《Irradiated World》


 Prologue: A... Promise?

    The golden hues of a setting sun filled her vision, the sounds of the long grass rustling in the wind filled her ears, and the smell of the dirt she sat on overtook her nose. These were all sights, sounds, and smells that she had gotten used to; she did experience them every night after all. It was a dream she had every night. A dream so precious to her that it could never be replaced. At least, that¡¯s how it should have been, even now, but she noticed important changes in the dream today.


    The city in the distance, Sanum, looked eerily bigger tonight. Not that she could tell easily as the city was more than a two days journey on foot. She could barely make out the skyline of the central district of the town due to it being on the biggest mountain in the immediate area. But tonight that skyline looked¡­ no it felt different to her. She couldn¡¯t quite place why, but she knew that the skyline wasn¡¯t the only different thing.


    She looked down at her body, confirming her thoughts. Normally in this dream, she would appear as her younger self at the age of ten. She most definitely was usually in the body of a young girl. So why was she suddenly in a body that was more mature than her outside of the dream? Just looking down confirmed it as the body she was in currently was far more mature in certain areas than she was. Lean muscles built up areas she never thought to work on. Her clothes screamed religious piety, yet she didn''t follow any religion.


    As she was pondering why all of this was happening, the quiet sounds of someone walking up to her pulled her thoughts away from the body she was in. Having heard the sounds her father¡¯s footsteps made when he walked up to her every night, she knew this wasn¡¯t him. Who are you? She meant to say it out loud but her body refused to speak as she turned to face the newcomer.


    He was tall. That was the first thing she thought when she saw him. He wasn¡¯t the tallest person ever, but he was definitely taller than the average male.


    He had the build of a fighter. The second thing she noticed about him. He wasn¡¯t overly bulky like most town guards she had seen while she was little. Instead, he seemed to have a lean muscular look to him. His clothes did little to hide that fact, if they were even supposed to in the first place.


    The scar. The third thing she noticed about him. He had a scar running up the left side of his face, cupping the outer edge of his murky blue eyes. Running from the cheek up to his brown hair, hiding its ending underneath the hair, away from her sight.


    A few steps from her, the man stopped walking. She sat there, staring at his face, taking in every detail. His face was very¡­ average to her. Maybe a bit above the standard male, but nothing to write home about outside of the aforementioned scar on the left side. But the thing she noticed most about his face was the look in his eyes. They were full of a flurry of emotions; anger, pain, guilt¡­ but also relief and joy. It was like he was laying his eyes on someone who had come back from the dead.


    She didn¡¯t even have to see her face to know she probably looked the same way. Just looking at him made the body she was in simultaneously ache and feel utter joy at the same time. The body trembled, opening and closing its mouth trying to say something, but nothing came out. The rustling of the grass was deafening between them. Nothing could be heard except for it.


    ¡°Why¡­? How¡­? Why are you¡­ here?¡± Suddenly, the shaking voice of the body she was in cut through that deafening grass. It posed a simple question for the man in front of her. But to her, the answer to the body¡¯s question didn¡¯t matter. What mattered to her was the voice. It was more mature and sounded a bit odd, but it was unmistakably her voice.


    ¡°Is this a dream of my future then? Maybe the hope within me that something like this would eventually happen to me? But then, who is this man? Is he someone I know right now? Someone in the village we live in? I mean, it would have to be, wouldn¡¯t it? There¡¯s no way a man from a city nation like Sanum would ever meet with someone who lived in a Rad-town like me.¡±


    As she tried to figure out who this man was, he suddenly was by the side of her older body, slowly sitting down next to her. As he sat down, looking at the nearly set sun in the distance, his hand casually rested on top of hers. But her body didn¡¯t pull away. Instead, it gripped the hand, silently vowing to never let go of it.


    ¡°I¡­ I have a promise. A promise that I made to you, Aria, that I need-- no, that I want to keep. Thi---¡± He said her name. That was all Aria needed to know that this was some weird fever dream about her future that she was having. Surely she wasn¡¯t seeing the actual future. Not even time-based mages could do that. The most they could ever do was vague predictions of something that would happen to the recipient in the next year. Something like this? A dream about her future? That is something that will never happen to anyone. So surely this is just some unconscious desire of hers that is manifesting itself in her dreams tonight.


    By the time Aria focused on what was happening in the dream again, the two had stopped talking. Aria¡¯s head was resting on his shoulder with his head propped up against hers. Slowly, Aria¡¯s body began to close its eyes. There was nothing Aria could do about it. The end of this weird unconscious desire-filled dream was coming near. As her body''s eyes closed, the last golden rays from the setting sun disappeared behind the horizon¡­


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    A small stream of light from the rising sun punctured its way through a small crack in her window covering, attacking her closed eyes. Her consciousness started to wake, annoyed by the constant attacks on her body. As she groggily opened her eyes, Aria waved her hand towards the window, causing the window covering to close fully. Her ability to control the air particles always came in handy during mornings like these.


    Sitting up in her bed, Aria¡¯s arms naturally stretched out over her head as she groggily thought about the dream that night. It had never changed like that before. Wondering why it had changed like that, she stood up and walked over to the cabinet in the corner of her room. Opening the cabinet door, she riffled through the clothes hanging within, pulling out her day''s clothes after a few seconds. As she slipped them on, she heard the usual cries of the roosters that were being raised on the town¡¯s single farm.


    ¡°It¡¯s six in the morning already¡­?¡± Aria muttered as she walked over to the window and opened the covering fully. As bright sunlight poured into the room, she instinctively squinted and put her hand up to cover her eyes from the bright light.


    The aroma of cooked eggs slowly made its way into her room, signaling that breakfast was done. Not wanting to get on her parent''s bad side, Aria quickly made her way out to the dining table right as her mother was putting out three plates of eggs and toasted bread.


    ¡°Mama, do you want me to grab some forks?¡±


    ¡°Yes please, and be careful, your father is bringing out the water.¡±


    Aria brushed past her mother and walked into the kitchen to grab three forks, barely dodging her dad as he walked by with three mugs of water in his hand. After grabbing the forks, Aria quickly walked back out to the table, setting a fork on each of her parent''s plates before sitting in front of hers. She quickly ate her food in silence as her parents talked about things happening around the town. As soon as she had finished her breakfast, she quickly said thanks to her mother and got up to put the plate and mug in the cleaning area. Using the last of the water in the mug, she rinsed the remaining scraps of food off the plate before setting it out to dry.


    ¡°Aria, you will be at school all day today, right? I don¡¯t want to hear that you skipped again today.¡± Aria¡¯s father posed the question to her as her hand was on the front door, forcing her to stop.


    ¡°But Papa, everything they are teaching I already know. The school here is far behind where I was going to school back in Sanum.¡±


    ¡°We know that honey, but you can¡¯t continue to stand out even more than you do already. Kids have been talking about you during school apparently, wondering why you are never there. Every time you do things like this, it¡¯s tougher on us. We have to explain your actions for you.¡±


    As her mother chimed in, Aria realized that they were double-teaming her. She knew it would be better for her to just agree for now. Letting out a silent sigh, Aria turned back and gave her parents a small smile.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go to school today. I promise.¡±


    As she left the house, Aria turned towards where the town¡¯s school and started walking. While she had promised to go to school that day, she never said she would be there the entire time. She had to train in the morning after all. She would go after she was done training. She only had two more years before she became an adult and could go back to Sanum to apply for the Sanum Magic university. She had to train and practice using her magic as much as she could before then to guarantee her acceptance.


    Aria trained every day in a small part of the forest that surrounded the town where she currently lived in. She chose that spot because it was just outside of the town¡¯s borders. She chose it because she had found a small hole in the northern wooden fence.


    She passed by the dirt road, if you could even call it a road, that separated the northern buildings and the southern buildings. The building that housed the school was in the northern section. She passed by the building, navigating past a few other children that were heading to the school. Eventually, Aria noticed that someone was following her. She was nearing the hole in the wall and didn¡¯t want anyone else to know about it, so she took a quick turn past a building.


    This turn took Aria into a small clearing in between some buildings. Seeing no one around and not hearing anything from the four buildings around her, Aria quickly turned on her pursuer.


    ¡°Why are you¡­ following¡­ me¡­¡± As soon as Aria saw the kid''s face, the memory of the dream she had flashed across her vision. The kid looked very similar to the man that she had seen in her dream, minus a few years. He was a bit taller than her, though she thought he might be the same age as her, or around it. His shirt was dirty like he hadn¡¯t washed it in a day or two. And his pants were a size too big and were held together by a band tied around his waist.


    ¡°I- um. You¡¯re Aria, right? Aria Towsen?¡± His voice was quiet, meek, and quaking as if he wasn¡¯t used to talking with people.


    ¡°I am. Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°Will you teach me how to use magic? Please?¡±


    Aria blinked a few times before her mind processed what the kid had asked. She barely understood how her magic worked by herself, she had no idea how she would teach something that she didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Please, you¡¯re the only person I haven¡¯t asked. All the other kids I¡¯ve asked said ¡°It¡¯s too hard¡± and ¡°Why should I teach you?¡±. And I can¡¯t ask the adults, they absolutely can¡¯t know I¡¯m trying to learn magic.¡±


    He had begun rambling. Aria had yet to get a word in because he didn¡¯t stop talking. Aria almost felt a bit bad that she was going to turn him down. But there was no way she would be able to teach him, no matter what he said. That was a silly thought that would never happen.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll train you.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Aria¡¯s brain went into overdrive, trying to understand why it had said that. As she watched his face light up, she quickly tried to take back her words to no avail. His constant stream of thanks quickly drowned out any attempt she made. She had made a deal she could no longer take back.

 Chapter 1: A Dream of Yours and A Dream of Mine

    Light shone through the cracks in the window, waking Nic up unceremoniously, just as it always did. The bed creaked as Nic sat up, rubbing his eyes groggily. As he did every day, Nic stood up and slowly dragged himself over to the cracked mirror in the corner. Draped over it were the brown pants he wore every day and a faded dark blue shirt. They had both been gifts from Aria on his birthday nearly two years prior, soon after they had first met. When she gave him the clothes, she said it was because she didn¡¯t want to be seen with someone who only had ripped clothes to wear.


    Nic didn¡¯t blame her. He hated the fact that all his clothes were old and ripped. That they were hand-me-downs from when his father was the same age Nic was now. But his parents were poor, even for rad-town standards. They say it is because they are still relatively new to this town and had come here with nothing to their name. But Nic knew the truth. In reality, it was because of the family name that they were poor. That¡¯s why they always hid it. No one wants to be associated with a Verilo, not after what their ancestor did. For the past two and a half centuries, whenever a rad-town found out that there were Verilo¡¯s living amongst them, they always ran them out of town. And every time they were forced to leave behind all of their possessions. And so Nic¡¯s family continued to live like this, even now. Moving from rad-town to rad-town whenever they were forced out. Nic felt lucky that they hadn¡¯t been forced out of their current home in the nearly ten years they had lived there.


    Nic quickly finished putting on his clothes, and after quickly running through his hair with his hand to comb it a bit, he turned back around and walked back over to his old bed. With each step, the wood beneath his feet creaked and groaned. Nic kneeled and reached beneath his bed. Fumbling about for a few seconds, Nic finally grabbed what he was looking for and pulled it out. In his hand was a small black journal. This journal was barely wider and taller than Nic¡¯s hand but was fairly thick, nearly 3 cer thick of paper. Sitting back against the side of his bed, Nic opened the journal to the front page and read it again.


    ¡°If someone of my legacy is reading this, and the world is still ravaged by the Irradiation I caused, please learn magic on your own. Once you do, head to the house in which I will have died. Once there, you shall meet a trusted friend of mine. He is a demi-human and should live much much longer than I. He will continue to lead you on your journey for me. A journey to save this world. - Noah Verilo¡±


    That was all that was written on the front page of the journal. And it was something that Nic read every single day. It was his motivation. His salvation. If he could learn magic and go on this journey, then no one will hate his family anymore. Even if his mother and father would try to stop him, they would be unable to once he turned 17 in a few weeks and became an adult as well. The rest of the journal contained a myriad of writings from Noah Verilo, some comprehensible, but most weren¡¯t. They were like the writings of a madman at times. But the parts that Nic could read clearly showed that Noah felt remorse for what he had done. Nic knew that his ancestor had left something to make up for his shortcomings because of that remorse. And Nic was adamant about being the one to find out what it is.


    ¡°Nic! It¡¯s time for breakfast, come on out!¡±


    The sweet voice of his mother called out from outside of his room, his stomach rumbling in response to her offer. Nic slowly closed the black journal and slid it back under the old bed as he stood up, the floorboards creaking once again. He quickly grabbed his bag full of school materials before exiting his room and sitting down with his parents to eat breakfast.


    ¡°Are you actually going to stay in class all day today? I¡¯m getting tired of being informed that you were missing for large portions of the day.¡± Nic had yet to take a bite of his food before his dad spoke up. His mother was quietly looking down at her food, ignoring the daily song and dance that was about to start.


    ¡°What do you care? It¡¯s not like staying there will get me anywhere in life. Being a Verilo guarantees that.¡± Nic spat back his response, malice underlining his words. The hatred he held for his father tangled around his heart so much that nothing would ever unravel it.


    A sigh came from across the table before his dad responded. ¡°That won¡¯t change. Not for a while yet. Instead, you should be focusing on finding a partner to live your life with. Living by yourself¡­ It''s a hard path to take.¡±


    The face of his only friend flashed through Nic¡¯s mind as his dad was talking. Nic swallowed the food he was chewing on. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bring someone else into this mess of a family until I fix it! Why don¡¯t you understand that? If I just do what his journal says-¡±


    ¡°Why do you assume everything in that journal is correct?!¡± His father cut Nic off. The daily song and dance was in full swing.


    ¡°Why do you think it isn¡¯t? You have never told me why it isn¡¯t true! So why should I believe you? What proof do you have?¡±


    Bam! A fist slammed against the table. ¡°How many times have I told you; you don¡¯t need to know the truth. Just trust me on this one thing Nic, please. I don¡¯t want you to have to live with disappointment your entire life.¡±


    Nic stood up from the table. Half of his food was still on the plate in front of him, but Nic didn¡¯t care. He hated everything his father was saying. This was exactly why he hated him. Every day it was the same thing. ¡°Trust me on this Nic¡±, ¡°Believe me¡±, ¡°It¡¯s for your own good¡±. Every time it was the same thing, and every time it rang hollow in Nic¡¯s ears.


    As he walked out of the house, the door creaking as it opened and closed, he glanced back at his parents to see his mom consoling his dad quietly. She was always on his side. No one was ever on Nic¡¯s, not in this family.


    As he exited the house, the morning sun peaking over the treetops blinded him momentarily. A few birds chirped in the distance as the people throughout S-012 started their days.


    The building Nic had just walked out of, the place he called home, was a dilapidated house. From the haphazardly boarded-up windows to the clearly visible hole in the roof on the right side of the building, its age was on clear display. It was also significantly smaller than any other building in the Rad-Town that Nic lived in.


    This small village of just over a hundred people was known as a Rad-Town. Rad-Towns were small villages that usually only numbered in the few hundreds of residents, and S-012 was on the smaller side of that.


    The labeling of Rad-Towns are decided by the larger City-States and Nations that hold power over the land of Kronul. Each Rad-Town was given an identification number as a name by these larger powers. In the case of the Rad-Town that Nic lived within, the ¡°S¡± came from the nearby City-State of Sanum that looked over the Rad-Towns near it. The ¡°012¡± signifies this Rad-Town as being the twelfth one to be created after the Irradiated Winter in the area.


    Nic longingly sighed as he thought about the difference between Rad-Towns and the larger powers; mainly that the larger powers had seemingly been freed from the Irradiation that permeated around everyone else.


    He knew his family was to blame for the creation of Irradiation in the first place, but how did those cities escape the same fate as everyone else? One of the hands at his side clenched into a fist as he thought about it.


    ¡°Oh, Nic is that you? Won¡¯t you be late to class if you¡¯re still here?¡± A sweet voice echoed across the small clearing in front of Nic¡¯s home. It came from the back porch of the nearest house and the old lady standing upon it.


    She was wearing comfortable-looking clothes that were well-kept. Her face warmed any who saw it and never looked down on anyone, no matter what life they had led up to meeting her. Her once dirty blonde hair was now interlaced with gray hairs to the point that you couldn¡¯t tell what one covered more of her head.


    But the most telling feature of all were the two floppy dog ears on either side of her head and the long, bushy tail trailing behind her. Those two features marked her as one of the few Demi-Humans living within the Rad-Town. Her name was Mrs. Carnie.


    She had a first name, Nic was sure of that, but he had never learned it. He had also never even asked it, which had not too small an impact on why he didn¡¯t know it. She was one of the few people in the Rad-Town that Nic had any interactions with. She would constantly appear as he left in the morning and say a few words to him as he passed by.


    This morning, her greeting had snapped Nic back into focus and caused him to start his walk. His path took him towards the side of the Carnie house, and like always, he didn¡¯t respond to Mrs. Carnie¡¯s questions.


    ¡°Silent like always, huh? Let me guess, you got in a fight with your pops again?¡± Nic stopped in his tracks. She had heard the commotion yet again.


    This was due to the enhanced hearing she had thanks to the canine aspects of her body. Beyond being a Demi-Human, Mrs. Carnie was more distinctly a Beast Person. The first Beast People, created during the First Irradiated Winter alongside the other side of Demi-Humans; the Elves, are the result of Irradiation merging the soul of a human with the soul of an animal.


    While the human body kept its base shape, it would grow new features based on the animal whose soul was merged with it. Ninety percent of the time, the original human consciousness would be the one still around when the merge was complete, but there were the occasional Beast People where the animal''s consciousness would end up in charge. Either way, the Beast Person would be able to do anything a human could, plus more depending on the type of Beast Person they became.


    However, second-generation and beyond Demi-Humans would be born with the aspects of their parents. So a member of the Canine Tribe would give birth to another Demi-Human who would have the features of a Canine.


    As for Elves, they came into being in a very similar fashion to the Beast People, but instead of their souls merging with the souls of animals, Elves'' souls merged with Elemental Spirits. Once merged, their hair and eye color would turn into a certain color based on the Elemental Spirit that the soul merged with. Elves also have far greater control of their magic than any human or Beast Person would ever hope to achieve. One thing common to all Demi-Humans was the fact that their average lifespans were centuries-long, sitting at 250 years.


    ¡°One day you will finally speak to me. One day. I just hope it won¡¯t be too late when you do.¡± Mrs. Carnie turned and began to open the door to her home.


    ¡°Um¡­ Can I ask you something really quick?¡± Nic spoke up, stopping the old lady from heading back inside. He remembered something she had once said.


    ¡°So you finally talk! What is it you wanted to know, young Nic?¡± She turned back around, a large smile on her face and jubilation in her voice.


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    ¡°You used to live in Sanum right? Is it true that there is no Irradiation there?¡± Nic saw her smile slowly vanish as a deep sigh escaped her lips.


    ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t asking this because of Dave. He and I both knew the risks of coming to live out here in a Rad-Town, even if we are Demi-Humans. But yes, there is no Irradiation in the bigger cities like Sanum.¡± Mrs. Carnie immediately believed that Nic was asking about her husband, who was currently suffering from Irradiation sickness.


    Irradiation Sickness is caused by someone being exposed to large amounts of Irradiation over time. The longer someone is exposed to Irradiation, the more it will enter their body. Once it reaches the point that their body can¡¯t handle any more Irradiation, they begin the slow and painful path to death. This process is what is referred to as Irradiation Sickness.


    It is a fact that most people within Rad-Towns contract Irradiation Sickness that larger powers control the Rad-Towns near them. Most humans who lived in Rad-Towns would contract Irradiation Sickness by their late twenties or early thirties. The average lifespan of a human was barely 35 years of age because of this.


    But for Demi-Humans, this fear of Irradiation Sickness was almost non-existent. Due to how Demi-Humans first came about, they had increased resistance to irradiation in the first place. So for them, succumbing to irradiation sickness was something that rarely happened. This was why Mrs. Carnie''s husband, who was also a member of the Canine tribe of Beast People, contracting Irradiation Sickness was the first thing she had thought of.


    ¡°Actually, I wanted to know if you knew why they didn¡¯t have any Irradiation. But, speaking of Mr. Carnie, is he still in a lot of pain?¡± Nic brought up his actual reason for asking the question, but also knew that he would sound too insensitive if he brushed past what she had said.


    ¡°He¡¯s the same as he has been for the past few weeks. He¡¯s powering through, but I fear it is too much for him.¡± Mrs. Carnie looked down, sadness passing across her face for a second before she bottled it up with a forced smile back at Nic. ¡°As for why they don¡¯t have Irradiation¡­ I was born a bit after it happened, but I heard that there was this lady¡­ I believe she was called ¡°The Blood Elf¡±? But apparently, she went around and absorbed the Irradiation from a few cities. Those cities became the basis for the oldest City-States and Nations.¡±


    The sound of a man coughing came from inside the house. Mrs. Carnie sighed and put her hand back on the doorknob that led inside.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if that didn¡¯t answer your question, but I should get back to Dave.¡± With that, the Beast Person disappeared inside the house. Nic said nothing as he turned and continued on his way. She had given him a lead. The Blood Elf. Nic tucked that name into his mind. He would need to see if he could find anything else out about them later.


    S-012, the Rad-Town that Nic lived in was split into three distinct sections. The first two lay on the eastern side of the town, separated by the path that led to the town center. Both held most of the homes that people lived in. The third section covered the entire eastern portion of the Rad-Town and consisted of the massive farm that fed everyone in S-012.


    The Southwestern section consisted almost entirely of homes, but did have one thing different from the others. Just past the wooden fence in the southwest of the Rad-Town was the local graveyard. Nic¡¯s home was actually fairly close to the graveyard, nestled against the same length of fence as the graveyard.


    The northern of the two sections held a larger building than the others. This building was the Rad-Town¡¯s schoolhouse, something not seen in other Rad-Towns. A young researcher from Sanum had decided to start teaching in the Rad-Town, hoping to help its residents. Inside the building, roughly thirty children of varying ages were taught by this researcher every day. This is where Nic should have been going, though he usually went past it, through a small hole in the wooden fence that surrounded the Rad-Town and across the River to the northwest of the town.


    As he sat on the rock with his eyes closed, Nic felt like he could hear the entire world. The loudest thing he heard was the water of the nearby river as it splashed against the rocks on the riverbed. The chirping of the birds and the quiet humming of the insects sat as the melody and harmony to the waters backing. Occasionally he heard the sounds of kids playing in the clearings of the Rad-Town, or their parents yelling at them to get back inside. But most of all, he heard her soothing voice every few minutes as she asked him the same question.


    ¡°Can you feel it?¡±


    He could feel the hard rock beneath his butt and the hot sun beating down on his back, but that wasn¡¯t what Aria wanted to know. Could he feel any magical energy was what she actually meant. And yet, he still shook his head no. He couldn¡¯t feel anything at all.


    Nearly two years ago, Nic had gone around the town, asking every magic user he could find if they would teach him how to use magic. Every one of them had turned him down. Everyone except for Aria. She had quickly said yes, and the next day had started trying to teach him. Most of her teaching techniques were simply having Nic try things she did when she used magic. When all of those didn¡¯t work, she started trying techniques she had heard other mages use to teach people. So far, none of those have worked either. Two years later, Nic was nowhere closer to using magic himself.


    Letting out a deep sigh, Nic opened his eyes, only to find Aria¡¯s face right in front of his. Her light brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail gently waving in the breeze, her light blue eyes full of curiosity were staring at his face and her soft lips were open ever so slightly, letting in air. Letting out a startled yelp, Nic fell backwards off the rock, landing hard on his back and knocking all of the air out of his lungs. As he gasped for air, trying to refill his lungs, he heard a cry from Aria before she flew around the rock to his side.


    ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯re not hurt badly?¡±


    Nic regained his breath and slowly sat up. As he did he felt the wind at his back, like it was helping him sit up. He put out one hand to stop Aria from getting closer to him.


    ¡°Why were you so close to me?¡± While he was asking this question, the truth was that he didn¡¯t mind her being that close to him. He had come to find that Aria was a very caring individual. Whenever Nic got injured near her, she was always the first to ask him if he was alright. And if it was genuinely bad, she would use her magic to help him, like she just had when he was sitting up.


    ¡°Well, you looked so peaceful while sitting there that I thought you might have fallen asleep.¡±


    ¡°Even though I was shaking my head no to your questions?¡± There was a silent minute before Aria responded.


    ¡°Well, I, uh, maybe that was like something you learned to do. Or something like that.¡± Aria¡¯s light blue eyes darted around sheepishly as she struggled to come up with her response. Nic cracked a small grin as he watched her.


    ¡°And here I thought maybe you just wanted to get a good look at me because you liked me.¡± Almost as soon as Nic had let that out, he was flying through the air, a strong gust of wind having knocked him off the ground. He flew for a few mer before landing on the ground. Standing up, he looked back at Aria only to see a red face staring at him.


    ¡°Wh-Wh-Why would you say that?!¡± Nic looked at her red face for a minute before responding. He had meant it as a joke, but did she actually feel that way about him? Should he bring it up again? But what if she hits him with the wind again? He definitely didn¡¯t want to be sent flying a couple more mer if he could help it.


    ¡°It was a joke! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± After hearing Nic¡¯s apology, Aria looked at where he was and grew even redder in the face for some reason that Nic didn¡¯t know. She quickly stood up and patted the dirt off of her previously clean clothes. She quickly walked over to Nic and bowed her head as an apology.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for taking that too seriously Nic.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to apologize, Aria, seriously. Please lift your head.¡±


    Aria did as she was asked and relaxed a bit. Her face had returned to its usual color, no longer thoroughly red. Nic gave her a small smile and the two walked back over to the rock that Nic had been sitting on.


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t feel anything?¡± Aria¡¯s tone had gotten serious, dropping the soothing nature it had held just seconds ago. Nic shook his head in response and watched Aria begin to pace back and forth.


    He understood why she was doing it. The two were running out of time for Nic to learn magic from Aria. She had plans to leave the rad-town as soon as she turned seventeen in three weeks. If the two couldn¡¯t figure this out before then, Nic would be stuck unable to learn magic. If anything, Nic felt that he should be the one who was worried about this, not Aria. And yet, there she was, pacing far more than Nic ever had when thinking about this. Just as Nic was about to speak up, Aria stopped pacing and thrust one of her hands out in a punching motion. A couple trees a mer away all swayed in the force of the wind Aria had sent towards them. Nic thought he heard a couple snaps from them, but they all stayed upright in the end.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t anything working? We¡¯ve tried every method I could think of, and yet we haven¡¯t been able to move one cer when it comes to you learning magic! This is just unfair to you, right Nic?¡±


    The anger and frustration in Aria¡¯s voice caught Nic off guard, causing him just to stare at her. As she turned to face him, Nic saw her eyes. They were quivering, as if she was about to cry, and yet Nic could feel that they were just begging him to agree with her. But he couldn¡¯t find himself to agree with her completely. Whenever someone else had refused to teach him Magic, they had always said the same thing.


    ¡°Training someone to use magic is too hard. It would be a waste to even try.¡±


    He knew that it was natural for this to not work. But he didn¡¯t want to tell Aria that. He knew it would break her to hear that. It was possible that she would refuse to speak to him for the next three weeks. Maybe she would even hate him for it. Nic was fine if she hated him for his bloodline, everyone would, but he didn¡¯t want her to hate him for this.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not how you are teaching me, but where you are teaching me,¡± Nic said this, hoping to throw her off of asking him to side with her. Even if what he said was true, there was nowhere else for them to practice like this. Hopefully she wouldn¡¯t hate him for that.


    ¡°Where I¡¯m teaching you? I guess that¡¯s the only thing we have yet to do¡­ But, I¡¯m leaving the town soon, there isn¡¯t really time to go to that place.¡± Aria was talking to herself, yet Nic heard every word. There was nothing the two of them could do. In the end the past two years of work had amounted to a sum of nothing. There was nothing to show for those two years.


    ¡°Come with me to Sanum then!¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Nic¡¯s thoughts were cut off by Aria¡¯s ridiculous request. ¡°There¡¯s no way. I wouldn¡¯t even be able to get into Sanum! Let alone the city¡¯s top school.¡±


    ¡°I mean, you will probably have to sit in quarantine for a while¡­ but eventually you will be let into the city. And then you can come to the school with me. I¡¯m sure the professors in the magic department there would have an easier time teaching you!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say! You probably wouldn¡¯t have to even stay by yourself for a week! After all, you lived there didn¡¯t you?¡± Nic instantly tried to shoot down the idea. After all, he didn¡¯t want to step foot in that city, not while his family name was still looked down upon by the masses.


    ¡°Sure, but you know, it really wouldn¡¯t be that bad for you. I would try to visit you as often as I would be allowed to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it.¡±


    ¡°Why? It¡¯s the perfect opportunity for you. You get to continue trying to learn magic and at the same time you get to leave this rundown town.¡± How Aria made it sound was the furthest from what Nic felt. His stomach churned at the thought of living in Sanum as he was right now.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not doing it. Good luck on your own travels there in three weeks but I am staying here.¡± Nic made his stance on the matter clear. Turning around, Nic went to leave but was stopped by the wind in front of him.


    ¡°Fine. Fine. You won¡¯t go to Sanum with me,¡± There was a hint of sadness in Aria¡¯s voice as she spoke behind Nic. ¡°Will you at least meet me outside of the village fence near your place tonight? I want to take you somewhere.¡±


    Nic sighed and looked back at Aria. She was looking away from him, towards the ground to her left. Despite that, Nic could still see a tinge of color in her cheeks that wasn¡¯t normally there.


    He had no idea what she was planning. For all he knew, she could be plotting to kidnap him and forcefully take him to Sanum. Though based on everything she had done so far in the two years that they had known each other, that probably wasn¡¯t the case.


    Nic simply had to believe her that she simply wanted to show him something.


    ¡°Fine. Meet in the wooded area around there at sundown?¡± Aria¡¯s head snapped onto Nic and a pleasant smile appeared on her lips.


    ¡°Good. Oh and make sure to pack a day or two¡¯s worth of clothes. We¡¯ll probably have to camp at least one night to get to where I want to take you.¡±


    Nic felt relieved when she said he only needed a single change of clothes. At that short of a time frame, Sanum was definitely not their destination. On foot, the city took nearly a week to travel there and back from the rad-town that they currently resided in.


    With nothing else to say, Nic turned once again and left, the wind letting him pass this time. The sun was already setting, nearly three quarters of the way through the sky. The two didn¡¯t have much time before they had promised to meet outside of the city walls.

 Chapter 2: Leaving Home

    Aria stuffed the final set of clothes she felt she would need into the small bag on her bed. Normally it carried books and other items she was supposed to use at the local school, but for now all of those items were tucked under her bed. In their place were four days worth of clothes, a small knife she had gotten found on the ground one day, and a few pieces of food that should last a bit, mainly jerky and water.


    She could hear her parents talking in the main room of their house. Soon the main door to the house opened and closed in quick succession. Peaking out of her window, Aria saw her father walking away from the house. He seemed to be walking to the farms in the northern section of the rad-town.


    A knock sounded at Aria¡¯s door, sending her scrambling to hide the bag on her bed before the door opened. When her mother peered her head in, Aria was in an awkward position on her bed, the bag hopefully covered enough by the blanket she was pulling over it. Her mother gave her a questioning look before speaking.


    ¡°Aria, why are you still in your normal clothes? It¡¯s getting kind of late, you would normally be wearing your pajamas at this point. Or at least something a bit more comfortable to laze around in.¡±


    Aria looked down at her clothes and realized what her mother was talking about. She had never changed out of her clothes she had been wearing that day. Normally she would¡¯ve but today she hadn¡¯t given the promise that Nic and her had made just a couple hours earlier.


    ¡°Oh, um, I got distracted with some stuff and forgot to change, I guess.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, can I open this door all the way? I want to talk to you about something.¡± Aria nodded her head and her mother opened the door all the way. Unlike Aria, she really was in her nighttime clothes. Aria sat up and straightened herself out as she sat on the edge of her bed.


    ¡°What did you want to talk about, mama?¡± Her mom sighed as she leaned on the door frame.


    ¡°Do I really need to say it out loud? You skipped school again for the millionth time.¡± Aria flinched a bit as her mother¡¯s tone sharpened. ¡°I assume you were with that boy again?¡±


    ¡°Mama, you already know that this town¡¯s school just doesn¡¯t do anything for me! The school I went to in Sanum already covered everything that this school is teaching to even the oldest kids there.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. But you can¡¯t keep skipping like this just to hang out with that boy all the time.¡±


    Aria bit her lip. The things being said weren¡¯t foreign to her, though they usually came from her father, not her mama. Aria wondered if this was her father¡¯s idea to get her to finally listen to him.


    ¡°This¡­ Father set you up to this, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Aria, stop this. I know you don¡¯t like your father saying these things, but he¡¯s only doing it because he wants you to be safe.¡±


    Aria¡¯s fist clenched itself in her lap. She was done with how her parents were trying to control who she was with.


    ¡°Stop trying to force me to stop my friendship with Nic! I don¡¯t care if you two try to force me to go to school, or even try to do something else. But stop trying to control my friendships!¡±


    Aria¡¯s emotions ran freely as she shouted at her mother. She didn¡¯t care how her parents felt. She just wanted the freedom to make her own choices.


    A pained expression sat on her mother¡¯s face. She slowly opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it. She took a step back and halfway closed the door. Before she fully closed it, she left Aria one last message.


    ¡°Your father is going to be gone for another hour or so. And I think I¡¯m going to stay in our room for a bit, relaxing.¡± Aria froze at her mother¡¯s comment. She silently watched her mother close the door.


