."


    "Worry not, I have it right here."


    General Gulford gestures towards one of his soldiers and have him bring over an object that appears to be a long pole with cloth wrapped on the top. He receives it from the soldier, and with a practiced formality, hands it over to me.


    "Here it is, Sir Aurelius. Will the enemy really understand us if we show them this? This lackluster banner?"


    "If the Champion is from the same world as us, then she will."


    I draw the shortsword hanging on my waist and cut apart the bindings on the cloth warped around the pole. With the cloth free, I raise the pole high up into the air. Today is a good day, sunny with great visibility. As I raise the pole, the cloth atop it catches a fine breeze and begins to flutter, revealing a banner devoid of designs, a completely blank banner of pure white. A white flag.


    ***


    End of Chapter 48

 Vol. 4, Chapter 49: Confrontation

    The plan had been discussed in advance on that afternoon three days ago, when we held the secret meeting between only the Champions.


    "So your plan is to surrender... with a white flag?"


    Of all three, Six appeared to be the most unconvinced of all.


    "Think about it, the white flag is a universal symbol of surrendering, from our world that is. It is not a language understood in this world. If the enemy Champion sees it, she''ll know it''s us, or at least, someone from our world. Depending on whether she responds or not, we''ll know whether or not she''s been [Corrupted] or is simply being tricked by the H.U.D. altering her perception. And if she does, perhaps we''ll be able to communicate and work something out."


    "Alright, but one: How do we know that this world doesn''t use the white flag for surrendering? It has things like kings and noblemen just like how our world did. And two: How are we sure the enemy Champion is from the same world as ours? If another world other than ours, such as this one, exists, then surely there must be all sorts of different worlds, right?"


    Surprisingly, Six was asking some sensible questions. Before, he was content with leaving the planning up to me or Cecilia, but it would appear that somewhere along the line, that has changed. Thinking about it, Cecilia did mention how Six seemed to be becoming more mature as of late. I suppose his experience in this world must have changed him. Of course, I am glad for it, but I just wished this growth of his came from somewhere less bloody.


    "While it''s true that this world shares similar ideas with our own, you can tell that they are no coincidences. There are very good reasons for them. Things like kings and noblemen came to be due to the need for leadership and overseers when a large group of people comes together to form communities. Their weaponry as well is similar to our own because they are shapes that made sense, sharp blades for cutting and pointed spears for reach and piercing. These are simple shapes, simple and highly effective, so it made sense that they would be similar throughout different worlds despite different histories. The white flag however, is something highly specific, something that would not come to bear the same symbolic meaning without having at least somewhat identical histories, which is why I am sure that it does not exist in this world, that and because I asked a maid and she said she has no idea what I was talking about."


    "You could have just ended it with that last part."


    "I could, but I know how paranoid you are about these things. Going ''what if'' this and ''what if'' that."


    "Alright, I get it! Let''s go with your flag plan then."


    I turned towards the rest.


    "Do we have a consensus?"


    "I think it''s worth a shot."


    Said Toto from her sickbed.


    "If it will clear things up about the nature of this world, then I say we should go for it. We can''t go very far if we''re always left in the dark. However, even if the enemy Champion does agree to talk, what then? Can we somehow convince everyone, at least the ones on our side, to stop fighting as well?"


    "For that, here''s the thing, I will become the supreme commander of the kingdom."


    "...What?"


    "The princess had requested that I become the supreme commander of the kingdom to shut some nobles up. I was reluctant to take up the position at first, but now, now I have more than enough reason to take advantage of her little ploy."


    Deeply, Cecilia frowned.


    "Are you sure, that sounds like a big responsibility, not something you''d want to take on lightly at all."


    "As the princess said, it''ll be fine as long as we win. Besides, the generals she assigns me will be the ones doing most of the work. I am only expected to sit around and look pretty for the most part."


    "That''s concerning for an entirely different reason."


    "Regardless, one way or another, as supreme commander, I should be able to do something to get the troops to stand down. Hopefully, the generals are willing to hear me out."


    "Alright, but what happens when your plan doesn''t work out? What happens if the enemy Champion attacks anyways?"


    From Six came a concern that I am sure was on everybody''s mind. After all, we''ve had plenty of plans fail on us and things that just played out completely different from what we thought. This one as well, would, of course, have the chance of going awry.


    "For that, we have this."


    Again, I showed them the World Devourer''s [contract]. The most powerful creature available to me thus far.


    "This will cost me more or less all of my mana to summon and in my current condition I hope that I won''t have to use it, but when worst comes to worst, we''ll have a way out."This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "I don''t know, that sounds kind of dangerous."


    "I''m just talking about the worst-case scenario, Six. The enemy still has to get through our walls and our troops."


    "Still...... Oh, what if we craft it into its purified version? Like you did with the [World Ender Dragon]? The purified dragon cost much less to summon didn''t it?"


    "It did, however, I have not a single clue about the recipe for crafting this [contract], and even if I did, there''s the massive cost of materials. I grinded for weeks for them and had to kill maybe thousands of mobs and ran an obscene number of raids to get them. If we do that here, we''d be destroying the ecosystem via the massive depopulation with how many things we have to kill. Not to mention, on the off chance that we are able to get all these things together, what are we going to do with it? Do we just mush them together with the [contract] or just toss ''em all into a pot and start stirring? End of the day, it''s just not feasible and I doubt it would work even if it is, it was just a system integrated into the game to have us play longer after all."


    "That''s too bad, I really thought I was onto something there for a second."


    "Well, it''s good that you mentioned it regardless. To be honest, I haven''t really thought about purifying the Keepers. Never really had the luxury, our priority has always been forced to be that of survival after all."


    "That''s right, isn''t it? Now that I think about it, ever since we got here, it''s either fighting battles or preparing to fight one. We never really got to stop, do we?"


    Cecilia then followed up her words with a sigh as she glanced towards the bedridden Toto. Most likely, the moment she gets better, Toto will be heading straight into another battle.


    "Well, once I''m supreme commander, maybe I''ll give you all a vacation once this battle is over."


    "Oh, don''t you go getting our hopes up, Aurelius. You and I both know that there are no guarantees that we''ll be able to catch a break."


    "If this works out, we might just have that."


    "Might, huh? I guess that''s the best we got at this point."


    ***


    "Alright, she''s looking at us. Will she get it?"


    From above the city walls, I look towards the midst of the enemy legion, where there stands a large Dragonbrood [Demon] with a small, humanoid figure riding upon his shoulder. There, I see her looking back at me, or perhaps, the white flag that I am raising. Then, she turns and seems to be whispering to the ear of the [Demon] she is riding on. As the [Insight] skill doesn''t seem to come with lip-reading capabilities, I have no what to tell what she is saying to him, but I can more or less guess the content as I see the enemy''s marching comes to a gradual halt.


    At the sight, I can''t help but smile. Things are going smoothly for once. However, my smile is a little stiff, if I do say so myself, because now I can''t help but be afraid that something might go wrong and ruin all of this.


    "Incredible... It''s just as he said."


    "Of course, they are the Champions that defeated one of the [Corrupted] Keepers."


    "Not to mention, Sir Aurelius was the one who beat back the [Demon] horde in the eastern mountain range, and he did it with just a small unit of six men."


    From around us, I can hear some faltering mutters. So far, everyone appears to be impressed, and even Gulford is pleased. Not a single one of them know how anxious I am right now and how hard I am trying to hold my body back from shaking. It''s like holding in a piss for half an hour and you wish you could just do it right there but you can''t because it''s a public place and everyone is watching.


    After waiting for some moments, watching the complete and utterly still enemy, I see one of the [Demons] handing a broken spear to the Sorcerer Champion, and at the top of the spear wrapped a tattered and apparently hastily torn length of cloth. It was white in color.


    Holding her makeshift white flag, she starts walking towards the city, alone, and while there seem to be disagreements amongst the [Demons] behind her, none tries to stop her. Then, once she has walked far enough away from the [Demons], far enough that their spells and arrows and javelins loses their accuracy while herself remaining out of reach from the Beastkins'' spells and arrows, she stops. From that lonely spot of hers, she looks up towards me with what seems to me be an expectant gaze.


    My smile beams wider than ever before. This is it, this is going to work.


    "Alright, I''m going."


    "Wait! Sir Aurelius, you can''t just go there alone. You don''t know what they''re planning."


    Standing in my way is Gulford, showing concern for me. Maybe he just likes me that much, or more likely, he doesn''t what the Beastkins to lose even one of their highly valuable Champions.


    "Neither does she, but she came forward alone anyways. Dialogues can only begin once we show some faith in one another, commander."


    He looks at me, stunned, as if I just said something profound. I mean, it''s pretty good, for something I just came up with on the spot, but if you give me such a surprised look, it''d just hurt my self-esteem.


    At length, Gulford sighs.


    "Very well, but if you sense even a single thing out of place, get out of there. We''ll charge right in to get you."


    "I''ll be counting on you on that front then."


    Promptly, an extraction squad is formed with Six in the lead, and together, we head down to the city gates, where I prepare to head out on my own.


    "Aurelius."


    "Like I said, Six, I''m heading out alone. You just sit tight."


    "No, it''s not that. The other day, when you were explaining your plan with the white flag, about how there''s no way two different worlds with different histories can come up with symbolism that specific, there''s something bothering me about that."


    "Well, I mean, yeah, I might have taken a few leaps in logic for my part, but hey, it worked right? She''s willing to talk."


    "No, not that. You see, it''s been bothering me that you didn''t answer my other question, about what if the enemy Champion is someone from another world, but not the same world as ours. I asked how you''re so sure that she would understand us. Do you remember that?"


    Cold sweat starts forming on my forehead.


    "So you noticed. I thought I did a pretty good swerve on my part. You are unexpectedly sharp, you know that?"


    "Yeah... Anyways, I didn''t say anything because Cecilia and Toto were there and I didn''t get a chance to afterwards either. But, Aurelius, don''t tell me... No, rather, tell me, tell me whether or not the other Champions are the same guys from our guild."


    Six stares right into my eyes as a question crosses my mind: Do I tell the truth, or do I lie? What will Six do once he knows that we''ve been fighting our own friends? That he has even killed one of them himself? Will he breakdown? Will he still be able to fight? No, if everything goes well, maybe he won''t have to fight anymore. But, then again, I can''t guarantee that. Anything can happen, and they''re bad things most of the time, at least that''s how I''ve been feeling the moment I got to this world. Do I lie then? Keep him in the dark like how Cecilia wants it? But if I do, will he catch on? As he has demonstrated here, Six can sometimes be unexpectedly sharp.


    Eventually, I open my mouth. I have to, with Six seemingly getting more impatient with each passing second.


    "Yes, Six, I think they are."


    ***


    End of Chapter 49

 Vol. 4, Chapter 50: Reaching Out to the Truth

    "I knew it. We''ve been killing each other all along... That''s messed up!"


    As Six yells, attention is drawn from the rest of his squad. This is bad. I don''t think it is wise to discuss this while the others are listening. To be honest, I''ve been wondering if I can trust the Beastkins these days. Not to mention that there seems to be those that do not think highly of the presence of us Champions here, such as that guy who looks similar to the king, Lord Remus was it? That being said, if I don''t at least calm Six down right now, I am afraid of what might happen next. We''re at an important stage of the plan and I need Six to keep his cool. I want to keep the possibilities of messing up to a minimum.


    "Six, listen, I''ve been keeping quiet since I can''t prove it yet, but I don''t think they''re actually dead."


    "What? Are you sure? How?"


    At my words, Six goes from being angry and frustrated to being somewhat hopeful. Good, he''s believing me, or perhaps he''s just desperate for comfort. Either way, so long as he buys my story, it''s fine.


    "Think about it. These bodies aren''t actually ours. They''re our avatars in the game, which means that even if these bodies die, our real bodies should still be fine somewhere. So no, I don''t think they''re really dead. So long as our real bodies are still alive, there''s no way we could possibly die for real. That''s only logical."


    I''m bullshitting of course. I have no idea whether or not if that''s true. This whole thing was just something I thought of after experiencing those out-of-body experiences. Otherwise, I have no real proof of what I just said. But, it doesn''t matter, it''s not as if I have ever been shy about lying through my teeth.


    "I''m sure that once we reverse the summoning ritual, everyone will be back in their own bodies and it will be as if nothing ever happened. I mean that''s how it usually works in tv shows and games with these things, right?"


    Even though I''ve repeated it so many times, that this world doesn''t work like the game we know of, I''m bringing them up to support my ludicrous blabbering. The hypocrisy makes me sick, but whatever, what is important now is to convince Six that they''re not dead, not Veldar, and definitely not the other Champions we''ve killed.


    "Yeah... That''s right, isn''t it? That makes sense. Since these aren''t our real bodies, even if something happens to them, we won''t really die. Why didn''t I think of that?"


    Good, Six''s complexion is relaxing. Of course, if it turned out to be a lie, if when we returned, the other''s stayed dead, I''m sure he''ll hate me for it. Even so, it''s better than losing our cool and screwing it all up. We''re going home, even if it''s not all of us, I''m bringing as many of us as possible back to our own world.


    "That''s right! So don''t worry about it, we can definitely all go back."


    I check Six''s expression one last time. He is definitely looking better. There''s still some anxiety, but it doesn''t look like he''s about to freak out any time soon.


    "Anyways, time for me to go. If anything goes wrong, I''m counting on your, alright, Six."


    "Yeah, you can count on me. And thanks, Aurelius, you''ve been a real pal. "


    I give him a confident nod before turning around and stride right through the massive front gates.


    ***


    He really almost had me there. Aurelius is a pretty decent liar. I am not particularly fond of being lied to, but, I just can''t get mad at him. How should I put it? When he was saying all those things, there was a sense of desperation. It felt as if he wasn''t just trying to convince me, but also trying to get himself to believe what he was saying. I realized, after seeing him like this, that he hates this as much as I do, but unlike me, he held up much better. He''s thinking hard about how to fix this and getting us back home, he''s been doing that this whole time and I haven''t heard a single complaint from him.


    For a while now, I''ve been thinking about quitting, just giving it all up. I didn''t like the idea of being forced to fight someone else''s fights in the first place, much less against people I know. Ever since the forest, when Cecilia and I faced off against those two Champions, the Archer and the Warlock, I have had a sneaking suspicion that I might know them. Sometimes, when I''m at school, during break time, I''d sneak into the computer labs and log in for a bit, mostly in the Arena for PvPs. That''s when I would sometimes see the Archer and Warlock pair. Their tactics are the most annoying thing ever and our guild icon is displayed beside their names, so I have quite an impression on them. That is why, after Cecilia and I fought the Champions, after I dealt the finishing blow and the adrenaline of battle left me, I can''t help but feel that I''ve fought them before. Of course, I couldn''t confirm it, and I thought that if they were people we do know, either Aurelius or Cecilia or maybe even Toto would figure it out way before I did.


    Eventually, however, I realized that Aurelius might have been hiding quite a few things from me. The way he diverted from my questions about how he expects the enemy Champion to understand the white flag was what tipped me off. I guess he was hoping that I would have forgotten after giving me his lengthy reasoning, and for a moment, I did forget, only remembering afterwards. I thought about bringing it back into the conversation again, thinking that Aurelius might have just forgotten, but then again, that should have been an important part of his plan, so he couldn''t have just left it in the back of his mind. That''s what I thought, and once I thought that, it began to feel like he was trying to hide something. In the end, it turns out I was right.


    I am not sure how I feel about him hiding things. On one hand, it feels as if he doesn''t trust me, like he expects me to cause trouble once I find out. On the other hand, I realize that maybe I am just that unreliable. So far, I have just been leaving the heavy lifting to the others. Whenever some difficulty comes up, the others always got right down to it, trying to figure out how to deal with it. Me? I just wait for them to hand me the solutions. It feels like messing around before a test and expecting those that did their studying to hand me the answers during the exam.


    It is all very frustrating, to not be trusted to help. And yet, I have no idea how to help even when I am asked. Even though I act all tough and condescending towards the Beastkins for being unable to solve their own problems, I myself rely on the others to take care of everything. Of course, I have no sympathy for the Beastkins and I certainly have no love for the idea of them dragging us into their problems, but I do feel pathetic, for inadvertently being such a hypocrite.


    "Sir, are we sure we should just let the supreme commander go alone?"


    A Beastkin came up to me, looking mighty worried. They have good hearing, so I''m sure they heard our conversation. Whether he understood what we were saying aside, between my shock and Aurelius'' desperation to convince me, our tones surely did not inspire confidence.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    "He knows what he''s doing, always did. And on the off chance something goes wrong, he has us, so make sure we''re ready to go at any time, understood?"


    I speak with the sternest voice I can muster. Neither Aurelius nor Cecilia would let the others think they''re weak, so I will, I must, do the same.


    "Of course! We will let no harm come to our Champions."


    I nod as I gaze into the Beastkin''s eyes without wavering, and in turn, the soldier returns a proud salute. It''s going to be fine. Even if something goes wrong, I''ll have your back. It''s the least I can do.


    ***


    With a swift gait, I approach the Sorcerer Champion. In her left hand, she holds her makeshift white flag and on her right, her staff. With caution, she gazes over with her blood-red eyes. I still remember the last time we saw each other face to face. It was during the battle at the eastern fortress. We had cornered the Warrior Champion when a [Meteor] came crashing from the sky as the Sorcerer came in to try and rescue the Warrior. I would have been done in back then had it not been for Peter, sacrificing himself to save me. At the time, thinking that my opponents were just some [Demons], I wanted to kill her so bad. However, now, knowing that she may just be someone trapped in the same circumstances as I am, someone who just happened to wound up on the opposing side, rather than fight, I want to make peace. If at all possible, I want to put an end to all this right here.


    In a timely fashion, I arrive before her. I stop at what I have determined with my [Insight] to be a safe distance, out of range of her faster spells. Then, from my pocket, I pull out a small note that I have prepared beforehand. Written on it are words, words written in the language of our world. While I understood that the H.U.D. alters one''s cognition, it doesn''t necessarily alter everything. Fundamental shapes, for example, it cannot alter, and words are really just a combination of lines and shapes.


    [Nod your head if you can understand this. Shake if you don''t.]


    That is the simple message written on the paper, and to this message, the Sorcerer nods. My heart fills with elation at this very moment, feeling as if I had just opened a door previously lock and found a brand new path that we did not know off.


    Again, form my pocket, I pull out another slip of paper.


    [I am Aurelius, do you know me?]


    Again, she nods. Then, with her staff, she writes on the ground.


    [I am Corona. I was in Oro''s party.]


    Corona... I remember her, she''s a regular in Oro''s raiding party. I see her all the time during raids with our guild. As for Oro, he''s the party leader, and usually, he plays a tanky Warrior. That was him, wasn''t it, the Warrior Champion I fought atop the mountain.


    What do I say to her? Do I tell her about Oro, about how I killed him? Do I tell her that I''m sorry? No, to begin with, there isn''t even a way for us to communicate properly. Writing all that down in notes won''t communicate how I feel. Besides, she wasn''t there when I killed him. Oro could have slipped and fallen down the side of the mountain for all she knows, and she''ll never know so long as I keep quiet about it. Rather than trying to talk about something that I can do nothing about, I should get to more immediate matters.


    Once more, I show her another note.


    [I don''t want to fight. Do you feel the same?]


    She waits a few moments before finally, she slowly nods. Upon receiving her reply, I pull out the next note I have prepared.


    [Then let''s talk. There are many things we need to discuss, about this world and our situation. I want to know what you know and tell you what I''ve discovered. Together, we may understand more and find a solution. However, since we can''t understand one another''s words, this may take a while. Maybe we might arrange something? A truce perhaps?]


    I wait eagerly for her to finish reading and to finally return me a response. I am hopeful. If this works out, then it may be the end of our fight and we may put down our weapons and find a solution through dialogue.


    Then, from beyond my field of vision, a large shadow falls over me with sunlight glinting off its massive claws. On my chest, I feel a blunt impact, throwing me backwards just in time for the massive claws to swipe across where my neck used to be.


    I fall to the ground with a weight on my body. Upon looking down, I find Corona lying against my chest, beginning to get up as she glares at the large shadow who turns out to be one of the Dragonbrood [Demons], one that looks like a mix of a man and an alligator.


    "______!?"


    She shouts at him with words I cannot understand, though from her tone it sounds like she''s absolutely furious as well as incredibly confused.


    "_________."


    The [Alligator Demon] speaks with a respectful tone, sounding akin to how the Beastkin speaks with me. However, soon the raises his claws again as he spouts what I would assume to be a warning, perhaps telling Corona to get out of the way.


    "______!"


    Corona shouts, and with her staff raised, she creates a [Mana Wall], deflecting the incoming claw swipe.


    "Aurelius!"


    From behind, I hear Six shouting. It looks like he saw what happened and came to my rescue just as planned. But, what now? If I just retreat now, the only option left would be to resume fighting, all the while not understand anything. I can''t just let this end like this, can I?


    "Back off, you!"


    Without a single moment of hesitation, Six leaps at the alligator man and lunges forward with one of his swords all the while maneuvering his second swords to intercept the Alligator''s claw.


    The Alligator [Demon], in response, shifts his weight to the side to evade Six''s attack, and though Six was too swift for him to completely avoid the lunge, the Alligator manages to avoid a fatal wound. Then, immediately after, the Alligator pulls back and turns away in an attempt to retreat. Six, tenatious as he is, gives chase, only for it to turn out to be a feint as the Alligator swings down his massive tail at Six once he got close enough and threw him off balance. With that opening, the Alligator reaches out towards Corona, most likely in an attempt to retrieve her before pulling back.


    "[Bind Circle]!"


    As if I''d let that happen. If I lose her, if I let her get taken away now, I''ll never understand anything. I need to know, I need Corona to tell me what she sees, what she was talking with that Alligator about, why he attacked in the first place. She''s my only connection to the truth.


    With the Alligator [Demon] frozen in place, the soldiers in Six''s extraction squad move in for the killing blow with their spears, only for each one to be incapable of piercing the Alligator''s hide. As expected, without [Holy Weapon], the Dragonbroods'' hide are simply too tough for common weapons to penetrate. However, even without [Holy Weapon], there is still a weapon that should be able to do damage.


    Right after the soldiers'' failed attempt, Six comes in, swinging one of his two swords, the black shortsword, the weapon taken from the Warrior Champion, the one I''ve just confirmed to be Oro. With a single swing, Six lops off the Alligator''s arm clean off without the need for any enchantments. According to the Beastkin''s royal blacksmith, the metal of the black sword was unlike any he had ever seen, that it was a metal somewhat heavier than steel but tougher than any metal known to the Beastkins and Mankind alike. If any weapon can pierce through the Dragonbroods'' high defense on its own, it''ll have to be this sword.


    "Corona!"


    I call out to her, not knowing if she could understand what I am saying, and stretch my hand out towards her. It''ll be hard to explain to her that I need her as I drag her away, possibly against her will, so with this gesture, I ask her to come with me, hoping that she would comply.


    "_______!"


    The Alligator shouts, causing Corona to hesitate, but only for a brief moment before taking my hand. She too, most likely, wishes to know the truth.


    "Six, we''re getting out of here!"


    "Her too?"


    "Yes. I think she wants to know as well, about this world, about why we''re actually fighting."


    "Fine, so long as she doesn''t do anything crazy like her friend there."


    From the pouch behind his waist, Six pulls out a black orb with a fuse attached to it, and with a swing of his sword, he lights the fuse ablaze. Apparently, he had already got someone to cast [Heat Weapon] for him beforehand.


    Six tosses the orb as we pull back. In a few moments after, the orb explodes into a great cloud of smoke, creating a screen for our escape.


    I have to say, while not everything went according to plan, I feel like we''re making progress. Retreating with Corona, the enemy Champion, alongside us is a huge step forward. By exchanging information with one another, surely, we''ll be able to figure something out. For once, finally, I feel like I can somehow find the path forward.


    ***


    End of Chapter 50

 Vol. 4, Chapter 51: Dissonance

    "Close the gates! Close the gates!"


    The soldiers yell as we came through the city gates with a horde of Dragonbrood [Demons] running after us without regard for the arrows and magic flying at them. Their confidence, however, are not unfounded as so far, we were only doing very little damage to their draconic hides.


    "They''ll overrun us at this rate. Aurelius, think you can summon Michaela?"


    "Yeah... Just give me a minute..."


    While I would more than love to help as soon as possible, at the moment, my body, it feels as if it''s burning from the inside, as if my bones had been turned molten and is eating through my flesh.


    "Aurelius!? Don''t tell me, that [Bind Circle], just that one spell took that much of a toll?"


    "Guess I should have taken that advice about casting spells. Then again, this is hardly the time to hold back. Just give me a moment, just a moment and I''ll have Michaela out."


    That being said, right now it''s difficult to even stand. The pain makes me what to just fall to the ground and roll up in a ball.


    From my side, apparently realizing that I am about to fall over, Corona takes my arm and lends me her shoulder. Even through her partially scale-covered skin and her blood-red eyes, her concern for me is clear. We''re all friends here, even though we look somewhat different, even though we can''t understand what one another is saying, we''re still friends and guildmates that hung out together. At least, I want to believe that. However, apparently there are those that aren''t so convinced.


    "Unhand him, [Demon]!"


    Once we made it inside the city walls, soldiers surround us, or more specifically, Corona. With spears and swords raised, they glare at the Sorcerer with both hostility and a clear sign of fear.


    "Stand down! She''s not hostile."


    I try to wave them away but they appear to not acknowledge my words as they continue to surround Corona with their weapons pointed at her.


    "What are you doing to him!?"


    "Unhand the Champion right this instance!"


    "It''s going to kill him!"


    The soldiers shout out in frustration and anger, acting as if Corona is doing something to me when all that''s happening is her letting me lean on her shoulder.


    "Stand down! Can''t you see she''s not hostile!?"


    Descending from the stairs leading up to the top of the walls, Cecilia shouts at the troops, trying to get them to disperse.


    "Lady Cecilia, what are you saying? Can''t you see how she''s sinking her claws into him?"


    "Claws?"


    At the soldier''s words, Cecilia slows down her footsteps and gazes over to Corona and me. She then frowns, likely due to seeing nothing like what the soldier described.


    "I don''t see such a-"


    A clash of steel drowns out the rest of Cecilia''s words as one of the soldiers had approached Corona and I from our blind spot and lunged at Corona with his blade. The attempt failed, fortunately, thanks to Six moving in with sharp timing and deflecting the blow.


    "W-what are you doing, Sir Six!?"


    "I could ask you the same thing. He said to stand down!"


    "But, but..."


    The soldier''s eyes are dilating as his eyelids twitch uncontrollably, a symptom that can be seen from the soldiers surrounding us. It''s almost as if they''re afraid, terrified out of their minds. Is Corona''s appearance so terrifying to them? Or, perhaps these are the effects of the [Corruption]? No wait, remember, something similar happened before, didn''t it? The Warrior Champion, Oro, back at the eastern fort, when he used his [Warcry] skill, it made all of the effected soldiers fear him and think of him as an enemy that must be taken down no matter what, causing them to attack him recklessly. However, on me, the effects only extend to being unable to look away from him. The body is affected, but not my mind. Why? Is this because my mind and this body are separate? Is that why neither myself nor the rest of us Champions fear and see hostility in Corona in spite of our [Corruptions]?


    From the outside of the walls, a loud explosion can be heard as a metallic mass crashes into the massive wall, generating yet another loud wave of unpleasant noises alongside a tremor that can be felt through the ground. From all around me, I see the Beastkins'' ears twitching wildly and from their eyes I can tell that they are becoming increasingly unnerved.


    I get it now, that''s what the cannons are for. Most of the Beastkins have strong senses, and for those not used to it, the loud noises cannon fire can be a rather frightening thing. Combine it with the impacts against the wall, no doubt the Dragonbroods plan to cause fear and panic with the cannon fire. This is bad for us, not merely in regards to this battle, but in dealing with the already sufficiently disturbed soldiers with their weapons pointed at us.


    "Hey Aurelius, what now?"


    "Well, it''s not exactly what I planned for, but whatever."


    I then turn towards the stairway, where Cecilia is positioned.


    "Cecilia, plan B!"


    Promptly, she nods, and after taking a moment to consider the situation, she releases a mighty roar, forcing the attention of the soldiers towards her. It''s her skill, [Warcry].


    "Alright, while they''re distracted... Six, take Corona!"


    "And you?"


    "I''ll stick with Cecilia, just get going."


    Taking the confused Corona''s hand, Six pulls her away using [Shadow Step] and they both disappear into a black mist, easily moving through the soldiers surrounding us. The soldiers hardly notice as the two went right through them, their attention taken by Cecilia. As for Six and Corona''s destination, that would be the palace, as we have previously planned, though the plan was for when the Dragonbroods had broken through the walls, not when we''re being threatened by our own. But well, no matter, as it is, things should still play out as predicted, the only thing in this plan that I am unsure about is the part at the end when the final piece is to fall into place.


    ***


    Running through the streets, zigzagging across alleyways, Cecilia tirelessly moves her legs to avoid capture by our own allies, the Beastkins, all the while carrying me on her back. By the fortune within misfortune, the squad sent to chase us down is relatively small, as most of the soldiers are needed at the wall, defending against the Dragonbrood onslaught.


    "This should be far enough. Can you send up the signal?"


    "Sure, but will they listen?"


    Putting me down, Cecilia pulls out an iron tube with a fuse leading into the opening on top.


    "I''m sure to them, it seems like we have gone mad, covering for the enemy Champion and all that. But, we''ll send it anyways. If they follow the plan, then good, if they don''t, they can''t say that we didn''t warn them afterwards."


    "Fine then, but this will give away our location too so-"


    "Don''t worry, I should be able to move now."


    Pushing against the wall, I try to stand up. My body still hurts, but not as much as before. If I just push a little, I should be able to make it to the palace.


    "Just don''t push too much. We still need you, I... We''d be quite lost without you."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "Stop worrying and send the signal, I''ll be just fine."


    At my words, Cecilia sets the tube on the ground and pulls out a match from her pouch. She then drags the match across her leather belt, lighting it up before bringing it to the fuse.


    "Alright, let''s move."


    Together, we start making our way out of the alley, and shortly after that, a trail of red smoke launches into the sky. Then, following the first one, another trail of red smoke shoots towards the sky, and then another, and another. This way, the whole length of the wall facing the north, as well as its surrounding areas should see the signal clearly. Looks like those in charge of the signals are following instructions properly. Now, I can only hope those in charge of the soldiers would follow the plan I laid out to them prior.


    Following the launching of the signals, I hear the footsteps of armored troops approaching. It must be the squad sent to detain us.


    "Come on, pick up your pace Aurelius, of else you''re going to get captured, and if that happens, the plan won''t work."


    "I know! I know!"


    Even so, my legs can only go so fast as pain courses through my body.


    "For goodness sake!"


    In a single swift movement, Cecilia grabs hold of me and swings my body over her shoulder.


    "C-Cecilia!?"


    "The palace isn''t too far away anyways. I can probably hold out."


    And so, with me over her shoulder like a sandbag, Cecilia, our guild leader sprints away at full speed.


    ***


    Upon our arrival at the palace grounds, the guards are quick to come and greet us. Seeing their approach, I have Cecilia put me down. Even I am not so shameless as to hold a conversation while being carried like a sack of potatoes.


    "Sir Aurelius, Lady Cecilia, what''s wrong?"


    Finding the question difficult to answer, I ignore it and ask a question of my own.


    "Six, where is Six?"


    "He was heading for the throne room with a woman in tow. She had a cloak thrown over her so I can''t quite see who she is, but..."


    "But?"


    "I don''t know, I think there is something very wrong with her."


    "Well isn''t that a coincidence."


    "Pardon, sir?"


    "The troops, something is wrong with them. They''ve become extremely hostile and have turned against us as if their minds had been clouded. This must be the [Demon]''s trickery!"


    "The [Demons]!? Then, what do we do?"


    "Quickly, we must barricade the palace at once! Do not let a single one in! I will go see Six and figure out a way to calm them down, before then, you must hold the palace ground for as long as possible. Understood?"


    "Y-yes, of course, sir! So long as we draw breath, the palace guards will allow no trespasses."


    "Good, I am counting on you."


    They seem to have brought my lies, though, technically, I suppose it could be all true. Regardless, upon entering the palace, Cecilia and I head straight into the throne room, where we find Six and Corona waiting.


    "Good, you guy made it."


    Six appears to be relieved, though Corona seems to be very confused and in distress. She must not understand what is going on. After being dragged around by those whose words you can''t even understand in a situation that even we could not fully grasp must have been stressful.


    "Cecilia, can you shut the doors?"


    "Will do."


    And while she does that, I sit myself onto the floor, laying down the paper and inkwell I have prepared in advance to communicate with the Corona. Really, I was expecting to use them at a table, where we''d be talking in a much calmer environment. On the paper, I explain as simply as possible the situation we are currently in, about how the Beastkins reacted to her, and how we''ll hole up here as part of our plan. I also made brief mention to who''s who in here, letting her know that the other two with us are Six and Cecilia, formerly known as xXx_GodSlayer_xXx.


    Thankfully, after reading what I have written down, Corona appears to be much more relaxed, though, if she learns what I am about to do, something I have omitted from her, I think she might have a completely different reaction.


    Within the throne room, a place located right at the center of the palace, we take our time to rest. Cecilia is leaning against the wall, trying to keep her anxiety in check with the constant tapping of her foot. Six, on the other hand, is rather relaxed, too much in fact, as he leans back against the throne. I''m sure if any of the Beastkins are here to see him, they''d be extremely upset and the very thought of it makes me want to shrink into a corner. However, Six, being Six, simply doesn''t give a damn and sat down as if the throne was his personal couch. As for me, I am currently kept busy by trading notes with Corona. The information provided by her confirmed my suspicions. The H.U.D. does indeed appear hide the [Corruption] of the faction we had been summoned into and it does translate only their words. As for how the H.U.D. knows who belongs to which faction, it probably bases it on which Keeper they have. I''ve heard that each race is intrinsically tied to their Keeper and so it is impossible for a member to go against his or her own race without weighty consequences, for if their Keeper perishes, they too will follow.


    During this exchange, I also wanted to ask about Oro, but decided against it. He and Corona played together rather often and I think they are at least good friends. I don''t want to open up any wounds by mentioning him at this point, when things are so tense, especially when it was I who killed him. One day, I''ll talk to her about it. One day. But, today is not that day.


    Eventually, a loud noise comes from the doors. Rather than knocking, it sounds more akin to someone trying to break it down.


    "I assume at least one of the generals is behind that door?"


    "Sir Aurelius! It is I, Gulford, and I demand that you open this door at once!"


    Through controlled, I can hear in his voice frustration and confusion. Rather understandable, considering the situation.


    "I am afraid I can''t do that."


    "What has gotten into you!? First you aid the enemy that I heard was threatening your life, then you abandoned the battle to barricade yourself here, have you gone mad!?"


    With the previous confusion and frustration, desperation has been mixed in. The situation must have gotten rather rotten. If my guess is right, the Dragonbroods must have already gotten past the city walls and are making their way to the palace.


    "Gulford, I must ask, what happened to the guards I have ordered to stop anyone from getting in?"


    "I regret to inform you that they allowed us in after hearing our explanation. Now please, stop this foolishness and come out. Seeing as you still care for those under your charge, I believe you are not as mad as they say. I promise that I will hear you out, so please, Sir Aurelius, come out."


    "There''s nothing to explain, this is part of the plan, remember?"


    "The plan to barricade ourselves in the palace and wait for reinforcements was supposed to be the last resort, and I don''t remember the part of plan that includes locking yourself up in the throne room!"


    "A slight alteration I''ve made due to the situation. Worry not, things are still proceeding accordingly. Now then, the Dragonbroods, how far have they made it?"


    "They''re upon the palace walls. We''re holding them at bay but not for long."


    "Good."


    That means they''re in range.


    "Good? Good!? Have you lost your mind!? My men are dying out there while you hide! I can''t believe I trusted you, all because the princess said you are our last hope! Now I know, that you''re either a madman or a coward!"


    Well, I have to say, those words cut deep, but I understand. I have, on more than one occasion, found myself under superiors and bosses that don''t know what they are doing yet pretending that they do. The worst ones are those that snap when you call them out.


    "I am sorry, Gulford, I truly am, but the doors stay shut. I can''t have you or anyone disrupt me. This is an important part of the plan after all."


    "What are you saying, I haven''t heard of-"


    "Wish me luck, Gulford, like your life depends on it, ''cause it does."


    I turn away from the door and head to the center of the room.


    "From this point on, even I''m not sure what will happen. So..."


    "Yeah, yeah, like that''s anything new. Still, I guess we''re quite something too, for following you all the way here. Ain''t that right, Cecilia?"


    "Thinking about it, we''ve had a bit too many close calls, didn''t we? Maybe I should appoint someone else as the guild''s official tactician."


    "Oh, screw you guys! And a guild tactician isn''t even an official position anyways! Whatever, just give me some room, alright."


    Putting a hand over Corona''s shoulder, Cecilia leads the confused girl to a corner while Six does the same. Meanwhile, I prepare myself with my grimoire in hand. Gulford was right about this being the last resort, but given the situation, I have a feeling that I won''t be able to get the Beastkins under control without Corona coming to harm. If the effects of the [Corruption] is anything similar to the aggro drawing skills such as [Warcry], then the Beastkins will attack her as soon as I take my eyes off them, something I cannot afford. I would either have to give up on Corona or lose this battle, neither of which I am willing to do. So, to salvage it all, this is the only solution I can think of.


    From the grimoire, I pull out the [contract], the one from the [World Devourer Woods].


    "Alright, here I go. Are you guys ready?"


    Both Cecilia and Six returns me a nod.


    "Then... Come forth!"


    ***


    Blasting through the palace structure, an uncontrollable burst of energy exploding from the center of the palace. It was akin to a strike of lightning, lasting for but an instant but caused a great deal of devastation in its wake. However, destruction was not the only thing left behind as out of the sparks came life, and wherever the burst of energy had touched, trees and grass and all sorts of flora sprang forth and began spreading throughout the city. In the center of it all, in the palace now in ruins, is a giant tree reaching heavenward.


    "Finally, he''s done it."


    Beside me stands a phantom, a ghost from a past long forgotten.


    "So it seems. However, wouldn''t it be faster if you''d just gotten involved directly, former Champion?"


    "No, not yet. I can''t have the Grand Keeper catch on. Right now, I don''t have the strength to deal with her."


    "Fair enough. What should I do next?"


    "One Keeper has fallen, only three more remains. The next one, I think will be the one we are both very familiar with. Go on the prowl and keep watch, I expect your assistance to be needed soon."


    "And what of our feathered friend, what shall I do should she appears?"


    "Well, I''m not sure what she''s thinking right now, but so far, her actions have only furthered my plans. Leave her be."


    "Sure, but..."


    "Hm?"


    "Is ''that'' even capable of thinking?"


    For a moment, the phantom of a former Champion remains silent and in thought. I guess even he has something he doesn''t know.


    "I won''t know for sure till I see her for myself, but that''s another story altogether. You have your orders."


    "Very well, you may count on me, my liege."


    The phantom nods and vanishes to wherever he needs to be. He is a secretive one, trusting no one with any more than necessary, not that it mattered one bit. So long as he has that grimoire with him, I cannot go against him.


    I let out a sigh, one for my own powerlessness as I gaze down at my hands, or should I say, paws, one with very human-like articulations. In the end, it truly matters not who I serve, so long as I can put an end to this accursed cycle.


    Deciding that I shouldn''t be loitering in one spot for too long, I cast Feather Weight upon myself and call upon the winds to carry me away, up into the void that is the sky.


    ***


    End of Chapter 51

 Vol. 4, Chapter 52: The Champion Returns

    The cold and the darkness, these two greeted me upon opening my eyes. For a moment, I thought that I was dead, but once I began moving, the sharp pain in my body quickly tells me otherwise.


    "I have to... I have to stop them..."


    In spite of the pain, I forced my body to move, rising up from the thin layer of snow covering my body. I tried to stand, but my legs wouldn''t move. They''ve been broken by the fall. However, it appeared that my arms still work. I have to get back, get back and warn them, even if I have to crawl. But, which way do I go? How far have I fallen? Damn those bastards! Was that a [Feather Weight] spell that did me in?


    Bit by bit, I dragged myself across the snow filled valley even while the snow continued to slowly fall upon me, even while my fingers started to become numb. Thought I may not know where I''m going, I can''t just stay here. I have to get back. I can''t just leave her by herself. Corona...


    In time, the cold began to get to me, my body starts to feel heavy and once or twice or perhaps more than that, when I let my guard down, my eyelids would close without my notice.


    "This can''t be happening. This can''t be happening."


    While I repeat those words, I know very well that I won''t be lasting very long. I am at the limit of my strength.


    "Corona..."


    Even though I promised. Even though I said that I''ll be back soon... Damn it! I can''t let it end here. I can''t stop. We''re going home together. I promised! I promised damn it!


    Again and again, I find myself stopping. Again and again, I gathered my strength and began dragging my body forward once more. I have to keep going, I can''t stop. I have to warn them, that the enemy is coming. I have to go. I have to. I have to...


    My eyes snapped open, somewhere along the lines, I had fallen unconscious again.


    "Ha...ve... to... keep...... going..."


    My mouth was dry and my voice barely came out. I tried moving my arms but even they would not respond anymore. How long have I slept? This is bad. This is very bad. My body is heavy and cold, and everything is turning dark. This is it isn''t it? This is the end of the line for me.


    "...O...ro..."


    From the distance, I hear a voice.


    "...Oro..."


    It is a familiar voice, a gentle voice.


    "Lord Oro!"


    "Wha-!"


    ***


    I leap out of bed, sweating profusely. While my vision is blurry from suddenly opening my eyes in a drowsy state, I distinctively feel a presence beside me.


    "You were groaning an awful lot in your sleep so I thought I''d call out to you. Was it that bad?"


    I rub my eyes to have it adjust faster before turning around to see a reptilian face staring at me. Had I been less awake, I might have either punched it or leap out of the window by the bed in fright.


    "Doctor Khumar... How long have I been asleep?"


    "This time, only three days."


    "Three days... Where''s Corona?"


    "Gone, off to a campaign. She told you, right?"


    "Yeah... I vaguely recall it."


    I look out the window only for my vision to blur again. The light, it''s so bright, it makes me want to close my eyes, makes me sleepy.


    "So, what dream were you having?"


    "Nothing new, it''s that dream where I was at the bottom of that valley again."


    "I see... Well, you''re here now, safe with us. Do you want to go back and rest? Or do you want something to eat first?"


    "No, no more sleep. I don''t know how long I might sleep this time. I''m sure I''ll feel better once I have some food in my stomach, maybe a bath after."


    I rub my eyes again, trying to get them to focus and rub away the drowsiness that has been assaulting me ever since they retrieved me from the bottom of the valley. They told me that I was more or less dead by the time they reached me, but the cold kept my body preserved enough that there was a chance for revival. The healer apparently got to work as soon as they could and was able to restore my bodily functions and bring me back to life. However, ever since then, I''ve been experiencing fatigue regularly and when I sleep, it is for days at a time. My condition was described as my soul having a hard time connecting to my body. Apparently, a Champion''s body is different from the others in that the flesh and the soul are separate, and rather than dwelling in the body, it controls it from elsewhere. At that point, I cracked a joke about resetting the router, but none of them got it, none but Corona who apparently didn''t think it was very funny.


    Soaking myself in hot water, I can feel my body becoming lighter. In the past, if I wanted to get rid of the drowsiness, I would have taken a cold bath, but right now, I''m rather tired of the cold. In fact, I don''t think I want to take another cold bath or shower ever again. Speaking of hot, I wonder if the replacements for my swords are ready yet. I should go check the smithy later.


    After getting a good soak, I exit the bath and head into the kitchen, where I find the doctor stir-frying some wild meat and vegetables with the flames from his breath. I''ve seen this countless times already, but even now I still can''t quite decide if that''s appropriate or not. On one hand, I''m not comfortable with the cook blowing into my food. On the other, he''s literally breathing fire, so it shouldn''t be unhygienic as any bacteria would be exterminated by the heat.


    "You got out just in time. I''m just about done. Care to set the table?"


    "Sure."


    I got out the plates and cutlery and lay them on the wooden table. The plates are made of ceramic and the cutlery of silver, both of which are beautifully crafted with delicate carvings on them. While the Dragonbroods are said to be lacking the ingenuity of Mankind, they are rather adept in the finer crafts. Apparently, this is due to them being a physically strong race which led to them to have far fewer needs in terms of survival, thus allowing them to be able to devote themselves to craftsmanship that would otherwise be considered superfluous.


    "By the way, you should probably go see the Keeper. I heard that she had awakened. It''s not every day that you''re both awake, so I think you best go see her. Maybe she''ll have an idea on how to fix you."


    Due to using her power to keep this land from being further [Corrupted], the Keeper had to use her power constantly without cease. This results in her having to slumber for extended periods of time to recuperate, this period of unconsciousness is then further extended by the fact that even while asleep she needs to extend her protection throughout the land.


    "I''ll do that. I was planning on visiting the smithy anyways."


    Once I finished my meal I prepare to head on out, but the moment I leave the front door, the sunlight pierces my eyes, scorching them and causing me to shrink away back into the building as I fall on my backside. While on the floor, I try opening my scorched eyes only to find my eyelids incredibly heavy. From the back of my head, a dark mist starts to overtake my consciousness, and following that, my body starts to feel both heavy and light at the same time, as if submerged in water.


    Suddenly, something cold runs down my back and immediately my eyes snap open. I reach towards my back to find it to be wet. Turning around, I find Doctor Khumar with a ceramic mug in hand.


    "Still not used to the sun?"


    "No... I don''t know what''s wrong with me."


    "Who knows, maybe having died once made you a little strange? Either way, take this, it should help somewhat."


    The doctor hands me a straw sunhat. Gratefully, I receive it and put it on over my woolen hood, taking comfort in the additional shade provided by the hat.


    "Careful now, I don''t want to hear later that you fell off the mountain or something."


    "I hear you. I wouldn''t want to end up at the bottom of a mountain either, not again."


    ***


    The largest settlement of the Dragonbroods lies within the mountains at the northern edge of the continent. Here, the dwelling and facilities are carved into the side of the mountains, creating a town with dynamic elevations. For sources of water, there are the springs within the mountains and the ice and snow from atop. At the foot of the mountains are the fields, mostly for farming, and surrounding the fields are the forests where the Dragonbrood hunts. It turns out that while the Dragonbroods all tend to appear rather reptilian, there are quite a few here that are omnivorous.


    I make my way further up the mountain by the long staircases carved into the mountainsides. While there are services provided by those with temporary flight, I opted to climb with my own two feet. With the amount I''ve been sleeping nowadays, I should move my body as much as possible or else I might wake up one day finding myself too weak to move, much less fight.


    "But damn, how long are these things?"


    I remember the trip to be much easier the last time I was here. I guess the effects of sleeping such extended amount of time are beginning to show.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    As my body starts to sweat, the winds blowing against my exposed skin starts to mildly sting, reminding me of that day when I decided to scale the mountain range that lies at the eastern borders of Beastkin territory. I thought that I could launch a surprise attack on the fort from behind while Corona''s unit would strike from the front. It was a pretty decent plan, and with the Dragonbroods who are used to mountainous environments, the strategy seemed foolproof. To think, that we were actually ambushed en route.


    There shouldn''t be anything wrong with the strategy and there should be no way that the enemy would know that we would go through that specific route even if they have predicted our plans. Yet, there they were, launching an ambush from our blind spot. That moment still haunts me, and the fact that there is someone out there that predicted my every move and turned the tables around scares me. At one point, I had considered that it may have just been a fluke, that we ran by each other in the mountains, during a snowstorm, purely by chance, that''s what I told myself some time ago. However, when that person, the one calling herself the ''Grand Keeper'', said that the [World Devourer Woods] may be taken down by the Beastkin''s Champion and that we should prepare to strike once that comes to fruition, I begin to have my doubts. When it actually came to pass, I knew that the Beastkins'' Champions aren''t to be trifled with. After all, it took us months to make even a dent in that forest, yet, those Champions had done more than that in a mere few weeks since they arrived. That''s not normal.


    And now, headed off to face those very same Champions, is Corona. Is she going to be fine without me? I don''t know and I am afraid to find out. I need to fix my condition as soon as possible and go back her up.


    Accompanied by the sounds of rhythmic hammering, I arrived at the smithy which lies about two thirds the way up the mountain. Here, the blacksmiths work day and night to provide the Dragonbroods with armor and weapons to fight back the hordes of the [Corrupted].


    "Lord Oro, you''re awake."


    Approaching me is the overseer and head smith of the smithy, a Dragonbrood with ruby red scales obscured by the ashes and soot. Protruding from his head is a pair of great horns that appears to be trimmed down in size. Apparently, the horns got in the way. He also happens to be the one personally involved with the forging of my weapons and armor. If he''s free enough to notice my approach, then most likely...


    "Good day to you too. My swords, are they done?"


    "You bet. Want to try them out?"


    "Later, I need to see the Keeper."


    "The Keeper, eh? I don''t know, I think she is entertaining a guest right now."


    "A guest?"


    "The Grand Keeper, she''s come to visit. That''s why our Keeper is awake in the first place."


    "Is that so? Still, my business is pretty urgent as well. I''m sure they won''t mind."


    "Well, if the Champion says so."


    "I''ll come back later."


    "Yeah, I''ll be waiting."


    Further up from the smithy, there lies another lengthy and twisty path extending towards the top of the mountain. From there onwards, the air becomes much thinner, yet, somehow, it''s not difficult for me to get around at all. Rather, I feel much, much more energetic around here. There''s something about a Keeper''s presence that empowers us Champions. I wonder why.


    As I move further up the path, I see something dark and massive coiled around the sides of the mountain, the luster of its black surface is reminiscent of the black metal weapons made for my use. From this point onwards there are no more stairs, only a gentle slope spiraling up toward the top of the mountain. I tighten the chin strap on my hat before advancing further as I expect the winds to be especially harsh up here.


    "Again, I sensed her, but like before she only appeared for a moment before disappearing."


    "She is careful to not be caught. It is clear then that she does not stand with us."


    "Indeed, but we must acquire her nonetheless, without her the world is doomed."


    With the winds becoming calmer the nearer I got to the top due to a permanent [Air Ward], I catch on to a conversation from a distance. It sounds like they''re talking about someone, someone they would like to be found, someone very important, but that''s the extent of my understanding. There is little more I can glean from that conversation. I wonder who they''re talking about. If she''s so necessary in regards to saving this world, maybe I should get involved with this conversation, seeing that I am in fact the Champion summoned here for that express purpose.


    "Sounds like an important person. Think you''ll need help finding her?"


    At my interruption, one of the two participants of the conversation turns with a surprised look on her face, her golden locks flowing smoothly along with her movements as she does so. Upon spotting me, she sends a glare of death my way with those deep blue eyes of her that adds to the coldness of her gaze, sending shiver down my already chilled spine.


    "Relax, Grand Keeper, it is only the Champion."


    Trying to calm her down is a creature whose head is that of a serpent, in fact, only her head can be seen from here while the rest of her body is too massive to be observed without stepping far far away from the mountain. Once you do, you''ll soon realize that the dark massive object curling around the mountainside is in truth, the rest of the serpent''s body.


    "Oh, I hardly recognize you with that hat on. Good day to you, Oro."


    Once she realizes that it''s me, the Grand Keeper relaxes and lets her guard down. Was no one supposed to hear that conversation? Or did they not expect anyone to just waltz up here?


    "Good day to you too, Grand Keeper. So, what were you two talking about?"


    For a moment, she looks away, looking as if she''s considering whether or not to tell me before finally deciding.


    "A rather elusive individual, one that also happens to be very important to this world''s restoration."


    "If she''s so important, why didn''t I know about her?"


    "It is in the case you got [Corrupted]. You understand right? That one does not simply lose their mind upon [Corruption]. Even as [Demons], they still retain the knowledge and experience they''ve had prior to being [Corrupted]. I can''t risk having you using this information against the rest of the world."


    The Grand Keeper and pauses a little, taking a bit of time to read my expression.


    "Not convinced?"


    "Well, even if I''m not, I would probably keep that to myself, Grand Keeper."


    "Perhaps, but perhaps you might also be a terrible liar."


    "I''ll have you know, I can tell some convincing lies."


    "Well then, consider me bamboozled, but regardless, I''ll be going now. I have other matters to attend to and I believe so do you. For now, I''ll bid you farewell."


    Bamboozled, she said. Not a word I expect to hear from someone called the Grand Keeper.


    "Yes well, take care, Grand Keeper. Hope I''ll see you soon."


    She nods slightly before sprouting a pair of pure white wings upon her back and took off into the sky, disappearing into the sea of clouds.


    "Now then, Keeper, do you have some time?"


    "I do, in fact. If you hadn''t come on your own accord, I was going to ask for you myself."


    This massive serpent coiled around the mountain, the [Holy Sentinel Serpent], is the Dragonbrood''s Keeper. Though she does not possess the vocal cords for speech, it appears that she can communicate by speaking directly in one''s mind and is capable of doing so to anyone living on this mountain. Convenient, as I would imagine that no one would hear her from all the way up here.


    Still, despite her ability to speak directly to the mind, she lowers her upright head closer to the ground so that she may, as she puts it, have a better conversation. That being said, having such a large creature this close to me is rather unnerving, with her yellow eyes and slit pupils staring at me so attentively making me feel like I am currently part of her meal. Finding myself unable to look directly into those predatory eyes, I shift my gaze elsewhere, towards the Keeper''s neck, where I find exposed skin on her scale-covered body. This is where her toughest scales grow, and it appears that they have been plucked, most likely to be refined and forged into weapons, weapons for my use. The skin, of course, has been healed by the healers, but the scales do not appear to be something that can be easily reconstructed with healing magic and will take time to grow back.


    "I am here to ask about my condition, actually. I am sure you''ve heard about it, right?"


    "Ah yes, I have indeed, Champion. In fact, the Grand Keeper and I were talking about it before your arrival."


    "So what''s happening and how do I fix it?"


    "The root of the problem lies with your current vessel. It is, in essence, ''broken'', and your soul is having a difficult time recognizing it as its body. Undoubtedly, the cause of it was the event of your ''death'', and though you were brought back to life in the nick of time, your soul now has a hard time telling if the body is indeed a body or a corpse. Should this keep up, let alone three days or three weeks, one day you may not wake up at all."


    In other words, I might just drop dead in my sleep. I can''t say it''s exactly all that comforting a thought.


    "Alright, sure, now how about some good news."


    "Do not rush me, I am just getting to it."


    "Right, sorry, go on."


    "It is the summoning ritual that connects your soul to this body. The solution to fix this lies within the same ritual."


    So it has to do with the summoning. I wonder, if my soul unbinds with this body, will it go back to the body it is originally from? To the body in my own world?


    "Okay, but let''s say that I don''t learn the ritual and keep going like this, what happens to me and my soul."


    "I see what you are thinking. You think that if your soul is no longer bound to this body, you may return to your world. While there is the possibility that it might happen, it may prove a challenge for your soul to find its way back."


    "Is it that difficult?"


    "Think about it this way. Your soul has been pulled across time and space. Even if it somehow crosses back to your world and locates the body, will it arrive at the correct time? You may find yourself in a body days, months, or even years older than when you left it. Is that acceptable to you? Of course, you may get lucky and your soul may find its way back to your body prior to being summoned, perhaps when you''re but a child even. I don''t think I need to tell you the myriad of issues that may cause."


    "Yes... I am starting to see the problem here. If possible, I want to return to the exact point when I was summoned."


    "That is for the best. And that is why we need the ritual proper, to make sure all is done accordingly."


    Guess there''s no way around it then. Not that I expect to find loopholes in all these magical nonsense. I''m not exactly an expert on them.


    "Fine, consider me convinced. Now that we got that all sorted out, do I just wait for the Grand Keeper to come back down and fix me up?"


    "If she could do so, she would have done it a while ago. I am afraid it is more complicated than that."


    "How so, the Grand Keeper is the one who summoned us right? Shouldn''t she be able to fix it?"


    "While it is indeed the Grand Keeper that had summoned you, as I have told you before, things did not go as planned."


    "The ritual was interfered with, and if I remember correctly, it was by the Beastkins."


    "Indeed, they had interfered with the ritual with a ritual of their own, causing the Champions who were supposed to be gathered here to scatter throughout Elgardia and arrive at different places on different times. Some, like you and Corona, arrived in a time period prior to the ritual being performed. We need to know how exactly they interfered and the precise details of what they interfered with. Once we acquire that knowledge, we should be able to restore you, and once all is done-"


    "You''ll be able to send us back."


    "Precisely."


    "Alright, so where do I start?"


    "Like the race of Mankind they took much of their culture form, they should be keeping records of all important information they come across. I''d advise you to investigate their archives which should be located in their capital."


    So, I guess this means I''ll be joining with Corona then. In that case, I am not opposed to this plan, not at all.


    "Then I''ll be heading out. Have you got an escort for me? Since, you know, with my condition, traveling a long distance is going to be hard."


    "Of course. Take as many warriors and you deem fit as well as one of my priestess. She is a Shaman, and though I am not sure how effective her abilities may be, I think she may at least alleviate your symptoms."


    A Shaman, if that''s anything like the class of the same name in Elysium Online, then she''d be something of a necromancer, commanding souls of the undead and summoning zombified creatures. In some ways, this class plays like a Summoner. However, while the Summoner''s performance varies depending on the creatures summoned, a Shaman''s is a class specializing in debuffs and support, with a few skills for direct damage. Not to mention, once a Summoner''s creature is killed in battle, it has to be resurrected in a cathedral to be used again, while a Shaman can dish out as many zombies as his or her Mp allows, making them great for soaking up damage while the tanks pull back for healing.


    "Alright, then, I''ll be heading out immediately."


    "Oh yes, and remember to pick up your armaments, they should be ready by now."


    "Yes, I''ve heard from the head smith. I''ll be sure to pick them up."


    "Ah, I suppose that was uncalled for from me. Well then, I shall be eagerly awaiting your return."


    I wave the Keeper goodbye before heading down the mountain. While the thought that I might have to face that Summoner again unnerves me slightly, it was much worst when I realized that Corona would have to face the bastard without me by her side. Had I know this is how things would turn out, I should have just gone with her when she left. Hopefully, I can still catch up to her before the battle starts.


    ***


    End of Chapter 52

 Vol. 4, Chapter 53: The Champion Sets Out

    By sunset, I have assembled my party and am waiting by the foot of the mountain. The party consists of a dozen of the strongest Dragonbrood warriors who are both physically strong, with some talents with magic. In comparison with Elysium Online, I''d say that they''re something of a Warrior/Enchanter hybrid, with some Cleric and Sorcerer mixed in. With myself included, this makes a party of thirteen members. That being said, we''re not yet complete. Right now, we''re awaiting the fourteenth member, the Shaman that the Keeper had promised. I was told to meet her at the foot of the mountain, but having waited for about twenty minutes, I have yet to see her.


    "A rather insolent one isn''t she, to keep the Champion waiting."


    "Now, now, I''m sure she has her reasons. I only hope she hadn''t run into some trouble along the way."


    It isn''t till the passing of another ten minutes that she eventually arrives, the priestess of the Holy Serpent. I had a feeling it was her, even though there are several others walking down that mountain path. She alone, waked separate from the rest, sticking out like the sorest of thumb dipped in juices of a freshly squeezed lemon. Why? Because she looked almost human, a human with scales spotted here and there on her skin, a human with a pair of unevenly sized horns growing out of her head. Looking at her, it makes me question if she'' even a Dragonbrood at all.


    "Oh no, it''s her! Of all the people to send..."


    For some reason, the Dragonbrood warriors with me begin freaking out when they see her. Out of curiosity, and also sensing that this may cause a problem in the near future, I pull over a nearby warrior to question.


    "What''s so wrong with her, Nibal?"


    "Simply observe, and you''ll soon see the problem."


    From how he worded it, I doubt he''s talking about her appearance. If it is about how she looks, rather than soon, I''d immediately notice it right? And I did, in fact, notice it the moment I laid my eyes on her, so it must be something else.


    Attentively, I watch the girl as she approaches with a painfully slow gait, taking note of how her body lazily sways from side to side as she walks with a slight slouch. Her raven black hair, while tied into a bun behind her head, is sloppily done, with strands and lock sticking out here and there, as if she had just woken up not long ago but couldn''t be bothered to brush her bed head before tying it up.


    "Okay, I am starting to see the problem, but she can''t be that bad, right?"


    "An optimistic take, sir, though I suggest you best be prepared for some trouble.."


    Another of the Dragonbrood warriors, Seif, he was called, chimes in with bemusement, behaving as if this has nothing to do with him. Seeing as he is the leanest of Dragonbroods and is trained as an Assassin, I''ll bet he''s going to just stay out of her sight.