    As soon as she was alone again she grabbed the bag sitting on her bed, her hands shaking uncontrollably. She peeked out of the window, making sure no one was around before hopping through it. The second her feet hit the ground, a far too familiar man rounded a corner of one of the houses nearby. Her father instantly saw Aria and gave a shout, but she was already rushing off towards the fence that encircled the town.


    Nic threw the bag over his shoulder, the black book inside hitting him on the back. As he moved towards the boarded up window, he quietly pushed one of the planks back, letting it fall to the grass below with a muffled hit. He pushed a second one off, then a third, both of which also fell and hit the ground with a muffled hit.


    At that point, Nic had a hole big enough for himself to fit through. Squeezing through, Nic found himself outside, the setting sun covering him in its orange glow. Barely 10 mer away was the dilapidated fence that acted as the boundary for the rad-town.


    Nic quietly walked over, tossing his bag up and over the fence. Once he heard it hit the ground on the other side, he backed up a few steps. The fence wasn¡¯t too tall. At least for Nic. Only about 2 heads taller than him, he could easily climb it.


    And that¡¯s what he did. With very little noise, Nic was dropping down to the other side of the fence. Picking up his bag, he quickly made his way to the edge of the nearby forest. He thought he heard his mother¡¯s voice behind the fence, but he ignored it and pushed on.


    Once in the forest, Nic sat down and got ready to wait for Aria. Unsure of when she would arrive, he planned to make sure that everything he would need was in his bag. Two shirts, an extra pair of pants, the black book that belonged to his ancestor and a poorly made knife sat in it. Nodding to himself, he closed the bag and quietly waited for Aria.


    It didn¡¯t take long for her to arrive. She arrived in a bit of a panic and out of breath. Once he saw how she looked, Nic was instantly on his feet.


    ¡°What happened? Is everything good?¡±


    Aria shook her head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going, quickly. My dad saw me leaving and gave chase. Although I¡¯m far faster than him, it would be best if we lost him in the forest.¡± Aria explained her predicament through labored breaths.


    Hearing it, Nic simply gave her a single nod of his head before the two began making their way into the forest. Aria led in front. She constantly was using her magic to tell her way through the forest.


    Nic was grateful for that. If he had been in charge of leading them through the forest, he knew he would have gotten lost. Almost everything looked the same to him. A part of him wondered if they truly were going in circles.


    The sun quickly set, further obscuring Nic¡¯s vision as it quickly became only lit by the barely visible moon and the stars in the night sky. Because he was barely able to see Aria, he quickened his pace until the two were moving through the forest side by side.


    Aria finally stopped when the two came upon a small river cutting across their path. By this time the moon had risen fairly high into the sky. Nic was starting to feel tired himself, and one look at Aria showed she was pushing herself through the tiredness to still be walking at this point.


    ¡°Go ahead and sit down, I¡¯ll make a small fire.¡± Nic motioned to a nearby rock as he told Aria to sit down. She quietly followed his instructions and watched him as he picked up some small twigs and put them in a pile in front of her. After gathering enough wood, Nic grabbed a rock and his beat up knife from his bag. Scraping them together, he was able to create sparks. The sparks caught on the twigs and the small fire started.


    Seeing his work done, Nic sat back on the opposite side of the fire from Aria, letting the heat be absorbed by his body. It wasn¡¯t until he let that happen that he realized how cold the early spring wind had made him.


    ¡°Thanks for that.¡± Aria held her hands up to the flames. Nic realized that she was also probably cold and was loving the heat from the fire.


    ¡°Oh, uh, no problem.¡±


    Nic and Aria sat there in silence, letting their bodies warm up. Nic started fidgeting a bit, uncomfortable with the silence. He never felt like this and wondered why he felt this way now. He wondered if Aria also felt uncomfortable with the silence.


    ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°Hey-¡±


    The silence was broken by both of them at the same time. Nic quickly backed off from trying to initiate the conversation.


    ¡°You go first.¡± He motioned to her with his hand as he spoke.


    ¡°Um¡­ well. I just kind of wanted to know. Why are you so against going to Sanum? Wouldn¡¯t that be the best route for you to achieve your dream? About wanting a better life for your children than what you have had?¡± Nic sat there quietly listening. When she brought out the dream he was confused for a minute before remembering. He had made up that lie when she first started trying to teach him magic.


    Looking at it from that perspective, Aria was completely right. It would be far better for him to go to Sanum with her if that was his ultimate goal in learning magic.


    But it wasn¡¯t. Not even close. If he went to Sanum, they would find out who he is. Nic was sure he would be arrested at least, if not executed, for trying to learn magic after what his ancestor did.


    ¡°That would be true. If that was the only factor. Sadly, my family isn¡¯t allowed in Sanum for various reasons. I would probably be arrested on sight if I had to hazard a guess.¡± It wasn¡¯t really a lie in the end. Nic had just left out most of the details.


    ¡°Your family isn¡¯t allowed into Sanum? Why? And why didn¡¯t you just tell me that earlier¡­?¡± Her voice started trailing towards the end. Aria was slowly nodding off in the middle of their conversation.


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    ¡°It''s the dark blot on the family. None of us like bringing it up.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Aria continued to slur her speech more as her eyelids grew too heavy for themselves. With a final wave of her hand, she finally fell asleep. Nic was unsure what the final wave had been for, but he assumed it was fine.


    As he watched Aria sit there against the rock, her eyes closed in sleep, he couldn¡¯t help but feel like it was wrong for him to keep lying to Aria like this. Ever since the two of them had gotten to know each other, she had always been open and free with Nic. Yet besides that, he always withheld the truth from her.


    As Nic¡¯s eyelids began to grow too heavy for him, he let out a small sigh. His mind drifted to sleep as he debated whether or not he should tell Aria the truth.


    Crack.


    Nic¡¯s eyes flew open. The sky above him was starting to grow light. The pit that had once housed their small fire had been reduced to burned twigs. Not even a small amount of smoke had been left. Aria was still asleep on the other side of the twigs.


    The sound of something nearby stepping on a branch had woken Nic up. He quietly grabbed his old knife and stood up. Holding the knife out in front of him defensively, he took a step forward, making as little noise as possible.


    As he came up to a bend in the small river, he found the source of the noise. Sitting in front of him, lapping up water from the stream, was a pack of seven small foxes.


    As he came into view of them, the largest of the group turned its orange face to look at Nic. Its beady orange eyes stared into his soul like it was searching for something. Nic was paralyzed, unable to move until the fox averted its gaze.


    It felt like an eternity, but when the fox finally did look away, it quickly led the pack across the river, away from Nic. The breath he had been holding finally escaped his lips. The moment it did-


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Aria¡¯s sudden voice behind Nic caused him to jump out of his skin, dropping the knife to the ground as he flew to the side.


    ¡°Bwahaha!¡± Aria burst out into laughter as Nic jumped. She clutched her sides as she doubled over, the laughter continuing to pour out.


    ¡°What! What was that!?¡± She was barely able to say a sentence before bursting out laughing again when she looked at Nic¡¯s face. He could feel it burning up.


    ¡°You scared me! Is this not a normal reaction to being scared shitless?¡± Nic bent down and picked up the old knife.


    ¡°Why, Hahahaha, why are you even over here? I woke up and you were gone so I came to find you.¡± Aria was struggling to talk. Unlike the previous night, this time it was because she was having trouble breathing in without continuing to laugh.


    His face getting even hotter, Nic pushed past Aria and reached their makeshift campsite. He quickly grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He was too embarrassed to stay in the area.


    When Aria saw that he was ready to go, she scattered the burnt branches to the wind and grabbed her own bag.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be walking most of today. You ready to go?¡± Aria had finally gotten herself under control, causing her speech to go back to normal. Nic simply nodded and the two set off into the forest once again. Nic still had no idea where Aria was taking him, and had fallen into step just a couple steps behind her.


    The two walked in silence the entire day. They only stopped to eat when the sun was at its highest point in the sky. A distance had grown between the two in the past day. Nic was unsure if it was the fact that he had refused to go to Sanum or something else. But neither Nic or Aria found themselves able to initiate the conversation with the other.


    Before Nic had realized it, the two had started ascending a large hill. It was only as they neared the top of the hill that he realized the sun was about to set. It had already been close to an entire day of walking. Nic readied himself to ask Aria if they would need to take another break for the night when the two came upon a large clearing that led to the top of the hill just a few mer ahead.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    Aria finally spoke up, letting Nic know that they had arrived at their destination. She quickly dropped her bag off next to one of the trees before walking up to the zenith of the hill. Nic followed her lead, wondering why they had come to a hill of all places.


    ¡°What is this place?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s where I first used my magic.¡± Aria looked back and smiled at Nic as she answered him.


    ¡°Huh? Wait, how long ago was that?¡± Nic rushed forward to walk by Aria¡¯s side as they reached the top of the hill.


    ¡°Five years ago. On our way to the rad-town from Sanum.¡± Nic looked over at Aria, shock covering his face. This caused her to chuckle a bit. ¡°Surprising, right? For twelve years I was like you, unable to use magic. It wasn¡¯t until I sat on this hill one night that I was first able to control the wind.¡±


    Nic¡¯s voice caught in his throat as the two reached the peak of the hill. In front of him, the sky was a brilliant golden orange as the sun set behind a mountain in the distance. Outlines of the many large buildings on the mountain were visible, even at this distance, because of this.


    Sanum, the largest and oldest City-State in all of Kronul, sat on that mountain. Hundreds of thousands of people lived in that city. It would be bustling with life, even as Nic and Aria watched over it from afar.


    ¡°You brought me here because of what I said yesterday, didn¡¯t you?¡± Nic had said it himself, that the only thing left for them to try was changing where Aria taught him magic. This was most likely her last attempt. If Nic failed here, Aria would give up.


    ¡°Mhm. That¡¯s right.¡±


    Aria put her hands on Nic¡¯s shoulders and pulled down, telling him to sit down. Nic did as he was asked and sat down on the grass. Folding his legs over each other, he got into his usual, comfortable position for when he tried to use magic.


    ¡°Close your eyes.¡±


    Aria was leading him through the usual stuff. He closed them like she asked. What he wasn¡¯t expecting was to feel her leaning against his back.


    ¡°Do what I say, okay?¡±


    Barely a whisper entered his ear. He nodded. His heart was beating a million times a minute. He felt her hand grab his and turn it so that the palm was facing up.


    ¡°Open your hand.¡±


    Nic barely heard her over his beating heart. Why was his heart beating so much? Why was his face extremely hot right now? Was this nerves? Or something else entirely. He didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Aria, you¡¯re-¡±


    ¡°Nic. I want to be free to make my own decisions. That¡¯s how I¡¯ve always lived since I moved away from Sanum. I want that freedom. That''s my dream. My ideal life. It¡¯s similar to yours, isn¡¯t it? And that¡¯s why I want to help you so much. I want you to be able to be free as well. No matter who you are, or who your family is. I want you to be free.¡±


    What she said struck the walls around his inner self. He had struggled and debated whether he should reveal everything to her. Unsure of whether she would accept the truth. But every word she said had struck away at those walls that surrounded him.


    ¡°Aria, I¡­¡± He wanted to tell her everything. Every part about him. But pressure had stopped him. A strong pressure in his throat stopped his voice from coming out. At the same time, he felt pressure on his hand, as if he was pushing on something.


    ¡°... -ic. Nic! Open your eyes!¡± Aria shouting in his ear brought Nic back to reality. When he opened his eyes, the sight of his hand stunned him.


    ¡°Is¡­ Is this you?¡± Sitting just a few cer above the palm of his hand was a twig, floating in midair. It looked just like when Aria floated things with her magic. Aria quickly moved around to a kneeling position in front of him. Her eyes shone brightly as she looked him in the face.


    ¡°Nope. That¡¯s all you.¡± She gave him a pristine smile as she answered. Nic looked back at the stick. He tried stopping the pressure on his hand, to see if that changed anything. When he did, the stick fell down onto his palm.


    His eyes widened. He was finally able to use magic. The past two years had been worth it for this one moment in time. He tried applying pressure from his hand onto the stick. It floated back up. He put more pressure, causing it to float up a bit higher. Even more pressure. It stayed where it was.


    That was the downside to learned magic. While Aria¡¯s was strong because it was natural to her, Nic had learned his second hand. It was far weaker than Aria¡¯s because of that.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as strong as yours, but it will be enough.¡± Nic let the twig fall to the ground. He stood up, or at least attempted to stand up. Mid standing up, he had been tackled back down to the ground in a hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy that it worked! I would¡¯ve never thought about bringing you here before! Nice idea!¡± She was giggling as she talked. Her arms were wrapped around Nic¡¯s neck in a hug. The two of them were laying on the grass for a few minutes, enjoying the moment. Eventually, Nic forced himself up, and Aria finally let go of him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat some dinner. I¡¯m starting to feel the pain of having not eaten all day.¡± Nic was really starting to feel hungry. Aria readily agreed and the two set up camp on the top of the hill. A small fire was started and food was gotten out.


    Nic watched Aria eat her first bite. He had made up his mind after learning that he could use even the tiniest bit of magic. He felt bad that it was going to end this way, but Aria would have to wait to learn the truth about him. Tonight, he had plans with his ancestral past. Taking a bite of his own food, Nic looked back out towards the city of Sanum.


    Just down the hill they were on, sitting between Sanum and them, was a portion of the forest that was wrought black with decay. Sitting in the center of that section of the forest was a house. It was sure to be broken down and falling apart. That was Nic¡¯s destination.


    After the moon rose and night set in, Aria quickly fell asleep. Nic grabbed the black book out of his bag and opened it to its last page. There he read the sentence left by his ancestor that had guided him throughout his life, and had led to him asking Aria to learn magic from her.


    ¡°Sleep soundly, Aria. I¡¯ll be back by the morning¡­ Hopefully.¡± Barely a whisper escaped Nic¡¯s mouth as he set the book back under his bag and stood up. With barely a sound in the night, Nic had disappeared from the campsite.


    An anomaly in her makeshift threat detector she threw up before heading to sleep woke Aria up in the middle of the night. The fire in front of her was still going strong. But on the other side, where Nic should have been, was empty air.


    She looked around, seeing if he was anywhere, but saw no one. He had disappeared. Looking into his bag, Aria found an old black book. She could tell it was old by how beaten up the cover was. She didn¡¯t want to snoop around his personal belongings, but this was the only clue she had. He had always been secretive about his family. She knew that something was up, especially when he mentioned that they had been banned from Sanum the previous night.


    She learned the truth the second she opened the book in her hands. Sitting right on the front page, faded but not gone, were the words ¡°This is the journal of Noah Verilo¡±.


    Nic was a Verilo. For some reason, that made complete sense to Aria. Of course, the Verilo¡¯s would be banned from Sanum, considering what Noah had done three centuries prior.


    Aria was sure of one thing though. She didn¡¯t feel any differently about Nic. A normal person might have felt differently about him upon learning the truth, but to Aria, he was still simply Nic. Sure he was cagey around those that he didn¡¯t trust. He even still hid things from her. But he was still kind at his core. He always tried to give her the easy way out. He was always thoughtful during their conversations. When she was happy, he was happy (or at least pretended to be to keep her happy).


    No matter what she learned in this book, none of that would change.


    She flipped to the next page and read it. Then the next. And the next. Without an ounce of sleep, Aria soon found herself facing the morning sun as she read the last lines of the book.


    She closed it and put it down on the ground next to Nic¡¯s bag.


    She thought no differently of him. Not even after realizing the lies he had told her about his dream. None of it had fazed her. After all, she simply wanted him to be free as well. She looked out over the forest between Sanum and her. In it, her eyes locked onto the decayed portion. That was where he was going.


    As Aria stared at it, something felt off. The tension in her body was at its snapping point. Unable to stand it, she started running.

 Interlude 1: Life of a Vision

    It was dark by the time Casey walked up to her door. The two guards in front of it looked at her, and then at the bag of food in her hand.


    ¡°Show us the bag, Casey.¡± The guard on the left stopped her before she could enter her room. The usual request had come up.


    ¡°Just my dinner for tonight, Adam,¡± Casey explained what was in the bag as she held it open for inspection. She was used to being treated like this. After all, she was the current Vision. The guard on the right simply stood at attention as the left guard quickly looked through the bag. After checking it, he stepped aside, letting Casey through.


    ¡°You¡¯re good to go. Have a good rest, Vision.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    Casey opened her door and stepped inside. The room itself was quite small. Only a few mer wide in both directions, most of the space was taken up by appliances. One side was taken up by her bed and dresser. Above her dresser was a map of the world. On the other side of the room was the rest of her stuff. A small portion in the far right corner was walled off. Inside was her bathroom. Right next to that, on the right wall, were a few magical implements. One created a small flame on top of it. Mix in the small iron bars over the flame and it was used for cooking food. Next to it was a small tub with a cover on it. The tub was always cold, allowing for the preservation of food.


    Casey took out a few food items and put the rest in the cooler. The few she had grabbed for that night didn¡¯t require any prep, so she began eating them instantly. As she did, she walked over to her dresser and looked at the map hanging on the wall.


    Unlike most people, Casey could never escape her job. Whenever she looked at a map, she was doing her job. That¡¯s because, unlike most people, Casey didn¡¯t see just a map when she looked at one. As a Vision, whenever she looked at a map, she saw the spread of Irradiation.


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    Vision¡¯s are people with a rare magic that allows them to see Irradiation. There is only one Vision in the world at a time, meaning that whatever nation or city-state that they are born into will have a major advantage in the pursuit of non-Irradiated lands to add to their nations. However this is a double edged sword. The nation that the Vision resides in must also be actively making first contact with any rad-towns that turn into city-states.


    Even now, in the safety of her own abode, Casey stood staring at a map, looking for any changes that she would have to tell the Minister about. Most days, this extra watching of maps amounted to nothing. Most days. But not today. On this night, Casey saw one of three black dots that resided in the nearby rad-town, was now dramatically east of it. In fact, the black dot, which represented members of the Verilo lineage, was practically on top of the place where Noah Verilo caused the first Irradiated winter.


    This was a big deal. No one knew what would happen if a Verilo went back to that place. At best, nothing would happen. But at worst, a second Irradiated Winter could be brought down on the world. Casey had to make sure that didn¡¯t happen.


    She put down her food and walked to her door. Opening it, she found the same guard as before, Adam, blocking her way.


    ¡°Hey, you know you¡¯re not allowed to leave the room at night. Get back inside.¡±


    ¡°I know. I know. I¡¯m not trying to leave. I need to ask a favor of you.¡± Casey made sure to stay inside the room while leaving the door open so she could talk.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Could you send someone to get Jack Cariatel for me?¡±


    ¡°Jack Car- The Hunter?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± Casey nodded to his question. The guard seemed hesitant, but eventually shrugged and decided to help Casey.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go get him. You wait here.¡±


    Casey closed the door and went to sit on her bed. In reality, something this big should have been reported to the Minister. But instead, she had called someone far lower on the hierarchy. And she had done it solely to help him. After all, who wouldn¡¯t want to help the one they love move up in their work?

 Chapter 3: Old Strength

    Nic raced through the darkened woods, his feet crunching on scattered branches and old leaves. The pounding behind him elevated his heartbeat even more. He had been careless. A Gigant Bear had heard him step on a branch a while back.


    It had been asleep, but now that it was awake, it was furious. Gigant Bears are one of the many different species, now classified as monsters, that came from an animal mutation during the First Irradiated Winter. While some animals fused with humans, creating the beast people, and some were lucky to stay the same, the rest turned into monsters. For most animal races, they evolved into a single type of monster, such as with the many different types of Bears. No matter what race of bear they had been originally, they all turned into Gigant Bears in the end. Growing nearly double the size with much harder, almost armor-like, skin covering their vital points, Gigant Bears were one of the deadliest monsters a lone warrior could run into.


    And Nic wasn¡¯t even a warrior to begin with. To say that he was outmatched and outclassed was the understatement of the millennia.


    Like most monsters, the Gigant Bear was much, much more aggressive than normal bears, who are already aggressive depending on the race. On top of that, their strength was nearly quadruple that of a normal bear.


    If a Gigant Bear was spotted near a City-State like Sanum or within the borders of a Nation like Aethurius or Kyoku, then a group of at least 15-20 soldiers would be dispatched to take care of it. If they were near a rad-town, well, there usually wasn¡¯t a rad-town there anymore.


    The forest sped past Nic as he ran. His legs burned. His lungs did as well. Everything in him was on fire.


    Despite his best effort, the Gigant Bear was gaining on him. He only had a few seconds left.


    Is this really the end? I can¡¯t even begin my true journey before dying.


    The only weapon that Nic had on him was the beaten and worn down knife that he had been carrying since Aria and him had left the rad-town. A dull blade like that would be little more than a twig for the monster.


    Thwap!


    Nic ran straight into a branch and the level of his head. He hit the ground on his back, the air quickly leaving his lungs. As he struggled to breathe, his attempts at getting up failed time and time again. He didn¡¯t notice the Gigant Bear looming over him until it was too late. The monster''s front legs were already falling toward him.


    He stopped his futile attempts to breathe. He closed his eyes and waited for the end to come. The only thing he regretted was his final moments with his parents. They had done so much for him, and yet the last time he had seen them, they had been arguing. It wasn¡¯t even about anything significant.


    ¡°Ah, I wish I could¡¯ve at least said sorry¡­¡±


    Nic heard the sound of something hitting a stone hard. Opening his eyes, he found not the scene that he had closed them to, but a solid piece of rock sitting barely 5 cer from the tip of his nose. The edge of it sat right above his eyes.


    Nic heard three thuds in rapid succession right above him, past the stone slab. A liquid fell over the edge of the slab, hitting Nic straight in the forehead. It was warm, sticky, and currently moving down the side of his head.


    He shimmied out from beneath the stone slab. Looking at the Gigant Bear, trying to make sense of what he was seeing in the night¡¯s dim light. Protruding from the stone slab he had been under were three stone spears stabbing through the Gigant Bear in different spots. One had punched through his lower stomach area. The second between its front shoulder blades. And the last one had completely removed the Gigant Bears'' head from its body. If it hadn¡¯t died from the first two spears, the last one had certainly done it.


    The most inconspicuous part of the image, however, came from the stout man currently running his hands across the recently deceased Gigant Bears'' body. Nic couldn¡¯t make out any details in the darkened night, but he could tell that the man was barely five feet tall. His hair seemed to be cut short and he was quietly humming to himself while feeling up the Gigant Bear.


    ¡°So, young boy, why are you alone in this part of the woods so late at night?¡± The man never bothered to turn his head towards Nic as he asked him the question. Instead, he simply continued what he had been doing before.


    ¡°Just looking for a house nearby.¡± Nic kept his answer short, unsure of if he should tell this stranger anything.


    ¡°A house? What kind of house would be out here in the middle of the woods?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? All I know is that I need to find this house,¡± Nic walked away from the stranger, cutting off the conversation before it could go anywhere.


    ¡°Oi! Hey, don¡¯t just walk away from me like that. If you¡¯re looking for a house, then that means you¡¯re looking for that house. Right?¡±


    Nic stopped. The man¡¯s accent of ¡°that¡± meant he knew something. Sweat began rolling down the side of Nic¡¯s face. Did this man know the truth? Would he try to kill Nic? How was Nic supposed to get out of this?


    ¡°I take it from the silence, you¡¯re going to that house.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean by that house. Maybe I¡¯m going there, maybe I¡¯m not. I don¡¯t even know what house you are talking about.¡± Nic quickened his pace. He wanted to get away from the man before anything else was said.


    ¡°Oi! What did I say about walking away from me?! And even faster now, do the young have no respect for their elders in this century?¡± A rumbling came from beneath Nic as he heard the stranger talking behind him, getting further and further away.


    A step. The stranger got quieter. The rumbling got louder.


    Another step. Nic no longer heard the stranger behind him. He only heard the rumbling beneath his feet.


    Another step. There wasn¡¯t another step. Instead, Nic¡¯s foot hit a stone wall that had suddenly appeared before him. It rose nearly half a mer above his head. Two more stone walls quickly appeared on either side of him, blocking Nic off completely. Turning around, the stranger was blocking the last segment behind him.


    ¡°So, now that you can¡¯t go anywhere, are you going to that house?¡± Having finally cornered him, the stranger asked Nic the same question for the third time. This time, there was no running.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what house you are talking about.¡± Feigning ignorance was Nic¡¯s only play. The only way for him to get out of this situation.


    ¡°The Verilo household. It¡¯s up ahead, didn¡¯t you know? Though, looking at your face, it¡¯s clear you did.¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    Nic reached a hand up to his face. Was he that clear to read?


    ¡°Why¡­ why do you care if I¡¯m going to the Verilo house?¡± Nic gave in. The stranger had already guessed his destination. There was no reason to hide now. If this was where he died, then he would simply fight back with everything he had. He would go down fighting till the end.


    ¡°Well, you see, I happen to know that if a Verilo who can¡¯t use magic goes near the house, they are going to be stopped by the house¡¯s caretaker. In the best case, they will be turned away harmlessly. But in the worst case, I hear some of the Verilos who came tried to force their way in. They were dead in less than the blink of an eye.¡± Nic¡¯s mouth parched at the words the stranger spoke. He hadn¡¯t known that those who came before him had been killed before.


    Nic shook the doubt out of his mind. Nothing this stranger would say would deviate Nic from his course. Unlike his ancestors, Nic had magic on his side. Even if it was weak, it should be enough to get through safely.


    ¡°The last time someone came to the house was what, 25 years ago? 20? Somewhere in there. It was a young man and a woman who followed him. Unlike you, it was midday when they came. The woman stayed far enough away that she wouldn¡¯t absorb too much Irradiation in the area surrounding the house while the man talked to the caretaker. He-¡±


    ¡°Wait dad came to the house!? And mom too?¡± Nic cut the stranger off, blurting out a duo of questions without thinking. It was only when he saw a grin on the stranger''s face that he realized what he had said. He took a step back and hit the stone wall behind him.


    ¡°So you were a Verilo. It¡¯s only natural, seeing how you are still up despite being so close to the house.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Nic finally asked the stranger for his name. This man clearly knew a lot about his family lineage and their reasons for coming to the house. On top of that, the stranger was claiming to have been there when Nic¡¯s parents came to the house.


    The stranger grabbed a rock off of the ground and bent a branch until it came off of a nearby tree. Nic tensed up as the stranger walked up to the opening in the walls with the two natural items that could conceivably be used to kill someone.


    Clack. Clack. Clack. The stranger hit the rock against the wall, creating small sparks. It only took a few hits but the branch in his hand soon caught fire. Nic was finally able to see the stranger''s face.


    ¡°Your eyes¡­¡± The most striking thing about the stranger¡¯s face was his eyes. Those pure white eyes were completely devoid of any pupils or iris¡¯. The man should be blind, yet he walked and talked like he saw everything.


    Aside from his striking eyes, the stranger had rustic orange hair, was clean shaven, and was clearly old. His face was full of a mixture of scars and lines that came with age.


    ¡°You must be wonderin¡¯ how I see, right? The truth is I see through the rocks all around us. Amazin¡¯ right? My name is Rust. Just Rust. And I¡¯m a Deep Dwarf.¡± The stranger, Rust, held out a hand to Nic. Nic shook it, still a bit in shock at the eyes staring back at him.


    ¡°A Dwarf? Isn¡¯t that the name given to Earth Elves? Then what¡¯s a Deep Dwarf? I¡¯ve never heard of that.¡±


    ¡°Look at you, knowledgeable on your demi-human slang. That¡¯s right, Dwarf was the name given to us by the rest of the land-dwelling Elves. Like the Water Elves, who were later named Mermen, the Earth Elves were named Dwarves. The surface-dwelling Elves think of us as another species entirely because we prefer different areas of living. As for the Deep part of me, that comes from the fact that I absorbed a much larger amount of Earth Spirits due to how close I was to Noah after the first Irradiated Winter.¡±


    ¡°Noah¡­? Then you are¡­¡±


    ¡°The caretaker of the Verilo house, that¡¯s right. And yes, I¡¯m nearly 300 years old, though I don¡¯t look a day over sixty if I say so myself.¡± Suddenly a lot made sense to Nic. This was the man that Nic had to show his magic to be let in the house.


    ¡°Uh, Rust, sir. If you don-¡±


    ¡°Look, kid. If you want to get into the house, that¡¯s going to be a big no. Only once one of you has learned magic will they be let in. I¡¯m sorry but you¡¯re going to need to leave.¡±


    ¡°Bu-¡±


    ¡°No buts. You were struggling with a Gigant Bear while I easily crushed it. Do you really think you can get past me?¡±


    Nic grabbed his old knife and brought it up in front of him in a defensive position. Rust was not going to listen to him. So Nic would fight it out. At least he would have. Instead he found himself pinned against a rock wall in an instant.


    Rust reached out and grabbed the knife from Nic¡¯s hand. He looked at it and grimaced.


    ¡°What a poor knife. I can see why you struggled with even just a Gigant Bear.¡±


    ¡°Give that back!¡±


    Rust simply looked at Nic as he yelled at him.


    ¡°No.¡±


    With that, Rust turned and the knife started flying through the air away from the two. If Nic did nothing, he would lose his only line of protection.


    He reached out with his hand. He felt for the knife through the air and pulled. He pulled on the invisible force connecting him and the knife with everything he had. He pulled and pulled and pulled. He strained against the rock keeping him in place, hoping for even a cer less space between his hand and the knife¡¯s grip. A lifetime seemed to pass before Nic felt the hilt of the knife in his palm.


    In actuality, it had only been a second. And in that second, the knife he had thrown started moving backwards. It had zipped by him, close enough to net him another scar in a few days time. When Rust turned around, the knife was sitting squarely in the hand of Nic.


    The rock binding keeping Nic up against the wall disappeared as fast as they had appeared, dropping him to his knees. His breath labored as he stood back up. The air rushed into his lungs, helping him recover from straining too hard to use magic.


    ¡°Wind magic¡­ this¡­ -riael? Too¡­¡± Rust was muttering under his breath, patches of which Nic heard. It was all nonsense to him though so he ignored it.


    ¡°I have magic! I¡¯m a Verilo with magic! So will you take me to the house now?¡±


    ¡°This is¡­ It¡¯s early, but this is an undeniable truth.¡± A soft sigh escaped Rust¡¯s lips before he extended a hand to Nic. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really?¡±


    ¡°You clearly showed magic. There¡¯s not much I can say in the face of that.¡±


    It only took the two of them a few minutes before the forest thinned out, eventually disappearing entirely to a wide circle. It was nearly 100 Mer in diameter, and in the center was an old, falling apart, house.


    Nic honestly thought that calling it simply ¡°falling apart¡± was too nice. Every window had been boarded up, and then the boards had fallen off. The glass visible in those chunks was cracked beyond compare. The front door was barely on its hinges and was broken in half. The roof had collapsed in on itself, with half of it completely missing. The ground around the house was barely any better. Throughout the entire clearing, the ground was blackened. The Irradiation had completely taken over the ground. It was the sole reason for the clearing in the first place. The dirt had absorbed so much Irradiation that no trees or bush could grow on it.


    Where once the forest, even at night, had been abuzz with the sounds of insects and critters, it was now dead silent. Not a living thing stayed in the clearing or near the house.


    Rust led Nic through the front door. As it opened, the last half fell to the ground with a thud. Walking through the door, the air was full of dust. Nic coughed lightly as the dust entered his lungs while breathing in. The inside of the house was barely better than the outside. Broken furnishings lined the walls of rooms and hallways. Candlesticks that were once meant to give light had been snapped in half and dropped to the floor. Rugs that might have once been magnificent floor decor had been trampled on and torn enough that they barely served their original function.


    The two finally came to a stop in a room just a few mer inside the door. Unlike the rest of the house, the back wall of this room was immaculate. Truly, not a speck of dust sat on the pristine shelves that lined the wall. The door sitting in the center of it was the complete opposite of the door that had led into the house. It was whole, undamaged and easily opened.


    ¡°In here.¡± Rust led Nic through the door and down a flight of stairs. At the bottom lay a small room. No decorations adorned the walls, and only a bed and a small nightstand with a weird item atop it lay on the ground. It was simple really. It had a square base connected to a round ball by a thin pole, all of which was made from a dark wood. The weird part of the item came from the fact that it had two wooden rings hovering next to the ball part.


    ¡°Put your hand on this detector and use your magic. Once it has detected it and confirmed it, you will need to lay down on the bed.¡± Rust explained what needed to be done while motioning to the device sitting on the nightstand. Based on his explanation, Nic assumed it to be some sort of Magic Detector, though he had never heard of such a device existing before. It might have been a device from the Aethurian Nation in the west. Aethurius was known throughout Kronul as the de facto lead in Magical developments.


    ¡°Got it.¡± Nic did as he was instructed. Once he put his hand on the device, he felt a pull on his hand. Closing his eyes, he slowly pushed out with his magic until he heard a beep come from the device. The once wooden ball on the top of the device was now glowing a verdant green. The hue of the glow extended out to the two rings that had been floating on the side.


    As if on cue, the two rings quickly moved to two different points along Nic¡¯s arm before shrinking to the point that they would be difficult to remove.


    ¡°Huh!?¡± A surprised welp came out of Nic¡¯s mouth as the rings tightened around his arm. Drowsiness quickly took him over. Nic looked over at Rust, only to see him pointing towards the bed in front of him. He had to sleep now, which didn¡¯t seem like it would be too hard.


    Falling onto the bed, Nic found himself falling asleep far faster than he thought possible. His eyelids quickly got too heavy to keep open. The darkness took him quickly. It would only be later that he learned that Rust left the room as soon as Nic fell asleep.

 Chapter 4: Ancestor

    Aria ran through the forest, the morning sun peeking through the treetops. After finishing the journal that Nic had brought with him, she ran towards the Verilo household in the distance. While most people didn¡¯t know the name of the old house in the forest, it was easy to figure it out after reading the journal.


    She understood why Nic had gone there. It was painfully obvious why he had lied multiple times to her. Why he had withheld the truth. He was scared. Scared of rejection. Why wouldn¡¯t he be? He was one of the hated ¡°Verilos¡± whose progenitor, Noah Verilo, caused the first Irradiated Winter and created Irradiation itself.


    If Aria was being honest with herself, she should¡¯ve run away when she read the book. Yet after two years of working with Nic, trying to teach him magic, she had grown to understand something important about him. He wasn¡¯t a bad guy. There was something in her that warmed up whenever she was with him. She couldn¡¯t explain it. But she knew that it was there.


    She was near the blackened area that surrounded the house. As she grew closer, a gruesome sight stopped her in her tracks. In front of her was a stone platform with three stone spikes jutting out of it. However, the thing that stopped her was the monster atop the spikes.


    A Gigant Bear had been impaled. Whoever had done this was a pro. Even Aria could tell that. The kill had been clean. Three impales was all it took. Just a few mer away was a 3-way room created by stone.


    Her heart beat in her chest, harder than it had been before. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she cautiously moved around the scene. The blackened clearing was just in front of her now. Maybe 20 mer. She could easily cross the threshold. At least. She would have been if not for the man standing at the edge of it.


    ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± Aria posed her question with ice in her voice. No matter who stood in her way, she was going to find Nic.


    ¡°I should be the one asking that question, miss. Only select people are allowed beyond this point.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one of them?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I''m the caretaker of these grounds. I decide who comes in and who leaves.¡± As the man finished his statement, the ground around the clearing became massive, 5 mer tall, with walls made of stone. It perfectly aligned itself with the edges, creating a smooth wall. It was clear that this man was an expert at Earthen Magic. Aria thought him to be either a Dwarf or the Earthen Spirit King of the current era. Only someone of that caliber would be able to manipulate rocks so smoothly, so quickly. ¡°The name¡¯s Rust. What¡¯s yours?¡±


    ¡°Aria.¡± Threatened by the massive stone walls, and the impaled Gigant Bear she had seen earlier, Aria had begun weaving the air around her. Rocks of all shapes and sizes lifted up in her vicinity. Directly behind her, she readied the largest rock that she could pick up.


    ¡°So, Aria, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I have reason to believe someone that I care about is in that building doing something very stupid. Stand aside and neither of us has to get hurt.¡± Her mouth was dry. Dryer than a hot desert. Despite that, she stood her ground.


    ¡°And do you know who that young man is? Or I guess I should ask ¡®do you know what he is?¡¯¡±


    Aria sucked in her breath.


    ¡°Nic. Nic Verilo.¡±


    ¡°So you know what he is. And yet you are willing to risk everything to stop him from doing what he is supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°Suppose to do?! If he goes through with what he is planning, the only thing that will happen is he will become a slave to the wishes of his ancestors! What about his own wishes, his own desires!¡± Aria¡¯s hands shook as she talked. Her voice rose higher with each word. Her heart beat against her breasts with the force of a mad cow. Every part of her rejected the idea that Nic wanted this to happen. Even if it was a lie, Aria couldn¡¯t believe that his wish to bring his future offspring a better future was completely false. If he went through with this plan, that wish would be forfeit.


    ¡°How do you know this isn¡¯t his wish as well?¡±


    The man, Rust, continued to verbally deny her truth. No matter what she said, he would continue to deny it, to deny her. So she made up her mind. If he wouldn¡¯t move voluntarily, she would move past him by her own methods.


    In an instant, the rocks that had all been floating around Aria shot toward Rust. Each one covered the distance between the two in a mere second, propelled by the wind Aria commanded. Every single one that hit Rust drew blood, whether it was in a straight line from a grazed shot or the holes left by the rocks that hit him dead on. The biggest rock that she had lifted stayed behind her.


    The ground beneath Aria¡¯s feet rumbled. Sensing imminent danger beneath her, Aria propelled her legs forward, sprinting at Rust. Three spikes made of stone, similar to the ones that had impaled the Gigant Bear, sprouted from the ground beneath where she had been just moments prior.


    The larger stone that had been floating behind Aria now suddenly appeared in between her and Rust. Instead of using it for offense, Aria used it as a foothold instead. Jumping onto the rock, she propelled herself up. Jumping at the zenith of the rock''s trajectory, Aria soon found herself falling behind Rust.


    Catching her own fall with a cushion made of air, Aria stood up on the ground. Without a moment''s notice, she had begun moving toward the dilapidated house once again.


    Upon reaching the door, her breath was ragged. Her muscles were tired. Her mind was foggy. She raised one arm to push open the door, only to stop once she saw her arm. Black veins ran across her arms, running the entirety under her skin. She knew what this was. Black veins were a clear sign of Irradiation Sickness. And yet, she shouldn¡¯t have gotten it so quickly.


    Aria pushed on, hoping that it was a mere hallucination on her end. She pushed through the main hallway, coming into a large family-type room. The much nicer wall on the backside caught her eye. In its center was a clean door.


    She pushed through the door, stumbling down the staircase behind it. At the bottom she found a much smaller room. The person she was searching for was laid out on the bed. Two circular wooden items were attached to his right arm. Her legs gave out as she reached the bed. Her upper body lay across Nic as she struggled to keep her eyes open.


    ¡°Nic¡­¡±


    The Irradiation Sickness quickly took over her body, rendering her unconscious.


    When Nic opened his eyes, he was in an unfamiliar place. It was blindingly bright, everything a pure white as far as the eye could see. Every step he took resounded like he was walking on stone, yet underneath him was simply more pure white.


    The only hint of color in the entire space was Nic himself and the clothes that he was wearing. Not a speck of color could be seen anywhere else in this strange place.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Nic¡¯s voice rang out. He awaited a response only to receive none. His voice simply echoed an answer to itself over and over again.


    Nic walked forward. He had no sense of direction, so it was the only way he could truly go.


    Thud.


    A wall. This space was finite. The wall was the same pure white as the floor, making them indistinguishable from each other. Keeping one hand on the wall he had found, Nic walked to his left until he hit another wall. Turning around, he walked in the other direction until he hit a third wall. Following that wall, he found a fourth wall. It seemed that the place was an enclosed cube.


    Looking around again, Nic saw a small black sphere floating in the enclosed space. The fact that it was black contrasted with the pure white all around them had made it stand out too much for Nic to ignore.


    He walked up to the sphere. His heart beat faster the closer that he got to it. He started to feel some sweat beads on his forehead as he reached out for the sphere.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you.¡±


    Standing across from Nic was an older gentleman. He looked vaguely like Nic¡¯s father if he had been ten to twenty years older.


    ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡±


    ¡°Noah Verilo.¡± Nic stood there, mouth agape, as he tried to process what the man had said. While he could accept it based solely on his appearance, Noah Verilo died nearly three centuries ago. Nic wondered if this was the work of this weird space he had found himself in. But if that was the case, what was this place truly?


    ¡°Well, I can see you¡¯re confused, so let me explain a bit more. To be accurate, I am like a memory of Noah Verilo. I was locked into the Verilo blood that is passed down through the generations. Once one of my descendants learned to use magic, like you, and put their hand on the magical implement I left with Rust, I would become conscious again.¡±


    ¡°So you are¡­ a memory of my ancestor? What purpose do you serve? Why are we in this place? What is this black orb?¡± Nic fired off his questions rapidly, trying to gain some knowledge that made sense.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. As for my purpose, well that and this black orb are tied to my life¡¯s story. As for this plane, it¡¯s basically a small room inside your head that I created so we could talk freely. Now, let me ask you this, what do you know about me?¡±


    ¡°About you? As in Noah Verilo?¡± The memory of Noah nodded. ¡°You were the creator of Irradiation, around three hundred years ago. You were born with no magic and wished for it every day. When you eventually got magic, it wasn¡¯t like you wanted. You were unable to control the massive amount of Irradiation that was growing in your body, so it was forcefully expelled out of you. It went on to cover most of the world, creating the first Irradiated Winter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. And what about what happened after that Irradiated Winter?¡±


    ¡°After that¡­ I only know this from the journal you kept, but you regret what happened right? You wanted to fix your mistakes. Eventually, you met a few people that were able to stand near you without getting acute Irradiation Sickness. With their help, you set out to find a way to get rid of Irradiation right? But at some point, the group split apart for some reason.¡±


    ¡°One of the members of my group, the Wind Spirit Progenitor, Aeriel, stated that humanity must survive five hundred years of Irradiation before they could be freed. That is what broke us apart.¡±


    ¡°Five hundred years? But it¡¯s only been three hundred right? Then why am I able to be here?¡± Nic was confused by that small difference. Why had he been allowed in two whole centuries before the stated time?


    ¡°Can you try using your magic?¡±


    ¡°Huh, ok.¡± Nic was unsure why the memory was asking this of him. His magical capabilities should already be approved thanks to the magical apparatus in the real world. He held out his hand and tried to push the air in front of it. He only tried because it didn¡¯t work. He pushed once again to find the same results waiting for him.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t it work?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s simple. It¡¯s not your magic that you are using.¡± The memory¡¯s statement confused Nic. How had he gotten here if it wasn¡¯t his magic? Whose magic was it? Where did it come from?


    ¡°The magic you used to get in here was a spirit¡¯s magic. It was most likely a lesser wind spirit that was told to help you.¡±


    ¡°A¡­ spirit¡¯s magic? But then, shouldn¡¯t I have been barred from entering this place?¡± Everything the memory said confused Nic. He thought it all contradictory.


    ¡°Remember what we just went over? Three hundred years ago, the Wind Spirit Progenitor, Aeriel, said that humanity would need to wait a full five hundred years before the Irradiation would be removed.¡± The memory began to move while he talked. His hands became a second way of communication as he used them to emphasize certain words.


    ¡°I remember that, yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, Aeriel said that we would know that it was time because he would give us a sign.¡± The memory¡¯s eyes peered at Nic, digging straight through his soul. ¡°And what did I just say about your magic?¡±


    Nic raised his hand to his head as he mentally went through everything the memory had said in the past few minutes.


    ¡°Uh, you said it was a lesser spirits magic¡­ And that it was¡­ told to help me? Told to?¡± As he said it out loud, the cogs in Nic¡¯s mind began turning, faster and faster as he began making the links. ¡°If a lesser wind spirit was told to help me¡­ then the person or thing that told it to, that would have to be a greater wind spirit or the wind spirit progenitor.¡±


    ¡°Correct. That is why you are here. Even if the magic may not be yours, Rust and I believe this to be the sign that Aeriel said he would give. Even if it is a few hundred years early.¡±


    That was the answer. As he heard that, Nic let out a long breath, relieved to have learned the truth.


    Eventually, his eyes once again came to lay upon the black orb floating in front of him. It was the final mystery involved with this space that Nic and the Memory of Noah were meeting in.


    ¡°So, this orb¡­ it has to do with the fact that Aeriel sent me as his sign that it was time?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The memory finally put his hand out, resting it under the orb. His face was contorted, multiple emotions flashing across it at the same time. Resentment, anger, loathing. But also relief and acceptance. Nic had a feeling he knew what it was. ¡°This orb right here is a small orb of Irradiation.¡±


    Nic had assumed right. While he had never seen Irradiation before, it normally was invisible to the naked eye, he imagined that it would look something like this. Nic was unsure as to why he could see it though. The easiest answer was that this was all in his mind. But it might be possible that enough Irradiation packed into a small area would look like this to everyone.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ¡°Reach out your hand. Grab it. Once you do, it will be like pulling something in with the wind magic you have been using. Absorb the Irradiation into your body.¡±


    Nic extended his hand. As his fingers touched the orb of Irradiation, there was resistance. It felt like a ball made of wood, hard to the touch. Maybe it was due to this being his mind. He was subconsciously not letting himself absorb Irradiation, even if it was weak. Or maybe it was his body and blood. Maybe that stopped him from absorbing it. Either explanation worked, and worked against him at that.


    He gripped the orb. It fit snugly into his hand. He felt the flow of the orb in his hand. He closed his eyes and pulled on the orb, just like he had brought his knife back to him. The orb in his hand softened, then began to shrink. He felt something foreign enter his hand. It quickly moved up his arm before dissipating.


    By the time the foreign substance in his body had dissipated, the orb was gone from within Nic¡¯s hand. He opened his hand to find nothing but emptiness there. He looked over his arm, finding nothing out of the place visually.


    ¡°Good. Now for t-- ---d p--t.¡± The memory started talking, only to begin cutting out. In front of Nic¡¯s eyes, he was wavering in and out of thin air. Even the memory seemed confused as he looked at his own hands, confusion covering his face.


    A black shadow covered the two, forcing them to simultaneously look up. The once pure white ceiling was now marbled with black stains running throughout it. The stains were blotting out the whiteness of the room. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they had covered everything.


    ¡°S--one i- -nterr---ing us?¡± The memory turned to Nic and stepped towards him. His outstretched hand passed through Nic as it turned incorporeal once again. The memory stopped moving, his mouth shut as his eyes were glued to his hand. ¡°Go!¡± The moment he was corporeal he shouted that single word at Nic with as much force as he could. His face was twisted, from what, Nic didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°What about the rest? Weren¡¯t you going to show me everything?¡± Nic refused to believe what he had been shown was it. That foreign substance in his body, Irradiation, was most likely still there even if he didn¡¯t feel it. No matter what he did, there was bound to be a limit to how much he could hold within his own body.


    ¡°T--re i- -ore --me. Yo- -ust le--n th- -est on yo-re ow-. --od Luc-.¡± With a final broken sentence, the memory faded away. Nic reached out after him only to catch nothing. Once again he had been left alone.


    His entire life, no one supported him, no one taught him, and no one cared about him. Not even his parents. They had always been against Nic trying to learn magic. They said it was easier to live a lie of a life than to try for the impossible. Even them, the people he wanted to support him the most, the people who should have; knowing just how much they had gone through because of their blood, refused to.


    No one was on his side.


    Brown hair passed by his face, causing him to look up. He looked around for a vision of Aria, only to find the darkening emptiness around him. He heaved a sigh as his chest tightened.


    He had a single person on his side. One person that he felt comfortable saying he trusted. One person that he felt would support him. Listen to him. Wait for him.


    Nic looked around for the exit from his own mind. He wanted to leave. To find her. To tell her the truth, finally. He believed she would help him find a way to finish what had been started here.


    Slowly, his vision blackened and he lost consciousness for just a second.


    When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the room in the Verilo house. The bed underneath him was the same, the walls and ceiling had yet to change. The only change in the room was the fact that there was a weight on top of Nic¡¯s chest.


    Sitting next to the bed was Aria. She was leaning over the side of it, her head resting on Nic¡¯s chest. She was facing away from Nic, so he could only see the light brown hair on the back of her head. But even that was enough for him to know.


    ¡°Aria¡­?¡± Nic¡¯s first thoughts were questioning what he was seeing. Why was she there? She should have been back at the campsite on the hill. How was she staying safe? If what Rust had said was true, she shouldn¡¯t have been able to survive in the vicinity of the house. Where was Rust? The caretaker of the house was nowhere to be seen.


    Aria softly stirred as he said her name. Pushing herself up on shaking arms, she looked around randomly, like she couldn¡¯t see a thing.


    ¡°Nic?¡± Her voice wavered, a whisper Nic barely heard above the pounding of his own heart as he saw her face. Black lines, dark as the darkest nights, covered her body. Each one was a blood vein under her skin. Nic knew what it was. Irradiation Sickness. Bad Irradiation Sickness at that. At this stage, it would result in her death within the hour if something wasn¡¯t done.


    Why was she like this? The last time Nic had seen her before he left the campsite, she had been perfectly fine. The only change that had happened in that time was the house they were in. The area around it had been killed, similar to what happened in areas known for Irradiation.


    Nic caught Aria as she collapsed once again. Her breathing was ragged, her body light as a feather yet heavy as a brick. Nic grabbed her, forcing himself out of the bed. He had to get her out of the vicinity of the house.


    As he ran up the stairs, into the broken main room of the house, the two wooden rings on his arm snapped in half, clattering to the floor.


    Outside of the house, Nic was met with a stone dome covering the entire dead area. It was the work of Rust. At some point he had to have created the dome to stop someone from entering the premises. There was no discernable exit to the dome.


    Nic ran out to the stone itself. He had to find an exit so he could leave. Even if it meant running the outer edge in its entirety. He could feel Aria¡¯s breath getting weaker every second she was in the dome. If he could just get out of the dome, he could absorb the Irradiation from her. Just like he had learned from the memory of his ancestor.


    Like it had read his thoughts, the stone in front of him broke away from the rest of the dome, sliding back into the ground. A door now stood in front of him. Nic took the opportunity to leave. He ran away from the dome for a while longer, making sure to put a good amount of distance between Aria and the source of the Irradiation now flowing through her body.


    ¡°Ughhh.¡± Aria let out a small groan as Nic gently laid her down on the ground. Kneeling next to her, Nic put his hands on her stomach. Her body felt just like the orb of Irradiation Nic felt inside his mind.


    He repeated what he had done there, pulling the Irradiation into his body. Aria had much more within her than the small orb he had absorbed earlier. A sickly feeling ran through his body. It was the Irradiation, Nic knew that. But even still, how it felt to absorb Irradiation unsettled him. He wondered if he would be able to absorb it all without going into the same state that Aria was currently in.


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Aria tried to remember what she had been doing just a few seconds ago. Everything was a jumble in her brain. Nic and her had been traveling to the hill where she first awakened her magic, she remembered that. She also remembered that Nic had left. She had found a black book, an old diary of Noah Verilo¡¯s, in his possessions. That was when she learned that Nic was a Verilo himself.


    It had been a shock to realize that. It really had. But at the same time, for Aria, it explained a lot about how Nic acted. It also let her know that he had lied to her multiple times in the past two years that they had spent together. No matter how one looks at it, she should have left him to do his own thing and gone back to the village.


    When, well if he returned, she would simply ignore him and continue to live out her life as she planned. She would turn seventeen in less than two weeks. At that point, she would head back to Sanum, where she had once lived, and be reunited with her childhood friends. They would go to school at the Sanum University. They would stay a group forever, this time no one being forced to leave the other two.


    Yet she hadn¡¯t. She had run to him. That¡¯s right. That¡¯s what happened. She had run to Nic. And in doing so, she had entered an area she shouldn¡¯t have. Her body had quickly gotten unwieldy and as she had found Nic, she had collapsed.


    A sigh escaped her¡­ lips? Wherever she was now, it seemed like she had a body. She tried to get up, only to find her body far heavier than it had any right to be. It was like an entire house was tying her down. She was stuck.


    ¡°Ah, so another one succumbs to Irradiation? I do wish more would come to meet me from other means, it¡¯s so annoying removing Irradiation from one''s soul. Alas, I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡± A female spoke from somewhere nearby. She had a deep voice, one that carried with it the weight of many lifetimes. Whoever was speaking, they had seen or done a lot.


    ¡°I¡¯m ¡®fraid I can¡¯t let you take this one. She¡¯s under my protection.¡± This time a male''s voice spoke. Aria somehow felt reassured hearing him. She felt like she had heard this voice before, but she couldn¡¯t place where. When he spoke, a verdant green light filled the space that Aria was in.


    ¡°Under your protection¡­ Really? I thought you weren¡¯t supposed to do that for a while longer?¡±


    ¡°I decided to go against my father''s wishes. It''s as simple as that.¡± The two continued to talk to each other. Aria wondered if they even knew that she could hear them. She craned her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of the two. She saw two things in the distance. One seemed to be human, but they wore a large cloak that obfuscated their looks. The other¡­ Aria didn¡¯t know what to call the other. It was a green orb that was floating in front of the cloaked individual.


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha! You plan to go against him? That¡¯s great. That really is. Fine, if that¡¯s what you want, I won¡¯t get in your way.¡± The one who laughed was the cloaked individual. Which means that they were the female voice. That also meant that the other one, the orb, was the male voice.


    ¡°Really? I somehow don¡¯t trust you.¡±


    ¡°Really, I promise! I won¡¯t even say anything to him either. All I ask is that I start to see non Irradiated individuals more often soon. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah. I got it.¡± As the orb was speaking once again, the area seemed to get brighter. ¡°It looks like this is it for this conversation.¡± The area got brighter and brighter until Aria could no longer see anything but whiteness.


    When Aria could see again, she could also hear. The sounds of many insects and the trees of a forest filled her ears. She was back in the forest. And above her, with a tear in his eye and a twisted expression on his face, was Nic. She was glad that he was here. He was worried about her. She knew he hadn¡¯t changed at all.


    She reached up to wipe away the tear from his eye. It was only then that she learned how wrong she was.


    ¡°Why?!¡± Her hand was slapped away. The twisted expression on his face had never been worry. It was anger. ¡°Why were you there?!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±

 Interlude 2: The Hunters Path

    A lone man walked through the forest, leaves crunching beneath his feet as the rising sun peeked over the treetops. He was well built, muscles visible through his clothes, and nearly 2 mer tall. His messy flaxen hair was ruffled slightly by the weak morning wind flowing by him. A light brown jacket covered an even lighter tan shirt underneath. Black pants and shoes darkened the overall look of the man. At his waist was a knife hanging in a sheath on his right side. Small pouches covered his left. The sound of metal being jostled escaped every time the man walked.


    The man had entered the forest from the road connecting the city-nation Sanum to the Rad-Town just about 20 ker North East of Sanum. He had set out in the dead of night riding in a carriage. He had ordered the carriage to stop and wait for him just a few minutes prior.


    It didn¡¯t take him long to reach his destination. A massive stone sphere protruded from the ground. Just the day prior, this structure had not been here. This was the work of someone deftly skilled in Earth based magic. The man, as a contractor of a greater Earth Spirit, knew just how impressive the feat before him was. Whoever created this structure had to have abilities equal to that of the Earth Spirit Progenitor, Peter.


    ¡°Hmm? ¡®Nother visitor, ey?¡± Standing in front of the monolith structure was a stout man. ¡°What¡¯s your name, son?¡± A clear and concise voice betrayed his expectations, causing his voice to catch.


    ¡°Son? I¡¯m not your son.¡± He could tell a scowl covered his face. People like this irritated him. They think they are so high and mighty that they instantly look down on others. ¡°The name¡¯s Jack Cariatel. I¡¯m a Hunter from Sanum. Who¡¯re you?¡±


    ¡°A Hunter? I assume then you are here about the two younguns that appeared overnight?¡± The man in front of Jack effortlessly spoke about his mission.


    Jack edged one of his hands towards the sheath on the right side of his waist. He had no doubt that he had to be cautious.


    ¡°So you already know what I am? That should make this easy. Is Verilo still in that structure behind you?¡± While he never got the name of the man he was facing, Jack decided it would be better to fish for the information he needed rather than information he didn¡¯t. This was more important to him than mere details on the future report.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Do you really think that this was built to keep him in?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The question caught Jack off guard.


    ¡°The newest Verilo to appear before me was a bit too spirited. I built this to keep him out, not in. Does that answer your question sufficiently?¡±


    ¡°How can I trust you about this?¡± Jack didn¡¯t trust the man. At all. Even if what he said next was completely logical, Jack probably wouldn¡¯t trust him. For all he knew, this man could be covering for Verilo.


    ¡°Hmmm. Well, I can¡¯t make you trust me. But let me say this to you then. My name is Rust. I¡¯m the caretaker of the Verilo stead that lay beneath this structure. It is my job to protect it until the Wind Progenitor, Aerial, makes his return in two hundred years. Does that work for you?¡±


    The man, Rust, was very forthcoming with his intentions. So much so that Jack didn¡¯t know what to make of it. His gut was telling him not to trust this man, but his brain was satisfied with the answers he had seen.


    ¡°Then where did they go?¡± Jack pushed for more. If he had more options, maybe one would work out the best for him.


    ¡°I would assume back to the Rad-Town they came from.¡± Rust gave a small sigh with a shake of his head. ¡°I only watch the homestead behind me. If you want to find them, you will need to head there.¡±


    That was all Jack was going to get. He could tell that already. Even if he tried to pressure Rust into talking more, if Rust truly was behind the stone structure behind him, then Jack stood no chance. But hearing the fact that they were heading to a Rad-Town didn¡¯t surprise him. In fact, he already had a good idea of where they would be heading. After all, there was only one Rad-Town in the immediate vicinity of Sanum. And according to Casey, the other two Verilo¡¯s were there as well.


    ¡°Alright then, Rust, I¡¯ll head there. But after I¡¯m done there, I¡¯m coming back. When I do, I wanna hear about this stipulation to the end of your duties as the caretaker.¡± Jack turned away from the man and walked back towards the road.


    He knew he didn¡¯t have much time left. When Casey had originally told him about this last night, she had warned him that the Minister would be informed in the morning. She reluctantly had to as part of her Vision duties.


    With how high the sun had gotten, Jack was sure that the Minister would be sending out more Hunters in the next hour. If he wanted the prestige of eradicating the Verilo¡¯s, he had to act now.


    A smirk played across Jack¡¯s face as he neared the road. By the end of the day, the Verilo¡¯s would be gone. Jack was sure of that. He would finally get that which he wanted most.

 Chapter 5: Nic

    ¡°Why were you there!?¡±


    The second the words left his mouth, Aria¡¯s face twisted in confusion. She could feel the anger emanating from his entire body.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t say anything in response. She was just doing what she thought was right. She couldn¡¯t comprehend what he found so wrong about that.


    ¡°I was-¡±


    ¡°You were doing what everyone else does. Assuming that you know what¡¯s best for me!¡± Aria was cut off as Nic stood up violently. He was lashing out verbally, daggers in his eyes whenever they darted to her.


    ¡°What¡¯s best for you?! How is chaining yourself to the wishes of a person 300 years dead the thing that¡¯s best for you? What about what you want? Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to make your future children''s lives better than your own!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I was trying to do!¡± Aria stopped as Nic rebutted her question. ¡°You¡¯ve seen my standard of living. How I dressed before I met you. The number of times I have worn torn clothes because I had nothing else. The house I live in is falling apart at the seams. Half of what I eat is rotten, and the other half can barely be called food. My family has lived like that for three hundred years. And we would continue to live like that for two hundred more if I didn¡¯t do something!¡±


    With every word, his voice grew hoarser. At some point, tears began forming in his eyes. Aria was stunned speechless. Had she truly been in the wrong? Had she unknowingly destroyed that which she wanted to help?


    She started to raise her hand. She needed to reach out to him. To salvage what she could. But his frozen gaze stopped her. The daggers pierced her. Every fiber of her being was screaming at her, opposing her will to move forward.


    ¡°And now¡­ Now my family¡­ Now I will never get peace. You did that. You ruined everything! I¡­¡± Aria trembled. She didn¡¯t want him to continue. She pleaded in her heart for him to stop. She tried to open her lips, yet her body continued to defy her. The cord that tied the two of them together had strained so much that only a single thread remained. Taut as it could be, Aria desperately needed it to stay.


    ¡°I¡­ I hate you!¡±


    The last thread snapped.


    ¡°I never want to talk to you again!¡±


    Her knees dug into the dirt.


    ¡°Go run off to Sanum and never come back here!¡±


    Something warm rolled down her cheeks. Her breathing stopped.


    ¡°I hate you.¡±


    A whisper. The final whisper he would say to her. The daggers were no longer there. Nic was no longer in front of her.


    The body that had been opposing her out of fear finally gave way. Water streamed down her cheeks as her body struggled to breathe.


    Her mind had gone blank. She had nothing. The connection that she had grown to value so much had been ripped from her. And she was the only one to blame it seemed. In her hubris, in thinking that she knew what Nic wanted, she had destroyed the one thing that always brought her joy. She had hurt the one person she cared about more than anything or anyone else.


    At that moment, time had no meaning for her. At that moment, there was no feeling within her. At that moment, her surroundings could have been the lava bed of a volcano, and she would have never noticed.


    She would have fallen onto her side and curled up into a ball if silent footsteps had not approached her.


    Had he come back? Would he comfort her, apologizing and claiming it was a heat-of-the-moment outburst? Would the cord of connection between them be rewoven in a manner of seconds?


    That hope spurred her to lift her head, open her eyes, and look at the one who stood before her. Instead of the brown-haired boy she had hoped for, Aria found a short, stout man with rustic red hair staring down at her with pupil-less eyes.


    ¡°R-ust?¡± Her voice was hoarse, catching itself in her throat. The man looked away from Aria, staring through the forest. Aria felt like he was looking at something she couldn¡¯t see.


    ¡°Do you understand why I tried to stop you, miss?¡± Rust¡¯s low voice rang in Aria¡¯s ears as he slowly turned to look back at her. She knew what he meant. Their first time meeting, just a few hours ago, he had told her exactly what Nic had said. And she had refuted him at the time. Oh, how wrong she had been.


    ¡°I know¡­¡± Aria looked down at the ground, ashamed of her actions, saddened by what occurred.


    ¡°So what will you do now?¡±


    Aria snapped her head to Rust. His arms were crossed in front of him and his white eyes stared directly at her as if peering into her very being. She shakily got to her feet, her answer clear in her mind.


    ¡°I¡­ I need to find Nic. I need to apologize to him. I¡­ Did you see where he went, Rust?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s heading toward that little camp the two of you made on the hill.¡±


    Hearing that, Aria¡¯s heart began to beat just a little bit faster. Her mind began to speed up as she thought of ways to catch up to him. The easiest for her to do would be to make herself lighter with the air so she could run faster. Maybe push herself along with the air at her back as well.


    She took a step forward.


    And was met with a rock slab in her face.


    ¡°You can¡¯t apologize right now.¡±


    ¡°Huh-! What? Why can¡¯t I go?¡± Aria was just a bit frazzled by the stone slab and Rust¡¯s declaration. Not even a second after she formed her plan had she been shut down.


    ¡°Apologizing to the kid now won¡¯t do either of you any good. You need to wait and apologize when the time is right.¡±


    Aria sighed and stepped back. Shaking her body to loosen it up, she thought back over what Nic had said, taking mental notes of everything she wanted to apologize for. Yet, something he had said was bugging her.


    ¡°Rust?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    ¡°Nic said something about his family having to spend another two hundred years as they were if he didn¡¯t do anything. What did he mean by that?¡± Aria had cocked her head slightly to the side, inquisitively, as she posed the question to Rust.


    ¡°That¡¯s simple. The Wind Spirit Progenitor Aeriel told us back then that he would reappear in five hundred years, and when he did, the Verilo of the time would be able to learn the ability to absorb and purify Irradiation. That was three hundred years ago. There should have been two hundred more years.¡±


    This was the first time that Aria was hearing any of this. And more than anything this puzzled her.


    ¡°How did Nic¡­ well, do what he did then?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the interesting part,¡± Rust waved a finger in the air. ¡°How did Nic unlock the talisman? That¡¯s because his magic isn¡¯t his magic.¡±


    Aria stopped moving altogether. How was that not his magic? The two had spent so much time trying to get Nic to be able to use it, and now Rust was saying all that was for naught?


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°The magic Nic has been using is power drawn from a lesser wind spirit. A lesser wind spirit that just so happens to have the scent of Aeriel, meaning that Aeriel ordered it to create a contract with Nic.¡± A grin was nestled on Rust¡¯s face.


    ¡°Aeriel¡­ Then the Wind Progenitor is back?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s probably already made a contract with someone.¡±


    This was news to Aria. But it did explain everything. She knew a contract could be made without the human realizing it, though it would be weaker than a contract made with the human knowing. Nic may not have even known he had a contract, in which case he would assume the magic had been his all along.


    ¡°So-¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Rust abruptly cut her off, turning off towards the distance. Once again, it seemed like he was looking at something she could not see. ¡°So it¡¯s time then.¡± He turned back to Aria, the grin had turned into a grimace. ¡°Looks like our conversation has to be cut short, you have somewhere you need to be.¡±


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Wha-?!¡± Aria quickly took a step back as Rust got close to her and started trying to turn her around.


    ¡°You need to get back to the rad-town you came from, as fast as you can. There is a hunter from Sanum who should be reaching there right about now.¡±


    ¡°A Hunter?!¡± Aria knew what they were. Every City-State or Nation had a contingent of them, or something akin to them. They were a well-trained police force whose goal was the eradication of anyone who dealt with Irradiation. If one was going to the Rad Town, that could mean only one thing. ¡°He¡¯s after the Verilos?¡±


    ¡°You catch on quick. That¡¯s right. His main goal is the kid. You have to find a way to get him away from the Rad Town before the kid gets back there. Otherwise, humanity¡¯s hope of getting rid of the Irradiation will disappear for good.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Something was wrong with what he said. Nic had said that it was already gone, yet Rust implied that it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Didn¡¯t I destroy the device that would give Nic the ability to purify Irradiation before he could learn it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but he still has that ability within him. He just needs to unlock it now, just like every other magic.¡±


    ¡°Like every other magic?¡±


    Rust pushed her from behind. She looked back at him, only to see him waving her on. He had nothing else to say to her. She held back the rest that she wanted to ask.


    Just a few moments prior, Aria had come up with a plan to catch up to Nic. She enacted that plan but changed the planned outcome. Now her goal was the Rad Town that she had lived in for the past six years, Rad Town ¡°S-012¡±.


    The trees slipped by Nic as he stumbled through the bushes. His thumping in his chest wouldn¡¯t stop, the warm water flowing down his face never cooled and the pain permeating through his entire body was going to last for too long.


    His lungs gasped for air as he continued towards the campsite, made the night prior. His mind replayed what he had said over and over. Every time he saw her face at the end, the pain inside of him grew worse. Every time he ran faster.


    He wanted to escape. To be as far away as he could.


    The trust he had in her. The minute it was tested. All Nic did was revert to how he was with everyone else. He pushed her aside. He severed their connection.


    She was broken by Nic¡¯s words, her face had made that all too clear to him.


    An emotional outburst. A single second. That was all it took for Nic to destroy the one thing he held close to his heart.


    How could he ever look at her again? How could he ever talk to her again? How could he ever remember her?