    By the time the priestess gets here, and it took quite a while, the warriors have already hushed themselves. As she nears us, she straightens her posture and begins to walk in a more dignified manner that is a bit more suitable for a priestess representing the Holy Serpent. However, just when I thought that she was going to be more serious, she holds out her hand in front of her face and starts to yawn without restraint, the tension of the mission at hand here seems to have escaped her completely. Well, maybe that''s just the impression that I am getting after hearing what the warriors had to say. This is the person I am meeting for the first time, I can''t be biased.


    Once she arrives in front of me, she looks over me with her sleepy, garnet-like, eyes before releasing another yawn, this time only remembering to cover her mouth halfway through the yawning.


    "So, you must be the vegetal I am to look after."


    "V-vegetal?"


    "Yes, that is what you are, is that not correct? What with your chronic comas."


    "That''s true I suppose..."


    Well, this is odd. The guys behind me are being strangely quiet. Usually, if someone were to speak to me in such a condescending tone, they''d be all in an uproar about it, even if it''s something I find rather insignificant. Had it been as always, right about now I''d have my hands full trying to calm them all down.


    Curious, I turn around for a bit to take a peek, only to find them avoiding my gaze with nervousness in their eyes. And of course, Seif had already slipped away somewhere.


    I turn back to the girl. She looks like she''s sizing up the party, and after a brief moment ends her observation with a sigh aimed at the rest of the warriors.


    "So, no carriage, not even a palanquin. Did you expect me to walk all the way across the continent?"


    Her tone is not only harsh but also heavy with the sense of belittlement. I am starting to see the problem the others have with her.


    "W-we didn''t know it was you who will be coming with us, Lady Asha."


    "Oh?"


    All of a sudden her sleepy eyes turn sharp with scorn, causing the young warrior who dared to talk back to her to quiver.


    "Well, that explains why no one came to get me. I got so tired of waiting I went back to sleep, or I would have, if not for that old hag at the top of the mountain nagging at me in my head."


    However, her disrespectful words did not go unchallenged as Nibal goes up to her with his large frame that dwarfs all warriors present, least of all the unruly priestess, and stares right down at her with eyes filled with righteous fury.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "Lady Asha! You may be a priestess, but I will not tolerate insults towards the Keeper!"


    After being yelled at, the priestess had been acting rather arrogantly till now goes completely silent and begins to shake. Seeing this, I can''t help but reach out towards Nibal. I know she''s a bit of a spoiled brat, well, maybe a lot more than a bit, but still, we''ll be working together from here on out. I seriously don''t want to wake up from my coma to find our camping grounds on fire. Besides, if she''s shaking that much, I''m sure she has learned her lesson by now.


    "Now, now, Nibal, I know she''s rather rude, but she''s just a kid and now is hardly the time to-"


    I froze, the moment I realize that the girl is shaking not out of fear, but with a fury I''ve not felt before, my body can''t help but freeze. It feels as if a giant serpent is staring down at me, and I am but a frog, frozen in place, hoping that she wouldn''t notice me if I just stay still.


    With a swift movement, the girl''s hand reaches up to Nibal, grabbing onto one of his bull-like horns, and in one motion, she pulls him downward, slamming his lower jaw into the ground. However, being a warrior, Nibal is not one to go down so easily, and he quickly recovers from the impact and picks himself off the ground, only to be stopped by Asha''s foot. The upper body strength of a heavyweight Dragonbrood warrior could not stand up to a single dainty foot of this violent lady.


    "Good, just stay in that posture, on your all fours for the entirety of this journey. Why? Because you''ll be my personal mount of course. Be sure to be on your best behavior while you act as my transport, you are not the only mount I''ve roasted and eaten on the spot."


    In Nibal''s eyes, rather than the look of defeat as I have expected, I see the gaze of a man- err, lizard, in absolute terror. He knows that this girl isn''t joking, and from the horrified looks of the onlooking warriors surrounding us, none of them seem to be under the impression that she is being particularly humorous either. Looks like Nibal is just going to go on all fours till we get to our destination... As if.


    "Alright, that''s enough!"


    Shaking off my initial terror, I step forward and tear Asha off Nibal. Though she is indeed powerful and rather intimidating, I am still the Champion. Even if I''m in this condition, I should still be the strongest here. That being said, the moment I pushed her away, I can distinctively feel it, the sensation of the air turning cold, though I am not sure if it''s due to the weather or my own nerves.


    "What''s this? Does the vegetable wishes to pick a fight too?"


    "No one is picking a fight, missy, and no one is going to be your personal ride either."


    "Oh, is that so? Well, then I-"


    Suddenly, Asha turns towards the mountain, gazing towards the peak. She frowns at first, before beginning to look rather frustrated. After a while, she turns back towards us, though not without clicking her tongue.


    "Fine, I''ll walk, and I''ll forgive your transgressions just this once. I am not so small-hearted as to keep a grudge during such trying times."


    Or so she says, but I am rather sure that the last part did not come from the bottom of her heart. In fact, from the way she glares at me, I''d say if there''s anything under there, it''d be flames hot enough to melt steel. Something tells me we''re not going to be friends, but surely, surely, it not too much to hope that there''ll be no more trouble from her for the rest of the trip, right?


    ***


    The Dragonbroods do not traditionally have mounts, unlike humans, they never had a need to use other creatures for labor. Instead, they pride themselves of their own superior strength, in their belief that they, the Dragonbroods, are the strongest of all creatures that roam this world and therefore have no need to have another creature do what they can do better. And so, rather than relying on some other beasts, they rely on their own two feet, and though I have never ridden on horses before and had to take their words for it, even the slowest of them is faster than any beast in the world, free or ridden. Again, I do not know how true it is, this is only what they claimed before me.


    Alongside the Dragonbroods, I sprint across the open fields. Being a Warrior/Knight character, this body is rather sturdy. With it, I can easily keep up with the Dragonbroods at their maximum speed, and not due to any skills or abilities, but by pure vitality and strength. Corona though, isn''t so lucky. Her character was built towards magical damage, and so couldn''t keep up with this speed for more than a full minute, and even that is her on her best days. For her, the Dragonbrood warriors would gladly give a ride, because she is one of their two precious Champions, and also because she asked nicely, not quite the same with the little lady currently accompanying us.


    While on the move, I turn to check behind me, to make sure everyone is present and accounted for in case someone falls behind or, in the worst case scenario, attacked. This time, to my relief, all is present and keeping up, even the one making a fuss about having to use her legs, Lady Asha. Well, with the strength she had displayed, I am certainly not surprised, but I do have to wonder: Why does she look so much more human than the rest of them? Perhaps Seif would have the answer. Speaking of Seif, though he had disappeared by the time Asha arrived, he was properly close by the whole time, even now, he''s following from a distance behind, just out of range to remain unnoticed should we be ambushed or attacked.


    As we had set out during the afternoon, the sunset arrives in what feels to be no time at all. By the time the sun had sunk beyond the horizon, we arrived at the outskirts of the forest surrounding the fields. Here, we decide to take a break.


    Usually, the Dragonbroods do not start campfires while out in the wild. True to the ''dragon'' part of their name, they have a high body heat and most are capable of breathing fire. However, for this Champion who has the body heat of a regular human being, and with it being rather cold here around the northern edge of Elgardia, they went ahead and built a campfire for me anyways and then another one for Lady Asha, who apparently has a rather low body temperature as well, but also prefers to stay away from me for the time being. I thought she''s supposed to be looking after me. This makes me worry about whether she''ll actually do her job or not.


    "Curious about our priestess here?"


    From above the tree I am sitting under, hanging from one of the branches with his tail, Seif descends upon me. With one eye, he looks at me as he speaks, with the other, he uses to keep watch over the camp. Like the eyes of a chameleon, Seif''s as well can look in two directions at once.


    "By the-! I almost elbowed you there!"


    "As a Champion, you should be aware of your surroundings."


    "How nice of you to care, but I am still quite strong, being the Champion and whatnot. A hit from me is going to do some damage."


    "Do not worry, even if you did attack, I would have dodged."


    "Rather confident aren''t we?"


    "I am. Anyhow, about the priestess, I catch you staring at her, are you curious?"


    "Me, curious about the person that is to take care of my very serious condition which renders me comatose whenever I go to sleep? No way!"


    "Excellent sarcasm, sir."


    "Don''t patronize me, Seif. But yes, it would be helpful to know more about her. Everyone else appears to have a hard time dealing with her too. I can''t help but have ill forebodings for the future of this journey."


    "Do you want the short version or the long version?"


    "What''s the short version?"


    "Lady Asha is powerful from birth, born from a powerful bloodline. The Dragonbroods revere power, and so they have revered her from birth as well. The reverence made her what she is today."


    "Okay, that was no help. Give me the long version then. It''ll help pass the time till the others return from their hunt at least. I hope they find something big."


    "Surely they will, this forest is known for its mighty beasts, and they taste especially well after a good roasting."


    "Stop, you''re making me hungry, just tell me the story."


    "Very well. Now, where should I begin..."


    ***


    End of Chapter 53

 Vol. 4, Chapter 54: Dream and Premonition

    The priestess, Asha, is of the clan known as the Half-Dragons. According to the historical records of the Dragonbroods, those of this clan descend from the joining of a Champion and a Dragonbrood, resulting in the descendants to be rather human in appearance. As for how that happened, I''ll leave it to one''s imagination. Those of the Half-Dragon Clan are incredibly powerful, having inherited the power of their Champion ancestor, making them the apex amongst the race.


    That said, being essentially a hybrid of two mismatched species, they suffer from low birthrates and shorter lifespan, living up to just a litter over a hundred at the longest while full-blooded Dragonbroods are capable of living up to three hundred. So far, there has been four generations of Half-Dragons, with Asha being the fifth, and the only one of her current generation. Should nothing be done about it, the Half-Dragon bloodline would end with her.


    Being the only one in her generation also meant that she had very few peers to interact with, and with such a difference in appearance and strength as well as prestige in comparison to the rest of the Dragonbroods, she also had few equals, let alone someone she could call friend as most would either revere her, or distance themselves from her. Eventually, this leads to the development of her antisocial behaviors. The pressure of revitalizing the clan then added fuel to the fire. Realizing that should no more children are born this generation, she alone would have to carry the future of the clan on her shoulders. It is a task she has very little care for, but will be forced to take on should nothing change.


    This all came to a boiling point when she was ordered by the Holy Serpent, the Keeper that her entire clan had served with devotion, to journey with the Champion and aid him in his current condition. The Keeper mentioned nothing further but Asha suspected ulterior motives. After all, the Keeper did ask her, out of all available priestesses, the one descended from Champion and Dragonbrood, to journey with a Champion of the opposite sex and tasked her with something that requires her to remain in his vicinity at all time. With such a suspicion in her heart, Asha is very much determined to be on her worst behavior. Or at the very least, that is what Seif is guessing to be the case.


    "So, you''re telling me that she''s not usually like this?"


    "Oh, by the Holy Serpent, no! She is always like this, just that today she''s a tad bit worst than usual."


    "I don''t like where this is going."


    "You don''t have to, but unless you plan to go without sleeping at all, you will have to tolerate this."


    Deeply, I sigh. Now I only want to get rid of this condition of mine as soon as possible. On the bright side, I guess I won''t really have to deal with her for a while once I go to sleep. Which makes me wonder, how is she supposed to help me here? The Keeper said that she is a Shaman, so is she going to be able to summon my soul back to this body? I''d like to ask her about it, but at the same time, I don''t really want to go near her right now. I fear that I would only get into something troublesome if I do. Then again, I can''t just lay back and let whatever happen to my own body, can I? I need to be sure.


    As I mull over what to do, the hunters return, and with them, a huge spoil. What they are dragging behind them appears to be a pair of giant stags, twice bigger than what I know in my world with the point of interest being their glowing horns. Apparently, as Seif is quick to explain, when in danger, their horns would instantaneously unleash a series of bright flashes, blinding any creature trying to attack them. However, their glow also made them easy to spot from a distance, allowing our hunters to take them down with their bows, though they had to make sure they disable the creature with a single shot, else they would just be blinded, allowing the creatures to get away.


    After bringing them back, the rest of the warrior gets to work, quickly skinning the creatures, cutting them up and skewering their flesh onto sharpened sticks. Once the meat is prepared, they begin to roast them with their own fiery breaths. They say that when it comes to cooking, none is better than they Dragonbroods, as they are the only race on Elgardia with such mastery over fire. Of course, with the ones saying this being Dragonbroods themselves, I''d advise taking their words with a grain of salt.


    After the meal, we have a little break to let the food settle, and by this time, I have already made up my mind.


    "Asha, may I have a bit of your time?"


    I decided to speak to Asha after all. If we''re going to be working together, then not talking to her isn''t going to be an option.


    "Well, if it isn''t our mighty Champion. How could I possibly refuse?"


    "I''ll take that as a yes then?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? Or are you just slow?"


    From her tone, I can more or less tell that she still holds a grudge over what happened earlier today. Of course, I already realized that we''re never going to get along. In fact, I don''t really like her all that much either. While she may have her reasons, I am not going to just stand by and let her act spoiled. We are on a mission, and no one here is going to have the leisure to cuddle her all the way through. When push comes to shove, she will either behave, or I''ll find a way to make her behave.


    "In that case, I like to ask you something. The Keeper said that you could alleviate my symptoms, right? How exactly do you do that?"


    "Oh, it is quite simple. Since the issue is your soul having trouble connecting to the body, I will call upon your soul as I would so any souls of the dead. Although, with your soul being from a different world altogether, I do wonder how much of this world''s laws it would obey. It could be that I may not be able to help at all."


    Alright, that more or less confirms that her abilities are similar to those of the Shaman class in Elysium Online, being able to call upon souls of the dead and all that.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "I see, this has been insightful."


    "If it doesn''t work, can I just go home? There''s no point in me being here after that, right?"


    "Well, I mean you could, but... You wouldn''t fail on purpose would you?"


    I feel like she''s a sort of person that might do that, especially if she is the only one who would know if it actually works or not. However, I realize that I really should have kept this thought to myself when the girl suddenly shoots up from the ground.


    "How dare you insult me! I''ll have you know that I have always performed the tasks given to me with the utmost of my abilities."


    I guess I was too honest with her. Still, it''s not completely my fault; she''s the one who gave off a terrible first impression of being sloppy. Anyhow, I''ve got to steer this somehow, play if off like I was just making a neutral observation.


    "Really? I wouldn''t have thought so after seeing how you presented yourself. You even said you went back to sleep after no one came to pick you up, right? So I didn''t think you cared."


    "I... That''s..."


    She appears to be lost for words. I think I got her to understand, that she''s the one who made me think of her that way.


    "I couldn''t get up in time, alright! The old hag''s summons came to me in my sleep to and it took a while for me to react! I can''t help it if I''m nocturnal, alright!"


    She yells at me, her face all red with veins budging violently. She appears to be both angry and embarrassed to have to admit that. I guess I ruined her attempt to appear aloof. Maybe. I mean, that what the kids think is ''cool'' and ''hip'' nowadays, right? I wonder if it''s the same with her.


    "So Seif, is that true?"


    I decide to confirm the fact with the ever stealthy Seif lurking in my shadow.


    "Some Dragonbroods are nocturnal, yes, and that is true for most of the Half-Dragon Clan."


    "See!"


    Asha chimes in to agree with aggression, apparently displeased that I couldn''t take her word for it.


    "Alright, I get it. I''ll be counting on you, Asha."


    "That''s LADY Asha to you."


    "Of course, Lady Asha."


    Puffing a snort of anger from her nostrils, Asha pulls away from me, sitting back down at the campfire set up for her. I too, take the same action, I think that''s enough interacting with her for today.


    "Good work, Lord Oro, she''s sufficiently motivated now. Lady Asha is vain and prideful, and so she must succeed so that you would not accuse her of not trying hard enough."


    "That really wasn''t my intention, I just wanted to talk."


    "And that''s what so great about you, you get the best of results with the best of intentions. Truly you are our Champion."


    "Flattery won''t get you anywhere, Seif. Besides, that''s not always the case; I screw up too, especially when I needed to succeed the most."


    "If you''re talking about that battle atop the mountain, it really can''t be helped. No one saw it coming. Who would have thought that they would set up an ambush for you on the least likely of paths to travel on? The one who came up with it must either have been a genius, a mad man, or some special kind of moron."


    "I hope he''s a moron, I really do."


    "If only all of our enemies are morons, how easy this would all be, eh?"


    "If only, Seif, if only."


    ***


    "Oro! Oro! Please! Don''t let it end like this!


    I stared down at my own cold, almost lifeless body as she, as Corona held me in her arms. I realized at that moment, that my soul had left the body and most likely, I was going to die. I tried to talk to Corona, to comfort her, to tell her that everything is going to be fine, but she couldn''t hear me. I tried to hold her, I tried to embrace her, but as a phantom, she couldn''t feel my touch.


    I must be dreaming again, of that time when I had fallen, no, kicked off into the valley after my fight with the Beastkin''s Champion. How many times does this make now, the times I''ve dreamt about this?


    Following Corona, the remaining Dragonbroods, the survivors of the Beastkin Champion''s attack arrived. They had been searching for me, believing that I might still be alive, they searched, even though they should have no idea where I had fallen or if I had fallen at all. It was mere luck that they found me, luck that they decided to search for me at Corona''s behest, lucky that they found me soon enough to resuscitate me with healing magic. Speaking of which, who was it? Who was it that revived me? I tried asking around before, but no one seems to remember. All they told me is that it was someone in the unit, though they are not quite sure who it was. They said that they were likely in shock at the time since their memories were all rather vague. I wonder, if I keep watching this dream, will I find out?


    Another hand gently placed itself upon my body, even as Corona cradle my cold body, even as the surviving Dragonbroods watched over in shock, someone came over to me and once again, my body began to be filled with warmth. Whose hand is this? I can''t remember, I can''t see. It''s all a blur. No, I think I can recall it. Horns... Curved, spiraling horns. The healer had a pair of those, and it felt familiar. I have a feeling that I''ve seen them before, somewhere I am very familiar with. Could it be...


    ***


    I spring up from the ground gasping for air as if I had just been revived. Was I dreaming again, about that time under the valley? I have a feeling that I might be, though the detail I can recall is fuzzy.


    "Finally awake, are we? Took you long enough."


    I turn towards the condescending voice beside me to find the priestess of the Holy Serpent, Asha, staring at me with her sleepy eyes, her hair more of a mess than it was before. At this rate, I think she might as well cut it to avoid the hassle, but I doubt she''ll appreciate anything that comes out of my mouth the same way I would prefer her to keep her thoughts to herself.


    "How long was I asleep?"


    "For all of the night and some part of the morning. Now that you''re awake, can we finally go? I wish to get this over with quickly and return home. I miss my bed already."


    Coming to my side, Nibal and Seif help me up from the ground where I slept, knowing that I am rather weak upon waking up ever since my condition. As they support me, Seif leans into my ear and starts to whisper.


    "The lady has tried to call upon your soul since dawn, not even having breakfast. I expected her to announce that it was pointless and give up, but she hung in there and made it work. It seems that your talk with her yesterday paid off."


    "Is that so? I guess now I have something to apologize about."


    "What are you two whispering about?"


    As if she instinctively felt that we are talking about her, Asha calls us out while glaring daggers at us.


    "He''s just asking me if I want breakfast. I know it''s a little late, but I rather not journey on an empty stomach, don''t you agree."


    Asha''s glare does not become any gentler, but, begrudgingly, she nods in agreement.


    By the time we finished breakfast, the sun had almost reached its zenith. It''s a late start, but with my condition, I guess it can''t be helped. I suppose someone could carry me, but that''d just slow them down and I''d be dead weight in the case of an ambush, especially now that we''re out of the forest. Apparently, remnants of Mankind have been spotted lurking on the outskirts. What they are planning, I do not know, but they shouldn''t have the strength to do anything. The Dragonbroods said that they crushed them quite thoroughly. Still, it is rather worrying that they chose now of all times, when we''re launching an all-out attack on the Beastkins, to show up here. I best hurry, the sooner I restore my condition the better. I have a bad feeling about things to come.


    ***


    End of Chapter 54

 Vol. 4, Chapter 55: Rising Discord

    If there''s one thing I''ll miss when I get back to my own world, it is the ability to run long distances without tiring. There''s a rather liberating feeling to it, to sprint across the green grassland by the strength of your own feet, to see the scenery zoon by the corners of my eyes with the only constants in my view being the sky and the pack of Dragonbroods speeding alongside me. I wonder if this is what cyclists feel. Maybe I should join a club or something when I get back. It could be fun as well as a great excuse for exercising. I haven''t seen my own body in a while, but the last time I saw it, I am quite sure that I was getting a bit chubby. Just a bit.


    As we cut across the grassland, trampling the plants beneath our feet and leaving behind numerous footsteps, another range of mountains rise from the horizon. Usually, we''d go around it, but this time, as we are short on time, it was decided that we would go right over it.


    The Dragonbroods, having adapted to life in the mountains have developed unparalleled climbing capabilities. With their sharp claws, they can easily dig into earth and stone and with their powerful limbs and drag themselves up any inclines.


    The problem here is that neither Asha nor I possess claws of any sort and therefore we had to be tied onto the back of our larger companions who will then carry us over the slopes. Naturally, I have no problem in accepting this aid. After all, humans have a heavy reliance on tools and in the absence of such things, we rely on one another. Asha, on the other hand, did not take kindly to the idea. According to Seif, this is apparently a complex of hers. Despite being one of the strongest amongst the Dragonbroods, there are certain things she just can''t do as well as the rest. "A Dragonbrood that can''t scale a mountain is no Dragonbrood at all," it was said once upon a time, and apparently there are still a number of Dragonbroods that still hold such a view. Being so different from the rest, to be one of them but never truly belonging, such is Asha''s plight, one inherited by the Half Dragons. Still, it does not change the fact that she does not possess the ability to scale the mountains in a timely fashion, and whether she likes it or not, there are no other options but to accept the aid offered to her.


    Fortunately, as we climb, we stumble upon a mountain path that leads to a small, remote village within the mountain. Here too, the buildings and houses are carved from the mountain itself. However, unlike the mountain at the northern edge, there is no one here, no one alive that is.


    "The place must be abandoned when the [Corrupted] Mankind invaded."


    "Nibal, should we make camp here?"


    "No, I don''t think so, Lord Oro."


    Nibal tilts his head towards Asha, slowly following behind, her face pale and she is looking around with a fairly distressed expression.


    "What''s wrong with her? Is she tired? If so, then all the more reason to rest, right?"


    "No, I am trying to say that Lady Asha wouldn''t be comfortable to stop here. She is a Shaman you see, and so she can see things, things that the rest of us cannot."


    "Things such as the spirit of the dead?"


    "Yes."


    "I see, I guess she wouldn''t like it here then."


    "Let us see if we can''t make it to the other side by nightfall."


    By the time the sun had set, we barely got across the mountain and we decided to set up camp near the foot. At this pace, we should be able to reach the Great River bordering the Land of the Dragonbroods and Land of the Beastkins. We''re moving along rather quickly due to the fact that we traveling with a small band and that I have specifically picked out the warriors with the swiftest of feet.


    "Try not to sleep too soundly. Otherwise, it''d be a pain to wake you up in the morning."


    "There are more pleasant ways to wish someone else a goodnight you know."


    "I am doing the opposite of that, you realize."


    "Well, goodnight to you too."


    "I said-"


    "Yeah, yeah, I got it. My guts stink and you hate it. Goodnight."


    "Oh, you little-!"


    Irritated and grumbling away, Asha goes and rolls up in her fur bedding beside her campfire.


    "I see your relationship has improved."


    "Sarcasm is unbecoming of you, Seif."


    "On the contrary, I find it to become me quite well, friend. That aside, I think it''d be more beneficial if you try to befriend Lady Asha. The girl is talented, but she is a slave to her moods. You can''t draw out her full potential unless you two get along better."


    "She''s doing fine, I don''t need her full potential. Besides, sometimes people just aren''t compatible with one another. I may be a Champion, but I don''t come with the power of being able to befriend everyone I meet nor am I the sort of person to want such a thing. So long as she does her job and I do mine, that''s fine."


    "I see, that''s too bad. In terms of raw strength, you are no doubt her equal. I was hoping you could do something about her."


    "Are you the one hoping for that or is it the Keeper''s desire?"


    "We both do. You may think otherwise as our culture place great emphasis on strength, but we value our brood, their protection is what our strength is for. Otherwise, we''d be naught but violent savages."


    "Fine, but I am not going to be the one to help her. Making friends aren''t my forte, I only get along with people I do, and I can''t do anything for those that I don''t."


    "Very well, I hear you and respect your views. I shan''t be bothering you with this again unless it becomes something serious."


    "Yeah, glad to hear it. Goodnight."


    "Rest well, friend."


    ***


    The sky was grey and snow fell ceaselessly from above, covering the land in thick snow till all was blank and white. A warrior encased in a black armor made of dragon scales treaded through the ground covered in white and by his hand, he led a girl with spiraling horn across the barren field.


    "We should reach the town soon. It won''t be long till we get to sit by a warm fire and fill our bellies with warm food."


    The warrior tried talking to the girl but she did not respond. Her eyes stared ambiguously to the distance as if in a constant state of dreaming. Even so, she was important. Without her, this world will surely die, torn apart by itself.


    The two kept walking and walking, till they had finally arrived at the town the warrior had said was there, or at least, what''s left of it. Contrasting the white snow were black skeletons of the houses and building, let behind after the town was burned to the ground.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "Impossible, did they reach this place already?"


    It was a question to no one in particular. The warrior did not expect survivors and certainly not the girl to suddenly respond to him. That being said, his question was quickly answered regardless.


    "They have not, the frontline is still far off. The ''Corruption'' has gotten to them and they tore each other apart. It seems that it has gotten so bad that they can''t even tell their own kin apart anymore."


    The one who answered the warrior''s question is a young man whose appearance was reminiscent of a certain someone, with golden locks and deep blue eyes, a hefty tome cradled in his hand. The warrior eyed him with animosity.


    "Has it gotten so severe? Or maybe, you have done this."


    "I have not, you''ll have to take my word for it, or find a way to speak to the dead, whichever suits you."


    "If you''re not responsible, then why are you even here?"


    "I was waiting."


    "Waiting? For what?"


    The young man pointed towards the warrior and to the girl behind him.


    "For your arrival with ''that'' in tow."


    Hearing that, the warrior undid the leather straps affixing his greatsword onto his back with a single motion and brought it forward, its blade tilted against the young man.


    "I''ve almost forgotten, she and you, the two of you have always-"


    "Do you know why this world is the way it is?"


    "What?"


    "The ''Corruption'', this ailment that drives people mad and turns them against one another, why does it exist?"


    The warrior did not understand the point the young man is getting at. The answer to his question should be something they both knew. That one day the Keepers contracted something not of this world, that which they call the ''Corruption'', an ailment that twists the minds and then the flesh of its victims. From the Keepers, the ''Corruptions'' spread to the populace, filling their heads with paranoia and frightful delusions of those they do not consider kin. Should this be allowed to progress, their flesh would begin to twist, turning them into monstrous creatures without their notice, and in time, their paranoia would turn towards their kin, followed by those closest to them, and eventually, all of the world is an enemy.


    "It is an ailment of an unknown source that-"


    "Wrong! That is a lie!"


    The young man refuted it all with a timing that must have been planned ahead of time.


    "What?"


    "Your so-called Grand Keeper has lied. The source is not unknown, no, she knew all along where it came from. Now, I know the truth, and so will you."


    ...


    ......


    .........


    ***


    "Did... Did he just drool on me!?"


    "Lady Asha, please settle down."


    "Unbelievable! That''s it, someone switch with me!"


    "But only you-"


    "I don''t care!"


    As I regain my consciousness, the first thing that I become aware of is the ruckus of an ongoing argument. Even as I try to grasp onto the fading memories of a dream I''ve just had, all these noises of people arguing are chasing it further and further away.


    When I finally open my eyes, the bright sunlight blinds me, and as I become more aware, I feel my body jerking up and down as if I am riding on something.


    "Oh, I think he''s awake."


    "Finally! Hey, if you''re already awake, hurry up and get off me! Here, I''ll let you down."


    "Wha-"


    "I said get off!"


    "Oh, sorry..."


    It appears that on this morning, Asha was having trouble waking me up, saying something along the lines of having a hard time calling upon my soul. Maybe it was the case, since I feel that I was in a deeper dream that I have ever been before. There was something in that dream that I felt was extremely important, but I can only vaguely recall them. If only I stayed in it longer then maybe I can remember more. At any rate, as it was approaching noon and with Asha commenting about how it may take longer to wake me up, the warriors decided that they should keep moving and that Asha would carry me while continuing to conjure my soul back to this body. Of course, she was not pleased, she was very not pleased, but she also hated the cold, an odd thing for a Dragonbrood and even those amongst the Half-Dragon. In fact, due to her tendencies, there''s a fireplace in about every single room of her house, and her house is massive indeed. As we were camped near the foot of the mountain range we''ve just crossed over the day prior, the climate wasn''t exactly warm. The priestess was convinced by Seif mentioning that the sooner they got moving, the quicker they''ll get away from the cold, and that it will get much warmer as they proceed southward. And so, reluctantly, the priestess allowed the still unconscious me to be placed on her back.


    Yawning as I stretch out my body, I gradually become more awake. For just a brief moment, we took a break to allow me to go through a quick ''morning'' routine. Knowing that I''ll have to do some running soon after, I decided to warm my body up as the warriors prepare a light meal for me.


    "It should much warmer once we reach the Great River."


    "So I''ve heard."


    As I do my stretches, I try to start a conversation with Asha, and though I mention to Seif that I won''t be forcing myself to get along with her, since we''re now in the same party, I can''t exactly ignore her so I might as well make this brief partnership goes as smoothly as possible for the duration. And who knows, maybe, just maybe, I might find that we get along better than expected.


    "Ugh, I can still smell it..."


    She''s probably talking about my drool. I wouldn''t make too much a deal out of it, but the Dragonbroods have a strong sense of smell and I guess it''s the same for Half-Dragons.


    "Need a change of clothes?"


    "I''d love to, but no one brought any for me."


    "You didn''t pack any yourself?"


    "Why would I?"


    "Ah, of course. Well, I''ve got some spare if you''d like so-"


    "No thanks."


    "Suit yourself."


    "Suit myself?! You''re the one who drooled on me!"


    "I apologized didn''t I?"


    "If we''re back in the mountains, I''d have you executed."


    "Right, execute one of your two Champions, that''d go well for you."


    "Hah! Don''t get so self-important, we can always summon more."


    Self-important? Who''s getting self-important? And summon more!? Does she think nothing of dragging other people into their problem? Does she not care about how she and her people will essentially be making those that they''ve, bluntly put, kidnapped fight? All just to go home when they shouldn''t even be taken from it in the first place?


    My blood begins to boil. I''ve only tolerated this so far because I could see how desperate they were and that this was the only way I could find a way home. Even now, I am still suspicious when they said that the ritual was interrupted and unless they understand exactly how it happened down to the last detail, they can''t send us back.


    From the sheath hanging from my waist, I draw my newly forged shortsowrd, made from refining the scales from the Holy Serpent. With the blade drawn in a single flash, I point it towards the priestess, who had little time to react.


    "What are you-!?"


    She turns pale and begins tearing up as she realizes that the tip my blade had already arrived by her throat without her being able to do anything. I was far too fast for her, and most likely, for the first time in her life she, this sheltered young lady with strength beyond her peers, truly feels helpless. Hurriedly, she tries to back but due her panic, her clumsy attempt causes her to trip on herself and fall onto her hind.


    "Just try and summon more. The moment you do that I''ll cut each and every single one of you down, I''ll wipe your entire race off this world."


    "I... I-"


    Perhaps my tone was too harsh, or my speed too frightening, but thanks to that, this once haughty young lady is now lost for words, terrified out of her mind as I press closer towards her. The other warriors are watching, of course, ever vigilantly, but they don''t seem to plan on doing anything. It is only after a moment had passed does Seif begins to move, arriving just as Asha looks like she''s about to break out in tears.


    "Lord Oro, what are you doing!? Please put away your sword!"


    He rushes up to hold me back all the while subtly nodding at me. Thinking that he has something in mind, I relent. I probably went too far anyways and now it''s questionable if she''ll continue to cooperate with me going forward. Damn, I think I just screwed myself over there.


    I let out a sigh to release my anger and backs off, leaving the rest to Seif. I''m sure he''ll do something to salvage the situation, and if he can''t, I dare say none here can do much else.


    "I know I said I wanted you to do something about her, but this is a little intense."


    "I... I lost my temper. She said... things..."


    "I understand. Go and cool off, I''ll handle this matter."


    Taking Seif''s advice, I walk a distance away, till the ruckus is but a soft whisper in my ears. I scan my surroundings, making sure that nothing dangerous is in the vicinity and lay down on some grass.


    "Good riddance."


    If I didn''t need her help, I would have sent her right back home. It''s like I''m back at the office all over again. Well, at least I get to pull a sword on her without having the police getting involved. Thinking about it, I don''t really care about going back. I wouldn''t mind being stuck here if it weren''t for the whole [Corruption] business.


    "Ah crap, now my mood just got worst."


    I can''t think about that right now. I still have to fight, or it''s straight to the grave for me, and everything will fall onto Corona. I''m not about to have her deal with this mess alone.


    "Troubled, Champion?"


    Out of nowhere a figure appears, casting a shade that blocks the sunlight from my sight. Though I can''t quite see the face due to the shadows, I recognize the voice.


    "Grand Keeper!? What are you doing here?"


    I spring up from the ground to greet her.


    "There has been a change of plans for you."


    "For me? Why this all of a sudden? I thought I was supposed to be looking into a cure for my condition. Is this really a good time?"


    "You''ll have to tough it out I am afraid. This is important. I require a Keeper to be slain. Your mission now is to slay the [Corrupted] Keeper of the Beastkins, the [World Breaker Behemoth]."


    ***


    End of Chapter 55

 Vol. 4, Chapter 56: Altered Course

    "Slay the Keeper of the Beastkins? Why this all of the sudden? I thought we weren''t supposed to harm any of the Keepers, only to keep them and their clansmen at bay long enough for you to find a way to purify them."


    "That was my intention, yes. However, I had realized exactly why I can''t locate the missing Purifier. The World Breaker, she has been hiding ''it'' this whole time, from me, specifically. Each time I sensed the Purifier, it was in Beastkin territory, but only for a moment before its presence vanished. The only time I sensed it for a prolonged period of time was in the land of the Faefolks, only for it to vanish upon entering Beastkin lands. I had my doubts, but now I am sure, the Beastkin''s Keeper has been hiding it this whole time. At the moment, she is weak, best to strike now before she has a chance to recover."


    "But why would she do such a thing? You''d think she''d want the other Keepers to be purified."


    After all, from her perspective, it is the rest of the world that has been [Corrupted], not her.


    "No, I don''t think the [Corruption] matters anymore. I believe that somehow, ''he'' has gained control over her."


    "Who are we talking about?"


    "The ''Betrayer'', a former Champion, one of the first in fact, who turned against us. He wields a Relic called the Book of Covenants, allowing him to bind the souls of those he fell in combat."


    That sounds like a Summoner from Elysium Online... Wait! Is this the same person I fought at the top of the mountains? It can''t be, right?


    "So you think this ''Betrayer'' got a hold of the Keeper?"


    "That would explain why she is acting against our interests, and if it is as I feared, then this Keeper is beyond our saving. The traitor''s control supersedes all else, even the influence of the [Corruption]. Even if we do manage to locate and the Purifier and cleanse the Holy Beast of the ailment, so long as his control still holds, the Keeper will stand against us."


    "And so slaying her is our only choice, is what you are saying?"


    "I would not have ordered you to do so otherwise. The impact of losing a Keeper is great upon not only the land they inhabit, but this world as a whole. With one Keeper already slain, the death of another does not bode well. However, it must be done. We will simply have to endure until the next one is born."


    "Will I have time to group up with Corona?"


    "No, you will have to circle around the frontlines to reach the World Breaker. Corona will keep the enemy''s attention while you take your party and head west to penetrate into the heart of Beastkin territory from there. Most of their troops are gathered at their capital, they shouldn''t expect an attack from the west, and by the time they hear of it, your party should have already reached their Keeper."


    If the west is lightly guarded as the Grand Keeper says, then I should be able to break through even with a party of this size, and with our speed, I don''t doubt that we''ll be able to make it long before the main forces are alerted. I suppose now the only thing I have to worry about is Asha. She''s not going to like the fact that there''s a change of plans which of course means that she''ll have to wait longer before being able to go home.


    "Sounds like a plan."


    "Good."


    "Oh, but before you go, I''d like to ask you something. It doesn''t really have anything to do with the plan, but it''s been bothering me."


    The Grand Keeper furrows her eyebrows, looking rather troubled.


    "If this is about the priestess, I am afraid that she is currently the only one we can afford you. The others are not as fit for this journey as she is. I am sure if you find a way to work with her, she can be a useful asset."


    "No, it''s not that, as much as I would appreciate any help in that matter, but what I wanted to ask is something entirely different."


    "Oh, is that so? How curious. What is it then? What else could be on your mind?"


    "It''s the [Corruption], I would like you to tell me where it came from."


    Upon hearing my question, the Grand Keeper''s brows knit ever so much closer.


    "I''ve told you before, its origins are unknown at the moment. Why ask this now?"


    "Well... I was just wondering if there''s any way to resolve this without all this killing. That''s all."


    "It can be, once we acquire the Purifier."


    "But you said the [Corruption] had occurred several times in the past before. That means it will happen again. And what if next time, you lose the Purifier again, what then?"


    "That will be your problem no longer. Once this cycle is done, you''ll be home and all of this will be behind you."


    "But say that it happens again."


    The Grand Keeper''s expression turns grim. I may have pushed it a little too far there.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "If it does, I will do as I have always done since the very beginning. I will call forth another group of Champions, and I will have them fight, and once it is done, I will send them on their way. Now then, anything else? And please, that was the last of my patience for your interrogations, do not test it again."


    "No, nothing else. I''ll get right onto the mission."


    "Good, I''ll be looking forward to your performance."


    As always, she sprouts a pair of giant wings from her back, and ascends into the clouds in a single bound, disappearing in an instant. This woman, if I can even call her that, is cold. She clearly doesn''t care about us, the Champions she summoned. Still, she is the only one I know who can send us back home. If I don''t play along, I''ll be stuck in this world for good. I know I said that I''m in no hurry to go back, but choosing to stay and having no choice but to stay are very different matters. So, for now, I''ll listen to her, until I figure out my own way back, if that''s even possible.


    ***


    "Was that the Grand Keeper?"


    "It was, and she gave us a new mission."


    "I don''t like the sound of that."


    After Nibal had gathered the warriors together, I begin to brief them on our new task. Given the suddenness of the decision and the kind of opponent we are to face, for a moment there, no one here seems to know what to think.


    "So there you have it. Looks like we''re going to have to go on a detour."


    Still, it is the order of the Grand Keeper. No one here can disobey. If she wishes, she could very well easily have the Holy Serpent exile every single warrior here for their disobedience.


    "........"


    But, amongst the shocked warriors, contemplating in silence, there is one that possesses a glare sharper than a newly grinded edge of a dagger, and said glare is currently directed towards me.


    "Looks like it''ll be a while longer before we''ll get to go home, Lady Asha."


    I expected her to protest, but she remains silent and turns away from me once I call her out. Looks like there''s no salvaging our relations anytime soon, but at least the feeling of wanting this to be over as soon as possible is mutual.


    Once I''ve had a light meal, we all set out, heading southwest into the Faefolk territory. Before, crossing into the southern territories would require us to travel east, into the kingdoms of Mankind where the Great River splits into several smaller streams, however, since the flow of the river had subsided, the crossing has apparently been made possible from practically any location. Still, in crossing the river, I expected that we would have to get a little wet and was prepared to receive complains from a certain young lady within the party, and so as we travel, I have been strategizing on how to deal with that when the time comes with Seif and Nibal, formulating a plan that involves trying to carry her over to the other side. The finer details, we decided, are best discussed once we arrive, since we have no idea how high or rapid the waters of the river will be upon arrival. That was the plan, at least.


    We enter the forest that was once part of the [World Devourer Woods], what was once a gradual but ever-expanding threat to our land that is now withered and dry, the sinister green that once threatened us is now yellow and dry brown. This forest is dying and soon, the land will become barren. It is the consequence of the death of a Keeper. Upon actually arriving at the river, we find a crevice that had been carved into the land by what was once a mighty river that flowed across the continent. In this crevice, only a measly stream remains, small enough to be traversed by rolling up our trousers up to just below our knees.


    "If there''s so little water here, there must be a drought in the east."


    The slaying of a Keeper affects not only a single piece of land, but the entirety of Elgardia as a whole. The lands are, after all, connected with one another, pieces of a single whole. Nothing affects one without its effects seen in the other. The land to the east, the Kingdoms of Mankind, are mostly rather ''dry'' and their agricultural centers are clustered around the smaller streams that split from the main flow of the Great River. Though, I guess it doesn''t really matter at this point, as the Dragonbroods had nearly wiped them out long before my arrival, during the first outbreak of the [Corruption] this cycle. As for the Beastkins, they''ll do fine for now, as they should have a few streams and rivers independent of the Great River in their lands.


    Once the river has been crossed, we head further south before cutting east towards Beastkin territory. The forest around here is ashen and scorched, likely from the Beastkins'' attempt to hamper the forest''s expansion before finally slaying the Keeper.


    "They sure did a number on this place. I thought the Beastkins were supposed to be afraid of fire."


    "They did, once upon a time ago. I guess they must have gotten over it somewhere along the lines."


    Nibal and I are walking side by side, him answering what curiosity I have. Our pace of travel has slowed down since crossing the river, opting to walk in order to prevent kicking up the ashes which will no doubt disrupt the Dragonbroods'' excellent sense of smell. That, and we rather not get too close to whatever is left of the Beastkin patrols on their western frontlines as many of them are nocturnal and night is approaching. It would be to our disadvantage if we ended up having to face them during night time.


    "Where shall we camp. I would prefer somewhere less ashen. Asha over there has been rubbing her eyes and nose for a while now. Any more and I think she might get an infection."


    "There''s always healing spells for that, but yes, none of us would get proper rest if we camp in a place like this. However, we can''t exactly go into the fields, we''ll be spotted in no time."


    "I wonder if there''s a cave somewhere around here."


    "It would be great if there is but caves don''t just appear out of nowhere."


    "If only someone here knows earth magic."


    "Hmm... Actually, there is someone here who does."


    "Good, go tell them to make a cave then."


    "Well, there''s a problem. The magic is used for burials. To use it to create a cave everyone will lay in is rather inauspicious."


    "Would you rather our lady Asha complain through the whole night?"


    Thinking about it for a bit, Nibal deeply sighs.


    "Very well, I shall request it to be done."


    So, Nibal goes and asks said mage to build us a shelter. Turns out, the earth magic user is Asha herself. Rather not being too close to her, I watch their conversation from afar and can''t quite hear what they are saying, but apparently I have been mentioned since Asha would steal glances at me mid-conversation. Of course, her gazes are cold and sharp as ever. Still, in spite of it all, she agrees to do it. I guess her desire for a goodnight''s sleep trumps her hatred for me.


    With her earth magic, Asha creates three mounds from dirt, each with enough space within to fit five people comfortably. Then, she creates a fourth mound, one smaller than the rest. No doubt this one is for herself. Excluding Asha, there are thirteen of us, and so, two of the three larger mounds will house four of the warriors, and the last one will shelter five.


    ***


    It really didn''t matter as there are plenty of spaces for all of us, but to be fair and, frankly, for a bit of fun, the warriors and I decided to arm wrestle to decide who gets to sleep where tonight. For the purpose of this little tournament, we conveniently located an area of fallen trees, all of which had apparently been cleaved clean off their base, and found a suitable tree stump. Eventually, lured in by the atmosphere, even Asha joined in. I took first place, Ahsa was a close second, and Nibal third. Seif was in the last place by the way.


    ***


    End of Chapter 56

 Vol. 4, Chapter 57: Far Gone Memories

    The snow continued to blanket the land, falling without any signs of ceasing, as if it would continue until the very end of the world. Standing amidst the ruins of a town burnt down to its skeletons, three figures stood: A girl with spiraling horns, a warrior wearing black armor, and a young man with a hefty tome in his hand.


    "...... So there you have it, the truth of the ''Corruption''."


    "That''s..."


    "Can''t find it in yourself to deny it, can you? Now if you don''t mind, do hand over ''that'' over there."


    The young man pointed towards the horned girl standing still in the cold. Upon her hair and her shoulders, snow had begun to pile but she hadn''t even bothered to swipe them away. She just stood there, as if she couldn''t even feel the chill.


    "No."


    The warrior gave a short answer and raised his massive sword.


    "Even now, you stand against me?"


    "I know this is wrong, but even so, I can''t leave this world to die."


    "But you''d leave a friend to suffer?"


    The warrior''s face twisted in anguish.


    "Enough, I know what I must do."


    "Agreed, talking to you any further has no meaning."


    From his hefty tome, the young man pulled out a rectangular piece, looking like a bookmark, or perhaps a card, while appearing to be made of paper, but cannot be torn or ripped, burned or cut, it was of a material unknown to men.


    "Come forth."


    As the young man whispered, the rectangular piece vanishes and from above him, a creature materialized, one with a spherical body and many eyes. It was one of the many creatures in the young man''s command, a Beholder.


    With one of its many eyes, it gazed towards the warrior, for all that peered into its gaze will be trapped in an illusion for as long as eye contact is maintained. But, upon turning its gaze at the warrior, what the creature saw was itself, reflected on the flat side of the warrior''s polished blade. Gazing into the reflection, the Beholder''s magic turned on itself, causing it to become confused and came crashing down into the snowy ground and sending flakes of snow into the air.


    The warrior had known this to be a common tactic used by the young man when he wanted to disable an opponent with the minimum amount of harm. He expected the young man, no, he believed in the young man, to never wish harm on those he once fought side by side with, and was counting on him to deploy this creature.


    Once the creature hit the ground, the warrior cleaved down at it right through the middle with a heavy swing. He felt sorry for it, as he had once fought with the creature as an ally, but he couldn''t risk it being used on him a second time.


    Having slain the Beholder, the warrior turned his blade towards the young man, who, as the warrior quickly realized, was no longer where he thought, leaving only a trail of footprints. Said footprints lead all the way back to the girl with the spiraling horns. The young man had gotten around the warrior while his sight was obscured by the rising snow. The girl, of course, was no longer in sight by the time. Fortunately, the snow in the ground was deep, and their footprints can still be seen.


    The warrior took a great leap into the air, gaining elevating over the ruined leftovers of the burnt houses. From above, his sight traced the footsteps left behind, and eventually he spotted the young man running with the girl in tow. Upon landing, he braced himself once more, and again, he took a leap, this time towards the direction of the young man. His leap was so great, it was as if he was flying, going so far as to soar over the young man''s head and land, like a boulder from a catapult, right into the young man''s path.


    The snow splashed like water and lingered in the air like mist, and though the young man tried to take advantage of the low visibility once more, with a mighty swing of his greatsword, the warrior blew away the fluttering snow.


    "Don''t make me cut you down."


    But the young man did not listen, and instead, he drew another card from his tome.


    A bright light flashed between the warrior and the young man, and from the light, a giant crustacean appeared. Possessing eight legs and a pair of pincer, its body was akin to the toughest armor. Still, no armor could stand against the warrior''s massive blade. In a single powerful motion, aiming for the joints, the warrior cleaved off both of the creature''s pincers with a horizon slash. Without its pincers, the creature was as harmless as a clam.


    Leaping onto the creature, using its flat top as a springboard, the warrior leaped towards the young man. This time there would be no warning, and with his blade at the ready, he steeled himself to swing down at his former friend...


    But then, all of a sudden, he twisted his body, forcing it out of its momentum and altering the direction of his swing, and just barely, the warrior missed his target. The cause of his action was something neither he nor the young man expected. The girl with the spiraling horns, the being who has been referred to as ''it'' and ''that'', the girl that did not appear to exhibit any will or even sentience up to this point, she moved. With her arms wide, she stood before the young man, shielding him from the warrior''s blow.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "This can''t be..."


    The warrior expressed shock, and the young man only stared at ''its'' back, stunned beyond words. And in the moment in which both men were shocked, from beneath the snow, there was movement. The warrior realized rather quickly what was happening but he could not react in time, and from the snow burst forth a small rabbit-like creature of which smashed into the warrior''s abdomen at the speed of sound with its surprisingly sturdy cranium.


    For a moment, air rushed out of the warrior''s lungs and his vision darkened. Taking advantage of the warrior''s dazed state, the young man rushes forward and grabbed onto the warrior''s shoulder. Before the warrior even realized what was going on, it was too late as he felt another blow to his helmetless head, right in the nose.


    The warrior fell onto his back and so did the young man who had blood trickling down his forehead. And though the warrior was mildly stunned from the young man''s headbutt, his nose was intact and at worst it was bruised.


    "Your body is feeble compared to mine."


    The warrior stood back up, standing over the young man with sword in hand.


    "Maybe, but it''s not unbreakable."


    The warrior reached out and grabbed the young man by his collar, pulling him from the snowy ground.


    "Nine... It''s time to stop. You can''t sacrifice every single person in this world just for one person."


    "Who says I''m sacrificing anybody?"


    "What?"


    "If this world requires a ''pillar'' to keep it in existence, then I''ll simply replace it. It''s about time, don''t you think? Since the current one is so worn and broken."


    "That is impossible! No one else can fill that position."


    "I can."


    "You''re out of your mind!"


    "That''s what everyone says, but it has to be done. The ''Corruption'' is getting worse with every cycle, coming back faster each time. ''She'' is at her limit. The ''pillar'' must be replaced, and I am saying and I will be the one to do it."


    The warrior''s grip upon the young man''s collars tightened and he pulls him even closer, till they could feel one another''s breaths.


    "Listen, you can''t do what ''she'' can. You''ll only ruin this world, the world that ''she'' created."


    "The world that traps her... No, we''re the ones who trapped her."


    "It can''t be helped! Nine, we screwed up, that is what it is. There''s nothing that can be done anymore."


    The young man leaned his head back, looking up to the gray sky, contemplating the words spoken by the warrior, thinking back on the memories that accompanied them. Then, he made his decision.


    "No, Zero will be free, and I''ll see to it no matter what."


    Along with those words, the warrior sensed a presence behind him, and when he turned to looks, he found a great beast, one with feline features, one with a magnificent mane, yet hanging from its back, a long sinewy reptilian tail. The warrior recognized it as a Keeper from the land to the south. For it to be here, up north, appearing alongside the young man who had power over the souls of creature, the warrior knew it could only mean one thing. However, no matter what he discovered, it was already too late, as he saw from the corner of his vision, the beast''s massive claws coming at him.


    Screaming the name of the young man whose collar he held, the warrior was torn asunder with precision. The last thing he saw was his displaced arms clinging onto the young man and the cold glare he was given as he perished in the snow. In his final thoughts, he knew that there was no going back. The young man, the one given the number ''nine'' has made his decision and steeled his resolve. He will bring this world to ruin. Only his death, and perhaps not even that, will stop him.


    ***


    "L... t......go..."


    A faint voice rings in my ears, and following that, a dull pain on my left cheek.


    "Let go!"


    The voice cries out once more, this time, awakened by pain, I can hear it much clearly.


    "Let go of me! You''re going to tear it!"


    My eyes snap open, and as they adjust to the light, I find a figure staring down at me with great disdain.


    What an unpleasant thing to wake up to, but the reason for such disdain is quickly understood when I feel a pressure in my palms. With a grip like the talons of a falcon, my fingers grasp the clothing of the person before me, and as I wonder why I would do such a thing, the memories of a dream I was having begin flooding in.


    "Nine."


    A number... And apparently a name. That man knew the truth of this world. What did he say about the [Corruption]? I can''t remember, but I know it''s important, that is, if the dream more than a dream.


    "I said let go, you horny vegetal!"


    Once more, a dull pain spreads through my cheek. This woman, she punched me. Had it not been for my high defensive stats, I would probably go right back to ''sleep''.


    "Sorry about that. I was having a dream. It felt like it was real."


    I eventually let go and apologized. True, she was needlessly violent, but I can''t deal with her this early in the morning. Not to mention, I can''t take my mind off that dream. If only I can recall more of the details.


    The woman, Asha, sighs and lets her anger fade. It''s surprising, I haven''t seen her let things go so quickly before. Here I am, half preparing for her to whine my eyes off.


    "You shouldn''t go chasing dreams, especially if they seem real. Your soul might not find its way back if you try going too deep."


    "Oh..."


    "What?"


    "You actually said something nice for once."


    Asha furrows her brows, looking rather offended.


    "That sneaky one, Seif, he said that you''re being forced to fight and that it''s the only way you''re getting home. So I thought that maybe I should be nicer, that''s all."


    Now that she mentions it... I see, in a way, we''re kind of in similar situations. Neither of us are doing what we''re doing because we want to, and we''re both looking for a way home as soon as possible. Well, I''m not at all in a hurry to get back, but I want to at least be able to send Corona back, but that''s close enough I suppose. Seif must have realized our similarities and got her to sympathize with me with whatever honeyed words that drip from his freakishly long tongue. Asha is quite right, Seif is rather sneaky.


    "You know, I''m sorry too, for drawing my sword on you. I just lost my temper."


    Asha looks at me, frowning, likely from remembering what happened. With her slender fingers, she reaches towards her neck, caressing where the tip of my blade was just a small breadth away.


    "I thought I was about to die."


    "You did say some mean things."


    "Yes... I suppose I did say something I shouldn''t have."


    "Well, let''s let bygones be bygones and get all of this over with, so both of us can get home."


    "Of course, that was my intention to begin with."


    It is surprising how someone could mellow out in such a short period of time. Maybe she was acting like she did before because she just didn''t like me? Or maybe having her life threatened shocked her out of it? Both are plausible I guess. I still get the feeling that she''s isn''t all that fond of me though, which I suppose is a given. After all that has happened, I don''t expect us to just suddenly get along, I don''t think we''ll ever get along. However, at least now we have some kind of understanding and are willing to work together. This is more than enough, and as far as a working relationship is concern, it''s likely as ideal as can be. If only more of my coworkers back at the office get that I just want to get the day over with and go home, my life would be much easier.


    After Asha, I exit the dirt mound made the day prior and see that the warriors had already gathered. After having a light meal from the leftovers of yesterday, we head out. Today is the day we infiltrate the land of the Beastkins.


    ***


    End of Chapter 57

 Vol. 4, Chapter 58: Into the Bestial Lands

    We approached the Beastkins'' western garrison head on, sprinting forward at top speed, not particularly caring if they spot us. It is not as if they can do anything about it, as the Dragonbroods are known for their thick hides, impenetrable under normal circumstances. Without that Summoner to enchant their weapons with those dark flames, their weapons should hardly be effective against us. We''ll take them all down before they have the time to warn the main forces in the capital.


    With ease, the Dragonbrood warriors scaled the tall wooden stockade and broke into the garrison, creating uproar beyond. For Asha and I, the two lacking in scaling capabilities, Seif got the gate open, and we strode it to find the place utterly undermanned, with what I estimate to be less than twenty soldiers stationed here. Enough to deal with a beast or two, but too few to do anything to even inconvenient us, making me wonder if we should have just gone around them instead.


    It seems like the Beastkins really did not anticipate an attack to come through here, either that, or they needed all the men they could get to defend against the Dragonbrood army that should be advancing on their capital as we speak. If our plan hasn''t'' been altered by the Grand Keeper, I should be right by her at this very moment. I wonder if I''ll be able to get there in time after we took care of the Keeper.


    "___!"


    A Beastkin, perhaps sensing that I am distracted, rushes towards me with a wild swing. Easily, I block the swing with my gauntlet and promptly strike back with a fist to the gut. I did not have my weapon drawn at the moment and neither am I wearing my full armor. I didn''t think I would need it and it seems that I was right. With the enemy writhing on the ground, I lift my leg and stomps right down onto his neck. As the sensation of breaking bones is felt through my boots, the Beastkin''s flailing arms go limp and move no more.


    At the corner of my eyes, I spot Asha looking away, clearly not fond of the sight. I can''t blame her. It''s not pretty, it really is not but you get used to it. It''s scary how quickly how fast you can get used to things when your life is at stake. At the very least, I''m the ones who can get used to it quickly enough to not get myself killed. Corona though, she knew what she had to do wrong the start. Even while I was cowering away and shaking in my boots, Corona did what she had to. Maybe the fact that she''s a magic caster and is able to kill enemies at a distance has something to do with it, but even so, to know what you need to do and doing it immediately is rather amazing. A little terrifying even.


    Having dealt with the measly garrison we quickly set off once more, towards the inner domain of the Beastkins'' territory. I can''t believe it was so easy, especially after what I''ve been through last time when I tried to invade this land. Had I known this is going to happen, I would not have scaled that mountain and I would not have been defeated by that Summoner as a result. Then again, if I really could know all these things, I would be invincible, wouldn''t I? Well, at any rate, rather than the unrealistic, I better focus on what is in front of me, namely, the Beastkins'' Keeper, the [World Breaker Behemoth]. That''s the same raid boss from Elysium Online. I should know how to beat it already, but I am hesitant to rely on knowledge from the game. This world is, for some reason, similar to Elysium Online, that is without a doubt. However, there are differences, there''s a certain sense of realism in the rules of this world. I know realism isn''t exactly what one would describe a world with magic and vaguely humanoid fire breath lizards, but when compare to the game, the laws that govern this world appears less arbitrary, such as being able to use simple skills that belonged to another class without changing into that class or the ability to change weapon on the fly, simple things that anyone should be able to do that weren''t allowed in the game for balancing reasons or engine limitations. Rather than saying that this world is similar to the game, doesn''t it make more sense to say that the game is similar to this world?


    The Grand Keeper had said that there were other Champions before us and there will be more after us, could it be that someone modeled Elysium Online after Elgardia? But how is it that we were summoned through Elysium Online? Is someone back in our world working with the Grand Keeper to summon Champions here? Or perhaps that someone was working with the Beastkins to interrupt the summoning ritual? Either way, this whole deal with the Champions and [Corruptions] might not just extend to this world. There might be something going on back in our world as well.


    As the sun begins to dip into the horizon, I see a forest rising into view. From it, I feel a strange energy emanating, similar to what I felt as I approach the mountain top where the Holy Serpent lies.


    "Nibal, is that it?"


    "If the maps we have of the Beastkin lands are accurate, then yes, this would indeed be the dwelling of the [Corupted] Holy Beast."


    "Then let us end this quickly. According to the Grand Keeper, the World Breaker is currently weakened due to an overuse of her powers. We should be able to handle her without any problem."


    "This feels wrong, to put down a Keeper like a wild beast. I can''t imagine having to do it to our Holy Serpent."


    "If we take out the Holy Beast, then the Grand Keeper should be able to locate the Purifier. We won''t have to fear the Holy Serpent being [Corrupted] and we''ll be able to restore the rest of the world and everything will be fine as it once was."


    "I can only pray it will be so."


    "We''ll fight to make it so."If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Yes, of course."


    As we near the forest, we switch to take a brief moment to prepare for battle, fully arming ourselves with our best weapons and armors. Once we''re prepared, Asha says a prayer for us, for the Dragonbrood ancestors to watch over us and for our souls to find peace should we fall upon battle. In Elysium Online, this should be the Shaman''s [Prayer] skill, which increases a hidden stats named Luck. This is the stats that increase critical rate, critical defense, evasion rate, and most important of all, rare item drop rate. No raid party that knows what they''re doing begins without having received a [Prayer] from the Shamans.


    With all preparations completed, we set forth towards the forest, and though I have already done this quite a few times already, the moment when I head into battle is the part when I am the most nervous. There''s no telling what might happen, our plans could go wrong in hundreds of ways and there''s just no guarantees no matter how much planning or preparations we''ve done. I can only keep going, one foot in front of the other, and hope for the best.


    ***


    Having set foot into the Holy Beast''s dwelling, we found the place to be strangely peaceful. It was quiet, but not so much that you''d say it''s too quiet. We can still hear the chirping of the birds, the buzzing of the bees, and butterflies are seen fluttering. On our way in, we even saw a baby boar accompanied by its mother. There was not a single sign of a battle being prepared and we didn''t run into any obstacles or enemies. As far as the eye can see, the path we walked and the path ahead is but a stretch of tranquil woodland.


    Eventually, we arrive before a cave entrance surrounded by a small pond. Even though I would usually associate a cave with a place of danger and all sorts of creepiness, such as snakes and various insects, this cave appears welcoming.


    "What do you make of this?"


    I ask Nibal and Seif on my two sides.


    "I smell a trap."


    Nibal has his greatbow at the ready, an arrow already nocked.


    "I too am suspicious, but I don''t smell anyone. What form of trap might this be, I wonder."


    "Seif, can you scout it out?"


    "That''s what I am here for, no?"


    Seif heads into the forest cave while the rest of us prepare ourselves for the first sign of trouble. After a few moments had passed quietly, Seif pokes his head from the entrance, looking rather concerned, or at least, as concerned as his lizard face can be.