    Nic finally reached the clearing where they had made camp. The sun, now nestled high in the sky, beat down on his head as Nic¡¯s lungs screamed for air. He collapsed to the ground, his hands clutching the bag in front of his knees.


    Gasping for air, he opened the bag and pulled out the black-bound book sitting just inside of it. Everything he had done was because of this book. He had been so close. And it had all been destroyed in a single moment. That had been the impetus for his outburst.


    Betrayed. That was how he had felt in the moment after absorbing the Irradiation from Aria¡¯s body.


    The grip on the book tightened. The power spoken of in it was gone. The device had broken. There was no other device like that, capable of being used in that manner, of that Nic was certain. He threw the book to the side. As much as it pained him, there was nothing left for him in that book. Irradiation will continue to ravage the world, and there was nothing he could do about it anymore.


    A gust of wind blew past Nic¡¯s head. The book he had thrown was now floating in the said wind. Its pages flowed gently in the wind. He slowly reached out his hand, grasping the floating book and stopping the gentle flapping of its pages. As he turned the book around, looking at both covers, he noticed a small green blob attached to the back of the book.


    ¡°The magic you used to get in here was a spirit¡¯s magic. It was most likely a lesser wind spirit that was told to help you.¡±


    The memory of Noah had said that to him when he was asleep in the house. For some reason, when he saw the green blob, this was the first thing that came to mind.


    Was this what a spirit looked like? Nic wasn¡¯t sure. Hell, he had never even seen the one that had supposedly been helping him these past few hours.


    ¡°Are you¡­ the spirit that has been lending me their magic?¡± Realizing that it was being addressed directly, the small blob began circling the book in Nic¡¯s hands. Its energetic and sporadic movements seemed to confirm Nic¡¯s question. He took a rather large breath, steadying himself as he stood. He had a lot of questions for the small blob in front of him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about spirits, can you talk?¡± The blob shook itself back and forth. ¡°I guess that¡¯s a no then. Alright, why did you catch this book?¡± Nic raised the journal in his hands ever so slightly. The blob seemed to float in the air for a second, Nic wondered if he was looking at the book in some fashion, before moving itself behind the book and pushing it into Nic¡¯s chest.


    ¡°You want me to keep on to it?¡± An energetic bob up and down caused Nic to frown as he looked between the blob and the book.


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason for me to keep it. Nothing will ever happen again anyways, Aria made sure of that.¡± Nic flung the book to the side once again. The spirit quickly caught it in the wind again, bringing the book back to Nic¡¯s hands. This only caused him to grow more irritated and throw the book to the ground.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it! Stop giving it back to me.¡± Nic emotionally lashed out at the spirit, at which it seemed to deflate as it hovered over the dirt-covered journal.


    Disregarding the spirit, Nic walked around and made sure that none of his stuff had gotten out of the bag. Content that he had everything he needed, Nic walked to the edge of the clearing opposite of the direction the Verilo lands were in. He knew that there was a road that connected Sanum and the Rad Town he had lived in all of his life. It shouldn¡¯t be too far away from the bottom of the hill he was on in the direction he was facing. Looking over his shoulder at the spirit sitting above the journal, Nic called out to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading out. You can stay here if you want, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you did. Everyone leaves me, why shouldn¡¯t a spirit be any different.¡± As he slung the bag over his shoulder, the wind picked up and blew past him. As it died down, he thought the bag felt a bit heavier than it should.


    Looking back, the spirit was gone, though the book still seemed to be on the ground. A simple sigh escaped Nic¡¯s lips as he began the trek toward the main road. The spirit was gone, as he expected. He didn¡¯t have much time left either.


    Nic rolled up his sleeve and looked at his right arm. Crawling along the skin of his upper arm were black tendrils. They reached just past his elbow. After absorbing so much Irradiation from Aria, he was surprised it was only showing this much on his skin. Aria had absorbed so much Irradiation in the Verilo Household that she had been completely covered in these tendrils.


    Maybe it was just too soon for them to show up en masse. Nic was sure that he would soon enough start to show more symptoms of Irradiation Sickness. Even if he was a Verilo himself, he wasn¡¯t immune to getting that sickness.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Nic to arrive at the road he had been heading to. Though a road wasn¡¯t an apt description of it. It was more of a dirt section of the forest that simply happened to not have any trees or bushes on it. It was traveled so little that there weren¡¯t even tracks of carriages that had gone through over the years.


    Nic began walking down the edge of the road. He planned to simply camp out on it till he got back to the Rad Town. If, by some miracle, someone was traveling along the road, he might be able to get some company for a bit of time.


    And so like this, Nic walked for a while. He walked alone, in silence until the sun was at its highest point in the sky. Right about then, Nic heard the sound of horses behind him. The rumbling of a carriage''s wheels could be heard as well. He got over to the side of the road, keeping out of the way of the oncoming vehicle.


    As it passed by him, Nic gaped at the vehicle itself. It wasn¡¯t too outstanding, at least it wouldn¡¯t be if it was in a line with other carriages, but it was finely crafted, even Nic could tell that much. A carriage of this quality meant that the people inside were most likely wealthy, and considering the direction they came from, they were most likely a high-ranking member of the Sanum elite.


    But that created even more questions. Namely, why one would be on this road in particular. Were they heading to the Rad Town? Why? Has someone figured out that the Verilos were hiding there? Was it even safe for Nic to head back at this point?


    Nic slowly stopped walking as he stared at the carriage moving past. He quickly averted his gaze when the carriage came to halt just a few Mer in front of Nic. Hoping that it wasn¡¯t because he had been staring at it, Nic quickly started moving again, his pace faster than it had been before he stopped.


    Yet he was not that lucky. Before he could even get a few steps in, the door on the carriage popped open and an older gentleman leaned out. He had wrinkled, dark skin and disappearing gray hair, a demeanor that screamed confidence that came with age and experience, and a well-tailored brown suit with a white shirt.


    ¡°Hey boy! Are you heading to S-012? If so, do you want a ride?¡± The gentleman¡¯s voice was deep and far stronger than Nic thought it would be. Not only that, the man had called out the Rad Town that Nic was going to by its identification number. If nothing else, this confirmed to Nic that this man was someone important.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s for the best. While I am heading to that Rad Town, I can manage just fine on my own. We wouldn''t want a Rad Town resident getting someone of your status infected right?¡± Get away from this man. Nic¡¯s body was screaming at him to do just that. He just needed the man to get back in his carriage and be on his way. The black veins on his arm were deadly to anyone who got in close contact with him.


    Nic wouldn¡¯t get his wish though. With a simple smile covering his face, the man chose his next words carefully.


    ¡°My status? What about your status? I would love to hear the thoughts of a Verilo straight from one himself.¡±


    Nic froze in place. His once seemingly innocent look sharpened until he was glaring at the man. His right hand slowly moved to his pockets, searching for a certain knife. Yet it was not on him. He seemed to have lost it at some point that morning.


    ¡°Hm? You don¡¯t need to be so worried, boy. I hold no grudge against you or your ancestors. Nor do I wish to harm you in any capacity. I¡¯m simply offering to hear your story while we travel to S-012.¡± The man tried to placate the frozen Nic. His voice oozed with sweet words, but to Nic, it was all a ploy.


    To Nic, it would always be a ploy, especially after what he had just gone through. Trust had always been the one thing he lacked, and the moment he had been close to putting his trust in someone else it had been burned in an instant. And now this man was offering him a way to get back home quickly. Not only that, he claimed to not care about Nic¡¯s heritage. If nothing else, that alone would have required Nic¡¯s trust in the man.


    ¡°I refuse your offer.¡± Nic had made up his mind from the beginning. There was no other choice in this matter.


    The gentleman¡¯s smile faded and a worried look came over his face. He disappeared from the doorway, heading back into the carriage. Nic could hear him talking with someone else in the seating area. There was another person in there. The man¡¯s head popped back out after a bit. He smiled a bit when he saw Nic still standing there.


    ¡°It seems to me that you don¡¯t know how to answer my proposition yourself.¡± Nic shot daggers toward the man at his comment.


    ¡°And what does that mean?¡±

 Chapter 6: The Rad-Town

    ¡°Well, if you didn¡¯t want the ride to S-012, you would have started walking again, right?¡±


    For some reason that Nic couldn¡¯t explain, he had stayed in the same spot the entire time. It had been the perfect opportunity for him to continue moving on. Yet he had stayed put. He had waited. Looking down at his own body, Nic moved his arms first, then his legs. He was perfectly capable of moving. His body was not frozen or anything like that. He had simply stood still, waiting.


    ¡°I¡­¡± He was at a complete loss of words. He shouldn¡¯t want to put his trust in a stranger. Being against taking this man¡¯s offer was the logical thing. And yet, he somehow found himself unable to outright object to it a second time.


    As if rebelling against his confused mind, Nic¡¯s legs began moving on their own. One step, two steps. With each step, the crunching of dirt echoed in Nic¡¯s ears. It didn¡¯t take too many steps for him to arrive at the side of the carriage. He looked up, the road in front of him stretching out into the distance. At its end was the Rad Town that Nic had grown up in. The place he called home. And beside him was a carriage, drawn by two brown healthy horses. In it, he would probably get home before the sun was even halfway down the sky.


    ¡°If you come on the carriage, I do have some info that I think you will want to know.¡± The man spoke up again. Nic looked over at him. From this angle, he realized the man was quite tall. The reason he had been sticking his upper body out of the door, and not fully stepping up to it was because he was slightly hunched over. He was too tall to stand up straight in the carriage.


    Behind him, in the cart, Nic could see a female sitting. He couldn¡¯t see much about her. She was staring out of the window on the opposite side of the carriage and her long black hair was covering the rest of her face that would normally be visible.


    On the surface, Nic thought that he was sure he wanted to turn the offer down, yet something inside of him was stopping him. A sharp gust of wind pushed Nic from the side, forcing him to take a step towards the carriage. Something or someone had made his decision for him.


    ¡°Welcome aboard this fine carriage. Let me introduce myself.¡± The man held out his hand to Nic. Gingerly reaching up, Nic grabbed the hand and was pulled up onto the carriage by a strength that surprised Nic. ¡°The name is Ordwell Chapman.¡±


    Ordwell sat down next to the female rider on one side of the carriage while motioning for Nic to sit on the side opposite of them. Taking the bag off of his shoulder, Nic set it down next to him as he sat down. What none of the three occupants of the Carriage saw was the small green blob sitting just inside the bag.


    ¡°My first name is Nic.¡± He quickly said his first name. His eyes were drawn to the mysterious third passenger who seemed to refuse to look at him.


    ¡°Sorry for my companion here.¡± Ordwell gently nudged the passenger. ¡°You should at least introduce yourself.¡±


    ¡°Casey Aratel.¡± A curt introduction, short and said in a deadpan voice. Nic thought he sensed hate underneath her forced deadpan voice, but he didn¡¯t feel like prodding the hornet''s nest by asking about it.


    A sigh from Ordwell seemed to validate Nic¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Sorry about her. She¡¯s the current Vision and isn¡¯t a big fan of the overall situation we are currently in.¡± Ordwell offered an apology in place of Casey, though Nic hardly took note of it. Instead, he wondered about a few things in the apology itself.


    ¡°Um¡­ what¡¯s a Vision?¡± Nic¡¯s question was simple really. He had never heard of a ¡°vision¡±.


    ¡°Oh, well¡­ you haven¡¯t heard of the Visions?¡± Nic shook his head. Ordwell looked a bit confused, like this should have been general knowledge to Nic. ¡°Well, I guess I can explain it then.¡±


    ¡°Visions are a group of people who awaken to a specific magic that lets them see Irradiation at all times, no matter how much of it there is. A normal person can only see Irradiation when there are large amounts of it in a small area, but Visions can see even the smallest amount coming off of a rock. They are also able to see Irradiation on maps.¡±


    Someone who could see Irradiation. No wonder Ordwell had assumed Nic would know about it. It seemed like something that Verilos should know about, yet he had never heard of one.


    ¡°So there are a few people who can see Irradiation? That¡¯s news to me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, actually it¡¯s only ever one person at a time. Currently, Casey here is the Vision.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Nic thought about it. With only one person able to see Irradiation, that would certainly give the City-State or Nation where they lived a massive advantage over others. But how it affected the Verilo¡¯s, Nic was unsure. ¡°And this affects me in what way?¡±


    ¡°To a Vision, Verilos look like someone who is completely consumed by Irradiation Sickness when seen in person. And when looking at a map, Verilos are always shown through completely black dots.¡± As Ordwell was about to answer Nic, he had been cut off by Casey. After hearing her words, Nic was sure his face didn¡¯t hide the shock he was feeling. ¡°That¡¯s how we knew who you were. Last night I saw your dot next to Ground Zero. So I told Mr. Chapman.¡±


    ¡°You also told Jack. Don¡¯t forget that he¡¯s the whole reason we¡¯re in this mess now.¡± Ordwell cut Casey off, earning him a deep glare from Casey.


    When she turned her head to glare at Ordwell, Nic finally got a good look at her face. Cupped on either side by her long black hair, she had an innocent face. Her dark tan skin was smooth and young, her brown eyes soft. No makeup adorned her face, though Nic figured that was a conscious choice considering the red tint in her eyes.


    ¡°Yes, I understand that, you do not need to keep reminding me!¡± Casey seemed to notice Nic¡¯s gaze and turned to him. ¡°What is it? No, never mind I don¡¯t really care. You¡¯re too bright to keep looking at anyways.¡± With that, her head once again went towards the window of the carriage. However, both Ordwell and Nic were staring at her, dumbfounded by what she had said.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Nic was just told that he should look like someone with acute Irradiation sickness, yet she said he was too ¡°bright¡± to look at. If anything, Nic thought he should be darker, owing to the fact that Irradiation appears black when it is visible.


    ¡°Bright¡­?¡± Ordwell was the first to speak up. He was just as confused as Nic, and it showed on his face.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like a Verilo should. Something happened to you last night, didn¡¯t it? What did you do while at ground zero? What made you like this?¡± Without even glancing at him, Casey quickly fired off her questions to Nic. In response, he simply sat there, a dumbfounded look on his face. Had he been deemed not a Verilo because of what happened? Had the incident caused even something like this? But he still had an increased Irradiation resistance, showcased by the fact that he could still act normal despite how much Irradiation he had pulled from Aria¡¯s body that morning. Even the fact that he could still absorb Irradiation from others seemed to argue that he was still a Verilo.


    ¡°Nic, I think it¡¯s about time we hear your story. If anything, we might be able to figure out what actually happened.¡± Ordwell spoke softly. Sincerity sat behind his face. Nic opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Could he so easily tell them everything? Could he accept them knowing all he had done and tried to do?


    ¡°I¡­¡± It seemed that Nic¡¯s body already knew the answer even if his mind didn¡¯t. He slowly began speaking. He spoke about everything. From the minute he found the diary until the second the carriage passed by him. He found everything coming out so easily it scared him a bit. Not one thing that he knew was held back.


    Neither Casey nor Ordwell outright interrupted Nic while he was speaking, though a few scoffs cut through from time to time. Apparently, Casey was not too impressed with him, especially toward the end. Though Nic barely faulted her for that.


    Ordwell had a grimace plastered on his face by the time Nic stopped speaking. For a minute or two, the carriage became deathly quiet. The sounds of the wheels on the dirt outside and the marching hooves of the horses pulling the carriage were the only things that could be heard.


    Casey was the first one to break the silence.


    ¡°So you can absorb Irradiation now? And you were about to gain the ability to nullify the Irradiation in your body when this Aria prematurely stopped everything? Is that the gist of your situation?¡± Nic sat with his shoulders drooped. The way Casey had asked her questions had been devoid of any emotion. Nic was a bit scared about what it meant for him. Silently he nodded to answer all of her questions at once.


    ¡°I think I understand why he¡¯s bright now, Mr. Chapman.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm. Nic¡¯s the light that the world has been searching for the past three centuries, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it seems like to me.¡±


    Nic slowly lifted his head. The two were talking as if there wasn¡¯t a glaring problem with what Nic had explained.


    ¡°But! I can¡¯t purify the Irradiation in me. If I absorb too much, I¡¯ll just end up killing myself!¡± How could he be this light that Ordwell mentioned if he was just going to die before the world was freed of Irradiation?


    ¡°Is that really true? Nic, how much do you know about awakening the magic in one¡¯s blood?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°When each kid awakens their magic at a young age, they aren¡¯t gaining the magic right then and there. It¡¯s always been with them. They just learn how to access it at that point.¡± Nic¡¯s eyes slowly started to widen, the truth slowly forming in his brain even before Ordwell finished what he was saying. ¡°If the locks that were in your blood are now gone, then you should still be able to awaken the ability to purify the Irradiation in your body.¡±


    It was something he had never considered. Would going through a normal awakening work for him? What was required of it? Most people experienced their awakenings before they turned 10. Nic was coming up on 17. Was it even possible for him to still experience an awakening?


    ¡°Can I even do that? I¡¯m seventeen. Most awakenings happen before a child turns ten right?¡±


    ¡°You would simply need to experience a large amount of emotions in a short period of time. It¡¯s not unheard of for someone as old as you to awaken to their magic. As for how emotional you need to get,¡± Casey shrugged her shoulders. ¡°That I can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    A lot of emotions¡­ It was a tall order for Nic. What kind of emotions would he be able to muster up in that amount? How would he conjure them up? He tried to wrap his head around everything, but only grew more confused.


    ¡°There might be an easy way for us to achieve that here.¡± Ordwell silently looked out of the window towards a small village wall made of wood that had just come into visual distance. ¡°Nic, we¡¯re at S-012.¡± Nic turned to look out the window and saw the familiar fence that enclosed the Rad Town.


    ¡°What do you mean there is an easy way here? What could there possibly be?¡± He quickly turned to Ordwell, wondering just what he had planned for him.


    ¡°It¡¯s time you hear why I came all the way out here to S-012 with Casey. Last night, before informing me of your escapades to Ground Zero, she informed a member of the Sanum contingent of Hunters.¡± Another word, another occupation that Nic had never heard of. This one sounded deadlier though. Looking over at Casey, he saw her head turned even further from Nic.


    ¡°Hunter?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t know since you didn¡¯t know what a Vision was. Hunters are like a military police force. They are technically multi-national though most contingents report to the government of the City-State or Nation they reside in. They hunt individuals who are found to be using Irradiation in harmful ways.¡±


    A police force that hunted those who used Irradiation. It seemed to Nic like they were a force created to stop the Verilos if they ever created another Irradiated Winter like their ancestor.


    ¡°You think they were created to hunt down any Verilo who tries to do the same as your Ancestor 300 years ago, correct?¡±


    ¡°How did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°It was written on your face. While I won¡¯t deny the accusation, they mostly go after those who use pockets of Irradiation in the world to kill innocent people. And there just so happens to be one in S-012 right now, looking for you and your parents.¡±


    That was what he had meant. Nic had to find a way to stop the hunter from killing his family, or any other innocent people in the Rad Town he had grown up in. How was that fair to Nic? This hunter was presumably trained in combat, while Nic had absolutely none.


    ¡°Is this not a death sentence? How am I supposed to go up against a trained fighter?¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t,¡± Ordwell lost any emotion on his face as he looked Nic straight in the eyes, causing him to gulp unconsciously. ¡°All you have to do is turn this Rad Town into a City State of its own.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me!? You want me to do what?¡± Nic couldn¡¯t hold back his voice after hearing what Ordwell said.


    ¡°If S-012 is turned into a City-State, Jack will have no jurisdiction here. Hunters do not have any jurisdiction in places they are not from unless given express permission by that area¡¯s governing body.¡±


    ¡°S-S-So me, someone who will die if I absorb too much Irradiation, am supposed to absorb enough Irradiation to turn a Rad Town into a City State to stop this Hunter from hurting anyone?¡± Nic stammered out his question, desperately trying to wrap his head around what Ordwell was proposing.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to survive that? Better yet, how am I even supposed to absorb the Irradiation in something that I can only touch? Do I need to run around every little area in this place and touch everything and everyone?¡± The task was impossible. There was no way that Nic could do it. And yet Ordwell simply continued to sit there, smiling up at Nic, even as the carriage came to halt.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that you will be able to find a way, Nic. And remember, your emotions are the key to success here. Casey and I will stay back and only come closer if things aren¡¯t looking good.¡± As Ordwell was talking, the door to the carriage next to the two of them swung open. Ordwell motioned to Nic that it was time for him to get off.


    Grabbing his bag roughly, Nic quickly landed on the ground. Looking back he saw Ordwell once again sitting at the edge of his seat, leaning out of the door.


    ¡°I look forward to seeing your success!-¡±

 Chapter 7: Verilo

    Aria had made it back to the Rad Town only a bit before Nic would eventually arrive. Despite her masterful control over the wind, there was only so much she could do to increase her speed. Even still, to make a journey of nearly 60 Ker in just a few short hours would sound crazy to practically everyone in the Rad Town.


    It was awfully quiet. That was the first thing she noticed. Considering the sun had yet to set, people should still be active throughout the Rad Town, which means that there should have been audible noises coming from the small circular town.


    The two guards that should have been at the entrance she was walking up to were gone as well. Even if they were switching shifts, the gates should never be left unattended.


    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± Aria muttered to herself as she sneaked a peak past the entrance. There was no one walking the streets. No one entering or leaving homes. She didn¡¯t even see smoke from any fires lit to cook meals.


    The Hunter that Rust had told her about was most likely responsible for this. If they truly were searching for Nic or his family, the fastest way would be to round up all hundred or so residents of S-012 and bring them into the same place.


    ¡°But where do they have them at? The Town Center or the Farm?¡± Either option would easily hold the amount of people needed. But only the Town Center would be easy to get to. Trying to sneak into the farm buildings without making any noise would likely be impossible.


    Hoping it would be the former and not the latter, Aria made her way into the Rad Town. While it would be easiest to make her way down the path that leads from the town''s entrance to the town center, Aria would be spotted far too quickly if they had put everyone there. Instead, she found herself sneaking between the building near the short road. Thankfully the buildings were all close enough, especially the closer to the center she got, that there was next to nothing between them.


    It didn¡¯t take long for her to start hearing voices arguing with each other. Unluckily, she knew both members of the arguing match. Reaching the final building, sitting on the edge of the Town Center, Aria snuck a glance around the corner, confirming the growing pain in her head she was feeling.


    Standing almost directly in the center of the Town were a man and a woman. The woman looked a lot like Aria, after all, it was her mother standing there arguing with the man opposing her. Aria also knew the man standing there, from the time she had lived in Sanum. After all, Jack Cariatel the Hunter was a man who had been idolized by a boy Aria had once called a best friend.


    Cowering behind her mother were two adults that Aria had rarely seen in town. Yet she instantly knew them. They both bore a striking resemblance to their son, down to the quality of their clothes.


    ¡°Get out of my way, Wendy! Stop protecting those fiends!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not budging one cer, Jack. You are not going to lay a hand on these citizens of S-012.¡±


    ¡°D-d-d-d-darling, please just get out of Mr. Cariatel¡¯s way. I¡¯m sure the rest of the town would love to be able to get back to their evenings.¡±


    While her mother was standing up for the two grown Verilos, her father was on the side, trying to get through the events without his wife getting hurt, even if it meant throwing the Verilos to the Hunter. Aria desperately wanted to smack her father in the face for what he was saying but would have to accept simply hearing the sound of her mother doing just that instead.


    ¡°Kayde, get your act together! And Jack, I swear to the Progenitors, if you do not show me orders from Ordwell right now¡­ Ooooh you do not want to know what is going to happen to you.¡±


    ¡°Fine then, bitch, if you aren¡¯t going to step aside,¡± In an instant, a long spear-like rock appeared in Jack¡¯s hand. ¡°Then you are going to die as well.¡±


    Aria couldn¡¯t see her mother¡¯s face. She was facing away from her, towards Jack. So Aria didn¡¯t know what kind of expression had made Jack¡¯s face contort in such ways.


    Time seemed to slow down for Aria as she reached out her hand. It was a bit further than she had ever done, but Aria reached out for the air in between her mother and Jack. She begged for it to condense. Seemingly accepting her control over the powerful magic capabilities she had, the wind listened to her. It condensed, growing ever closer together until it stopped the stone spear mid-lunge.


    Jack¡¯s face of rage quickly gave way to pure shock.


    That shock only grew as Aria quickly forced the now condensed air to rapidly expand in Jack¡¯s direction. A loud crash could be heard throughout the Town Center as Jack went flying through a wooden door leading to the Farmhouse nearly 30 mer behind him.


    Using the few precious seconds of respite that would bring, Aria rushed towards the center where her mother was standing.


    Aria stopped in front of her mother, a small blade made of condensed wind in one hand.


    ¡°Aria? What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time. Take the Verilos and get out of here Mama, I¡¯ll keep Mr. Cariatel busy.¡±


    Aria turned towards the sound of wood moving as she talked. Holding the small wind blade in front of her defensively, she waited for a response from him. Her arm was raised in a swing and a rock shattered in two before her very eyes.


    She didn¡¯t see it with her eyes in the end. The only reason Aria knew that a rock was about to hit her was the displacement of the wind. Her breathing stopped as her mind caught up to what had just happened. Jack was standing in front of the now-ruined barn door. A trickle of blood seeped past the eyes that glared at her.


    ¡°I remember you. The little brat that always hung around Sarman. Why don¡¯t you stand aside and let me do my job.¡± In spite of the glare, Jack spoke with confidence in a calm manner. After all, what he is doing is only natural, at least in his mind it is.


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m protecting my parents from this little rampage of yours.¡±


    ¡°And what about the disgusting Verilo¡¯s behind even them? Are you going to protect them as well? Are you willing to betray the world we live in? Just like that?¡± One rock began floating next to Jack¡¯s head. Then a second rock, and a third. Aria knew that no matter how she answered, if she refused to stand down in any way, those rocks would soon be requesting to meet her head. She silently shuffled her feet ever so slightly and attempted to loosen her muscles a bit without dropping her guard.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes to stand next to him again¡­ then I guess I am.¡± Before she had even finished talking, a rock had been flung her way.


    Her right arm, holding the blade of wind, slashed up, creating a wind blade that shot toward the rock. Yet before her hand had completed its arc, two more rocks had been flung at her. Using her left hand, she reached out and stopped the two extra rocks, using the same method as his original sword strike.


    Four rocks appeared this time, and again Aria made slashing cuts with the blade in her right hand while using her left hand to slow down the ones she couldn¡¯t cut with the blade. With each wave of rocks she stopped from hitting her or anyone behind her, more would come.


    Until they finally stopped. Aria¡¯s lungs were burning from a deep fire. As she breathed in, the flames only grew larger and the pain and discomfort grew. Aria had never been in a true fight before. Let alone a fight with her life on the line. Her body was rejecting the intense strain being put on it by her constant use of magic.


    And that¡¯s what made the break in Jack¡¯s attacks so deadly. As she struggled to catch her breath, he was simply standing there, a massive rock spinning in front of him. No, he was holding it like a spear. It was far longer than Aria had thought.


    The spear made of rock left his hands and came flying towards Aria. She struggled to stand up straight, her lungs refusing to deliver oxygen to her lungs.


    She raised her hand. She wished for the wind to listen to her. To stop the spear.


    But she was too late.


    ¡°WENDY!¡±


    How far had she been flung before she hit the ground?


    10 Mer?


    15?


    Aria didn¡¯t know. But she could feel the sharp jabs of gravel underneath her, and the force of something laying on top of her. Her right arm felt unnaturally warm. Something wet was on it as well.


    She pushed the thing on top of her off, only to realize that it was someone, not something. She looked over at the body now laying next to hers. Where their left arm should have been was a red mess. Something was dripping from where the shoulder should have connected the arm.


    Aria scrambled onto her knees. She grabbed both of the body¡¯s shoulders and brought the person up to her breast, hugging her tightly.


    ¡°Ma¡­ ma¡­?¡±


    The body in her arms coughed lightly.


    ¡°Put¡­ me down¡­ Aria¡­¡±


    Aria¡¯s vision began to blur. Any burning she had in her lungs, any pain she felt at all, was all gone. In its place was a new feeling. It was the same feeling she had felt that morning. The person in her arms was too precious. She was too important. Aria couldn¡¯t lose her. She couldn¡¯t let go.


    Her breathing was scattered and erratic, Aria was trying to say something, but the words just wouldn¡¯t come out. Instead, water began to trickle down her cheeks. The shaking arm of the mother held in her arms reached out and wiped the tears away.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need¡­ for those. Aria, listen¡­ to me,¡± The arm cupping her cheek moved down and rested above her heart. ¡°Know that¡­ whatever choices you make¡­ in the future¡­ even for that¡­ boy, I¡¯ll¡­ accept it. Because¡­ I know that this thing¡­ will make the best ones¡­ for you.¡±


    ¡°Mama¡­¡± Barely able to squeak out even that single word, the tears in Aria¡¯s eyes came rushing out.


    Her mother turned her head to look at the man who had been standing on the other side of her body.


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    ¡°Kayde¡­ support Aria¡­ Be a good father¡­ from now on¡­¡± Wendy¡¯s voice was fading, getting weaker. Aria hugged her tighter. She couldn¡¯t let go. If she did, then her mother would truly disappear.


    ¡°Oh look at this sorry sight! This is what happens when you get in my way.¡± Jack Cariatel, the Hunter from Sanum, stood with Nic¡¯s mother in his grasp. Her hair was held with one hand, a stone spear mere cer away from her neck.


    Aria shook as she cried. She wanted to kill him. With every fiber of her being, Aria wanted Jack dead. She didn¡¯t care about the past time she had spent hearing about him. What that boy from years ago would think didn¡¯t matter to her. The only thing that stopped her right there and then was her mother. Her want to keep her mother close to her, to keep her from dying, outweighed her want to personally kill Jack.


    Her father didn¡¯t have that restraint. He quietly turned towards Jack, speaking in a voice lower than Aria had ever heard.


    ¡°Jack¡­¡±


    ¡°Jack Cariatel! Would you please unhand my mother? I do believe that I am the one that the Vision sent you to find.¡±


    Nic had heard everything. From the minute that Aria had run out to protect her parents, Nic had been watching and listening. He had been right behind her. Just barely too slow to catch her before she ran out.


    If he had had a plan from the beginning, he would have revealed himself far sooner, but he had spent time creating one with someone else while Aria dealt with the Hunter, Jack. Of course, that led to him being too late. Nic hated himself for that.


    He glanced at Aria, holding her mother to her chest. She glanced at him as well. He could see the pain and shock on her face at seeing him. He had left his second layer and bag outside of the town square, and black lines were clearly visible on his neck.


    He could see the shock and fear on everyone else¡¯s faces. Every person who lived in the Rad Town was standing on the edge of the Town Circle. Even those who should have never been brought to this area like Mr. and Mrs. Carnie. Nic could see Mrs. Carnie cowering in fear. Her body was hunched over her husband, protecting him with every part of her body, tail included. Mr. Carnie had survived so far. Nic knew that meant he would be able to survive a while longer.


    Nic turned his attention back to the man of the hour; Jack. His mother had been tossed to the side and was now being consoled by his father. Jack was staring straight at him.


    Nic continued to walk towards Jack, his hands shaking in his pockets. He kept an uneasy smile the entire time he walked. He only hoped that his voice wouldn¡¯t betray his feelings.


    ¡°Gravely injuring someone in a jurisdiction you aren¡¯t allowed in, I wonder how much trouble that would get you in.¡± Ordwell had told Nic about the Jurisdiction rule, and now Nic had to see how far he could take it. Would Jack take the bait? Or would Nic¡¯s plans get ruined?


    ¡°Juris- What do you know about that? You''re just a demonic little boy from an ass-backward Rad-Town. Now die for me!¡± And with that, the bait had been taken. The spear was hurled. Nic¡¯s death was imminent.


    At least it would have been. But a small green orb had appeared in midair and created a gust of wind strong enough to blow the spear away like a twig.


    The Town Center grew quiet.


    Everyone knew that the kid in front of them was a Verilo. And every single resident of S-012 knew that he had no magic, that he had been going around asking people to teach him just a few years prior.


    ¡°A¡­ wind spirit¡­?¡± Even Jack was confused. He had never heard of a Verilo wielding any other magic than the ability to create Irradiation. And yet this kid in front of him had done just that.


    ¡°Thanks for that buddy.¡± Nic walked forward and put out a hand for the Wind Spirit to rest on. ¡°Are the rest ready?¡± The wind spirit bobbed up and down, giving Nic his answer.


    ¡°Ready? What¡­ What are you planning on doing to this poor Rad-Town?!¡± Jack screamed out his question hysterically. Nic could hear the movement of the residents. Jack was stirring them up, using them to hopefully stop Nic. Unbeknownst to Jack, he was already too late.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you that you are in an area where you don¡¯t have jurisdiction? Why do you think that was revoked?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Nic held out his hand and nodded to the wind spirit. As he did, a gale of wind blew through the village. As it passed by residents, buildings, and domesticated creatures in the farms, it slowly grew darker and darker. It also began to move around the outer edge of S-012, growing more fierce with every moment that passed.


    More and more green orbs began appearing in the wind. They guided it along the right path it had to take. They helped it collect the Irradiation from everything it touched.


    To an outside observer, the dome of raging wind might have even looked like a fallen segment of the sky, with the green orbs acting as stars.


    Jack seemed to realize the severity of what was happening. He chucked a large rock at Nic, hoping to stop him. But the rock was intercepted by a man who looked extremely similar to Nic. His father looked back and gave Nic a small smile.


    ¡°You did what I thought was impossible it seems. Now finish this the only way a Verilo should from now on.¡±


    The man Nic had always heard the opposite from now pushed him forward. Something inside of him felt light because of this. He might finally be able to talk with his dad in the future. They could have an actual relationship as father and son.


    At least, that would have been nice. But Nic¡¯s plan didn¡¯t allow for that. There was only one outcome to this plan.


    Nic lifted the hand the wind spirit was on. He stared up at his hand. He thought about what he was doing. The girl behind him, who he had hurt badly this morning. All he had to do was apologize, and yet now he couldn¡¯t even do that. His lengthy plan-making had led to her mother being injured in the way she had. Maybe Ordwell would be able to help Aria¡¯s mother if he arrived in time.


    But Nic wouldn¡¯t be able to see it. Without the ability to purify the Irradiation, this was the best he could do.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, buddy¡­¡±


    With a soft whisper, Nic started the final act of his plan. He thought he heard Aria call out for him, but he forced himself to ignore it. He didn¡¯t want her to see his face right now.


    The gale winds brought the Irradiation to the wind spirit in his hand. The darkness buffeted his body. Nic remembered how it felt when he absorbed Irradiation through his hands. He spread that feeling across his entire body. If he doesn¡¯t absorb the Irradiation through every pore in his skin, it could leak out to the others again.


    His body aches all over. His blood was molten lava and his lungs were full of fire. His muscles are heavier than iron.


    How long has it been? He doesn¡¯t know.


    Has he absorbed all of the Irradiation? Irradiation? What was that? He doesn¡¯t know.


    Who is he? Who was he? What was he? He doesn¡¯t know.


    The world is black. A void. And he is a part of it.


    There is a green light in the void.


    He reaches for it. Coolness overcomes him.


    The pain in his body subsides.


    A name echoes through the darkness.


    ¡°Nic Verilo¡­¡±


    ¡°Aria¡­ go to him¡­¡± Aria was torn. The black mass in front of her was the ravaging winds that had carried all of the Irradiation to Nic. The black mass denoted his fate. Nic would not survive absorbing all of that. Was she going to lose yet another person that mattered to her?


    She heard her mother tell her to go. But how could she? It was impossible for her to choose. Her mother, or the man her heart belonged to. She couldn¡¯t choose.


    Past Nic, his father was fighting, buying time for a lost son. His body was peppered with holes, blood seeping out of each one. And yet he kept throwing his fists toward the hunter in front of him. Her own father supported him, angry about his own wife. But it was all futile.


    ¡°So this was his choice of plan.¡± A voice that echoed in her memories spoke out. His voice was just as gentle as she remembered. Aria looked up at the man standing in front of her, tears streaming down her face. He wore the same well kept clothes he always did. His hair was more gray than black now. Yet, his dark skin seemed even younger than the last time she had seen him.


    ¡°Mr. Chapman¡­¡± The man looked down at Aria and gave her a pained smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame we couldn¡¯t meet again under better circumstances,¡± He knelt down and turned to look at her mother. He reached into one of his sleeves and produced a fiery red feather from within it. He held it in front of her mother¡¯s eyes. ¡°Wendy¡­ Wendy¡­ This feather can help reduce pain. It can give you a chance to make it to doctors in Sanum. Do you want it?¡±


    Both Aria and Mr. Chapman stayed silent as they watched Wendy slowly turn her head. The instant that Mr. Chapman entered her line of sight, a smile formed at her lips.


    ¡°Ordwell¡­ is that¡­ you? I¡­ Remember how we¡­ used to say that¡­ Yuuki matched Sarman? Well¡­ Aria found the¡­ one that matches her¡­ the best¡­ Please¡­ guide them¡­ and watch¡­¡± In the middle of her sentence, her voice finally faded and her body went limp in Aria¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Mama! Mama! No no no no no. Please don¡¯t go. Please.¡± Aria began shouting at the body in her arms. She just wanted her mother to wake back up. The tears in her eyes wouldn¡¯t stop anymore.


    Ordwell Chapman clenched his fist around the feather in his hand. For the first time in Aria¡¯s life, his face was no longer calm as anger contorted his features almost beyond recognition.


    ¡°Aria.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The tears in Aria¡¯s eyes stopped from the force of Chapman¡¯s voice alone.


    ¡°At this rate, Nic Verilo is going to die as well. You have to save him.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t save him since I¡¯m the one who stopped him from being able to purify the Irradiation he absorbs.¡± Aria hung her head. She couldn¡¯t save the man her heart belonged to. She couldn¡¯t save her own mother from dying. There was nothing she could do. Aria was powerless.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. You are the only one who can do it. Because you are the only one who can spark his emotions enough.¡± Aria picked her head back up as he talked. Partially because of what he said, but mostly because of the force he said it with.


    ¡°Emotions?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Emotions. He has to awaken his ability to purify Irradiation, just like how any other person awakens their magic.¡±


    What he said made sense if the idea of it being still in his body held true. Aria was unsure if she believed that.


    ¡°Aria, listen to me,¡± Chapman put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°I believe in you and in him. Don¡¯t make us lose a third person today.¡±


    ¡°Third? What about the second?¡±


    ¡°I will tell you after you save that boy.¡± Chapman reached his other hand under the body of Aria¡¯s mother and lifted her out of Aria¡¯s grip. He gently laid her down on the ground, closing her eyes in the process. ¡°Aria, go. I have some things I need to get off my chest to Jack.¡±


    And with that, Chapman simply stood up and began walking towards the fight happening past Nic. Aria wiped the remaining tears out of her eyes. She would come back for her mother, but Chapman was right. She didn¡¯t want to lose both of them.


    Aria found herself in front of the maelstrom of Irradiation surrounding Nic. Stepping into the maelstrom would certainly lead to her death normally. But she had an idea. Grabbing hold of the wind around her, she condensed it all a few cer away from her skin, creating a shield from the Irradiation, hopefully.


    She took a deep breath and stepped into the maelstrom. It was dark, pitch black and she was unable to see past the wind barrier she had made. But she knew if she walked into the middle, Nic would be there. So she took another step forward.


    She reached her hand out and brushed against someone. She had found him. She took another step.


    His eyes were closed, black veins covered his body. The Wind Spirit that had been with him rested on his head. Its color was faded, washed away by the intense amount of Irradiation that had been shot through it.


    ¡°Nic¡­¡± Her voice was soft, quiet enough that she could barely hear herself. And yet she heard a small sigh in response. Had he heard her? Or was it simply him breathing out harder than normal. She reached out and wrapped her arms around him.


    His body crumpled under the extra weight. Aria fell with him to the ground and found herself once again in the position she had been holding her mother in. But this time, the person she was holding was Nic. And no matter what, she wouldn¡¯t let him die.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ So sorry¡­ for ruining what you had been doing in that basement,¡± A few tears began to form in Aria¡¯s eyes as she gently brushed Nic¡¯s hair to the side. She leaned down and found her lips connecting with his forehead.


    ¡°I just wanted what was best for you. I thought I knew what that was. But I didn¡¯t. And I messed up because of that.¡± She continued talking. She didn¡¯t know if he heard her. But she wanted to say it all. And if it turns out he didn¡¯t hear her, she would tell him all this again once he woke up.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want you to come back to me. So that I can make up for the mistakes I made. Because¡­¡± Aria¡¯s lips connected with Nic¡¯s. Her heart had made up its mind. There was no one else whom she felt this way for. ¡°Because I love you.¡±


    Unbeknownst to Aria, the minute that their lips had met, the black veins on Nic¡¯s body began to fade. And with their fading, the maelstrom of wind surrounding the two grew smaller and smaller and Nic unconsciously absorbed and purified the rest of the Irradiation in the area.


    The entire Town Center saw the Irradiation disappear, leaving in its place a crying Aria with a sleeping Nic in her arms.

 Interlude 3: Flames of the Phoenix

    Ordwell clenched his fist around the small red feather within it. The woman lying in the young girl''s arms below him had been a long time friend and ally in his fight. To see her like this, Ordwell couldn¡¯t forgive himself. He had been too slow. If he had just entered the city faster. Even before that, if he had never asked Wendy and Kayde to move out to S-012. If he had never asked them to watch the Verilo¡¯s.


    ¡°Ma¡­ ma¡­¡± The young girl holding Wendy softly cried out for her mother. Aria Towsend. Wendy and Kayde¡¯s daughter. A young girl, whose life Ordwell had sent into chaos twice now. If his son knew just what he had done to the girl who had once been his closest friend, Ordwell was sure that his son would hate him.


    ¡°Aria.¡±


    The young girl looked up at him, tears steadily flowing down her cheeks. The pain in his chest grew.


    He had no right to ask of her anything else. He had no right to ask what he wanted her to do.


    But, Ordwell couldn¡¯t let go of his fight. Ordwell would become a monster in Aria¡¯s eyes if he had to. He would ask her to let go of her dead mother. He would ask her to forgo grieving a lost loved one, and instead save someone else.


    He would not apologize. He would not make concessions. To her or to anyone else.


    And in return, he would unleash unto the one that killed Wendy a hell unlike any other.


    Jack Cariatal.


    A man Ordwell saw himself in. They shared a similar reason for hating the same enemy. And yet he threw it away. He took the easy road. Jack went for a false end to his pain. And in doing so, killed someone who had been on their side.


    Ordwell found himself behind the older male Verilo. He watched as the man fell, the life gone from his eyes by the time he hit the ground. His wife called out his name as Ordwell stepped by him. A second person that Ordwell had hoped to recruit to his side; was dead.


    ¡°Or-Ordwell!?¡±


    Jack had seen who was now in front of him. But the Ordwell that was standing there no longer showed any emotions on his face. His mind had long since abandoned any thought except for the death of the Hunter standing in front of him.


    The flames of anger swirled within him, threatening to pop him at the seams. Ordwell didn¡¯t feel the stone spear that passed through his heart. He simply blinked and felt the flames within his fist dissipate before reappearing around the new wound he had sustained. Within a minute the flames covering his wound disappeared, showing brand new skin where there shouldn¡¯t be any.


    The flames of the phoenix keep those who wield them alive, even in the direst of circumstances.


    Jack Cariatals face betrayed the shock he was feeling. He was stumbling over his words as he tried to get away from Ordwell. Ordwell found Jack so insignificant that he didn¡¯t bother remembering the words.


    Ordwell reached inside his shirt, plucking at something on the right side of his chest. When he pulled his hand out of his shirt, it held another crimson feather.


    Jack turned when he saw it, trying to get as far away as he could. It was a desperate maneuver that failed in the end.


    The crimson feather embedded itself in Jack¡¯s back before quickly igniting in a blaze of fire.


    The explosion sent Jack flying forward with a significantly burned and scorched back. Yet he still got up. When he saw this, Ordwell reached in and grabbed yet another feather out. This one landed in the dirt in front of Jack. Its explosion burned half of Jack¡¯s face as he flew even further away, stopping when he crashed into one of the smaller sheds surrounding the town center.


    The feathers of the phoenix don¡¯t just heal, but also harm those that they are directed at.


    Ordwell knew all too well the power in the feathers. He had used them to sustain his life for nearly three hundred years. And in that time, he had killed plenty of people with the explosion from the feathers. 99% of people wouldn¡¯t survive a single explosion, let alone two.


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    So when Jack continued to move after being hit with two of the feathers, Ordwell¡¯s vision ran red. He reached into his shirt and plucked two more feathers out of his skin. He raised his hand, ready to throw both of them at the burned excuse for a person lying nearly five mer in front of him.


    ¡°-op! Minister Chapman, stop! Please!¡± A pleading voice cut through the red in Ordwell¡¯s vision. Two hands were wrapped around his arm, desperately pulling it back to stop him from throwing the two feathers. He looked to his side, only to see a crying Casey straining herself to stop him.


    ¡°Casey! Stop holding me back! I don¡¯t care-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not stopping you because of my own feelings!¡± Casey cut him off, shouting to get him to shut up. ¡°It¡¯s over, Minister. This is now a new City-State. If you kill him here, you will be marking their beginning with needless bloodshed! Just take him into custody and let a tribunal decide what to do with him!¡±


    Ordwell looked around at her words. Where there had once been a churning black maelstrom of Irradiation, Aria Towsend now sat on the ground, Nic Verilo asleep with his head on her lap. Kayde was crying over Wendy¡¯s body, grieving the death of his wife. In the opposite situation, the two parents of Nic Verilo were on the ground closer to Ordwell. The wife was crying over her husband''s lifeless body.


    Around the Town Center, the residents of the former Rad-Town known as S-012 were either looking at Ordwell himself with fear, or looking at the Verilos and Towsends with hate and disgust in their eyes.


    Ordwell looked between the scenes in front of him, Casey¡¯s face and the burned body nearby. He heaved a great sigh before fully lowering his hand.


    ¡°Casey, go tie Mr. Cariatal up. And only once you have done that, use this on him,¡± Ordwell took one of the feathers in his hand and gave it to the still sobbing Casey in front of him. ¡°It should heal him enough to keep him alive until he can face a tribunal in Sanum.¡± Casey took the feather and slightly nodded. She slowly started walking towards the burned body of the one she always claimed she loved.


    Ordwell couldn¡¯t stand to look at the one who had betrayed him any longer so he turned around and walked up to Aria and the sleeping Nic. He kneeled down on one knee by Aria before speaking up.


    ¡°How is he?¡±


    The girl beside him gave a jump as he started speaking. She had been so engrossed in making sure Nic slept well and the people giving them dirty looks that she hadn¡¯t noticed Ordwell come up to her.


    ¡°Asleep. I don¡¯t know when he will wake up¡­ or even if he will¡­¡±


    The boy in her lap was sleeping peacefully. His face was so serene that it didn¡¯t even seem like he had just gone through a trial that could have resulted in his death. But Ordwell knew that his body was most likely extremely taxed after what he did. In the hopes of helping him recover any bit faster, Ordwell held out the other feather in his hand to Aria.


    ¡°Use this on him, it should help his body recover faster.¡±


    Aria¡¯s face lit up with happiness and gratitude as she took the feather from Ordwell. When she reached up to grab the feather. Ordwell noticed a small gray blob sitting in her lap.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm? This?¡± Aria motioned to the blob in her lap, to which Ordwell nodded. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it is the wind spirit that lent Nic its strength.¡±


    Ordwell assumed as much. He had seen elemental spirits enough times to know what they looked like. But as far as he knew, a wind elemental spirit should have been a light green, not gray.


    ¡°I found him in Nic¡¯s hand¡­ I think he acted as the focal point for the vortex, drawing all of the Irradiation into itself so Nic could then absorb it from him.¡± The elemental spirit was dying of Irradiation Sickness. That was what she was saying. It was something unheard of. Usually, something like that would have resulted in the merging of the human soul and the elemental spirit, creating a demihuman.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s been drained of its power. It¡¯s as good as dead then. A shame.¡± Ordwell had heard of this happening but had never seen it himself. If an elemental spirit expended all of its energy, then it would die soon after. He bowed his head in respect for the sacrifice that the spirit had made for Nic.


    ¡°Does it have to die though? What if I just feed it some of my magic by pouring the wind into it?¡± Ordwell closed his eyes. He had to tell her it was pointless, but he didn¡¯t want to make her feel even more powerless than she probably already felt. As far as Ordwell knew, there was only one way to ¡°recharge¡± an elemental spirit, and¡­


    ¡°See! It¡¯s slowly regaining its color!¡± Aria¡¯s hopeful cries grabbed Ordwell¡¯s attention immediately, stopping his thoughts where they were and forcing his eyes open. In front of him, Aria was performing the impossible. The elemental spirit in her lap was regaining its light green color as she sent wind imbued with her magic into it.


    Ordwell looked at Aria incredulously. What she was doing was supposed to be impossible. The only thing that should be able to do what she was doing¡­ were¡­ the eight spirit progenitors¡­


    ¡°Aria¡­ I have a proposition for you.¡±

 Chapter 8: Unconscious

    The cold white emptiness filled Nic''s vision. His head, or more accurately in his current state, his entire being hurt. It was akin to feeling sore after a long day of exercising. Of course, he currently doesn''t have a body.


    "I guess this is what it''s like to be dead," Nic spoke as he felt around the area he was in. While he heard his voice, he believed this was just him hearing it in his head. After all, he couldn¡¯t talk since he had no body.


    The biggest mystery was why Nic even still had a conscience. He had always assumed that when he died, that would be it. There would be nothing else after that. Yet here he was. Thinking, seeing, and talking. What was next? Was he about to meet one of the gods people always talked about?


    ¡°Gods? Death? What are you even talking about, boy?¡± A familiar voice came from the white room. Not even a day later, Nic was once again hearing the voice of his ancestor, Noah Verilo.


    ¡°What? Are you here to guide me into the afterlife in some sort of joke?¡± Nic spoke into the white void that surrounded him. They were just two disembodied voices speaking to each other in the ethereal nothingness of this space.


    ¡°Again, what are you talking about? You aren¡¯t even close to death.¡± The voice sighed tiredly.


    ¡°What? But I absorbed too much Irradiation for my body to handle.¡±


    The voice of his ancestor went quiet. The sound of nothingness deafened the consciousness known as Nic Verilo.


    ¡°And then you activated the purification ability in your blood¡­ Don¡¯t you remember this?¡± When the voice of Noah Verilo finally did speak up again, it asked a question related to something that Nic had no involvement in.


    ¡°Purification¡­ ability¡­?¡± The confusion in Nic¡¯s voice was strong enough to cause Noah Verilo to groan in annoyance. Nic had no idea what was going on. His plan from the beginning had been to sacrifice himself to save not only Aria but his parents and the rest of the people that lived in S-012. He had no way of activating the purification ability after Aria had unintentionally cut his previous meeting with his ancestor¡¯s memory short.


    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t remember anything that happened in your village¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm? Well, I remember creating my plan and charging in and executing said plan. But that plan also ended in my death.¡± Nic responded cooly as the memory of the day played through his mind. If he had his body, he would¡¯ve shrugged at the end, signifying his lack of care and that his plan involved him dying.


    The voice of his ancestor went quiet yet again. This time for much longer. Because he occasionally sighed or hummed, Nic thought he was thinking.


    ¡°Ugh! Well, either way, the fact of the matter is this, descendant of mine. You¡¯re still alive. Someone must have externally caused your body to go through some huge amount of emotions, even while you were unconscious. That¡¯s the only way I can think of someone awakening another person¡¯s magic. Who it was, and what they did, you will have to find out when you wake up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alive? Are we just in my head again?¡± Nic had a feeling he knew who had caused him to awaken to his magic, though he was embarrassed to think of the ways that they could have done it.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Now, normally when one awakens their magic, they are conscious and remember how to do it.¡±


    It was a basic magic principle to born magic. Even Nic knew this much, though he was only taught it by Aria while most people would learn it through school. When someone is born with magic, they must first awaken to it before they can use it whenever they want. In order to awaken to one¡¯s magic, one must simply go through a moment of extreme emotions.


    For most people, this happened in moments of extreme duress. Events such as watching a loved one die in front of you or wanting to surpass a rival were the two most common moments in which this happened.


    ¡°But what happened to me is different?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. In your case, you were unconscious when your body awakened the magic lying within you. Because of this, your body may remember it in the future, leading to you not passing out for days on end next time. But your mind doesn¡¯t. This means you will have a much harder time remembering how to even activate your magic. You will most likely need to experience another awakening, this time staying conscious throughout it.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Nic thought about what his ancestor was saying. It overall made sense. If he couldn¡¯t remember how it felt to activate his magic, he would most likely need to experience something akin to an awakening again in order to feel what it is like. One thing that Noah said stuck in Nic¡¯s mind more than anything else. ¡°You said that I have been passed out for ¡°days on end¡±. How long have I been passed out for?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm? Oh, that. Well, us talking is only possible because you are slowly regaining your consciousness. Of course, I¡¯m stuck with you so I don¡¯t know exactly how long it¡¯s been, but if I had to hazard a guess¡­ four days? Maybe five?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been asleep for nearly a week?¡± Nearly an entire week had gone by since Nic executed his plan. Yet for him, it felt like the blink of an eye. One minute he was surrounded by the murky darkness that was the Irradiation maelstrom that had formed on him. The next he was in the white emptiness that was his mind.


    ¡°Yes, and as I said, you should be waking up sooner rather than later. I¡¯ve said everything I planned on saying, so I will leave you to your own thoughts until you wake up. Remember, you will need to experience another awakening to be able to use the purification magic again. I wish you luck and¡­ thank you for doing this¡­ what I could never do.¡±


    In an instant, the white space was devoid of conversation yet again. Nic could tell that his ancestor was no longer there. He was once again alone in the emptiness. Hopefully, he would wake up soon. He wanted to see her again. He wanted to apologize. For everything.


    He wanted to see her smile again. To feel the warmth of her hands, to hear her talk again, her sweet voice echoing in his ears.


    Nic hoped she would forgive him.


    Aria sat on a chair next to her bed. She had brought it in from the eating area so she could stay by his side as long as he was asleep. She had to be the first person he saw when he woke up. No one else could take that hope away from her.


    Nic Verilo was asleep on her bed, tucked under the blanket that covered it to keep him warm while his body rested and healed. What he had done two days before had taken a large toll on his body, according to both Mr. Chapman and Rust. Rust had arrived in the former Rad-Town the previous day.


    Both of them had spent most of their time meeting with a council of townspeople who were trying to decide the future of the former Rad-Town. No matter what they decided, Aria knew where she would be when the dust settled.


    That day, in the Town Center, Mr. Chapman had offered Aria the chance to bring Nic to Sanum with her. He would make sure that the boy would be able to get in, no matter what. When she heard the offer, Aria had been ecstatic.


    Even so, Aria turned down Mr. Chapman. She quickly realized that she couldn¡¯t make the decision herself. If Nic wanted to go, he would need to make the decision himself. And Aria? She would go where Nic went. If he chose to go to Sanum, then she would go to Sanum. If Nic chose to go somewhere else, she would go with him. The only place she wanted to be was by his side.


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    As for Jack Cariatal, the Vision was unable to restrain him properly, and was injured because of it. Aria didn¡¯t know the full details, but Mr. Chapman had told her that the Vision had been in a relationship with Jack. Another member of the Sanum Hunters eventually fully restrained him and took him back to Sanum to face trial. As for Aria, she simply never wanted to see the man again, because of what he forced Nic to do.


    A soft knock on the bedroom door took Aria out of her thoughts.


    ¡°Come on in.¡± She quietly called out to the person who had knocked. She didn¡¯t know who it was, and was hoping they weren¡¯t here to bring trouble to the sleeping Nic. She didn¡¯t turn around until she heard the door softly close.


    When she did turn around, she found a slightly older woman standing by the door. Nic and her shared a fair few qualities and looked very alike. They had the same murky blue eyes and facial shape overall. The only stark difference between the two was their hair. While Nic¡¯s was Brown and shorter, the woman¡¯s was stark black and quite long. She wore a simple outfit consisting of dark pants and a dark long-sleeve shirt. Her eyes were tinted red, undoubtedly due to crying at the loss of a loved one. In her hands was a folded pair of pants and a shirt.


    When she saw her, Aria quickly stood up and gave her a small bow of the head.


    ¡°Ah, Mrs. Hea- I mean, Mrs. Verilo. Did you want to see Nic? I can leave if you want to be alone. Just say the wor-¡± Aria greeted Nic¡¯s mother, fixing herself mid-sentence. She quickly offered to give the woman some space if she wanted. Aria didn¡¯t know how to approach her interactions with the woman after what had happened. However, Nic¡¯s mother didn¡¯t care about any of that. She cut Aria off mid-sentence with a simple, loving, hug.


    The embrace caught Aria off guard as her face was buried in the shoulder of the woman. She had been prepared for her to be cold. Prepared to be understanding about the fact that the woman had just lost her husband and her son was in a coma. Prepared to keep her distance if she needed to. And yet all she had been met with was a loving embrace, shattering all of that preparation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal, Kayla is fine.¡± There was a sweetness in her voice. Hearing it, Aria¡¯s mind raced toward her own mother, who had just passed away. Her body convulsed, growing heavy as she fought back the tears threatening to pour from her eyes. Her hands found purchase in the shirt of the woman who had wrapped their arms around her.


    The warmth of the woman threatened to break down the walls she had created to hide her own struggles away from others. She wanted to be a rock for him when he eventually woke up. She thought he would need it. So much would be heaved upon him the minute others learned that he was awake.


    ¡°I knew it.¡± The sweet voice offered a silent whisper. Aria¡¯s body froze. ¡°Just let it all out. No one else is nearby and Nic is still unconscious.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯re you¡­¡± One of Kayla¡¯s hands reached up and began stroking the back of Aria¡¯s head, stopping her mid-sentence.


    ¡°Wendy¡­ your mother, she sacrificed herself to save you, didn¡¯t she?¡± Aria tried to push herself away from Kayla, but the warmth from Kayla¡¯s arms held on tight. ¡°And then Nic tried to sacrifice himself to save everyone in the Rad-Town, including you.¡± Aria struggled against the weakness in her legs that continued to grow as Kayla spoke. ¡°You went through a lot that day. Maybe even more than what I saw you go through. And you have kept it all in since then. Just let it out now.¡±


    The gates snapped. The walls crumbled. Aria fell to her knees as the tears came rushing out. She buried her face in the collar of the woman who quietly sat there, supporting her. The two stayed like this until Aria had no more tears left to shed. When she finally calmed down, Aria scooted back a bit and quickly bowed her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Aria didn¡¯t know why the apology had left her mouth. It sounded hollow, even to her. When she lifted her head again, Kayla¡¯s lips were turned into a soft smile. Kayla reached out and cupped part of Aria¡¯s face with her hand.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to apologize, Aria. As long as you want to stand at Nic¡¯s side, you¡¯re already a part of our family.¡± Aria¡¯s face grew hot after hearing that and furiously shaking her head. She stammered trying to give a response only to hear a small giggle coming from the woman in front of her, stopping Aria.


    ¡°Mrs. Ver-, uh, Kayla is something funny?¡± Aria cooled down as she asked the question.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You just remind me of my younger self. I guess Verilos really have some pull that affects certain people.¡± Kayla Verilo, Nic¡¯s mother, stood up, grabbing the pile of clothes that had dropped out of her hands earlier. She put them on the bed next to the sleeping Nic, a small smile passing on her lips as she gently stroked her son¡¯s forehead. ¡°These are a fresh change of clothes that Mrs. Carnie made for Nic. When he wakes up, please make sure that he changes into them.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Carnie¡­ made them¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. She said it was thanks for Nic saving her husband. What he did in the Town Center¡­ He absorbed the Irradiation in everyone, including Mr. Carnie.¡± Kayla continued stroking Nic¡¯s head as she spoke.


    ¡°Does that mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carnie has been cured of his Irradiation Sickness.¡± A small chuckle escaped Kayla¡¯s lips. ¡°To think that an ability that wasn¡¯t supposed to appear in our family for another two centuries would appear within Nic. Samuel and I, always tried to talk Nic out of his ideas of gaining this ability. We knew the level of despair that it would bring when Nic would be unable to reach it. After all, Samuel was the exact same way when he was younger.¡±


    Nic had always complained to Aria about his parents when they had spent time together. Every day he came bearing tales of a new argument that they had. And here his mother was, explaining their side of the story.


    ¡°So you did all of that¡­ because you didn¡¯t believe it was possible? But why did you think that?¡± Aria was confused about one thing. As far as she knew, the book only ever stated that they needed to go to the place where their ancestor had lived. It had never stated the 500-year requirement.


    ¡°Aria, why do you think that Samuel and I set down here?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Kayla finally stopped looking down at her son and turned to face Aria once again.


    ¡°Samuel and I were born in a village to the East of here, at the base of the World End Mountain range. We came here to visit the building that was specified in the journal. There we met that Dwarf, I think his name was Rust, who told us about the time requirement.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve met Rust before?!¡±


    ¡°So you met him as well.¡± Kayla lowered her head. ¡°It was because he told us what he did that we decided to try and keep everything from Nic. But despite that, he managed to do all of this. And you were at his side the entire way. If I had to guess, you had something to do with why Nic managed to do it.¡±


    Aria shook her head and put up her hands to stop Kayla. She knew the truth. She had nothing to do with it, no matter how much she had tried to train Nic. Everything was thanks to the Wind Spirits.


    ¡°I, sadly, had nothing to do with it. Nic was able to do all of this because the Spirits agreed to help him out.¡±


    ¡°Spirits?¡±


    Aria nodded before whistling and holding her hand out above the blanket covering Nic. It quickly began to shuffle a bit before stopping again.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, she¡¯s Nic¡¯s mother, she won¡¯t hurt you.¡± The blanket wiggled again before a small green blob flew out from underneath it. It floated up and landed on Aria¡¯s hand. Ever since she had poured her magic into the little blob, it had been more than happy enough to float around her while Nic was unconscious.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a Spirit¡­?¡± Aria nodded her head as Kayla asked about it.


    ¡°To be specific, this is the wind spirit that has been lending Nic its strength. Because of it, Nic was able to gain the abilities of the Verilo bloodline two hundred years early.¡± Aria held out her hand, and the spirit with it. Kayla slowly put out her hands and the spirit jumped from Aria¡¯s and into hers.


    ¡°You¡¯re the reason?¡± Aria was sad to admit that she was a bit afraid that Kayla might try something rash. But her fears turned out to be unfounded when she saw a few tears fall out of the corners of the woman¡¯s eyes.


    A creak came from the other side of the only door leading into the room. Hearing it, Kayla quickly put the Spirit down on top of Nic¡¯s chest. It sat there, seemingly confused at why it had been put down. It tried to float back up into her hands, but Kayla quickly turned around and took a step toward the door.


    ¡°I should get going now.¡± In the blink of an eye, Nic¡¯s mother had her hand on the door, ready to open it.


    ¡°Ah- Kay- ahem, Mrs. Verilo¡­ One more thing.¡± Aria reached out her hand instinctively. She wasn¡¯t sure why, maybe she was trying to stop the motherly figure in front of her from leaving. Maybe it was the question burning in her chest, hoping for an answer.


    ¡°Again, just Kayla is fine, Aria. What is it?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Chapman, he has a plan¡­¡± Aria¡¯s voice faltered. She wasn¡¯t sure how to approach the plan itself.


    ¡°Ah, yes. He wants Nic to head to Sanum when he goes back after the funeral, correct?¡± Kayla looked up slightly as she paused to think. ¡°I think Nic should go. It would be best for him to get out of this place.¡±


    Without giving Aria a chance to respond, Nic¡¯s mother opened the door and walked through, leaving Aria alone with the unconscious Nic once again. She walked over to the side of the bed and sat down. Reaching out, Aria grabbed Nic¡¯s hand and held it tight.

 Chapter 9: Awakening

    When the emptiness of the world finally gave way to his normal senses, the first sense that Nic experienced was his hearing. Two people were talking near him. One had a sweet voice that Nic would know anywhere, no matter how long it had been since he heard it last. The other was a man¡¯s voice. It was low and smooth, familiar to Nic, yet he couldn¡¯t quite place who it belonged to.


    ¡°... to Sanum if he wakes up while I¡¯m gone!¡±


    ¡°Quiet down Aria, or do you want to wake him up already?¡±


    The two of them were in a heated debate it seemed. So much that Aria was raising her voice in exasperation. At least that¡¯s what Nic thought it was. At the very least, he could tell she was annoyed with that little bit alone.


    ¡°Aria, I¡¯m leaving in two days. A decision has to be made by then. Would it not be most beneficial for Nic to hear the details of my offer as soon as he wakes up so he has the most time to decide for himself?¡±


    ¡°You! Huh? Lil¡¯ Spirit? What are you doing? What¡¯s gotten into you? Why are you so excited?¡± As she was speaking to this ¡°Lil¡¯ Spirit¡± Nic suddenly thought of the lesser wind spirit that had been helping him. If the two were the same spirit, then Nic was sure to be outed as being awake again.


    Sure enough, as he opened his eyes, the little green blob was excitedly bobbing around above his head. As if it saw him open his eyes, the blob dropped down, landing on Nic¡¯s nose. It seemed to spread out a bit like it was trying to encapsulate Nic. Seeing this, Nic let out a small chuckle.


    ¡°Hey there, buddy. Is this supposed to be a hug?¡±


    ¡°Nic!¡± Hearing him speak caused Aria to ecstatically call out his name and rush over to his side. She threw herself on top of him, wrapping her arms around his head while she pressed it into her own shoulder.


    Unbeknownst to the girl, this single action of joy on her part caused immense dull pain to shoot through Nic¡¯s entire body. He struggled to open his mouth to say something, and when that didn¡¯t work, he tried to move his arms only to find them heavier than the heaviest rocks.


    ¡°A¡­ Ri¡­ A¡­¡± Nic struggled to say her name, his lungs being crushed under the pressure of another person laying on his injured self. Hearing her name, Aria pushed herself slightly off of Nic and looked down at him.


    ¡°Hmmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Aria¡¯s hair was pulled into a ponytail with a black ribbon. It was hanging down past her face, the tip of it tickling Nic¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Sore¡­ Pain¡­¡± Everything around him was getting to be too much. His sore body was in pain as the woman he had spent the better part of the past two years with lay on top of his upper body. At the same time, a pleasant scent was wafting into his nose. But the sweet voice that came out of her mouth made Nic question whether or not the pain was such a bad thing if he got to continue to hear it.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°And you said you didn¡¯t want me alone with him! The minute he wakes up and you go and immediately cause intense pain to the man!¡± The male voice from before called out to Aria. Its provocation caused her to fully get off of Nic so she could face the speaker.


    A heavy weight on his body lifted itself off. While some pain lingered, Nic finally was able to take a deep breath again and catch his breath.