    "It is very strange. There is no one, no traps, all clear. It cannot be that they''re not expecting us. The Keeper should know we are approaching the moment we stepped into her land. I do not understand."


    "I guess we''ll just have to find out what''s going on inside."


    Though cautious and reluctant, both Nibal and Seif agree. We don''t have the luxury to wait around, as the Beastkin will likely be sending reinforcements should they hear that the Keeper is being attacked. We don''t know if they have help to spare or if the Keeper had even sent for help, but we should still hurry. Taking on a single weakened Keeper is one thing, but facing both the Keeper and the reinforcement at the same time may be rough for a party of our size. Especially if that Summoner and that [Guardian Angel] of his show up, then we might take some serious losses.


    "Asha, what would you do? Can you fight?"


    Asha is physically strong, yes, but being capable of overpowering someone and having to actually fight with lives on the line aren''t the same.


    "I... I can''t. So what? You''re not thinking about leaving me behind, are you?"


    She looks anxious at the idea of behind left behind. Strong she may be, this is still enemy territory and she is well aware of that.


    "Should we leave a guard behind?"


    I turn to Seif and Nibal, seeking their advice.


    "We should at least be able to spare one man."


    "One it is then."


    As per Nibal''s suggestion, I select a single warrior from the party and assign him to watch the entrance with Asha. The rest of us, twelve in total, proceed into the cavern.


    We follow the path, winding and twisting, into the depths, and all that accompanies us are our own footsteps and the droplets of water dripping down the stalactites on the cave ceiling. Not a single person appeared before us, no guardian, no priest or priestesses, and without crossing path with a single soul, the cave eventually opens up into a spacious cavern.


    Lighting the cavern, a ray of light from above, coming through an opening in the ceiling, and basking in said light, is a massive beast of dark purplish fur and a thick mane, and behind it, a sinewy reptilian tail. It''s her, the [World Breaker Behemoth].


    Noticing out presence, the beast turns towards us, calmly, almost lazily, as if it had just woken from a deep sleep.


    "Finally arrived have you?"


    A voice rings out in my head, bearing a sensation similar to when the Holy Serpent would speak, a calm and gentle sensation, with none of the violence one associates with the [Corruption].


    ''The Grand Keeper said that you have betrayed her."


    "So I have, what of it?"


    That confirms it, I suppose, but she seems so... How should I put it? Righteous about it?


    "Why?"


    "If I said that it is to end this world, what would you do?"


    Slowly, the Keeper stands up, and in her voice, there is now a sense of menace.


    "Why? Why do this? You''re Keeper, aren''t you?"


    "I tire of this, Champion, of these cycles, the [Corruption], the madness. This world was never meant to be, just like its creator, it is far too broken a world, far too incomplete, even the creator herself tire of it. The Grand Keeper, however, would not let it go, and so I turned from her. With this, the world march towards its end, as it should have."


    So, she''s sick of it is she? I''d be lying if I said I don''t understand. If I have to deal with the same issue that comes up again and again with no end in sight, I''d be pretty sick of it too. I''d probably just quit the job at that point. But, being a Keeper, I suppose quitting isn''t an option, and for that, she has my sympathy. However, if this world is gone, what will happen to me? What will happen to Corona? I doubt we''d just wind back in our world, especially since I doubt anyone will be able to properly send us back once the world is destroyed.


    "You want to quit, fine, I have your way out right here. But, I''m taking the Purifier once I''m done with you."


    With a single motion, I undo the straps holding my greatsword to my back and turn the blade towards the World Breaker.


    "Death is no escape for a Keeper I''m afraid. Besides, the Purifier is gone. I''ve had someone escort her elsewhere."


    So the Purifier was here after all. What the Grand Keeper said was true.


    "But without your protection, the Grand Keeper will find it in due time."


    "Perhaps she might, however, I sent it away because it no longer requires my protection. Someone else will do so in my stead."


    "Then I''ll cut them down too."


    A toothy smirk, or at least what seems to be a smirk, appears on the World Breaker''s face.


    "We shall see. But, before that, you''ll have to deal with me first!"


    ***


    End of Chapter 58

 Vol. 4, Chapter 59: Raiding the [World Breaker Behemoth]

    A mighty cry signals the beginning of battle. With the skill [Warcry], I force the World Breaker''s attention upon me whilst the rest of the warriors spread out, as we have planned beforehand. When fighting [World Breaker Behemoth] back in Elysium Online, she tended to move around her boss arena a great deal and uses a variety of area-of-effect attacks. The key to victory was to spread out as much as possible to minimize overall damage done to the party while dealing as much damage as possible during moments when she would stop moving, usually after an attack. Careful maneuvering and knowing when to spot an opportunity to attack are required of the players in that raid, something I trust the Dragonbrood warriors here can perform more than adequately. I can only hope it''s enough.


    With her eyes glaring me down and I with my sword raised, the World Breaker and I circle around one another. I suspect that she knows; that I will use the skill [Guarding Stance] and following it up with a [Counter Blast]. She won''t attack carelessly. In that case, we''ll just have to go after her ourselves.


    From behind and from her sides, the warriors move in to strike, from these angles, she should have no way of dealing with them other than to evade, and the move she''d use to evade and move around the arena was a great leap, repositioning herself on more or less any part of her arena. However, while it was an annoying maneuver to deal with, once you are able to track her trajectory and predict where she would land, the moment of landing can provide a great opening for dealing damage.


    As expected, the World Breaker shoots up into the air in a single bound the moment the warriors close in on her. While I have never thought of it in the game, the maneuverability she displays is surprising for a creature of her size.


    I raise my massive sword, charging after the World Breaker, aiming for the moment she lands. She''ll be at the very edge of the cavern, against the walls, likely in an attempt to avoid being flanked. A sensible move on her part, but it matters not as I plan to cripple her with a single swing. Since this isn''t a game, which has limited interactivity due to the engine limitations, this world is real, and I should be more than capable of damaging her foot. Once that''s done, she should lose her mobility and be cornered against the wall. Looks like this is going to be a swift battle, or so I thought.


    As I run after her, I realize that she had jumped a little higher up than I expected, and if she keeps going, she''ll hit the wall. The thought that she might have miscalculated crossed my mind for just a mere instant, an instant before realizing my mistake.


    With her hind legs, the World Breaker bounces off the cavern wall. This was unprecedented, something I''ve never seen before, not in the game that is, as the [World Breaker Behemoth]''s boss arena was an open field, with no walls to jump off from.


    Seeing this, I immediately hit the brakes, boring my foot into the ground to grind my charge to a halt and quickly enter the [Guarding Stance], expecting her to hit me with a [Ground Slam], one of the area-of-effect damage moves the [World Breaker Behemoth] uses. However, instead of attacking, the World Breaker hits the ground, sliding towards me with the momentum from her kick off the wall while maintaining a low posture. From her low position, she then further twists her body in a way that can only be done by a creature as dexterous as a cat and swipes her massive claw at me with an upward swing. The swing sends me into the air, but nevertheless, I have blocked the blow. Still in midair, my sword glows with a brilliant radiance from the World Breaker''s attack, and though I am without footing, I manage to swing my sword forward for a [Counter Blast], sending out a devastating shock wave that fed off the damage the World Breaker had given me. Unfortunately, with her feline reflexes, the World Breaker easily rolls away, completely evading the attack.


    The disappointment of missing what could have been a hefty blow hit me hard, but not as hard as the ceiling hitting my back. I was careless. Having fired off the [Counter Blast] in midair without proper footing, the force of the attack propelled me right into the cavern ceiling, slamming my back against it. Thanks to my armor, I have not sustained that much damage from the impact. For the landing, however, I am not so sure, if I even get to land in the first place.


    Once more, the World Breaker leaps into the air, towards me who had just bounced off the ceiling. In midair, where I can neither fight nor flight, the World Breaker bears her fangs at me and I foresee clearly my own death. It''s just like last time, back in the mountains. Just when I thought that I had trapped my foes, they went ahead and turned the table against me. I guess I am just that easy to read. Corona... Even though I said that I was going to get us home, even though I was supposed to be the one who is stronger, physically at least, you''re the one who always had to save my ass.


    Blood spills in midair and my heightened senses from the adrenaline pumping through my system allows me to see the smallest detail on them as they flutter like petals in the air. All I can think of at the moment is: ''Thank god those aren''t mine''.


    An arrow cut across the air and struck the World Breaker in her left eye, causing her to wince and snap her jaws where I am not, missing me completely to my relief. However, I don''t even have the time to breathe a sigh before my body slams into the ground by the pull of gravity and then promptly bounces off it like a rubber ball. Not even my armor was able to protect me from this one.


    The fall stunned me, making it so that I am unable to move immediately and leaving me at the mercy of the World Breaker who landed right after me with much, much more grace, and like the colossal feline she is, the [Corrupted] Keeper pounces at me like a cat upon its prey.


    I raise my sword to defend in panic, but without a proper stance, I am more than sure that she''ll break through. I am not sure how much damage I''ll take, but as long as I don''t die, I can still do something. Someway, somehow, I just have to get back on my feet.


    I brace myself for damage, but just as I steel myself, from the left side of the World Breaker, from where she is now blind, a total of five warrior slams into the [Corrupted] Keeper with their shields, using the skill, [Shield Charge], and successfully knocking her to the side. At the same time, I can feel a pair of burly arms hooking under my own before finding myself lifted and pulled away.


    "Quickly, heal the Champion! The others can''t hold the Keeper for long!"


    From some distance, I hear Nibal shouting, and once I am far away enough from the World Breaker, the two burly arms lay me down on the ground and a pair of Dragonbroods begin casting healing spells upon me.


    "Hah, that was a close one wasn''t it?"


    "By the Holy Serpent, I thought it''d be the end of you there."


    My two healers start chatting, both looking somewhat in shock but still finding ways to cope. I am grateful that they''re as capable as they are.


    "You guys truly are the best warriors of the Dragonbroods. I would have been dead without you."If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "We are merely performing our duties as warriors. Come, you should do your part as well. You are our proud Champion, no?"


    Oh great, pushy healers, but I''ll let it slide. Besides, they''re not wrong. We won''t win if I don''t do my job right.


    ***


    Upon recovery, I charge back into battle, letting out a thunderous [Warcry], pulling the World Breaker''s attention towards me. With the World Breaker''s attention on me, the warriors move in to strike once again, and again, the World Breaker leaps into the air. Of course, this time, I have no intention of letting things play out the same as before.


    I lift my left leg into the air before swinging it back down, all the while swinging both my arms down with sword in hand. Then, I let go, as the arc of the swing is at the point where my sword is just about to reach the point furthest from me, I release my grip and send the sword flying forwards. This is the modified version of the Assassin skill, [Blade Toss], something I''ve been toying with, but never found a practical use until now. Of course, back in Elysium Online, there''s no system for modifying skill behavior, but here, without system restrictions and limitations, I get to mess around with them a bit more by altering my own actions. That said, due to the massive size of the object I''ve just flung forward, I fall right into the ground face first, the skill is imperfect and causes damage to myself, but this is minor comparing to what will happen next.


    Spinning as it flies through the air, my greatsword heads directly towards the World Breaker at high speed just as she is about to kick off the cavern wall. Urgently, she twists her body, redirecting the force of her leap, and instead of coming right at me like last time, the World Breaker was forced to land to the side, all according to plan.


    "There, do it!"


    "No need to yell, I know!"


    From the dust clouds raised by the World Breaker''s abrupt landing, a shadow comes slithering through, and with the pair of shortswords I''ve lent to him, the shadow, Seif, strikes at the tendons of one of the World Breaker''s hind legs, gouging a wedge off with the twin blades.


    The World Breaker hisses in pain as a flood of blood spills from her heel, the hair on her back standing on ends and her reptilian tail rises stiffly into the air before it begins thrashing about.


    With [Shadow Step], Seif narrowly avoids the tail''s wild swings, and with his escape, I allow myself to breathe easy. Had he been struck, he would have died. Unlike the rest of the Dragonbroods, Seif is simply not as large or strong, something that he''s made up with dexterity and stealth. Without a doubt, he''s good, but I was reluctant to have him approach something as large as the World Breaker alone. After all, one misstep and he could have been crushed.


    "Lord Oro."


    One of the warriors approaches me, presenting me with the greatsword I have just thrown. Gratefully, I receive my weapon before turning towards the World Breaker.


    There, against the wall, the World Breaker glares right at me with foam bubbling from her maw, and though the [Warcry] skill is still effective, I am sure she knows that I''ll be dealing the final blow. I am the only one that gets to approach her directly and get out in one piece. My defense is the greatest of those here and my strength is the highest of every one of the Dragonbroods. I knew that, and because of it, I always thought that I had to be the one to take the brunt of everything, that I have to carry everyone else to victory, and I am the one who has to, and is able to, do so.


    With my greatsword raised up high, I charge at the World Breaker, and seeing my approach, the World Breaker, swipes her large claws at me in desperation. Just in time, I raise my [Guarding Stance], taking on the blow with minimal damage. Upon hit, I adjust my stance, preparing for the [Counter Blast]. However, just as I shift my balance, the World Breaker sees her opportunity and twirls around on her forelegs, and along with her body comes her massive tail. She''s coming in for a [Tail Sweep], an area-of-effect move that not only deals damage to everything immediately in front of her, but deals high physical damage. It''ll one-hit-kill anything that isn''t a tank. If I''m hit, I doubt I''ll recover any time soon. I knew that, I saw this coming, that''s why I never intended to lower my ''guard'' in the first place.


    The massive tail struck, but my feet are still firmly planted on the ground, my greatsword steadily in front of me, still maintaining the [Guarding Stance]. In Elysium Online, once you go into [Counter Blast], there is no way to cancel it, and that is true in this world as well. Once you begin the skill, it must go through. Perhaps I may hold it for a few seconds before shooting out the damage, but there''s no going back once the skill activates. The reason why I am still in [Guarding Stance] is because I never intended to go for a [Counter Blast] in the first place. Twas but a feint, one could say. It is a common tactic, to attack immediately as a player is shifting from [Guarding Stance] to [Counter Blast], and once the player is hit with a [stun] or [knockdown], [Counter Blast] would be canceled. As such, only a beginner would go into [Counter Blast] immediately when hit every time. Sometimes, you simply need to hold your guard.


    Surprised that her attack was stopped, the World Breaker froze for but a moment, but a moment was more than enough. In that half a second, an arrow cuts across the air, piercing into the World Breaker''s remaining eye with a soft whistle. In pain, the Keeper trembles, holding onto its urge to thrash about carelessly before letting out a low growl. But, growl as it may, my blade is already swinging. With a [Counter Blast], I cleave the World Breaker''s forelegs off with ease.


    The Keeper falls heavily onto the ground, bleeding from all but one of its limbs. She growls in a low menacing voice but she no longer moves, with the only motion on her being her heavy breathing.


    It is exactly as the Grand Keeper said. The Beastkin Keeper has weakened significantly. She didn''t even try to heal when injured or use any of her spells.


    "Let... it end..."


    A faint voice resounds in my head. The Keeper is trying to communicate. Is she asking me to end her quickly? I suppose if I''m just lying in my own pool of blood with my arms and legs cut off, I''d want to die too.


    "...... End the cycles... Nine..."


    "Nine? What''s that supposed to mean?"


    From my side, Seif asks the question, a question I think I might just have the answer to. But, it seems like the World Breaker isn''t talking to me specifically, she''s just broadcasting her thoughts to whoever listening.


    "... Let... it end..."


    Not wanting to prolong her suffering, I raise my sword and bring it down upon her neck, removing her head from the rest of her body, spilling most of what''s left of her blood onto the ground she had just been napping on before we came in.


    "Looks like we did it."


    "I guess we did. So, what are our loses, Seif?"


    "Five injured two dead. Considering that we went up against a Keeper, we''ve done pretty well."


    "I see..."


    "Here, these are fine blades, as expected from something forged from the Holy Serpent''s scales. I am glad to have a chance to wield them."


    Seif returns my swords, the ones I lent to him, the ones that immobilized the World Breaker. I did so when I was being healed, calling Seif over so that I could hand the twin blades to him. However, I probably should have entrusted my shortswords to Seif from the start. It was like this as well back at the Beastkin fortress to the east, where I decided to charge in on my own rather than wait for Corona''s [Meteor] to cool down and follow along with her plan. In the end, I got into trouble and Corona had to go in to get me out. It was like so in the mountains too, where I should have let Corona come with me rather than telling her that it would be dangerous and insisted on going alone. As much as I like to think otherwise, when I try to do things on my own, I tend to fail or mess up somewhere. I am afraid that I am just not good enough to take on the brunt of everything on my own. I may have the greatest defense and the highest strength, but I am simply not good enough to carry everyone through to the end.


    "Keep it, Seif, you''re better with it than I am. Things are only going to get tougher, so I''ll be depending on you, you and everyone here more from now on."


    Seif stares at me with both of his two independently moving eyes. Then, he gave me the cheekiest of grins, as cheeky as a lizard face can look like anyways, before patting me on my shoulder.


    "Will do, friend. Will do."


    As the [World Breaker Behemoth]''s body breaks off into particles of light, we tend to the injured, and when the last speck of light from the World Breaker''s body fades away, we were ready to leave, carrying the bodies of the dead with us. When we get back to the cave entrance, we''ll have Asha resurrect them as undead, as per Dragonbrood tradition, and have them walk home with us so that we can bury them in their homeland.


    ***


    End of Chapter 59

 Vol. 4, Chapter 60: The Return of the Devourer

    "Lord Oro!"


    As the warriors and I near the cave entrance, the warrior we left out here to keep watch comes running at us, looking rather perturbed. This gives me a terrible premonition. For a proud warrior of the Dragonbroods to be so concerned, what could have caused it?


    "What!? What''s wrong? Is it an attack?"


    "No sir, that''s not the case. However, the Grand Keeper has come, and she demanded to see you."


    The Grand Keeper? She sure is showing up quite often lately. Usually, she is rarely seen, off to tend to whatever businesses a Grand Keeper tends to.


    I hurry out of the cave ahead of the others. Whatever the Grand Keeper has in mind, it''s best not to keep her waiting.


    Upon arriving outside, other than the blinding sunlight, there is something else I am noticing. The place is quiet, far more than when we first got here. There''s no chirping of birds, no small creature rustling in the bushes, there''s not even a single insect crawling on the ground. This forest has gotten dead silent.


    "Champion, good to see you well, and from the looks of it, you are successful in your mission."


    The Grand Keeper approaches me, her bare feet gently brushing against the grass, barely trampling them as she comes, walking with an ethereal weightlessness.


    "The World Breaker is dead, but the Purifier is gone. She mentioned sending her to someone else."


    "I know, in fact, I know exactly who she sent ''it'' to."


    "Where?"


    And so I, Feeling as if it''s expected of me, asked her with trepidation. I know where this conversation is going to go. I only hope we can at least get some rest before being sent out.


    "The Beastkin''s capital, where a new [World Devourer Woods] had sprouted not too long ago."


    "What!? I thought the World Devourer had just been slain a while ago. You said it takes at least a decade before a new Keeper can be born."


    "Naturally, yes, but this is not natural. Either way, you must go there. The Purifier is there, information in regards to the interruption of the summoning ritual may be there, and most important to you, I believe, the Champion, Corona is there as well."


    That''s right, Corona, she should be leading the siege against the city right about now. Don''t tell me something happened to her.


    "Corona, is she safe?"


    "She is not dead, yet, but she is trapped within the World Devourer. You should know what happens should one remain in those woods for too long, don''t you?"


    They''ll be slowly [Corrupted] by the woods, just by touching its soil, just by breathing its air.


    "Nibal, gather the men, we''re heading out!"


    "Now hold on a minute!"


    The one who objected was not Nibal, but Asha. I guess she expected it to end here and was looking forward to going home. However, now is not the time for that, I don''t have the leisure to pamper her at the moment.


    "Not now, Asha, we-"


    "What about the dead? Are we not taking them home? Are we just going to leave them here, a land so far away from home? Not to mention, you''ve all just fought a Keeper, do you not need rest? Surely you''re not thinking of challenging one right after another."


    For once, she has a point, we''re tired from the fight we''ve had just a moment ago and the dead need burying. However, we do not have the leisure of time right now. There''s no way we can head to the edge of the north and return in time.


    As I am about to argue back, the Grand Keeper raises her hand and have me stand down. In turn, she herself approaches Asha.


    "I am afraid time is not something we have in abundance, priestess. More than half the troops we sent to invade the Beastkin capital, as well as one of our Champions, are trapped within that forest. If we do not get them out quickly, we will most likely end up having to fight them. Can you imagine, brethren against brethren, kin against kin? We must prevent that from happening. Leave the dead to me, I shall deliver them home. You will go with the Champion, Oro, and head to the Beastkin capital."


    For a moment, it looked like Asha has something to say but eventually was able to refrain from saying anything.


    "I understand. I will go."


    The Grand Keeper nods in satisfaction to Asha''s reply, ignoring that slight signs of defiance she showed within her.


    Once everyone is ready, the Grand Keeper sends us on our way before disappearing into the clouds, the bodies of the fallen along with her, looking as if they''re ascending to the afterlife alongside a heavenly guide. With the Grand Keeper gone from our sights, Asha begins to speak freely.


    "To send us here and there at her whim... If it''s so urgent, why couldn''t she go herself? If it''s the Grand Keeper, she''d be able to get everyone out easily, right?"


    "Shush, Lady Asha, you never know if she could still hear you. Besides, it''s not as simple as that. The Grand keeper has an important task, a task which takes a great toll on her strength."


    "And what task is that? Do you even know, Nibal?"


    "I... I have no idea; it is not my place to know."


    "How compliant, with warriors like you, it''s a no wonder she keeps all of us under her thumb."


    "That is quite enough, Lady Asha, you do not know-"


    "And that is precisely why I am asking!"


    "That is enough you two, arguing here won''t help our brethren out of the World Devourer''s belly any sooner and neither will it change our current situation."


    "Why, I was just-"


    "Lady Asha, I am sure the Grand Keeper has her reason and for now we will have to trust that. Rescuing our brethren takes priority and we have little time to waste."


    As the argument appears to be escalating, Seif came in for a timely intervention.


    "Hmph! Fine, I get it already. I''ll leave it be for now."


    "And Nibal, you should know better, this is hardly the time."


    "You''re right, I am ashamed. This won''t happen again."


    "Good, let us focus on the task at hand."Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Thank goodness Seif stepped in there to stop them. Between worrying about Corona and how we''re going to attack the forest, I don''t think I have any patience to stomach their back and forth. If Seif hadn''t said anything, I might have, and I cannot guarantee that my tone will be as pleasant and calming as his, something I am sure that our lady Asha will not sit very well with. Just imagining the trouble that might follow hurts my head.


    ***


    It took us half a day to arrive before the Beastkin capital, and by now, it is deep into the night. To get here as quickly as possible, I forced everyone to travel long after sundown. No one complained as they all understood the urgency, and Asha, being nocturnal, was completely fine with it.


    Standing upon the massive gates of the city, via the moonlight, I spot a crack, the gates having been open slightly to allow entry. I didn''t even need the keen senses of the Dragonbroods to smell a trap. The gates, appearing unguarded, is only opened wide enough to allow one to two person to pass through at a time, and I''m sure, in the shadows of the night, the Beastkins are waiting to pounce us upon entry.


    I turn to wave Asha over.


    "Asha, you''re nocturnal... That means you can see in the dark right? Can you see what''s beyond the gates?"


    The priestess goes forward to take a peek, her eyes squinting as she looks.


    "There are trees everywhere, that''s about as much as I can tell."


    Not that I doubted her, but it appears that the Grand Keeper''s information was accurate, the [World Devourer Woods] had grown over the Beastkin capital. As for why, she did not say, and in my worry for Corona, I neglected to ask. All I remember is that she was saying something about it being unnatural. Either way, what we must do does not change. We have three objectives. One: Extract Corona. Two: Retrieve the Purifier said to be here. Three: Purify the forest if possible.


    In a way, this is a fortunate turn of event, because that means there is no need for the Faefolks to wait a decade for their Keeper to return. I''ve heard that it''s hard for those of another race to survive outside of their natural habitats, something about them being designed this way to prevent wars for territories across races. The only known records of another race living in the lands of another and properly survived were the Beastkins, whose Keeper had been killed under circumstances redacted from history. For a decade, they managed to survive in the lands of Mankind. The side effects, however, caused their forms to become twisted in a sense, becoming more human-like than their ancestral counterparts. This ended up making it difficult for them to thrive even after their Keeper is reborn, incompatible in both lands they lived in, they now have far shorter life spans and lower birthrates than they should have. To this day, their members are fewer than those of the other races and are facing continuous decline. If anyone has a reason to want to screw over the rest of the world and let the [Corruption] take it all, it may very well be the Beastkins, which may possibly explain why they interrupted the summoning ritual of the Grand Keeper.


    Either way, it doesn''t matter why they did it. I am here for Corona and the Purifier as well as the Dragonbroods that have been caught within the forest. Pitying the opponents can wait till after we win.


    "We should make camp, preferably somewhere a good distance away. We can''t fight the Bastkins in the dark, we''ll be at a disadvantage."


    Agreeing with Seif, I have the party move towards a distant hill overlooking the city, or at least, it should be. Even by the moonlight, it is too dark to properly tell.


    "Go rest, friend, we''ll take turns to keep watch."


    "You''re all tired, I can take the first watch."


    "So are you, and it''s best you sleep now. We''ll need all the daylight we can get to infiltrate that forest, especially considering how hard it is to wake you."


    "Seif, it''s not something I can control. I don''t think it matters when I sleep."


    "Better safe than sorry. Go sleep."


    By Seif''s urging, I relent. I feel too tired to fight him on this and if that''s the case, I doubt I''ll be able to fight off the Beastkins either, should they come.


    "Don''t push yourself."


    "I know my limits. Sleep well."


    ***


    Tonight, I dream again, however, instead of dreaming of a strange place I do not recognize, I dream of the place I fell asleep in, an open field atop a hill. I look down, and there I see my body, deep asleep, looking like he won''t be waking up anytime soon. Around me, the others as well, slumber. Nibal sleeps near the fire, and so does Asha, all curled up in an attempt to keep her warmth. Seif sleeps while sitting, hunched over the spot he was supposed to keep watch from. Everyone, every single one of the warriors, is deep asleep. Amidst us, there is a presence, and when I turn to see, I find a being of purity, her white hair flowing in the nightly breeze, her white dress fluttering, her azure eyes glazed and vague, as if looking into a dream, and adorned upon her head a pair of spiraling horns.


    "You...I know you."


    I reach out towards her despite not being sure if I can even touch her. However, before I get to find out, another hand reaches out and grasps her. In response, the horned girl turns, her hollow eyes, reflecting the figure that had just taken her hand. Tracing the girl''s eyes, I too turn around, finding before me a figure wearing dark robes, wearing a pointed hat that is the signature of the Sorcerer class in Elysium Online. The figure''s eyes are blood red, her skin grey, but I recognize her, I know this face.


    "Corona!"


    ***


    As I utter the name, my eyes snap open, and before me, I see a world of green. I see the leaves on the branches of a tree through a broken ceiling, with soft sunlight filtered through the green showering down upon me.


    "He''s awake!"


    I hear a voice cry out as I realize that I am on solid ground, one that feels to be of stone, completely unlike the soft leather bedding I had fallen sleep on last night. As I lay upon the ground, my eyes trace over to the source of the voice to find a girl with horns of mismatching size watching over me.


    "Asha?"


    "Finally, took you long enough! Have you any idea how much trouble we''re in!?"


    "Do not blame him, Lady Asha. You know as well as I do that he can''t help it."


    I look to the side to find Seif by what appears to be a window, the glass pane apparently broken by a small tree that grew through it.


    "Seif, where are the others? And this place... Don''t tell me..."


    With me, there are only Seif and Asha while Nibal and the rest of the warriors are nowhere to be seen. All around, I see small trees and weeds growing through the crack of the stone floor, with a massive tree in the middle of this ruined building I now reside, and its growth had apparently collapsed the ceiling.


    "We''re in the bowels of the World Devourer, friend. As for the others, they stayed behind to hold back the enemy so that we could escape."


    "How did we even end up here? No, more importantly, now that I am awake, we should go back to get them. We have to regroup. Anyone here has my sword?"


    "I am afraid your greatsword was too heavy for me and Asha had to carry you, so we left it behind. Here, take these, they were yours to begin with."


    From Seif, I receive the twin blades that I had given him. I didn''t think I would be getting them back so soon.


    "So, what now? Are we going back to get them?"


    Asks Asha, concern clearly in her eyes. She''s strong yes, but she doesn''t know how to fight. She had never been trained in such a way and it was never her task to do so. To be caught in the middle of the enemy''s nest must be rather distressing for her.


    "Of course! We''re not leaving anyone behind, even if I have to go alone. Seif, can you escort Asha out?"


    "While I feel the same, friend, you''d be a fool to go at it alone. Our enemies here are numerous and they could strike from anywhere from the ground to atop the brances of trees. Just one wrong step may put you in deep trouble."


    "I know, I know! But this time, we''ve hardly a choice, do we?"


    Not to mention, even if we retreat from here, what then? There''s nothing we can do with just the three of us. We''d have to return to the north, gather more men and come back. By then, wouldn''t everyone be [Corrupted]? We''d have to fight them, and most likely, Corona as well. I can''t let that happen, no matter what.


    "I... I can take care of myself!"


    Suddenly, Asha inserts herself between Seif and me, her brows furrowed and her fists tightly clenched.


    "I''ll wait here, so you two should go get everyone back."


    She''s being brave. Even I can tell that in truth, she is actually scared. However, if given the choice between her and Corona, I can only apologize to Asha endlessly.


    I look around, finding a cupboard, and after opening it up and looking inside, I find some plates and bowls. Promptly, I remove them, arranging them elsewhere to make space here.


    "Asha, hide in here. We''ll be back for you."


    "You promise?"


    "Like I said, we''re not leaving anyone behind. That means you too."


    With uncharacteristic obedience, Asha nods and carefully climbs into the cupboard. I give her a smile, reassuring her, before shutting the door.


    "Seif, lead the way."


    "If I must, friend, but you must stay close. There are Faefolks here, the elves and the fairies. Their elves have sharp eyesight and alongside the fairies they patrol the treetops. Only by sticking to the shadows will we be able to sneak past them. Fortunately, there are many buildings in which we can hide."


    "The Faefolks? How did they get here?"


    "The Woods must have called to them."


    "And us, how did we end up in the World Devourer all of the sudden? You guys didn''t enter it while I was still asleep did you?"


    "No, of course not. We were already here by the time we awoke, out bodies entangled by the foliage and our maws muzzled by vines. Fortunately, it appears they did not find the knife I had hidden on me, and with that, I was able to cut our way out."


    "So they captured us somehow. Looks like someone was sleeping on the job."


    "And I am ashamed to say that it was me. I do not know why, but it appears that I have been overcome by slumber. That has never happened before, no matter how worn out I had been."


    "We can look into that later. Right now, we have a mission to complete."


    "Of course. Now then, follow my lead."


    ***


    End of Chapter 60

 Vol. 4, Chapter 61: The Sleeping Champion

    With Seif''s lead, we stuck to the shades of the ruined buildings, narrowly avoiding the elven scouts and the seeking fairies. Had it been only trees and bushes, we wouldn''t have done so well, but thanks to the buildings, we were provided safe places to hide.


    "So far so good."


    Having peered through the windows from within one of the buildings, I watched a unit of fairy scout flying overhead, diligently scanning the ground and then passing over us, apparently not noticing our presence.


    A scaled hand grabs my shoulder, redirecting my gaze. Following the direction of the scaly grip, I come face to face with Seif, who has a finger on his lips all the while shaking his head. Then, from a distance, I hear faint sounds, sounds of air being drawn into nostrils repeatedly, the sounds of sniffing. Inadvertently, my eyes turn towards the window I had just been peeking out of and I wonder, with deep anxiety in my heart, if our scents are currently drifting out of this opening.


    Suddenly, the sniffing stops. Both Seif and I await with bated breaths and hands upon our weapons. Hearing the sounds of leaves being rustled along the ground and the faint sound of claws striking the stone-paved paths, we know that they''re getting closer. It appears that combat is not unavoidable. Somehow, we will have to get the jump on them.


    Sweat rolls down my forehead as I try to tell the exact location of the approaching enemies as well as their numbers, but before I can make even an attempt to count, the footsteps become silent. My mind goes blank and my body is ready to lash out at the first enemy that comes within sight. Intuitively, I feel that there''s no more point in planning. Right here, right now, the ones who will win are the ones who can be the fastest and fiercest of them all.


    Silently, I take a deep breath, my hands drawing my swords, and then, I feel something cool on my forehead. It is a breeze, coming through the window. All of a sudden, the footsteps change directions, rushing towards the direction of the breeze, passing us by.


    I turn towards Seif and see him with his tongue sticking out.


    "The breeze, it carries a scent. Smells like Beastkins, other Beastkins."


    "Have the Beastkins come to reclaim their capital?"


    "Most likely. If we don''t hurry, we may be caught up in the fight."


    "True, but right now, this situation is good for us, the Beastkins will distract the forest."


    "We should still be careful. The World Devourer''s power isn''t as strong as it used to be, but if we stay too long..."


    "The [Corruption] will be upon us, I know."


    After taking a moment to be sure that we are truly in the clear, we move on deeper into the forest using Seif''s sense of smell to guide us to our allies. Though we know that the Beastkins from the outside are attacking, we continue on with caution, not knowing if we''ll suddenly be attacked by foes in waiting.


    "Keep your eyes open, the Faefolks smell nothing like the Beastkins or any creature I know of. Their scent is more akin to the trees and grass around us. If they''re near, we will have to spot them with our eyes before they spot us."


    "They wouldn''t be so much of a problem if they weren''t so fond of hanging atop trees. How is a guy supposed to get around with their eyes looking up all the time?"


    "Very carefully, friend, very carefully."


    "Easy for you to say. You''ve got eyes that can look in two directions at once plus a tail for balancing."


    "Shame, but we don''t have the time to wait for you to grow one, so you''ll have to do without."


    "That''s the plan, just warn me if there''s anything on the ground."


    ***


    Perhaps it is due to the attacking Beastkins from the outside, the two of us managed to proceed without any more encounters. However, with nothing happening at such an extended length of time, it does make one nervous. It feels as if the longer nothing happened, the more likely something will in the near future. It is the trick of the mind, for sure, but despite knowing that, the anxiety just won''t go away.


    "They''re near, I am picking up the scent our brethren."


    "Where?"


    "Ahead, roughly a hundred paces away."


    Carefully, we creep closer and closer to the source of the scent, till we find a small clearing ahead of us. While remaining hidden, through the trees, I see the Dragonbrood warriors, all tied up in vines and entangled in foliage, each kept in a wooden cage that looks to be grown rather than made.


    "What do you think? I''m feeling a little paranoid here."


    "I feel the same. There are no guards within sight and nether am I picking up scents of anyone another than that of Dragonbroods. It''s almost as if they''re telling us to walk right over."


    "They''d like that, wouldn''t they?"


    "Very much so, yes. Most likely, they''re watching from above the trees somewhere, waiting for fools to walk into their ambush."


    "Well then, in that case, one of us will have to be the fool."


    There are only so many ways to deal with a trap. The first is of course to avoid it, but that cannot be done. Our allies are there, awaiting rescue, and we can''t leave without them. The second way is to disarm it, but we don''t know how many enemies are in wait, and even if we do, there''s no guarantee that we''ll be able to deal with them. Which brings us to the last method in mind, and that is to spring it and deal with whatever that comes.


    "Seif, I''ll be the decoy. You find an opening and free the rest."


    "I see you''re not yet fully awakened. Look at you, practically naked without your armor. Champion you might be, your flesh is squishy compared to the Dragonbroods. I''ll go. You must trust me."


    I look down at myself, feeling my own flesh. Even without armor, this body is considerably tough. I doubt I''ll die from an arrow or two, so long as they don''t hit any vitals that is. However, in this case, even the comparatively scrawny Seif is better suited for the job.


    Even though I told myself to lay off trying to take the brunt of everything, I suppose old habits do die hard.


    "Very well then, you''ll go. I''ll do the rescuing."


    "Make your move the moment they strike. You''ll have one chance before they become completely alerted."


    Slowly, we creep closer towards the clearing, taking our positions. Seif will burst forth from the shades of the tree from one direction, and I will make my dash from another. From my position, hidden within the shade and tucked behind there tree, I watch Seif counting down with his three fingers. Upon reaching zero, he shoots out into the open like a stone flung from a sling and then, before I can even react, a single arrow flies in from above, smashing right into Seif''s scaly hide. He should be fine. No ordinary arrow can easily pierce a Dragonbrood''s scales. However, as Seif falls over onto the ground, I realize that it was no ordinary arrow after all.


    Seif was struck in the leg, and where the arrow had struck, a dark flame smolders, scorching his flesh and peeling back his scales. This dark flame, I have seen it before, it was used by the Beastkins, and it burned through even the armor made from the Holy Serpent''s scales upon contact.


    As the dark flame scorches his wound, Seif, that composed lizardman, starts screaming in agony. His hand reaches to pull out the arrow but the flame scorches even his hand, the scalding so intense that he is unable to grab onto the shaft. Seeing his suffering, the muscles on my legs begin to tense and before my thoughts are even complete, I was ready to rush out there to help him. However, just as I am about to emerge from behind the tree, Seif grits down on his teeth and for a moment, overcome his pain. He looks towards me with both eyes, both of which bloodshot, and subtly shakes his head, telling me without words to not go. Right there, my legs freeze over, unable to move. Seif is right. If I go out there now, the one pelted with arrows would be me. That must be the reason why Seif hasn''t been turned into a pincushion. They shot him in the leg only to immobilize him, keeping him alive to lure anyone else with him out in the open. If I go out there to help him, I''ll be shot, and then we''ll both probably be dead. If I remain hidden, however, they''ll keep him alive, as bait.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I need to think. Here I am, alone and without help. What can I do? I can''t help Seif and without a distraction, I doubt I''ll be able to get to the other Dragonbroods either. Should I go back and get Asha? Will she be able to help? I doubt it, and besides, I don''t I''ll be able to sneak past patrolling enemies without Seif''s guidance. My hands are tied. Do I wait then, for an opportunity to strike to come? Will it come? And how long do I have to wait? If I wait too long, we''ll be consumed by the [Corruption]. What of the attacking Beastkins? Will they cause a big enough distraction to divert the attention of the guards here?


    I can''t decide, every single option I can think of just seems to lead to either uncertainty or a dead end. I can''t go forward, I can''t wait, and I can''t turn back. I am completely checked. Damn it! How did this happen? How did we end up here in the first place? Seif said we were already here by the time he woke up, all tied up even. Were we captured? When did that even...


    I recall that dream last night. Everyone was asleep and the girl with spiraling horns was there. And then, Corona was there as well. That wasn''t at all a dream, was it? But, if it wasn''t a dream, then Corona would be-


    The sound of trampled leaves from behind me cuts me off from my thoughts. At this timing, in this situation, I doubt that it is an ally. Swiftly, I draw my blades and turn around to face the ones approaching. If I can take them out fast enough, they others may not notice, or I could use them as hostage somehow, or perhaps cause a distraction with their bodies. Either way, now is the time to act.


    However, as I prepare to rush them, my body reflexively stiffens. It is a reflex trained by fighting alongside someone else, a discipline that prevents one from accidentally hurting one another in battle. As for the reason why it kicks in at this very moment, well, that is because standing before me is someone I know very well, even before coming here.


    "That''s you... That''s Corona, right?"


    "______."


    She speaks the language of the [Demons]. I can''t understand a single thing she''s saying, and in the [Corrupted] state she is in, I fear that she will not understand me either. Still, how could this happen? I still don''t believe it. I know what is before me is reality but my mind refuses to believe it. I was too late, too late to save her.


    Slowly, Corona reaches into her coat, and instinctively, I ready my blades, preparing to strike, or defend myself, or something, anything. I don''t know. I never considered that I have to face Corona like this, I never wanted to.


    "Corona, it''s me, Oro! Do you... Do you even recognize me? Coro-"


    The moment I see what she pulls out of her coat, I was stunned beyond words. What she pulled out and showed to me, was a piece of paper, and on it are words, words written in a language I recognize, a language from our own world. [Come with me, I won''t hurt you.] Such words were written on it.


    Do I trust this? Is this not a trick from a [Corrupted] Corona? But, if there''s even a small chance...


    Gulping down the saliva building in my mouth, I nod. I want to trust her, to believe in her. And in this situation, with Seif pinned down by the enemy archers, with the Dragonbrood warriors out of my reach, this is possibly my only viable option. I have to take it, this leap of faith.


    I sheath my swords and allow Corona to approach me. She extends her hand, inviting me to take it. It is strange, I have never seen a [Demon] so calm before. With some hesitation, I take her hand, allowing her to lead me, but before I go, I turn back towards Seif, who gazes upon me and Corona with abject confusion. I know... I know how dangerous this is. But, I have very few options in from of me, and no matter what, I do not wish to fight Corona.


    By hand, Corona leads me through streets overgrown by vegetation, and as I go, I feel a sensation, a sensation akin to what the dwelling of both the Holy Serpent and the Holy Beast felt like. Right now, I must be heading towards the center of the forest, where the main body of the World Devourer resides.


    As the sensation gets stronger, I find myself being led towards a crumbled castle, where a large tree had sprouted. Before what remains of the castle gates, I see [Demons], their limbs covered by thick fur, their teeth jagged, but they still retain a humanoid shape, their faces and torso more man than beast. These must be the [Beastkins]. However, I do wonder why they''re guarding the center of the forest. I thought the World Devourer was a Faefolk Keeper, so why the Beastkins so close to it? One would think that the Keeper would keep its own people closer.


    The Beastkins allowed Corona and I to pass without any hostility, and as I am led through the castle, I find a mix of Faefolks and Beastkins patrolling the decrepit halls that are held together by the roots of the trees that have likely caused the crumbling state in the first place.


    After passing through the winding halls, I arrive at what appeared to once be a room, now turned into something more akin to a courtyard due to the giant tree growing at the center of the room, having decimated the portion of the castle directly above it with its growth.


    At the base of said large tree, right on top of the roots, there sits a sleeping [Demon], his hair white and dry. Is this the person Corona wants me to meet? Is this why she asked me to come with her? He looks familiar too. I''m sure I''ve seen him somewhere before.


    I approach the [Demon], trying to get a better look at his face. Due to the shade cast by the leaves of this massive tree, I can''t quite tell his features clearly. However, upon feeling a soft hand on my shoulder, I stop. I turn around to see Corona, noticing as well the Faefolk bowmen watching from the half-collapsed rooms of the upper floors, their bows drawn and ready to fire. Then, even higher up, I spot fairies fluttering about, charged with magic, ready to release at a moment''s notice.


    "Good of you to come here peacefully, Champion."


    A voice resounds in my mind, and at the same time, I hear footsteps coming from behind the tree, slowly coming around. I turn to find two figures emerging from their hiding spot. One is a [Corrupted] Beastkin with a helm upon her head, her fur covered limbs disproportionately huge in comparison to her slender yet well toned body. Curiously enough, her tail is more akin to that of a reptile than a mammal. And by her side, a girl that seemed to be completely untouched by the [Corruption], her skin fair but not at all pale, her eyes blue as the sky, her hair is white as snow, and on each side of her head, she wears a pair of curved, spiraling horns. It is the girl that I have seen so many times before, but only in the dreams and never in person.


    "Who are you?"


    I face the Beastkin wearing the helm, having a feeling that the horned girl does not speak.


    "I am but a ghost, of phantom from the past. Yes... from very long ago."


    "What does a ghost want with me?"


    With her huge limb, she gestures towards the [Demon] sitting at the base of the tree, cradled by the roots.


    "My chosen, he has been stricken with a similar condition to yours. I would like to borrow your Shaman for a bit."


    The same condition as me? Meaning that his soul is unable to anchor itself onto this body? No, even before that, how did they know about Asha? Have they been watching us? Since when? And what do they mean by ''borrow her for a bit''? I don''t think these are the kind of people that intends to return what they borrowed.


    "And what do I get in return?"


    "Bring us the Shaman, and I''ll let you go, you and all of the Dragonbroods captured within this forest."


    So, it''s either Asha or an entire Dragonbrood army, what a choice. If it''s come to this then, there''s really only one option, isn''t there.


    "Very well, so be it."


    "So you''ve made your choice then, what will it-"


    Before the Beastkin gets to even finish, I rush up to the tree, towards the sleeping [Demon]. Arrows from the bowmen and magic from the fairies instantaneously fly towards me, but they fall short, landing behind me. It looks like no one expected me to be so fast. How careless of them, to underestimate the speed of the man fast enough to keep up with the Dragonbroods. Not to mention, it seems like they''re careful as to not hurt this sleeping [Demon], as none of the magic or arrows land even close to him. This [Demon], I remember him now, he''s the Summoner Champion, the one I''ve been beaten by atop that mountain. If I''m guessing right, somehow, he must have summoned the [World Devourer Woods], which would explain how it returned so quickly. If I kill him, the forest will disappear. Of course, there''s a chance I might be wrong, but given the situation, I''ll have to make this gamble.


    The one closest to the Champion, the [Corrupted] Beastkin, steps in to intercept me. In reaction to that, I draw my swords. In the back of my head, I am well aware that if I take more than an instant to deal with her, then I''ll be dead. If I stand still for even a single instant, my back will be so full of arrows one may mistake me for a porcupine. And so, with that in mind, I toss one of my two blades. It''s a toss I''ve practiced plenty of time, a toss that while I wouldn''t say is perfect, will land somewhere close to what I am aiming for. And this time, my target is none other than the girl with the curved spiraling horns.


    Realizing my target, the [Corrupted] Beastkin moved out of my way to protect the horned girl, just as planned, leaving the sleeping Champion defenseless. My arm winds up, and with a sure motion, I plunge the blade towards him, drawing blood as I feel the blade sinking into flesh.


    "No... This can''t..."


    Those words escape from my own lips. Before me is Corona, her back faced against me, bleeding. Her blood flows from where a blade was buried, the blade that I have driven into her back. How is this possible? She couldn''t have caught up with me. Of the two of us, I was the faster one. So how? The only conceivable way is for her to know exactly when I was going to strike and then began making her move before I do. Did she predict it, that I would make that choice? Did she read my movements, knowing when I would strike? I wouldn''t put it past her. She had always read me like a book, back in Elysium Online and even more so after coming to this world. Even [Corrupted], she knew me better than anyone.


    "Corona...... God damn it! God damn it all!!!"


    As I scream, I feel a burning yet wet sensation on my back. I don''t even need to see in order to know what happened. It is all too obvious. I''ve been shot. My gamble has failed and now I am paying the price. In the end, I guess I just can''t do anything right on my own.


    ***


    End of Chapter 61

 Vol. 4, Chapter 62: The Treebound Champion

    Upon opening my eyes, I find on top of me a person, and from the metallic smell, I''d say that she''s bleeding. Then, on top of this person, is another person, his back filled with so many arrows, he''s looking like a pincushion. I say, this better not be someone''s sick idea of keeping me nice and warm. In fact, as they lay atop of me, their bodies are getting colder and I feel my own warmth being sapped away.


    I look around. In the half-collapsed rooms of the upper floors of the palace, I see elves with bows in their hands and murder in their eyes. When did they get here? There''s quite a few of them too. The only ones I saw during the battle with the [World Devourer Woods] were the ones fused with [Demonic Flowers] and the few guardians of the [Demonic Tree]. If there''s still so many, where were they during the raid? They could have made out lives a whole lot more difficult if they were present in that battle.


    "........."


    A voice, wordless yet not unintelligible, comes echoing within my mind. It seems that these elves were within the [Demonic Flowers] we didn''t get around to destroy. Apparently, the World Devourer separated them from the flowers just before it died completely from being uprooted and burned by Toto''s [Meteors].


    "Sure are rubbing it in, aren''t you? It worked out in the end, didn''t it? But enough of the past, right now, there''s these two."


    "I''ll handle them. I was the one who said to bring the Champion here, after all."


    Hearing that familiar voice, I turn my head to the side, finding the Bestial Champion standing there with a black shortsword stuck in her arm. Nonchalantly, she pulls the sword out before carefully laying the two on top of me onto the ground. There, she begins to cast healing magic upon them.


    "Is that Corona? Who''s the other one?"


    "The other Champion of the Dragonbroods I believe."


    "So it''s Oro, Corona said that he''s alive. Didn''t think he''d come, given his condition."


    "It''s because they brought along a Shaman. It''ll be good for us to get our hands on her. We need you awake for more than an hour a day."


    "Quite a diagnosis you have of my condition, in spite of the fact that I''ve only been experiencing this since summoning the World Devourer. And that was what? About two, three days ago?"


    Counting today, it should be three days since I went ahead and summoned the [World Devourer Woods] to ward off the Dragonbrood siege. Frankly, even now, I shocked about my current condition as a result of that summoning. However, I''ve little time to dwell on that as there are more things to worry about at the moment, there are always more things to worry about.


    "I''ve seen this condition before. I know what is required to treat it."


    "Or, perhaps you have something else in mind?"


    The Bestial Champion turns towards me while continuing with the healing of the two Champions lying on the ground.


    "Who are you trying to summon into this body of mine?"


    "You are presumptuous, Aurelius. You should know that body was never truly yours in the first place."


    "Hmph, not even trying to deny it, are you? Well, I''ll let it slide, for now, but try anything and you''ll find that this tree here can be more animated than you think."


    "It did not seem very active when the Dragonbrood Champion attacked you."


    "I''m sure he was quick. But, I reckon whatever you''re planning is going to take more than a single moment."


    "Perhaps, perhaps not."


    "Whatever, I have better things to do than play riddles with you. Now then, could someone get a trustworthy person over? General Gulford perhaps? I need a debriefing of our current situation while I''m still awake."


    From above, a small humanoid creature with insect wings floats gently down towards me. It is a fairy, and while the elves must have arrived sometime after the summoning of the World Devourer, the fairies came into being the moment the summoning was complete. Since then, they''ve been acting as my caretakers, guardians, and errand-runner.


    In this particular fairy''s hands, there''s a clay jug of what appears to be some kind of nectar. If I remember correctly, this should be the same thing they were feeding the elves fused with the [Demonic Flowers].


    "You there, fairy, can you get me General Gulford?"


    The fairy, upon hearing my words, tilts her head to the side with confusion.


    "Who?"


    "Hmm, let''s see, how does he look like again? He had a head of green feathers and-"


    "........."


    Again, a wordless voice echoes through my mind, and in that very moment, I become aware of everything within the forest. The invading Beastkins from the outside, the Dragonbroods not part of Corona''s army, the strange half-breed hiding within a cupboard, I am now aware of it all.


    "I get it now, I''ll go get him. Oh, but, um, can you hold onto this. Feel free to drink from it; it was for you to begin with."


    Handing me the jug of nectar she was carrying, the fairy flies off into the halls leading to the throne room, and even after she has left my sight, I am still somehow aware of where she''s heading.


    "That was... neat."


    As I await Gulford''s arrival, my eyes lay idly on the healing process performed on Corona and Oro. Their wounds were grievous but they''re still alive. I wonder if the Bestial Champion knew this would happen. If I hadn''t woken up, would she just let them die? From the beginning it was clear that she had an agenda of her own, I can''t afford to trust her, not one bit. To begin with, it was the defeat of the [World Devourer Woods] that led to the decline of the Great River, allowing the Dragonbrood army to cross that natural barrier with ease. Though in the end, I made the decision on my own accord, she was the one who advised the course of action, possibly knowing that this would be the result.


    "Do not worry, I have no intention of letting them die. I need the Champions as much as you do."


    "You mean you need their avatars, right?"


    "Aurelius, you''ve been dreaming, haven''t you? How much do you already know?"


    "I wonder..."


    "No intention of telling?"


    "I''ll tell if you do."


    "So be it then."


    As we spoke, the wounds on Corona and Oro slowly close. Bit by bit, I see their Hp bar rise as the [Bleeding] effect wears off. They''ll be fine. Corona will probably wake up soon. Oro, on the other hand, may have a hard time without the Shaman. I''ll have to get someone to retrieve her after all.


    "You called, Sir Aurelius?"


    Shortly after I''ve sent the fairy, Gulford arrives in a timely manner. Along with him is the fairy I sent out, and right behind them, are Six and Cecilia with Michaela and Timothy by their side respectively. I''d like to talk to them as well, but Gulford will have to come first. Seeing their arrival, I got the fairies to move Corona and Oro to the rooms in one of the palace wings that are still intact. In turn, the fairies got the elves to move the two Champions for them. Apparently, there is a hierarchy amongst the Faefolks and from the looks of it, the fairies ranked above the elves.


    "Yes Gulford, I need to understand our current situation. Do make it quick, we both know I don''t have much time. Even now my eyelids are heavy. I feel like I may fall back to sleep the moment I lose focus."


    "I''ll make it as brief and cohesive as possible then."


    "I''m counting on it."


    Gulford''s report begins with the confirmation of the Holy Beast''s demise. About two days ago, we were told this would happen, and it was by none other than the Bestial Champion herself. She appeared as I was regaining consciousness since first summoning the [World Devourer Woods], bringing along with her a girl with curved spiraling horns, a girl she claimed was under the Holy Beast''s protection till recently. At the time, none believed her when she said that the Holy Beast was going to die, but as I was slipping back into unconsciousness, I decided to go with a wait-and-see approached and allowed her to stay.


    Now that the Holy Beast has been confirmed to be dead by our scouts, we can assume that at least half of what the Bestial Champion said was true, part of which was the claim that the horned girl is the ''Purifier'', the one with the capability to cleanse the [Corruption]. However, I am certain that there are things she''s not saying, things she''s hiding from us. After all, when she came to us, she said to protect ''it'', to keep ''it'' here, referring to the Purifier. However, in our situation, you''d think she''d tell us to make use of ''it'', wouldn''t take make more sense. With the Purifier in our hands, we can finally put an end to the [Corruption] after all. Isn''t that the desire of the people who summoned us, the Champions, in the first place? That is unless of course, there is someone here does not desire such an outcome.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Speaking of the horned girl, Gulford also reported that the Purifier went missing the other night. Though the Bestial Champion has claimed that ''it'' does not have a will of its own, apparently, ''it'' also tends to wander here and there as if on a whim. Makes me wonder if the few times I''ve encountered her were also the results of such ''whims'' as well. After all, if the Holy Beast sent her, you''d think she''d at least mention something. Then again, to have something such as the Purifier around and not even made a peep about it... It seems that the Holy Beast too was hiding something. Thinking back, her hiding the Purifier from us led to us having to go through that suicide mission of taking down the [World Devourer Woods], which resulted in the loss of a natural barrier that is the Great River, allowing for the Dragonbroods to invade. All of that leads to the present and my current condition. The [Holy Guardian Beast] and the Bestial Champion, if don''t know any better, which I can''t say I do, I''d say that they are both aiming for this very outcome.


    "Hey Aurelius, you''re kind of spacing out, you feeling alright?"


    Having dwelled on my thoughts for a little too long, Six comes up to me in concern.


    "I''m fine. Gulford, continue."


    "Of course. At which point do you remember?"


    ''At which point do I remember,'' huh. He''s treating me like I''m senile. Though, I do have a problem focusing these days and certain details do escape me. It''s like I''m an old man again. The mana drain must be taking a toll on me.


    "The girl, the Purifier, she went missing, right?"


    "Yes, and a search party was immediately formed once she was reported missing."


    The search party looked high and low for the girl, eventually tracking her down at a hill some distance from the city. How she could have slipped past the guards watching the gate is a question no one has an answer to, but for the moment, at least they found her. And where they found her, they also discovered a camp set up by the Dragonbroods. The unit that found both the horned girl and camp was one commanded by Six and Cecilia, with Corona tagging along. Upon the discovery of the camp, they ordered the rest of the unit to restrain and capture the Dragonbroods as well as the Champion discovered there.


    The capture was a simple task, as they were all fast asleep. According to Gulford, Corona mentioned that it is very odd for the Dragonbroods to slack in their vigilance, a sentiment Gulford shares, having some experiences in dealing with them in the northern borders. It makes me wonder if this so-called Purifier has anything to do with that. Think back on my encounters with her, I tend to fall unconscious more often than not.


    Other than the disappearance of the Purifier, another occurrence of note the night before was the arrival of the Faefolks. Without any warning, they bypassed the Beastkin watchers and arrived before the World Devourer, surprising everyone when they returned with the Purifier. As they had shown no signs of hostility, Cecilia made the call to let them stay for the time being. What is even more alarming, however, is that they mentioned that the eastern frontline garrison has been wiped out, and from the looks of the footprints found around the area, the Dragonbroods had passed through. Now we know that it must be the doing of Oro''s unit. They must have entered from the east and made their way to the Holy Beast''s sanctuary through there. I suppose that means the garrison commander there as well is... No, there are more important things to be concerned with right now.


    "Sounds like you''ve had an eventful night."


    "Not the worst I''ve been through I''m afraid. Fortunately, the Faefolks'' arrival was the last surprise of the night. The next occurrence of note happened only after the sun had risen."


    Gulford then details the escape of the Dragonbroods captured the night prior. Their recapture was mostly successful, but their Champion was allowed to escape.


    "By the Champion, you mean the one that was lying here just a moment ago."


    "Yes, that is the one. If I may ask, what happened here?"


    "You mean you''re not aware?"


    "I only know that was part of the plan to bring another Champion to our side. I''ve come to understand that the closer to the [Holy Tree] the easier it is to turn the other [Corrupted] under our control. That is why I followed the plan."


    "Oh, did someone explain it to you already?"


    "Only briefly, and to be honest, I do not truly understand it, this whole deal about the ''true nature'' of the [Corruption]. However, by this point, what choice do I have but to believe in you, our Champions? Clearly, you''ll do whatever you wish regardless of what I''ll say."


    Sounds like he''s still mad about what happened during the siege. What could I say? The situation was difficult to explain. I mean, how does one explain to another person that the reality he''s seeing isn''t real?


    "We will if it allows us to win."


    "And I''ll be counting on it. Lastly, I would report that those of our own kin, the ones on the outside, have sent scouts to the city. However, as Lady Cecilia was the one who went to meet them, perhaps she can give you a better summary of the events."


    With that, Cecilia steps forward.


    "In that case, I shall do the honors. Thank you, general."


    Taking the reins of the debriefing, Cecilia describes the encounter she had with the Beastkin scouts. From what she observed, it seems that the scouts were here to check out the area, like in preparations for an upcoming operation. However, upon spotting Cecilia and Timothy, the scouts made an immediate retreat, not even putting up any sort of fight. From their behavior, it did not seem like Toto was not with them.


    "Did you manage to capture any of them?"


    "I would have liked to, but I might be wrong about Toto. She might be with them, in which case, their hasty retreat may actually be a way to lead me into a trap."


    "I see. Pity."


    It really is a pity. If we had captured at least one of them, we may get some information on the condition of the Beastkins outside of the forest. With the Holy Beast now gone, I''m getting worried about Toto, as well as the princess and Merida.


    "And Six, he wasn''t with you? I''d imagine if he was, he''d be able to capture them quite easily with his new skills."


    I turn towards Six, taking note of the new bow he has on his person.


    "I was going to go, but our new friend here mentioned that Oro was either going to head towards you or the Dragonbroods he came with, and if he freed them then we''d be in some big trouble. So, we decided that I should go watch over them just in case. Of course, I was going to need Michaela''s [Holy Weapon] to deal with the Dragonbroods, so I took her along as well."


    "What were you going to do if Oro came for me instead?"


    "Corona said she''d deal with him. Those two got along, right? So I thought it''d be fine to leave it to her. Besides, I''m getting used to the new class and I don''t think I can stop him without killing him, not to mention, Oro might use [Counter Blast] if I''m careless, so I didn''t think fighting near you was a good idea either."


    "Hmm, good point."


    And though things didn''t exactly go as planned, Corona did protect me, so I suppose the arrangement worked out as fine as it could have.


    "Well, good work. Corona took a hit but she''ll be fine. You guys put together a decent plan despite having to come up with it on the spot. Is that all?"


    "I do believe so. That is everything of note that occurred today, aside for the one missing Half-Dragon from the Dragonbroods that is."


    "Good, you may be excused."


    "Thank you, Sir Aurelius. What do you want me to do with the Half-Dragon once she''s captured? I believe her clan serves as the Holy Serpent''s priests and priestesses, she may have some special power."


    "Put her with the rest regardless. In time the forest''s [Corruption] will take them all, and we''ll all be on the same side."


    "For the record, I''m still not comfortable with your nonchalant use of the [Corruption]."


    "You do not trust me, Gulford?"


    "May I be honest?"


    "As brutal as you can be."


    "I do trust you. However, for the longest time, we''ve been fighting against the [Corruption]. You Champions tell us that we''re all [Corrupted], that we''re all in truth [Demons], that it is a madness that turns us against those of the other lands and in time, our own kin. And I do believe you despite not understanding it fully, because I can now look at the Faefolks and the Dragonbroods and not see some horrid and twisted monsters. However, I do not like the idea of you toying with what has caused us so much harm and so much grief. It is dangerous and I am afraid for none other than you, afraid that you may succumb to it in time if you''re not already."