    ¡°See, the moment you get off he finally is able to breathe again.¡± The man who had been in the room had seen Nic take his deep breath and immediately used it to his advantage. Ordwell Chapman finally walked into view and gave Aria a small flick on her forehead despite the glare she was giving him. For some reason, Nic thought that the two were a lot closer than he thought they should be. ¡°He taxed his body heavily pulling the stunt he did. I imagine his entire body feels like it is bruised currently.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t too far off as far as Nic was concerned. It was actually a fairly good description of the amount of soreness he felt. It also helped explain the dull pain he felt when Aria put herself on top of his upper body. Aria turned back around with a concerned look on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aria, but Ordwell is pretty much spot on.¡± Nic looked over from where his head was lying to look at the two of them fully. Weirdly, they were in almost matching outfits. Aria, on top of having her hair pulled back with a black band, was in an all-black outfit. It was a style Nic had never seen her in before. A long black dress with a light black jacket covering her upper body. Ordwell was in similar nice clothing, an all-black suit that looked to be of extremely high quality. Even just looking at it from a distance, Nic could tell that it most likely cost a fortune. ¡°What¡¯s with the outfits? Is something happening?¡±


    He saw the change in Aria¡¯s face instantly. Where once she had held concern for him, now only sadness covered her face. Her head swung down, holding itself lower than it had before as she stared at a place Nic could not fathom.


    ¡°Before we get to that, Nic I have something I need to talk to you about.¡± Ordwell¡¯s response drew Nic¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Is it about the ¡°plan¡± you two were arguing about earlier?¡± Nic was fairly certain that was the case. But what that plan was ultimately was not known to him.


    ¡°No! Mr. Chapman, not right now! Not when that is today!¡± Nic felt something comfortably warm wrapped around his hand. When he looked down at it, he found Aria¡¯s hands there, gripping his tightly. She was shaking while she spoke, no, while she yelled at the two of them.


    ¡°Aria, how many times do I have to explain this?! I¡¯m leaving in two days. Nic should know what I want of you two as soon as possible so he can have time to think about it!¡± The hands gripping Nic¡¯s tightened. She was looking at him, pleading for him to tell Ordwell to wait. Pleading for more time. But it was a plea that fell on deaf ears. Nic agreed with Ordwell. If he only had two days to make this decision, he should know sooner rather than later.


    ¡°Ordwell,¡± Nic could see the pain in Aria¡¯s eyes as she heard the tone in his voice. ¡°What is this plan of yours?¡±


    ¡°In two days, I¡¯ll be heading back to Sanum. When I do, I want both of you to come with me. You will both be let into the city without a problem and promptly put into the magical university in its new year. That starts here in just about a month.¡±


    Nic took a second to absorb everything that Ordwell had said. He didn¡¯t understand why Aria was so upset at Ordwell telling him this now. Wasn¡¯t this a shortcut to exactly what she had wanted? The two of them would go together to the place she wanted to be. Shouldn¡¯t he accept this offer? Isn¡¯t that what she would want?


    He did have a few things he wanted to know before he readily agreed.


    ¡°First, isn¡¯t getting me into the city going to be a problem? I¡¯m a Verilo, after all. I would imagine the general populace wouldn¡¯t appreciate me being around.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll most likely give you a false last name. Once I give the okay, most people will stand down.¡± Ordwell waved off Nic¡¯s concerns with a simple motion of his hand and a few sentences.


    ¡°What about my mother and father?¡± Nic knew something was wrong the second the sentence left his mouth. Aria¡¯s hands squeezed even tighter as she continued to simply look down. Ordwell on the other hand awkwardly looked to the side, trying to find something to change the subject with.


    Neither of them were prepared for the door to burst open. Standing there was Nic¡¯s mother, in a similarly clad black dress. She had propped herself against the door frame, breathing heavily. Nic could see the red in her eyes even from here, the wholesale mark of crying.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°I heard he was awake!¡± She stammered to Nic¡¯s side, rushing to hug him when she saw his eyes open. Aria stopped her, shaking her head.


    ¡°His body is still sore, physical contact like that causes him pain.¡± Upon hearing that, his mother edged back a bit before leaning in and placing her lips on his forehead. It caught Nic off guard, as she hadn¡¯t done it in years, but it was still nostalgic to him.


    ¡°Samuel would be so proud of you.¡± Nic¡¯s breathing stopped. Would? Why isn¡¯t he proud now? Nic was confused.


    ¡°Would¡­? What happened to father¡­?¡± His mother stood up and looked at Aria and Ordwell, shock clearly on her face before it quickly turned to rage.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him!?¡±


    ¡°Kayla, we didn¡¯t have the chance to, we were just about to get to it.¡± Aria offered up an explanation only to flinch away after looking at Kayla¡¯s face.


    ¡°What happened?!¡± Getting impatient and scared of what they would tell him, Nic raised his voice.


    Why was everyone wearing black? What happened to his father?


    Nic knew the answer to both. He knew they were connected. But he refused to believe it. He had finally achieved the goal his family had held for so long. It was a goal that his father thought impossible. Nic wanted to hear his father¡¯s voice as he congratulated him. Nic wanted to hear his father tell him that he was proud of him.


    ¡°Nic¡­ your father and Wendy, Aria¡¯s mother, were both killed by Jack in his attack on the place,¡± Ordwell spoke succinctly and without emotion. He stated the facts as he looked away from Nic, unable to look at his face.


    Nic tried to say something but his throat had closed itself. There was nothing for him to say. Nothing he could say. Everything seemed to slow down around him as his brain worked overtime.


    Maybe this was just some bad prank. Some awful joke that Aria didn¡¯t like and that¡¯s why she had been looking so down, forced into it. His dad was waiting just on the other side of the doorway, waiting to come in and tell him it was all a joke.


    It was all excuses.


    ¡°Nic¡­¡± His mother reached out a hand, but he looked away. Pushing through the pain and soreness, Nic flipped his body onto its side, facing away from the three people at the edge of the bed. He felt his eyes grow warm before something slid down one of his cheeks.


    ¡°Did he at least hear about Ordwell¡¯s offer?¡±


    ¡°I told him about it, Mrs. Verilo.¡±


    ¡°Nic¡­ You probably don¡¯t want to hear this, but I want you to take that offer. And I know your father would want you to take it as well, ok?¡±


    Only silence responded. Soon, Nic¡¯s mother and Ordwell left, leaving Nic alone in the room with Aria. Nic heard her bring a chair over and sit down next to the bed. The next second, he felt something warm on his back.


    ¡°No matter what you choose, Nic, I¡¯ll be by your side.¡± He didn¡¯t know if he even believed what she was saying. All he wanted to do was be alone. His body simply wanted to let everything out.


    The day after he woke up, Nic had been able to stand up and start walking. With the help of Aria, he had even made it out into her family¡¯s dining area to eat some food. But everyone noted the same thing about him. He felt like a lifeless husk. Since learning of his father¡¯s passing, that¡¯s all he had been like. Aria wasn¡¯t even sure that he had been thinking about Ordwell¡¯s offer. At least not until he told her that night that he was going to take the offer.


    And so that brought the two to the morning of their departure, two days after Nic had woken up. They stood outside of Aria¡¯s house, separated and talking to their respective remaining parents. Aria¡¯s father was going over everything with her, making sure she had everything she needed.


    ¡°That seems like you have everything.¡±


    ¡°I know Papa. I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m just going back to Sanum.¡± She gave a smile to her father, hoping to reassure him.


    ¡°I know, I know. And if you ever need anything from me, I¡¯ll just be a carriage ride away.¡± Her father gave her a long hug before letting go and turning to the man standing next to them.


    ¡°Ordwell, promise me that you will do everything in your power as leader of that City-State to keep my daughter safe. I already lost Wendy, I don¡¯t want to lose Aria as well.¡± While her father stood sternly, his opponent simply gave a small chuckle and held up his hands in submission.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, Kayde. How long have we known each other? Didn¡¯t I used to take care of her for you two when you were out on assignment?¡±


    ¡°Do I need to remind you who sent us on those assignments? Taking care of her was the least you could do after sending us away for extended periods.¡± Even though Kayde spoke with a scowl covering his face, there was no one else he trusted more to watch over his daughter.


    The two had known each other for much longer than Aria had been alive. As far as she knew, the two of them had known each other since Kayde was younger than Aria was now. And her mother had met them not much longer after that. Because of that, when Aria was born she spent a lot of time in the Chapman household. She even had two important friends she had made there.


    A young man came up to the three of them and bowed his head slightly. When Mr. Chapman motioned his head, the young man walked over and started picking up Aria¡¯s bags. He quickly took them over to the carriage that was waiting on the main road nearby.


    As Aria watched the courier walk to the road, he passed by a stout older gentleman who was heading their way. He wore some worn-down clothes and had weathered gloves covering both hands. Rust-colored hair topped his head, drawing attention away from his completely white eyes. Aria already knew that he ¡°saw¡± through the small stone hanging from a cord around his neck.


    ¡°Mr. Rust!¡± When Aria called out to the Deep Dwarf both her father and Mr. Chapman turned in the direction she had been looking. Upon seeing the Dwarf, they both gave him a slight nod. Mr. Chapman used the opportunity to walk off to Nic and his mother, striking up a conversation with the two of them. Aria¡¯s father stayed by her, suspicion towards the dwarf in his eyes.


    ¡°Ah, Miss. It is good to see you again. Though before you say anything else I must apologize. If I had just told you about the Hunters heading even a bit earlier, some lives may not have been lost.¡± After greeting Aria, Rust leaned into a low bow as he apologized. Uncomfortable with the gesture, Aria quickly put her hands up to try and stop the Dwarf.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine Rust, really. If you hadn¡¯t told me at all, I¡¯m sure there would have been more casualties than there were already. Besides,¡± Aria looked down at her own hands as she talked. ¡°Mama died protecting me. If anyone¡¯s to blame for her death, it¡¯s me for just standing there.¡±


    ¡°Aria that¡¯s no-¡±


    ¡°Miss you sho-¡±


    Both Rust and her father spoke up at the same time. Aria cut them off with her hands, shaking her head.


    ¡°I simply said ¡®if¡¯. Mama made her choice, and I have no intention of demeaning it by being sad all the time.¡± Aria sighed slightly and looked over at the other group of people where Nic was. ¡°I just wish some other people would be like that as well.¡±


    ¡°So the young Verilo is still stuck at the passing of his father?¡± Rust was also looking at Nic as he spoke. He had yet to actually visit him, in large part due to the mass amount of work he had been handed as soon as he arrived in the town. As soon as the town leaders had found out he could expertly create stone structures quickly, he was put to task turning the once dirt roads into stone ones. He also was in charge of turning the walls to stone. In the future, as the newly formed City-State, named Aric, grew, he would demolish and rebuild the walls, ever-expanding the amount of land protected.


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Aria nodded as she answered Rust¡¯s question. Even if he had started walking again and could talk with people, the death of his father was still greatly affecting Nic. No matter what Aria said or did, nothing changed in him. It was the grief that was suddenly forced onto him. She was unsure if she could even do anything to help him at this point.


    ¡°Well, let me see if I can talk to ¡®im myself. You go on ahead and get ready for your trip to Sanum, Miss.¡± Rust motioned towards the carriage before walking off himself.


    Aria shouldn¡¯t interfere with the conversation happening there, she knew that. So she looked back at her father once and gave him another hug.


    Kayde walked by her side as she approached the carriage. The attendant that had grabbed her bags earlier had also grabbed Nic¡¯s and was busy fastening them to the top of the carriage. The weather was nice, with no clouds in sight. It was unlikely that their bags would get wet and damaged during the trip to Sanum.


    ¡°Alright, Aria. Remember that I¡¯m always willing to make time to see you or come visit if you need me to.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get into too much trouble while you¡¯re there, we don¡¯t need another incident like with Jack.¡±


    ¡°Dad, I got it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, make sure to tell Sarman and Yuuki that I said hi.¡±


    Aria was walking up the small steps to get into the carriage while talking with her father. She knew everything he was saying already, he¡¯d been on repeat all night. The two names he said caused her to stop. She found her arm shaking slightly as she thought about the two people who held those names.


    ¡°I will¡­¡±


    She stepped into the carriage before turning around and giving her father a final smile. Closing the door she sat on one of the seats situated on the back side of the carriage. She leaned against one of the walls, letting her mind wander into the deeper recesses of her memories.


    It had been six years since she last saw either Sarman or Yuuki. Aria wondered if either of them would even recognize her. Better yet, would she recognize them? Or would they be strangers when they first come face to face again in the future?

 Chapter 10: Arrival in Sanum

    Nic stepped into the carriage behind Ordwell. On one side of the carriage, Aria was leaning against the wall, her eyes looking somewhere far away. Ordwell sat opposite of her, and yet she didn¡¯t even seem to see him.


    Nic instinctively sat next to Aria. He wasn¡¯t trying to disturb her or interrupt whatever she was thinking about. Sitting next to her was the only place that Nic felt at peace currently. Just being near her helped him calm down and get through all of the emotions swirling around inside his head.


    He wasn¡¯t dumb. Nic knew that his recent silence and lack of outward emotions had worried those around him. The death of his father still lay heavy on his heart. He had been so close to finally getting some sort of common ground with the man. Nic had finally understood why his parents had been so adamant about him staying away from his family¡¯s past. He was so close to being able to apologize to his father for being as stubborn as he had been. But also so close to showing his father what hope could look like. And it had been taken away from him before he even knew it.


    Crying seemed like the obvious path that he should take. And Nic did cry nearly the entire night after he was told of his father''s passing. Maybe he should have been more open about it in front of others.


    They were all facing the same pain. That was what he told himself. It was for that reason that he decided to suck it up and try to act naturally in front of others. When he woke up, Aria had been doing something similar, or at least he thought she had been.


    Somewhere along the way, his plan had failed. Instead of appearing collected as Aria had, Nic instead appeared distant at all times. All of this from the whirling emotions in his heart.


    But when he was next to Aria, the whirling emotions simply faded. A maelstrom of pain, sorrow, more positive feelings like hope and joy, and many others that Nic himself could not identify. This maelstrom disappeared whenever he was by her.


    The carriage began its journey towards Sanum while Nic had been thinking. Once it exited the town of Aric the road turned from stone to dirt and the carriage began the long, bumpy trek through the wooded forest.


    The journey lasted less than a day. As the sun rose to its highest point in the sky, Ordwell began striking up conversations with Nic and Aria. They talked about many things to pass the time.


    As the sun was nearing its crossing of the horizon, Nic began hearing voices outside of the carriage. He leaned over and peeked out of the window. In front of them was a mountain. The only mountain in the immediate area. On that mountain lay the oldest City-State, created mere months after the Irradiated Winter three hundred years past.


    ¡°We are arriving in Sanum, Nic. Remember, while you are here, you are Nic Healstry, not Nic Verilo, got it?¡± Ordwell sighed as he spoke, leaning back into his seat and closing his eyes.


    ¡°Yea, I understand.¡± A small noise escaped Nic¡¯s stomach, quickly followed by a similar noise from Aria¡¯s. They had stopped on the road to eat a quick meal but it had been hours since that stop. Both of them were growing hungry again.


    ¡°Hahaha! Once we get to my house, I¡¯ll have the servants begin making us dinner.¡± Ordwell heartily laughed at the two noises coming from the young ones in the carriage. He opened his eyes, seemingly remembering something as he made a motion with his right hand in the air. ¡°That¡¯s right. Aria, Sarman and Yuuki should also be arriving at the house around the same time as us. I¡¯m sure they will be glad to join us for dinner!¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Nic looked between the two of them. The names weren¡¯t familiar to him, but the people who had them clearly had some importance to Aria. Nic knew that Aria had left some friends behind when her family moved to Aric six years prior. If these were those friends, she should be happy to see them, and that¡¯s all that Nic cared about. Though the face she had was one of worry instead of happiness.


    ¡°Ahahaha! Larry, catch!¡±


    ¡°No fair, I wasn¡¯t ready!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault for staring at the carriage like that!¡±


    The sounds of two kids drew Nic back to the window. The field they were passing by was currently occupied by a group of young kids. They were throwing balls back and forth to each other in some kind of game that Nic didn¡¯t know. Beyond them were fields as far as Nic could see. Many types of crops could be seen being grown across the horizon. Animals dotted the landscape quite frequently. In contrast to the number of buildings in the area.


    ¡°Is this also a part of Sanum?¡± Nic posed the question to Ordwell, who was staring at him.


    ¡°Yes, we''re currently on the outskirts. Most of the people that live here are farmers. They collectively provide enough food for the entire rest of the city that lives on Mount Sanum.¡± Ordwell leaned over and pointed towards the mountain itself. ¡°And before you ask, the Mountain was named after the city and not the other way. It used to have a different name before the Irradiated Winter¡­ Before a city rested on top of it.¡±


    ¡°How far up the mountain do you live? I imagine as the leader of the city it is somewhere near the top?¡± Nic didn¡¯t know how the city was laid out, but he could see that the buildings near the top were larger overall than those down the mountain.


    ¡°Near the top, yes. Though it isn¡¯t the highest building. The ones at the very top consist of the Senate chambers, where my senate meets to discuss government issues, the Royal University, which you two will be attending in just over a month, and Sanum''s police force headquarters.¡± Ordwell effortlessly offered Nic a detailed answer to his question.


    The carriage continued through the city. Nic saw many different kinds of Demi-Humans mingling around outside of the carriage alongside humans. When living in Aric, he had been able to count the number of different Demi-Humans he had seen on one hand. But now he could nearly as many as there were Humans. Elves of many different tribes mingled with Beast People as they bartered trades of food and clothes. Humans sat outside a small pub, drinking alongside Beast People with wings connected to their arms and Elves with fiery red hair. Kids with dog tails, elven ears, and many others ran throughout the street, playing all sorts of games.


    As they got higher up the mountain, the crowds slowly dispersed. It didn¡¯t take long from there for the carriage to come to a stop by a gate.


    ¡°We¡¯re here. Welcome to your new home for the next year.¡± Ordwell offered his welcoming statement as he got out of the carriage. Standing to the side, he let Aria and Nic come to face the building in front of them.


    Beyond the gate was a massive building, far greater than anything Nic had ever seen. It dwarfed the largest building in Aric, the farmhouses, by magnitudes. A garden spread between the gate and the entrance to the building itself. Situated on an incline that ran counter to the path, one side ran up while the other ran down. Of course, the path itself was flat, someone of such high status would never settle for anything less. On the side of the path that went up, red flowers bloomed periodically along the hedges. On the side that angled down, blue flowers grew more sporadically, growing more frequent the further away from the path they got. A tree was situated in the middle, its leaves still growing back from the last winter season.


    Ordwell led Aria and Nic down the path, smiling as Nic looked at the gardens on either side of them. He had never seen any garden as large or as well-kept as this one.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Deep golden rays of sunlight peeked over the mountain ridge, turning the pristine white marble columns lining the front of the large mansion, painting them a brilliant orange. The door that loomed in front of the group was made of majestic dark brown wood. It held a sheen that Nic had never seen any wood hold before.


    A servant opened the door as Ordwell walked up the white stairs leading to it. Nic gasped slightly as he saw the inside of the mansion. Vibrant red carpets lined the floor, sitting atop wood the same color as the door they passed through. The walls were white, though they weren¡¯t marble like the pillars outside. Extravagant chandeliers hung from the ceiling every few Mer, giving off light from the candles they held.


    One wall was lined with tables, plants, and statues. Occasionally doors made of the same wood sat inlaid in the wall. Just from the entrance of the mansion, Nic could see nearly a dozen doors leading to other rooms.


    The wall opposite was mostly full of windows. They led out into an inner courtyard inside of the mansion. While it was mostly an extension of the gardens seen out front, a single tree stood out immensely. Situated in the center of the inner courtyard was a large tree, unlike any Nic had ever seen. Its branches were full of small pink leaves.


    ¡°Oh, Yuuki¡¯s tree has grown quite tall.¡± Aria saw the tree as well and commented on it.


    ¡°Yuuki¡¯s tree?¡± Once again, Nic was hearing the name Yuuki.


    ¡°Ah, yes. Yuuki is another person living in this mansion. You should meet her tonight at dinner. As for the tree, she is originally from the Eastern country of Kyoku. This type of tree is native to that country. When she moved to Sanum, she brought a seed with her. That seed has grown into this tree.¡± Ordwell explained the situation to Nic as he led them down the corridor.


    Near the end, he opened a set of double doors, leading Nic and Aria into a large room containing a long table. Food was already situated down it. More food than Nic had ever seen in one place. Maybe only the farmstead back in Aric had more food than this. Ordwell sat at the head of the table, motioning for Nic and Aria to sit on the left side of the table.


    Aria confidently took her seat next to Ordwell and quickly grabbed some food off of the platters in the center of the table. The two of them, Aria and Ordwell, were used to this. At the very least Aria had been through it before and was comfortable with eating at a table this big, with this much food to choose from.


    Nic hesitated. He reached out and put his hand on the chair but couldn¡¯t bring himself to pull it out. He had caused the death of his father and Aria¡¯s mother. Why should he be allowed to eat something like this?


    ¡°Nic, sit down and eat.¡± Aria had already filled her plate with an assortment of food and was beginning to put some on Nic¡¯s plate. The smell of the plate wafted up. The pleasant smell caused Nic¡¯s stomach to make noise again. Drawn in by his own body¡¯s begging for food, Nic sat down and gingerly picked up a fork.


    The main dish was pulled beef. There were potatoes, vegetables and a salad made up of many different types of greens accompanying it. It took only a single bite of the meat for Nic to fall in love with it. The meat seemed to melt in his mouth, releasing a wave of seasoned flavors that captured every taste bud of Nics. He quickly took another bite. Then one of each of the sides. With each bite, his face grew softer and softer as he let his worries fade into the recesses of his mind. Though he was too absorbed in his food to notice, Aria and Ordwell had passed each other a smile as they watched Nic eat.


    ¡°Mr. Chapman, is the restroom still in the same place?¡±


    ¡°It is. Try to be quick though, I believe Sarman and Yuuki should be getting here any minute.¡±


    Aria got up and walked out of the room. Nic watched her go before turning back to his food, devouring even more of it in a short amount of time. He was about to reach for some more when the door to the room slammed open.


    ¡°FATHER!¡± Nic looked up as a male voice boomed through the room. He heard a small sigh from the other side and looked over to see Ordwell slightly shaking his head. Looking back at the man who had entered, Nic saw a younger version of Ordwell. Much younger. Nic thought that he was around the same age as the man. Even his outfit was similar to Ordwell¡¯s. He was wearing a black suit that had yellow highlights, mainly on the emblem emblazoned on the shoulders of it. The suit jack was unbuttoned, showing a white button-up shirt and a free-flowing red tie around his neck.


    ¡°Sarman, wait! We shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Behind the man, who seemed to be the Sarman that Ordwell kept mentioning, was a woman wearing the same outfit, though she also had a small beanie on top of her head, covering the top of it. She had long, straight, black hair that seemed to almost glow purple. She also had purple eyes it seemed, although she was far enough away that Nic couldn¡¯t be sure. Considering that the man was Sarman, Nic assumed this woman was the Yuuki that he had been hearing paired with him.


    ¡°No, Yuuki. Father, I don¡¯t mind you having people transfer into the school. I don¡¯t mind you having them live here. But don¡¯t you DARE think you have the right to force the school to put them into our team! Yuuki and I have been a team of two so far, and we will continue to do-¡± Sarman was cut off by the sound of Ordwell¡¯s chair sliding back.


    ¡°Sarman, this is Nic, he is one of the two people joining your team at the university,¡± Ordwell motioned to Nic, who was now staring at Ordwell, his mouth agape. ¡°Nic, this is my son, Sarman. And the girl beside him is Yuuki. She¡¯s the one who brought that tree in the courtyard.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ Hello?¡± Nic offered his greeting only to find himself sweating as Sarman glared at him. Anger filled his eyes as he slowly walked over to Nic. A sinister smile appeared on his face as Sarman put his hand on Nic¡¯s shoulder. The second it made contact, Nic¡¯s shoulder began to sear, causing him to cry out in pain.


    Sarman picked Nic up by his shoulder and threw him towards the door. Nic landed on his side and tumbled a bit before coming to a stop. His shoulder was screaming in pain, and as he looked at it, he saw his shirt burn through completely, the edges of the new hole seared black. And his shoulder itself was bright pinkish red and hurt just being exposed to the air around him.


    ¡°Fine then, Father. I hear that he was the reason S-012 became a City-State, correct? In that case, his magic should be in the upper class.¡± Nic shook his head at Sarman¡¯s statement. His wind magic was lower class, maybe middle at best, and he couldn¡¯t reveal the fact that he could absorb or purify Irradiation.


    ¡°Sarman, don¡¯t!¡± Ordwell seemed to know what his son was about to do and tried to stop him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll accept you and your friend on the team,¡± Nic watched as the hand that Sarman had thrown him with, burst into flames. They jumped up his arm, curling around it. The room grew exponentially hotter, causing Nic to sweat even more. ¡°All you have to do,¡± As he continued to speak, the flames covering his hand grew. They lengthened until Sarman held a spear made entirely of fire in his hands. ¡°Stop this.¡± The flames turned a brilliant blue as Sarman lifted the spear and threw it.


    Nic couldn¡¯t do anything to stop it. He simply closed his eyes and felt the heat come closer. Was this his punishment for getting others killed? Was it his punishment for striving to change his bloodline''s future? Should he have just done what his father wanted him to do?


    The flames grew closer and closer. His skin grew hotter and hotter. The end was upon him. The heat was ever-present.


    Until it wasn¡¯t. In an instant, the air cooled down to its normal temperature. Nic could still hear the flames. He wasn¡¯t dead. Not yet.


    Nic opened his eyes. In front of him, Aria stood, holding the flaming spear at bay in front of her outstretched hands. Winds whipped throughout the room, cooling it down. The windows in the back of it rattled as they were pounded with winds from within. The only place in the room where the winds weren¡¯t going was the flaming spear. In fact, they seemed to all be intentionally avoiding it.


    ¡°Flames only burn,¡± As Aria spoke, the flames that made the spear slowly started to dissipate. ¡°If there is oxygen for them to burn.¡± With that line, the spear completely disappeared. It was only as the flames were extinguished that Nic realized what Aria had done. He knew that she had great control over air because of her magic, but he hadn¡¯t realized that she had grown adept enough to completely remove the air from a place in space. With the spear gone, the raging winds died down.


    ¡°Aria¡­¡±


    ¡°Ar¡­ia¡­?¡±


    ¡°Aria!?¡±


    Three people exclaimed Aria¡¯s name at the same time, and the fourth person, Ordwell simply sighed loudly. Sarman and Yuuki were both questioning that the girl in front of them was the same person they had been close with years prior. Of course, Aria barely recognized either of them herself in the first instance. It had been six years and all three of them had grown and changed immensely in that time.


    ¡°And if you so much as singe a single hair on Nic, I will personally hunt you down Sarman.¡± Leaving her past friend with a single threat, Aria turned around and helped Nic to his feet. Supporting his body, she led him out of the dining hall. Getting help from one of the servants, the two of them eventually found the room that was designated as theirs. Once there, Aria sat Nic down on one of the beds and began to look at his shoulder.

 Interlude 4: Taken bait

    As he walked by the carriage next to the gate, Jackson turned and walked down the path toward his brother-in-law¡¯s mansion. The place had been around for nearly two centuries, ever since Ordwell took the position of Minister 187 years prior. Of course, Jackson had only become his brother-in-law nearly twenty years ago when Ordwell and Jackson¡¯s sister, Lily, married.


    Jackson let himself into the mansion and began walking down the corridors. As he reached the end of the first one, he found a sulking young girl sitting in front of the doors to the dining room.


    ¡°Have you seen Aria yet?¡± He squatted down and patted the girl on the head as he asked her the question. Underneath the beanie she wore, he could feel two small bumps on either side of his hand squirm a bit as he patted her.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± The girl refused to look up at Jackson.


    ¡°So why¡¯re you sad? Shouldn¡¯t this be a joyous occasion?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s different than she used to be.¡± The girl shook her head as she spoke. Jackson could feel an anger hiding deep inside of her as she spoke. ¡°She can use magic now.¡±


    It all clicked together in an instant.


    ¡°So you¡¯re mad she can use magic now, Yuuki?¡± Yuuki nodded her head. Jackson let out a long sigh as he patted her on the head again.Yuuki couldn¡¯t use magic. More accurately, she will never be able to use magic. She says it has to do with her bloodline but won¡¯t say anything more than that. Now her friend, who she hasn¡¯t seen in years, comes back able to use the stuff. It would make Jackson jealous as hell if he were in her shoes.


    ¡°There¡¯s something else¡­ She¡¯s strong with it. She was able to stop Sarman¡¯s blue fire spear without breaking a sweat.¡± Now that was something newsworthy to Jackson. His nephew¡¯s spear made up of blue fire was the strongest attack he could make right now. For Aria to stop it without breaking a sweat, she must surely have a strong connection to her magic.


    ¡°I see. So she is even stronger than my nephew, huh? I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Jackson looked through the doors into the dining hall to see it was a mess. Multiple servants were cleaning food stuck everywhere. The walls, windows, and even the carpet were full of it. It looked like a hurricane had come through the room.


    ¡°By the way, is Ordwell in his office?¡± Yuuki nodded. ¡°I see, I¡¯ll go see him now then. Oh, and if I see Sarman, I¡¯ll tell him to come comfort you.¡± As Jackson walked away, he looked back at Yuuki and winked at her. Her face was already growing red at what he said, but the wink sent her into full blush mode as she tried to hide it.


    ¡°Ah, to be young and in love.¡± Jackson whispered under his breath as he walked up to the door that led to his brother¡¯s office. He could hear an argument on the other side as he knocked. Disregarding any sort of response, Jackson opened the door to see his brother and nephew going at each other.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°I got an urgent intel delivery for one Mr. Chapman.¡± The two family members of his stopped mid-argument to turn to the door. It was clear that neither had even heard him knock over their raised voices.


    ¡°Uncle!¡± Sarman, Jackson¡¯s nephew, was the first one to say something to him.


    ¡°Jackson.¡± Ordwell followed up with a simple greeting.


    ¡°Hey Sarman, can me and your old man have a few minutes in private?¡± He watched as his nephew deflated in energy.


    ¡°Yea, it¡¯s work-related, right? That¡¯s more important than me.¡± Sarman walked by his uncle, used to being second fiddle to the needs of his father¡¯s work.


    ¡°Hey, kid,¡± Jackson grabbed his nephew¡¯s shoulder as he walked by and leaned in to whisper to him. ¡°Your needs and wants are important. Don¡¯t forget that. But so are others. You gotta balance them. And I just so happen to know that there is a damsel in distress out by the dining room.¡± Sarman sighed as he shrugged his uncle¡¯s hand off of his shoulder.


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you it¡¯s not like that between us.¡± Sarman walked to the door of the office and stopped. ¡°But¡­ Thanks, uncle.¡± With that, he disappeared, closing the door behind him.


    ¡°And this is why I told you that you should tell Sarman and Yuuki BEFORE bringing Nic and Aria here.¡± Jackson quickly turned towards his brother-in-law, who had moved over to the desk in the center of the room.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right. I just wanted it to be a surprise. I wasn¡¯t expecting it to turn out like this.¡± Ordwell was holding a picture frame in his hand. Jackson knew what was in it, he had seen it many times already. It held a small portrait drawing done of Ordwell and Lily from back before she got pregnant with Sarman.


    ¡°He turns eighteen here soon, right?¡±


    ¡°Next month, right before the University classes start again.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s been seventeen years and ten months since¡­¡±


    ¡°And I still think about her every single day¡­¡±


    Silence hung in the air as the two thought about the loved one they had lost on that day so long ago.


    ¡°You said you had an intel report?¡± Ordwell changed the subject as he put the picture frame down on the desk, turning to Jackson.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. I¡¯m sure you saw the smoke while making your way into the city. They took the bait and broke Jack out of the place he was being held. They disappeared into the plains surrounding the city. Since they haven¡¯t been found yet, I¡¯m sure they have made their way to the forests.¡± Jackson stood straight as he gave the report to Ordwell. A smirk grew on Ordwell¡¯s lips as he listened.


    ¡°They took the bait¡­¡± Jackson turned and looked out the window behind the desk. It looked out over the entirety of that side of Mount Sanum. In a sense, it let Ordwell see the entirety of this portion of the city. ¡°Now, we¡¯ll just have to see what side Jack lands on in the end.¡±


    Jackson had said everything he had in the report. With the sun already set, it was about time for him to return to his own family. They were surely waiting for him to get back before starting their own dinner.


    ¡°Soon, I¡¯ll have avenged you, Lily¡­¡± As he was walking out the door, Jackson heard Ordwell talking to himself.

 Chapter 11: New Routines

    A low bell rang out, echoing across the mountain that Sanum was built upon. Ten times did it ring, each one reverberating throughout the people¡¯s bones. The tenth hour of the day had begun.


    It started from a bell tower sitting atop the highest point of the mountain. Once the first bell rang, it would echo throughout the city as more and more bells joined in. Every religious institute held one at the top of their buildings. Every square in the city had a small tower in its center.


    For most, it simply told the time. The tenth hour had started. In sixty minutes, they would ring again, that time ringing out eleven times. It would mark the beginning of the eleventh hour of the day.


    For the students currently sitting in a lecture hall learning the basis of magical theory, it meant the end of the lecture. Books slid across the table as papers got put into bags meant for carrying. Their noises drowned out the professor at the bottom trying desperately to announce some last-minute details to her new class.


    No one was paying attention to her. Instead, they were focused on a table near the front. There sat two men. One was known to most people. He was the son of the current Head Minister of Sanum. In all likelihood, if you didn¡¯t know him, then you probably had only recently come to Sanum. No one cared about him. It was the man slightly shaking as he sat next to him.


    A nobody.


    No one knew him.


    And yet he had managed to get into the ¡°unjoinable¡± group. And he had done it the day he moved to the city from a recently established city-state nearby. That¡¯s who everyone was curious about. That was causing excitement in the room.


    The man sitting next to Nic, Sarman Chapman, quietly scoffed before standing up and quickly leaving the room.