    "I understand your concerns, but I assure you, once you understand how it works, it can most definitely be used to our advantage."


    "Is it so? I don''t know, maybe you''re right, but a part of me is afraid that you might be too confident for your own good. We have the Purifier now, why not just use ''it'' and restore all of us, remove the influence of the [Corruption] permanently?"


    "We will, in time, however, if we use ''it'' now, if we purify them of the [Corruption], I''ll lose control of them, the Dragonbroods especially. They are proud and their protectiveness over their kin is strong. I fear that I won''t be able to convince them to fight against their own when the time comes."


    Now that I have summoned the World Devourer, while it has not lost its ability to spread [Corruption] into everything within it, it is now in my control and that includes its [Corruption] and those possessed by it.


    "And this control, do you exert it over us as well?"


    "Only to the extent that you do not go mad from seeing those of a different faction."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Gulford, the fact that you''re asking me this question is proof enough, no?"


    For a moment, Gulford stares at the ground, thinking, before returning to meet my gaze.


    "Very well, I''ll accept that, for now."


    "Anything you want to add?"


    "No, and I thank you for your patience with me."


    I wait till Gulford leaves the throne room and only when he turns the corner into the halls, do I breathe a sigh of relief. That was intense. However, now that''s dealt with, time to move on to some other business while I''m still conscious.


    "So, are you going to drink that?"


    Cecilia points to the jug that has been sitting on my lap ever since the fairy let it with me.


    "This? I''ve been meaning to, but I just can''t lift it you see."


    Hearing those words, the fairy I sent to Gulford quickly flies over, her wings fluttering about nervously.


    "Oh, I''m so sorry! I didn''t realize you were still weak. Come, let me help."


    With a huff, the fairy lifts the jug with her tiny little hands. Though at first glance I thought fairies are just freakishly powerful, I noticed that there''s an icon by her Hp bar that indicates a power buff being applied. Makes sense, since fairies are supposed to be strong in magic and not much else.


    As the fairy helps me drink, I take note the effects the nectar has on me: [Hp Regeneration Boost] and [Mp Regeneration Boost]. Before, I thought that they didn''t exist in this world, but here it is. This is something like a potion, isn''t it? I wonder if I can''t get the royal alchemist to make something of it, refine it maybe. If only the princess has left at least one around, I could easily find out. What I wouldn''t do to get my hands on an [Mp Potion]. Regardless of its usefulness in combat, right now it is something I desperately need, seeing as my Mp is currently in the negative. That''s right, it''s in the minus. By all means, I should have been long dead. The only reason I''m alive, is this tree, this [Demonic Tree] that is the core of the [World Devourer Woods]. Even now, from the base of the tree, there are tender stem-like growths extending into my back, fused with it. They are responsible for maintaining my organs and bodily functions that this body of mine can no longer maintain due to the damage from the massive mana drain I''ve experienced, a mana drain that happened while I''m still recovering from the other one, I might add.


    As of the moment I summoned this Keeper, my very life was bound to it, and I am not sure if I''ll ever be able to leave, even if my Mp recovers.


    ***


    End of Chapter 62

 Vol. 4, Chapter 63: New Strength

    Being stuck to the Tree and my Mp being in the negative, all of the spells and summoning I now wield actually uses mana of this [Demonic Tree] which, as it turned out, was quite a large pool. However, while I am able to make use of it, it''s too bad one can''t just transfer mana from one thing to another. From what I understand, it''s akin to blood transfusion, you can only receive the blood that is the same type as your own otherwise your body will reject it. Unfortunately for me, mana is unique to each creature of this world, and therefore not a single being in this world can provide me with mana. The only thing I can do is eat and rest until my body produces more. Till then, I can only be stuck here, sitting at the base of this tree.


    "So, how''s your new class?"


    After gulping down the nectar, I turn towards Six, not quite used to seeing him wearing a bow and quiver on him.


    "It''s... different, I suppose. My eyes sights are better than it''s ever been and my body feels stupidly flexible. It''s kind of scarily how much has changed. I''m liking the fact that I can attack from range now though. Before, it was always frustrating trying to fight enemies just out of reach."


    "I''ll bet, not that I know anything about it. I''ve always played the magic classes."


    "At any rate, this is pretty useful. How about you, Cecilia, think you might want to change classes too?"


    "No thanks, I like my classes just fine. Besides, if I change, who would be the tank?"


    "Well, I mean, since we''re fighting within a forest, I think it''s better to have mobility and range over durability. We have plenty of trees to take cover behind after all."


    "True, but there will be situations where we have to fight up front. Besides, if I''m partnered up with Timothy, there shouldn''t e a problem in the mobility department."


    Is it just me, or are these two talking to one another a lot more lately? I don''t think I''ve seen these two interact with each other this much in such a short time before, not without me as an intermediary between them. Looks like with me out of commission these past days, those two found themselves needing to rely on each other a bit more than usual. It''s a good thing I suppose, though it does leave me feeling a little left out.


    Regardless, this is still something to be glad about, not just about those two, but my current condition as well. Having summoned the [World Devourer Woods], I''ve gained a new ability through this Keeper: [Mutation]. It is the ability exclusive to the [World Devourer Woods] and most probably, its purified counterpart, the [Holy Protector Woods].


    [Mutation] allows the World Devourer to make limited modifications to lifeforms, an effect seen when we fought the [Demonic Tree] in which the foliage around our units were altered and made to grow at rapid rates. With this ability, I can make changes to Cecilia and Six''s bodies to a certain point, making them stronger or faster or perhaps give them higher magical aptitude in exchange for lowering other attributes. In RPG terms, I am now able to reallocate their stat points. For their skills, as skills are something we are able to use through the H.U.D., by modifying the H.U.D. I can allow them access to skills they have not learned before. This is done through the control of the [Corruption]. While it appears that the [Corruption] cannot affect the Champions due to the nature of our mind and soul being a separate entity from our bodies, it can, however, affect the H.U.D., making the attachment of the H.U.D. to the Champions feels like something rather sinister in design. However, due to the nature of the H.U.D., I now have the ability to modify it as I see fit.


    With the [Mutation] skill and the control over the [Corruption] and thereby the H.U.D. by extension, I have effectively achieved the ability to provide class changes and the ''learning'' of new skills.


    "Speaking of which though, why can''t you just give us all the skills?"


    The question comes from Six.


    "Right, I''ve been wondering about that. Rather than just changing it up, why not just give us access to all skills, wouldn''t that be more advantageous?"


    "That''s actually a good question, but the answer is simple, so basic and fundamental really no way around it. Simply put, Champions we may be, there''s still a limit to our bodies. I think I mentioned it at some point in time, but each skill and spell we have corresponds with a mana pathway within our bodies. Use a particular pathway too much and it ''overheats''. That is why we get mana burn when we ignore cooldowns. The thing is, even with [Mutation], there are only so many pathways I can stuff into your bodies. So when you gain new skills, you''re going to have to ''forget'' some others."


    "Ugh, that sucks."


    "Hey, don''t look at me, I don''t make the- *yawn* I don''t make the rules."


    "Getting sleepy again?"


    "Somewhat, but no worries, I can still go on for a bit. When you only get about an hour a day, it really feels like you''re missing out. I''d like to talk more, with just the three of us, You, Six, and me."


    "You say that, but we''re not exactly alone."


    Tilting his head, Six gestures towards a particular pair standing around the corner, the two being the Bestial Champion and the girl with spiraling horns.


    "Yes well, what can you do, she insisted that they stay with my range, or rather, the range of the Tree. Said that it''s the safest spot in the forest and she can''t risk the Purifier being anywhere less secure. I could try to remove her, but she''s going to make it as much of a pain in the ass she can. Speaking of which, when the other bring in the Half-Dragon Shaman, don''t let her near me no matter what, not useless you hear directly from me to allow it."


    "The Shaman? You mean the one you just sent Gulford out to find?"


    "Yes, that''s the one. The Shamans can call upon spirits, right? The Bestial Champion over there will probably say something along the lines of the Shaman being able call upon my soul and reconnect it to this body, but I wouldn''t buy it and neither should any of you."


    Even through her helmet, I can feel her glare, the Bestial Champion''s fierce glare that feels as if it might burn a hole right through me.


    "So we can''t trust her then? Wouldn''t it be better if we just get rid of her? We only need the Purifier, not her."


    As she gazes over to the Bestial Champion, Cecilia slowly moves her hand towards the hilt of her blade, more than ready for a fight.


    "No, I wouldn''t advice fighting her either. She can be useful in her own way. We merely need to be able to reach a certain understanding first."


    "Are you sure about that?"


    Six furrows his brows, understandably confused.


    "Don''t worry about it, just keep the Shaman away for me, and in a day or two, when Oro has properly come under the World Devourer''s Corruption, I tell everything. You see, while I was bound to this Tree, I was able to reach it, the truth of this world."


    I turn my sight towards the Bestial Champion who is still holding her glare upon me, but besides that, I can''t tell what she''s feeling inside. Is it anger? Is it fear? Or in truth, does she actually not care? However, one thing is for sure, our paths lead to the same place.


    I turn back to Six and Cecilia.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "For once, we''ll know what we''re doing rather than being some headless pawns doing whatever we''re told to do. This time we''ll fight on our own terms, this time we fight for us and no one else."


    ***


    Waking up, I face a ceiling covered in moss and vines. As my body is sandwiched between a cotton mattress and blanket, I feel comfortable and rested. I hardly remember anything in my sleep, no thoughts, no dreams, a night of restful sleep through and through. When was the last time I have had such a peaceful night? From beside me, a cool breeze caresses my face. Someone must have forgotten to shut the window, or so I thought, but when I turn to look, I find a wall collapsed to make way for a tree growing in its place. Seeing such a sight, the realization of where I am slowly settles in as I come to my senses.


    Like a frog dropped suddenly into boiling water, I leap right out of the bed. Noticing that I''ve been stripped down to my undershirt and pants, I anxiously scan my surroundings for my weapons and armor.


    "Whoa! Settle down, seriously!"


    While standing on the bed, I turn to my side, and sitting there, is Asha, looking at me with her usual disdain. Still, upon seeing her fine and well, I can''t help but feel a sense of relief and joy. If she''s here and I''m alive, does that mean we''ve won? Did I do it? I try to remember, recalling how I rushed in to take the head of the Summoner Champion''s head off. I knew that if I killed him, the World Devourer should disappear as well. So, did I do it? I remember feeling my blades cutting into flesh, I remember shedding blood, but... that was...


    "No... That can''t be... That''s a dream, right?"


    "Oro? What''s wrong? What''s a dream?"


    I... I killed her... I killed...


    "Corona!"


    I rush towards the nearest door. I don''t know where I am supposed to be heading, but I need to know. I need to see her. I need to make sure she''s alright and that I didn''t... I didn''t kill her. I couldn''t have. That''s the last thing I-


    "You called?"


    As soon as the door swings open, I see her before me. Her hair as blue as the ocean, her eyes like a clear lake, her skin fair and rosy, and she''s exactly as I remembered, without the red eyes or gray skin, none of that.


    "Corona? Is that you?"


    "Can''t you see for yourself? Of course it''s me. I''m surprised you''re well enough to be so rowdy in the morning."


    Feeling a surge of emotion from within, my hands reach out before I can contain myself and pull Corona towards me, holding her tightly, terrified that she might vanish.


    "I''m so glad, so glad you''re alright."


    In response, she too wraps her arms around me and rests her chin upon my shoulder.


    "Is something the matter, I heard a ruckus?"


    A voice comes from one end of the hall, from there, a figure approaches, one with pale white hair and pointed ears. I recognize him as an elf, one of the Faefolks. Quickly, I break away from Corona and hurriedly shoved her behind me. If the Faefolks are still here, then doesn''t that mean the [World Devourer Woods] still live?


    "Everything is taken care of, there''s nothing to worry about."


    "I see, that is good to know. Also, I am here to inform you the Lord of the Woods has awakened and has summoned you, Lady Corona, as well as Sir Oro when he''s ready. Do note to not take too long. You know he doesn''t have too much time to waste."


    "We''ll be there shortly."


    The elf does a small bow and promptly leaves. From his demeanor, I at least understand that he''s not hostile, not to mention, he doesn''t look at all like a [Demon]. So we are safe, right? I''m still confused, there''s clearly a gap in my memory. What happened while I was unconscious? I''m not still in a dream am I?"


    "Oro, I''ll explain the situation later. For now, you must come with me."


    "To see this Lord of the Woods?"


    "Yes, this is important, so we''ll go as soon as possible."


    "Wait, take me too."


    Asha rushes to the door. Having obviously heard our conversation, it looks like she doesn''t want to be left alone.


    "I can''t, he has explicitly stated to not let you near him, no matter what. He has ordered to shoot on sight if you''re spotted within fifty meters of him."


    Shoot on sight? What kind of situation have we actually gotten into?


    "Isn''t that too much!? I mean Asha is physically strong, but she has no combat experience. There''s no reason to be that afraid, right?"


    "He has his reasons. Like I said, I''ll explain it all to you later. For now, you must come with me."


    What to do? If I insist to stay with Asha, I doubt Corona will disagree, though she is probably not going to be happy. What if I insist on taking Asha? Looking at how insistent Corona is, I don''t think she''ll relent. So my choices are either to go or leave Asha alone.


    "Sorry, but can you wait here, Asha?"


    "Again!? Have you any idea how...... Whatever, I get it, I''ll wait."


    Her intensity died down suddenly mid-sentence. There''s probably something she wanted to say but couldn''t bring herself to, not that she needed to say it. I can more or less guess from the look in her eyes, it was the same as when Seif and I left her behind to hide in the cupboard. She must have been scared back then, and don''t doubt that she''s feeling the same this time as well. Speaking of which, where''s Seif. I left him behind as well to follow Corona. Did I really make the right call then? No, this isn''t the time for that. Asha is fine, isn''t she? I''m sure Seif will be too.


    "Alright, I''m ready. Let''s go, Corona."


    ***


    With Corona leading, we walk through the half-collapsed halls of an unknown building. The trees had grown through the walls, their branches holding up the ceiling in place of pillars. I even spot insects and I believe there''s a snake crawling by the bushes on the outside. However, they never came into the halls, remaining outside, leaving the marble floor lifeless and clean. The elf back there mentioned a Lord of the Woods. I wonder if all within this forest is under his control.


    Reflexively, I reach for my waist, my hands searching for my weapons only to find none. Everything has been taken away.


    "Corona, I know this might be a bad time, but where is my equipment."


    "They''re kept in the armory. We can go get it later."


    Corona''s response was immediate and sounded rather rehearsed, as if she expected me to ask that question. I don''t like this, to be without weapons, without protection. I don''t want to believe it, I want to think that I''ve done it, but what it the [World Devourer Woods] hasn''t been slain? What if that dream I''ve had was exactly as it went down, that dream where instead of striking down that Summoner, I stabbed Corona instead.


    "Corona, you''re not hurt, right?"


    "I''m fine. I received healing soon enough and so did you. We''ve both still very alive."


    So we have received healing, which means that it really did happen. I did stab her. Which means...


    "This Lord of the Woods, is he the Summoner?"


    "Yes."


    Frankly, she nods.


    "Are you... Am I [Corrupted], is that why you and everything else are looking so normal?"


    "Everything will be explained. If you want your answers, then we best hurry."


    "Corona, I can trust you, right?"


    Stopping in her tracks upon hearing my words, Corona turns around and watches me with her cold yet calming eyes that seem to peer right through me every time they turn my way.


    "That is something you''ll have to decide for yourself, Oro. I''m not going to decide for you."


    And she then turns right back around and keeps on walking, this time, without beaconing me to follow. A thought came to mind as I watch her getting further and further away from me, that maybe I should just leave. I should take Asha and find the others, and just leave. However, I soon realize that I don''t even know where the others are and I have no idea what sort of situation I am in. Corona said all will be explained. If I follow her, I''ll probably get some answers. The question is: Is it worth the risk?


    In the end, I went along. I want to trust Corona, and I want to know what is happening. Besides, didn''t I come here to find her in the first place, to find Corona and bring her back? I won''t leave, not without her.


    Leaving the half-collapsed halls, we enter the main building, and here I realize where this place is.


    "This is the palace, isn''t it? Of the Beastkin''s capital."


    "Indeed."


    Following Corona, once more I am led down a familiar hall before entering what was once the throne room. There, a large tree grows, and beneath the tree, there sits a white-haired young man, cradled by the roots.


    "You''ve come."


    The young man gives a friendly smile upon seeing Corona and I enter, with not a single hint of enmity. Beside him, there is a red-headed youth, looking somewhat older than the man sitting under the tree, and a young woman with blond hair so pale, it''s almost white, as well as a pair of eerie red eyes akin to that of the [Demons] but lacking their sinister glint. The one under the tree and the red-headed one I find familiar, but the blond one I definitely recognize.


    "GodSlayer!"


    In reaction, she places the flat of her hand against her head.


    "Just call me Cecilia. In fact, I insist."


    So it is her, the guildmaster, in that case, the redhead should be...


    "SixtyNi-"


    "Just ''Six'' is fine!"


    Well, I suppose they''re not as funny when someone actually says them. Really, they weren''t all that hilarious in written form either. But if those two are here, then, the one under the tree is...


    "Aurelius..."


    "You recognize me, Oro."


    "Yeah... You had a somewhat important role to play in the World Breaker raid after all. Back then, I couldn''t have imagined that you''d kick me down a mountain."


    As I mention that little moment we shared, I see Aurelius'' eyes shifting towards Corona. Turning my eyes to peek, I find her quirking an eyebrow as if this is the first time she is hearing about this.


    "To be fair, I was trying to not get killed by you. So let''s say we''re even."


    It''s strange, strange that I can now see them in their Un[Corrupted] forms, enough for me to recognize them. Even though the [World Devourer Woods] is still here, how is this happening? Has the entire forest been purified somehow? They do have the Purifier on hand, but I don''t see why they would use it on themselves.


    "At any rate, now that we''re all here, let us begin. I will now reveal the truth of this world."


    The truth... Is this what Corona meant when she said that everything will be explained? Still, anyone can claim what they''re saying is the truth whether it is truly the case or not. Will this be any different? Corona seems to trust that it will be, as for myself... Well, I guess I''ll be finding out.


    ***


    End of Chapter 63

 Vol. 4, Chapter 64: Before the Beginning

    The summoning of the [World Devourer Woods] nearly killed me. No, perhaps it did. My body, still recovering from mana drain, was forced to summon something that took more mana than I had available at the time. I''ve used more of my spells than I ought to before the summoning, you see. If the [World Devourer Woods] hadn''t intervened upon being summoned, I doubt I would still be here. It was at that moment, the moment when it came into contact with me, I begin to see messages flying across my darkened vision.


    "[Error], [Error], [Error], [Error], [Error]," it said.


    The H.U.D., the system embedded within me, was trying to break through something. This has happened before, and looking back, those were the times I''ve came into contact with a Keeper as well. The red texts of [Error]s continue on ceaselessly until it completely filled my dark vision with red. Then, after god knows how long, a speck of green pierced through the red, and as the [Error] messages cleared, only an [Access Granted] remained.


    By the time I realized it, I was in a white room, sterile and sealed off from the rest of the world. Nothing alive is allowed in here without authorization, not even the tiniest bacteria, for fear of what was kept within that tiny white world.


    "Oh, good to see you again."


    Greeting me was a girl, the same girl I see each time I enter that place. She still looked the same as she was the first time I met her, neither thinner nor fatter nor taller. She remained the same as always, with the only indication of time passed within that room being the number of plushies she had piled up throughout who knows how long.


    "Would you like to join me for tea? Just pretend, of course, I''m not allowed to have regular food, not that you could drink it if it''s real, so it''s all the same right, Mr. Phantom."


    "Mr. Phantom? You mean me?"


    "Who else? You''re the only phantom I can see clearly right now."


    "Wouldn''t you get me confused with some other phantoms then?"


    "I usually know the others by name, and you''re the only one that can hear me. The others not so much. You''re the only one, Mr. Phantom, the only one who will look back into this moment."


    "Look back?"


    "Yes, and I''m looking forward to it."


    The girl winks at me and chuckled mischievously as if she said something funny.


    "Oh? You didn''t get it? Well, that''s a shame. Regardless, would you come and join me, I saved a seat."


    The girl was sitting at a pure white tea table, looking somewhat different from what she had previously. This one looked as if it had been carved from wood, yet, just by looking at it, I know it''s not wood or any material I can identify. Perhaps I might get a good guess in if I could just touch it, but as a phantom, that''s not quite possible.


    Around the table are stools matching the table''s color, there were five of them, one for the girl, four other for her assortment of plushies. Among the toys, there was one that looked like a lion, one that looked like a snake, one that looked to be a person lacking in any features aside from the one giant eye in its head, and one that was a tree.


    "A tree?"


    "I made it because they said I couldn''t have one, you know, the people in lab coats. They told me that living things become strange when they''re near me for too long. I thought a plant would be fine, but they said it''s still too dangerous. So I made this instead."


    I went closer to take a better look. The plushies'' texture gave off the impression of being nice and soft, but I noticed something rather strange.


    "It''s well made. I can''t even see the seams."


    "That''s because there is none."


    "What do you mean?"


    "What do I mean indeed?"


    The girl snapped her fingers and at that moment, the air, no, space itself bent and shifted, and from nothing, nothing at all, a sixth stool appeared before me.


    "How did you do that?"


    I felt it, instinctively. I could tell that this was different from the magic I''ve seen in Elgardia. This was something of a completely different nature, something I can''t quite put a finger on with the logic I''m accustomed to.


    "I just convinced ''them'' that there''s a chair there."


    "Who? The scientists?"


    "''Reality'', I guess you can say."


    I didn''t get it, I still don''t, but I do believe the gist of it was that this girl can alter reality in some measures. Shocked is not the word I would use here. I was already passed that. After all, strange things have been happening all the time these days. This was just par for the course. I think at some point, I just got tired of being surprised and went, "okay, sure, whatever you say."


    "Well, no need to mull over what you don''t understand. I don''t get it either. I was just telling you what the others told me."


    If even she doesn''t understand it, then there''s no point in digging further. She''s the only one I could talk to over there, the only one aware of my existence.


    I sit down at the stool, only then realizing that I didn''t need one. I was but a phantom, I couldn''t touch a thing and nothing could touch me, not even gravity. And so, I merely floated there, hovering above the pure white stool matching the pure white table, enjoying imaginary tea out of a white teacup that I couldn''t even lift. Really, why''d they all had to be the same color, if it weren''t for the shadows cast, I wouldn''t be able to tell if there''s anything within the room. Or perhaps that''s what the girl was going for, an uncanny room with furniture you can''t quite see. It sounded like something she would be into.


    "You look bored."


    "Well, I can''t deny that the tea is kind of bland."


    The girl chuckled.


    "That''s because there is no tea, silly."


    "Can''t you just make them appear like you did with the stool?"


    "You mean tea? I can''t, I never had one before so I can''t quite get an accurate picture in my head. I do know coffee though, my dad drank them all the time, but I don''t understand why he liked it so much. It was bitter..."


    The girl wore a bitter smile as she spoke, probably thinking of the family and the life she was taken from.


    "Besides, I really shouldn''t create anything that''s alive or was alive. I told you right, living thing become strange when they''re near me. Who knows what would happen if I make them myself."


    "That would be terrifying, I suppose, for someone to just create life."


    "I know, right."


    But, what about the plushies though? Said thought came to my head. They look like they''re stuffed with cotton, which came from a plant. Or is she not aware that cotton is a plant and therefore whatever imitation of it she creates might not even be organic in the first place. It could be that when it comes to her creations, whatever she thinks is alive, will be alive and whatever she thinks is not will not be.


    Once more, I gaze down at the teacup I couldn''t lift. These as well must have been created by the girl. I couldn''t tell what they''re made of, if they''re made of any ''real'' material at all. Perhaps because of how sterile the room was, there''s not a speck of dust on it. However, there''s something about it, a certain sense of wrongness with this object''s existence. In my curiosity, I reached out, reflexively trying to touch it, even though I knew I couldn''t.


    "I didn''t know what I expected."


    I couldn''t touch it after all. I knew that, but I guess I was getting kind of bored.


    "Oh, but you really ought to be careful, if you leave your body defenseless like that, someone might try to snatch it from you."Stolen story; please report.


    I look back to the girl, just as I can see into her space, she can see into mine, but clearly, she was more aware of my situation that I was hers.


    "What do you mean?"


    "That body you''re using, someone is trying to take it. I can see him, skulking about like a thief waiting for someone to leave the windows open."


    "What does this person look like?"


    "He looks... I do wonder. What does he look like? I can''t quite see him clearly."


    Maybe it was just my imagination, but all of a sudden, there was sadness in her eyes. I thought that it couldn''t be. I don''t think I''ve done anything to warrant that reaction.


    I remained on that stool she created, toying with the teacup with hand, watching my fingers go through it like I''m some sort of ghost.


    I''m not really a ghost, am I? I contemplated briefly. Maybe Elgardia is just some kind of strangely elaborate purgatory. It''s certainly not impossible, but well, I''d like to think I''m still alive with my very much alive body sitting in front of a monitor back home.


    "You look bored."


    "I am. I can''t even touch anything after all."


    "Maybe you should become a poltergeist."


    "A poltergeist!?"


    "Oh, don''t you know. They''re ghosts that mess with you by picking up things and tossing them around."


    "No, I know what they are, but I''m not even dead. At least, I want to think I''m not dead. I''m not that old yet."


    "But here you are, a phantom."


    I certainly couldn''t argue with that logic, not that there was much logic to begin with. Besides, from her tone, she was definitely teasing me. her words were worth a grain of salt at best.


    "Well, since you''re going to be stuck here for a while, feel free to enjoy what little I have here. I doubt it''ll matter much if you mess with this room a bit."


    "If you don''t mind."


    "I don''t."


    Like so, I sent the day within that room, occasionally following her as she was called out to her routine experiments. I watched the various kinds of machinery interact with her and listened to the mumbling scientists across the walls, but in the end I couldn''t understand all their jargon and no less closer to getting a full picture on the girl''s situation. By the end of the day, I began to fade away, a sign of me waking up on this side.


    ***


    When I fell asleep again, predictably, I found myself within that white room once more. This time, however, the girl had a rather restless look about her, something she tried to hide but failed miserably.


    "Why so fidgety?"


    "Nothing, it''s nothing really."


    That was the third time I asked her, and again, she gave an unconvincing answer.


    I wondered what it was that got her to be in such a mood. If only I could look around, I might be able to guess, but my movement within this space was restricted. I could only go so far away from her, or rather, I could only go as far as her awareness could reach, which meant that at the moment, I was confined to the room and just beyond the walls, which had a room with monitors displaying all sorts of graphs and charts, and hallways that seemed to stretch on endlessly. When I asked her how she was able to know what was beyond the walls, she told me that she just does, in the same way that I could just hear and see she was able to know what was occurring around her in a five meter radius.


    Like before, I spent the day within her room. Maybe it''s because I was dreaming of this place more often as of recently, but I could feel that my time there was getting longer, and even after night had fallen, I still remain within that white room without signs of fading.


    Sometime after nightfall, without any warning, the room became pitch black. The lights had been shut off, and it was not only happening within the room, the hallways and the monitoring room as well. Only the monitors remained turn on, running on back up batteries I reckon. However, even though they''re on, their screens were frozen, the graphs, the fluctuating numbers, the recording of the white room from the security cameras, they''re all frozen in place. At first, I thought that whatever had caused the blackout may have damaged the sensitive electronics as well, but after taking a look at the one who was supposed to be sitting there, watching over everything within that room, I realized there''s more to it. After all, that wasn''t normal, not at all. The man, he was drinking you see, drinking what looks to be coffee. However, that man, like the images recorded from the security cameras, was frozen, and with him, the liquid he''s consuming. It wasn''t as if the liquid had turned into ice, but it was just frozen there, in the middle of flowing into the man''s mouth. It was, essentially, as if time itself had been frozen.


    I returned to the room, searching through the darkness. I wanted to call out, but then I realized that I do not know the girl''s name. I could call her ''Zero'', as the researchers have, but somehow it didn''t feel appropriate, thinking that she might hate that name.


    Then, from the void came light, a light without any source. The light itself was the source, just a floating ball of light in the middle of the room. With the ball of light, the room was lit as if it was daytime, though regardless of day or night, the room has always been lit the same, with the lights turning off only when the girl goes to sleep.


    "What''s going on in the other room?"


    "The other room? I have no idea what you''re talking about?"


    From her mischievous tone, it wasn''t hard to tell that her ignorance was feigned. However, before I got to probe her further, suddenly, another figure appeared in the room, no, not just one, but two.


    At first, I thought that they were something created by the girl, but that moment came and went the instant I realized these two were people, children even.


    "It''s just like you said, Zero, the thunderstorm knocked out the power."


    The one speaking was a boy, blonde with deep blue eyes. He wore clothing akin to what patients being kept in a ward would wear and they were white from top to bottom with the words ''P-009'' printed on both the front and the back. For a moment, I contemplated what ''P'' meant. Was it ''patient'', or perhaps ''prisoner''?


    "Psion. It''s Psion."


    The girl said out of nowhere, her eyes turned towards the empty space in which the phantom that was I hovered. It was as if she had read my mind.


    "Zero, who are you talking to? It''s not Seven is it?"


    The blond boy had a look of worry around him from the start and his brows only furrowed further since he arrived at the room.


    "Hey Seven, if you''re listening, you better not tell on us, you got it!"


    Jumping out and pointing into an empty space is a red-headed girl with an attitude, about the same age as the boy, maybe ten or younger. She wore the same clothes as the boy and on hers ''P-006'' was printed.


    "It''s not Seven, it''s the friend I''ve been talking about, Mr. Phantom."


    The girl, Zero, assured them with a smile, talking to them as if they were younger siblings.


    "Oh cool, is he breaking out with us too?"


    "He sure is, isn''t that right?"


    She looked towards me, asking despite knowing that my presence here revolved entirely around her and that I can only remain within the sphere of her awareness.


    "If we do this, you''ll never get out again. You know that, right? They''ll know your reach has extended beyond this room. They''ll put you somewhere else, somewhere more secure."


    The blond boy was getting more anxious by the second. You could tell that he didn''t like this idea.


    "They''re never going let me out anyways. I need to get out and it must be today."


    Hearing that, the boy took a deep breath and sighed deeply.


    "Then let''s do while we can, once the backup generators kick in and the security system returns to full functionality, it''ll only take so long before they realize we''re gone."


    "Right, now just give me a minute. I''m just about to leave a decoy."


    Upon Zero''s words, the air shifted and the space beside her twisted. From that twisted space, ''it'' emerged. What was ''it''? I don''t know, just looking at it, I had no idea what ''it'' was. I know what ''it'' was supposed to be: A decoy. ''It'' was, as far as I can tell, a perfect copy of Zero. In fact, if I didn''t remember their positions, I wouldn''t be able to tell which was the real one and which was they decoy. That was how real ''it'' looked. However, ''it'' wasn''t alive, that I was sure. Her eyes were devoid of consciousness, as if ''it'' was staring into a dream, if ''it'' could even dream. In my curiosity in regards to ''it'' I was tempted to stick my face into her body and take a look at the insides, but since she was a perfect copy, it felt inappropriate to do so in front of the person ''it'' was based on.


    "Oh wow, it looks just like you."


    The red-headed girl was apparently quite impressed, her eyes glancing at the copy up and down.


    "It... it really does..."


    The blond boy agreed, but with less amazement and more abhorrence. If I had to choose who I relate with more, it was definitely with the boy.


    "Alright, Six, come here."


    My ears perk up upon hearing that, but I quickly realized that she must be referring to the red-headed girl, the one with ''P-006'' on her clothes. The red-headed approached Zero as she was told and allowed Zero to place her hands around her head.


    "Can you see it? Can you see the path, Six?"


    "Y-yeah, I think I can."


    "Good."


    Zero then nodded to the blond boy who then took the red-headed girl''s left hand while Zero took her right. Then, at the same time, the three disappeared. Upon their disappearance, for some unknown reason, I had the strangest sensation. I could feel motion in the monitoring room. Without looking, I somewhat knew that time had been resumed in that room. I was about to check if I was right, but then, my vision faded. Before I knew it, I was staring at the sky, looking up to the strangest moon I''ve ever seen. Why was it so strange? Well, this moon, it had a ring.


    "There was a colony."


    "On the moon?"


    "Yes, but they blew it up."


    "Why?"


    "They fought with us, us here on the ground. They wanted to keep what they found up there to themselves apparently and those on the ground weren''t having any of it."


    "Zero, you''re talking to Mr. Phantom again?"


    "That''s right, it''s the first time he''s been outside too."


    "I don''t like this, it''s too cold outside."


    "Quit whining, Six. You''re the one who wanted to see right, what it''s like on the outside?"


    "Of course I do, I''ve never been outside before. And why are you sounding all high and mighty for, you wanted to see it too right? That''s why you said you want to help Zero get out."


    "I just wanted to help Zero out."


    "Are you sure? That you aren''t curious even a little?"


    "I... I mean... Maybe a little..."


    "See!"


    "Well, you''re the one complaining that it''s cold!"


    "Well, it is!"


    "You two, listen..."


    Immediately, even though they were in the middle of a heated argument, the two quieted down when Zero spoke.


    "I''m sorry to have dragged your two into this, but also, thank you for doing this for me. I''ll never forget it."


    The two children blushed, turning their heads away.


    "It''s no big deal, we both wanted to go outside anyways, right Six."


    "Y-yeah, that''s right. You don''t need to thank us."


    Where we were appeared to be some kind of power station, however, there''s more to it than that. Beneath it, there''s a facility, one that housed not only the one known as Patient Zero, but apparently, a number of children they called ''Psions''. I was told of such things as we made our way out of the woods surrounding the station. In the woods, there apparently are several security systems hidden away from sight, however, due to a usually powerful lightning strike, all security systems were down, at least for the moment.


    "Zero, quit chatting with Mr. Phantom, we need to keep moving."


    "Sorry, I just wanted to fill him in a bit."


    The numbered children were running towards the light in the distance, the light coming for a city, bustling even into the night, shining brightly even as the dark clouds of a coming thunderstorm obscured the stars.


    ***


    End of Chapter 64

 Vol. 4, Chapter 65: Psions, Prisoners, Patients

    The numbered children made it past the forest, and upon running into a tall fence, they had the red-headed girl move them across. They just disappeared from one side and appeared on the other. No doubt about it, that was teleportation. The red-headed girl had the power of teleportation and most likely, their escape would not have been possible without her.


    Once passed the fence, the children arrived at a road, apparently a part of a highway from the looks of how it stretched on as far as the eyes could see. By the roadside, the three children stood, the blond boy and the red-headed girl looked to be at a lost. After a while, the red-headed girl, seemingly having waited long enough, decided to cross, only to be stopped by Zero.


    "Wait."


    Holding onto the red-headed girl''s shoulder, Zero watched the road, her eyes gazing toward her left. Then, her hand shifted from the red-headed girl''s shoulder to her head.


    "Six, get ready."


    "O-okay..."


    "Don''t be nervous, I''ll show you the path."


    Somehow, I began to understand what Zero meant. She had been transmitting information directly into the red-headed girl''s head. I suppose it''s similar to how the Keepers communicate with the others. And the red-headed girl, while able to teleport, she appeared to have only limited ability to calculate the ''path'', as they referred to it.


    "Here comes."


    The blond boy took notice as a pair of light approached a high speed, and as the sound of an engine could be heard, the red-headed girl took a big gulp down her throat.


    The vehicle was a van, a white van. As it passed them, the numbered children disappeared, and in a moment, my scenery changed. The children were then in the van, all three on their bottoms, apparently having collided with the back doors of the van, flattening the boxes between them and the doors.


    "Damn it, Six, you forgot to account for the vectors!"


    "S-s-shut up! I never tried getting onto something so fast before!"


    As they argued, I took a look at the driver seat, worrying that the driver had heard the ruckus, or rather, he must have heard it. I was worrying as to what the children planned to do about it.


    However, when I looked, the driver drove on, apparently noticing nothing. It was odd, very odd. The crash was pretty loud after all. Even if he had the radio on, he would have heard it without a doubt, yet, he didn''t.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Cognitive disruption. In other words, I messed with his ability to sense the thing around him, specifically, us and any noise we might make."


    Zero had a mischievous smile as she explained it all, as if she was- no, she was most definitely boasting.


    "That''s amazing."


    I thought I''d humor her, but instead, she pouted.


    "Don''t say things you don''t mean."


    "I do think it''s amazing, but after everything I''ve seen, I''m too overwhelmed to be excited."


    "Are you now? I thought you were taking it all in strides."


    "As if. It''s all crazy. Everything is crazy, on this side, on that side as well, nothing makes any sense."


    "Would you rather it continues on to make no sense? Or would you like to make sense of it all?"


    "The answer is obvious, isn''t it?"


    "I wonder."


    I hadn''t noticed it till that point, but her smile as slowly fading, turning into something that was somewhat bitter.


    "I wished I never knew anything, I did. But, now that you''re here, no, not ''here'' I suppose, but knowing that you will be here, maybe there is meaning to it."


    "What are you even saying?"


    I wasn''t the one who asked that question, though I was certainly thinking it. The one who asked was the blond boy.


    "Oh, I was just talking to Mr. Phantom."


    Hearing Zero''s response, the boy stared into the space where Zero was staring into, where I was floating about.


    "You didn''t sound very happy."


    "I''m just nervous, that''s all. Aren''t you? It''s your first time outside right?"


    "I''ll be fine."


    "You say that, but you''ve been tense all day haven''t you?"


    "I know right, he''s been acting weird all day. It''s a surprise Seven didn''t figure us out and came to stop us."


    The red-headed girl butted in, earning the blond boy''s ire.


    "You''ve been acting spooked all day as well. In fact, everyone was saying how quiet you were and how strange that was. It''s thanks to you that I was so nervous."


    "Hey, don''t you try and pin the blame on me!"


    "I was just telling it as it is."


    "Alright, alright, settle down. If you both keep this up, we''re going right back to the facility."


    With Zero saying that, the two stopped immediately. The blond boy especially was shaken by what she said.


    "But Zero, you-"


    "Don''t but me, I rather head back than have you two fighting like this."


    The boy furrowed his brows, his eyes cast downwards before slightly turning towards the red-headed girl.


    "I... I''m sorry, Six."


    The red-headed girl, perhaps swept up by the flow of events, became meek as well.


    "Y-yeah, I''m sorry too."


    The rest of the ride was quiet, especially so when you consider that these were children and children being noisy on a ride are as common as they are cars on the road. It appeared that Zero knew how to handle them, making it seemed as though she''s several years older than they were rather than children of the same age, and with the way I''ve seen her age, and by that I mean the lack of thereof, she must have been older, far, far older.


    ***


    When the van stopped, the driver came and opened the back doors, ready to unload the boxed goods he was delivering. Upon seeing the flattened boxes, he shouted with anger and got all red in the face. However, even though they should be well within his line of sight, he did not see the numbered children slipped out through the side door. This must be Zero''s doing as well, the thing she called cognitive disruption.


    Where the van stopped appeared to be in the middle of a bustling street, with people walking to and fro somewhere. Even so, the children stood out, their clothes, completely white from top to bottom stuck out in the dazzling night street, or at least, they should have. However, no one even batted an eye at them, as if they couldn''t see them, just like the driver.


    "Zero, where to now?"


    While the blond boy asked her, Zero was staring at a map by a bus stop, her index finger upon her chin as she scanned it.


    "This way, the station''s this way."


    Zero ran on ahead and the other two followed her, till they eventually arrived at what appeared to be a railway station not too far away. Zero strode in without a sign of hesitation. The blond boy, however, was slightly reserved, his hand reached out to Zero as if telling her to wait, but realizing that she was out of reach, he quickly followed, his eyes wandering from Zero to the flood of people passing by and back to her. He was cautious and more than a little nervous. Like the blond boy, the red-headed girl, followed along as well, her eyes on Zero and the blond boy at all times. Her brows were furrowed, looking like she''s just as nervous and the boy. Not wanting to be left behind by the other two, she stuck close and continued moving with them.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    As they passed the toll gates of the station by vaulting over them, the guard watching from the nearby booth had a reaction. Had he noticed them? I wondered that as I watched him. However, rather than the children, he was looking at his monitor, smacking it a few times with his hand. Was it broken? I turned towards Zero, who was looking back with a cheeky grin on her face. Probably, she had done something. Unlike people, security cameras had no cognition after all. They only record what was there. Zero had probably done something else to prevent being captured on camera.


    Without being noticed at all, the numbered children snuck onto a train. The train was crowded, but they somehow managed to find seats. It must have been supernatural, not only because they found seats during an hour which looked to be rather busy with people trying to get home, but also because no one, not a single person, noticed them, and no one tried to sit where they were seated.


    The train ran smoothly over the rails as the dazzling nightly cityscape passed us by. However, I noticed that there was one spot in the city that had no lights, where it was but an empty void of darkness. Well, I say that, but there was surely something there, it was just too dark for me to see.


    "That''s the ''Crater''. At least, that''s what we call it."


    While I was sure Zero was just giving the explanation for me, as she had been doing for a while since, I turn to notice that the blond boy and red-headed girl as well, were staring towards the dark area.


    "What happened there? Wait, don''t tell me. It is a, what''s it called, meteorite? I heard about them during the lesson. It''s like a shooting star, right?"


    The red-headed girl was getting rather excited at the idea of a meteorite. I wondered then if she liked such a thing or that the experience of being outside of the first time had pumped her up. However, looking at the size of the Crater, from the distance, I eyeballed at least the destruction of about three to five city blocks. It wasn''t small and I don''t think it would have been a meteorite, at least, not one of regular size.


    "Six, there''s no way a meteorite could do so much damage. They would done something to stop it if it could. This was something more sudden. Like a bomb, maybe."


    The blond boy wasn''t as excited as the red-headed girl, however, he was obviously less tense than before. It looked like, in his own way, he was enjoying this as well.


    "You''re both only half right. It wasn''t a meteorite, but it was from outside the atmosphere. All the way from the moon. The Lunarians brought it here over eighty years ago. Oh, that''s what the moon colonists called themselves by the way."


    "We know that already, we learned it during our lesson. But, this is the first time I''ve heard about the Crater and them bringing anything down here."


    The blond apparently didn''t like being talked down to. His pride was rather high? No, now that I think about it, maybe he just didn''t want to be treated like a child by Zero. Though that''s what he was.


    "I know you did. But, Mr. Phantom here had no idea."


    "Whoa, Mr. Phantom must be pretty dumb, huh?"


    Contrasting the blond boy, the red-headed girl was absolutely a child, getting all full of herself just because... Anyways, about the Crater...


    "What they brought down here was something old, something they found on the moon many years ago. They said that it was the remnant of a very old god from time so long ago no records exist, or rather, it was said that all records were wiped out."


    "Why''d they do that? Wiping out the records?"


    The blond boy raised a question I myself was going to ask.


    "Probably because it was something that shouldn''t exist, after all, it gave birth to something like me."


    "Hey, don''t say that. We... we want you here, with us. I don''t want you to not exist."


    The red-headed girl wasn''t exactly following the conversation, but hearing what Zero said at the end, she must have felt that she had to chime in.


    "That''s very nice of you, Six."


    Zero gave a smile, it was bitter and dry, and though she had the appearance of a child, for that moment, she looked very old.


    "So, what do you mean that it gave birth to you? Are you a god too?"


    "Oh, that was just a figure of speech. I didn''t literally mean that it gave birth to me. Besides, they only called it a god. No one for sure knew what it was, only that it was powerful, beyond even the Lunarian''s expectation in fact. It was a dangerous thing they did, but apparently, they didn''t care. They were desperate, or so I was told, from fighting a long war that they were slowly and steadily losing. The resources on the moon just weren''t plentiful enough when compared to the rest of the planet it orbits. The one thing they had was a piece of the old god. So they used it, hoping the turn the tide..."


    "Then, what happened?"


    The red-headed girl, while somewhat lost in the beginning was getting riled up from the story, perhaps due to the pause Zero made at the end, creating a sense of suspense. It seemed like she knew how to handle them, or at least, the red-headed girl.


    "They disappeared, all of the Lunarians that landed there, into that void which no light could reach."


    I turned once more to look at the Crater. I had initially thought that the area was just dark, but it turns out, it really was a void.


    "So, what is it, the Crater, or the void? I mean, how did it happen?"


    I was the one who asked that question, but somehow, I knew what she would say.


    "I don''t know."


    Zero shrugged upon giving that half-hearted response. Well, she didn''t even know how her strange powers worked. What she did know she probably heard from the researchers. From what I know of them through Zero, they too were in the midst of trying to figure everything out.


    "And how did ''that'' give birth to you? What''s that supposed to mean?"


    The blond boy didn''t say anything about her answering "I don''t know" without context. He had probably figured that she was talking to me, A.K.A. Mr. Phantom, by that point.


    "When the Lunarians unleash the piece old god, it scattered, spreading throughout the air, before creating the void. From what the researchers back in the facility had figured out, they scattered fragments of that piece of the old god had apparently invaded, or rather, infected, the lifeforms within the proximity. For a while, nothing happened. However, beneath the surface, the fragments were doing something to their hosts, changing them at the genetic level. Something about the D.N.A. maybe?"


    "You''re not sure?"


    "Not even the researchers are sure, and I''ve only gone to school till the fifth grade, you realize."


    "Oh right... They didn''t give you lessons either, did they?"


    "Well, what''s the point, I was going to be stuck there forever anyways. Though, they do each me a few things when I chat with them."


    "It won''t be forever, right? They said they''ll let us go and live normal lives once everything is peaceful."


    "Yes, I suppose they did..."


    Zero looked down, probably realizing that it was impossible. I''m not sure about the affairs of Zero''s world, but at the very least, she didn''t think her world would achieve peace in their lifetime.


    "Once we''re free, let''s go somewhere together again. Not just us three, but everyone else."


    Zero smiled, or rather, she forced a smile for the blond boy.


    "Thank you, Nine... I''ll look forward to that."


    "I want to go to the big elevator!"


    The red-headed girl, having little grasp on the mood, chimed in excitedly.


    "The big elevator, what are you talking about?"


    The blond boy scratched his head, confused.


    "You know, the one that goes all the way up into space."


    "Oh, you meant the orbital elevator?"


    "Yeah, that''s the one!"


    I look towards Zero, seeking answers. I mean, orbital elevator? I''ve only heard talks about it, but back in our world, it wasn''t feasible yet. In response, she only jutted her chin towards the windows opposite to where the numbered children were seated.


    Through those windows, I saw it, a megastructure beyond megastructures we know today, a dazzling pillar piercing up into the sky in the distance. How far was it? I couldn''t say. It felt like it was large enough to muddle my sense of distance.


    Taking that brief moment while we''re getting all excited about that orbital elevator, Zero composed herself and began telling her story about the old god anew.


    "At any rate, the fragments of the old god. Apparently, they were like nanomachines, made of materials they have never seen before, and they behaved like a virus, spreading from host to host and moved to alter their genetics. There was nothing any of the scientists and researchers in the world could do about it. After all, there are no vaccines for machines, or at least, it was believed that they were machine-like in nature. With our own level of technology, it just wasn''t possible to deal with them. They called the hosts of the nanomachine-like fragments the ''First Generation''. After the first, came the ''Second Generation'', their fragments behaved similarly to that of the first, though much like the First Generation, nothing out of place could be observed from them in comparison to normal humans. Then, there was the Third Generation. As if something had triggered within them, they began exhibiting unnatural abilities and were suspected to be the cause of various unexplainable phenomena. It was said that only a few of the Third Generations lived through childbirth and many were stillborn. Those that lived were eventually taken to facilities such as the one we''re in upon discoveries of their capabilities. That''s how I came to be."


    Listening to the story, something didn''t quite make sense for me, and while the two children were still trying to process the information, I decided to ask my question.


    "But wait, if you''re the Third Generation, why did they call you ''Patient Zero''?"


    "Well, for someone to be referred to as Patient Zero, there needs to be at least some sort of epidemic, yes?"


    "Yeah, I think that''s how that works, but isn''t the fragment of the old god an epidemic of sorts? Or does it not count since there''s no visible effect from it."


    "As far as those in the know were concerned, I think they considered it an epidemic, after all, even though nothing was observed on the surface, it was doing something to the hosts. They were right, unfortunately. However, this and that are different. I am a ''patient'' of another disease, something only the Third Generation has and was then spread to the other. Something that was not of the old god''s fragment, but what was born from it was a result."


    Zero''s eyes drifted towards the blond boy and then the red-headed girl, who was at that point lying upon Zero''s lap. The two other children were listening, though not quite understanding what Zero was talking about. I too wasn''t too sure about what Zero was saying, she was being intentionally vague. However, from what I saw, I could make a guess.


    When I saw the children, or more accurately, the numbers printed on their clothes, I have taken the ''P'' in front of the numbers to mean either ''Prisoner'' or ''Patient''. Zero said it meant ''Psion'', but, in a sense, they were ''patients'' as well. However, Zero was taken to the facility at a very young age. These children, I''m sure, were far younger than she was. They certainly act as old as they looked for the most part. This meant that whatever Zero has as a Third Generation, it was spread after her quarantine, most likely intentionally, and as a result created more children who possess these supernatural powers, children like the blond boy and the red-headed girl.


    Somehow, I couldn''t imagine a very bright future for any of them.


    ***


    End of Chapter 65

 Vol. 4, Chapter 66: Fleeting Freedom

    The train had stopped time and time again at various stations, but the numbered children continued to ride it as if all they were here for was to ride the train. However, that wasn''t the case, it couldn''t have been. Clearly, they were risking too much to do just that.


    "We''re here."


    Once more, the train was gradually coming to a stop. Zero patted on the red-headed girl who had fallen asleep on her lap. The blond boy as well was starting to rub his eyes and looking rather sleepy. It must be past their bedtime.


    By the time the train had come to a full stop, the red-headed girl had seated herself up and was rubbing her eyes with a yawn. As the doors opened and Zero proceeding towards the exit, the other two sluggishly following along, the excitement they had some moments ago no longer seen.


    Like before, they passed through the crowded station undetected, but even while no one seemed to have noticed them, no one bumped into them. In fact, they appeared to be opening a way for them. Why? There''s no point asking, there''s no understanding the mechanism behind the phenomenon. Even the experts were at a loss in trying to explain it, and I am certainly no expert. All I know was the Zero was somehow doing it, making it so that the crowd would open a way for them without even realizing it.


    The numbered children made it out to the streets and following Zero, they took a turn to the right, towards a large white building within walking distance. On the road, there was a vehicle heading towards the same direction, one that made a hard to ignore noise even before it came into view, flashing red lights installed on its roof. It was an ambulance, or at least, I think it was, and it made a turn into the white building, which would make that the hospital.


    The children proceeded into the hospital. Within the hospital, there were those seeking treatment, all seated and waiting for their names to be called. Their numbers were few, likely due to how late into the night it was, though I wasn''t sure how late it exactly was. There were nurses moving up and down the halls, probably making their rounds and checking on the patients. Of all the places, why did Zero choose to go there? Most likely, she''s here to see someone. The question was: Who?


    The other two no longer made any noise. Maybe it was due to them being sleepy, but I felt a sense of somberness from them. They had helped Zero escape from the facility. From what the boy said, about how they''ll move Zero in a different room, he was expecting them to be found, either that, he had planned to return in time. No doubt, once they return, both the blond boy and the red-headed girl would be punished for it. Even so, they helped, they took the risk and helped Zero escape. These two must know, about the reason why Zero wanted to come. Otherwise, I highly doubt they would have gone and done it.


    The children took the elevator, all the way up to the fourth floor. The halls were dark and so were the rooms, it must be lights out of the patients. However, all the way down the hall, there was one where the lights were still lit. For some time, Zero hadn''t spoken the word and neither of the two had prompted her to. In her silence, a sense of dread could be sensed from her. Even so, they proceeded, they''ve come too far to stop, or rather, they must do this no matter what. This was Zero''s last chance. She won''t get another opportunity ever again.


    The numbered children took their steps towards the room at the end of the hall. Zero had her eyes focused forward whilst the other two walked behind her with bated breaths. Then, all of a sudden, the blond boy stopped.


    "She''s here."


    As soon as those words escaped his mouth, the hallway suddenly extended endlessly and the room at the end with the lights on went farther and farther away from them, till it could no longer be seen, fading into darkness.


    "L-let''s run!"


    "It''s no use, we''re trapped!"


    The blond boy stopped the red-headed girl from sprinting off, his eyes searching the hall that appeared to stretch on forever.


    "She''s right there."


    Calmly, without a sign of panic, Zero called the attention of the other two towards their rear. There, they find a figure wearing some kind of suit. The suit was black and bulky and made of a material akin to hard rubber at first glance, though I wasn''t too sure what it was really made of. Looking at the height, the one wearing it couldn''t be more than a child, or at least a very short person. No, it''s definitely a child. Through the visor of the helmet, a child-like visage can be seen, one with deep blue eyes and reminded those who stare into it of the deep sea, blue eyes not dissimilar to the pair the blond boy has. The person within the suit also appeared to be submerged in some kind of liquid as air bubbles could be occasionally seen floating up through the visor. That may explain the bulkiness of the suit.


    "S-S-Seven, she found us!"


    The red-headed girl was starting to panic. Even though she shouted so boldly at this person known as Seven right before they made their escape, it appeared to have been just for show as now she looked to be on the verge of pissing her pants.


    "Sis!"


    The blond boy called out as he stood in between Seven and the rest.


    "Nine... Six... and Zero... You understand what you''ve done, right?"


    Seven''s voice that came out of the suit was somewhat distorted, sounding like she''s speaking through some kind of microphone.


    "If you three come back with me right now and your punishment will be light. If you resist, they''ll deem you as uncontrollable, too dangerous even. You know what that means, don''t you?"


    Zero stepped forward, passing by the blond boy standing in front of her.


    "Seven, I just need ten, no, five minutes. Please."


    Zero, who had been calm and confident to the point of being a little cheeky up till this point was sounding as if she''s begging, or rather, she probably was begging. Whatever was in that room at the end of the hall was that important to her.


    Slowly but firmly, Seven shook her head though the helmet of her suit was too bulky to move with it.


    "The orders are to bring you three back immediately, without delay. They''ll know if I didn''t."


    Zero cast her eyes down and bit down on her lips, her fist clenched. The decision was painful, but she probably knew, not just for her own good but also the good of both the blond boy and red-headed girl, she has to submit.


    "Gotcha!"


    "Six, would you shut your mouth for a second!"


    The two voices came from behind Seven, and upon hearing them, she side-stepped while turning to look behind her, with incredible ease, as if the bulky suit didn''t even matter. There, right behind her, were the blond boy and the red-headed girl. They came at Seven from a high angle with the blond boy reaching out his hands towards her. Though Seven reacted almost immediately, the two were too close for her to get away in time. However, as the blond boy''s hands were about to reach, the strangest thing happened. The boy''s hands began to twist and became elongated, wrapping around the space Seven was in. It looked like something seen in a convex mirror. As he got closer, even his shoulder began to twist, followed by the rest of his body. His whole person twisted around her and eventually snapped back to shape once he had reached the other side akin to a rubber band that had been stretch and released. Before he knew it, he had ended up behind Seven.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    The boy clicked his tongue upon realizing what had happened.


    "There goes our one shot!"


    "Not yet!"


    The red-headed girl charged in, trying to grab onto Seven herself, but as she approached, the same thing that happened to the blond boy happened to her, and she wounded up on the other side, unable to lay even a finger on Seven. However, now one the same side as the blond boy, the red-headed girl reached out towards him, likely trying to teleport them both behind Seven once more for another shot. But of course, Seven had seen it and knew what to expect, and before their hands could meet, again, they twisted around one another, passing by each other and wound up on the opposite side without touching.


    "It''s useless. You can''t touch me. No one can."


    "That''s not true."


    The voice was calm, and it came from right in front of Seven. Before anyone had realized it, Zero had gotten up right in Seven''s face. Unlike before, when she was pleading, Zero was composed. She had regained her composure after seeing the blond boy and red-headed girl fight for her. How had she gotten so close? Most likely, she had used that strange power of hers, ''cognitive disruption''.


    "Zero!?"


    Seven looked surprised. Why? Did she not know Zero had such a power? Or was her suit supposed to protect her from it? Regardless, Zero had managed to close in on her.


    "That''s right. I''m Zero, not ''one''."


    Through the visor, one of Seven''s eyebrows twitched. I wouldn''t blame her. That was pretty bad.


    Zero extended her hand towards Seven, and on the chest, she struck the bulky suit with a flick of her finger. Being struck, the suit, made of materials that looked akin to hard rubber, convulsed dramatically for a moment before bursting open like a water balloon, spilling the liquid inside all over, or so I thought it would, but the liquid evaporated the moment it came into contact with the outside air. With the suit destroyed, all there was left was Seven, wearing a skintight suit and a mask covering her mouth and nose. The mask had what appeared to be tubes extending from it, so I assumed that it was for breathing. Like the blond boy, Seven was blond as well, her hair long and flowing.


    "Zero, you-!"


    Before she was able to finish, I not so much see and more felt some form of energy leaking from Seven''s exposed body, and as if reacting to it, the same mysterious energy burst forth from Zero as well, albeit far more violently. The air surrounding them vibrated intensely, no, not just the air, space itself was being torn apart between the two.


    "Are you trying to create another ''Crater''!?"


    Seven looked horrified, her eyes opened wide. She seemed as though she had no control over the energy leaking from her. Then, from behind, a pair of hands stretched towards her, holding both sides of her head. The instant they made contact, Seven''s eyes dilated and her body began to relax. Eventually, her eyes closed and she fell limply to the ground with her head gently placed on the blond boy''s lap. As soon as she fell unconscious, the air stopped rumbling and the space around them appeared to have stabilized.


    "Go on ahead, Zero, we''ll take care of her."


    The blond boy, his hands held firmly upon Seven head, pointed Zero forward with his eyes.


    Zero nodded, turning away from the boy and looked towards the end of the hallway, the no longer endless hallway. The moment Seven had fallen unconscious, the hallway reverted to how it was. Zero proceeded towards the room at the end, her brows furrowed. For some reason, after coming this far, she looked as if she didn''t actually want to go in there. Still, she must go, after all the trouble the other two went through for her, she must reach the conclusion.


    Lightly, Zero pushed open the door. Within the room, there was but a single bed. The bed was surrounded by people, some rather young, some middle-aged, some in-between. The atmosphere was heavy with melancholy. On the bed, there laid an old man, looking thin and shriveled. The machine next to his bed, the machine that should be beeping in fixed intervals was making but a single constant tone with the line displayed upon it straight and flat.


    Zero moved up to the bed. No one noticed her, likely due to her use of cognitive disruption. She reached for the old man''s hand only to be then knocked away by a nurse who came in and hurriedly went to check on the old man. The nurse did not feel a thing, even after being knocked to the ground, Zero did not let up her cognitive disruption.


    "I''m sorry, but he''s passed on."


    That was what the nurse said.


    Slowly, Zero got up. Her stare was blank, and with her head hanging low, she walked out of the room.


    "Zero..."


    I tried to say something to her, but nothing came to mind. Absolutely nothing at all, even though I wanted nothing more than to say something, anything, there was nothing that came to mind that could make her feel even a tiny bit better.


    As I watched her dejected figure walking away, my vision began to fade to black. I was waking up. I wanted to stay for even a bit longer. However, as if pulled by a force I could not fight against, I woke up.


    ***


    The next time I fell asleep, I returned once again to that white room. No, it was no longer that same room. The room was white, yes, but it was a different room. This place was different, much wider, the walls and ceiling at least ten meters from the center, and in the middle of the room, there was a glass box, or I suppose it could be said to be a room with glass walls and ceiling, a glass room within a white room. Within the glass room, there lies Zero. In the room, there was only a bed, a single bed. There were no tables or chairs nor were there the plushies she had built up over time. It was a despairingly empty room.


    As my awareness of the surroundings had to do with what Zero herself was aware of, naturally, I could not see beyond the walls ten meters from her. Her range of detection for something that she couldn''t see was five meters at best.


    "Zero..."


    Inadvertently, since the children called her that, I myself have started calling her by her number without noticing. I wondered if she actually liked being called that.


    "Oh, you''re here..."


    She was hugging her knees on her bed, packing herself into a corner of the glass room. She looked up to me when I called, trying to look elated at my presence but didn''t quite have the enthusiasm to pull it off.


    "That old man the other day, who was it?"


    Zero''s eyes cast down for a moment after being asked. When I didn''t think I''ll get a reply, she looked back up to me, apparently finding a sliver of resolve within her.


    "He was my brother... My little brother."


    That was why she had to go. He was about to pass away and she would never get another chance to see him again if she missed it. But to think that he''s so old while Zero here remained young as ever. I knew that she never aged even a bit since a long time ago, but it''s still strange to think about.


    "I see..."


    I could find no words for her, nothing at all.


    "In the end, I couldn''t see him after all. I knew that, I knew it would happen, but I wanted to try anyway. I even dragged Nine and Six with me... No, I suppose that would have happened regardless as well."


    "It''s not your fault for wanting to see your family now, is it?"


    I didn''t quite get what she''s talking about, but I figured that I should say at least this much. She wasn''t wrong, or at least, I didn''t think she was.


    "No, I was quite wrong. Just stepping outside could have had a myriad of consequences. You saw what happened with Seven right? Something like that could happen, or all sorts of other stuff. Seven was the strongest of the children so she made it easier, but it could have happened even if I was by myself. Not that it would happen though, not on that day."


    She spoke strangely, going from speaking hypothetically to saying things with certainty as if she knew how some things would exactly play out, even though she couldn''t have predicted them.


    She couldn''t have, right? Such a thought ran through my head.


    "No, I really could."


    I looked toward her. I must have a rather flabbergasted face on me.


    "I see visions, phantoms, from time to time. They''re not just random imagery either, Mr. Phantom, no, they''re things that happened, or will happen. That is why I am speaking right now, to myself, to a phantom that''s not really there."


    She stood from her bed, looking at me with tender eyes.


    "I could not fight it, this thing called fate. I knew I would never be able to see my brother or anyone in my family ever again, but I couldn''t even not attempt to try. It hurts too much to sit idly and let the inevitable happen without doing anything. So, as I had always known, on that day, there would be a thunderstorm without rain, that there would be a power outage, that with Six and Nine, I would escape and try to see my brother, and that I would fail."


    She smiled, mockingly she smiled. It was meant for herself, I think. Looking at her, it''d be a lie to say my heart didn''t break a little.


    "But while I can''t fight it, I would still like to be your guide. To you, Aurelius, who would one day gain access to this memory long after everything had come to pass. It''s long overdue, but welcome, Aurelius, to my memories. Here, you''ll find the truth you seek. Hopefully, you won''t regret it."


    ***


    End of Chapter 66

 Vol. 5, Chapter 67: Remnants of the Lunar Ring

    There was a ring on the moon, leftovers of a settlement built around the moon''s equator. Supported by massive orbital elevators, the colony around the moon rotates to artificially generate gravity similar to that on the ground. To those living on the lunar colony, the moon would be overhead every hour of the day. However, that was eighty years ago and now only debris and the ruined lives of those that lived there continue to orbit the moon.


    Even back in the day, tensions were high between the lunar colony and the ground. The colony claimed to be its own nation, outside the influence of the mother planet. Those on the ground said that great amounts of resources from the planet was used to construct the colony, and so it was most definitely not independent and should repay the planet its due. Throughout the years, compromises were made and broken and the relations continued to sour.


    One day, while tension between the two celestial bodies rises, the colonist on the moon found something they shouldn''t have. It happened when a drone sent down by the researchers discovered what appeared to be a cave on the moon. At first, it seemed to be an ordinary cave formation, but upon further investigation, it was revealed that the caverns were man-made, and hidden within them, buildings, structures of which have designs not seen in the planet''s history. It was a city of an unknown civilization.


    At the center of this city, there lies a building larger than any with giant statues of vaguely humanoid figures decorating the halls. It was reasoned that this place may have been a temple. In this temple, sealed within the very depths, there lies a cube, a box, and what would later turn out to be a sarcophagus, one containing the remains of an old god. At least, they began calling it a god.


    God or no, from the remains, a boundless amount of energy could be extracted, an energy that was unlike any other known to the planet. It was said that it would be able to power the lunar colony for as long as the sun remained in the sky, and then, perhaps even long after.


    Those on the ground, upon discovering this, demanded the lunar colony to share its findings but, the colonists, fearing that this limitless source of energy might be taken from them, that the infinite source of energy may be used against them, refused.


    Tensions only escalated from there, and then, as all knew it would happen eventually, came the war.


    All of this, I learned from listening to her, to the girl who had no one else to talk to. She was kept in a glass room and said glass room was within a larger white room. No one was allowed to see or talk to her, not from across the walls and any attempts of communications, even the telepathic ones, were blocked. She only had me, the one she so merrily called Mr. Phantom.


    In her boredom, she began giving me history lessons, or at least, what she had known about it. And what she knew was largely related to the war between the ground and the moon.


    ***


    The lunar colony was gone, however, those from the colony, those who called themselves called the Lunarians, remained. While their home had been destroyed along with the millions of lives that lived there, during the course of the war, the Lunarians had acquired territories on the ground as well, holding it for the years to come. Even so, they won''t stop just yet, for the loss of their home, where so many were once born and raised, the Lunarians continued to march, expanding their territories with weapons and technology powered by the limitless energy from the remains of the old god.


    "Six, you''re too far ahead, pull back!"


    From a hidden corner, a telepathic message shot off into the air, passing through even walls to reach a red-headed girl running wild amidst the sounds of explosions and gunfire. Yet, despite the loud noises all around, the message came in loud and clear.


    "Hold on, Unit Five is in trouble. Be right back."


    "What! That''s not part of the- Six? Six!!!"


    "What''s wrong, something happened?"


    "Six is what''s wrong! She''s running wild again."


    In an alleyway, sheltered from the rain of bullets and shells, a blond young man stood up from a crouched position. As the one with strong telepathic abilities that allows him to send and receive messages as well as a read on the locations of those he shared his telepathic link with, he was tasked with the leadership a unit of psionic capable soldiers.


    "Nine, what now?"


    Asking the blond young man that was a blond young woman, her hair like silks made of gold and her eyes are reminiscent of the ocean. On her military fatigue, ''P-013'' was printed.


    "We go after her, of course. Thirteen, take point."


    "Roger."


    After Thirteen, Nine followed, and behind Nine, there was another woman, much older than the other two, her hair was a light shade of brown, like peeled chestnuts, and on her head, she wore what appeared to be some sort of circlet shaped device. She spoke very few words and timidly followed behind Nine and Thirteen.


    The three ducked from alley to alley, avoiding detection from the enemy as they followed Nine''s direction.


    "Enemy sighted!"


    A yell came through the constant gunfire and explosions as Nine''s unit was about to leave the cover of the alleyways and into the streets. They''ve been spotted, from behind no less, while they''re still in the alley.


    "Four!"


    Nine grabbed onto the woman behind him and hit the ground with her in to. At the same time, he had telepathically alerted Thirteen and issued her orders.


    Hearing Nine in her mind, Thirteen turned around and moved up without hesitation, leaping over the two on the ground just as the enemy soldier began to fire.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    The bullets came flying as the gun muzzle exploded with rapid flashes of heat and flames. Deafened by the gunfire were the sounds of bullet casing hitting the concrete ground, yet, even as the casing bounced off the floor, the bullets, they never reached their targets.


    Thirteen had her arm stretched. On her hands, she was wearing a pair of special gauntlets with the words ''ANIMA'' printed on it. It was the name of the corporation which the research facility for Psions belonged to. The gauntlet gave off a strange light as she pointed her hand outwards, and in front of her, where her hand was pointing towards, were the bullets fired at her, all of which were held motionless in midair.


    With but a flinch of her fingers, each and every bullet was sent right back at twice the velocity in which they flew when they were fired, slamming right into the Lunarian soldier, or so it seemed at first.


    The Lunarian soldier wore an armored suit, one that gave off a strange glow upon being attacked, a glow not at all dissimilar to that given off by Thirteen''s gauntlets. With the strange glow, a semi-transparent globe formed around the soldier, deflecting the incoming bullets.


    "Psions! They''re Psions!"


    Yelling, the soldier pulled back, nimbly cornering out of the alley, likely to rejoin his squad.


    "Nine, what now?"


    Thirteen turned towards Nine who was helping Four onto her feet. Seeing the older woman being so sluggish in this situation caused a sense of irritation to rush up Thirteen''s head.


    "Our priority is Six. Seal off this alley."


    Nodding at Nine''s command, Thirteen raised both hands towards the walls on both sides of the alleyway, her fingers seemingly tugging at something as her gauntlets give off the same glow as before. Breathing in, Thirteen gathered her strength while a set of hurried yet careful footsteps can be heard from beyond the corner. That soldier they encountered must have been scouting out the area when he ran into Nine''s unit, and now he''s back with his whole squad.


    "Nine, should I crush them as well?"


    "Forget it. Just do enough to stop them from passing through."


    "Roger."


    With a powerful motion, Thirteen swung her hands downwards, and as if being pulled, the walls of the surrounding buildings came crumbling down, making the alleyway completely inaccessible.


    "Good work. Now, let''s get Six before she-"


    But, before Nine could finish, the rumblings from what sounded like an engine reached his ears and upon realizing what that might mean, he quickly sent a telepathic order to both Thirteen and Four while waving his arm to reinforce his intent.


    Hurriedly, the three pulled away from the alley as well as the buildings on that side of the street. No sooner than right after they reached the other side, one of the buildings near where they were burst open, with debris of concrete, wood, and glass sent flying.


    Thirteen reflexively held Four''s head down and close to her while shielding both Nine and Four from the flying debris with her psychokinetic psionics, all the while, she eyed the hole that had been opened within the now ruined building.


    Behind the veil of grey dust, a rumbling can be heard, a mechanical rumbling of a beast of metals. From the ruined building, it dragged its massive body forward with its fearsome treads, crushing and grinding the pieces of rubble and furniture caught beneath it.


    "Of all the damned..."


    Cursing beneath his breath was Nine. With his widened eyes, he recognized the metal beast by its weaponry. It was a particle cannon, the tank before them have had its cannon swapped out for this fearsome weapon, however, due to its highly limited number of shots, only a few tanks were equipped with it. For the most part, it was a tank redesigned to combat the Psions by way of overwhelming firepower. If that particle cannon was to be fired straight at them, not even Thirteen could stop it.


    "Run! Run away, quick!"


    Nine didn''t even bother to use his telepathy. He couldn''t manage it in his shaken state of mind. He had dealt with tanks and armored vehicles of all sorts before, but this, this one he does not dare to take on without significant advantage. He had seen what it could do, how in a single sweep it incinerated out an entire platoon of those he had once called brothers and sisters, those born and raised in the same facility.


    Hearing the hint of panic in his voice, Thirteen and even the sluggish Four took off immediately, with Thirteen turning her head once to check if everyone was keeping up. Right behind her, was Four, and behind Four, far behind Four, was Nine, who had not even started running.


    "Nine!"


    However, Nine did not look back at her and instead, had his eyes on the tank. In her mind, she could hear the inaudible voice of Nine telling her to pull back. Even so, she did not heed it. She reached out her hand, trying to grab him with her psionics, but before she could do anything about it, Four who was running behind her tackled her and tried to push her away. Four too had heard Nine''s order and knew it was for the best. Amongst the three of them, only Nine was powerful enough to penetrate the anti-psionic shielding of the tank.


    "Get off me! Get off me woman! Nine is still back there!


    "No, we must go now. We can''t be wiped out here. Six still needs us."


    For once, the older woman spoke strongly, her will came through clearly in her tone. She will drag Thirteen away even if by force.


    Thirteen knew that Four doesn''t have the strength to force her to do anything, not physically, at least. In terms of psionics though, Four''s was too wild for even herself to properly control. Once she was calm enough to make this assessment, she was quick to realize that Nine and Four were right. Nine had to stay behind. Only he could delay that monstrous war machine, hopefully long enough for both of them to escape.


    As the other two flee, Nine was faced with a massive cannon pointed right at him, charging with energy from the remains of the old god. With the batteries installed on the tanks, the particle cannon had up to six shots at best, but even those, even when fired haphazardly, can have devastating effects on the battlefield.


    Another flaw of the devastating weapon was that due to the heating, there would at least be thirty seconds in between each shot. That was why Nine was confident that if he stopped the first shot, that would give the other two time to escape.


    And so, Nine extended his mind towards the tank, hitting an anti-psionic barrier but managed to force through. The burden of the act was great and blood began dripping out of his ears, nose, and eyes. However, he couldn''t stop, no matter how painful it was, he had to see it through. He was the leader after all. Penetrating through the plating of the tank, Nine reached out and found the mind of the gunner.


    "I have you now."


    From the cannon, a stream of light was fired. Burning and slicing through all that it came into contact with, the cannon displayed its devastating power. All but the most powerful Psions of Anima could handle it. Nine was not one of them but still, he managed.


    The beam of light was shot upwards, towards a tall building in the distance. To the gunner, the building must have been the most terrifying thing he had ever seen. It wasn''t that this particular building was any different from the others, in fact, it was somewhat plain-looking, tall and squarish and dull. However, in the gunner''s mind, Nine had implanted fear and revulsion towards that particular building, making the gunner feel that this building was the most terrible thing ever and must be destroyed.


    The shot had been wasted, and it''ll take thirty seconds before another could be fired. Thirteen and Four should have gotten far enough before this time is up, away from the tank''s sensors. If Nine took off right at this moment, he might be able to make it too. However, he could not move. Forcing his way through the tank''s barrier had its consequences, and the resulting strain on Nine had rendered him immobile. As of this moment, even remaining upright on his knees was barely possible.


    The tank began moving, even without its cannons, it still had its machine guns, though their effectiveness on Psions was varied depending on the Psions it was used against, and so they wouldn''t fire them till they know the powers of the Psion they''re facing. However, despite seeing Nine''s psionics first hand, they did not use the guns. It was decided that it would be a waste of ammo. Instead, the tank drove on, with the immobilized Nine right in its path.


    ***


    End of Chapter 67

 Vol. 5, Chapter 68: Beholder in a Box

    Through the gunfire and explosions, over the soldiers fighting on the ground, a red-headed girl soared above the carnage of the battlefield. The girl had no powers of flight and was instead gifted with the power to displace herself from the space she occupied and place herself in another. She was gifted with the power of teleportation, and she''s not even all that deft with it. At the very least, she had limited range, could only jump so many times continuously, and most of all, had trouble adjusting her momentum accordingly when she jumped from one space to another. As such, she had trouble dealing with moving objects, including herself when she''s in motion. However, even though her abilities were considered defective, she managed to make use of even the flaw itself.


    Gradually, as she moved through the air, the red-headed girl made a mental note of how much forward momentum she had left. Once her trajectory began to dip downward, she would ''jump'' again, redirecting herself upwards as she carried the momentum she had with her. Like so, she made use of her lack of ability to correct her momentum and turned it into mobility surpassing what she could achieve with her psionics alone.


    "Six, you''re too far ahead, pull back!"


    "Hold on, Unit Five is in trouble. Be right back."


    "What! That''s not part of the- Six? Six!!!"


    She ignored him. Nine was by no means a terrible leader. He could make difficult calls at the drop of a hat and things tend to work out when he''s in charge. However, at times he''s too uptight and gets all stressed out when things did not go the way he had planned. He lacked flexibility, at least, that''s what the red-headed girl thought.


    Soaring through the air, she arrived at the building she saw Unit Five ran into while she was scouting for enemy positions, positions which she had already reported in. So, as far as she''s concerned, her job was done and it''s far more important to go aid one of their friends, those born and raised from the same facility as they were.


    Hearing gunfire from within the walls, she vaguely guessed the location where combat was taking place in the building and, without so much as a second thought, jumped in across space and time, appearing out of seeming thin air in the middle of the firefight. She wasn''t sure how she did it, but as naturally as one would know how to move their fingers, the red-headed girl never jumped into any walls in her life. She could somewhat feel it, a ''path'' she needed to take to get to any given place within her range.


    Appearing suddenly in the firefight, naturally, the red-headed girl was caught in the crossfire, with the shots fired by both friends and foes hurling towards her at Mach speed. Even so, such things did not bother her.


    For the Lunarians, when it came to Psions there were basically two kinds. There were the ones you can hit with bullets and the ones you can''t. The red-headed girl fell into the latter category.


    In but an instant, the bullets cutting across the air disappeared and reappeared. And when they reappeared, each and every one of them was pointed at the Lunarians. Their momentum was altered, only the direction they''re facing had changed, but before said fact even registered in their minds, all of the shots fired smashed into the Lunarians, and though each of them came equipped with kinetic and anti-psionic shields, a few shots wounded up breaking through and even fatally injuring some of them.


    The red-headed girl''s psionics had weaknesses, that much was true. However, there were also strengths. While she lacked the ability to alter momentum and had limited range, she had speed and precision, enough to displace bullets in flight. At long range, she was nigh invincible. The only thing she could not deal with were the dreaded particle cannons whose shots held too much energy for her to displace.


    "Six, you''re not supposed to be here!"


    Yelling at her, was a slender young man with a pair of glasses strapped onto his face. One of the lenses appeared to be cracked. On his uniform, ''P-015'' was printed. The young man was called ''Fifteen''. On the ground, there was a young woman. She had short black hair, but more importantly, she was bleeding. It looked like she was shot. On her bloodied uniform ''P-014'' was printed. Naturally, she was called ''Fourteen''. The red-headed girl only spotted those two, the rest of their unit was nowhere to be found. Perhaps they''ve been separated, or perhaps Fourteen and Fifteen had stayed behind to let the others escape.


    Without a word, the red-headed girl vanished, going as she came, just as a blade cut across the space she was occupying. Having witnessed her psionics, the Lunarian soldiers decided to take an alternate approach when dealing with her. Knowing that projectile weapons would do no good, a number instead drew knives to combat her, and like their armor, the edges of their knives glowed with a strange light.


    Behind the first one that swung his knife at her, about three steps away, the red-headed girl reappeared. She had her pistol aimed squarely at his head. As the Lunarian soldier turned his sight towards her, his eyes widened in terror, a flash from the red-headed girl''s pistol blinded him, and an impact to his head bent his neck backwards.


    The Lunarian soldiers wore special armors that came with both kinetic and anti-psionic shields. However, due to limited battery capacity, they were only activated upon detecting high impact objects or psionics within range. The deployments of the shields were near instantaneous upon such detection. NEAR instantaneous, that is. Unfortunately, it was not instantaneous enough at such close quarters. That was going to leave a bruise.


    The red-headed girl clicked her tongue before vanishing once more, before another blade could land its hit. Even though the shot landed before the kinetic shield activated, it appeared that armor worn by the Lunarian soldiers weren''t just for show and was able to stop at least a shot or two at point-blank.


    Reappearing by Fourteen and Fifteen, the red-headed girl grabbed both of them and quickly teleported all three of them out of there and into a nearby alleyway. There were too many of those Lunarian soldiers in there for her to handle. Though she did not have a good look, she had a feeling that there must have been at least twenty of them. Perhaps it came with her psionics, but the red-headed girl has always had sharp spatial awareness.


    "Six, you should go. Those guys will find us in no time. I''ll handle it somehow."


    "Shut up, Fifteen."


    "Wha-"


    As Fifteen tried to protest, an explosion nearby muted his words.


    "Guess they found my ''gift''."


    "Gift? You did that?"


    "Yup."


    Then, the red-headed girl disappeared again only to reappear a few seconds later.


    "Come, I found a safe place."


    "Wait, I said wai-"


    Fifteen simply couldn''t keep up. The red-headed girl had always done things at her own pace, and it had been a constant source of trouble and stress for Nine who was their squad leader.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Rapidly, the scenery around him changed about three times, and by the time he realized it, Fifteen was already in what appeared to be an abandoned room with Fourteen still held in his arms, and though they were rather dusty, the various assortment of furniture were somehow still intact.


    "Fifteen, clear that table and put Fourteen on there."


    "Uh, yeah, sure."


    Having given up arguing with her, Fifteen did as he was told. On his hands, he wore special gauntlets similar to the one Thirteen was wearing, the ones with ''ANIMA'' printed on it. With those gauntlets emitting a strange glow, he waved his hand over the dusty tea table, gathering the dust into a ball before sending them into a nearby trashcan. Fifteen, like Thirteen, was strong in psychokinesis, however, while he was strong and perhaps stronger than Thirteen, he lacked her speed, precision, and range, and thus was unable to catch bullets midflight and sending them back like Thirteen. Still, he was more than capable of obliterating concrete walls and pillars as if they were made of sand. Had Fourteen not been with him, he would have collapsed the whole building with both the Lunarian soldiers and himself inside it.


    Gently, Fifteen laid Fourteen on the tea table, and with a pair of scissors that came with his first aid kit, he cut open her uniform and revealed the wound around her waist.


    "We have to get the bullet out."


    "Can you do it?"


    "I... I''m not confident. I don''t have Thirteen''s precision."


    "Fine, I''ll do it."


    The red-headed girl waved her hand over Fourteen''s wound before swiftly turning her palm upwards, as if she''s doing some kind of magic trick. Fifteen doubted the need to be so flashy, but even so, he couldn''t help but have his eyes widened with amazement by what he saw.


    Sitting on the red-headed girl''s palm, there was a bloodied bullet, which she quickly tossed into the trashcan after showing it off.


    "It''s done, apply the first aid."


    "I''m on it."


    From the first aid kit''s bag, Fifteen produced a small canister and with it, sprayed some form of liquid onto Fourteen''s wound. The liquid seeped into Fourteen''s wound and slowly formed a gel-like structure, sealing off all damaged blood vessels and stopped her bleeding completely.


    "She''ll be fine now, right?"


    "Maybe."


    The red-headed girl''s response was curt and had it been as usual, Fifteen would have been rather annoyed at her. However, this time, she saved them, and any irritations he would have felt were swiftly forgotten.


    "Thank you, Six."


    "We''re not done yet. We still have to get you two back to base camp. Where''s the rest of your unit?"


    "I had them retreat. I was supposed to stay and hold the enemy back but Fourteen insisted on staying with me."


    "Hmm..."


    For once, the red-headed girl was hesitating. Should she help these two back to the camp or should she rendezvous with Nine? For certain, Nine would want to continue their mission and secure a forward operating base further into the area. However, with these two in tow, he might try to escort them back to base instead. It''ll be a good thing for Fifteen and Fourteen, but Nine will undoubtedly be punished for abandoning the mission, since he''s the leader and all. The red-headed girl decided that she would do this herself. If anyone''s going to be punished, it''ll be her.


    "I''ll-"


    But, before she could say it, she noticed a streak of light cutting across the sky through the room''s window. It was the fourth floor of the building so she could see it without obstruction. The beam of light cut through the air and sliced a far off building into two, showcasing its destructive power. However, knowing that this particular weapon only had six shots, there shouldn''t be any reason for them to fire it off at a building that had no one in it. Of course, the building might have some strategic importance or perhaps they''re trying to collapse the building and use its debris to create some kind of advantage, but the red-headed girl didn''t think that far. All she noticed was that the beam came from around where Nine and the rest were when she left them.


    "Nine..."


    ***


    Nine had his eyes shut tight, ready to embrace his death, hoping that it would last for only an instant. However, after waiting for what felt like an eternity, he decided to open his eyes once more, thinking that perhaps he had already arrived at the afterlife. Yet, before him, he saw a burning shell of a city, with sounds of gunfire from every corner and the sky filled with smoke and ashes. It was far from the peaceful afterlife he had imagined. No, it wasn''t the afterlife at all, he was still there, on that hellish battlefield.


    Hearing the rumbling engines, Nine turned towards his back, seeing that the tank had already passed by him somehow without flattening him. Apparently having noticed the same thing, the tank stopped and began to turn around. Somehow, they''ve passed by one another without ever coming into contact. How was that possible? Nine knew exactly how.


    Before the tank could complete its turn, it was seemingly pulled, or rather, sucked away by what appeared to be a hole that appeared in midair, a hole in space. Just like that, in an instant, the massive mechanical beast vanished.


    Nine reached out, trying to acquire the location of the one he suspected to have done this. However, as soon as he made the attempt, his head was assaulted by an intense pain that rippled through his skull.


    "You got careless, Nine."


    A figure wearing a bulky suit that appeared to be made of hard rubber walked up to Nine with a heavy gait.


    "You''re not supposed to be here, Seven. What happened to the coast?"


    "They realized that they couldn''t get passed me and retreated. They''re probably planning to go around."


    "Then you ought to return to base. You''re powerful but you can only operate for so long.


    Nine and Seven were siblings, Seven being the older one by a year. However, after an incident ten odd years ago, the two had become distant.


    "If I did, you would have ended up becoming a pancake."


    "I guess I would have, yes... Thanks, sis..."


    "Don''t mention it."


    "I should regroup with the other. And you, head back to base. This battle is going to last for a while. We''ll be having a hard time if you''re out of commission."


    Seven nodded, and at the same time, a hole appeared out of thin air right beside her, eventually sucking her in. These holes in space were wormholes, created by Seven''s ability to manipulate spacetime. This one, most likely, led back to the base camp. As for the one that the tank had been sucked in, Nine had no idea where it led to. As the exit of these wormholes needed to be set up ahead of time, it couldn''t be anywhere too extreme like say, outer space or the planet''s core. Either way, it wouldn''t be anywhere good, that is for sure. However, though such an ability was powerful, like the red-headed girl, Seven could only transport so much mass and energy at a time. And unlike the red-headed girl, Seven could only operate for an hour at a time before requiring ''cooldown'', which lasts at least twice her maximum operation time.


    "This is Nine, come in."


    Unable to make use of his psionics, Nine resorted to using the radio to contact the rest of his unit. However, after repeating the call a number of times, nothing but noises came through. Occasionally, he could make out some human voices that he couldn''t decipher, but that was it.


    Suddenly, while he was deciding on what to do, a tremor spread through the area. It was a tremor that not only passed through the ground but through the air as well. Nine instinctively felt that something was off, and when a second wave of tremor came, this time stronger than the last, he understood what it was.


    Space itself was quaking.


    ***


    Far away from the frontlines, secured in the base camp, there was a large container. Around the container was an anti-psionic field, not to protect from psionic abilities, but to keep them in. Yet, in spite of the measures taken to dampen her powers, the one which all Psions were created from, the one who could be said to be the mother of the Psions created by Anima, the one who had inherited the might of an old god, she was able to observe the battlefield without obstruction while strapped down with various mechanical restraints within that container. By her side, was her only companion, a phantom that exists in another time, me, basically.


    "What was that vibration?"


    "It is the mighty roar of another god."


    Having spent over ten years in isolation, forbidden to contact the other Psions, those she considered to be her children, Zero had developed some odd speech pattern.


    "Meaning?"


    "There''s another one out there, one that is like me, and it is looking for a fight."


    "Will Nine and the rest be fine?"


    "I doubt it, not even Seven could handle this one. This one is as powerful as I am. A natural-born Third Generation I bet. Fu fu fu, so the time hast cometh."


    "Did you just say ''fu fu fu''?"


    "Is that not how it goes?"


    "Please stop."


    "You''re no fun, Mr. Phantom, even though you''re supposed to be my only friend."


    That''s right, for the longest time, I was the only one. Even though I was only asleep for a short time on my side, time seemed to be compressed when I''m in these memories.


    "Zero."


    "Yes?"


    "You can really see me, right, from where you are, or rather, from when you are."


    "Yes, that''s right, I can see and hear you perfectly. You''re the clearest vision I''ve ever seen."


    "I''ll come find you, alright?"


    She Smiled, even though her eyebrows knitted ever tighter together, she smiled.


    "I know you will."


    ***


    End of Chapter 68

 Vol. 5, Chapter 69: Scattered Soldiers

    The range of Zero''s ''awareness'' used to be around two meters, and then, throughout the decades that she had been locked in that white room, it eventually increased to five meters. However, ever since ''Project Animus'', the project to manufacture psionic soldiers had been completed, her powers as well as her range had grown outrageously compared to the rate of growth she had before. In just a few years, she went from a measly five meters to five kilometers. The reason for that, were the Psions, the numbered children. As their powers came from Zero, when they perish, the powers that had been cultivated within them return to whence they came. For every numbered child that perished, Zero grew in power, and along with that power, so did her sorrow. By now, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call her a demi-god or even a proper god. It has gotten to the point that even the military had gotten afraid to deploy her. Yet, she just sat there, in the restraints she could have easily broken.


    When asked, "Why don''t you just leave?" She simply replied, "Because I''ve been asked to save the world."


    It reminded me of that time, that time when she broke down the door to her room in frustration, only be calmed down by a man begging for her to stay. That man had gotten old and died, but Zero had always held on to his words. He seemed to know where everything was heading, and Zero, most likely, knew where this would end as well. Could she stop it? Now that she has obtained the power of a god? No, apparently not, as she was not the only demi-god born to this world.


    "So they have one as well."


    "It was theorized that the enemy might have one or two or even a dozen. After all, all of my powers came from the fragments of the old god''s remains and the Lunarians have possession of the whole thing. This one, from the looks of it, is most likely a Type Zero."


    "Type Zero?"


    "I just came up with it. Because this one is like me, you know."


    I made no response to her narcissistic naming sense. I was about to, but feeling that she was expecting it, I decided that I didn''t want to play into her hands.


    "Wouldn''t this be a problem? It looked like Nine and Six are in enough trouble as it is."


    "Well, it''s certainly better than if they made another one of those bombs."


    "The one that made the ''Crater''? What did they call it, a ''void cracker''?"


    Certainly, at least the Type Ze- demi-gods at Zero''s level are only capable of mass destruction rather than causing a large chunk of space to just vanish. At least with the former case, one could always rebuild.


    "I would have called it ''Warhead Zero''."


    "Enough with the zeroes."


    "Oh, it''s fine don''t you think, it''s just a phase."


    "If you''re self-conscious enough to call it a phase, I wish you''d just stop entirely."


    "Well, I have to do something to entertain myself. It''s lonely you know, to be by myself in a big empty room. If you hadn''t dropped by every now and then, I don''t think I could remain sane."


    "I... You''re right. I should have realized. I''m sor-"


    "Oh, woe is I, this Zero''s friends are also zero... Get it, because-"


    "Stop. Just stop. God, someone wake me up right now."


    As I pinch the bridge of my nose in utter agony, I hear her absolutely diabolical chuckling in the background. Did I call her a god? No, she''s most definitely a devil, one who thrived on another''s agony, my agony to be specific.


    "Zero, are you listening? We need you, now."


    A voice blared from the intercom installed in the container. Despite the speaker''s attempt to keep calm, there were certainly hints of panic.


    "Loud and clear, operator. Is it time?"


    Zero''s lips twisted upwards for a smile. The thought of seeing action after such a long time excited her. There was even a hint of sadistic joy in her smile. Things certainly have changed since she was young, well, younger.


    ***


    "Thirteen! Four! Six! Anyone, come in!"


    Over and over again, Nine had tried calling the members of his unit to no avail. Though now and then, he could make out voices through the noise, he could never understand what was said.


    Exasperated by his situation, he carefully peeked out the window of the building he''s hiding in. He''s worried, not only in regards to enemy soldiers but also that shockwave he experienced earlier. That wasn''t from one of their own. Not even Seven could have done something like that and as far as he knew and Zero should still be at the base camp, locked in that container they brought her in. Even if they did deploy her, this tremor felt wild and uncontrolled, a feeling completely different from the ones felt from Zero, who had by this point in time gained proper control of her powers.


    "Over there! Fire at will!"


    A shout could be heard from the street over, and it was soon followed by a chaotic symphony of gunfire. Someone has gotten into trouble, and the thought that it might be someone from his unit made Nine unable to sit still.


    He counted the grenades he had with him, and then made sure that the pistol and rifle he carried with him were properly loaded, and after a deep breath, Nine headed out.


    ***


    "Come on, move your feet!"


    Thirteen was tugging along Four as they ran from pursuing enemies. However, while Thirteen was physically fit, Four was not.


    Four was born weak, her body unable to keep up with intense activities for extended periods. However, due to the raw power she possessed, it was decided that she''d be deployed regardless, and she was placed within Nine''s unit specifically for two reasons. Firstly, while Four had massive firepower, she could not control it on her own, requiring Nine''s ability of mental manipulation to make proper use of her powers. Secondly, the research facility of Anima wanted to see what would happen if Four were to interact with Thirteen for an extended period of time. For these two reasons, she was entrusted to Nine, who found what others would call timidness, that is to say her cautiousness, to be of excellent counsel. However, in contrast, Thirteen thought of the older woman as a burden, constantly slowing the rest of them down. Of course, Thirteen would never say such thing out loud, but both Four and, of course, Nine could sense it from her.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Come on, if we don''t move, they''ll catch us!"


    Looking at Four slumping against a wall, panting heavily, Thirteen felt a rising panic in her chest. There were only so many shots she could catch at the same time, and no matter how many times she sends the bullets back, the Lunarian''s kinetic shields would simply block them. Without a coordinated offensive, Thirteen has no way of dealing with the enemy.


    The thought of leaving Four behind came up in her head. She had considered it several times before. Four was always slowing them down and one of these days she''s going to get them killed. She had such thoughts many times in the past.


    "We can''t stop here. Nine stayed behind so that we could escape. So we have to keep going."


    She grabbed Four''s hand, forcibly pulling her along. No matter how many times the idea crossed her mind, Thirteen could never bring herself to abandon the woman who birthed her.


    "I''m sorry..."


    A whisper came from behind, but Thirteen did not reply. She was tired of hearing it, her quiet apologies. Four was always so quick to apologize, especially to Thirteen. It happened so often that it had lost all meaning.


    What was she apologizing for anyways? Thirteen wondered to herself. For being weak? For slowing everybody down? Or is it for the fact that I was born here in this hell? But, she knew that woman would never say it out clearly. She was weak and vague and timid and always kept to herself. She''d never speak her mind because she''s a coward and she''ll always be afraid of what others might think. Even so, she can be so stubborn when she had decided on something. When it was decided that Nine would stay behind, she did not relent no matter how much Thirteen shouted at her. During such rare occasions, she''d stubbornly see things through. Even though she''s weak. Even though she''s a coward...


    "Ha!"


    With a shout, Thirteen brought a wall down to block the pursuer''s path. They''ll find a way around soon enough, but it''ll buy them some time.


    Turning to check of Four, Thirteen found the woman to be terrifyingly pale, almost turning blue even. She had been pushed too far. It couldn''t be helped, they were being pursued by at least a dozen enemy soldiers after all. If they were to stop running, it''d be certain death for them.


    "We should keep moving. Come, I''ll carry you."


    "But, you''re already so worn out..."


    "Not as much as you are. Come on. I''ll never hear the end of it from Nine if I let anything happen to you. Do you know what it feels like when a telepath wants to give you a piece of his mind? Even if you cover your ears he''ll just zap his complaints right into your head. It''ll drive you nuts I tell you."


    There was a chuckle. While it was slight, a chuckle definitely came from that gloomy woman. Hearing the slightest bit of cheer from Four, somehow, it made Thirteen feel something warm inside.


    "Okay... but, can you hear me out for a bit?"


    "What?"


    "Head south."


    "South?"


    "Um... I''ll give you the precise direction as we go, but for now, let''s head south."


    "Why? We need to find Nine right? south is the exact opposite of where we left him."


    They knew Nine had survived somehow. They could hear his voice trying to contact them through the radio. However, due to some interference, he kept breaking off.


    "At this rate, we''ll lead the enemy soldiers right to him, and I doubt Nine is in a fighting state. Not to mention that with communications disrupted, there''s no way for us to know exactly where he is and knowing Nine, I doubt he''ll make himself easy to find."


    Thirteen was taken aback. This was the first time Four had spoken with such clarity. This was a side of her Thirteen had never gotten to see. Why? Probably because, more than anyone, Four was afraid of her, of Thirteen. It would probably be accurate to say that nothing could possibly hurt the older woman more than to be directly rejected by her.


    "So, what''s at south?"


    "I-it''s a hunch, but..."


    "Hm-hmm, I''m listening."


    "Towards the south, that''s..."


    ***


    "Six, aren''t you worried about Nine?"


    "He can take care of himself. You two, on the other hand, not so much."


    With a young woman with short black hair on his back, the Psion tagged with P-015 wasn''t all that pleased to hear such a thing. However, he couldn''t argue back. He wouldn''t admit it out loud, but if it weren''t for the red-headed girl, he would not be alive and here listening to her talk down to him right this moment.


    "Six."


    "Yes?"


    "Are you sure this is the best path to take?"


    "I''m hoping so."


    "Hoping so!?"


    "Shush."


    "Oh, sorry..."


    Reflexively, Fifteen apologized, but he was starting to regret following the red-headed girl to this place. When she led them down here, she seemed so confident that she knew where she was going, to hear her say that she hopes that she''s going the right way was rather unsettling. Why? Because at this moment, they''re behind the enemy lines. If they were caught, they''d be immediately surrounded without any hope of backup or reinforcement.


    "But why here?"


    "We were near the frontlines, where the fighting should be the most intense, right?"


    "Uhh, right, I think..."


    Fifteen didn''t like how the red-headed girl sounded like she only had a vague idea of what she''s talking about. This too was a problem Nine had to deal with on a daily basis. However, to Nine, the red-headed girl was undoubtedly an asset, not just for combat, but for her at times uncannily sharp instincts.


    "So, while the enemy''s pushing forward, we''ll sneak around behind them."


    The plan was so simple, that Fifteen could not help but think that it sounded stupid.


    "But the base camp is all the way in our own backlines. How will going behind enemy lines help us get back there?"


    "We''ll just find an area where the fighting isn''t as intense and go through there."


    "We''ll just what!?"


    "Shush."


    "S- sorry..."


    Fifteen was drenched in sweat. It was not because he had to run around carrying the unconscious Fourteen, he was a trained soldier and the young woman was rather light. No, it was from the cold sweat that has been rolling down his back as he felt increasingly anxious about letting the red-headed girl lead them around.


    "What about your teleportation, could you just use that to get us out of here?"


    "I ran out. I did it too much while trying to save your ass. The three jumps that took us here were the last for the time being."


    "How long can you jump again."


    "Maybe in an hour or two?"


    "In that case, we should have stayed put in the apartment room you found. You said it was safe, right?"


    "It was at the time, but you never know if a stray shell could hit it."


    Having it mentioned, Fifteen had started to take notice, that around here, he could barely hear the gunfire and explosions. They were moving further and further away.


    "Sounds like we''re losing ground. The enemy''s pushing in rather aggressively too. I wonder what changed."


    Fifteen was somewhat amazed. Just by listening, it seemed as though the red-headed girl was able to tell that the Lunarians are pushing forward. He had heard that the red-headed girl had some impressive spatial awareness, but he never thought that it was to this extent. Then again, perhaps this was just her making wild guesses with her guts. That seemed more likely in Fifteen''s mind.


    Suddenly, the red-headed girl gestured for Fifteen to stop. With hand signs, she pointed his sight towards what appeared to be a barricade step up on a wide street. With a quick observation, there were relatively few guards there, seemingly just enough to ward off a small unit, perhaps one that''s might be trying to get behind enemy lines.


    "Looks like they''re not expecting too many enemies go come this way."


    "So wait, is this it!? Is this where we''re going to be breaking through?"


    "Looks like it."


    They had only been moving for about thirty minutes since the redheaded girl had made her jump and ended up behind enemy lines. They were not slow by any means, but to find exactly what they were looking for in such a short time seemed almost miraculous. Unless of course, the red-headed girl does have as strong a grasp on the battlefield as she made it out to be, and this whole time, she knew exactly what she was doing and exactly where she was heading.


    "How did you know?"


    "Know what?"


    "That we could get out this way."


    "I don''t, we haven''t gotten out yet so I wouldn''t know for sure."


    Does she mean that nothing in life is for certain? Or was she just going off on a hunch this whole time? Fifteen was not sure and perhaps he never will be.


    ***


    End of Chapter 69

 Vol. 5, Chapter 70: The World Enders

    The town of Randel was a coastal resort town. Once, it was a bustling town filled with lively tourists looking to be free of the dregs of everyday life. Now, it had been reduced to a battlefield between those who lived on the ground and those who lived on the ring around the moon. Both sides had planned to turn this once lively and beautiful city into a forward operating base for naval operations, and in their struggle to gain grounds, they turned this man-made paradise into a place of fire and bloodshed. As the battle was fought to a stalemate, the city was naturally divided into the east and west, both staking claims on roughly equal parts of the city as they continued to painstakingly push back and forth against one another.


    To the southern end of the city, where the battle was not as intense, there was a barricade guarded by a small force. The guards were relaxed as reports had come in stating that the enemy was being pushed back and their allies were gaining ground by each passing minute. Unbeknownst to them, however, a small group of enemies was approaching them from behind, where they thought was safe and secured. They had believed that with their psionic sensors, the large radar-like device in the middle of the barricade, they could easily pick up any Psions that had gotten behind them. They had not accounted for the possibility that the said Psion who had gotten behind them had already exhausted her psionic abilities and were giving off weaker signals than what the sensors could pick up.


    It began with an explosion, the force and heat of which destroyed the kinetic shields and steel plating of the Lunarians'' armor. It was a plasma grenade, and a certain red-headed girl had snuck up close enough to toss it into their midst.


    ***


    Having weaved through numerous ruined buildings, ducking into entryways and leaping in and out of countless windows, at times running across rooftops and at times heading into the sewers, Thirteen and Four were somehow able to lose their pursuers while steadily heading southward.


    "You think we''re there yet?"


    "I... I think we might be close."


    Performing her job as the vanguard vigilantly, Thirteen took the lead as Four timidly followed behind, the older woman''s eyes scanning the narrow alleyways as they crept ever closer to their destination.


    Though it had been getting quieter and quieter, the sounds of battle being left behind as they went south, out of nowhere, a sudden explosion caught their attention.


    "Is that-"


    "I think it is. Let''s go."


    They quickened their pace, and though Thirteen wanted to hurry, Four had her slow down. If they were not careful and run in enemies or traps due to their negligence, it''ll only be detrimental. For the longest time, while Thirteen had thought that Four was slowing them down, she was actually reining in the hotheads in their unit, namely Thirteen and the red-headed girl, and even Nine occasionally.


    After the explosion came the gunfire, and as they traced the sounds to their source, they arrived at a barricade set up in the middle of a wide street. There was a firefight, not in front of the barricade, but instead, from behind it.


    The fighting was intense, and every single one of the Lunarian soldiers stationed there had their focus drawn to the two mere foes raining hell upon them. Of the two, one was taking cover by an armored vehicle and in his hands, he held a once mounted gun that he tore from the vehicle that partially shields him. The mounted gun tore through the kinetic shields of the Lunarian soldiers, forcing them to take cover behind concrete walls and deployable cover. Meanwhile, the other one nimbly flung grenades from behind the armored vehicle without so much as sticking her head out to take proper aim, and though at first it appeared as though she''s tossing them blindly, each explosive she had tossed had hit their mark, landing wherever they would deal the most damage. It was as if she could ascertain her enemy''s location without looking.


    It looked like they had the upper hand, but of course, there were only two of them and the Lunarian soldiers weren''t fools either. They had been bidding their time. They knew that eventually, those two would run out of ammo and grenades. Once that happens, the Lunarians could easily overtake them.


    Then, finally, the gunfire stopped, the heavy gunfire that came from the once mounted gun could only be maintained for so long. Eventually, either it would run out of ammo or its barrel would overheat, whichever happens first. It was then, the Lunarian soldiers made their move. It was over for those two, for the psionic soldiers who had decided to try their luck and failed. In the end, relying on mere luck could not save them...... Careful calculations, on the other hand, had come to the rescue.


    Standing in formation amidst his comrades and friends, all of a sudden, one of the Lunarian soldiers bursts into flames. The fire was not on his armor, no, it came from within. The anti-psionic shields of his armor had failed him and he was being cooked alive within what he thought would protect him. Then, following the first poor soul, one after another, the rest of the Lunarian soldiers followed, their suit of amour turned into a blazing hot stove.


    As they burned, a single woman approached them. Her light brown hair, like peeled chestnuts, wavered in the heated air, her olive eyes watched her surroundings with anxiety and fear, but regardless, she approached. As she drew closer, more and more of the Lunarians burned. With the circlet-like psionic dampeners installed on her head disabled, the older woman would cause those caught within her range to instantly combust into flames and have their blood boiled, each and every one of them, regardless of friend or foe. Without a telepath like Nine supporting her, she had no control over her powers once the psionic dampener had been turned off.


    The Lunarians had not noticed her. Their psionic sensor had been destroyed in that first grenade blast. Whether it was intentional or by luck, when the red-headed girl tossed the first plasma grenade, it was close enough to the sensor to take it out, allowing Four to make her approach without detection.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ***


    South of the town of Randel was the coast. About twenty minutes prior, said coast was where the Psion known only as Seven was operating. As a powerful Psion who had the power of spatial manipulation, she was untouchable, and anything the enemy threw at her could be turned right back at them, literally. Space itself would bend to send anything flying at her back to its origin, even then beams fired off by the particle cannons.


    Unfortunately, due to what was suspected to be some sort of an unknown defect within her, she was only able to operate for an hour at a time, requiring a two-hour ''cooldown'' before she could be safely deployed again. This meant that she could not hold the south for long. She was sent down there as a distraction, a threat to draw attention from the enemies so that units such as Nine''s could push into enemy territory from the northern side of the town. However, on the Lunarian''s side, there apparently was someone who had seen through this ruse and immediately pulled back the bulk of the forces sent to deal with Seven and the units supporting her, leaving only a minimum amount required to hold the ground. As a result, Seven''s operation ended up a failure and the battle on the northern side of the town became more intense than it was first expected to be. That was what Four had deducted from her observation of the situation.


    Four was a timid woman, that much could not be denied. However, due to how timid she was, she''s cautious and observant of her surroundings, and through such careful observations, she had arrived at the conclusion that towards the south, the battle had to be much less intense and the enemy defenses far laxer than it was on the north. She also had a hunch, one about the red-headed girl. Four was as watchful of those around her as her surroundings.


    She knew that the red-headed girl had uncannily keen instincts and sharp wits, of which were paired with a rather aloof nature. Four had a feeling that rather than trying to pull back as the Lunarians were aggressively pushing onwards, the red-headed girl might use her abilities to get behind their lines to avoid them. Considering that she might have to escort the injured from Unit Five, who would most definitely slow her down, that may have been a sound plan. From there, in order to make the retreat back to the base camp, the red-headed girl will head southward, she would if she had recognized the situation as she had, that was what Four was hoping for.


    Of course, those were merely deductions and guesses, not hard truths. If Four and Thirteen were to find nothing after going south, then they''d retreat and hope that Nine and the red-headed girl will somehow manage to get back to the base camp on their own.


    Thankfully, Four''s hunch turned out to be true, and the moment she heard the sounds of battle, she expected it to be her.


    ***


    One by one, the Lunarian soldiers burned, any living creatures caught within her ''reach'' would burn without fail, and not even the anti-psionic shields installed on the Lunarian''s armor could stop it. Perhaps if they had the same output from the shields installed on tanks and armored vehicles, they might survive, if only for a little while as the batteries carried by the personnel could only power them for so long. Due to their psionic sensor being damaged and their focus drawn towards the red-headed girl and Fifteen, by the time the Lunarian soldiers stationed at the barricade realized it, they were already burning.


    "Come, follow me. And follow right behind me, you hear?"


    The red-headed girl led Fifteen who was carrying Fourteen on his back through a nearby building, to circle around Four, who would no doubt set them on fire should they get too close.


    "Six, there you are! Have you any idea the troubles we got into because you ran off!"


    "Won''t happen again."


    "That''s what you always say."


    "That aside... Thirteen, where''s Nine?"


    "There was a tank with a particle cannon. He stayed behind to let us get away. If you were there it wouldn''t have been such a problem!"


    The red-headed girl remained silent after hearing that. She was beginning to grasp what her actions had cost the others. However, she wasn''t about to admit that she had been wrong. After all, if she hadn''t left, Fifteen and Fourteen would have been long dead. In the end, she merely chose one over another, trusting that Nine could take care of the rest somehow as he had always done. However, she was beginning to realize that she may have been placing too much burden on him.


    "You guys... you should get going..."


    "What!?"


    From a distance, Four called out to them, but due to her small voice, they couldn''t quite hear her.


    "I said... You should get going! We don''t know when the battle will spread over this side! You should go when you can!"


    "And you?"


    "I''ll follow behind, from a distance. Without Nine, I... I can''t stop myself."


    Once Four''s abilities have been unleashed, even the dampeners could not stop the full force of her power on their own. The only way for them to work is for someone to put her wild power under control before activating them again. It had never been a problem, as Nine had always been there, but since Nine was absent at the moment, there was no way to stop Four from burning everything with a pulse around her.


    Reluctantly, Thirteen could only nod re. She didn''t like the idea of leaving Four on her own. The thought had come to mind, for sure, but she had never given in to it. She was beginning to understand her better too. If something happens to her now, it wouldn''t sit well with her at all. However, right now, it''s true that she can''t even get close without the risk of instantaneously combusting.


    The red-headed girl as well, being usually rather decisive in everything she does, was hesitant. Nine had once said that should anything happen to him, Four will take charge. That was how much he trusted and relied on her. With Nine missing, if something happens to Four, what will happen to the rest of them?


    "Look at the trouble you''ve gone and gotten yourself into. I just can''t take my eyes off of you, can I?"


    His words were harsh, but at the same time, the voice that came out of him betrayed his weakened and tired state. Tugging an assault rifle that seemed heavy while in his hands, Nine calmly walked towards Four.


    The moment he got close, the flames on the burning corpses of the Lunarian soldiers subsided. Eventually, he was close enough to reach his hand towards the circlet-like device on Four''s head, and as if he''s done it a thousand times, his fingers quickly found the button on the device and switched it on. Only then, did he finally breathed easy.


    "In any case, looks like everybody''s here. Fourteen and Fifteen as well."


    Nine did a quick scan of everyone here. Aside from  Fourteen, everyone seemed to be in relatively good shape, at least enough for them to walk back to base. For a brief moment, his eyes became scrutinizing as it fell upon the red-headed girl, but due to having dragged himself all the way to this place while having a pounding headache, he really had no energy to be doing any reprimanding.


    "Alright, the mission was a failure, all hands re-"


    But, before he could finish, another tremor shook through the town. A tremor that shook both the ground and the air, and even space itself, and this time, it was more powerful than ever before. Nine and the rest had to lower themselves to the ground to prevent falling while all around them, the ground began to crack and buildings started to come apart. As the tremor seemed as though it was about to stop, another followed, and then another, and another. It felt as if two titans were trading blows, and in fact, that was not so far from the truth.


    ***


    End of Chapter 70

 Vol. 5, Chapter 71: The New World

    When the two met, when the two caught one another in their sights, the mere act caused their surroundings to tremble violently. It was the meeting of the two that had been said to be demi-gods.


    Approaching from the air, Zero was free of her restraints. On the ground was the other demi-god, a Type-Zero, as Zero called it. This one was, in contrast to Zero, completely tied down. Her legs were chained together and her hands were completely sealed away in some kind of portable containment units that also served as handcuffs. On her head was some kind of device that appeared to be latching on her skull with visors that completely blocked out the eyes.


    This was the Psion created by the Lunarians. If the birth of the Psions were caused by the fragments of the so-called old god, then for the Lunarians, who possessed the whole article, should have no problems manufacturing Psions on their own. However, perhaps due to them rushing to catch up to their foe, or maybe due to some unknown factor, the Psion they produced, while powerful and with quite a few reaching the level of demi-gods, were wild and barely controllable. Rather than soldiers, they were treated more like bombs, and this bomb had been let loose in the middle of the former resort town. Worst yet, this appeared to not be intentional. This one seemed to have escaped on its own and even while her legs were bound, made her way here, destroying all that came upon her path. Her goal, was to maximize the destruction she would cause, as she had been trained to do since the moment she had been born.


    "Quite a monster they''ve made, those Lunarians. What are you going to do?"


    "I''ll have to fight her of course. Her and the ones like her. They''re pitiable for sure, but they are a threat to the survival of those living on this planet."


    "Is this what you meant by saving this world?"


    "In a way."


    "You haven''t been very straight forward with me for a while now."


    "No need to rush. I told you, I''ll show you everything, haven''t I, Mr. Phantom? Now watch carefully, take in everything."


    At high speed, Zero flew in, and the two demi-gods clashed.


    The space around them bent and twisted. The ground and the buildings collapsed as they were shaken and torn. From the ruins, strange structure formed from out of the void, structures that did not seem to belong to this world, or any world, structures that made no sense in a three-dimensional space. It felt as if the logic of the world around them were collapsing as the two traded blows, if it could even be called that. Due to the distorted space, all I could see where two shapes that vaguely resembled the two mixing and blending with one another. I wasn''t even able to tell if either one was winning, not until the very end when everything calmed down and the world around them slowly returned to a form that made more sense to my eyes.


    The only one to remain was Zero, and no one else was near her, not a single trace of their existence. It was as if the other demi-god had been erased from existence entirely. No, that''s not quite right. It took me a while, but I came to realize the eerie unfamiliarity I felt. The Zero before me, the Zero that remained, that was not the girl I once knew. At first glance she seemed to be the same person and ordinarily, I would likely not argue that. However, this Zero, the one that remained, she was taller. The girl that never grew even a millimeter since being sealed within that white room, she had become taller.


    "Zero? Is that... you?"


    "The two... had become one."


    She had an excited grin as she briefly explained it to me. It was as if she''s been waiting for this moment for the longest time.


    Then, more and more tremors began to erupt from the eastern side of the town, as if a great number of massive creatures have been roused from their sleep.


    "It has been a long time coming. I''ve been waiting for the longest time."


    "Is this what you meant? About saving the world?"


    "In a way."


    I was beginning to understand, understand that perhaps, when she said ''save the world'' what she and I had in mind may very well be very different things.


    "What will happen now?"


    Her grin grew broader, like a mischievous child who saw through the apprehension of those watching over her.


    "Just watch."


    The tremors came from the Type-Zeros, a great number of them, along with the one that Zero had defeated, had escaped as well. The Type-Zeros clashed, against Zero and against one another. And each time they clashed, a new being was born from the two. The process repeated over and over again, till only one remained. I had no sense of how much time had passed since the first clash, the flow of time was difficult to ascertain within what I could only describe as a spatial storm, one created as a consequence of demi-gods slamming into one another with all their might.


    By the time a retrieval party was formed, made up of those in Nine and Seven''s unit, the landscape of the town of Randel had been rendered unrecognizable with a geography that was difficult to make sense of with human eyes. It was only because Seven was with them that they could navigate their way into the eye of the spatial storm.


    When they found her, the single being left behind by the Type-Zeros, they found it familiar yet so incredibly foreign. To their eyes, this being looked similar to Zero, albeit, taller, older, likely what she would have looked like had she been able to grow like a normal person. However, they also sensed that there''s something not quite right.


    Cognitive disruption... That was it. One of the many, and no doubt one of the more easily understood, powers at Zero''s disposal. This being likely looked, or rather, the retrieval party likely thought that this being looked like Zero due to that power.


    Of those there, Nine and Seven distinctively knew that the one here was not Zero. Yet, at the same time, Zero was undoubtedly still here. Like the many organs and cells that made up a single organism, so was Zero one of the many egos that made up this being. When the being greeted them, it spoke like her, smiled like her, and moved liked her. Zero was still there and she was in charge, that was what Nine and Seven were convinced of.


    They asked this being to return with them, requested it to. They could not use force. It was clear to all that laid eyes on this amalgamation of demi-gods, the fact that it could not be dealt with by physical force.


    In return, the being meekly nodded.


    ***


    "So, that world was saved?"


    As I took a break from telling the story, sipping on the jug of nectar served by a fairy, Six raised the question.


    "No."


    With a simple reply, I gulp down the drink. No doubt he''s unsatisfied with such a vague answer. Still, he waited for me to finish even though unusually he''d be more impatient. I guess he''s trying to be considerate of me, which I am very grateful for. After all, I''ve been talking nonstop for a while now. Though I haven''t exactly told them everything I saw, skipping over the unimportant parts such as Zero''s escape from the facility and the details of the battle of Randel, the things such as the nature of the Psions and what the other world was like were rather taxing to tell in themselves.


    "In fact, the spatial storm caused by the clashing of the Type-Zeros actually shifted the planet''s orbit and caused it to slowly hurl towards the sun. On the bright side, in light of what was essentially the ending of their world, all of humanity on that planet was forced to stop fighting and work together to find a solution to prevent their mutual destruction. For once, the Psion knew days without fighting. If the world was to end, at least they knew peace at the end of it, I suppose. But, of course, the world wasn''t going to end, not just yet. No one was about to sit by and let it end without doing anything. At least not most, anyways."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I pause for a little, trying to arrange the information in my head. In that time, Corona raises another question.


    "What about Zero, or rather, what she had become part of? Couldn''t she doing anything about it with all the powers she must now have?"


    "........."


    "Well?"


    Without thinking about it, I turn my eyes away from Corona.


    "She said she couldn''t, but that was probably a lie. I''ll bet she didn''t really want to."


    "I see."


    Looking satisfied, she lets me continue.


    "Eventually, there came answers and plans were formulated, two of them actually. First of the plan was to locate a new planet to live on, a simple idea that was going to be difficult to execute. It was something that will take time, and time they did not have. They had only a decade at most, perhaps even less, before the planet burns up. So came a second plan, one that involved the construction of a massive underground shelter. It will temporarily house all of the citizens on the planet. Since living space would be an issue, it was decided that most of the citizens would undergo cryogenic stasis while those who remained awake will work on the first plan. It was feasible, as the power supply would not be a problem. With this coming world-ending event, the Lunarian had finally decided to share the remains of the old god. With that, the shelter would have an inexhaustible supply of power. Once a new habitable planet is discovered, the citizens will be moved there and promptly awakened.


    However, Zero, or the being Zero had become a part of, had others plan. After all of humanity had been put to cryogenic stasis, when the planet began to burn due to its proximity to its sun. The being took it and molded it to its liking, creating a new world. With the rest of humanity aside from the Psions, it wiped their minds and morphed their forms, creating four distinct races. Then, it created four administrators for each race that will determine the birthrates, lifespans, and even the territories of the new races. The members under said administrators cannot live outside the influence of their administrators and could only reside in the territory the administrators had set for them.


    This was the system created by the being Zero had become a part of to prevent conflicts between races. It made fights for territories pointless and kept population in check so that there will never be a shortage of resources. I''m sure by this point this is all sounding very familiar, so I''ll stop being coy. This new world created is none other than Elgardia. The administrators I was talking about were the Keepers, and the four races are, well, the four races here in Elgardia."


    I let a moment or two pass to allow the new information time to sink in.


    "But wait, I heard that the Beastkins were able to survive in the land of Mankind. They weren''t exactly thriving, but they did survive, even after their Keeper died."


    "That''s right, Oro, they did survive. But, that was only because the Grand Keeper, Seven, made an exception for them. We''ll get to that in a bit, but first, I have to talk about what went wrong."


    "The [Corruption]..."


    "Exactly! As you know, Zero was not the only one within that being. There were others, the Type-Zero. Of the various egos within it, Zero''s was most complete. The rest were tortured souls, treated their entire lives as mass-produced weapons. Compared to them, the treatment Zero received was like that of royalty. Still, the Type-Zeros do have their own wills, and while Zero may have kept them at bay for a while, in time, those wills surfaced, and they know nothing but conflict and bear nothing but ill will towards the rest of humanity. Bit by bit, through the administrators, the Keepers, their hatred and fear for humanity at large infected those under the Keepers administration, causing them to turn against the other races. Of course, as every single living creature in this world is under the administration of a Keeper, not a single being was spared from this infection, and so long as Zero and the Type-Zeros continue to have influence over this world, it will continue indefinitely, till all is destroyed.


    The first to realize this, Seven, the one who would later take on the position of Grand Keeper, decided to try and suppress the Type-Zeros'' influence as well as try to repair the [Corruption] that had been spreading. Against the [Corruption], she created the Purifier with Zero''s aid. With the Purifier, the Psions, those that were once numbered children, set out to fight the [Corruption] while not knowing the whole truth. Seven had thought it wise to keep it from them, especially from Nine. And with that, the Psions became the first Champions.


    Now I know what you''re all thinking. What happened to them? Why is Seven the only one remaining? Why are we here doing their jobs? Well, half of them died, and the other half was sealed.


    They called him the Betrayer, the one who led a number of Psions against Seven. That was Nine. He had found out about the truth behind the [Corruption] and began to act on his own. He intended to set Zero free and take her place. He thought that it was possible. After all, his power came from the old god as well. Though not as powerful as Zero, he did have the ability to control minds. He believed that he would be able put the wills of the Type-Zeros under control. Of course, Seven intervened, she wouldn''t allow such a reckless plan. And so, as Nine gathered his forces and became more and more of a threat, eliminating those standing against them as they went, Seven was eventually forced to seal them away.


    In his rampage, Nine had also slain the Beastkin''s Keeper, the Holy Beast. Since the slaying of a Keeper had been unforeseen and it had been done by her own brother, Seven allowed the Beastkins to temporarily live under the administration of the Keeper of Mankind. Though, since that Keeper was optimized to oversee a different race, modifications needed to be made to the Beastkins to bring them under the Keeper''s influence.


    So there you have it, that''s the whole history. Any questions?"


    Right as I finish, Oro raises his hand.


    "Oro, go on."


    "You said that the Betrayer, Nine, he slew the Holy Beast, right?"


    "Yes, that''s right."