    Nic quickly threw his stuff in his bag, hoping to go after Sarman. He was stopped before he could even stand up as people of all ages, races, and sizes crowded around him, bombarding him with question after question.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°What¡¯s it like living in a Rad-Town?¡± ¡°Forget about Sarman¡± ¡°What kind of magic do you have?¡± ¡°Is there a special someone in your life¡± ¡°What about your family¡± ¡°What other classes do we have together¡±


    Nic shrunk back from the bombardment. His mouth grew dry as he struggled to answer any of the questions. He didn¡¯t know how to answer them, let alone what order to even attempt it in. Those around Nic grew larger as they pushed closer and closer. Nic¡¯s heart rate spiked as sweat began to trickle down his face.


    Nic was about to faint from the pressure when a clear, commanding voice cut through the chatter, forcing silence into the air.


    ¡°Listen up!¡±


    Nic looked over to find the professor of the class staring down the horde of students around him.


    ¡°I know most of you have been attending this university and its sister facilities for lower education for at least a decade. So shouldn¡¯t you all be getting ready for your next classes, instead of pestering someone who just started attending? Not only for your own benefit but also for Mr. Healstry¡¯s.¡±


    Nic was using the family name of his mother¡¯s family. According to Ordwell and Aria, his mother had requested this herself. They all agreed to believe that he would be in danger if he used the Verilo name.


    The professor¡¯s words clearly cut into the rest of the students as they quickly backed away from Nic. Some continued to linger about, but many quickly grabbed their bags and left the lecture room. Seeing this, the professor sighed and walked towards Nic.


    ¡°Mr. Healstry, I believe I saw that your next class is Physical Training, correct?¡± She had looked at a piece of paper while asking this question before looking back at Nic. He simply nodded as his voice was stuck in his throat. ¡°In that case, would you like me to give you directions?¡±


    Nic had no idea where any of his classes were. So the professor¡¯s offer was too enticing to pass up.


    ¡°I would love that, please.¡±


    ¡°In that case, Mr. Heals-¡±


    ¡°Professor, I can take him there personally.¡±


    The professor was cut off by another female voice. This one, light and airy, compared to the professor''s more motherly tone.


    Standing next to him, appearing from seemingly nowhere, was a demi-human woman. Nic knew that Demi-Humans lived longer lives than humans, but even still, this student seemed to be around the same age as Nic, maybe a few years older. While the Sanum University did not have any dress codes, she was still dressed fairly nicely in a black suit jacket and pants. The buttons on the front of the jacket were undone, showing a white button up shirt underneath.


    The face sitting above the clothes was nothing to scoff at either. A fair complexion complemented by soft purple eyes. Her long black hair fell down her back softly, but the thing that stood out most to Nic were the two raccoon ears peaking out on top of her head, as well as the bushy tail behind her.


    This demi-human was a Beast Person. More specifically, she was a part of the Raccoon tribe. Nic had seen a number of them in the time he had spent in Sanum already.


    ¡°Oh, Mrs. Kiara, if you don¡¯t mind doing that, it would save me some trouble.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine Professor, really. Come on, Nic, let¡¯s start heading over there.¡±


    The two women had a small exchange before the demi-human, Kiara, spoke to Nic while motioning for him to follow her.


    Nic didn¡¯t have a lot of stuff on him, so he was up and rushing after Kiara by the time she had left the room they had been in. He silently fell in line slightly behind her, letting her lead the way to their destination.


    As they walked, Nic tried to memorize each and every turn but was finding it hard to keep track after the fifteenth or so turn. In every corridor they walked through, Nic could feel the gazes as people turned to look at the two of them. Some were directed at him, but the majority seemed to be directed at the demi-human leading him.


    ¡°Uh, Ms. Kiara?¡± Nic finally broke the silence after five minutes of walking.


    ¡°Just Kiara is fine, you don¡¯t have to be formal with me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, then Kiara? Why did you offer to take me to my next class? The further we go, the more I feel like you¡¯re out of place.¡±


    Nic didn¡¯t mean offense by his statement, it¡¯s just that the crowds around them had gradually changed in certain ways. For starters, nearly everyone at this point had some sort of martial weapon attached to their bodies. Nic could see a wide variety in the people they passed. Swords, whips, knives, and even a hammer or two could be seen.


    Secondly, there was a sizable difference in Kiara¡¯s muscle mass compared to everyone else, including the other women around them. While Nic knew that Kiara could simply have lean muscles, something about her made him think she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t normally come this way. However, today I¡¯m also meeting¡­¡±


    ¡°KIIIIAAARRAAA!!!!!¡±


    As if on cue, a loud, excited voice echoed down the hall, cutting Kiara off mid-sentence. Running towards the two was a girl who was the complete opposite of Kiara in terms of looks. Short blonde hair barely reached her neck. While Kiara was slightly taller than Nic, this new girl was almost a head shorter than him. Kiara had little to no visible muscle, but the new girl had very visibly toned muscles. Her body was overall fairly toned and lean. The only thing she had in common with Kiara was that she had a face that most men could easily fall for, albeit with vibrant green eyes instead of purple ones.


    But the most important difference was that this new girl was a simple human. At least, Nic could not see any visible signs of her being an Elf or Beast Person.


    The one thing Nic didn¡¯t understand about the whole situation was why a number of men around them had started groaning as soon as they heard the scream. It wouldn¡¯t take him long to figure it out though.


    ¡°Ah, Sarah, good you- oomph¡±


    While Kiara was trying to talk she was jumped on by the new girl, Sarah. In the blink of an eye, Nic was watching as the lips of the two of them interlocked. At that moment, Nic recognized the reason for the groans.


    In front of him were two women with faces that could cause men to fall for them, and a number of them probably had. Unluckily for them, those faces would belong to no one except for the two girls.


    ¡°Ummm¡­¡± Nic spoke up, slightly uncomfortable standing there in silence. As the two broke apart, he gave them a weak smile and waved as a small apology for ruining their moment.


    ¡°Hmm? Who¡¯s this?¡± Daggers penetrated Nic as Sarah glared at him, annoyance dripping in her voice.


    ¡°Ah, Nic, this is Sarah, my Fiance. Sarah, this is Nic Healstry,¡± Kiara used her elbow to prod Sarah a bit in her side. ¡°You know¡­¡±


    ¡°Nic¡­?¡± Sarah continued to stare daggers at Nic as she inspected him. It was clear she already knew his name from somewhere. ¡°Ah! It¡¯s you!?¡±


    Nic recoiled as a finger was thrust into his face, getting awfully close to hitting him in one of the eyes.


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Master''s new teammate!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The finger jabbed in his face turned into a hand patting his shoulder as Sarah mumbled something incomprehensible. Nic turned to look at Kiara, unsure of what was going on. Kiara simply hung her head and shook it a bit before putting her own hand on Sarah¡¯s shoulder. Sarah¡¯s own hand retracted immediately as her face turned deathly serious.


    ¡°Nic has his next class in a few minutes, let¡¯s talk and walk.¡±


    With Kiara¡¯s declaration, the duo turned trio, continued on their walk, the scowls of certain individuals following them the entire time. As they walked, Sarah explained what she had meant to Nic.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    It turns out that Sarah was actually a student of Yuuki Ito, one of the people on Nic¡¯s ¡°Team¡± at the university as well as someone Aria had known in the past, alongside Sarman. Specifically, she was learning how to fight with a sword from Yuuki.


    Apparently, Yuuki was the top sword fighter on campus. She was even believed to be the top martial fighter overall, though she would routinely turn down fights and competitions if the opponent was using anything other than a wooden sword or knife. No one knew why she adamantly refused fights with anything other than these conditions.


    ¡°Ahhh, you get to have a physical training class with Master, that¡¯s bound to be a fun class. I wish I could have that.¡±


    That¡¯s what Sarah said when Nic explained what his next class was. Apparently, similarly to how Sarman had been in his first class that day, Yuuki was in his second. He wondered if Aria would be in one of his two classes the following day.


    They soon arrived at the field where practical martial training classes were held. Kiara stayed back as Sarah introduced Nic to the instructor for the class. As soon as she had passed him off, Sarah had run back to Kiara¡¯s side and the two of them left together.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the new member of Yuuki¡¯s team huh?¡± The instructor had a deep voice and very clearly took his physical strength seriously. Large muscles permeated every part of his body. Nic wouldn¡¯t be surprised to see an eight or ten-pack if the instructor lifted up his shirt.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Uh, yea that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s show you to the locker room.¡±


    The instructor led Nic to a set of two doors on one side of the room. The one on the left had a sign that said ¡°female¡± above it while the right one had a sign that said ¡°male¡±. The instructor led Nic to the right one and showed him to a locker that had been empty for a while according to him. Once the instructor left, Nic quickly changed into some clothes more suited for working out and moving before heading back out to the auditorium that they had been in before.


    A large square, nearly 50 mer in width. Its ceiling was 20 mer up, giving plenty of room for activities to have vertical options. One wall, opposite where Nic had originally entered from and to Nic¡¯s left at present, had a bench that extended the length of the wall. It was clearly there for spectating events that go on in the room. The center 20 mer square of the room was full of mats that gave little leave when stepped on.


    By the time Nic left the locker area, multiple people had also arrived in the room, wearing clothes similar to his. Due to the weather, most had opted for shorts of some kind as well as short-sleeved shirts.


    But there was one person that clearly defied that trend.


    Yuuki Ito.


    Standing near the center of the room, talking to the instructor, she was wearing baggy pants instead of shorts. Her shirt had long sleeves, though it conformed very closely to her body, unlike her pants. And to top it off, she was still wearing the same beanie she had been wearing the night they first met.


    Nic walked towards the two of them, mainly wanting to talk to the instructor. A part of him couldn¡¯t deny the fact that he was curious about what the two of them were talking about. If Yuuki was considered the best martial fighter in the entire university, what use did she have in attending a class like this one?


    ¡°Copy that, I understand my job for today.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    Nic had come in too late and was unable to hear anything but the tail-end of their conversation.


    ¡°Nic, you¡¯re with me today. Let¡¯s get to it.¡±


    At some point, Yuuki had noticed Nic walking over and turned her attention to him. It seemed like Nic was not being given a choice on the matter of what he was doing today. He quizzically looked over at the instructor who just shrugged.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m leaving you in her care. You two are on the same team so she has the motivation to make sure that you learn everything you need to know in this class.¡±


    With a simple wave of his hand and that short explanation, the instructor turned and started gathering the rest of the class, leaving Nic to follow after Yuuki.


    She stood before the final wall that was opposite the locker rooms. It was covered with racks of wooden weapons of all sorts. Picking up two wooden swords, Yuuki tossed one to Nic. Not ready for a throw like that, the wooden sword hit Nic in the head before falling to the ground.


    ¡°Get up. Surely you know at least how to swing a sword right?¡±


    ¡°Never used one before, but I feel like it can¡¯t be that hard.¡±


    Nic patted his shorts as he stood up. Turning towards his teammate before him, answering her question, he waved the wooden sword around. It was like a kid who had just found a large branch. His swings were wild, unrefined, and crazy.


    Yuuki narrowed her eyes as a strained breath whistled out of her mouth.


    ¡°Fine then. Let me show you what you will be striving to survive¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    Staring down at him from above was the class instructor as well as a few of the other students. At some point, he had fallen to the ground.


    ¡°Arrrggghhh!!!¡±


    Nic tried to sit up but was forced down by the immense pain swirling through his chest.


    ¡°So you took one of Yuuki¡¯s signature blows straight to the chest, eh?¡±


    The instructor looking down at him chuckled slightly before reaching down and hoisting Nic onto his feet by force. If it wasn¡¯t for the instructor holding him up, Nic would¡¯ve crumpled again from the pain.


    Halfway across the room was Yuuki. She was picking up the wooden sword that Nic dropped when she attacked him.


    ¡°So, ready for round 2?¡±


    ¡°Yuuki, do you really think that he can stand another hit like this?¡± The instructor shaked Nic a bit, causing him to groan, in order to emphasize his point. ¡°I know I told you to train him, but this was too much.¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Yuuki clicked her tongue. ¡°Nic will need to learn to be able to survive one of those hits if he is going to survive in this class.¡±


    Nic heard the Instructor sigh at Yuuki¡¯s response.


    ¡°Alright then, class, I¡¯m changing your assignment for today. Anyone who lands a single hit on Yuuki will get full credits for the entire week.¡±


    The entire class began murmuring as the instructor spoke. At first, it was excitement, but that quickly turned to suspicion. Most knew that Yuuki was unparalleled in her fighting ability among the student body. Surely there was a twist to everything.


    ¡°You can attack her any way you want. Nothing is off-limits. Attack her solo, in pairs, or even as one large group. You have until the end of this class to hit her once.¡±


    The murmuring turned into a clamor as every person in the class rushed to the wall to grab a weapon.


    For her part, Yuuki quickly ran to the other side of the room, away from the now-armed group. She turned to the instructor, fury in her eyes.


    ¡°What are you doing, Kingsley?!¡±


    The instructor, Kingsley, finally let Nic stand on his own as he shrugged in response to Yuuki¡¯s question.


    ¡°If I wasn¡¯t able to beat you one-on-one at the tournament last year, I sure as hell wasn¡¯t going to make the class fight you one on one. This way, they might have at least some chance to beat you.¡±


    With those words, Nic and the instructor headed over to the wall with the bench and sat down. A gruesome scene was playing out in front of them.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve been on the receiving end of one of her hits, I think it¡¯s best if you see it from another person''s view.¡± The instructor nodded toward Yuuki as the fighting began.


    While the class decided not to attack her all at once, they still stuck to attacking in groups of two to three people, sometimes even more. Each time, Yuuki was faced with multiple weapons attacking her at multiple angles. Each time, she used the two wooden swords in her hands to knock out her opponents before their attacks could connect.


    Honestly, Nic was captivated by the entire thing. Sure, he wasn¡¯t able to keep up with her movements. He could barely catch glimpses of her as she weaved her way through the class. But still, the points he did see, he could see the amount of work and effort she had put into honing her blade work. Even to his untrained eye, this was abundantly clear.


    By the time class finished, not a single person had left a mark on Yuuki. The locker rooms were dead quiet as everyone sulked in their bruises, pain, and misery.


    Nic quickly changed himself before waiting inside the auditorium for someone. When he finally saw Yuuki walking out, he waved her down and walked up to her.


    ¡°Oh, Nic, did you need something?¡± Yuuki¡¯s purple eyes quizzically looked over at Nic as he walked up.


    She was wearing similar clothes to what Kiara had earlier. A nice pair of black pants, slightly baggy once again, and a black coat over a purple shirt. And of course, to ruin the nicer image of her clothes, she had on the same beanie as every other time Nic had seen her.


    ¡°Yea, actually. I was hoping you could explain some things to me. If you are free after this of course.¡±


    Yuuki nodded.


    ¡°Well, you see, I don¡¯t know my way around here. I had to get help from Kiara and Sarah earlier to find my way here.¡±


    Nic started talking as the two walked out of the auditorium. Of course, once again, Nic could feel the stares as they walked through the students standing around in the hallways. Almost all of them were filled with hatred at the woman walking alongside Nic.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve already met Kiara and Sarah? That¡¯s good. And what classes do you have?¡± Nic took out a piece of paper that had all of his classes written on it and handed it to Yuuki. She only took a quick glance at it before handing it back to him. ¡°Well, I¡¯m in the same language class as you tomorrow first thing in the morning. So I can just lead you there from the dorm. As for the arithmetic one, I believe that¡¯s the same one that Aria is in. Come on, I¡¯ll lead the way.¡±


    Yuuki quickly took charge of their course. Nic was silently glad that he had at least one class with Aria. And at the very least, he only had one class with Sarman. For some reason, he got a distinct feeling that Sarman hated his guts.


    ¡°One other thing, Yuuki¡­ Could you explain the team system to me? When they were explaining it in the orientation it kinda got jumbled up badly in my head.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that surprised. Don¡¯t take offense, but you don¡¯t exactly feel like the smartest person.¡±


    Nic internally clutched his head when he heard that. He knew it was true, but it still stung to hear from someone else.


    ¡°Well, here are the basics. First, when you join the school, either in the lower education school or this one, you are put into a team of four. You stay with that team throughout your entire career here at the school. These teams are like your family at the school. You share the same dorm space. There are always at least two members of a team in each class you go to. And if one member does something bad, or fails in some way, the entire team gets the punishment.¡±


    Nic would need to be careful. He had a feeling that Yuuki was emphasizing some words because she thought that they applied to him.


    ¡°On the other hand, if one of the team was to do something good or outstanding, the entire team would benefit from it.¡±


    Well, that was good for Nic, it seemed. Even if he did so terribly badly, he was sure that Yuuki or Aria, maybe even Sarman, would be able to quickly make up for it.


    The tour had reached the lecture hall for Nic¡¯s arithmetic class the next day and had turned into a walk back to their team dorms. The entire time there, Yuuki continued to explain the Team system.


    ¡°There are a few things that really help. If every member of a team passes their midterm and final exams for each class, then their slate is basically wiped clean of any wrongdoings for that year.¡±


    Nic knew that would never happen. Of course, he refused to say that aloud to Yuuki. Most people from Rad-Towns didn¡¯t even have a school. Despite that, S-012 had one, but Nic had skipped class almost every single day for years. Nic had no plans on telling Yuuki, but on every single one of his entrance exams¡­


    The air between Aria and Sarman was electrifyingly tense. It had originally been caused by Sarman, who had been tensed up every single second since he saw Aria again since she had been back. But gradually that tenseness had transferred to Aria herself.


    The two walked in complete silence from their language class to the team dorm. As they drew closer, Aria thought she heard Sarman try to say something, but when she turned to ask him what it was, he simply looked away.


    When they finally reached the door to their living space, Aria went to open it, only to freeze on the spot.


    ¡°YOU DID HOW BAD?!¡±


    A familiar voice was raised inside the room. Yuuki was yelling at someone inside the room, and based on the fact that it was their team dorm, Aria had a good idea of who was on the receiving end of those words.


    Aria opened the door, letting herself and Sarman in. With the door shutting behind them, they looked upon the scene in front of them.


    On the couch in the communal area, a girl in black wearing a beanie was currently strangling the boy beneath her. In her hands was a wad of paper.


    Hearing the door shut, Yuuki turned to look at who had come in. The minute her eyes laid upon Aria she quickly got off of Nic and held up the wad of papers.


    ¡°Did you know about this, Aria?!¡±


    ¡°Those are?¡±


    Sarman was the one who spoke up, as Aria already had a pretty good idea of what they were.


    ¡°These are his entrance exams.¡± Aria sighed as Yuuki spoke. She had known this was probably gonna happen. ¡°That he failed.¡±


    ¡°Failed? Which ones were they?¡±


    Sarman, confused as to why Yuuki was making such a fuss about a failed entrance exam or two, asked a simple enough question.


    ¡°Nic failed every single one. I was already planning on helping him learn at an expedited rate so that it wouldn¡¯t negatively affect us.¡±


    Yuuki was seething as Aria answered Sarman¡¯s question before her. Everything she had said was true. Nic had failed all of the entrance exams. But Aria had already said she would help him. There was no need for Yuuki to get so worked up over it.


    ¡°How bad did he fail them? A couple of points?¡±


    ¡°His highest score, Sarman, was a 35.¡±


    The room got so quiet, Aria was pretty sure she heard the people across the hall talking.


    The passing grade for each test was 65. Nic had gotten at least 30 extra points wrong at the minimum. Aria knew that his lowest score was an 18 on the arithmetic test.


    ¡°35¡­ A 35¡­ HE GOT A 35?!¡±


    Now Sarman was worked up about it. He grabbed Aria by her shoulders and violently shook her.


    ¡°THIS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU GET TO WORK ON BY YOURSELF!¡± He let go of her and turned to Nic, who was rubbing his neck while sitting up on the couch. ¡°AND YOU! YOU ARE GONNA GO THROUGH HELL, YOU HEAR ME!?¡±


    The next day, a rumor was spreading throughout the student body that someone had been screaming in terror into the early hours of the morning.

 Interlude 5: Secrets

    Sarman rubbed his temple between his fingers as he sank into the couch. Aria and Nic had just gone into the room where Sarman and Nic had their beds, saying they needed to talk about something privately. Well, Aria did. Nic was too tired from their ¡°study¡± session to say or object to anything.


    They had started just past noon and it was now well into the night. No breaks for Nic. Sarman had spent hours drilling magic theory and languages into his brain. Yuuki had taken over for arithmetic and had spent hours herself teaching him formulas and properties that he needed to know.


    It was then that Sarman and Yuuki learned that Aria herself had failed the Arithmetic exam by a few points. So she had joined in on the lesson.


    Albeit, she had been much more enthusiastic about learning than Nic had been.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna be rough, this term, but I¡¯m sure we will be able to at least drill enough in for him to pass them.¡±


    Yuuki walked over and handed Sarman a cup of tea before sitting down next to him herself. Sarman noticed that she was still wearing her beanie, even in their dorm room.


    ¡°You know, you don¡¯t have to keep wearing that in here.¡±


    ¡°Aria and Nic don¡¯t know about it¡­¡±


    She reached up and grabbed one end of the beanie and pulled it down a bit, almost like she was trying to keep it from being yanked off.


    ¡°I see. You¡¯re afraid to tell them?¡±


    Yuuki nodded her head as she curled up on the couch, nursing her own cup of tea. Her fear of telling anyone the truth would be a problem considering they were living in the same dorm as two other people.


    ¡°What about sleeping?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not changing. I¡¯ll sleep like this.¡±


    Sarman felt uneasy about this. Surely she wouldn¡¯t get good sleep like that.


    Currently, they were split by gender for the bedrooms. So Yuuki was sleeping in the same room as Aria.


    ¡°Well then,¡± Sarman put his tea down on the small table next to the couch and stood up. ¡°What if we just switch the sleeping arrangements then?¡±


    ¡°Wha-wha-what!? But we¡¯re- I mean you¡¯re a guy-¡± Yuuki stammered as her face turned a deep crimson red.


    ¡°I love you.¡± Sarman could hear the words she had said to him just a few months ago.


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    ¡°But we¡¯re just friends.¡± Sarman¡¯s heart already belonged to someone else. Even if they didn¡¯t know it. It was what he told Yuuki when she confessed to him. It was because she understood who it was that he longed for, that she accepted and they continued to coexist as they always had.


    ¡°But Aria is-¡±


    ¡°They are just friends.¡±


    Sarman cut Yuuki off, knowing what it was that she was going to say. She was wrong. Sarman knew she was wrong. She just had to be.


    Sarman gave Yuuki a soft smile before walking to the door that led to the bedroom where Aria and Nic were. He reached out his hand to knock, wanting to give them privacy, but stopped mere inches from the door.


    ¡°... since that day?¡±


    The door was slightly open. None of them had realized it. Even standing at the door, Sarman could barely hear them whispering to each other.


    ¡°Nope. Though, I still haven¡¯t been told what exactly was done to my body then to get it to act that way. Of course, I have my theories, like say¡­ a kiss?¡±


    Nic was messing with him. That was the only thing that made sense. There was no way that he was telling the truth. He had to know that Sarman was right behind the door.


    ¡°I¡­ Yes, I did that. I didn¡¯t want to lose you. When Mr. Chapman said I had to make your body feel intense emotions, it was the only thing I could think of to do.¡±


    Sarman¡¯s chest tightened up to the point that it hurt. His arm fell, landing on the door with a thud, causing it to open slowly. Sitting on Nic¡¯s bed, Aria had her head resting on his shoulder. The two were intimately close to each other. Emotions broiled in Sarmans chest as Aria realized the door was open and sat up.


    ¡°Sarman, did you need something?¡±


    ¡°I, uh, um. I, um¡­ You, me, we¡¯re switching rooms.¡±


    It was all he could say before quickly shutting the door. His brain was buzzing and he couldn¡¯t think straight.


    Turning back to the couch, Yuuki was already standing there, her hand half reaching out towards Sarman as worry clouded her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m gonna go rest.¡±


    Sarman quickly walked across the living space into the other bedroom. He shut the door behind him and fell to the ground, sitting against it.


    ¡°You know, if you had just listened to me back when Yuuki confessed to you, we wouldn¡¯t be in this situation right now.¡±


    A haughty, old voice rang inside Sarman¡¯s head, cutting through the buzzing. Sarman simply grabbed his head and banged it once against the door.


    ¡°Shut up old geezer.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine. But before I go, I did want to let you know something. Those two, Aria and Nic, I can feel the presence of Aerial around them.¡±


    The older voice seemed to disappear, leaving Sarman alone to think by himself.


    Aerial, the Wind Spirit Progenitor. It had been absent for nearly three centuries now. If it was finally back, then the world was about to experience a shake-up in its power dynamics. After all, Aerial was considered the strongest of the Spirit Progenitors by the other seven.


    Eventually, he moved from the ground in front of the door to one of the two beds in the room.  When he did, the door opened and someone walked in.


    They closed the door behind them and sat down on the edge of the bed Sarman was on. They started simply stroking his head, petting it as he lay there.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that, Yuuki.¡±


    He could tell it was her just by the feel of the hand on his head. They had been by each other¡¯s side for a decade. Of course, he knew what her hand felt like. He knew everything about her.


    ¡°Just friends, right? Well, as your friend, I want to do this. So shut up and accept it.¡±


    Sarman couldn¡¯t argue with her on that. He could only do as she said and accept it.

 Chapter 12: Hidden Instincts

    As the hourly bells rang out eight times in a row, Nic slumped down in his seat for his Magic Theory class. His body and mind were too exhausted for him to think properly.


    His days the past week had been filled with constant sword technique classes with Yuuki which had been pushing his body to the breaking point. And then at night, all three of his teammates would force him to stay up until the early hours of the morning studying. He hadn¡¯t gotten more than four hours of sleep any day this past week.


    Nic wanted desperately to lay his head down on the desk in front of him and sleep through the day¡¯s lecture. But he knew if he did that the person sitting next to him, Sarman, would burn him badly for doing so.


    So Nic would have to bear with it.


    ¡°Alright class, settle down.¡±


    The professor smacked the board in front of her a few times with a stick as she spoke up. The clicking sound it made helped quiet down the clamor that the class had been making.


    ¡°As some of you may have noticed, we have the top mage in the university attending this Beginners Magical Theory class. Mr. Sarman, would you please come up to the front?¡±


    Sarman left the seat next to Nic and walked to the front of the room.


    Nic had heard this statement before. So many times throughout the week. Sarman was the ¡°greatest mage¡± in the university, placing first in the yearly magic tournament they held in conjecture with the martial fighting tournament that Yuuki won year after year.


    Yes, Sarman was the ¡°greatest mage¡± while Yuuki was the ¡°greatest swordswoman¡±. Truly a match made in heaven. But what Nic knew that most people didn¡¯t is that they both had a second title. ¡°Greatest slave drivers¡±. Or at least, that¡¯s what Nic had started calling them.


    ¡°Good morning class. I¡¯m here today to help explain the differences in the types of magic there are.¡±


    Nic let out a long slow sigh as Sarman began his own little speech. Looking at him, he was dressed nicer than Nic had seen him dress before. Of course, it wasn¡¯t by much as Sarman had a seemingly high standard of dress.


    He also seemingly lacked any deprivation of sleep.


    Nic was acutely aware of this and longed for feeling the same.


    ¡°First off, let¡¯s get some basics out of the way. There are three types of Magic that one can have or learn.¡± Sarman turned and wrote three things on the board behind him. Born Magic, Learned Magic, Spirit Magic. ¡°Before I explain these myself, does anyone already know what each of these are? Yes, Kiara you can answer it.¡±


    Sarman nodded to a place behind Nic. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw Kiara sitting near the back of the room by herself.


    ¡°Do you mind if I start with the oldest one then? No, okay. The oldest form of Magic is Spirit Magic. Spirit Magic is gained when one has a contract with an elemental spirit. The magic itself is borrowed from the spirit.¡±


    This is what Nic had with the small green blob. Of course, that blob was currently nowhere to be seen. It only made appearances when Nic asked it to appear specifically. Nic had a feeling that it was a little shy around Sanum, though he couldn¡¯t place why.


    ¡°The next oldest is Learned Magic. This magic was humanity''s attempt at copying the innate magic that elemental spirits have. It is often extremely weak.¡±


    Nic had initially thought that his Wind spirit magic had been wind-learned magic. Once he saw the spirit though, he realized he had been wrong.


    ¡°Born magic is the evolution of Learned magic. Once people began learning magic en masse, their children gradually started to be born with magic innately. While usually not as strong as spirit magic that comes from a contract with a greater spirit or stronger, it is still strong in its own right.¡±


    From everything he knew, this is what Aria had. Though hers seems stronger than usual when it comes to Born magic.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Kiara. There are a few extra things I want to add for the rest of the students taking notes. But I will need a helper for some examples. Nic, could you please come over here?¡±


    Nic swore that Sarman said a name similar to his. There was no way he was asking for Nic specifically. Sarman¡¯s gaze stayed steady on him though.


    Nic pointed to himself, asking through a gesture if Sarman meant him. The nod that responded to him caused Nic¡¯s gut to drop.


    He stood up and slowly dragged himself to the front of the room.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with Spirit Magic. There are three levels of elemental spirits. Lower Spirits are usually newly created from the Spirit Progenitor of that element. Nic here has a contract with a Lower Spirit, correct?¡±


    Sarman put his hand on Nic¡¯s shoulder as he asked the question. The line of thinking here was obvious to Nic. He wanted Nic to call out the spirit he was contracted with.


    ¡°Fine, fine, I get it. Hey buddy, can you come here?¡±


    He held out his hand and watched as a green blob, barely the size of a small rock, appeared on top of it. The blob swiveled like it was taking in its surroundings before slinking its way up Nic¡¯s arm and hiding under his shirt atop his shoulder.


    The class became abuzz as some people whispered about the cuteness of the blob while others hurriedly drew down sketches of it to remember what it looked like.


    ¡°Sorry Sarman, it''s been a bit shy around people lately.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, I just wanted to show them what a lesser spirit looked like. Can you back up a bit though?¡±


    Nic frowned and cocked his head slightly in confusion. Why did he need to back up? Nic thought it was better to be safe and did as he was asked.


    ¡°What Nic showed you is a Lesser Spirit. Something important to know is that they can¡¯t communicate with us through verbal methods. While they have been observed to understand us, they can¡¯t speak back. As for Greater Spirits, they have lived longer than Lesser Spirits. Because of this, they can communicate with us through verbal speech. They are also capable of having stronger magic.¡±


    As he was speaking, Sarman turned back to the board and began making a list with no contents. It was eight lines long. He was about to write a ninth line but instead turned back to the students quietly talking behind him.


    ¡°Now, even above the Great Spirits are the eight Spirit Progenitors. Spirit Progenitors are the creators of all other spirits within their elements. Now, you don¡¯t need to note this down, but the eight progenitors are as follows; Aerial, the Wind Progenitor. Salamander, the Fire Progenitor. Sterling, the Metal Progenitor. Undine, the Water Progenitor. Peter, the Earth Progenitor. Joule, the Electricity Progenitor. Solus, the Light Progenitor. And Orpheus, the Dark Progenitor.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my time to shine!¡±


    As Sarman was going through the list of Spirit Progenitors, a husky old voice rang out from the general vicinity of Sarman. In a flash, Sarman was covered in flames. Nic reached out his hand in shock before noticing that Sarman was completely fine. The flames themselves had formed what looked like a suit of armor around Sarman. And sitting atop his head was a lizard made completely from flames.


    ¡°Salamander, I didn¡¯t say it was time yet.¡±


    ¡°But you are already talking about me! Therefore, I must make my appearance as the number two progenitor!¡±


    The lizard was talking back to Sarman while boasting about itself. At least, Nic thought it was boasting about itself. It seemed very prideful. As Nic stared at it, the Lizard turned to look at him for a moment.


    No that wasn¡¯t right, it was looking in his direction, not at him. Nic could feel the blob on his shoulder start to shiver. The Lizard was staring at it, not Nic.


    Nic raised one of his hands and covered his shoulder. For some reason, he felt like he had to protect the blob from this lizard, this progenitor.


    ¡°Everyone, this is Salamander, the Fire Progenitor. And the Spirit that I am contracted with.¡±


    As if protesting the Lizard appearing earlier than planned, Sarman began speaking in a robotic, monotone voice. The Lizard began to move and bent its head down and over so that it was looking at Sarman¡¯s face.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Where¡¯s the energy?! I can¡¯t be introduced in such a lame way! Listen up everyone, I¡¯m Salamander! The strongest, in terms of destructive power, Spirit Progenitor! If you want I can sho-¡±


    Salamander had leaped off of Sarman¡¯s head and was about to do something when Sarman snapped, causing the lizard to disappear midair. The flaming armor that had appeared with the lizard did not disappear though.


    ¡°Now, if you ever face a mage and they are wearing something like me, an armor made of an element, then they almost certainly have a contract with a progenitor. In this case, it would be best for you to run away. Now, as for Born magic, there is something very important that I want you all to know. While in Humans, it is not guaranteed to happen, in demi-humans, it is guaranteed. Unless there is an external influence, every Demi-Human will have Born magic.¡±


    Nic had heard the part about Demi-Humans always having Born Magic before. But he had never heard the part about it being blocked by something external.


    ¡°Sarman, do you¡­¡±


    ¡°Does Sarman know a Demi-Human that can¡¯t use Born Magic?¡±


    When Nic suddenly asked her this question, Yuuki tripped mid-swing of the wooden sword and crashed into the ground. She stood up, coughing and wiping the dirt off of her pants.


    The two were currently in an outside field as Yuuki was spending more time teaching Nic the basics of sword fighting. Their physical training class had ended nearly two hours earlier, but like the last few days, Yuuki had dragged Nic out onto a nearby field to continue practicing.


    The seasons were slowly beginning to change yet again, cooling the air down bit by bit every day. It made for a nice place to train with the sword. Not too hot, nor too cold.


    That reminded Nic, The year was in its latter half already. Soon it would become too cold to walk around without some extra layers on. He wondered if they would get snow before the year ended.