    "But, when I fought her, she was clearly against the Grand Keeper. Why is that?"


    "No idea."


    "It''s just a guess, but perhaps the Holy Beast is still under Nine''s influence?"


    I can''t help but quirk a brow. I don''t think I said anything about Nine''s capabilities in this new world, in Elgardia.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I had a dream. In that dream, I saw someone called Nine and he..."


    Oro too? When was he given access to the memories? No, perhaps he connected to it accidentally. It''s possible to do, even without administration rights. Our avatars were molded from the bodies of the sealed Champions, after all.


    "Well, go on. Don''t keep us in suspense."


    "No, forget it, it was just a dream. It''s probably just nonsense."


    Why? Isn''t that too much of a coincidence. ''Nine'' isn''t a common name, or rather, it''s not even a real name. He wouldn''t randomly dream about some other individual called ''Nine''. Or, has he perhaps noticed it? Looking at him now, his gaze towards me is somewhat odd. Is it just my imagination? Should I pry further or let it slide?


    "Dreams in this world aren''t necessary nonsense. I mean what I told you were things that I more or less saw in ''dreams''. Go on, tell us what you saw."


    It''s better to find out. Maybe I''ll even get a good gauge on how he felt about it.


    "In my dream, I saw that Nine had the power to control creatures, like a Summoner even. Back then I didn''t realize it since it went by so fast, but one of the creatures under his control was similar to the Holy Beast. At least, it had the form of a big cat. And, I know it''s going to sound weird, but now that I think about it, he looks kind of like-"


    "The Grand Keeper?"


    "Oh, yeah, I guess he does."


    "Well, it makes sense, those two are twins, though Seven haad awoken her psionics earlier. But, a Summoner you say? That''s certainly interesting. Still, this Holy Beast is not the same one as the one that he killed. This one was born to replace the last one, and though their forms and positions may be the same, they''re definitely different creatures."


    A bead of cold sweat runs down the back of my ear, flowing down the side of my jaw and to my neck, and eventually disappearing into my collar. I don''t know about the rest, but I see the look in Six''s eyes. With his class changed to Archer and the Archer skill [Eagle Vision], he could probably see it clearly. Knowing his uncanny instincts, he might have some ideas popping up in his head.


    "Oro, you mentioned that the Holy Beast was there alone, right? That must mean that her priestess must be elsewhere. If we can get a hold of her, maybe we can learn something."


    "Should we go search?"


    Without raising his hand, which is fine since that wasn''t exactly a rule, Six speaks up.


    "But we haven''t a single clue where to even start."


    "Oh, but..."


    Six''s sight turns towards the Bestial Champion who had been standing silently in the corner with the Purifier beside her. While Oro and Corona probably thinks that she''s with us from the beginning, Six and Cecilia does know, that the Bestial Champion came from the Holy Beast''s dwelling to deliver the Purifier to us. Which meant that she might know where Celestia, one of Holy Beast''s priestess, is.


    I turn my eyes towards Cecilia. While Six may have sensed something off, he might not have the brains to understand that I need him to keep his mouth shut. However, if it''s Cecilia, if it''s her then she might be able to see the subtle panic in my eyes. I don''t know, maybe she couldn''t and maybe she could.


    "Right now, it''s more important to deal with the remainder of the Keepers. We can worry about the priestess later, if she''s even knows anything in the first place."


    "Well, I guess you have a point."


    From the looks of Six''s eyes, I''m guess that he isn''t all that convinced, but thanks to Cecilia, he''s beginning to understand that this is an issue that required a touch of discretion.


    "There you have it then. If there''s nothing else, that will be it for today, thank you for your time."


    I let out a timely yawn to let them know that I don''t have much time left to talk. While I can see that Oro still has some questions, there''s nothing he can do about. He of all people should know how it is. As for Corona, I can''t tell what she''s thinking. I know she is one to seek the truth, but she''s also a little strange. I guess that makes sense. Anyone who is willing to take the hand of someone who was supposed to be an enemy, whose words she couldn''t even understand, over the hand of someone who had been an ally, is bound to be abnormal in some way. In a sense, I am grateful for that. Without her on our side, I doubt things would go so well with Oro. Heck, I might even already be dead if she hadn''t shielded me.


    Those two aside, I should talk to Six and Cecilia again at the nearest opportunity. I won''t be able to carry out my plan alone, not even if my body wasn''t stuck to this tree. Besides, they trusted me and have given me more patient than I deserve. They have more than enough rights to hear about this, about what I will do next.


    ***


    End of Chapter 71

 Vol. 5, Chapter 72: A Day in the Woods

    When I opened my eyes it was already morning, or should I say, it was only morning. I wake relatively easily these days. I still need Asha to do her thing, of course, but according to her, it wasn''t as hard to pull me back as before. The dreams as well had stopped, as if I''ve gotten to the end of a playlist with no looping function, the dreams I''ve been having just stopped happening one day.


    "Good morning, friend. Slept well?"


    "It wasn''t bad. Wish they did something about that hole in the wall though."


    As I leave the room, a giant humanoid lizard greets me. Of his two eyes, one is looking right at me while the other watches the hall with vigilance. This humanoid lizard is Seif, the chameleon-like Dragonbrood.


    "There are few rooms that are not in disrepair. However, if you ask nicely, Asha may feel inclined to switch with you."


    "Yeah, right."


    I wave my hand in the air, dismissing the idea.


    "Hey, I''m right here you know! Not that I''d give my room up, not on your life."


    I knew Asha was right behind me. We''re not exactly the best of friends, in fact, even the idea of us being friends is questionable, but at some point, I got comfortable around her enough to badmouth her while she''s around. Are we close? Or do I just don''t care anymore?


    "Well, unlike our rooms, at least the breakfast is warm. What do you think is on the menu, Sief?"


    "You''ll be happy to know that Nibal dragged in a huge boar earlier in the morning. It was decided a stew would be made out of it."


    "A stew, huh."


    Inadvertently, while thinking the thick warm liquid going down my throat, my stomach begins to rumble. It''s been a while since I''ve had something filling. I haven''t had anything but fruits and vegetables lately. Even though this is supposed to be a forest, there just aren''t many large animals to be found. It is to be expected I suppose, since this particular forest, the [World Devourer Woods], was formed just recently out of nowhere. I wonder if the boar wandered in at some point. I wonder if there''s more.


    It has been three days since we came to the Beastkins'' capital of which had been partially consumed by the [World Devourer Woods]. It sounds like a bad thing, but the residents here, both old and new, seem to be rather content with the situation. At the moment, Beastkins, Faefolks, and then finally, Dragonbroods are residing within this forest-covered city. Considering that these factions had been fighting with one another up till recently, it all feels so very surreal. Still, this is only a temporary arrangement. As with all races on Elgardia, each can only live in their own lands, lands where their Keeper resides. Should a race from another land try to live where they do not belong, the land will reject their presence as if some kind of foreign bacteria invading the body.


    At the moment, the only known record of another race surviving in the land of another is of the Beastkins, who eventually adapted to the territories of Mankind. However, the adaptation was not without its cost as the Beastkins have had their forms twisted to become more like those of Mankind, their fertility drastically lowered, and their lifespans roughly cut to half of what it was.


    With that in mind, it is probably not a good idea for anyone that is not a Champion or a Faefolk to stay within this forest for the long term.


    Following the half-collapsed halls now partially supported by the trees that collapsed them in the first place, Seif, Asha, and I arrive at one of the courtyards in the palace that has a temporary kitchen set up at the center. Surrounding it are what tables and chairs that could be salvaged from the palace. Here, I find the rest of the Dragonbroods gathered in one corner and the Beastkins at another. Though they''re coexisting, I guess getting along would be a stretch at the moment.


    On the Beastkin''s side, I see a table seated with just Cecilia and a Beastkin with a head of emerald feathers in place of hair, his eyes sharp like that of a falcon. The two appear to be in the middle of a discussion while the other Beastkins appear to be leaving them alone. If I remember correctly, the one with emerald feathers should be one of the Beastkin''s Generals, Gulford. He''s the one who interacts with their Champions the most, though apparently he''s also the one that also disagrees and argues with them the most. I hope he and Cecilia won''t be breaking into another debate in the middle of breakfast. It''s too early for that.


    Of the Champions, it looks like, only Cecilia and I are here. I don''t see either Six or Corona. Six is probably out to patrol with the rest. While it looks like he didn''t like this world or its people at all, he works with others and does his job properly. That wasn''t the impression he gave me back in Elysium Online. I guess he''s more reliable than I thought he was. As for Corona, she might still be looking through the palace archives.


    The archives were on the second floor of the palace, and with the connecting halls collapsed by the [World Devourer Woods], it took a while before the debris were cleaned up and an impromptu platform was constructed to lead up there. Once access was possible, however, Corona has been hanging around there ever since, looking for information regarding the summoning ritual.


    She must still be there. I wonder if she had breakfast yet.


    "You guys go ahead, I''ll go get Corona."


    Leaving Seif and Asha with the rest, I head on towards the palace archives.


    ***


    "Oh, good morning."


    En route to the archives, I run into a familiar face, a girl with horns, but unlike that of Asha''s, hers have a sense of majesty in them, though I don''t suppose that they might be murder for her slender neck.


    As always, she stares into space with her unfocused eyes. Apparently, she has a tendency to wander here and there, seemingly on some sort of whim even though she was said to have no will of her own.


    "Champion, have you seen the Purifier?"


    From behind, an inaudible voice calls out, a voice that rings in one''s mind. How did I know that it was from behind when it was in my mind? I have no idea, I just do.


    Turning around, I spot what they call the ''Bestial Champion''. She''s not like us, of course, looking at her disproportionately massive limbs covered in dark purplish fur, there''s no way she''s a human from our world. At first, I thought that she might look like that due to the [Corruption], but even after converting to the [World Devourer Wood]''s influence, she still looks the same. The only reason we call her a ''Champion'' is because she has the strength comparable to one.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "If you''re looking for the Purifier, she''s right there."


    I point to the hall I saw the Purifier in only to then quickly retract my finger.


    "Wait, what?"


    She is gone, the Purifier. Even though this is a straight hallway with no twist or turn, she''s nowhere in sight.


    "She''s not there..."


    "She certainly isn''t."


    "I don''t know what to say. She was right there a moment ago."


    "It''s fine. She does that. I try to see if she''s by Aurelius."


    "That''s where she likes to hang out, isn''t it?"


    "It''s where she prefers to be, yes."


    I wonder if it''s because she''s derived from Zero, that girl Aurelius said he saw in his visions. From the way he talked about her, it sounded like the two got along.


    With that, the Bestial Champion heads back the way she came. She seems nice, but Aurelius and the others said to be wary of her, that she''s not on our side, not yet. That being said, Aurelius is confident that she wouldn''t do anything to hurt us, not to the Champion''s at least. Apparently, she needs us for something, though Aurelius didn''t say what. It''s kind of, no, definitely suspicious. Why the need to hide it from us? Cecilia and Six seem to be fine with it. They just trust him that much I guess, but I want answers. That said, it''s not as if I could just waltz into his room and ask him. That place is heavily guarded and apparently I''m not allowed near it without permission. I guess I did try to kill him once, but in my defense, that was when I thought he was a [Demon].


    After traveling up the wooden platforms and stairs to reach the archives, I find myself walking into what I can only describe as a labyrinth of books, scrolls, and bookshelves. I didn''t think that the Beastkins liked their books so much. From what I heard, the Beastkins used to live in small settlements within forests, their buildings made of wood and mixed with mud or clay. For food, they hunt or forage. Their civilization and culture can be said to be primitive. However, that changed when their Keeper was vanquished by Nine many years ago, turning their land barren and forcing them east, to the lands of Mankind. Managing to survive there for some decades, their bodies were not the only things that adapted to those lands, their culture have as well. When their Keeper was reborn, the new Beastkins brought with them the culture of Mankind, their own histories largely forgotten. Maybe that''s why the Beastkins built this archive. They didn''t want to forget, and perhaps, with their declining lifespans and population, they didn''t want to be forgotten either.


    As I navigate my way through the labyrinth smelling of old paper and wood, I spot specks of shining dust trailing overhead. Those must be from the fairies. If I remember correctly, Aurelius lent some of them to Corona to help her search through the archives.


    Following the dust trail, I arrive at a large table with books piled on top and beside it. There, on that table, sits a lone scholar, diligently flipping through the pages of a book in hand, her eyes scanning over each sentence swiftly before moving on to the next page. Corona, if I remember correctly, told me that she learned speed reading when she was young. I asked her to teach me once, but I never quite picked it up. She said something about taking in the whole sentence rather than just a word at a time, but I just can''t do it, I just can''t. I guess some people can do it better than others and I''m not one of them.


    "Good morning, Oro."


    "Did you hear me coming?"


    "That''s right."


    "That''s rare. I thought you''d be more absorbed."


    "I must be losing my concentration."


    For the first time since I entered, Corona turns towards me. She smiles, but with those tired baggy eyes of hers, the smile loses some of its usual radiance.


    "Maybe you should get some breakfast?"


    "I should, shouldn''t I?"


    Corona raises her hand into the air, prompting a fairy to fly down, placing a leaf in Corona''s grasp. Placing the leave in between the pages she was reading from, she shuts the book and placing it down on the table.


    While sitting on the chair, she arcs her body backward and stretches out her arms. Then, lazily, she gets up.


    "Alright, let''s go."


    ***


    In the afternoon, we were informed that Aurelius has once more awakened. I''ve heard about it already, but apparently, he''s in the same situation as I am, what with his soul unable to properly link up to this body of his. In his case, it''s much worst, being only able to stay awake for up to only an hour at a time. If my condition was caused by being close to death, giving my soul a hard time recognizing this body as alive and valid, then for Aurelius, his body might not even register as being living at all. According to Aurelius himself, the only thing keeping his bodily functions active is the tree he''s bound to, acting like some kind of life support. Without the tree, his body is as good as dead. He''s more or less a zombie now.


    "Good of you to come."


    Aurelius greets us with an energetic smile unbefitting of a dead man as he sits at the base of the tree, cradled by the roots. The Faefolks call him the Lord of the Forest, mostly because he controls the woods, but looking at him like this, as he''s cradled by the roots, it certainly looks as though he''s sitting upon a throne. Standing beside him, looking like a guard or an attendant, is ironically the Bestial Champion, and beside the Bestial Champion is the Purifier, staring hazily at the leaves rustling above as sunlight filters through.


    "First, I have bad news. It came to me just now and I need all of you, especially Oro, to keep calm."


    Why''d he singled me out? I mean, I may not be the calmest here, but I am certainly not that much prone to panicking than the rest.


    "According to the reports from the scouts sent to watch the situation across the Great River, a small army was spotted marching north. Judging from their banners, this army is suspected to belong to the remnants of Mankind. Amongst them, unusual looking individuals had been spotted. They are highly likely to be Champions, and there were six of them. In Elysium Online terms, they''ve got themselves a full party."


    Aurelius, he said it so calmly and monotonously, it''s as if he''s just reading out his script as a news anchor. Is this just someone else''s business to him? I guess it would be, wouldn''t it?


    "So, what do you plan to do, Oro?"


    "What do I-!? I''m going to help them of course!"


    "That''s fine and all, but let me remind you that you are currently under the influence of the World Devourer. If you go to the Dragonbroods in the north, they''ll just try to kill you with everything they''ve got. I only have the power to adjust the cognition of those under the World Devourer. I can''t do anything about those of the other Keepers. Are you still going to go, despite knowing all that?"


    "Well, that''s..."


    Aurelius lets out a sigh.


    "Take your time to think about it. Talk it over with the other Dragonbroods if you have to."


    "Yeah... I think I''ll do just that. Is there anything else?"


    "No, not really. It''ll be just small talks for the most part."


    "Then, if you''ll excuse me."


    I want to go. I can''t just leave them to their fate. Over there are friends and allies. However, even if I go, what can I do? Aurelius doesn''t seem too intent on doing anything about it and I doubt Cecilia would disagree. Not to mention, I might end up having to fight them, the Dragonbroods, and if not the Dragonbroods, if I manage to catch up to and intercept the army of Mankind before they reach the northern edge, I''ll have to fight their Champions. After realizing that the supposed ''enemy'' Champions are Aurelius and the rest, those with the remnants of Mankind, those are probably our guildmates too. Can I fight them knowing that? I can''t, can I, knowing that they''re just caught in the same situation as I am.


    Shit! What should I do?  I wish someone would just decide for me, someone like Corona. But, I''ll bet Corona would just tell me to decide for myself. I''m scared though. A good number of decisions I''ve made recently have been disastrous aside from a few lucky cases. Will I be able to properly make a good decision? Should I make a decision at all?


    "You know asking for advice is rather different from asking someone to make a decision for you, right?"


    "Wha-! Corona?"


    I didn''t even notice that she had been beside me. Was I that deep in thought?


    "If you want my thoughts, I have plenty to give. I won''t be responsible for what you decide later though, so don''t come running when you screw up again."


    "I won''t do that! Of course I won''t do that! Who do you think I am!?"


    "I''m just being careful. You never know. There are all kinds of people in this world and a lot of them like to pass blame around."


    "I told you I won''t, promise."


    "Good."


    "With that out of the way, I... What do you think about this?"


    Corona puts a finger under her chin.


    "Hmm... I mean, we obviously don''t want to fight, right?"


    "Yeah, of course not. They might be like us."


    "Then I guess we''ll just have to make them turn back."


    "Easier said than done."


    "Oh, is it though?"


    She smiles slyly at me. You don''t get to see that on Elysium Online''s avatar, not quite like this, even with emotes. There''s a certain expressiveness that just wasn''t n the game. Somehow, this makes my heart skip a beat.


    "C- Corona, you have something in mind?"


    "Say, Oro, have you ever heard of guerrilla tactics?"


    ***


    End of Chapter 72

 Vol. 5, Chapter 73: Diverging Paths

    After Corona and Oro had left the room, I begin to breathe easy, or I would have if not for what is to come. Six and Cecilia, I still have to deal with them. I have to say, I''m getting somewhat cold footed about this.


    Surprisingly, those two just stood there, waiting, their eyes gazing expectantly towards me. Frankly, I can''t believe they haven''t run out of patience with me. Though I can see Six is at his limit, with him staring fixedly at me with his arms crossed.


    "We''ve been through quite a lot, haven''t we?"


    The moment I open my mouth, I become acutely aware of how dry my throat is. I didn''t think I''d be this nervous. I mean, I''ve been through worst. Then again, what might happen next may very well be the worst of them all.


    "Now that we''re alone, I''ll just get to the point. I... I will destroy the Keepers."


    There were no replies. Were they shocked? Were they so flabbergasted that they''ve gone beyond words? Well no, not really. Rather than shock, those two, Cecilia and Six, they''re looking at me like they''re looking at a child that is saying that he''s walking to the moon.


    "I think you went too straight into the point. Maybe elaborate a little?"


    To tell the truth, I''m a little disappointed in their utter lack of surprise. I was expecting something more along the lines of, "What on earth are you thinking!?" or "Have you gone insane!?" or something along the lines of, "I can''t believe you, it''s like I don''t even know who you are anymore!" Okay, maybe the last one is a bit too much, but still, it may be strange to say, but I feel that this might be a litter easier if they treated me with a bit more scorn.


    "Well, how should I put it... I need their administration rights. With all four Keepers and the Purifier, I can obtain full administration rights, and with that, I''ll be able to go see her, to see Zero."


    "Oh."


    That''s all Six had got to say, just ''oh''.


    "No, no, no, I don''t think you understand. Originally, I should be focusing on getting us back to our own world. This is something of a more selfish endeavor, and if I mess it up, it might cost us the chance to return."


    "You say that, but that''s the original plan anyways, right? So it''s not like what you''re suggesting is any different from what we''ve been doing this whole time."


    Cecilia has a point, it''s not all that different, but now we have an easier way, namely, the Purifier. If we just use ''it'' to purify the rest of the Keepers, we can get the Grand Keeper to send us all home, at least, that''s what she promises to do according to Oro and Corona. And with Corona looking through the palace archives, it won''t be too long before we figure out how the Beastkins hijacked the ''ritual'' either. If we could just establish contact with Seven, the Grand Keeper, then things should get significantly easier, at least on the Dragonbrood''s front. Speaking of, I wonder why she didn''t stop the remnants of Mankind from attacking. Is their Keeper against her like how the Holy Beast is? I''ll ask Seven when we meet. I''ll make sure we meet.


    "Cecilia, Six, now that we have an easier way to do things, wouldn''t it make more sense to head in that direction instead?"


    "Sure, but... Wait, are you trying to convince us to go against you? Is that what you''re going for?"


    "No, no, no-no-no, that''s not what I''m trying to do. Your reactions are just throwing me off. I thought you guys would be more against this."


    "Well, I mean, there''s no guarantee that the Grand Keeper, Seven, right? There''s no guarantee that she''ll do what she says. We both just figured that you planned for us to go our own way. Is that right?"


    Cecilia turns towards Six, who nods in agreement.


    "Oh, and it might be too late to say this, but is it alright that she''s here? I mean, you just started talking without asking her to leave so I assumed it''s fine, but..."


    "Oh, yeah, it''s fine. I meant for her to hear this too."


    "So, why do you want to see Zero? You wouldn''t do this without any reason, right?"


    "Um, yeah, here''s the thing..."


    Is it just me, or is Cecilia taking charge a whole lot today? Well, I mean, she is the guild master, so this is appropriate. In fact, isn''t she the one taking charge while I was sleeping? Since becoming one with this [Demonic Tree], I felt more in charge than usual, but Cecilia was the one running things while I was stuck in those dreams, wasn''t she?


    "So, the being that Zero sort of merged into... That''s kind of a mouth full, isn''t it? Let''s call it the ''One Being'' for now. So anyways, the One Being created this world, that''s what I told you, right?"


    "Yes, that is what you said."


    "Well, the thing is, this wasn''t the only world it created, there are others... Our world is one of them."


    I watch them, the look in their eyes, and as if time had slowed down for me, I got to see the revelation slowly sinking in.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "What, seriously!"


    "Well, it does make sense if you think about it since there are hints here and there that our worlds might be connected, the similarities between Elysium Online and Elgardia, for example."


    Of the two, Cecilia seems to be taking it better than Six, who listened to my reasoning with eyes wide with shock and confusion.


    "Wait... if the [Corruption] came from the One Being and if it created our world too, doesn''t that mean... our world is in danger to!? Aurelius, dude, that''s super bad."


    "Well, maybe, I mean, the One Being''s influence isn''t as great in our world as it is in this. This is actually a more, for the lack of a better word, curated world. Due to the multiple egos that exist within the One Being, there''s quite a variety of worlds out there, one of those variations is the amount of influence the One Being may have on it. Only the worlds that have a stronger influence from the One Being are in danger of [Corruption]. The worlds that were left to be without any sort of administration should be safe."


    Hearing the explanation, Six promptly stops freaking out, which is good, because if he hears the next part while disturbed, I''m not sure I can handle him quite as skillfully as I would like to.


    "Oh, that''s good. That''s one less thing to worry about at least. But in that case, why do you want to see Zero. Just now I thought it''s because our world would be in danger too if nothing is done about her, but if that isn''t it, then why?"


    I scratch my head. This is going to be awkward, I just know it.


    "Well, I got to know her and I can''t just leave her be, you know. Maybe I''m just at that age when I''m trying to take care of the kids around me. Not to mention that I sort of made a promise about saving this world a while back... Now that I know what''s causing the problem, I thought I''d go take a look..."


    I know what I said to them, to Cecilia and Six and Toto. I told them that we''ll get home, that we''ll go back together no matter what. That being said, I also said to the princess that I''ll save this world. Is this it, is this where my empty promises return to bite me in my ass? No, not yet. If I can handle it properly, I might be able to arrange something with Seven. But, will she condone the slaying of the Keepers? I mean, if I kill them all, it''d be pretty much the end of this world, won''t it? Unless I can get Zero to fix it all properly, that is. The short and long of it is, I have to convince Seven to let me gamble with this entire world. That''s possible to pull off... right? Oh, who am I kidding? I wouldn''t let me do it if I''m in her position. To being with, is there even a possibility for me to convince not just Zero, but the whole of the One Being as well? I can''t say I''m confident about my odds. Still, if there''s a possibility, I want to aim for it. I don''t want to just take the easiest way out like I did back in my world. I''ll do it, even if I have to do it alone.


    "So here the plan. First, we''ll purify the Keepers. Then, we get Seven to send all of you back to our world. Once that is done, I''ll stay behind and finish this on my own. That''s the best way I can think of to keep both my promises."


    Originally, I wanted to keep this plan a secret. I didn''t want to be stopped or for someone to talk me out of it. I am afraid I don''t have the kind of resolve and stubbornness to push my way through if that happens. But, I don''t want to leave them any nasty surprise. And besides, if I''m weak-willed enough to be so easily persuaded, then it probably won''t go well when I actually get down to it.


    I look towards the Bestial Champion who had been standing in the corner, listening tentatively. Due to her helmet, I can''t tell what she''s thinking, but most probably, she doesn''t like this one bit. She, no, Nine will want as many Champions as possible for what is to come after all. They too wished to reach Zero, to take Zero''s place in the One Being and set her free. I have no plans to let them drag the rest into this, however. They either take just me or no one at all.


    "Hmm... Alright then."


    Alright then? That''s it. Six, you''re not going to stop me, or talk me out of it? Like, "I thought you said we''re going back together!" or something along the lines. I know it''s starting to sound like I''m hungry for attention, but, I mean, I thought they liked me, you know. I was under the impression that they''ll be sad to see me stay behind. Now it feels like I''m just some guy they raided some bosses with in some game and chatted with for a bit when there''s nothing better to do.


    Six wordlessly leave the room without being prompted to, as if his business here is concluded and there''s no more reason to stay. Only when his figure can no longer be seen does Cecilia turn towards me. She sighs.


    "Six must be pretty upset."


    "Is that how it looked?"


    "Well, I''m sure he''s trying to not seem needy. Still, it''s not just him. I was expecting you to ask for help too. After all we''ve been through, you act like we''re just tagging along so that we get to go home."


    "Is that not the case? I mean, that''s what we''re fighting for this whole time, right?"


    "It is, but it''s not just that. You said we''re going home together, right? So many times it was starting to sound like a mantra."


    "Hey, I didn''t say it that often."


    "Aurelius, I want to go back with you, with Six and Toto, with as many of us as possible. If one of us ended up staying behind to fight, I''m not just going to just smile and say, ''alright, you do you,'' and just leave. Would you do that, Aurelius."


    "Well......"


    I try imagining it, a situation like the one described. I wouldn''t know what I''d for certain till the time comes, but I don''t think I''ll be happy about leaving someone behind.


    "No, I wouldn''t want that, at least. But, this is different, if you follow me, you might not find another chance of getting back."


    "Maybe, but I think Six, and me too actually, we would have liked to see you ask for our help, tell us how much you need us and how you can''t do this without us. As much as we rely on you, deep down, we want you to rely on us too. I think we, as people, like to be needed by someone, and it''s sad when it feels like you''re not wanted."


    "That wasn''t my intention. I mean, I just... I don''t want to drag you two into this."


    "I know, or rather, I guessed it to be the case, but we can''t read minds, Aurelius, we can never know for sure unless we''re told out loud."


    "Alright, sure, fine, but this isn''t what this is about. I just want you guys to be safe and back home. I really don''t care what you feel about it. As long as you''re alive, you''ll get over it eventually."


    "So you say, but you looked like you were about to cry when Six got upset and left."


    "N-n-no, I was not!"


    "Oh, weren''t you though?"


    "I mean... a little, I guess."


    "Really?"


    Cecilia looks surprised. Why? Wasn''t she the one who said that I looked like I was going to cry? Wait a minute...


    "I wasn''t looking like that at all was I!"


    "Oh, who knows~"


    Oh man, I am going to miss this. I am going to miss this so much. I''ll bet Zero misses this too. I do understand, why Nine is so desperate. If he could set her free, to let her be with the others, with that red-headed girl, with Seven, Four, and Thirteen, I could see him giving everything he has. But Nine, what about you, won''t you miss it too?


    ***


    End of Chapter 73

 Vol. 5, Chapter 74: Flimsy Alliance

    "So, what say you?"


    After Cecilia had left, I turn towards the Bestial Champion. I said what I did partly due to the fact that I wanted to be forthcoming with Six and Cecilia, however, another part of it was for it to be a proposal to the Bestial Champion.


    "I am not the one to decide whether to agree on this little ploy of yours nor am I the one who will judge whether or not you alone are enough to bring our wish to fruition."


    "It''s not a bad deal. If I am the only Champion left, then whoever I side with will have the advantage. If I pick your side, then winning shouldn''t be all that out of reach, no?"


    "The Grand Keeper can always summon more."


    "She wouldn''t try, not so soon, not until she''s absolutely sure that her next summoning won''t be hijacked."


    "That is just your hypothesis, perhaps even wishful thinking. You have no guarantee, not enough to give up on the other Champions."


    Well, she got me there. It''s all talk, it''s all I''ve been doing the whole time. All I do is talk a big talk and hope things go well. So far, things have gotten along well enough, but that does not guarantee that it will be the case forever.


    "However, I suppose what you''re saying isn''t impossible. And rather than risking the current Champions suddenly switch sides against us, perhaps it is better to simply fulfill their wishes first and get them out of the way. Not to mention, should the Grand Keeper refuse to let them go, they''d be more inclined to fight for our cause. Aurelius, I''ll consider your plan at least."


    "I thought you said that it is not your place to judge?"


    "I am here in ''his'' place. However, if you can manage to produce better results, perhaps I might support you instead. In the end, I do not care as long as someone puts an end to these endless cycles.


    "Wait, you can just switch sides?"


    "I am under [contract] to follow commands, but I do still have certain degrees of freedom. For example, I cannot be ordered to keep my mouth shut. Though the [contract] system is strong, I still retain certain freedoms."


    "So, I''ll bet there are plenty of things you can tell me."


    "I could, but only if you''re able to make good use of them."


    "How do you know if I could or couldn''t unless you tell me."


    "Who knows, you''ll have to win my confidence first."


    "Hey, I beat the World Devourer just like you told me to, didn''t I?"


    "Hmm... That you did, but that wasn''t entirely your work was it. The Sorcerer, Toto, she contributed greatly with that flying ship of hers, didn''t she? Not to mention, if I remember correctly, she was the one who dealt the final blow."


    "Wait, how''d you hear about that? Weren''t you up north at the time?"


    "Someone was watching."


    "You mean, Nine, or someone sent by Nine, right?"


    "Perhaps."


    "Is he watching now?"


    "Maybe, maybe not."


    Well, the entire forest is my domain. If something managed to slip in, I should be able to know. Probably. Besides, if he''s watching, or at least if the bestial Champion is aware that he''s watching, then I doubt she''d be talking about switching sides and whatnot. Unless of course, this is some sort of trick. What trick? And for what purpose? I don''t know, it''s just me being paranoid. Maybe he''s not here after all. He''s probably not here...


    "You''re being very difficult to work with, you know that. How about a test then? Something that''ll prove that I''m good enough to hear your precious, precious secrets."


    "What do you propose?"


    "When it comes down it, you''ll support whoever that can produce better results, right? Then it''s simple, though I''ll need a little cooperation from you, just a little."


    "Oh?"


    "Interested?"


    "Slightly."


    "Well then, here''s the thing......"


    ***If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Where do you think you''re going?"


    It was the dawn of the next day, and leading the Dragondroods through the moss-covered city gates is Oro in full armor, his greatsword strapped onto his back. Behind him are Corona, Nibal, Seif, Asha, and the rest of the Dragonbroods here.


    "Cecilia!? We''re just out for a bit of a hunt. The Dragonbroods, these guys just don''t like to sit still you see."


    Oro had the most casual tone, if I didn''t know any better I might actually think he''s going out on a hunting trip with his lizard-faced buddies.


    "Wouldn''t all that gear weight you down?"


    "Don''t you worry, the Dragonbroods are quick runners, strong too. A little weight doesn''t bother them. As for me, I had a strength build so keeping up isn''t a problem, but you know that right, guildmaster?"


    "Yes, I am aware... The fact that you''re planning to try and help the Dragonbroods up north, that is."


    Tired of the back and forth and realizing that Oro has no plans to be honest, I decided to cut to the chase. The moment I made it clear that I''ve seen through his ruse, Oro''s expression turns grim.


    "So, what now? I''ll have you know, we''re not letting you stop us, not a single one of us here is just going to. If you don''t want to get hurt, get out of the way."


    Getting aggressive already, is he? He really does have no trust for us, does he? He could have at least tried to convince us. I can''t deny that I''m kind of hurt by that.


    Sighing, I wave my hand, signaling the ones waiting above the tall city wall, just in case things got ugly faster than expected. In response, two figures descend from above, slowly approaching the ground like a feather. Those two are Michaela and the one known as the Bestial Champion.


    Upon landing, the Bestial Champion remains as silent and aloof as she tends to be while Michaela speaks out in a dignified tone, fitting for her angelic appearance.


    "Sir Oro and the Dragonbroods. My liege, Aurelius, had made the decision to intercept the remnants of Mankind. It wouldn''t do for the Keeper of the Dragonbroods to perish before she is purified after all."


    "Wait, so you''re going to help us!?"


    "The members that will go with you shall be Lady Cecilia, Sir Six, the Bestial Champion, and myself."


    "If we count Michaela, we''d have a full party, wouldn''t we? The opponents have a full party of Champions as well, walking in with only you and Corona is just suicide, no offense to your Dragonbrood friends of course."


    "Well, we weren''t exactly planning to fight them head-on, but nevertheless, it is reassuring to have you guys along. I mean it, Cecilia."


    "Oh, what happened to, ''if you don''t want to get hurt, get out of the way''?"


    "H-hey, that was, well, I thought... Speaking of which, where''s Six? I don''t see him. He''s coming too right?"


    Awkwardly, Oro changed the subject. Well, I wasn''t planning to pursue it anyways, I was only teasing.


    "If you''re looking for the Assassin, he''s right behind us."


    One of the Dragonbroods, the chameleon looking one, points towards the top of a hanging tree branch.


    "Spotted me, did you?"


    "I''m not about to let you get me a second time."


    Six and the chameleon, the two seemed to have developed some kind of rivalry while I wasn''t looking. I heard that Six had shot the chameleon with a [Pinning Shot] before and nailed him right in the leg. I guess the chameleon held a grudge of a sort for that. Well, at least it''s a friendly rivalry, or so I hope it is.


    "Well then, shall we head out, Oro? By the way, while you''re in charge of this mission, don''t mind if I butt in now and then, just in case."


    "I''d be grateful if you stop me from doing something stupid actually."


    "Sure, sure, you can count on me."


    Then again, I''m pretty prone to doing stupid things at a moment''s notice too. I''m actually kind of worried that I''ll pull some crazy stunts myself. Oh well, thinking about it too hard won''t help me. I wouldn''t want to become like Aurelius and get all needlessly stressed out, would I?


    ***


    The journey to the Great River was uneventful, too uneventful I would even say. Maybe it''s because we''ve only been fighting nonstop, and whenever we''re not fighting, we''re preparing for the next fight. The few days in the Beastkin''s capital was peaceful, but precisely because it was so peaceful, I instinctively expected to have to jump into battle once we leave. That was not the case, however, as there was not even a single encounter from the capital to the river.


    Well, Aurelius did say that once a Keeper is killed, life within the region under the Keeper''s administration will begin to dwindle. Nothing will be born and nothing would grow, and sensing their doom, the beasts and insects would try to move elsewhere only to find that the other lands would be just as harsh. They''ll gain nothing from the food eaten and the waters drank will not quench their thirst. It''ll be as if their bodies are actively rejecting the land, and the land likewise rejects them. It was a system made to prevent conflicts over territory and resources, the system created by The One Being, as Aurelius calls it, and the girl he knew, Zero, was part of it.


    What does Aurelius plan to do once he meets her? I''m guessing that even he does not have a single idea. Because there''s no guarantee of anything being fixed or resolved, he doesn''t want both Six and I, as well as the rest of us dragged into this, to head on home while he alone stays behind. I suppose us being here will also add more unwanted pressure to succeed in something that may or may not work out, something that''s, in all honesty, isn''t in his control at all.


    In the end, despite what I said, I suppose I am glad that he asked us to go home instead of joining him. If he had asked us for help, I''d be pressured into choosing between the oh-so-selfless choice of helping out a friend and taking care of my own wellbeing. And while I may bear a heavy conscience over it, I''ll probably choose my own wellbeing over all else.


    I wonder what Six think about this. He seemed upset when Aurelius suggested that we head home without him. There was the promise that we''d all make it out together after all, and that''s probably what kept Six focus this whole time. He might have felt betrayed. If you ask me, I''d say that he''s the most loyal of us here, I don''t think he''s willing to just leave Aurelius behind. If you ask me if that''s a good or bad thing though, I''d say that''s incredibly naive. Those two had never actually met after all, at least, not in my knowledge. To go to such lengths for people you haven''t even met face to face is rather unwise, that''s what I think. I know we owe Aurelius a great deal, he''s been there pulling us forward not long after we arrived, but I have no intention of dooming myself for him.


    Still, having these thoughts after what I''ve said to him, telling him that we wanted him to ask for our help, telling him that we wouldn''t just abandon him and at that. I''m such a hypocrite, aren''t I? Even though I said those things in the heat of the moment, deep down, I just wanted to keep up appearance. That''s really all there is to it. That''s really all that ever was.


    ***


    End of Chapter 74

 Vol. 5, Chapter 75: A Remembrance

    There was a young woman, a young woman who, due to a certain folly, ended up with a child before she was considered fully grown. Stubbornly, she decided to keep said child, thinking that perhaps one day, the father who had disappeared overnight would return for her. A naive thought, certainly. Foolish even. However, she was allowed to keep the child. Still, young and foolish she was, she could not have been able to properly raise the child and for the longest time, the child was raised by her grandparents.


    In time, the child grew up, as they do. But, the mother, while she had gotten older, it could not be said that she had grown. She remained timid and depressing, preferring to hide away in her room than do anything else. Compared to her own child, she was rather pathetic. In fact, rather than her mother, the child saw her more of a sister, a slow, troublesome, and worthless elder sister.


    Even when the mother had somehow managed to get herself a job, she hardly changed. When she was refused pay by that sleazy boss of hers, it was her own daughter that had to stand up for her. She couldn''t do anything on her own. Her daughter, despite being the child, had to toughen up for her sake. Because the mother was so useless, she had to keep up the appearance of being strong. Even though in all likelihood she''d liked to be spoiled and taken care of, she was the one who had to become the one taking care of the other.


    If there was one thing to be glad about in this situation, it is that they do not get along badly. While the two aren''t best of friends, they aren''t bitter with one another, at least not outwardly. Though brief, they can hold conversations, and they''d say their good mornings if they see each other during the mornings and good nights if they see one another before they go to bed. It wasn''t the most satisfying of relationships, but both would agree that it was better than the two ignoring one another and pretending that the other does not exist.


    Then, on one fateful day, the mother caught a glance by chance. It was a stuffy day and their household did not use air conditioners due to financial issues. And so, the door to the daughter''s bedroom remained open along with the windows. As the fan was blasting at the machine and the daughter sitting in front of it, the mother saw on the PC''s monitor displaying a log-in screen. There, she caught the vibrantly colored title of the game displayed front and center. It was then an idea came to her.


    First, she got herself a free trial version of the game, Elysium Online, to try it out before getting the full version. Having peeked at her daughter''s monitor, she knew what her in-game name was. When she saw it with her marvelous eyesight, it was something that made her giddy. To think she''d use that name of all things.


    Still, she couldn''t just go straight to her. This had to be a secret. She can''t know it''s her. The mother wanted to approach her daughter as a stranger. She wanted to start over from the beginning. That being said, the daughter''s level was quite high. If she wanted to play with her, she''d have to level up plenty.


    Though she had little time due to her new job, day by day, she progressed a little and made some friends along the way. She leveled up, participated in raids, and obtained gear. She was enjoying it too, and bit by bit, by playing and interacting with others, her confidence grew and she became just a bit more cheerful a person. Even so, she hadn''t forgotten why she had started playing. She still dreamed of being able to chat and play with her daughter, not as her useless mother, but as a friend. She''d imagine it, playing it out in her head, and she''d smile to herself as he hoped that one day it will come true.


    Truth is, she was afraid of her daughter. She wondered if she hated her, if she hated the mother who was only obsessed with pitying herself and wasn''t able to raise her properly. By the time she had finally come out of it, her daughter was already grown and her gaze had become cold. Each time the mother tried to speak to her, just by looking into the daughter''s eyes, she''d clam up. The mother was a timid woman, and what she feared most, more than anything, was being rejected upfront. Even though she knew in her heart that her daughter did see her as much of a mother, she was terrified of one day finally hearing it actually spoken.


    Then, the day finally came. She knew when her daughter would go online and which raid she was going to participate in. It was the boss that came with the latest update. At the time, she wasn''t sure what she''d do once she ran into the daughter. Even if they met, the daughter who had been playing for a while now should have herself people she knew, people she''d invite to party up for the raid before searching for some random stranger. This was the latest raid, after all, there should be plenty of her friends who would join her. However, by some kind of strange coincidence, on that day, she had only five members with her. There was space for just one more member. The mother was nervous, she didn''t think she''d get this far. She wasn''t sure what to type into the chat. Her heart was throbbing so much that it was difficult to breathe and her fingers trembled so terribly that she kept hitting the wrong key.


    A jingle from the game startled her. It wasn''t exactly a particularly loud jingle, but upon hearing it, she could have sworn that her heart skipped a beat. It was a jingle signifying a direct message.


    [Are you alone? Do you want to join my party? We need another member.]This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    It was rather embarrassing. She had found herself crying. It was just a casual invitation, but she cried anyways. She was so weak, so fragile, so useless, but even so, she at least gathered enough strength to type out a reply.


    She didn''t do all that well in the raid. She was too emotionally overwhelmed to do anything properly. She messed up more times than she could count and the more she messed up, the more she panicked, and the more she panicked, she messed up even more. Even though they somehow managed to clear it, she was sure she''d never be invited again. It was only to be expected. In the end, no matter what she does, she''s going to mess up, that''s how it is. But then-


    [Don''t mind it. It was the first time anyone fought in it. No one would know exactly what to do on their first time.]


    Somehow, from that day onwards, the two kept meeting and hung out with one another. In time, they even went on to form a guild and gathered a number of players. And though they''ve made plenty of friends of their own since then, they''d rarely be seen without one another. Hopefully, this will never change, no matter where they end up, even if it''s some other world.


    ***


    My body aches, so much so that every movement I make is painful, every toss and turn requires monumental effort. Yet, even if I just lie down, my back would hurt. I''ve been on bed for too long, far too long to be healthy.


    I can do this. I should be able to.


    I take a deep breath, then, enduring the screaming fibers of my muscles, I turn myself over.


    "Eep!"


    It hurts more than I expected, causing me to make a strange sound.


    Maybe I should just lay here on my belly for a while... No, better not. I''ll just get uncomfortable and try to turn myself over on my back again, and like so, the cycle perpetuates. I should get up and walk around for once. Now, my arms.


    I twist and turn my arms, stretching them, preparing them for the task up ahead. As I move them I become clearly aware how sore they are, it''s like sour plums dipped in raw lemon juices are rubbed against my tongue, except in this case, my muscles are experiencing the sensation.


    "Hup!"


    I push myself from the bed as the blanket over me slides off my back. Already, I miss the warmth, but I can''t lose to the temptation. I''ve already gotten so far. I can''t let myself fall.


    I got my body upright, on my knees atop the soft bed. With the warm sunlight from the window hitting my face, I feel unbelievably drowsy. It would be so easy to just fall back into bed, so easy... Maybe I should just stay down till I sleep off this drowsiness......


    "Not this time! Not this time, you hear!"


    I pinch my own cheeks. I''m not about to lose, not after coming all this way. I shift myself from the bed and extend one of my feet towards the floor. Being made of stone similar to marble, the floor is cold to the touch of my barefoot, a surprise I am grateful for as it shook my drowsiness away. Following one foot is another, and soon I am standing.


    I stretch my whole body while bath in the glow of the sun, trying to get rid of the stiffness in my body. As the crack and creeks of my bones and tendons reach my ears, I can also feel my body screaming in pain as the sores and aches assault me all at once. It''s not great.


    In the room, there is a dressing table. As I walk by it, I see in the mirror a diminutive girl, one whose hair is sickly white and has heavy bags hang under her eyes. I take a minute to finally recognize who I''m looking at. She''s my player avatar, Toto, and from the looks of it, it seems like the after-effects of mana drain are still with her.


    I sigh at the mirror, my mind lingering on what I''ve heard the other day, about what happened at the capital. The princess herself brought me the news, about how the [World Devourer Woods] had appeared in the capital with Cecilia and the rest trapped inside of it. The good news was that it caught the invading Dragonbroods as well, which is a comfort, I suppose. At least we''re safe, for now. But, when I think of what might have happened to the others, I... I feel so helpless.


    How many days has it been, since I''ve cooped myself in this room? Every time I approach the door, I find myself frozen. The thought of having to face what lies beyond its threshold paralyzes me. When did this world become such a terrifying place to me? It wasn''t like this before. True, it was scary having to fight, but even then, I wasn''t so afraid that I became unable to do anything. I had the others by my side helping me and I have people I had to protect. Now, however, when they''re no longer beside me, the very thought of having to take action terrifies me to no end. Even though they should still be out there, even though I should be doing everything I can to get back to them, I couldn''t get my legs to move beyond that door. Even though I could get myself off the bed, when it comes to that door, it feels as if heavy chains had been draped upon me. Even though it should be as easy as swinging the door open and stepping right out, the simple things I''ve done countless times before, right now, the handle seems to impossibly heavy and the air beyond the door feels so unbearably stagnant. I don''t know what to do to get beyond this door, and neither do I know what I should be doing once I make it outside. Right now, it''s as if I''ve returned to those days...


    While at lost on what to do, on whether to just pace around the room till I wore myself down or to just lay back down onto the bed I''ve just worked so hard to get off of, I hear a ruckus from outside. Accompanied by the clanking of armors and jingles of chainmail, hurried footsteps arrive before the door to my room. With ease, the door I''ve struggled so much to open was torn open, just like that. However, what came for me isn''t salvation, instead, it''s more in line with something Aurelius would call ''a whole lot of trouble''.


    Rushing into my room are soldiers, soldiers with helmets with a pair of protrusions on top, extra spaces made for the animalistic ears of the ones wearing them. Wearing helmets like these, it isn''t hard to realize that they''re in fact Beastkin soldiers. These soldiers, for some reason, have surrounded me, and with swords drawn and pointed my way, they told me not to move.


    "Lady Toto! Under the orders of Lord Remus, you are now under arrest!"


    With the mana drain still affecting my body, it''ll be painful to cast spells, I''ve learned that firsthand. At times like these, I wished I picked a more physical class.


    Unable to resist, I was dragged out of my room by the soldiers. Finally, for the first time in days, I took a step outside.


    ***


    End of Chapter 75

 Vol. 5, Chapter 76: A Fools Resistance

    "Why now? Why this timing?"


    I speak my thoughts out loud in a blind hope that someone, anyone, would answer my confusion. However, no answer came, not even the voiceless whisper of the [Demonic Tree] that I am bound to can give me an answer.


    It had been a full day since Cecilia and the rest had set off, and during that time, I''ve been wandering the forest. Of course, my body is still bound to the tree, but having seen what all I could from Zero''s memories, I had been unable to dream for these past three days. And so, unable to dream, yet unable to wake, I wander the forest as a phantom.


    Having the time limit of roughly an hour to remain awake, I hesitate to have the tree force the connection between me and my body. I need all the time I can get for what is to come. Well, I''m sure it''ll be fine. The Beastkins will take care of the situation here. In fact, I''m sure some of them are on their way right this instance. I''ll leave this to them.


    I return to the vicinity of the tree, there, my body, my avatar, Aurelius, sleeps. Beside him, sitting on a protruding root and staring emptily towards the sky, is a girl with a pair of spiraling horns, the Purifier. As always, her eyes are glazed and unfocused, as if starring into a dream. It has been said that she has no will of her own, merely a tool in humanoid form. That''s what they say, anyways. Yet, there are times when she exhibits something akin to whims, wandering here and there seemingly without rhyme or reason. Then, there are the times when she would speak. ''End the cycles,'' she said to me on two occasions. Where those her own words, or a message from someone else?


    Leaving my thoughts in the back of my head, I turn towards the hurried gait approaching the throne room. More likely than not, it''s a Beastkin messenger coming to report what was found near the entrance.


    Since my body remains asleep, a fairy instead took the report in my stead. Upon being asked what to do, the silent voices of the World Devourer ask me the very same.


    "Just have them take her to one of the empty rooms."


    Still, I wonder what happened. What could possibly possess her to come all the way here? She shouldn''t know the truth of the [Corruption], so why come here of all places? What in the world is she thinking, this princess? And what happened to Merida? Why isn''t she with her?


    Something must have happened, something terrible most likely. If she weren''t found unconscious by the gates, I would like to question her myself. Then again, due to the [Corruption], I doubt she is going to understand me. It''s going to take some time before the World Devourer''s [Corruption] to overwrite that of the Holy Beast''s.


    Right now, I best focus on the task at hand. I''m taking a rather substantial gamble here, so I''m hoping that it all works out. If not, well, I suppose that I''m screwed.


    ***


    Without warning, another guest appears before me. She came from above, from the sky, and with her giant white wings outstretched, she descended right in front of me accompanied by a whirlwind.


    This is the first time we''ve met directly, but just from her powerful entrance and her dignified demeanor, I think I''d know who she is.


    "You must be the Grand Keeper."


    The blue eyes that were zoned in on the Purifier promptly turn towards me, scrutinizing every tiny detail that can be seen. I''m not entirely certain, but is she using the [Insight] skill on me?


    "You are one of the Champions, the one who landed in the Beastkins'' territory."


    "The name''s Aurelius."


    "I have no care for what you call yourself. I am here only for one thing, the thing that had been stolen by the Keeper of the Beastkins and has been entrusted to you."


    ''The Purifier."


    "Indeed."


    Around the throne room, from the ground floor and the partially collapsed floors above, the elves are gathering, and amongst the leaves of the [Demonic Tree], fairies can be seen in flocks.


    With these numbers, do I stand a chance? This is Seven we''re talking about after all. The one who is capable of holding back an army and forced them to find another way around her. Then again, that was in the other world. In Elgardia, things are different, everything works differently here, so maybe that applies to psionics as well.


    "Rest assured that I have no intention of using it against you. I plan to purify the remainders of the Keepers. I know it''s not convincing after having killed the Keeper of the Faefolks, but believe me when I say that I had no idea what was going on back then. I was tricked, you could even say. However, having met with Oro and Corona, I now understand the situation and am fully willing to cooperate so long as you promise to get us all home."


    "I will say this only once. Hand over the Purifier. Do not make me take ''it''."


    As if what I just said had fallen upon some very deaf ears, the Grand Keeper, Seven, makes no attempt to respond or even comment on what was said. In fact, the look she is giving me seems to be akin to the look one would give to a fly buzzing about. Does she have no intention of hearing me out? Is diplomacy out of the window already?


    "Maybe there''s a misunderstanding here, but as I was saying before, I am perfectly willing to cooperate provided that-"This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "Am I to repeat myself, Aurelius?"


    Well crap, this is it then isn''t it? I either hand over the Purifier or I do not. Should I just do it? I told the Bestial Champion that I''d show results, but not this kind of results. No, perhaps not yet. She trusted me enough, or at least, trusted in my plan enough to leave the Purifier here, in the care of one lone Champion on magical life-support, and this plan came to conception thanks to the information she provided me. In other words, if this fails, she''s at fault too.


    "Please wait! Your Highness, you can''t go in there!"


    With miraculous timing, a nostalgic figure barges into the ruined throne room. Even though it shouldn''t have been all that long ago, her flowing gold hair, her bright brown eyes, her fluffy ears, they feel like a sight I haven''t seen for a lifetime. From the info Oro and Corona told me, the princess is apparently the one who hijacked the summoning ritual, messing it all up in the first place. I am going to feel bad for it, but I am going to thoroughly grill the princess for information regarding that later.


    "The Beastkin''s princess, is it? Well, as much as I would like to deal with her, I have more important business today."


    The Grand Keeper barely turned around to look at the princess as she enters with guards chasing behind her. Instead, her focus lies mostly on me as she awaits my decision, the decision to comply or to rebel.


    Looks like this is as far as I get. I can somewhat tell that her patience is at its limit. She won''t wait any longer to take action on her own and brand me an enemy. I can''t have that. I need her power to send the others back. If she brands me and all those siding with me as enemy, then it''s all over. In that case, she can have the Purifier. I can always get ''it'' back later. With this failure, I probably won''t have the Bestial Champion''s support either. Most likely, she''ll try to keep the rest from returning to our world as per Nine''s orders. With the loss of the Purifier, she''ll want as many Champions fighting on her side. As for how she plans to get them to align themselves with her, I''m sure Nine has a trick or two up his sleeves for that. Well, not that it matters. I''ll fight them, the Grand Keeper, the Bestial Champion, anyone who gets in the way of the others getting home, everything else can come after they''ve been returned.


    "Of course, take ''it'', if that''s what you wish. I am not your enemy."


    Coldly, the Grand Keeper nods. To me, it doesn''t feel like she trusts me at all, but that''s fine. So long as I don''t antagonize her, I doubt she''ll refuse to send the others home. This plan though is a failure. It may be hopeless but I best think of something to salvage this on the Bestial Champion''s end. Perhaps I can still work something out.


    Feeling rather disheartened, I turn towards the princess who had barged in. It''s been a while since I''ve seen her and perhaps, just a little, I want to be comforted. Of course, that''s not possible. Thanks to the [Corruption], she probably can''t even understand me nor will she hold anything but enmity for me.


    I regret it the instant I gaze into the princess'' eyes. They were cold, sharp, and full of hostility. I knew that, I knew, but I suppose I wasn''t prepared enough for it. However, something isn''t quite right. With my [Insight], I realize that the angle of her gaze isn''t quite directed towards me. No, she''s glaring at the Grand Keeper instead.


    The Grand Keeper, as if sensing something off, stopped in her tracks just as her hand was about to grab the Purifier.


    "Impossible..."


    Whispering with a trembling tone, the Grand Keeper, for the first time since appearing before me, is showing an emotion aside from that of stoicism. Instead, her face now shows shock and utter disbelief.


    A light came from the princess, a light that burst forth above her open palm. From the light, a book emerged, no, not just a mere book. This is, don''t tell me...


    "That [Relic], where did you get it?"


    But the princess does not reply. Instead, from the book floating above her palm, she produces a flat rectangular object, and object far too familiar to me. It is a [contract], however, unlike the ones I''m used to, this one feels rather sinister for some reason.


    "[Duplicate]."


    With the command from the princess, the [contract] splits into two, then four, then eight. And as I wonder what is going to happen next, she gives her next command.


    "[Overwrite]."


    In that instant, the [contacts] take flight towards the guards around the princess, melding into them. At first, nothing seems to be happening to the guards other than abject confusion, however, within less than a moment, their bodies begin spazzing out, and I do not mean that they''re convulsing, no. Instead, it is more akin to the noises and static on a broken television, and rather than being on a screen, it is happening to a person''s body.


    "As if I''d let you!"


    The Grand Keeper rushes forward, her aim being the princess. For just a moment, I thought about stopping her, but I''m still too shocked to react. Too many unexpected things had happened so suddenly that I''m not sure if doing anything is the right move.


    "And so, come forth. Diablos!"


    In the end, the Grand Keeper did not make it in time. Before she is able to reach the princess, dark figures got in her way. These dark figures, their skin are like obsidian and their bodies malformed in all sorts of ways with some being extremely lean and slender while others disproportionally bulky. Some have wings and long claws, some have massive jaws, and some others have more eyes than I am comfortable with counting. More importantly though, most importantly, these... They are the same ones, aren''t they, the same [Demons] I encountered, the first ones I encountered upon being summoned.


    Despite her way being blocked, the Grand Keeper did no alter her course. With her wings carrying her forward, a blade of light is formed in her right palm. I do not know of this skill, at the very least, it''s not a player skill in Elysium Online.


    "Nine!"


    With a shout, she cuts apart two of the [Demons] in her path.


    However, the princess... That is the princess, right? Her expression does not change. In fact, there had been no emotion on it at all since she entered the room.


    "Too feeble... It seems that even with [Overwrite], weak vessels have their limits. Then..."


    As the Grand Keeper cuts down yet another two of the [Demons], the princess draws out another contract.


    "Come forth, Aras."


    The moment the name was spoken the princess'' hair turns white, a side effect of mana drain. It should be something exceedingly uncomfortable to experience, to say the least, but she just stands there, apparently feeling nothing at all.


    In the sky, clouds split, revealing a collection of stars in the skies above despite it being day time. From the stars, a massive winged creature descends. Should it spread open its wide wings, it would easily rival the length of a bus. I know that even though it''s still high up in the sky, not because I''ve scanned it with my [Insight], but because I''ve read the measurements on the official website of Elysium Online. I didn''t just happen to read such a trivia either. I searched it up. At that time, I had wanted more info on the creature whose [contract] I have just obtained. One of the Celestial Beast, the [Celestial Eagle]. I remember what I named mine. It was Aras. It was called Aras too. So why, why does the princess have that [contract]? Why is she able to use it? And those [Demons], why are they here? No wait, I saw them, how they came to be. The princess called them, she turned the Beastkins, her own subjects into them.


    Back then, back at that village... And even before then, my lost [contracts], the ones lost during the summoning, was that you? Were those your doing all along?


    ***


    End of Chapter 76

 Vol. 5, Chapter 77: Enemy of an Enemy

    The ones I saw back then, the [Demons] I encountered soon after I was summoned, at the time, I couldn''t differentiate them, I couldn''t have known. I remembered that they had hard skin so I had come to assume that they were Dragonbroods, but, looking at them here, having fought the Dragonbroods a few times and having seen them up close, I can say for certain that these are no Dragonbroods.


    It felt so long ago, so much so that I hardly remember them. There was so much that had to be done, so much fighting. My mind was more occupied on surviving and winning that I never quite looked back. If I did, then I''d probably realize that something was wrong sooner.


    Before I proposed my plan to the Bestial Champion, I asked her three questions. They were simple questions. If it''s information she doesn''t trust me with then she could just respond with a ''maybe'' or ''perhaps'' as she usually does.


    My first question was, ''Will the Grand Keeper, Seven, come for the Purifier?''


    The answer was, ''Yes, but only if the place is defenseless enough.''


    For the second question, I asked, ''Will Nine show up if the Purifier is about to fall into Seven''s hands?''


    The answer was a simple ''most likely''.


    Lastly, I asked, ''Will Nine be able to hold his own against Seven?''


    The answer was, ''He could, with your help.''


    Those were the foundations of this plan, the plan to lure them both here and force a truce between Nine and Seven. One Seven''s side, she couldn''t do anything about the Keepers without the Purifier. My plan was to exchange the promise of purifying the Keepers with the guarantee that the others will be sent back once it is done. However, that plan would only work if Nine is present to prevent Seven from obtaining the Purifier by force. It is a negotiation I can only make with the sole tool of purification, the aptly named Purifier, in my possession. On Nine''s side, I plan to have him help with the purification of the Keepers and let the others go without fuss in exchange for my cooperation. However, that won''t work if it''s just me alone. I need to be in possession of the Purifier, one of the keys needed for obtaining full administration rights, to make this worthwhile for him. Once this is over and with the others sent back, Nine should have a great advantage over Seven for the time being.


    Was I too naive for thinking that such a simple plan would work? Maybe, but I am afraid this isn''t where I can play it safe. I need to, have to, get as best a deal I can get while I still have cards to play. No more vague promises. I need guarantees that the others can get home before doing anything else, I need to be able to make it happen by force if I have to. My objectives may have increased, but my priorities haven''t changed.


    Well, so far, things are according to plan. While it seemed like I might just have to give away the Purifier for a bit there, things worked out. I should feel good about it, right? Yet, I don''t feel anything resembling good. I can''t help but think back to it, to the beginning, when everything started. Was it all a trick? No... There''s no point deluding myself by asking such a question. They were, it was all a big trick right from the start orchestrated by the princess herself.


    Aras, the [Celestial Eagle] comes with the [Whirlwind] skill, an area-of-effect knockback skill that does a small amount of damage. Due to this skill and its excellent mobility as a flying creature, it is a perfect choice for Summoners looking for crowd control options. With its abilities, Aras was able to avoid Seven''s attacks while keeping her at a distance.


    Again and again, swords of light appear around Seven, flying towards Aras in an attempt to bring it down. Each time, Aras nimbly avoids them, weaving in between the barrages by skillfully manipulating the angles of its wings. It was the sort of fine manipulation one can only see in beasts.


    Should Seven give up on Aras and go after the ''princess'' and her supposed [Demons], the creatures she had called Diablos, Aras would sweep in, attacking with either its talons or unleashing [Whirlwind] to force Seven back. Yet, if she focuses on Aras, the Diablos would surround and close in on Seven, swiping at her with their deadly claws and massive limbs.


    I watch them closely and try to judge my timing. I did not have them gathered here so that they could destroy one another. I need them both. When the distance between them seems about right, I call upon the fairies, and with around ten of them in complete sync with one another, unleashes the spell, [Aero Blast].


    A great blade of wind cleaves between Seven and the ''princess'', splitting the dirt before exploding into a great burst of air that pushes the two even further from one another and scattered the Diablos.


    Even with the Diablos scattered, the ''princess'' apparently saw her chance to deal with Seven while she has been unbalanced by the blast of wind and tries to call in Aras to deal a deathly blow.


    The [Celestial Eagle] dives in, her talons aiming for Seven''s head and neck, acting on its murderous instincts of a predator to rip off the Grand Keeper''s head. Of course, I can''t have that, and just as the eagle is about to reach Seven, it suddenly freezes in place. Around it, a magical circle had appeared. It''s the [Bind Circle]. Being bound to the [Demonic Tree] has its disadvantages, a bit too many I might add, but one of the upsides is that the range of all my skills has been extended to encompass the entire forest. I have become part of it, and it a part of me.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Seeing that Aras is frozen, Seven wields her blade of light and tries to strike it down right there, but an arrow from above smashed into the ethereal blade with miraculous accuracy, shattering it like glass as the brilliant pieces scatter into the surroundings before fading away.


    "Grand Keeper! And... ''princess''. If I may have a word!"


    Quickly coming to the realization that I am the one who is interfering with their little duel, the two finally turn their eyes off one another and towards me. I now have their attention, for better or for worse.


    "I see that you both are having a hard time getting along, but do hear me out on this proposal."


    Cold sweat drenches my body. I''m not sure how long I can keep my wits about with these two glaring at me with such intensity. Just them stopping what they''re doing to give me the time of the day is enough to upset my stomach. This is so stressful it makes me want to just toss everything aside and run away. Unfortunately, my legs don''t work, so I am forced to tough this out.


    "Grand Keeper, as I was trying to say before, I want my friends to be able to go back home."


    For a bit there, I wanted to address her as Seven, but I wouldn''t want the implications of what knowing that name may have. She''d probably find it more suspicious than anything else, for someone like me to know that name out of nowhere. She might think that I am somehow trying to trick her by acting as if I am familiar with her.


    "I can certainly do that, yes, but you caused me quite a bit of trouble, with your actions before and the interference just now. I don''t see why I should entertain your wishes."


    Big words for someone who had planned to drag us into this world to solve its problems in the first place. But, I''m sure she doesn''t care. For her, what is important is the maintaining of this world, anything else comes second, including caring about what''s right and wrong I suppose.


    "There are only two Keepers left in this world, and apparently they do not plan to get along with one another. From the recent development of events, I''d say you have no control over the Keeper of Mankind, isn''t that right? No, I am guessing that the only one aligned with you was the Dragonbroods'' Keeper, everyone else was just off doing their own things. I''ve always been curious. Even though you''re the Grand Keeper, it makes little sense that only one is willing to follow you."


    "Being the earliest of the races to show signs of being [Corrupted], the [Corruption] of Mankind and Faefolks are too deep for the Grand Keeper to maintain cooperation with them. As for the Holy Beast, I convinced her to help me a while back, thus leaving our Grand Keeper here with only one Keeper on her side."


    As the ''princess'' explains, Seven glares at her with utter contempt. Meanwhile, the ''princess'' maintains her unnaturally calm demeanor and practically ignoring the Grand Keeper, an action which only seems to increase the intensity of the Seven''s glare. I can only hope they don''t start fighting in the middle of my proposal. I don''t think I''ll be able to stop them a second time, not with them aware that I too am an opponent.


    "In exchange for hearing out my request, I will help you purify the remaining Keepers."


    This time, it''s the ''princess'' that is glaring, and she''s glaring at me. Never had she glared at me like that before and honestly, it doesn''t feel very good.


    "Both the ''princess'' and I will, that is."


    With that last part added, both the Grand Keeper and the ''princess'' have their eyes widen, shocked at what ridiculous thing I''ve just said. On one hand, there''s a sense of elation in seeing their disbelief, as if I had just pulled off a big prank. On the other hand, their shock reflects the ridiculousness of my proposal right back at me, making even me, the one who came up with this, feel like I''m just spouting nonsense. Heck, maybe I am.


    Come on, no time to get cold feet. There''s no way I''ll be able to get these two in the same place like this ever again considering that they just tried to kill one another after so much as trading glances. Right now, they''re here, in this forest, in my turf. With Seven coming here due to thinking at that I have no way of going against her and the ''princess'' rushing over to prevent Seven from taking the Purifier, neither of them had done any preparations, allowing me this advantage over them, the advantage of turning the tides to the favor of whoever I choose in this very moment. I can''t let this opportunity slip past me without doing anything.


    "Aurelius, why do you think I''ll just do as you say?"


    The ''princess'' speaks with a cold tone. It''s not the first time I''ve heard it, but today it''s especially cold.


    "If you help me purify the remaining Keeper in this cycle, I''ll stay behind and help you fight in the next cycle. That should give you a significant advantage over the Grand Keeper, no?"


    "But you asked her to return your friends back home first right? Do you know what that entails?"


    "Of course, you''ll be handing over the method you used to hijack the Grand Keeper''s summoning to make that possible."


    "That''s right, and if I do that, she''ll be able to summon more Champions without fear for my interference, and this time, she''ll be able to do them properly and summon them all on her side."


    "I''m sure you''ll find another way to disrupt the summoning."


    Perhaps I said that too flippantly, because it seems like the ''princess'' took great offense from that, giving me a look that implies that say something along the lines of, ''If you think it''s that easy, then you do it.'' However, suddenly, her expression shifts, as if suddenly realizing something. Now, she grins broadly and confidently.


    "Well, I suppose I might come up with something. Very well then, I''ll let the Grand Keeper know what I did when it is time to send your friends home."


    The ''princess'' wouldn''t be able to see it due to being by Seven''s side, but Seven was glancing at her and in her eyes, I witness what seems to be slight panic. Most likely, due to how easily the ''princess'' is willing to give the information up, Seven came under the impression that the ''princess'' will easily be able to find another way to disrupt the summoning.


    "So, you''ll help, ''princess''?"


    "I''d say ''anything for my Champion'', but I''m sure you know by now that would be a lie. That being said, in exchange for our future partnership, I will gladly lend my aid."


    "So, there you have it, Grand Keeper, the ''princess'' agrees to help purify the Keepers, what say you?"


    At this point, she shouldn''t be able to refuse. Her greatest obstacle so far, the ''princess'' has agreed to help her, and with the remnants of Mankind invading the Dragonbroods with a full party of Champions in tow, she should be rather anxious about the survival of the sole race remaining within her control. If things are allowed to progress as they are, soon, the world will end. However, if she takes our aid, she''ll be able to prevent that for a little longer, perhaps long enough for the tide to turn in her favor somehow. If she refuses, then there won''t even a tide left to turn.


    Seven glares with scrutiny at the ''princess'' beside her before turning her glace towards me. Her brows furrow as she stares seemingly into my soul, and just as it feels like this is going to take forever, her lips move and she speaks with a harsh tone.


    "Very well then, let us have this truce."


    ***


    End of Chapter 77

 Vol. 5, Chapter 78: Measures of Deception

    In the end, after some debating, it was decided that the Purifier will be left to us. As Seven, the Grand Keeper, has the duty to keeping further influence from the egos of the Type-Zeros at bay, there will be times when she is going to be unavailable and, by extension, so will the Purifier. To make the Purifier easier to deploy, we will be the ones handling ''it'', and by we, I mean the ''princess'' and I. With that agreed upon, Seven left in a hurry to check back with the Dragonbroods. She had not expected things to take so long.


    "So, was it true when you said that you''ll find another way to disrupt the summoning ritual?"


    "It was a lie, of course, a bluff. So long as there is a possibility that I might scatter her Champions all over the place a make a big mess of things like our current situation, the Grand Keeper would be hesitant to summon more, or at the very least, keep to just summoning a few. That''s what you''re hoping from me right, to scare her from summoning more."


    "More or less, yes, I''m surprised you caught on."


    "Well, I have been watching you."


    "Yes, that you have..."


    I don''t like it, the fact that Nine is using the princess'' face and voice to talk to me. Then again, perhaps he was the princess from the start. Perhaps the princess I knew never existed in the first place.


    "I''m also surprised that you agreed to my terms so easily. Aren''t things going well for you up till this point?"


    "Everything is going according to plan, or at least, that''s what I''d like to say. However, the truth is, I panicked when I heard that the remnants of Mankind are attacking the Dragonbroods. That was unexpected and more importantly, if anyone other than you or I or anyone within our ''party'', as you would put it, were to slay a Keeper, then their [contracts] won''t appear and they''ll be lost to us till the next one is born."


    "So wait, it doesn''t just drop?"


    "No, it only appears when the one with the Power of Covenants or those within our ''parties'' defeat them."


    In other words, the item doesn''t drop unless the party comes with a Summoner.


    "I guess you and Seven are both in a pinch then, huh. Like bother like sister I suppose."


    The ''princess'' looks towards me with surprise. This is the second time within the hour.


    "How did you know?"


    "Zero told me."


    "Zero? Why do you..."


    The ''princess'' looks up at the tree and then back down at me. Gradually, the shock in her eyes shifts into realization.


    "I see, you''ve gained access to the memories somehow, with just the rights of one Keeper no less. Must be a glitch of some sort. Wait... could you be, Mr. Phantom?"


    "That was me, yes. And while we''re on about who''s who, what about you? Back then, soon after I arrived in this world, in that village... Was it you, were you the one who summoned those [Demons], no, the Diablos?"


    "It wasn''t me, is what I would like to say, but yes, it was. You have the same power as I have, which is a given since your current body is molded from mine, so I have to make sure that you''ll be, well, loyal. Still, I didn''t expect it to work so well. I mean, you''ve gotten completely attached to the princess after that didn''t you?"


    I click my tongue, making it loud enough so that everyone in my vicinity can hear. If there''s one thing I remember from back then, it was the carnage, the town on fire and the smell of burning flesh. For it to be addressed so flippantly in front of me, it pisses me off.


    Seeing that I''m getting rather agitated, the ''princess'' takes on a more somber expression as she continues to address the event.


    "Well, if it''s any comfort, the princess has no idea I have done that."


    "She doesn''t?"


    "She''s not conscious when I take over her body. Even now, she''s fast asleep. She may have vague memories afterwards, but it''ll be like a dream."


    Is that true? Are the princess and Nine separate entities? I hesitate to believe that. For all I know, the princess I''ve known could have been Nine all along. I would like to believe that it is true, what Nine had said, but precisely because that is what I want to believe, I shouldn''t. It''ll be all too easy for a person to believe in something he or she wants to after all, even when that something is ultimately not the truth.


    "How did you get that form anyways? I thought you were sealed."


    I change the subject. If I talk about whether the princess is real or not, I''ll just keep going in circles, hesitant or whether to believe or not and never coming to a conclusion. There''s just no proof supporting either cases and I doubt I''ll be able to get any.


    "It''s a long story."


    "I still have some time and I have nothing better to do."


    The ''princess'' shrugs.


    "Suit yourself."


    ***


    According to Nine, the threat of [Corruption] and the decline of the Beastkin population had the princess seeking out alternative solutions to the problems of her people, solutions that do not involve the Keepers of which the affairs of Elgardia so heavily revolves around. To do so, she had to go beyond the confines of this world''s system.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Having studied ancient records, she knew that there had to be other worlds, words outside of this one, and to find the keys to the other words, she sought out ruins, ruins that had been said to be here since the very beginning. There, the princess thought, might be where the secrets of the other words can be found.


    She gathered her men, soldiers, knights, mages, and the most brilliant of scholars to delve into these ruins, some of which had been forbidden to enter. The princess did not care, they might have the answer to her people''s plight after all. This made her unpopular amongst the ruling class, and as her expeditions get more and more taxing on their resources, the annoyance of the noblemen grew.


    Then, one day, she came upon ruin deeper than any other, one that seemed to stretch downwards forever with its near countless floors. Many were lost to the creatures who stood in their way, but the princess kept going. She felt that the deeper she went, the closer she was getting to the truth. Before she knew it, rather than descending, she was heading upwards. At first, she thought that she might have been turned around, but the paths were different from the path she had taken to get there, and before she could consider turning back down, she saw a light, a dim light, like that of the moon''s, coming through a doorway up ahead.


    Without hesitation, she moved towards the door, walking through it, and there she found a night sky. She had wound up outside. She and her remaining men made camp, and when day came, they quickly realized that this was not where they had started. Their surroundings were completely different. It was as if the ruins had led them to another world. In truth though, it was still Elgardia, they had simply exited from the other side, the underside of Elgardia.


    They explored the place and soon found what appeared to be a temple. Hoping that it would lead them to the answers they so desperately sought after, the princess led her men up the stairs of the old structure.


    At the very top, there was a seal, and though the seal was powerful, the years had worn it down and so a voice of what was inside slipped through. The voice beaconed the princess over, whispering sweet promises, promises of salvation and a newer, better world.


    The princess, having come so long a way and lost so many people, could not afford to return empty-handed, and so, pressured by the need to succeed and tempted by the promise of salvation, the princess made a covenant with the being within the seal. Ever since then, she was bound to it, the one within the seal, the one known as the Betrayer, the former Psionic solder and then fallen Champion, the one called Nine.


    ***


    "I was the one who taught her how to hijack the summoning ritual and gain a Champion of our own, the one who was to be summoned into a body with mine as a base. As a bonus, it caused the other Champions to scatter all over as well, adding to the chaos."


    I should be mad, I really should. He was the one who screwed us over after all. However, I believe I had passed that point a while ago, or rather, I was always angry over it, I simply recognized that there was no point in getting upset. Now that I am so close to getting the others home, there''s no point throwing a tantrum. It''ll be over soon, once I see this through, it''ll all be done. I can only keep telling myself that.


    "So you have the princess'' body and I see that you kept your powers... What was it, the Power of Covenants? What do you need this body for then?"


    I''ll work with him, that is what we agreed upon, but there''s no guarantee that he won''t try to take this body. He''s probably trying to get his allies back together with the bodies of the Champions that we now use as our avatars. Of course, I have no intention of letting him take this body. If my soul has no body to anchor to, according to Oro, it''ll just try to get back to its original body and due to how we''re summoned, it might get lost in the process. That''d be bad.


    "This body, the princess, she has her limits you see."


    The ''princess'' brushes her hair to emphasis it, the golden hair that had turned white due to mana drain. It takes quite a lot to summon one of the Celestial Beasts after all, so I can''t say I''m surprised that someone that''s not a Champion would immediately be drained of their mana when they try to summon the likes of Aras or Fredericka.


    "And how do you plan to take this body. I understand that even if it used to be yours, you can''t just take it, can you? If you could, you would have done so a while ago."


    "My, my, you really are digging for all my secrets, aren''t you?"


    "We''re going to be working together after all. We should get to know each other better?"


    "If you say so, not that you''ll be able to do anything about it. Only the one who placed the ''link'' on you can remove it, after all, and she''s gone now."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "The [Soul Bond], remember that?"


    [Soul Bond]... That''s the passive buff both the princess and I received during the marriage ceremony wasn''t it? Wait, ''soul bond''... That means-


    "So that''s how it was... I thought that proposal came out of nowhere!"


    And it was the Holy Beast who gave us that blessing too, meaning there''s really no way to remove it... Or is there? Maybe the Grand Keeper could do something about it. I''ll check with her on a later date. She probably wouldn''t want Nine getting his body back either.


    "If it makes you feel better, I was the one who suggested to Merida that it would be a good idea while in the princess'' body. And being the loyal subject she was, she went and got you to agree. By the time she brought back the good news, the princess, who had no idea, was positively ecstatic. She was confused, yes, but ecstatic nonetheless."


    "Uh-huh... Sure she was."


    "You sound unconvinced. The princess will be sad if she hears that, you know."


    "If what you said was true, IF it was true, then she wouldn''t remember this conversation, would she? In that case, there''s no problem."


    "You''re cold, you know that, Mr. Phantom."


    "Not as much as you''re a scum, Nine."


    The ''princess'' shrugs and shakes her head.


    "I see that your fatigue is affecting your temper, so I''ll leave it here for today. I''ll be tucking the princess back to her bed."


    "Wait! What are you planning to do about the Diablos? You''re not just going to leave them here, are you?"


    I speak of the Diablos that had been standing as still as gargoyles around the ''princess'' during our conversation. Without command, it seems like they won''t even move.


    "Don''t worry, I have no plans to just leave them like this."


    The ''princess'' pulls out the book she had materialized, a grimoire with a cover made of gold decorated with a red gem embedded in the middle of the front cover.


    "[Rollback]."


    With that command, the Diablos returned to being Beastkins and the [contract] fused with them separate from their bodies and return to the grimoire. However, though they''re transformed back, the ones who had been cut down by Seven remain cut down while those still alive are unconscious.


    "I''ll leave the cleaning up and explaining to you, Aurelius."


    With that, the ''princess'' left. It''s as if ''she'' doesn''t even care about the fallen Beastkins. I know it''s Nine in there, but ''she'' sounds and looks just like the ''princess''. When I''m talking to ''her'' my distaste for Nine and my affection for the princess mixes together, giving birth to a feeling of disgust. Disgust towards what? I don''t know. Maybe towards Nine, who appears to care for nothing in his fight to reach Zero. Or maybe it is towards myself, who couldn''t put aside my attachment towards the princess in spite of the possibility that it may all been a trick to get me to become Nine''s unwitting pawn. Well whatever, what I need to do hasn''t changed. I''ll let Nine use me to his heart''s content. In exchange, I''ll just use him as much if not even more.


    ***


    End of Chapter 78

 Vol. 5, Chapter 79: Breakout

    "What do you mean you forgot to tell me Toto was imprisoned!?"


    "Between the whole Grand Keeper business, your little proposal, and your stern interrogation afterwards, safe to say that the less important things had slipped my mind."


    Nine, you scum. If I didn''t need you as a deterrent against Seven, I''d have Timothy rip you apart on the spot the moment you came to me with your filthy mug. Not that the princess is particularly filthy. Wait, no, now''s not the time for this.


    "Whatever, just give me the details."


    ***


    How many days has it been? Lying on this cold floor, eating a measly meal a day, and hardly getting any sunlight at all had made this body of mine weaker than it had been.


    "Hey, what''s wrong with you!?"


    I hear a voice coming from behind me. It''s probably the guard stationed here. From the tone of his voice, I''d say that he''s rather worried, not so much for me but more for his job, I suppose. If I were to die under his watch, I''m sure he won''t be getting off scot-free either.


    "H-hold on, I''ll get a healer."


    Panicking, the guard apparently ran off. It''s about time. I''ve been coughing nonstop all morning. What if I died? It''s terrible having to cough without rest. My throat hurts and it''s hard to breathe. Locking me in here while I''m still suffering from the after-effects of mana drain and mana burn... What were they thinking?


    "Come, this way."


    I hear footsteps and voices echoing down the hall. It would seem that the guard is back.


    "Take a look at her, will you? She''s been doing that nonstop since the morning."


    With the dangling of keys followed by a click from the metal door, the jail cell has been unlocked. With a high pitch creaking, the metal door swings open and I hear a set of footsteps coming closer.


    "She is... She''s dead."


    "What!?"


    The guard comes rushing into the cell. By the clanking of his armor, I am guessing that he is kneeling over me.


    "What the-"


    The guard voices his confusion as I quickly grab onto his keys and tosses it over to the cell across mine.


    "T-the priso-"


    Before he gets to shout, I quickly lock down one of his legs while the healer that had come to check on me wrestles him to the ground, skillfully shoving a glass bottle into the guard''s mouth before whispering into his ears.


    "Careful, it''s filled with poison strong enough to melt through your bones."


    The instant he hears that, the guard turns pale as he attempts to keep his jaws still, fearful of crushing the bottle, even though glass bottles like this one shouldn''t be that easy to break. Of course, I''m not going to tell him that.


    From the other side of the hall, I hear another clicking sound followed by the creaking of the metallic door.


    "I''ll hold this one down, go find me a rope."


    The one emerging from the cell across mine is Merida. Like me, she too had been arrested. Apparently, she was caught while using herself as decoy so the princess could get away. And while with her skill [Shadow Step], she could easily move through solid objects, the jail cells are made specifically to nullify the use of magic and such abilities. With the prison enchanted with anti-magic from the bricks, the bars, and down to the prison rags we were made to wear, help needed to come from the outside.


    With Merida holding the guard down, the healer soon found the rope of which Merida uses to deftly tie the guard up. The speed of how she does it conjures up the image of a spider in my mind.


    "Good work, Sophia, I''m surprised you read our intentions and brought poison along."


    "Oh, but I had no idea, I simply had it with me. You know, just in case."


    "Oh, that right isn''t it? You''re an Assassin too."


    "Was, Merida, just like you."


    The healer with what sounds to be a complicated history is apparently named Sophia, a woman with dark hair that contrasts her fair skin as well as her white hood and robes. While the layered robes, her healer uniform, makes her seem bulky at first, it seems that she is actually somewhat petit.


    The guard''s face turns red after hearing that and tries to shout in vain, letting out only muffled screams with the ball of cloth in his mouth.


    "Either way, we''re free thanks to you."


    Surprising no one, while I can still speak, my voice is coarse and my throat is sore. I can''t believe I kept up that coughing the whole way through. Of course, I wouldn''t have to if that guard had a bit of sense and got me a healer as soon as something seems wrong. I mean, he should know that my body is weak. What is he going to do if I actually am dying?


    "That we are, thanks to your brilliant plan, Lady Toto."


    I''m sure Merida is just kissing up to me. I mean, I already heard from her that most of the healers here were trained and taught by the Holy Beast and that they are mostly loyal to the princess. In the end, it was only a matter of getting one of them to come here. In the end, the greatest contributor to the plan was the idiot guard who opened the door to a cell without calling for backup. Of course, I already had a sense that he was a sort of a dimwit.


    "We''re not in the clear yet. We still need to get out of here. Any ideas?"


    "I could get you a couple of healer''s robe if need be."


    "Better than walking around in prison rags I suppose. We''ll be counting on you, Sophia."


    It took only a while before Sophia, brought the robes over. Hopefully, no one suspects anything.


    After putting on our new disguises, we move out of the prison. The moment I step out of the unwatched gates, I could feel something returning to this body. Most likely, it is the return of the ability to use magic. As for the reason why the prison is unguarded, well, that is because there is a shortage of manpower right now. With the reappearance of the [World Devourer Woods] and the subsequent loss of the capital and the large number of soldiers stationed there, there simply are not enough soldiers to spare just to guard a simple jailhouse, especially now when they are apparently mounting a counteroffensive against the World Devourer that had taken their capital.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    While the situation is certainly grim, it opens up an opportunity for us. With their attention focused on the capital up north, we should be able to make our escape with ease if we head south. What happens after that? I don''t know and I don''t want to think about it. If I start thinking about that, I''ll be too scared to move forward just like before. One step at a time, just like what Aurelius said, I''ll go forward one step at a time.


    ***


    From what I''ve heard from Nine, it would appears that Remus, the brother of the current king, had decided to start a coup against the princess. For that purpose, one of his first orders is to imprison the princess as well as Toto, who is supposedly recognized as someone under her command. As for why now of all times, that much Nine does not know. Perhaps the death of the Holy Beast had driven him to desperation, not that there''s anything he could do about it at this point. The Beastkin will not survive this cycle. Not if things keep going the way it is. The only way they could possibly survive would be getting to Zero and somehow get her to completely revamp the system she had designed for this world. Of course, Remus wouldn''t have known that, he wouldn''t know the forces working behind the veil of this world. However, that does not mean that he''ll just sit by and do nothing as doom approaches. Perhaps this rebelion is part of what he plans to do about this situation, a futile effort it may be.


    "It''d be good if I have a Champion to spare, but all I have are common soldiers, most of them being Beastkins themselves. I doubt they''ll be all too keen on fighting their own."


    "I could always use the Diablos. They may not be a match against Seven, but against other Beastkins, it shouldn''t be too much a problem."


    "I''d rather you not. I''ve seen how those things work. It''ll be a massacre. If possible, I would like for as many Beastkins to survive as possible. That being said, if push comes to shove, we''re going to have to use them regardless of how I feel about it. Right now, I''m more concerned about the princess. How are you supposed to summon anything with her body in that condition?"


    The condition I refer to is, of course, the mana drain. Having summoned Aras, one of the Celestial Beasts, Nine had used up all of the mana in the princess'' body. Even if it''s Nine, I doubt he''ll be able to use any of her skills or spells with the princes in this condition.


    "There''s no trouble. With my skill [Overwrite], the creatures may manifest via a host body using the host''s mana. I don''t have to spend any mana for such summonings, though the downside is that the creature can only be that much stronger than its host."


    So it''s the same skill he used to summon the Diablos then. At first, I thought that it was the creature''s unique ability, but it appears to not be the case.


    "Even so, I rather not have a direct confrontation. If we lure them into the forest and keep them there long enough, we may be able to bring them under my control via the World Devourer''s [Corruption]."


    "We could, but what are we going to do about Toto and Merida? Not that I am too concerned, but they''re your highest priority, aren''t they?"


    "I already have a plan. We''ll just have to find their location and use Aras to get them out. With the Beastkin''s focused on the capital, there shouldn''t be too many of them loitering around the south. We should be able to circle around and go through there. Now it''s just the matter of selecting a scout to find out Toto and Merida''s location."


    The ''princess'' shrugs at my proposal, seemingly not caring too much about this.


    "Very well then, I''ll let you borrow Aras for a bit."


    "Borrow? You''re the one who took it from me!"


    The ''princess'' shoots me a puzzled look.


    "Took it from you? They''re mine in the first place, the creatures you have, every single one of them. I merely hid them in your world for you to find so that Seven couldn''t get her hands on them when she sealed me."


    Hid them? In Elysium Online? That sounds almost ridiculous, my creatures were based on the enemies in the game after all. Then again, said creature developed a sense of sentience and intelligence upon entering this world, so I can''t exactly say for certain that I know what they are for sure, at least not the ones that manifested in this world. And there''s the thing of how I, of all people, ended up with the creatures Nine had hidden in Elysium Online, assuming what he said was true.


    "I don''t believe you. I only know them to be mine and I want them back."


    For now, I''ll choose to doubt him. For one, I''m sure he has tricked me plenty of times before. For two, it also because I have a feeling that it''ll irritate him to no end.


    As expected, the ''princess'' clicks her tongue after hearing my statement.


    "I don''t care if you believe or not, I''m not just going to hand them over."


    "Well, neither will I hand over mine."


    "Suit yourself."


    "Good."


    "Fine."


    As much as it tempts me to try and get the last word in, I better control myself. I still have plenty of troubles to deal with and I already am short on time. This body''s inability to stay awake is starting to irk.


    ***


    So far so good. Even now as we travel south, there have been no pursuers in sight. I wonder if they even noticed that we''re gone. No, I shouldn''t let my guard down. Better to assume that they''ve found out and are now tracking us down.


    "Lady Toto, are you feeling alright? Do you need a rest?"


    "I''ll be fine. Let''s keep going."


    I can''t stop now, as much as I want to. We can''t give them a chance to catch up.


    "There should be a forest not too far ahead. We''ll go through there and try to lose our tracks. Before the forest, we should be able to come upon a spring. We can take a brief rest there."


    The healer, Sophia, as she was from around here, knows the area the best out of the three of us. It is probably thanks to her that we''re able to cover the distance we have. She knew all the best roads to take and which paths to avoid, allowing us a smooth journey up till now. However, there are some things even she was not aware of.


    "This... Don''t tell me..."


    "Sophia, is this the spring?"


    "It was, at least."


    When we arrived at where the spring Sophia told us about, all we found was a dried out ditch. Let alone a spring, there''s not a drop of water in sight. Most likely, it is due to the absence of the Holy Beast. It would seem that without the Keeper, everything within her domain will slowly die. It is strange, how everything is intrinsically linked to the Keepers. It''s almost as if the beings in this world aren''t allowed to live unless someone is watching over them.


    Without the Keeper, the water dries out. Without water, plants and animals won''t survive and even if they''re the kinds that can store up water within them and survive without water for an extended period of time, with the Keeper gone, they too will soon waste away.


    "We won''t last long. Even if we head south, we''re going to starve soon enough."


    "Lady Toto? Then, what do you suggest?"


    If not south, then where? I don''t know, is what I feel like saying. However, in my heart, I have already decided on an answer. I don''t like it and I don''t think Merida and Sophia will either. But, that''s where I feel like going.


    "We head north, towards the capital, towards the [World Devourer Woods]."


    They both stare at me, wide-eyed. Maybe they think I''m saying this out of desperation or maybe they think I''ve gone mad, but I think that''s our best bet, even if it''s a long shot.


    "That''s where the others are. Where Cecilia, Aurelius, and Six are. Once we meet up with them, I''m sure we''ll figure something out."


    Even if I can''t do a thing alone, if they''re with me, I''m sure we can all put our heads together and figure something out. No, I''ll bet that they already have an answer. For now, I just have to regroup with them. Even if they''re caught within the World Devourer, if what Aurelius said about the [Corruption] is true, then there''s no need to worry. They''ll recognize me. They won''t attack me. For now, to move forward, I have to believe that.


    "I''m sure they won''t lose to the [Corruption], I believe in them."


    Unable to properly explain it since I don''t fully understand it myself, this is all I can say to convince Merida and Sophia.


    In response, Merida nods.


    "That''s what the princess said too. I was actually planning to head north once I make sure you''re somewhere safe. It''ll be a gamble for sure, but, if you say so, Lady Toto, then I''ll gladly escort you."


    We then turn towards Sophia, expecting her answer.


    "I... I don''t know. But, if we don''t do something, our land, our home, as well as our people are going to die. If the Champions can do something about it, then I suppose we have no better options."


    Looks like we have a consensus then. Now that our destination is decided, the only problem is to get there, and that is a troublesome problem indeed.


    "I am sad to have to put a damper on this wonderful moment of yours, but I am afraid none of you are going anywhere."


    A voice calls out to us out of nowhere, surprising us all. We turn around, expecting pursuers, but all we are able to find is a single man, one with a head of grey hair and a pair of upright ears. His clothing is of vibrant colors and seems to be made from materials of the highest quality. This man is undoubtedly a noble and I think I''ve seen him somewhere before.


    "Lord Remus."


    With Merida addressing him, my memory is jogged. That right, this man is Remus, the princess'' uncle, and the king''s bother. The man who ordered our arrest. But why, why is he out here all alone without a single guard in sight? I don''t know. The answer isn''t coming to me. However, this much I know, him being here can''t mean anything good.


    ***


    End of Chapter 79

 Vol. 5, Chapter 80: Breaking Through

    "Lord Remus, even if you detain us, the princess won''t come. She has more sense than that."


    "You''re quite right, Merida, my niece isn''t dumb, but she IS foolish. All of this, our lands, our homes, all of which are now facing ruins, all these are because of her, because she wanted a Champion of her own."


    "That isn''t fair, Lord Remus, the princess only wanted the best for her people."


    "Enough! The moment she made her covenant with the Betrayer, she''s an enemy to this world. I should have stopped her when I had the chance, but now it''s too late. There''s only one thing to do now."


    A covenant with the Betrayer? That''s the first I''ve heard of it, but it certainly doesn''t sound good.


    "Merida, what is he talking about?"


    "It''s... I''m sorry, Lady Toto, but I believe it is better if you hear it from the princess herself."


    "Why is that, Merida? Is it because without my niece''s deceptive tongue, her villainy would be all too clear to those who hear of her deeds?"


    "Lord Remus, I beg of you, do not speak ill of the princess, not in front of the Champion, and not in front of me. Or else, I may not guarantee that you''ll be able to walk away safely."


    Merida speaks with calmness in her tone, and in spite of her words, she is in complete control over her emotions. I find that to be impressive.


    "Hmph! Rather than worry about me, how about you worry about yourself, Merida? Because you''re the one who won''t be walking away and neither will the Champion. If you come quietly, I''ll at least let the Champion live, she''s just a poor soul that had been dragged into this after all. However, if you insist on escaping, then I''ll have no choice but to eliminate every single one of you before you cause both me and this world any more trouble."


    "That''s not going to happen."


    Like that, Merida went and decided for me. Not that I mind. I wasn''t going to just head on back to the jail cell either. I have to get back, back to the others.


    "So be it then."


    With those grim words from Remus, Merida draws her dagger, and from her cold eyes, I can see that she''s more than ready to kill. In the next instant, Merida was already behind him. She had used one of her skills, [Assassination], the one that lets her teleport behind her target and strike at where they''re the most vulnerable. The only one I''ve seen is able to readily avoid this skill is Cecilia, and she had practiced it with Six over and over again till she got it down. That''s why I was confident, confident that this will be over within an instant. However, the bad feeling I had, the one that budded within me when I saw that Remus came to confront us alone, it wasn''t unwarranted.


    It happened in an instant. Before I knew it, Remus had turned around and shattered Merida''s blade with his bare fist. Upon realizing that her attack has failed, immediately, Merida draws away from him.


    "Not even a single scratch!?"


    Merida''s eyes widen in shock. She apparently can''t believe what had just happened. I guess this means that either Remus was never this strong or that he has been hiding his strength this whole time.


    "Do you understand now? It is futile to fight me. I''ve been granted this power by the ''Creator'' herself."


    The ''Creator''? Is he talking about some kind of god? Like the Keepers? Or perhaps, even above the Keepers? Either way, it doesn''t seem like Merida alone will be able to beat him. I''ll have to do something. Or at least, I should. But, what do I do? At times like this, either Cecilia or Aurelius would have a plan. I just have to follow them through. Right now, however, they''re not here, are they? Even so, even so, I have to do something. I can''t just sit still. I have to do something. Even if I can''t do much, I have to do something. That''s right, even if there''s no one here to help me or for me to rely upon, I have to do it. I must.


    I still remember it, that one time she lost her temper for my sake. She got so mad that she scared even me, though that''s not saying much I suppose. I guess she couldn''t help it. I was such a wimp back then, after all, even now, I''m still somewhat like. I was the type who would rather let someone walk all over me than to have to stand up for myself. So I suppose she must have thought that she had to do it. I''m supposed to be the older one here and yet I''m like that after all. She must have been so frustrated. It''s because I''m the way I am that she had to be tough.


    "Sophia, help me get some distance from Remus."


    Even though I was only whispering, I see Remus''s dog-like ears turning towards my direction. He''s heard me, I have no doubt about that.


    Quickly, I turn my eyes towards Merida, hoping to signal her with a strong look. Thankfully, I think she somewhat caught it and quickly draws out her second blade and promptly closes in on Remus.


    Without a sign of hurry, Remus casually takes half a step backward and gently leans away, causing Merida''s blade to barely swipe past his neck.


    Having missed her seemingly perfect swing, one of Merida''s brows twitches, either in irritation or surprise. Still, that does not slow her down as she shifts her weight and moves in for a second swing.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Again, Remus avoids it, this time with impossibly quick footwork that maneuvered him right out of the blade''s path. Seeing that she had missed once more, Merida immediately tries to pull against her momentum and get some distance from Remus. Unfortunately, Merida is a tad bit too slow as Remus'' right leg seemingly vanished, leaving a small burst of soil and dust in the ground where it once stood.


    Perhaps sensing her imminent death, Merida literally forced herself to bend over backwards as Remus'' leg sweeps over her like whirlwind, threatening to tear her in two if she had been caught directly.


    With Merida ending up in an odd posture beneath him, an amused smirk surfaces upon Remus'' face, and though he has no feline features, he certainly reminds me of a cat toying with its prey.


    Still in mid-swing, Remus'' leg quickly alters its trajectory, turning upwards with inhuman flexibility before tracing an arc on its way back down, slamming into the ground and raising up a cloud of dirt and even chunks of earth. Merida was pulverized, or at least, she could have been.  However, with her [Shadow Step], Merida was able to narrowly escape what would more than certainly be a deathblow as well as drawing some distance away from Remus.


    Having gotten out of Remus'' immediate reach, Merida takes a deep breath with her dagger at the ready, her mind trying to figure out a way to keep up with Remus. Yet, the lord gives her no such opportunity. In an instant, he was behind her. It''s the Assassin skill: [Assassination]. As for why the nobleman would have such a skill, I don''t have a clue and neither do I have the leisure to try and figure it out.


    With the back of his fist, Remus swings at Merida, who at the moment is unprepared to deal with this sudden attack. Knowing that she would have no time to dodge, Merida instead chooses to block with her arm.


    There was a cracking sound, the cracking of bones. The impact of Remus'' strike was strong enough to break Merida''s bones. She must have known, it was the same strike that shattered her dagger, after all, so she must have been prepared for the worst.


    As she was being struck, Merida kicked off the ground, using the force of the impact to allow herself to be blown towards us.


    "Sophia!"


    Before I even tell her to, the healer was already on the move and with her magic, she beings healing Merida.


    "Not so fast!"


    Of course, Remus has no intention of letting that happen. How quaint, because I''m thinking the same thing about him.


    "I say the same to you, sir."


    A semi-transparent wall blocks Remus'' way. It''s the Enchanter spell: [Mana Wall]. With my current condition, just the act of casting is painful. However, I''ve fought through worse pain before. I don''t think anything will be able to compare to what happens when you cast five [Meteors] at once. Even so, after going through the trouble of conjuring up the [Mana Wall], Remus breaks past it in an instant. Well, that''s fine, enough time has been brought.


    "Heads up, Remus."


    "Hm?"


    Once I mentioned it, Remus starts to take notice, that everything in our surroundings had been dyed red, that it''s starting to get rather toasty.


    "You didn''t!"


    "Oh, but I did."


    Looking up, what the lord beholds is a great big piece of burning space rock heading straight for him. Then, while he''s distracted.


    "[Bind Circle!]"


    "!!!"


    And that makes a double whammy surprise for our Lord Remus. With Remus fixed in place, Merida, who has now recovered thanks to Sophia, hauls me over her shoulder and begins running at full sprint.


    "I''m sorry. My [Shadow Step] is still-"


    "It''s fine. It''s not as if I''m counting on you to know every thought in my head. Just run!"


    Since I''m over Merida''s shoulder, I get a good view of what is happening behind us as we make our escape, and there, I behold the most infuriating yet amazing sight. Trapped where he stands, I thought Remus would by all rights be crushed by the [Meteor]. However, that man, he''s still intact, and not only that, the [Meteor] had not even touched the ground. It''s suspended in mid-air, or so it seemed at first. At a second glance though, I see that there''s a [Mana Wall] in between him and the Meteor, no, not just one, but a total of five. Five whole [Mana Walls]. I know that the princess can perform double casting, but quintuple casting!? Now that''s just getting ridiculous.


    The [Meteor] eventually cracked through one, then the other one, then the next one, however, by the fourth [Mana Wall], the [Meteor] had lost power and was completely stopped. With the mana supplied to it completely used up, the [Meteor] crumbled away till it was dust and then from dust into nothing.


    "Are you serious!?"


    Even Merida, calm as she is, is shocked. This man, Remus, a nobleman said to have no combat experience at all, had just survived something even a Champion would have a hard time walking away from.


    "I''ve had enough of this. You''ll all die here!"


    Remus'' voice is filled with rage, making his composure from before look like a big lie. Then, after making his angry proclamation, he disappeared. And before any of us gets to exclaim our surprise, Remus is already in front of us.


    This skill, from the light emitting from the ground as he disappears and appears, I know this. It''s [Warp], a high-level Warlock spell. It''s a spell that lets the caster place down two runes that teleports those who step into it to one another. However, there are no runes around here. If there were, I would have seen it with my [Insight]. How in the world did he do this?


    "This is the end of the line for you."


    From the gaps of his fingers, purplish sparks begin to arc between one finger to the next. I know this too. It''s the Sorcerer spell, [Lightning], a high level [Air] elemental spell that required the completion of a chain of quests before it could be learned. Of course, that was from Elysium Online. Even so, I have not seen or heard of anyone with the ability to use the [Lightning] spell in Elgardia before. I''ve heard from one of the mages that it was supposed to be an ancient spell that, due to how dangerous and volatile it was, did not have many successors and was eventually lost to time. As for how Remus could have gotten his hands on it, I could not even being to fathom nor do I have the time to. Right now, I''m more concerned with keeping myself alive.


    "[Stone Ward]!"


    An armor of stone forms around us, just in time for a blinding flash of light to burn into our vision. My eyes feel as though they''re on fire, but the pain indicates that I''m still alive, hopefully.


    "Tch! Pesky little-"


    Apparently detecting something coming his way, Remus quickly leaps backward, swinging his fist as he does. Though my vision is limited by the [Stone Ward], I can still hear, and what I heard is the sound of something shattering accompanied by some kind of liquid splattering across my vision. The liquid has a somewhat brownish-gold color.


    "[Dispell]!"


    A familiar voice calls out, and following that, our [Stone Wards] fall apart. Just as I am wondering what am I suppose to do now that our defenses are down, I am hit by a sense of vertigo. Rapidly, the world seems to spin around me, but I soon realize that I am in fact the one who is spinning, and not only that, I am now in the air, cradled by a set of large talons with Merida right beside me. I turn to look, only to find Sophia caught in another, her face pale and seemingly at a loss. I''m sure that I''m making the same face as well. What in the world is going on?


    ***


    End of Chapter 80

 Vol. 5, Chapter 81: Dark Foreboding

    Having been caught by large talons and lifted up into the sky, I am in a state of utter confusion. To ascertain my situation, I turn to look at the ground, and while looking down makes me dizzy, I have to make sure. Below us, there is Remus, gazing upon the sky with a dumbfounded expression. He had apparently not expected this, though I can''t say any one of us has.


    "Everyone alright? Anybody hurt?"


    The voice, though I cannot see the face of the person speaking and in spite of the winds distorting it, it''s a voice I recognize. It''s the princess. Of course, of the three of us, Merida is the first one to realize that.


    "Your Highness! Are you alright!?"


    "That I am! What about you? Anyone hurt!?"


    I know it''s the princess, or at least, she sounds like the princess. However, her tone is different. It''s a tone of impatience I''ve never heard from the princess before. I know that I don''t really know the princess all that well, but this, this kind of feels like a different person is talking.


    "No, I do not think so!"


    "Good, because I''m not stopping till we reach the forest! I''m not sure why, but that Remus, he''s trouble!"


    ''That Remus'', I don''t think I''ve ever heard the princess refer her uncle like that before either. Even when she''s calling him out behind his back, she''d say thing along the lines of ''that man'' or something vague. No matter what, I think that the princess still thinks of him as a relative and elder to some extent. However, now it sounds like she''s speaking of him like he''s beneath her. It''s odd, very odd, at least I think so. But, that''s not important right now. Just now, she mentioned ''the forest'', she must mean the World Devourer. Is it safe there? In which case, that must mean that Cecilia, Aurelius, and Six are still fine, right? I hope so. I very much hope so.


    ***


    "Something wrong, Cecilia?"


    "I was just wondering if leaving Aurelius alone back there was a good idea."


    "He said that he''ll be fine, didn''t he? Besides, he has Timothy and Fredericka, as well as the Faefolks and Beastkins with him. If anything does happen, he''ll take care of it."


    "I can only hope so."


    It has been a day and a half since we left the capital. As of just now, we have just crossed the great river and entered into Dragonbrood territory, and though there should still be some ways till we will be able to catch up to our targets, I can''t help but feel a little nervous. The enemy, after all, has six Champions on their side, a full party. Meanwhile, we only have four on our side, five if we count the Bestial Champion, with one [Guardian Angel], Michaela, for support. We might just be- no, we''re definitely at a disadvantage, and the thought of it makes me anxious, even if we have a plan.


    "Nervous, Cecilia?"


    While marching in silent, and though I say marching, it''s more of a relaxed running, Corona approached me while riding on the back of one of the larger Dragonbrood. Unlike us, she doesn''t have a power-focused build, and so she can''t keep up running for an extended period of time.


    I smile at her, putting up a front.


    "I rather pick the fights I know I can win."


    "You say that, but I heard from the Beastkins that you''ve pulled some crazy stunts before."


    "That''s... Well, what can I say? Things were desperate."


    She''s talking about that time when I hurled myself right into the middle of the forest and fought solo, isn''t she? Well, what else was I suppose to do? Aurelius was shot, our plan fell completely apart, and there''s a sniper taking aim. I did what I thought was best at the moment. That''s all.


    "Hey, Cecilia, what do you think of this world?"


    Suddenly, Corona changed the topic. I guess there''s not much else to say about that incident anyway and I don''t mind small talk, so it''s fine.


    "It''d be fine if it weren''t for all this mess, I guess. Frankly, I can''t wait to go home."


    "That''s a given I suppose, but that wasn''t what I was asking. Don''t you think this world is a little weird?"


    "I think it''s more than a little weird, but it being somewhat like Elysium Online helps a bit."


    "That''s exactly what I''m talking about. Why is it so much like Elysium Online?"


    "Apparently, both this world and ours are created by the same being, so I guess similarities are bound to happen, right?"This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "Really? Where did you hear that from?"


    Oh, that''s right, Aurelius didn''t say anything to her about that, did he? Well, I don''t think it needs to be a secret and he didn''t specifically tell us to keep it as such either. I guess it''s fine if I let her know.


    "I heard it from Aurelius. He said that the One Being, that''s what he called the thing that Zero ended up as by the way, it created many worlds, Elgardia and ours included."


    "Hmm, is that so... Intriguing... Still, some things don''t add up. Elgardia was Elysium Online in our world, but that being said, Elysium Online was still a game. Yet, we were drawn in from Elysium Online, weren''t we? Even though it was just a game, just graphics and animation layered over programming. You can''t be drawn into another world through that, can you, logically speaking."


    "I wouldn''t know. I mean, magic itself makes no sense to us in the first place. So, well, there''s really no point thinking about it."


    "You say that, but try thinking about it a bit more. Sure, magic exists in this world, but not in ours, right? So how was it able to work in our world, in a video game no less?"


    "Like I said, I have no clue. Even if you tell me to think about it more, my mind wouldn''t know where to even begin. In fact, my head''s starting to hurt. Why are you starting this kind of conversation with me anyways?"


    "Well, Oro already has enough on his plate as it is. If I bring up even more questions for him, I''ll only end up confusing him. And of course, the muscle-head down here can''t even begin to grasp what I''m saying so it''ll only be an awkward conversation with him."


    My eyes turn down towards the large Dragonbrood that Corona is riding on, wondering if he''s offended by the comment.


    Yeah, I can''t tell. I can''t tell what they''re thinking from their reptilian face.


    "Well, it''s not like I''m good with this either. I''d say this is more of Aurelius'' territory and maybe Toto. I''m more instinctual, I think."


    "Hmm... Alright then, let''s talk about something that requires more intuition."


    "Such as?"


    "Well, for starters, do you think that maybe Aurelius is hiding something, even from you and Six?"


    For a moment, I forgot to breathe. I''m surprised that Corona has picked up on it, that Aurelius doesn''t really trust them... No, I suppose trust if too strong a word. It''s more that he doesn''t have as much confidence in them? Or maybe it''s better to say that he''s more reserved because he doesn''t know them all that well and couldn''t predict their reactions?


    "Now, now, don''t make that face, Cecilia. I get it. There''s just something that''s harder to say to someone you don''t know that well. I''m sure if it''s important, he''ll let us know."


    "He will, that much is for sure."


    "But, even then, no matter how close you are, people will still keep secrets, and I''m feeling that Aurelius might be hiding something. Maybe that''s just me though, so I kind of want to confirm that with you."


    Here I am wondering why she even struck up a conversation with me in the first place. I''m guessing that this must be what she really wanted to talk about.


    "Aurelius, he... He''s the kind of guy who always leaves something unsaid. That''s my impression of him, anyways. It''s like he''s not used to opening up. Still, if it''s important, he''ll tell us, I trust that."


    "You mean if HE decides that it is important, that is."


    "What are you trying to say?"


    "I''m saying that there is a secret to this world, both this world and ours. That''s what I''m feeling. Between being summoned via a video game and the H.U.D. so ever-present in front of our sights, it all feels so artificial. It''s like none of this is even real. Don''t you feel it? That even though you try to tell yourself that this is real, in the back of your head, you still can''t shake your recognition of this being part of the game. The fact that this world is indeed similar to Elysium Online doesn''t help either."


    "That''s..."


    I don''t know how to respond. She''s not wrong about how I feel about this world, but that doesn''t really mean anything, does it? It just shows that we share similar experiences, that we''re both having a hard time shaking off what is essentially a habit we''ve developed over time. Yet, I can''t find it in myself to completely deny her either. This world has never felt real, this body has never felt like ''me''. It''s like I''m trapped in a dream the moment I got here. If this is a dream, I hope I wake up soon. In fact, there''s nothing I would like more right now.


    ***


    "Aren''t you glad you sent me out there?"


    Standing before me all smug and full of self-importance is the ''princess'', or more accurately speaking, the one who''s making use of the princess'' body, Nine. With him are Merida, a healer apparently named Sophia, and finally, Toto. After realizing that due to the [Corruption], no one I can send will be able to communicate with Toto and the rest, I decided to send the ''princess'' instead as she had not completely come under the Devourer Woods'' [Corruption].


    Then, by a measure of good fortune, she came upon a [Meteor] falling from the sky while en route to rescue Toto. Thanks to that, she was able to locate Toto and the others in the nick of time and got them out of there by the skin of their teeth.


    "It certainly worked out for the better, I suppose."


    Right now, the ''princess'' is working as a translator between me and Toto, Merida, and Sophia. Her excuse to that since we have a [Soul Bond], she can understand me through our hearts or some bullshit along those lines.


    "Still, while things went well this time, it looks like we''ve got ourselves a new problem."


    "Remus, right? Was he always so dangerous?"


    "No. Never. He had always been a spoilt nobleman from as far I know, and I know a lot. Besides, from what I saw and what I heard from the others, the powers he displayed weren''t exactly normal."


    "Could he have gotten those powers from the Grand Keeper?"


    "I don''t think so. Seven had barely enough power to spare for herself, much less give it to someone else."


    "Are you trying to tell me that there''s someone other than you lurking in the background?"


    "From looking at the circumstances, I''d say it''s likely."


    "Tch, just when I thought things were unraveling too. Now we have more nuisances running around in the shadows."


    "On the bright side, it goes to show how timely our new alliance is, don''t you think?"


    "Right, both you and Seven will want to deal with this before the next cycle, wouldn''t you?"


    "Neither of us likes unknown factors after all."


    I sigh. Thinking about the world of trouble I''ll have ahead of me, sighing is the only thing I can do. Well, at least Toto is back with us again.


    "For now, we should prepare for Remus'' assault. We don''t know when he''ll decide to strike, but considering the Beastkins'' situation, I doubt he wants to wait too long. We''re going to need a plan. Tell Toto and the rest that I''m sorry and I understand that they''re tired, but I want to hear the details of their battle with Remus."


    ***


    End of Chapter 81

 Vol. 5, Chapter 82: Battle at the Valley of Snowy Mountains

    Having heard the report on Remus'' abilities, I have Nine take Toto and the others to the rooms prepared for them. For a while there I was getting worried. With the abilities he displayed, Remus seemed almost invincible. However, after discussing with Nine for a bit, it appears that may not necessarily be the case. At the very least, he still needs to go out of his way to defend himself against Toto''s [Metoer]. That means that he could be hurt and that he can be beaten if we just hit him hard enough.


    That being said, there''s still another problem. It''s the Beastkins that he has under his command. As most of them are reserve troops and the noblemen''s personal forces, I''m not too worried about their combat prowess, however, there''s still the fact that they''re Beastkins, something the Beastkins on my side certainly won''t sit well with fighting. Should I manipulate their [Corruption] to get them to fight? That''s one way I suppose, but that''ll have to be the last resort.


    "I see that you''re feeling rather conflicted on what to do."


    Returning from escorting Toto and the others, the ''princess'' walks in. As always, I find the difference in demeanor between Nine and the princess disturbing.


    "I think you and I can both agree that we''d want to avoid casualties amongst the Beastkins."


    "They''ll be valuable assets in the next cycle after all."


    "........."


    "What?"


    "Would it be too much to ask for you to put on a mask? Maybe change your voice too while you''re at it?"


    "A mask I can do, but changing my voice it a bit too much. Well, that can wait, I''d like your thoughts on the matter of dealing with Remus'' troops."


    "You have a plan already?"


    "Something along the lines."


    "Let''s hear it."


    "Well, we understand that they''re acting right now because they''re desperate, right?"


    "That''s more or less what Toto and Merida said isn''t it? As for why they think defeating us will solve their problem, I think that''s a question better saved for whoever is behind Remus'' inexplicable powers."


    "Right, but regardless of what they believe, so long as we cut off the reason for their desperation, we can make them stop."


    The reason for their desperation... That would be the loss of their Keeper, the Holy Beast. In other words, so long as we can resolve that problem, they have no reason to fight us. However, the Holy Beast is already dead, and it''s Oro that killed her, meaning that a [contract] wouldn''t have manifested from that defeat. Without the [contract], I can''t bring her back like I did with the World Devourer. No, wait, isn''t there...


    The ''princess'' approaches me with an eerily out-of-character grin. In her hand, she holds a jug, the same one that the fairies used to hold the recovery nectar. With the jug in hand, she promptly slams it onto my lap. I don''t particularly feel pain from it, in fact, I can''t really feel my legs all that much in the first place.


    The ''princess'' leans in, her smile unchanging.


    "Drink up, drink up a whole lot, till more than half of you is made of this stuff."


    ***


    A snowstorm had been brewing within the mountains, and it was during such a time that the Dragonbrood scouts report that they''ve spotted enemy presence. After some deliberation with Oro, Corona, and Six, we have decided that we will strike during the storm. In this attack, we do not seek victory. Instead, we aim to at least weaken the enemy force. We shall strike suddenly, deal as much damage as we can, and the make our retreat before they can respond. As a side objective, we hope to capture at least one of the six Champions they have with them.


    That''s right, ultimately, we decided not to kill the Champions. If we can reduce their forces and kidnap one or two of the Champions, the remnants of Mankind may consider retreating. If they don''t, then we''ll cross that bridge when the times come. For now, we''ll proceed without killing those of our own world.


    "It seems like something unexpected had occurred."


    As we''re moving to our positions, the Bestial Champion suddenly brought something up.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "It appears that the Devourer Woods is going to be attacked. The enemy appears to be unexpectedly strong."


    I look towards Oro and Corona. Six is currently absent, as our troops have been split in two to catch the remnants of Mankind in a pincer, he''s leading the second unit alongside the chameleon looking Dragonbrood named Seif.


    "It''s too late to turn back. We won''t make it."


    "Oro''s right. We''ll just have to trust in Aurelius. I''m sure he has a plan."


    As reluctant as I am, I agree with Oro and Corona. Turning back now is not an option.


    "Worry not, I alone will go. I trust that the rest of you can handle this yourself?"


    "Now hold on, even if you leave right now, you won''t make it."


    Or perhaps I''ve spoken too soon? Maybe she can? As far as I know, the Bestial Champion is capable of using [Feather Weight] and what appears to be [Air] based magic. Oh, but a storm is brewing, isn''t it? Can she travel through the air properly in this weather condition?The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Well, this body probably can''t, but ''I'' should be able to do so without a problem."


    "What do you mean?"


    She didn''t bother to answer my question.


    "I''ve been called it seems. Oh, and Aurelius gives his regards. He apparently said ''sorry for the trouble''."


    "Wait, who''s calling you? And how did you know what Aurelius said?"


    Again, she doesn''t answer. Then, her body begins to distort, like a glitched 3D model in a video game. Honestly, it''s eerie to look at it happening without a screen in front of me. The phenomenon lasts for a brief moment before something flies off into the sky towards the south, something small and flat and rectangular, I think.


    "Well, that was weird."


    Oro stares dumbfoundedly into the sky, not sure of what to think of the thing that just happened.


    "Hold on, there''s still someone here."


    At Corona''s prompting, I turn my gaze downwards and there, on the snowy ground, I find a girl collapsed face down, one without sturdy muscles or oversized limbs covered in purplish fur. Fearing that she would be frostbitten since without all that fur, I pick her up, taking my chance to also remove her helmet.


    "Wait, Stella!?"


    "You know her?"


    "Yeah, she''s the priestess of the Holy Beast, or was I guess."


    "I didn''t see her when I fought the World Breaker, oh, but now it makes sense. The Keeper did say that she had someone take the Purifier away. I always figured she meant the Bestial Champion, but I never did figure that she would be one of the priestesses."


    "Neither have I. I mean, with that helmet and that form, I wouldn''t have guessed."


    "Ahem."


    A cough from Corona calls us out of our stupor.


    "Well, I''m glad you guys have solved that mystery, but we have an operation to carry out, don''t we?"


    She''s right, of course. Though I''m shocked that I never noticed that the Bestial Champion and Stella were one and the same even though she''s so close by, this is hardly important.


    "I''ll get someone to look after her. I mean, they''re already looking after Asha, might as well, right?"


    "Please, do."


    With a gesture, Oro calls some Dragonbroods over and have them bring him a coat for Stella before carrying her away. Frankly, there''s a lot of questions I would like to ask, but as always,  now is hardly the time. And of course, I''m concerned about Aurelius'' side of things as well, but there''s nothing I can do from here no matter how much I want to help. He''s going to have to take care of himself and I''ll have to swallow it up and focus at the task at hand.


    ***


    The operation began with an explosion set off by Corona. The shock of the explosion shifted the settled snow, causing a small avalanche in around the vicinity of the blast. The snow slid down the slope, crashing into the remnants of Mankind that had been marching through a valley amidst the mountains to avoid the snowstorm.


    We had been waiting, knowing that this is the best path through the mountains. Through the help of the Dragonbroods and their superior maneuverability in mountainous areas, we were able to get ahead of the remnants and position ourselves on the high grounds. With the snow from the avalanche dividing two halves of the enemy troops, Oro and I lead the charge towards the half at the front, the one where the enemy Champions are located.


    Also, is it just me, or does Corona seemed too enthusiastic about causing that avalanche? She was musing about how it''s too bad that they'' not the targets she wanted to use this on too. I am starting to think that this woman may have an unexpected dark side that she doesn''t usually show.


    Alongside the Dragonbroods, we weaved our way down the snowy slope, at times leaping and at times sliding as we make our way down towards the enemy troops without hesitation or pause. As we near the bottom, Oro unleashes [Warcry], forcing the enemy''s attention towards himself while I slam into their flank with a [Shield Charge], knocking away several soldiers who in turn knocks down those behind them, creating a cascading collapse, not unlike rows of falling dominoes.


    With their flank collapsing, the Dragonbroods leap in, using their large bodies, superior strength, and breaths of fire to causing further havoc within Mankind''s ranks. The first strike is a success.


    As we plow into the enemy formation, I spot from the corner of my vision an armored figure leaping out from the sea of enemies. With a sword and shield in hand, he must be the enemy Knight Champion. With a single bound, he charges towards me, shield facing steadfastly forward. He must be performing a [Shield Charge].


    Our shields slam together, creating an impact that lifts the snow around us. With this clash, I took note of two things. One is something I realized as our eyes met with one another''s, I realize that he''s staring right at me. He must have a skill that reduces crowd control duration. Two is something a little vaguer, a feeling, not so much in my heart but in my arm. The impact of the [Shield Charge] was not as hard as I expected. As if he hadn''t put his back into it. Is he wary of my [Counter Blast]? Or perhaps-


    Before I can confirm my suspicion, his sword is already glowing with energy. He had switched from [Shield Charge] to [Guarding Stance] at the last second. Ordinarily, we''re invulnerable while using [Shield Charge], but by canceling it with another skill at the last second before impact, he retains all of the momentum and none of the invulnerability. You''d think that''d be a bad thing, to become vulnerable to damage. However, with the ability of the Knight class to transform damage into attack power, this is a good way to catch an enemy off guard with a huge dose of damage.


    At this point, I can only use my own [Counter Blast] to counter his [Counter Blast], and with one of my best offensive options on cooldown, his allies can attack me without worry. That''s probably what he''s thinking anyway.


    I shift my weight to the side as I hold my shield against his swinging blade and catching it at an angle. Feeling the powerful impact upon my left arm as the blade, pulsating with energy, slides down my shield, I continue to push the blade outwards, causing it to slam all that charged up energy into the pure white ground, dealing hardly any damage to both myself and those within the vicinity. What I just did is not a skill attached to my class, by the way, it''s a little something I''ve been practicing on the side, a skill I''ve learned on my own, a skill that is simply plain old parrying.


    Usually, when dealing with an enemy tank, you would want to either get around it or take it out as soon as possible. However since a skilled tank is difficult to get around, the latter tends to be the best option. That is probably why the enemy tank thought that I''d use [Counter Blast] as soon as possible and tried to bait me into using it with [Shield Charge]. Unfortunately for him, as ironic as it sounds, I have no intention of killing him.


    While he''s still dumbfounded, or perhaps in awe, from the maneuver I just pulled, I strike him with a [Shield Bash], giving him a bit of [knockback] and some [stun], before pulling away. Oro''s [Warcry] should be wearing off right about now and it''ll be my turn soon. We''ve agreed beforehand to perform our roles in rotation and hopefully keep it up long enough for Six to get the job done. However, should things start to go awry, as they do, an immediate retreat will be executed without delay.


    And speaking of, before I get to make us of [Warcry], a small bolt of fire shoots up into the sky, apparently, that''s the chameleon looking Dragonbrood''s, Seif''s, specialized fire breath. That''s the signal indicating that the job is done. Looks like Six managed to nab someone.


    I let out a mighty roar, the final [Warcry] for this operation, drawing the attention of the enemy troops to let our own pull back. As we make out retreat, from above, Corona who had been on standby casts [Cyclone], sending the snow on the ground aflight, blinding the enemies. To those that try to come after us, they''ll be found in pieces, torn by cold razor-sharp winds, their blood painting the white snowy ground.


    ***


    End of Chapter 82

 Vol. 5, Chapter 83: The Dark Beast

    "Ugh... I feel sick."


    The moment I wake, I feel an incredible lethargy in my body, that, and the urge to empty out everything in my bowels. From yesterday on, the fairies have feed pouring jug after jugs of nectar down my throat even while this body sleeps. I''ve drunk so much that this body is getting somewhat bloated.


    "Alright, that''s enough. That''s enough I say."


    Seeing the fairies trying to bring more over, I quickly waved them away. I drank enough that I suspect that I''m drooling this stuff. However, despite that, when I look over to the corner of my vision, where the Hp and Mp bars are located, the Mp bar is barely filled a quarter way through.


    At this rate, will I even get close to making the difference?


    "........."


    A silent and wordless voice rings in my head. Formless like the wind, it is the whisper of the World Devourer.


    "I can only hope that''s enough. To being with, I''m not even sure supporting two is possible."


    I sigh, there''s nothing I can do but sigh. Once again, my options are frustratingly limited and I find myself trying to brute force my way out of the problem. From experience, brute-forcing is a method that hardly ever works, and even if it does, it tends to leave something that might bite you back later. Maybe I should try talking to Remus first, see what he is trying to pull with this. Perhaps we can work something out. But, at this point what solution can I provide? To begin with, I doubt he can even understand me, not with the effects of the [Corruption] in play.


    "Alright, bring me another one."


    I wave the fairies over, the ones with the jugs of nectar in their tiny hands. Taking one in my hand, I lift the jug overhead and try to chug it all down in a single gulp. I figured that if it''s going to be agonizing, I might as well take care of it in one go.


    I begin to vomit uncontrollably. The plan has gone horribly awry. Trying to chug it all down was a big mistake. I want to die now. I puked all over my lap too, and with the yellowish liquid, if someone is to walk it at this moment, my dignity as a human being may be in peril.


    "Au- Aurelius?"


    Oh Zero, my worst fears have come to fruition it seems, or so I thought, but the one who walked in on me was none other than the ''princess''. If there''s anyone here whose opinion I don''t give a damn for, it''ll be Nine''s.


    "Don''t look so surprised. Having drunk all that nectar, this is bound to happen. Ugh... I can''t believe I agreed to the plan. Not that I have much of choice I suppose."


    "Um, well, I- I''m not sure what''s going on, but should I get some help?"


    "It''s fine, I''ll have the fairies wash me off and fetch me some fresh pants. And you? What do you need?"


    "It''s not so much something I need, but I do believe that I better talk to you about... well, ''certain topics''."


    For some reason, Nine is being rather vague today. I''m starting to smell something, and it smells like trouble. As if we don''t have enough on our plate as it is.


    "Get to the point."


    "I will, in a moment."


    The ''princess'' draws closer, and as she does, the Faefolks stationed on the collapsed upper floors nock their bows and take aim. I do nothing to stop them. I don''t know what Nine might be trying to pull after all.


    From her dress, the ''princess'' produces a piece of cloth. Unintentionally, I quirk an eyebrow, wondering what it is supposed to be. Perhaps there''s something wrapped in there? Then, as she draws even closer, I become gradually more cautious and is considering the timing in which I should order the Faefolks to set loose their arrows. They won''t shoot to kill, of course, just make it hurt enough to incapacitate. So long as the body isn''t dead, we can heal it, so I have no qualms about turning the ''princess'' into a pincushion if need be.


    With the cloth in hand, she reaches out towards me, and then, she proceeds to rub it against my face.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Hm? I''m wiping your face.  You look so filthy with all that nectar on you that I couldn''t help it."Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "The fairies can take care of that."


    "Sure, but I can take care of it right now."


    "How nice of you, are you going to help me change my pants as well?"


    All of a sudden, the ''princess'' cheeks flush a bright red.


    "Now that''s a bit... Well, if you don''t mind."


    Why the blushing? I know it''s the princess'' body, but it''s Nine in there. We''re both guys, right? Is he messing with me? Is this what this is? Is he trying to get me to think that I''m talking to the actual princess and have me let my guard down? Well, there''s not going to be a ghost of a chance for that.


    "That pants can wait. You said you want to talk?"


    "Yes. Firstly, I would like to apo-"


    I raise my hand, stopping her. Not because I didn''t want to hear what she has to say, but because there appears to be some sort of uproar within the forest.


    In a moment, a fairy flies in through the gaping hole that used to be the ceiling and lands right on my shoulder.


    "So they''re here..."


    I turn towards the ''princess'', and from the look of grim resolution in her eyes, I reckon that she heard what was said with those floppy ears of hers.


    "Since I''m stuck here, I''ll count on you to lead the battle. Gather the troops on the wall and remain on standby. If phase one works out, we''ll move on to phase two. If it doesn''t, well, we may have to commit to a real fight. As for Remus, I''m not at all sure how he''ll approach, so I am going to have to trust in your judgment, unfortunately."


    "Understood. I''ll head over right away. Do you mind if I take Merida and Toto?"


    "Merida is fine, as for Toto... She hasn''t fully recovered yet. Tell her to come here. I have no intention of letting our opponents reach this place, so it''ll be safe, but tell her that it is so that I''ll have a Champion guarding me."


    "Very well. And, um... Aurelius, about our talk..."


    "Don''t worry about it, I''ll make time tomorrow."


    "Please do."


    Once the ''princess'' turns around, heading out to prepare for battle, I feel myself frowning. She talks just like her, like the actual princess. I wonder if that''s really her. I wonder what she wants to talk about. Probably all the times she tricked and lied to me now that the jig is up. In that case, I wish she''d hold her head high and go all, ''I did what I must for my people,'' instead of looking so guilt-ridden. I mean, if you think you''re doing something wrong then you probably shouldn''t do it in the first place. Then again, at times, circumstances made it difficult for us to choose, so there''s that.


    "Well, whatever, what''s done is done. Now then, let''s get this thing started."


    ***


    The Beastkins led by Remus arrives from the south, taking the most direct route towards the city. Just outside of the range of spells and arrows, they form their ranks and from the looks of it, I''d say that they''re planning to take the city head-on. I''m guessing that Remus must be feeling rather confident in his newfound abilities. Is this overconfidence? Or is his power far greater than I imagined? We''ll be finding out soon enough.


    Feeling a weight on my hand, I find my grimoire lying open right upon the top of my palm. It''s kind of strange that no matter what happens, I''ll always find it nearby as if it''s a part of me.


    Sticking out from the gap between two pages, a [contract] sticks out. With my free hand, I weakly plucked it from the pages and hold it out before my eyes.


    "It has only been a little over two or three months, right?"


    I''ve lost track of how long it has been since I first arrived in Elgardia. It felt so long ago, like I''ve spent half a lifetime here. However, it wasn''t even close to that amount. Yet still, it felt so long and I''m feeling so tired. It has been one thing after the next with hardly any chance to rest. Just think about having to go through this all over again in the next cycle makes me want to roll up and just die on the spot. I think I''m starting to understand why they''re so desperate to end them, these endless cycles of madness.


    Suddenly, I feel a pressure on the arm holding the grimoire, a soft pressure with a bit of warmth.


    "I''ll be waiting..."


    I turn to my side, and as always, she greets me with her those empty eyes. The Purifier, the girl with spiraling horns, having gotten a good look at her up close, she does look like her, Zero, I mean. Sure, Zero had black hair, but the face is the same, and she just as pale as Zero is. They say that the Purifier does not have a will, then, in that case, whose will is she exhibiting when she speaks? Well, such musings will have to wait.


    I turn my eyes towards the [contract] in my hand. It should almost be time. Using my connection to the World Devourer, I gain awareness of the things within and around the forest. Through said connection, I now observe what may soon be a battlefield. However, before it gets to that point, the princess steps forward, out of the gates and into the vast field outside. Only her lone figure can be seen. The soldiers do not follow her, though they watch on nervously. Then, she stops. Upon the grounds where the opposing army can see her, she stops. I cannot see their reaction, as they''re out of my range, but I''d imagine that they must be pretty confused by such an action.


    I wonder if Remus was expecting a fair fight. I wouldn''t know, since I''ve never spoken to him at length before. However, if he knows me, then he''ll know better than to expect such a thing from me. He''s going down, right here, right now.


    "Time to show what you''ve got. After acting so high and mighty this whole time, you better not disappoint."


    I am talking to, of course, the [contract] in my hand. The one that I''ve received from Nine, the one that I''ve been drinking all those nectars for, the one that Nine had used Stella as a vessel for, one of those that got away from me upon being summoned to this world. Finally, it is back in my hands.


    "Come forth, and show your devastating might!"


    As I feel the life being sucked out of me, the sky turns to a bloody red and a pillar of fire shoots down from the heavens. The pillar lands beside the princess, close enough that I worry if it might scorch her, but for the most part, she seems fine, at least, she''s not catching fire. Finally, from the inferno, emerges a dark beast veiled in flames, the [Corrupted] Keeper of the Beastkins, the [World Breaker Behemoth].


    ***


    End of Chapter 83

 Vol. 5, Chapter 84: Unstoppable

    Moments passed, and though I cannot see them, I can at least tell that the Beastkins within Remus'' ranks aren''t advancing towards us. If they did they''d have entered the range of the World Devourer''s awareness. The fact that they hadn''t means that they have not approached. I wonder if they''re stunned by the sudden appearance of their Keeper. I reckon they must be. Though she is [Corrupted], she is still their Keeper, the being that has sway over both their continuing existence and their extinction. When they decided to march, it was out of desperation. Something had led them to believe that by attacking us, they''ll find salvation. However, with their Keeper in my control, it should be clear that I am the one who can save them. They need only to submit.


    "Hm?"


    However, in spite of it all, one lone Beastkin enters the World Devourer''s range. It''s Remus. And at the speed by which he is approaching, I''ll bet it''s not because he wants to beg me to let him join us.


    It is as Nine had guess then, an unknown force is behind Remus. After all, as far as Remus and any Beastkin should know, sticking to their Keeper is the only way to survive and thrive in this world. To stand against that, they must either have a death wish or that they have knowledge from beyond Elgardia.


    However, to approach alone, he must either be very stupid or is very confident in his powers. I''ll bet he thinks that so long as he takes out the Keeper, he''ll regain control of his troops. If it''s me, I might do the same thing. I''ll take out the Keeper as swiftly as possible and just tell the others that it was only an illusion, a trick. With their hopes dashed, I''m sure the Beastkins will be more than willing to believe him. Of course, Remus, I''ll have you know that such straightforward plans aren''t just going to work as you''d like them to.


    As Remus gets into range to strike at the World Breaker, a figure appeared right behind him. It''s Merida using her skill [Assassination]. Using the spectacle that is the arrival of the [World Breaker Behemoth], she had snuck close to the princess without notice and hid behind the World Breaker. She was there precisely to deal with Remus should he decide to approach.


    It seems that Remus is able to detect her, however, and promptly he turns around, swinging his bare fist to deal with her.


    Forgetting a little something, have you? The World Breaker isn''t just there for show, you know. Or were you actually convinced that it''s actually an illusion?


    Regardless, the World Breaker swipes her massive claw at Remus as he''s distracted by Merida.


    "Tch!"


    But, he got away, turning into a black mist, Remus used [Shadow Step] to get out of the pincer. Exactly how many skills does he have? And they''re all from different classes too. It''s almost as if he''s using a cheat. If I''m in the game, I''d report him immediately. Sadly, this is Elgardia, so I''ll have to deal with him the good old fashion way.


    After breaking away from Merida and the World Breaker, Remus heads towards the princess. Perhaps he thinks that she''s the one who summoned the World Breaker? Well, it''s worth a shot I suppose, at least, that''s what I would be thinking. Still, that''s not going to happen.


    Arrows cut through the air, flying past the princess just in time to intercept Remus'' path. As expected, the Faefolk Archers wield their bow like their own limbs. Disappointingly though, Remus deflects them with his bare hands with ridiculously little effort. It is as reported, he''s strong. However, the moment I was able to stop his troops in their tracks, he already has no chance of victory. He might have gotten some ridiculous power, but a well-coordinated attack is all it takes to throw him off and sooner or later, he''ll have to reveal his opening.


    "Won''t you give it up already, Remus? You don''t stand a chance!"


    The princess opens her mouth to speak. From her tone, it''s not so much telling him to just lie down and die and more so to convince him to surrender without further conflict.


    "Silence your wicked chants, witch! For what you did to my brother, your own father for your wicked plans, I''ll slay you!"


    However, it doesn''t sound like he understood her. I suppose not. Once the princess had switched over to the World Devourer''s [Corruption], those with the Holy Beast''s [Corruption] will only see her as some filthy [Demon]. That aside, what did he say about the king? What did she do to him? I remember seeing him only once. He''s a frail old man, with seemingly only skin and bones left on his person. It was as if all of his muscles and fat had been drained from him. If he weren''t moving and speaking, albeit weakly, I would have taken him for some sort of thousand-year-old mummy. However, here is his brother, Remus, looking rather young, in his early thirties maybe. What exactly happened to the king?


    Eventually, more Beastkins begin to enter the range of the World Devourer''s awareness. Their numbers are definitely not few, and while I doubt they''re the entirety of the army Remus brought with him, it certainly must be bulk of it. They either must be very loyal to Remus and his cause, or more likely, they are driven by the madness brought on by the [Corruption], the madness that makes them regard those not of their own with utter hostility.


    I was afraid that this might happen. Because unlike the World Devourer, the World Breaker I have here is not the same one that had been the Keeper to these Beastkins. This one is the previous Keeper, the one Nine had defeated and taken control over during an earlier cycle. The one he somehow hid in my world, in Elysium Online, and the one I had somehow obtained.


    What now? Just like the World Devourer, the summoned World Breaker has nowhere near the power and magnitude of its original body. In regards to its strength, it should be just slightly stronger than the weakened Holy Beast that Oro had fought. While it should have little problems dealing with just Remus, when up against an army, there may be trouble.


    Unleashing a [Whirlwind], the World Breaker pushed back Remus and his approaching soldiers. With that opening, the princess and Merida grab onto the World Breaker and hastily retreat back into the forest through the large city gates. Though it did not go exactly as planned, with that, phase one of the plan concludes. Now, we begin phase two.


    Once the princess, Merida, and the World Breaker retreated, the gates to the city were quickly shut tight. There will be no further battle. Here, thanks to the World Devourer''s power of life manipulation, we have plenty of supplies that would last us indefinitely. On the other hand, Remus and his forces are living off a dying land without a Keeper. If we play the waiting game, it''s all too clear who would win. Time is not on Remus'' side. Once his soldiers begin to starve, regardless of their [Corruption], they''ll desire to come to our side. It has been said that the more desperate one becomes, the more willing one is to take even the devil''s hand. Not to mention, by sowing them the World Breaker, it should be impressed upon their minds where salvations lies.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    That was the plan at least, to hold out as long as possible and outlast Remus'' forces and wait for them to break. However, with a massive explosion that even I, while sitting in the throne room of the palace located at the center of the capital, could feel the vibration of, I realize now how much I''ve underestimated Remus'' powers.


    The gates, the walls around it, as well as the building and trees a hundred meters within the vicinity of the gates, all of them were obliterated. Along with them, the hundreds of Beaskin soldiers stationed there had been reduced to dust as well. That was more than half of the Beastkin I have within this forest, and just like that, Remus erased them.


    "Au- Aurelius, what happened?"


    Toto who had arrived here a while ago looks to me with worry. She looks scared, more than she has ever been. In truth, I''m scared too, that explosion was more powerful than any [Meteors] I''ve seen, and the force of the explosion shook me down to my core even though I''m sitting all the way over here. I had planned initially, should Remus broke past the walls, to use the trees to our advantage and gradually dwindle Remus'' forces with hit and run tactics. However, if he has the power to just wipe clean everything within a hundred meters, then there''s no point. No one is going to outrun that.


    "They''ve just broke past the front gates."


    I try to say it as calmly as I can, but from Toto''s paling complexion, I am supposing that it did not come out at all like how I had hoped.


    "I... I''m going."


    "No, you''re not. You''ve seen Remus in action first hand. You''re just going to die."


    She remains silent, but though there are no words, her reluctantly still feet are all the answers I need from her.


    "Toto, listen, I''ve got a plan."


    "R-really!?"


    "Of course, I do. I always have a plan. Just go and get me the princess, alright?"


    "Got it, leave it to me!"


    "And take the fairies, they know the way!"


    Finally having something to do, Toto eagerly runs off with some fairies. Little did she know, I''ve already sent a fairy to get the ''princess''. I merely need her to not be here when I execute the plan. Well, though I call it a plan, it''s more of a last-ditch effort I came up with just a moment ago. Of course, I''ve considered the possibility a while ago, it''s just that I never thought that I''d have to actually try it out. If I could, I rather avoid having to do that. However, at this very moment, with no combat-ready Champion here to fight against the vastly overpowered Remus, I can''t say I have much of a choice.


    ***


    "Is this the one?"


    Slung over one of the Dragonbrood''s shoulder is a figure dressed in thick black robes. Standing amidst the snow, she''d stand out like a sore thumb, which was likely why Six targeted her to kidnap. If it were me, when I see her sticking out like that, I might have suspected a trap, but I suppose such concerns are not something Six would have.


    Removing her hood, what we find hidden beneath is the face of a fair-skinned young girl with hair as white as the snow covering the mountains and her black robes only made them more pronounced.


    "She looks... normal."


    Six expresses his surprise, apparently expecting something else.


    "We have Aurelius to thank for adjusting our H.U.D.s. How are the Dragonbroods, Oro? Are they feeling particularly hostile?"


    "They''re calm. It doesn''t look like they''re feeling the least bit threatened by her presence."


    Corona then steps in, taking a close look at the girl.


    "That''s good for us, but for this girl, it''ll be a different case. We should tie her up. Oh, but even then, she might escape with one of her skills won''t she? Did you get to see what her class were, Six?"


    "She''s a Cleric/Enchanter, I think, but she might have other skills. You never know with this world. Besides, I''ve heard that Aurelius broke free of restraints with just Enchanter skills before, so even then, ropes might do no good."


    "Hm... Maybe we should put her in a condition similar to Oro and Aurelius? After being healed from near-death, Oro enters a coma-like state when he goes to sleep and Aurelius only has a limited time he can stay awake, right? So, maybe if we deal damage to this girl and heal her back up just as her Hp drops to zero, she might end up in a similar condition and just stay asleep most of the time without troubling us."


    "Corona... You... How should I put this?"


    This woman says the most bone-chilling things so casually, without even blinking an eye too.


    "Hmm... It''s worth a shot, I think."


    "Uh, Oro?"


    "It could work, maybe?"


    "Six? You too?"


    Wait, am I the weird one here? This isn''t normal, right? What? We''re just going to stab the girl and then heal her back up in the nick of time? We''re fine with that?


    "That''s it, I''ve heard enough out of you savages! Are all Champions like this?"


    Marching up towards us is a girl with horns of mismatched sizes growing on her head. I think her name was Asha? Apparently, she''s what they call a Half-Dragon, a descendent between one of the previous Champions and a Dragonbrood. As for how it worked out, I rather not think about it.


    "Oh, Asha, I thought you''d be huddling by a fire and complaining about the cold or something."


    Of those here, Oro is easily the one most familiar with Asha. I''m told that they get along, but all I''ve seen them doing were taking shots at one another.


    "I was, but I heard that you guys captured an enemy Champion and thought I''d check it out."


    "What for?"


    "To makes sure she doesn''t run off of course. Or what? Did you guys think you could just hold her in ropes?"


    "Well no. Hence our discussion."


    "And I was telling you that it''s barbaric. You might as well chop off her limbs and tie her up with her own innards while you''re at it."


    "Okay, now who''s the savage one here?"


    "What I''m trying to say is, there''s a better way to do this."


    "Do tell, we''re all waiting."


    "Well, you have me, don''t you? I can seal off her abilities."


    "Really!? You can do that!?"


    "Of course I can. Who do you think I am?"


    The method Asha was talking about turns out to be a spell: [Curse of Silence]. Back in Elysium Online, it was a spell only certain enemies have and were inaccessible by players. Apparently, it had been originally planned to be part of a list of non-class restricted spells to be released. However, it was eventually scrapped due to balancing difficulties. I didn''t think that the same spell would exist here in such a manner.


    This reminds me of what Corona had said, about how this world felt weird to her, that it feels artificial. I wonder if we''re really in another world created by the One Being like Aurelius had said, or are we really just trapped inside Elysium Online itself. Aurelius said that the One Being created both worlds, but is that really true? Is there even a One Being? I mean, at the end of the day, it was just something Aurelius saw in his dream, right? And even assuming that there is such a thing as a creator and said creator created both worlds, why is the only similarity found in Elysium Online, a single game, and nowhere else. To even begin with, while the One Being may have created our world, assuming what Aurelius said was true, Elysium Online, a game, was created by people. How did these people create something so similar to a whole other world?


    Speaking of which, who were the ones who developed Elysium Online again? I never really paid attention to such things so even if I saw their names or logo here and there, I can''t quite remember.


    "Hey, Six, who were the ones who made Elysium Online again?"


    Six turns towards me with a quizzical expression. We were watching over Asha as she applies [Curse of Silence] on the captured Champion, so this question may look like it came out of nowhere.


    "You didn''t know? You''ve seen their logo when you start up the game, right?"


    "Yeah well, I never paid attention."


    "Huh, I thought you''re a more detail-oriented sort."


    "Well, what could I say, I never really cared about who made the game."


    "Anyways, it''s Anima Softworks."


    "Hmm... Anima Softworks. Anima Softworks. Anima Softworks. Alright, I''ll remember that, probably."


    "Sure, but why ask now?"


    "Nothing much. Just thought I''d look them up once we get back."


    "I doubt you''ll find anything about Elgardia though."


    "Maybe, but I want to take a look anyway. Maybe I''ll learn something."


    "Well, good luck. If we ever make it back I mean."


    "Don''t you go jinxing it, Six."


    "I''m just saying, that''s all."


    ***


    End of Chapter 84

 Vol. 5, Chapter 85: Revival

    Stones scattered through the air and trees burned. Remus, with a single large explosion, obliterated the entire front half of the palace and more. Yet, in spite of it all, the [Demonic Tree] stands without so much as a burnt leave or broken branch. Protecting the tree is a massive triple-layered [Mana Wall], and the two standing right behind it with their arms outstretch are the princess of the Beastkin, Aurelia, and her Champion, yours truly, no longer bound to a tree.


    Through the semi-transparent wall, the falling rubble, and the clouds of dust, the gray-haired Beastkin with upright ears gazes forward with incredible spite the moment his eyes met with the princess''.


    "What did you do to the king that made him so spiteful, Nine?"


    "Hijacking the Grand Keeper''s summoning took a great deal of resources, one of them being a large amount of mana. The princess was more than ready to die for the summoning back then, but the king decided that he would be the better choice. You''ve seen how he was, right, all skin and bones? That''s the effect of severe mana drain. Still, no one other than those closest to the princess should know about that. I''ll bet whoever gave Remus his powers also told him about that to egg him on."


    "You know, I think I recall something along lines of that. About a price being paid to summon me here. I never did get my answer from the princess, did I?"


    "She panicked quite a bit when you brought that up, so much so that I had to take over. It was a good thing that you''re so easy to distract. Still, I see that the Beastkin Keepers are all prone to butting into businesses not of their own, whether it''s the predecessor or the successor."


    "I for one am quite glad for it."


    "Of course you would be. You wouldn''t be so much of a pain in my ass otherwise."


    "Speaking of pain, I see Remus isn''t planning to move just yet."


    Even though our conversation, Remus stood there, staring at the massive [Mana Wall] we have erected. Even though a direct hit of that blast of his should be able to destroy it, he seems reluctant to use it. Then again, I suppose he can''t even if he wanted to.


    From the front gates all the way to the palace, Remus had only used that massive explosion of his twice, that''s it. He hadn''t used it at all on his way here no matter how many obstacles I throw in his way. From the looks of things, he must have some kind of cooldown, and in that case, considering the ability''s power, it must be significantly long. Still, he''s a formidable foe even without the use of that explosive power. The fact that he made it here in spite of it all while still keeping more than half of his men is proof of that.


    "Looks like I''ll have to take him on myself. Support me and prepare to do the ''thing'' when I call for it."


    "Will do."


    Lowering the [Mana Wall], I approach Remus who stands at the forefront, his troops a good distance behind, probably so that they do not get caught up in the blast. It''s unfortunate that he''s so strong. Otherwise, a well-placed arrow would have easily put him out of my misery.


    "Bold of you to approach me on your own, Champion. Not going to use your creatures?"


    "Well, the one I had in mind would have a hard time moving among the trees. Would. That is."


    I reply to him, knowing that due to the [Corruption], he wouldn''t understand me anyways.


    Regardless, with the last explosion, the trees around the area had all been blown away by the earlier explosion. Meaning that my previous concerns have easily been taken care of.


    "Aras!"


    From the sky, the [Celestial Eagle] descends, already summoned in anticipation for this moment. However, it does not goes towards Remus. Instead, it strikes at Remus'' troops far behind him, keeping them at bay with [Whirlwind] and picking them off one by one with its deadly [Dive Attack], in which Aras would dive down towards the ground and strike at the target with its sharp talons. In Elysium Online it is a skill with high critical rate.


    "Tch! If you think such tricks will slow me down you-"


    By the time Remus turns back around from his troops to face me, I am already gone, hence the sudden pause in his speech.


    "Impossi-"


    "Not so, Lord Remus."


    I had moved behind him within a single instant. In essence, I teleported, teleported with the skill: [Assassination].


    With a shortsword in hand, I swing down at Remus, who promptly blocks it with his bare fist. However, not only am I a Champion, but I also had [Greater Power Boost] applied before the start of this fight, so of course it wasn''t going to end well.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    The blade easily penetrated Remus'' skin and into his bones. Unfortunately, it went no further, the bones managed to stop it halfway through. Without a doubt, this defensive power is even greater than Cecilia, and she''s a max leveled Knight.


    Having caught my blade with his flesh, Remus proceeds to counter-attack. With what I know of his strength it''s probably not a good idea to let him get a hit in. And so, with [Shadow Step], I make my retreat, pulling a good distance away from Remus. Meanwhile, Remus does not appear to want to chase me.


    "You... I heard that you were a Summoner subclassing an Enchanter."


    From the way he''s talking, it sounds like he''s referencing the sub-classing system in Elysium Online. However, I don''t think I have ever explained it details of the class system to anyone in this world. I''m sure of it now. Whoever he''s getting the power and information from, they''re from outside of this world.


    "And? Who is to say I can''t pick up new tricks?"


    I grinned widely, provoking him intentionally.


    "Cheeky little-!"


    In an instant, he appears right in front of me as if he teleported and swings his bare fist at me. Was there even a skill like this? I don''t think so. Not in Elysium Online that is. Whatever it is, it can''t be pure speed. If it is, he wouldn''t purposely stop before me, would he? As the fist comes flying, I raise my sword and intercept the path with the flat of the blade. An explosion of force erupts as the fist collides with the steel. The sword bents under the force and subsequently, I find myself being flung backwards.


    "Fairies!"


    Upon being called, one of the fairies fluttering above descends with a new sword in hand, delivering it to me just as Remus approaches once more, this time without teleporting. As expected, as powerful as he is, he still has to abide by the cooldowns. Of course, I know that unlike in the game, they are not absolute, you can absolutely push past the limit given that you are prepared to pay the price for it. I''m sure that once Remus becomes desperate enough, he''ll do just that.


    This time, he comes at me with a sweeping kick, one aiming right for my head. Instinctively, I bend my back backward, narrowly avoiding the kick. However, though I have avoided the first strike, Remus''s alters the course of the same leg mid-kick and raises it up high. Something tells me that if I let that heel drop on me, I''m going to have a bad time. It''s an awkward angle, but I''m going to have to do it.


    Twisting my body in a way that is nothing short of muscle abuse, I swing my newly acquired sword at Remus'' foot. As it draws an upward arc, the blade glows in a brilliant light and upon contact with Remus'' foot, it unleashes a powerful shockwave that cuts right through his leg, bone and all. At the same time, while I have unleashed the shockwave from an awkward position and was then knocked to the ground, I was able to curl my body inwards at the last second and have now rolled away from Remus, once more gaining distance.


    With this foot cut loose, Remus falls to the ground holding his bloody stump.


    "Im-Impossible!"


    "That''s the second time you''ve said it. But, like I said, not so, Lord Remus."


    I used [Counter Force], hitting him with the force of the punch that bent my steel shortsword. Honestly, I''d be shocked if I ended up not being able to damage him even with that. As for how I am able to use all these skills, the answer lies with the [World Devourer Woods], or more precisely, it''s unique ability: [Mutation]. It is the ability to manipulate lifeforms to a certain degree. With it, I''ve been having the World Devourer alter my mana pathways on the fly, granting me brand new skills to be at my disposal. With this, I figured that I should be more than a match for Remus here.


    "Should have come at me with a sword, Remus."


    Though I say that, I doubt he''ll understand me with the [Corruption] and whatnot.


    "If I can only take you out. If I just do that... This world, we''ll save it somehow. If I can just get the ''key'' I''ll be able to see the creator, and then..."


    The key? He must mean the Keepers'' [contracts], right? With all four, plus the Purifier, one would gain full administration rights. Once you have that, you''ll be able to access the ''other side'' and see the One Being. In other words, Remus'' plans are the same as ours. We want the same thing. But, how do I tell him that? He can''t understand me. Is whoever giving him all these powers and information taking advantage of that?


    "Aurelius, what are you waiting for? Finish him!"


    I hate to admit it, but Nine''s judgment is right. I don''t have the luxury to try and solve this the peaceful way. I don''t know what Remus has up his sleeves. It''s best that I finish him off here than try to take my chances. I''ve already taken too many and no doubt my luck is running low.


    I gesture to the fairies, the ones carrying bows and arrows in case I need them. Though I have a sword in hand, I don''t want to take unnecessary risks by getting too close to Remus.


    Once more, I have the World Devourer use [Mutation] and alter my status and mana pathways, granting myself stats and skills from the Archer class. While rapidly altering my body like this is going to take its toll sooner or later, right now, I''m in a position where I have other things to worry about.


    With the arrow nocked, I draw the bow and shoot off a [Penetrating Arrow], planning to end it with a well placed shot right in between Remus'' eyes. However, even while clutching his stump of a leg, Remus was able to conjure up a [Mana Wall] strong enough to deflect the [Penetrating Arrow]. While I doubt the [Mana Wall] will be able to absorb the damage of a second shot, there was no need for it to. Remus has bought his time.


    As I hurriedly draw a second arrow, Remus'' body begins to change. He''s becoming larger with fur growing all over his body.


    "Aurelius, finish him now!"


    "That''s the plan!"


    I shoot off another arrow, this time, smashing through the [Mana Wall] Remus had conjured. Unfortunately, with a single leap, Remus got out of the projectile''s way. Not only has his foot grown back, but what were once heels are now reverse joints on his legs, increasing the power of his leaps and sprints. His body as well, is now large and covered in thick fur. His height is now about twice of mine and his torso is about trice of my own, granting him a massive figure that supports massive arms that can easily wrap around the whole of my body and crush it like a twig. Finally, his head no longer holds its once humanoid features and instead possesses a long snout filled with a set of deadly fangs. If I have to make a direct comparison, I''d say that he looks kind of like a werewolf.


    "Behold, this is our ancestral form, the true form, of the Beastkins before we were forced into the lands of Mankind."


    "Well, you''re a bigger target now, at least."


    While I say that, it''s not for him to hear. He wouldn''t understand me anyways. No, it''s for myself. Because I can tell, I can tell with my [Insight]. It''s not just his body that had gotten larger; his overall power seems to have increased as well. This fight just got a whole lot nastier.


    ***


    End of Chapter 85

 Vol. 5, Chapter 86: Two as One

    "Cecilia!"


    "I''m here, take my hand!"


    At the moment, we''re moving deeper into the mountains to avoid the pursuit of the remnants of Mankind. They''ve begun tracking us down once they realized that one of their Champions had gone missing and we''ve been moving further and further into the mountains ever since, hoping to lose them.


    Of course, we hadn''t just planned on running. In order to confuse the enemy, we have split out forces into three and moved on separately. Should they catch up to us, we would split once more. Lessening our numbers will allow us to move faster and since the enemy would not know which of us has the prisoner, they''re going to have to split their forces as well to locate the squad with their captured Champion.


    To further conceal our forms, each of us is wearing thick fur coats, making it difficult to tell us apart from the Dragonbroods. They also serve to keep us nice and warm even as the snowstorm rages around us.


    "Is everyone still here?"


    While the ongoing snowstorm has helped us elude the enemy pursuers, it had also made it difficult to stay together, so from moment to moment, I have to make roll calls to make sure that none of us had wandered off.


    In this squad, I have with me Oro, Corona, Six, Michaela, Asha, and a few other Dragonbroods as well as the Champion we''ve made prisoner. It was decided that it''s better to have all of our Champions in one spot rather than take the risk of separating and being taken out one by one. We know that at least three of the five Champions remaining on the enemy''s side are running after us to get their friend back, so we want to have the advantage should we run into them.


    Once we managed to escape, we will then regroup at a designated spot near the northernmost tip of Elgadia, the place where the Dragonbrood Keeper lies.


    While things haven''t exactly gone according to plan, I think we''re managing. Seeing that Michaela is still here with us, I can only assume that Aurelius is doing the same on his side as well.


    ***


    Powerful legs kicking off into high speed, long arms that both increase reach and capable of acting as forefeet, combine these physical traits with the unknown powers granted to him, Remus has become more dangerous than ever.


    Ever since his transformation, I''ve been on the defensive. Against his relentless attacks, I have managed only to narrowly escape with [Shadow Steps] one after another, bypassing the cooldown limit by changing out old mana pathways with new ones. Honestly, if I keep this up, my body won''t hold. Is it time yet? Almost? How much longer must I keep this up?


    Again, I use [Shadow Step] to draw distance, and just as before, Remus immediately catches up to me with his powerful legs. I raise my sword to guard, but Remus'' long arms easily circumvent the blade and his claws easily draw blood. Fortunately, the wounds aren''t lethal, but with each swipe of his claws, he gets closer and closer to my vitals and as the battle drags on, my body grows sluggish and I can feel my mind beginning to fade away. I''m almost at my limit.


    Should I go for it? Should I just use my trump card haphazardly without waiting for preparations? There''s no way such a desperate move would end well. I have to hold until the opportune time. That is the only way I can get anywhere close to grasping victory.


    Once more, I manage to draw my distance and yet, immediately, Remus catches up. Again and again, he relentlessly chases after me, absolutely refusing to let me go. Did he realize that I''m up to something, that if he gives me the chance, I''ll definitely try something? Well, he''s not wrong, but all this running around is getting rather annoying, not to mention predictable.


    With a single leap, Remus arrives before me, his massive claws coming down for my head. Right this moment, the ground he had just stepped onto glows with a brilliant magical light, and from the soil, a burst of electricity erupts and coils around Remus'' body, hitting him with an incredible surge of pain throughout. It''s a rune, an [Lightning Rune], a Warlock class skill. I placed it there in advance knowing that he''ll come straight after me and wound up stepping onto it.


    To my disappointment, however, it did not take more than a second or two for Remus to shake it off, hardly giving me any time to get enough distance for what I am about to do next. In an instant, Remus disappears. It looks like instead of going after me normally, he''s taking a more certain measure to just teleport right to me, with the skill: [Assassination]. He''s not giving me any room for tricks this time.


    "[Bind Circle]!"


    However, I''m not fighting alone. The ''princess'' has my back as well. With her spell, a circle appears beneath Remus, freezing his movements completely. This too, did not last long, however. Apparently having every single resistance bumped up to as high as possible, Remus shrugs off all but the most powerful of magical effects. It''s not great, but this is fine, it''s totally fine. That one moment when he''s frozen is all I need.


    Though he immediately swings at me the moment he breaks free, Remus ends up only grazing my leg as I am lifted up into the air. Aras has come to my rescue.


    It is at this moment, the moment when Aras who was supposed to be dealing with his troops is here for my rescue, that Remus realizes it. Turning towards where his troops were, all he finds are corpses lying about, and the ones standing among them are Merida and Toto with the Beastkins on our side in tow. I wanted to avoid this, Beastkins slaughtering Beastkins. It''s not great for morale and might just bring trouble for the future. But, with the situation as it is, there''s no helping it. As for Toto, when I had her go look for the princess, I also gave her a secondary instruction to gather up the troops and have them flank the enemy forces while I have Remus distracted. Once she has been informed that the princess was already heading this way, she immediately went to work on the second order.


    Now, thanks to that, Remus is alone and the advantage is in my favor. I can now fight with absolutely everything without worrying about what I have to deal with next.


    "Nine! Now''s the time!"


    "You asked for it. Don''t blame me if anything goes wrong."


    In the ''princess'' hand, she holds a [contract]. I am sure that throughout the whole fight, Remus has been wondering, ''Where''s the World Breaker?'' That should be one of the reasons why he''s so cautious about keeping me on my toes and not letting me try anything. Well, the thing is, I''ve already dismissed her. I can''t have her be killed you see, and against Remus massive firepower, she''s just going to be a big lumbering target. That is why I went and arranged a different use for her.


    "Here goes nothing... [Overwrite]!"


    ***


    I find myself in a space of pure white... No, not white, just blank, complete and utter blankness.


    "Why is it that you go this far?"


    From the blankness, I hear a voice. There is no face, no figure to ascertain who this is, and even the voice itself is without sound, just information dumped into my mind. However, if I am to base it on my guts, on feelings, I would say that this is a similar voice to the [Holy Guardian Beast], the voice belonging to the [World Breaker Behemoth].


    " I guess I''m at an age where I feel the need to meddle. Perhaps it''s my instincts telling me to leave something behind before my time is up. And hey, I suppose I am in need of some excitement in my life. I''ve lived my whole life playing it safe you see. I thought I''d like to go on an adventure for once. All things said and done, I don''t think I''ve ever felt as lively as I am now."Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "Ironic, considering that you''re on the verge of death."


    "Yet, I have never felt truly alive until recently, until I arrived in this world. Makes me feel like I''ve wasted so many years. Well, that''s time I can''t get back so there''s nothing I can do about it."


    "Then let us make up for lost time. Shall we go?"


    "Thought you''d never ask."


    ***


    By the time I realized it, my body has changed. My limbs feel bulkier and heavier, yet stronger than ever before. My sight, my hearing, and my sense of smell are bolstered to a degree I could not have imagined before, as if I''ve been kept in the dark for the longest time only to have a bright light shine upon me. As one can imagine, it''s rather overwhelming.


    "Focus."


    In my head, there is a second voice, the World Breaker''s voice. With that single whisper, all of my senses feel like they''re suddenly reined in.


    As I manage to calm down, from below, I see sparks lighting up with ferocious intensity. In between Remus'' beastly hands, arcs of electricity jumping from one finger to the other. For him to use this particular spell, I''m sure that the ability he uses to create those powerful explosions is still on cooldown.


    "Aras!"


    At my command, Aras swings me across the sky before releasing its talons'' grip on me, flinging me over to Remus even as he charges up his [Lightning] spell. And though I expected him to fire it at me in reaction, as if reading my mind, he held onto the spell till I used [Assassination] and appeared behind him. It appears that I''ve been relying on this one skill a bit too much, but of course, even I knew that.


    As Remus turns his [Lightning] towards me, I immediately cast the [Stone Ward] I''ve been preparing in advance. The spell comes out almost instantly, and instead of myself, a body of stones wraps up Remus'' hands, sealing his [Lightning] away. Remus seems surprised, though I don''t blame him since from the timing of my spell''s activation, it looks almost as if I started it before the use of [Assassination] and is somehow able to hold onto it till after I teleported behind him. The thing is, it didn''t just look like it. That''s what happened. I use two skills at the same time. And no, this isn''t quite the same as double casting, as that applies only to spells and I couldn''t pull it off either way. I have only enough presence of mind to use one spell or skill at a time. Fortunately, right now, within this body, there resides more than one mind, there are two, one to handle the maneuvers of the body and the other to handle the casting of spell.


    In truth, I had wanted Nine to [Overwrite] as many of those on my side as possible with the [World Breaker Behemoth]''s [contract]. However, according to him, the [contracts] are more or less black boxes. So, while he can use them, he does not understand them, and without being able to fully understand the internal workings, he could not [Duplicate] them, leaving us with only one copy of the World Breaker [contract]. The only one within his arsenal that he could use [Duplicate] on is Diablo''s [contract], but only because it was something he had created on his own from the ground up while trying to recreate something similar to the [contracts]. It''s unfortunate, I''d have a pretty impressive army if I could outfit my forces with the abilities at my disposal right now, but that''s how it goes.


    Having sealed Remus'' [Lightning], I swing my claws at him only for the second consciousness within the body to stop it and twists this body to perform a kick instead with my powerful and bulky leg. The hit lands squarely at the center of Remus'' abdomen, sending him flying into the distance and slamming into the trunk of an uprooted tree. The reason the hit landed so easily was that Remus was preparing to defend against the claw only to be hit with something else. With help from the other consciousness, I ended up performing an impromptu feint, it would seem.


    Of course, even though I''ve landed a solid hit, Remus wasn''t going to go down so easily. Once he recovers his bearings, he charges towards me without any hesitation, not planning to waste even a single moment and tries to engage me in a battle of raw power. He''s getting desperate. Can it be that he too has a time limit? It certainly doesn''t feel like he would like to drag this fight out any longer at least. I should prepare myself.


    Coming straight at me, Remus hadn''t bothered to use [Assassination], most likely because he knew that I''ll be waiting for it, that it''s one of the moments I''m looking for to trap him. His razor-sharp claws cut through the air towards me from a lower angle, an angle difficult to defend against and even if I did block, it''ll leave me open for the next strike. The best thing to do is to dodge but I''m sure that''s what Remus is looking out for. So, in this case, what should I do? I haven''t even come up with the solution by the time the body starts to move, driven by the mind of the World Breaker that has been overlaid on top of my own consciousness. The body moves neither to block nor dodge, but to attack without regards like a beast whose priority is simply to take out the opponent before the opponent takes it down.


    Remus'' claws slash into my abdomen while mine sinks into his chest. Blood spills from us both, but neither of us is backing away. Doing so will give the other the opportunity to heal. This is a battle in which only the most lethal damage will count.


    I use [Shadow Step] to get behind him, and just as he turns to face me, I use [Assassination] to once more, get into another of his blind spot. However, even though he swings at me, thinking that I''m about to strike, I have actually taken the opportunity to pull away and had begun healing. What now? Will he come for me? Or will he take the chance to heal as well?


    From Remus, I spot the lights of magic gathering around him. He''s taking the chance to recover. With the distance I''ve made, no matter how fast he is, I can still react to him and should he closes in carelessly, he''ll only grant me room to counter-attack. His other option is [Assassination]. However, knowing we''re both watching out for it, he''s not going to use it willy-nilly, even more so after falling for my [Lightning Rune] from before. It should be imprinted in his mind that recklessly chasing after me will only result in him falling for my traps.


    The damage we have taken is roughly the same, if we''re both healing ourselves, the one that started first, which is yours truly, will be able to attack first and be at an advantage, even if slightly. Like so, I''ll stack up my advantages against him and gradually push him towards the brink. It''ll be a war of attrition. I can only hope my body holds until then. Well, I have to, that''s what [Overwriting] this body with the Worlds Breaker was for, to extend the time I have left.


    At the exact moment my Hp bar fills up to the last pip, a fairy brings me a new sword the moment I''m done healing. While my hands are too massive to be able to use a regular bow, I should still be able to do a [Blade Toss]. I''ll hit Remus with a ranged attack as I move in, then I''ll either attack directly or use an attack spell. For the rest I''ll rely on the World Breaker''s beastly combat instincts.


    Of course, my plans did not go accordingly, because as it turns out, Remus wasn''t performing a healing spell. He was doing something else, a spell I''ve seen only twice before, a spell that fortunately has a long enough charge time for me to realize what he is going to do. It''s the same spell that destroyed the gates as well as everything one hundred meter radius of it, the same spell that wiped out half the palace and would have destroyed the [Demonic Tree] had it not been the triple-layered [Mana Wall] that the princess and I conjured up.


    Is his cooldown over already? Or is he pushing against the limit as a means to deal with me. He should almost be done charging up and without a doubt, if he hits me with it, I''ll be dead for sure. I need to stop it, I have to stop it. But, will I have the time to do it? Because I was so focused on getting the first hit the moment I''ve healed up, my attention has been on my Hp bar, I didn''t realize that Remus was casting another spell till it was partway done. There''s no time for me to use [Mutation] to change out my mana pathways which meant that [Shadow Step] and [Assassination] aren''t available, so those options are out. I''ll have to defend against it head-on. I''ll take some damage, but I''ll live, probably. It''s a cheap price to pay for misreading the situation.


    I prepare to cast [Mana Wall], and as the princess is nowhere near me, I''ll only have the one, which I fear would break upon taking a direct hit. However, as I am just about to cast it, this body, without heeding my protest, begins to move on its own, rushing towards Remus and canceling the casting.


    "What the-"


    "No time to explain!"


    It took a moment and a half for me to realize what the World Breaker was talking about. Remus, he''s not looking towards me. He''s looking towards the [Demonic Tree]. If he destroys that, the forest goes with it, and if even one Keeper dies, then there goes our chance to obtain full administration rights. The World Breaker had sensed his intention and decided the best course of action was to take him out before he could do that. However, I don''t understand. I thought he wanted the ''key''. I thought he wanted to reach the One Being in hopes of fixing this broken world. So why, why would he destroy one of the very ''keys'' he''s seeking? Did he not understand how it works? Or does he know something I don''t? Either way, there''s no time to wonder. I have to finish it here or else it''s all over.


    I use [Blade Toss], but Remus easily deflects it with his free hand without even turning to look at me. Then, as I charge towards him, as I got close enough, only then does Remus'' eyes slowly shift towards me, causing a chill to run down my spine. He''s not targeting the tree, he never was. This whole time, he''s trying to lure me in closer. It was a trap and I, or rather, the World Breaker, fell for it. Of course, in her defense, if I had noticed what he''s doing earlier, I probably would have done the same.


    Fine then, if that''s how he wants it, we''ll just give it to him.


    I trust forward my claws towards Remus as a bright light fills my vision and soon enough, I lose all sensation. I feel no pain, I hear no sound, and slowly, the light I am seeing fades to darkness. Then, even ''I'' fade away.


    ***


    End of Chapter 86

 Vol. 5, Chapter 87: Dust to Dust

    It happened when the snowstorm was at its worst, when the snow falling before us was like a thick white blanket, one that is soggy and cold. It was during such a time that we were attacked by none other than one of the enemy Champions. This one is the Archer/Assassin, and as for how he was able to track us through the snow, I suspect that he has the [Tracking] skill, a skill that allows the player to see a marked target regardless of where the target is on the map. It''s a useful skill to have on massive player versus player maps such as the one used in guild wars.


    Was he able to [mark] one of us, or did he somehow managed to [mark] their capture friend as she was being carried off? No, it can''t be the latter case. If he knew where she was, then all three Champions on the search would attack at the same time. From how it looks, it seems that he''s alone. He didn''t even bring backup with him, likely because they''d slow him down.


    His initial attack took out one of the Dragonbroods. It was a [Penetrating Arrow], and it easily pierced through the Dragonbrood''s thick hide. Optimally, he''d want to take out one of the Champions, but due to the cloak we''re wearing, he probably couldn''t tell, especially not with his vision impaired by the snow. Even so, it did not change the fact that we were at a disadvantage, as while the enemy could not pick us out from the Dragonbroods, we had no idea where the enemy even was.


    In response, we decided to form a defensive circle around the less ''tanky'' members. Those of the outer circle will soak up the damage while the healers within the inner circle would heal any damage the outer circle would sustain. Like so, we were able to hold out till the storm subsided, causing the enemy Champion to make a hasty retreat now that he had lost his sole advantage.


    "Looks like we held out somehow."


    "Finally, it''s over! I don''t think I could have held out any longer. The suspense was killing me."


    Six falls over into the snow only to immediately crawl back up upon realizing how cold it is.


    "Ugh... I need a place to sit down. Hey, when are we getting out of the mountains?"


    "Shouldn''t be too long, at least according to Nibal. Still, even if we leave the mountains, there''s no guarantee that we''ll have lost the pursuers, so I wouldn''t get my hopes up about resting."


    Though he says that, Oro is leaning against his massive greatsword, looking about just as tired as Six is.


    I''d imagine if we, those of the class with the highest physical prowess are this tired, then no doubt Corona, a Sorcerer, should be even more so.


    "Hey, Corona, how are you- Corona!?"


    "What, what''s wrong? Did something happen to..."


    Oro notices as well, and the moment he realizes it, his face turns pale and his eyes widen in disbelief. Corona, she''s gone. Not only that, so are our captive, with the only clues as to what happened being a dead Dragonbrood that had apparently bled out silently on the snow while we''re focused on the hidden enemy Archer/Assassin.


    "Shit! What are we going to do now!?"


    "Calm down, the situation isn''t that bad. Corona, she''s still fine. She''s still in our party and her Hp is still full. She''s not in any danger yet."


    Six was starting to panic but Oro calmed him down while trying to keep his own cool about the situation, even though he''s should be most worried about the missing Corona.


    Our escaped captive aside, we should try to locate Corona. If we''re lucky, she might even be with the captive, being used as a hostage or something.


    "Michaela, can you take into the sky and help us search?"


    Of all of us, Michaela should be able to cover the most ground. And with the snowstorm settling down, she should have no problem taking flight. However, as I made my request, another problem arises


    "Michaela?"


    Michaela, she is disappearing, her body falling apart into particles of light.


    "A message from my liege."


    Even while her body slowly disintegrates, she speaks with her usual calm and gentle tone, the tone that would usually soothe one''s heart. However, right now, there''s only a wrenching feeling at the pit of my stomach.


    "Continue with the mission, he said. All is well. Proceed as planned."


    "Wait, what do you mean all is well!? This isn''t looking good at all."


    Now Six is really panicking and frankly, so am I. The way she''s disappearing, this doesn''t look like she''s being called back at all. Instead, it looks more like she''s dying from a fatal blow. She wasn''t hit by anything, was she? No, not from the looks of it, and her Hp is full as well. So that could only mean.


    "Michaela, what happened with Aurelius?"A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "All is well. Continue with the mission..."


    As she repeats those vague words, she eventually vanished, leaving nothing at all behind. With that, our original party of six had been reduced to three.


    ***


    I can''t see. I can''t hear. I can''t feel my body. It''s as if all sensations have left me. Or, perhaps it''s me that have left the sensations behind along with my body? Do I even have a body left? Not after that blast, I don''t think. Oh, wait. Perhaps I spoke too soon. I''m starting to hear something... Voices, they''re voices, and they do not sound pleased at all.


    "Au... Aureli...... Aurelius!"


    "Oh hey... What''s up?"


    I seem to be propped up at the base of a tree. Did something dragged me over or did the blast knocked me all the way here? In front of me, I see Toto kneeled down. She had her hands reaching out, yet, at the same time, she seems hesitant to touch me, as if I''ll break apart at the slightest contact.


    "What... What were you thinking!?"


    "Well, a lot of things actually. There''s so much to think about these days I feel constantly light-headed."


    Despite my best attempt to appear aloof, it does not seem to calm Toto down one bit. Tears just keep on rolling down her cheeks without any sign of stopping. Do I look that bad?


    Slowly, I tilt my head downwards to take a look at my own state. Seeing that I can''t really feel much of anything, I''d reckon that I probably lost about most of my limbs, and so I am prepared for what I am about to see. However, how should I put it, it''s not exactly as bad as I thought. Well, I mean, everything below my chest is gone and my arms are nowhere to be found either. It''s pretty bad, just not as much as I expected. At least there isn''t any blood and gore, only glittering dust falling from my torn up body.


    Across from me, I spot another body in a similar condition to mine. This one is sickeningly bloody, and if my [Insight] wasn''t working, I probably wouldn''t be able to tell that it''s Remus. He''s dead right? Proper dead? No one is going to cast [Resurrection] on him, right? Beside him, watching over him vigilantly is the princess. She''s probably there to make sure that my worst fear doesn''t happen. She''ll be able to cast [Dispel] at the first sight of him reviving if she''s that close to him. However, as I''m thinking such thoughts, the princess suddenly jerks away from the body. Something is happening.


    Following my sight, Toto looks over as well, and together, we witness something emerging from Remus'' body. Yes... it certainly was ''something'' alright. I can''t quite find words to describe it, as it is without form or shape. It is something that we simply know is there, something sinister, malevolent, and profoundly hateful. If most of my body hadn''t been blown to bits, I''d probably be sweating buckets right now. Fortunately, as suddenly as it came, it quickly vanished, like morning mist evaporating by the heat of the rising sun.


    I see now, so that''s the one, the one behind Remus'' power and knowledge. I think I might know who it could be. The disgusting feeling I have at the pit of my stomach, I have experienced it before. It was only through a memory, but it was vivid enough for me to feel the same way. It''s one of them, one of the Type-Zeros. Looks like the Grand Keeper, Seven, had let one slip her by. I suppose this is one of those times to go, ''You had one job!'' But, she''s not here and on top of that, she''s kind of scary, so I''ll keep it to myself. I''ll take it to my grave even, which wouldn''t take too long.


    "Is... Is it gone?"


    "I think so, yes..."


    "Aurelius, you''ll be fine, right? We''ll just have to get someone to heal you right? I know! The [Demonic Tree]! It''ll be able to somehow keep you alive, right?"


    She''s trying to sound optimistic, for my sake probably, but her desperation is coming through in her voice.


    Slowly, gently, I shake my head.


    "Toto, look at me. How am I even able to talk so normally like this? One look and you should know this isn''t normal. I''m sorry, I really am, about this, and the fact that I kept it from you till the last second, but the thing is, I was already dead."


    "What... are you talking about?"


    Her voice trembles. It''s almost as if she knew what I am about to say. She probably guessed it, the moment she saw me walking about and fighting in top condition.


    "I used [Resurrection]."


    More precisely, after sending Toto away, I broke away from the [Demonic Tree] and have it use [Resurrection] on me just as I am about to die. Thanks to that, I came back with full heal and mana. Of course, the downside of that is the fact that the effect only lasts so long. All in all, it''s a good thing that I stopped Remus before my time is up.


    "Is there.... Is there nothing I can do?"


    "Yeah... I don''t think so. [Resurrection] could only be used once. I''m sorry, but I can''t figure another way out."


    Remus was a tough opponent. And by sending everyone away, even though it was for a plan, which worked out, by the way, I guess I screwed myself over in the long run.


    Gradually, I can feel myself fading away. My time is running out. No, perhaps my time was already up. I was only able to extend it by having Nine [Overwrite] this body with the World Breaker. I probably have that to thank for my body not being completely vaporized by Remus'' blast.


    "Seriously... that idiot... firing off......... at point-blank. Now he... killed us...... both."


    "Aurelius? Aurelius, don''t go! We still need you! Please stay!"


    Sorry, no can do. This is it for me. But, don''t worry about it. I''ve got a plan. I''ve always got a plan. Just follow the ''princess''. She''ll know what to do. Because... Because I... I......


    ***


    "Hey! Hey! Wake up! No napping on company time!"


    "Come one, give him a break. He''s sick."


    "We''ve got no time for this! We have a deadline to make. Just give him some energy drink! He''ll pull through."


    In my murky consciousness, I get a feeling that I''m being yelled at. It''s by a nostalgic voice no less. A voice I occasionally still hear in my nightmares.


    "Hey, buddy. You awake? Sorry about that. I tried to tell them, but they won''t listen?"


    "Huh? Wha-?"


    "Man, I think your cold''s getting worse. Do you need anything?"


    "Something... Something warm..."


    "Sure, I get right to it. And tell me if you need anything else, alright?"


    "Sure thing..."


    "Make sure you do, okay. I know how you''re like."


    Is this... Is this my old office? My head hurts. What was I doing? I can''t quite remember. I think I got sick a day or two ago, but the boss wouldn''t let me take a break, said we''re understaffed and we needed to launch the beta by next month. Even added something like, ''you don''t look that sick,'' and told me to stop trying to slack off while everyone''s working their butts off. What an ass. And what''s the title of the game again? It got outsourced to us at the last minute too because the parent company got overwhelmed by the unexpected amount of work, so I don''t have that clear of an impression of it. Still, to just up and forget about it... Is the fever frying my brain?


    "Hey, what are we working on again?"


    "Wait, seriously!? Weren''t you paying attention at the meeting?"


    "No, I mean, just tell me the name already."


    "Buddy, it''s Elysium Online. Are you sure you''re alright? Should I call for an ambulance? Buddy?"


    "Elysium Online...... Elysium Online?"


    ***


    End of Chapter 87

 Hiatus Announcement

    It is unfortunate, or maybe most fortunate, but I am putting this story on ice, probably permanently. I had said that the last volume, volume 6, is going to be the last, and while I was almost done with it, with only a few chapters left in fact, I decided that it will just not do. Below, I will detail my reasons for doing so as well as a bit of introspection on what I''ve done so far.


    I think we can all agree that an ending is supposed to be exciting, something to look forward to, but Vol. 6 is not that. Having gone over what I''ve written, I realized that there was nothing fun or interesting about it and was generally a slog to read through.  It would only have been a waste of everyone''s time to read.


    However, it''s not just the ending. If coming up with a proper ending was the problem, then all I have to do is to rewrite it. The problem was in the story in itself, as most of you reading this probably have already known. This whole thing was poorly planned out, with hardly any planning at all in fact. I just wrote in whatever I felt like, tossing any half-baked ideas I thought up in there without thinking about how it''ll fit the story and how I am supposed to bring it to a resolution. I thought that I would just figure it out as I go and turns out, it was a bad move overall, and I soon found myself spending more time thinking of ways to tie up loose ends and justify things I haphazardly tossed in than coming up with something actually interesting. I probably should have given the ideas more time, thought about it more thoroughly before commiting it into the story.


    It was all very bad habits, habits that have never really caught my attention till now, when I''m seriously trying to complete a story. I never realized how important it is to have the right discipline when it comes to writing and that''s about the only good thing I can say about this experience.


    Another flaw I''ve found is the lack of world-building. The world of Elgardia was just too bland in the end. I thought that I''d fill it up as I go, but I should have put more thought into it before I even started writing. In the end, there simply wasn''t much to do or going on in the setting and because of the ideas I just tossed into the story, there wasn''t much I can do without breaking the premise I ended up creating. So, in the end, the story falls into the pattern of battles, preparing for battles, and then even more battles with hardly meaningful tidbits filling out the spaces in the middle. While unlike the setting, I had some ideas about where to take the characters, but due to how little there is going on with the world, there wasn''t much I can do with them. Maybe I could have changed things up along the way somewhere, and I did try a thing or two, but in the end, they were half-baked, like the many ideas I''ve tossed into the story. And when it led up to the ending, the one thing I had planned of, it was just atrocious. Without the rest of the story supporting, the ending and the final twist I''ve planned felt more like a wet slap to the face than something even remotely surprising or entertaining.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    There is no fixing this story as it is I''m afraid. Not me. I''m not that good, something that should be very clear by now. The only way I can think of is a complete revamp, change everything from the ground up. The characters I might keep, flesh them out more, change them a little here and there, but everything else needs a complete alteration. It would have to be a brand new story, one completely different from this amalgamation.


    And so, this is why I''m putting this story on ice and I don''t think I''ll be reviving it, not as what it is. To those people looking forward to the ending, if you exist, I''m sorry. I rather this be remembered as a subpar, poorly thought out story than something much, much worse, which it will be should I ever complete it.


    As for what I''ll be doing. Well, I''m going to take a break from writing. Take my time reviewing what I''ve done wrong, about things I should and shouldn''t have done, and hopefully come up with something far, far better in the near future.


    Finally, if you''ve gotten this far, I thank you for your time and I am sorry for wasting it.