    ¡°Why- Why are you asking that?¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s cheeks had reddened at some point, but Nic assumed it was from the fall.


    ¡°Today, Sarman was going over the different types of magic there are in our Theory class. He mentioned that Demi-Humans would always have Born Magic unless an external source intervened. I already knew the part about them always having Born Magic, but I had never heard the second part. So I was wondering if he knew that from some personal connection? Or is it something that Demi-Humans innately understand?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been with him for a decade now. As far as I know, there isn¡¯t someone like that in his life. As for if it¡¯s something Demi-Humans already know¡­ How could I know that? I¡¯m just a human.¡±


    Nic sighed slightly. That was roughly what he had expected after Sarman had fervently avoided the question when Nic asked him. But why had he asked Yuuki like she was a Demi-Human? She was a Human just like him.


    ¡°Yea, you¡¯re right¡­ You¡¯re a human, what was I thinking? Maybe I can ask Kiara later.¡±


    ¡°Did someone say my name?¡±


    ¡°Speak of her and she shall appear!¡±


    Two more voices cut into their conversation. Kiara and Sarah had arrived at the small field, the latter with a wooden sword slung across her back.


    ¡°Oh, Sarah, was today a session day with you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you forgot!?!?¡±


    The blonde-haired girl fell to the ground as Yuuki nervously nodded her head. She wailed out with fake tears while burying her head in her elbow.


    ¡°And after you canceled the last few sessions as well!¡±


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we¡¯ve been trying to get Nic up to-¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s his fault again!?¡± Sarah leaped up and grabbed the sword off of her back and swung it at Nic. ¡°Last week you got Kiara all to yourself to show you to a class!¡± Another strike came in. ¡°And then you go and hog Master to yourself as well!¡± Yet another strike came flying at Nic. ¡°And now you make her forget our sessions!¡±


    Each strike of Sarah¡¯s was easier to see than Yuuki¡¯s. She was slower and less precise. Of course, she was only a student of Yuuki¡¯s, not her equal. But what she lacked in speed and precision, Sarah made up for in raw strength.


    Nic had blocked each strike. But they all came at a cost. With every strike, his arms grew weaker and weaker. Only a few more strikes and his arms would give out.


    ¡°Please! Stop Sarah! ARRRRGGGGHHHHH¡±


    As he shouted out for her to stop, his arms finally gave in and the strike hit his side with enough force to send him tumbling across the ground. He stopped facing upwards at the slightly cloudy sky above him.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you get!¡±


    Sarah enthusiastically yelled at Nic from where she stood. The two other women, Yuuki and Kiara, both shook their heads in annoyance at Sarah¡¯s outburst. The latter of the two, Kiara, walked over to Nic and offered some help with an outstretched hand.


    Nic graciously took it and was helped back up.


    ¡°So what did you want to ask me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, have you ever heard of Demi-Humans not being able to use Born Magic because of an external influence?¡±


    Kiara seemed to instantly realize what Nic was talking about.


    ¡°Oh, what Sarman was saying earlier? No, I haven¡¯t. At least nothing concrete.¡±


    ¡°So you have heard something then?¡±


    Nic was genuinely curious. Of everything he knew, it seemed like this may be similar to his own case. His own Born Magic was locked by a seal made by someone else. If this Demi-Human thing was similar, then he might find a way to be able to use his purification ability sooner.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Kiara shot a glance over at Yuuki before sighing under her breath. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that an important clan close to the Shogun of Kyoku, who are Demi-Humans, lost the magic that they had always been Born with because of a curse placed upon them by a god or something.¡±


    A god¡­? Nic was confused. As far as he knew, most people considered the Spirit Progenitors to be the gods.


    ¡°So, they were cursed by a Spirit Progenitor?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I don¡¯t really know too much about it myself, but I know it was supposedly a being on a higher level above the Spirit Progenitors.¡±


    ¡°Higher than the Progenitors¡­? Maybe¡­ they''re the same as my family¡­¡±


    Nic whispered the second part under his breath. Kiara looked at him weirdly like she had heard it.


    ¡°Nic, did you say something just now?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no. It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Before Kiara could respond, Nic had begun walking back towards Yuuki and Sarah. Sarah was already sprawling across the ground, groaning from pain. It seemed like she had suffered an immediate defeat as soon as she asked Yuuki to begin the training session.


    Yuuki looked over as Nic and Kiara walked up. She had a glint in her eyes as she looked at Nic, then at Sarah. She walked over and squatted next to Sarah, looking down upon her.


    ¡°Hey, Sarah. I got an idea.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm? What idea is that, Master?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s have you and Nic spare for a bit. It¡¯ll be beneficial for you to spar with someone who can be on your own level every once in a while.¡±


    ¡°ON MY OWN LEVEL?! ARE YOU SAYING I¡¯M STILL AS BAD AS A COMPLETELY NEW PERSON LIKE HIM?!¡±


    ¡°My arms can¡¯t take more of her attacks, Yuuki. How will I be able to study tonight if I can¡¯t use them?¡±


    While Sarah focused on the sly jab that Yuuki took at her, Nic instead tried to come up with a way to get out of this. He had been practicing with Yuuki for the better part of the last three hours. While he normally would go a bit longer, he had been at this for an entire week and his body was on the verge of stopping.


    What he really wanted to do was to go rest. Resting sounded very nice. Maybe he could even get out of studying that night and finally get a good night¡¯s rest.


    Of course, there was no way either of the ¡°greatest slave drivers¡± would ever let him do that. They only wanted to see him increase his capabilities.


    ¡°Nope. No getting out of this Nic. And besides, I have something specific that I want you to work on.¡±


    ¡°Something specific?¡±


    Yuuki pointed to the sword that Nic had in one of his hands.


    ¡°Every time someone swings at you, your only instinct is to block the attack. While fighting Sarah, I want you to focus on two other things. First, try dodging some attacks instead. You and Sarah are about the same speed, so you should be able to actually dodge some.¡±


    Nic nodded. Earlier, he had actually been able to see her attacks coming in. If he could see them, he could realistically dodge them. That seemed easy enough.


    ¡°And the other thing?¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t dodge it, then instead of purely blocking her strike I want you to parry it.¡±


    ¡°Parry¡­?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead and swing at me.¡±


    Nic did as he was told and readied himself to swing his sword at her. He went with a typical overhand swing. As his sword got closer to Yuuki she raised her own while angling it outwards. Instead of Nic¡¯s hitting hers and the two interlocking, it instead bounced to the side with a little push from Yuuki.


    Nic could immediately feel the position he was in. Even as he stopped moving the arm that held the sword he could tell.


    He was wide open.


    ¡°That¡¯s a parry. Making sure that those attacks go away from you, instead of at you.¡±


    With a deft strike, Yuuki¡¯s wooden blade had its tip pointed directly into Nic¡¯s neck. He gulped as he felt the tip dig in ever so slightly.


    ¡°And with a simple Riposte like that, you¡¯re dead.¡±


    Yuuki lowered her sword and Nic took a few steps back while gasping for air. His heart was pounding fast. Each beat shook him to his very core.


    ¡°Riposte¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. A riposte is when you counterattack after parrying someone¡¯s blade away.¡±


    Behind Yuuki, Nic could see Sarah nodding along to everything that was being said. When she noticed him looking at her, she gave him a leering smile. She was better than him because she knew all of this already.


    Her attitude was starting to piss Nic off. He wanted to wipe that smug smile off of her face.


    He raised his wooden blade and pointed it directly at Sarah.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to go then, are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been ready, Mr. learning the basics right before the fight.¡±


    Yuuki smiled as she stepped back a few steps. The minute she was out of the way, Nic and Sarah lunged at each other.


    By the time Aria had found Nic and Yuuki in a secluded patch of grass, they had been joined by two other women. She was only slightly annoyed by this. One of the women was standing across from Nic, seemingly about to spar with him, while the other was standing to the side.


    Aria walked up to the women standing by the side of the grass as Nic¡¯s sparring match sprung into action.


    While not as short as his matches against Yuuki, it was still much shorter than it should have been.


    Nic rushed in, trying to go on the offensive, only to have the tables swiftly turned on him. His opponent easily deflected his blade and counterattacked with a punch to the solar plexus that sent Nic flying backwards.


    ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡±


    As Nic rolled along the grass, the women that Aria had stood by spoke up. The two had never seen each other before. The woman, a Demi-Human with racoon features, was eyeing Aria.


    ¡°Aria Towsend. You?¡±


    ¡°Kiara Correlinde.¡±


    ¡°And her?¡± Aria nodded to Nic¡¯s opponent.


    ¡°Sarah Frutent. My fiance.¡±


    The two fell into a stifling quiet. Yuuki noticed Aria and gave her a small wave, which she quickly reciprocated. Then, as Nic was standing up, he also noticed her. His face had been tense before. Now it had melted. He looked calm. Ready for another fight.


    ¡°So you know both of them?¡± Aria nodded. ¡°Then¡­ Hmmm¡­. You¡¯re their fourth team member?¡±


    There wasn¡¯t much else that Aria could be. At least, not to Kiara. Nic was still fairly new to the school, and it seemed like he hadn¡¯t interacted with others outside of his team very much. Kiara and Sarah were probably the only ones he intentionally had.


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°I see. So the ¡°Wind mage¡± herself has come to watch her friend¡¯s attempt to beat his senior?¡±


    Aria had heard whispers of this title she had already been given by the student body. She wasn¡¯t shy about showing and using when permitted, her wind magic.


    ¡°I know I use wind magic, but that name really isn¡¯t apt.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I would need to fight you myself to really test it. I wonder, could you beat my fire magic? I hear you¡¯re quite a bit stronger than a normal Born Mage.¡±


    ¡°Listen, Mrs. Kiara-¡±


    ¡°Just Kiara is fine.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Listen, Kiara, I would like to not fight if I don¡¯t have to. So let¡¯s just watch in peace as these two friends of ours spar with each other.¡±


    The bouts between Nic and Sarah continued on with no more talking coming from the peanut gallery. Kiara and Aria simply watched as the person each one cared about the most fought the other one.


    Aria knew that Nic wanted to learn how to sword fight, and that he had taken this up himself, but a part of her was worried. She didn¡¯t want him to get hurt, either in a mock fight like this, or if he decided to do something reckless because he became too overconfident in his own abilities.


    Yuuki was a savant with a sword. She had been training most of her life. Aria could still remember her training over a decade ago when Aria still lived in Sanum before. If nothing else, Aria could say she admired how well Yuuki fought.


    Because of Yuuki¡¯s lengthy history with sword fighting, Aria hoped that she would always keep Nic in check. There was no doubt in Aria¡¯s mind that she would be able to beat Nic for a long time.


    Soon the sun began to hang low in the sky. As the sky began to turn a brilliant orange, Aria finally walked onto the grassy patch. Seeing her, Nic lowered his own wooden sword. His chest was heaving as sweat matted his hair down. He tried to give her a small smile but was too tired to do even that.


    ¡°Hey Yuuki, I think it¡¯s about time we wrapped up here. It¡¯s starting to get late.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, I didn¡¯t realize it had gotten so late. Good work you two. Nic, continue to work on parrying for the time being.¡±


    In the end, Nic had failed to parry most of Sarah¡¯s attacks. The few he did get off were near the end, when both fighters were already tired beyond belief.


    As Yuuki noted on it, Nic silently hung his head. Aria chuckled slightly and patted his head as he hung it. Even if he hadn¡¯t fully completed his objective, she wanted to pamper him, just a bit.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna get going! We have a dinner date tonight. Take care, you three!¡±


    With a cheery goodbye, Sarah and Kiara walked off together, leaving Aria and Nic alone with Yuuki.


    ¡°Move it!¡±


    ¡°Ughhh¡±


    ¡°Arrghhh¡±


    A small commotion nearby drew Aria¡¯s attention away. Walking a bit away from the university grounds was a small caravan of people. Based on the way that they were dressed, it was clear that they were prisoners of some kind. They had enough clothing on to cover up, but the chains binding their hands and feet were a clear indicator of their status.


    Their cries had not just attracted Aria¡¯s attention but Nic¡¯s as well. He took a step towards them like he was trying to get a better look.


    ¡°Yuuki, who are they?¡±


    Nic was the one who asked it, though the same question was on Aria¡¯s mind as well. She had no memory of prisoners being transported through the city like this before.


    ¡°Hmmm? Oh them? Don¡¯t see the poor folks around here too often. They¡¯re prisoners that were being held in the prison near the police headquarters in this district. They are being herded to their death.¡±


    ¡°Death?¡±


    ¡°Their Death?!¡±


    Aria turned to look at her in shock. She had not been expecting them to be on their deathbeds.


    ¡°Is it because they have Irradiation Sickness?¡±


    Nic was ready for it though. In fact, he seemed to already know the reason why. Aria turned to him as he said it. She knew he could see Irradiation. It was something that he had confided in her shortly after they moved to Sanum.


    He could see it seeping everywhere outside of the city. Even inside of it, he could occasionally see it rising into the air.


    At least, that¡¯s what he had told her.


    ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    Yuuki became immediately suspicious of Nic as soon as he said that.


    ¡°No one is supposed to know about it. And you just barely moved here. So how do you know?¡±


    ¡°Uhhhh¡­ A guess? I- I¡¯ve seen people with Irradiation Sickness before, so I know what it looks like.¡±


    Nic backpedaled fast. He didn¡¯t want anyone else to know his past, let alone that he could actually see Irradiation.


    Yuuki seemed to accept it as she sighed and turned around. She waved the two goodbyes and began to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting at the dorm for you two so we can start studying! Don¡¯t dally too long, you little lovebirds.¡±


    Yuuki left them with a final message. Hearing it, the two of them nearly tripped over each other as they tried to correct her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡±


    ¡°Yuuki why!!!!!!¡±


    Yuuki turned and gave Aria a small wink before disappearing around a corner.


    Aria and Nic looked at each other before quickly turning away, both of their faces red and hot.


    ¡°Hey, Nic?¡±


    ¡°Yea?¡±


    Aria turned around and dug her face into Nic¡¯s chest, gripping his shirt in her hands. She had noticed him taking a step toward the prisoners. After she heard that they had Irradiation Sickness she had a feeling that the step he had taken had been because of something else.


    ¡°When you saw those prisoners¡­ you took a step towards them¡­¡±


    ¡°I did¡­?¡±


    Nic hadn¡¯t even noticed that he had taken a step. It had been unconscious.


    Aria¡¯s breath caught in her throat.


    ¡°Nic¡­ Did you want to absorb the Irradiation out of those prisoners?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Nic, promise me something.¡± Aria looked up at Nic¡¯s face, she could feel something wet in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t even go near a person with Irradiation Sickness. Not until you can purify it yourself. Please?¡±


    She was scared. Scared that if he did, he would become sick himself.


    Nic was still unable to replicate the act of purifying the Irradiation within his own body that he had done back in S-012. Without that ability, if he absorbed Irradiation, then it would just sit inside of him.


    Aria was scared that this would make him sick. She didn¡¯t want to go through that with Nic. She didn¡¯t want the remote chance that he could leave her.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know where this came from, Aria, but I promise that I won¡¯t do that. Really, I do.¡±


    He softly patted her head before hugging her tight into his body.

 Chapter 13: Years End Festival

    The sound of two wooden sticks hitting each other reverberated throughout the training hall. The two students of the Sanum Magic University that held these wooden sticks were covered in sweat, signaling the length of time that they had been sparring. Neither student could be called a master swordsman or swordswoman. In fact, they could barely be called intermediates with swords. Despite this, the wooden swords clashed again and again as the sweat flew off their bodies with each hit.


    Soon it became clear that one of the two students was going to win this fight. The student that was pulling ahead was a young male, seventeen years of age, but turning eighteen within the first month of the next year. He stood at 180 cer in height but had a fairly well-built body if you looked closely. Like most young men from Rad-Towns, he had built up a good amount of lean muscles across his body. His dark brown hair was matted across his pale face, sticking still to it thanks to the sweat he had worked up. And yet he knew he was close to winning this match. His eyes showed as much. Only a few seconds later, his opponent was on her back, her wooden sword knocked to the side as the victor¡¯s sword lay next to her neck, signifying her defeat.


    ¡°I concede. It makes sense you won, you are Master¡¯s top student after all. There¡¯s not much I can do to catch up.¡± The sarcasm in his opponent''s voice caused the victor to laugh before offering his opponent a hand. Grabbing it, he quickly helped her to her feet before responding.


    ¡°Top student? Maybe. But considering we are her only two students, that¡¯s not that hard to do. Besides, I barely had a higher amount of wins compared to you today, don¡¯t sell yourself that short, Sarah¡± The minute he finished his sentence, one of Sarah¡¯s fists punched him in the shoulder. He understood why. She was only 152 cer tall, barely 80% of his height. Her green eyes stared holes through his face for a few seconds before she quickly turned around and started towards the women¡¯s changing room, her blonde hair in a ponytail bobbing along.


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s time for us to each get ready to go, or are you going to leave Aria waiting, Nic? I mean, if you did, I can always go meet her for you and show her an actual good time.¡± Nic could hear the devilish grin on her face as she spoke.


    After putting the sparring swords back on their pedestals, Nic hurried off to the men¡¯s changing room. Before he went in, however, he looked over and saw that grin on Sarah¡¯s face as she waited for him to respond.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think your fiance would like you bringing in another girl, would she.¡± Sarah¡¯s grin quickly turned into a smile as she quietly chuckled before disappearing into the doorway in front of her.


    It didn¡¯t take Nic long to freshen up after the sparring matches he had done with Sarah. Barely 20 minutes had passed before Nic walked out of the men¡¯s changing room, wearing a nice pair of jeans and a larger coat meant for colder weather. Quickly leaving the University''s training hall, Nic stepped out into a white world.


    The entire city was covered in snow. At least 5-10 cer of snow was piled onto every surface it could. And despite the sun being high in the sky, it was still too cold for any of the snow to melt. It had snowed all night and into the morning, even continuing to snow as Nic had originally entered the Universities grounds only a few hours earlier.


    It was a weird experience for Nic. Sure he had seen snow before, living in a Rad-Town that was only a few days'' walk from the City-state Sanum, the two shared similar weather throughout the year. But when living in S-012, the snow had always been a nuisance. Here, there were children playing in it while the adults simply stayed inside.


    Nearing the entrance to the University, Nic finally got a good look at how Sanum looked when covered in snow. Sitting near the top of the low mountain that Sanum was built on, the view from the University''s entrance showcased nearly the entire city on that side of the mountain. Sprawling beneath Nic was a city full of festivity. All of the main roads had been cleared of snow, and many stalls and booths had been set up for the celebrations that were starting today. The many colors that made up these stalls and booths reflected onto the snow, creating a cacophony of color throughout the town.


    It almost looked like the World¡¯s Conscious was celebrating the coming of a new year with them. Though he wasn¡¯t religious to the point that he worshiped the World¡¯s Conscious like the church, or believed he could interact with it like the monks at the world¡¯s center, he still found it hard not to believe that there was something like the World¡¯s Conscious out there.


    As the University bell tolled twelve times, Nic was removed from his vacant thoughts as panic set in. Twelve tolls of the bell meant that it was now midday. He was supposed to be at the Blood Queen Square already to meet with his friends Aria, Yuuki, and Sarman.


    Foot traffic on the main roads was far higher than normal, due to the Year End Festival. The streets seemed more like a melting pot of people from all walks of life than ever before. He squeezed his way past a family of raccoon demi-humans before nearly being trampled by a horse demi-human also trying to get through the crowd. As far as Nic could tell, there were nearly every single type of demi-human in the street that he knew of, and even more that he didn¡¯t. Of course, regular humans were still the main group he saw, as the number of regular humans outweighed that of demi-humans, especially in the regions surrounding Sanum.


    As the cacophony of ¡°Come and get¡­¡± and ¡°This is only a few¡­¡± rang out from vendors on all sides, the chaos was more than enough to make Nic¡¯s head start to spin. Hoping to catch a break, he quickly ducks out into an alley off the street. After taking a minute to catch his breath, he noticed that the alley was far less crowded. Realizing it would be faster to cut through alleys, Nic slowly started making his way toward the square at a far faster pace.


    ¡°Please Jax, you can¡¯t go out like this!¡± The sound of a young boy came from beyond the corner that Nic was coming up on. As soon as he rounded it, he saw a scene that shouldn¡¯t have been happening in Sanum.


    Leaning up against the wall of a building was a man who was probably in his early twenties and looked sickly. He was wearing a nice outfit, similar to Nic¡¯s, and was probably trying to get on his way to do something similar to Nic as well. But in his way was a younger boy, trying to push the man back towards the open house of a door. But what caught Nic¡¯s eye the most, and what scared him to his core, was the black mist coming off of the man¡¯s body. The younger boy could not see it. Most people couldn¡¯t. Nic only knew of one person besides himself that could. The black mist was the telltale sign of Irradiation, and anyone who was radiating it was clearly sick with Irradiation Sickness.


    ¡°Savannah¡­ She¡¯s waiting. Waiting for me¡­¡± The man could barely croak out a simple sentence as he continued to try to drag his body along the wall.


    ¡°You! Please, help me get him in our house!¡± The kid had seen Nic and decided to ask him for help. Nic hesitated. He wanted to help, and he was probably the only one that could help this man at this point. But he had made a promise to Aria less than 3 months prior that he wouldn¡¯t use his magic again until they had figured out how to activate his purification abilities. Nic didn¡¯t want to hurt Aria by breaking that promise. Yet his body slowly started moving on its own, and soon Nic was helping push the man back into the house.


    As the only one known to be able to absorb and purify Irradiation, Nic understood that he felt it was his duty to help those inflicted with the sickness. He would have to hide the fact that he did this from Aria, and that would hurt him, but he couldn¡¯t let this man stay sick. A single case of Irradiation Sickness could spell the end of Sanum as it currently stood. Nic had to absorb it before it spread. As he got the man inside the house, the young kid quickly brought a small folding chair for Nic to sit the sick man on.


    ¡°Thank you, kind sir¡­ I will make sure my brother doesn¡¯t try to leave again, I¡¯m sorry to have taken up your time.¡±


    Nic stayed where he was in silence as he looked between the two brothers.


    ¡°Can you keep a secret?¡± Finally, he asked the younger brother a simple question, who responded with a resounding nod of his head.


    Taking a deep breath, Nic raised his right hand and put it on the sick man''s forehead. He closed his eyes and focused on the feeling in his hand. Slowly he visualized himself absorbing the Irradiation out of the man in front of him, activating his magic. As it activated, he could feel the Irradiation enter him, and he shuddered ever so slightly. He had only absorbed Irradiation a few times before, and every time he had hated how Irradiation had felt. It was like the worst grime he had ever seen was being injected directly into his blood. Only a few seconds later, Nic opened his eyes to see no black miasma radiating off of the man. He had absorbed all of the Irradiation within him. Next to him, the younger brother was staring in confusion, having never been able to see the miasma.


    Barely five seconds later, Nic was in front of a small bucket, puking. The effects of absorbing the Irradiation had hit him hard almost instantly. Behind him, the two brothers were slowly starting to realize that the older brother was no longer sick.


    ¡°Jax? Are you alright? Does anything feel weird?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine? I feel perfectly normal. Ummm¡­ who is that?¡±


    The older brother had noticed Nic barfing into a bucket in their home and was understandably concerned and worried. He looked between his younger brother and Nic multiple times before the younger brother finally spoke up.


    ¡°He helped me get you inside, and then put his hand on your forehead and did something. I don¡¯t know exactly what he did, but you are now fine and he is¡­ Well, you can see how he is now.¡±


    Nic slowly turned around, having finally finished barfing, and struggled to stand up before getting helped by the brothers. He was about to respond himself, when the older brother noticed something on him and rushed over, pulling down the collar of his shirt. Underneath, black veins raced across the right side of Nic¡¯s chest, running down his arm until it stopped at his wrist.


    ¡°What¡­? What happened?¡± Nic brushed the brother¡¯s hands off of his clothes before straightening his clothes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a side effect from absorbing the Irradiation out of you. Though, if you would be so kind, don¡¯t tell anyone what I just said. No one can know that I can absorb Irradiation, otherwise, she will kill me herself.¡± An exasperated sigh escaped his lips as Nic tried to think of a way to hide the veins for now until they disappeared. As he was thinking, the older brother, Jax, walked away and came back with a pair of winter gloves and a scarf. He held them out to Nic for him to take.


    ¡°Put these on. It¡¯s the least I can do to thank you for saving me from the Irradiation. They should cover up your veins. Whoever you are going to meet today shouldn¡¯t be able to see them.¡±


    Nic took the garments from him, quickly putting them on before heading for the door, knowing that he was significantly late at this point.


    Blood Queen Square was a fairly large, popular central hub within the city of Sanum. Erected in the honor of the one who rid the city of Irradiation soon after it was unleashed on the world, a little over two centuries ago. In the center of the square was a giant stone statue of a female Elf, the ¡°Blood Queen¡± supposedly. However, with the statue having been created nearly fifty years after she had been in the town of Sanum, no one knew if it was an accurate portrayal of her. One can find many peddlers and small stalls lining the square year-round, but during the city¡¯s Year End Festival, the square was always overstuffed as everyone tried to get their stalls set up there.


    However, this year, on the first day of the festival, a bit after midday, one corner of the square had a small ruckus brewing, owed in full to the trio at its center. Three students from the Sanum Magic University had been waiting in the corner since midday for their fourth member to arrive.


    The only male of the three was a well-built black man. His winter clothes were made for warmth but also showed off his well-off upbringing, as they were clearly formal in nature. Many who passed by knew his name, Sarman Chapman, the son of Sanum¡¯s current Head of State. Not only that but Sarman was known to be the current possessor of the Fire Spirit Progenitor; Salamander. Because of this, he was seen as one of, if not the most powerful, mages of the newest generation of mages.


    Standing in front of Sarman, trying to get him to calm down, was his childhood friend, Yuuki Ito. She was also wearing a formal-looking winter outfit that matched Sarman¡¯s, though hers had a hood that she had up, despite it no longer snowing. Though her winter clothes somewhat masked it, Yuuki has a very lean body, with extremely lean muscles built from years of learning how to use a sword. Unlike most people at the Sanum Magic University, Yuuki was unable to use Magic, and only attended the school thanks to the pressure Sarman¡¯s dad had on the place.


    ¡°How could you have not gotten where he was going before he left this morning?! If we knew that, we could go find him ourselves! Instead of just waiting here for who knows how long!¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry that wasn¡¯t on my mind. I was helping Aria with her outfit for today. It¡¯s not my job to know where Nic goes every time he leaves your home. If anyone should, that would be you.¡±


    Things were getting heated between the two of them as Sarman and Yuuki put all the blame of their current situation at each other¡¯s feet. Behind them, the last member of the group, Aria, was watching the passing crowds with a worried look on her face. She had been ignoring the other two since their argument began, having heard this same argument time and time again whenever anything went wrong with their plans. It was clear that while they were fighting about the situation, Aria was looking out for the catalyst of that conversation, just in case he missed their incessant bickering. Feeling a bit cold, she tried to hug her light jacket to her body even closer than she already was.


    Unlike Sarman and Yuuki, Aria¡¯s winter clothes clearly went for a cute look over actual functionality. And looking at the fact that her hair had been done up specifically in a ponytail with multiple braids leading to it, and the makeup on her face, it was clear that she had spent a decent amount of time on her looks for the day. Many boys and men, and a few women and girls too, stole glances at her, wondering who would have the balls to keep someone of her current prettiness waiting until her face was contorted with concern.


    It didn¡¯t take long for their questions to be answered as Nic came rushing into the square from a nearby alley. Having heard Sarman and Yuuki¡¯s conversation from a few alleys over, he had come rushing to the square, knowing that if he took any longer, Sarman was sure to try and kill him immediately for his tardiness. However, as he was pushing his way through the crowd he suddenly felt a force tackle into him, nearly causing him to fall back on his butt. It only took him hearing her muttering to realize who it was and embraced Aria in a hug.


    ¡°If she wasn¡¯t in between you and me, your ass would be on the ground right now.¡± Nic looked up as he heard Sarman¡¯s threat and gave him a shy smile.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m a little bit la-¡± Nic wasn¡¯t even able to finish his thought before Sarman cut him off.


    ¡°A little bit?! It¡¯s nearly an hour since midday! You call that a little bit late?! Aria let go of him and let me punch him right now.¡±


    ¡°Hey, let him finish his sentence, maybe he has a good reason for being late.¡± Yuuki¡¯s voice had gone much quieter compared to her argument with Sarman mere minutes earlier. Nic silently thanked her for allowing him the ability to continue.


    ¡°I got held up on my way here, okay? I was helping a young boy get back to his home with some medicine for his sick brother.¡± Nic had come up with this excuse as he had been running here from the home of the man with Irradiation sickness. He used some real aspects of what had kept him in the hopes that Sarman wouldn¡¯t be able to see through the lie.


    ¡°Hmph. Don¡¯t forget that today is the only day the university is giving us off to experience the festival.¡± Before any of the other three could respond, Sarman had already walked off into the crowd, planning on leaving the others behind. Yuuki shot Nic an apologetic look before running off after him. Nic thought he saw her wrap her arm around Sarman¡¯s as she caught up to him, but he quickly lost the two of them in the sea of people.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯m annoyed by his attitude, you were really late today. I was starting to get, you know, really worried that something had happened. Like you had gotten found out somehow, or something like that. I was scared you weren¡¯t going to show, even after everything¡­¡± At some point during Nic¡¯s brief conversation with Sarman, Aria had stepped back from Nic¡¯s hug without him realizing it. Now she was standing in front of him, her head down, and with what Nic thought were red cheeks.


    Having actually looked at Aria in full now, Nic also realized that she had dressed up more for the festival than she usually did. Feeling like he had taken a rock to the gut, Nic turned his face slightly away as he thought about why he was late. He originally hadn¡¯t wanted to tell her because he knew she would be mad at him, but now he was scared he would ruin a day she had clearly been excited for.


    ¡°I, uh, I¡­¡± Nic stammered as he tried to think of something to say. His heart ached while a part of him was saying that it was better not to tell her anything.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ No, I can''t do this.¡± Unable to take the pain from lying to her, he quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her into the nearest alley he could find. As Aria tried to speak up, Nic continued until he found a secluded offshoot of the alley with no one in it. He pulled Aria as far back into it as he could before finally turning around to look at her.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Aria was instantly in front of him, face full of anger and confusion, as he let go of her hand, causing him to back up into the wall fully.


    ¡°Can¡¯t do this? What can¡¯t you do? What big secret are you keeping? And I swear if you tell me you got caught but escaped I will find Sarman and tell him you are a Verilo.¡±


    ¡°Hey hey hey. Let me explain everything. No, I didn¡¯t get caught, but¡­¡± Nic slipped off the glove on his right hand and moved his sleeve up enough to show the black veins in his arm. As soon as she saw them, Aria¡¯s face quickly morphed into one full of concern. Seeing that she recognized it, Nic put the glove back on, covering the veins again.


    ¡°How? You promised me you wouldn¡¯t absorb any meaningfully. For those to show up, you had to have absorbed a decent amount of Irradiation. We still don¡¯t know how you activated your purification ability last time, so any amount of Irradiation you absorb now could lead to your death. Did you think about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. I thought about all that. I¡¯m sorry I broke my promise to you, but I couldn¡¯t just let that man continue to live in this city with Irradiation sickness.¡±


    As soon as he let it out that the man he had saved lived in the city, Aria took a step back in shock. City-Nations and Nation-states were recognized as such because they were completely freed of Irradiation within their walls. The mere fact that someone with Irradiation sickness had gotten through Sanum¡¯s gate was greatly worrying.


    ¡°He was in the city?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know how long, but it shouldn¡¯t have been long. His younger brother didn¡¯t have any Irradiation on him, and it looked like they lived together.¡±


    ¡°Ok, that¡¯s good,¡± Aria let out a small sigh of relief. ¡°I don¡¯t like that you broke the promise you made to me, but I can¡¯t be mad at you for helping that man. If you had let him go, he could have spread it to this entire city.¡±


    Aria slowly put her hands on Nic¡¯s chest before leaning her body in. He let out a sigh of relief as she did so, taking the act as a sign that she wouldn¡¯t kill him. Betting on that, he slowly wrapped his arms around her again, holding her against him.


    ¡°Thank you for understanding why I did it. But, uh, does this mean we can just go back to enjoying the festival like planned?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m still mad that you broke the promise. For that alone, you are gonna get a punishment from me, I just don¡¯t know what yet.¡± Nic¡¯s body stiffened. Whatever she thought of, he had a feeling that he was not going to like it. He let out a small forced laugh.


    ¡°Well, you can think of it while we have fun at the festival, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh! I thought of a part already! For the rest of today, you have to participate in everything I want to do. Any booth or stall. Any game I want to play. Any place I want to go. That¡¯s the first part of your punishment.¡±


    As Nic looked down at Aria¡¯s face, the devilish grin on her lips as she spoke sent shivers down his spine. Despite what she said, a few of the places she planned on taking him were bound to be either horrible, embarrassing, or horribly embarrassing. And there was no way for Nic to get out of any of it.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it. Just please have mercy on me when deciding where we go.¡±


    Aria stepped away from Nic, her grin changing into a genuine smile.


    ¡°Alright, first stop, Food. Since we had to wait so long for you, I. Am. Starving. So we¡¯re gonna go find as much food as we can and try it all!¡± Aria quickly pulled Nic into the alley proper before wrapping herself around Nic¡¯s arm. ¡°Now protect me, oh valiant knight of mine, as we traverse through these seas of people.¡±


    With strong sarcasm underlying her last sentence, Aria forced Nic along the alley until the two arrived back in Blood Queen Square. As they entered it, Aria hugged herself a bit tighter on Nic¡¯s arm, unwilling to let go. A myriad of smells hit their nostrils as many of the stalls had food sitting in front of them for purchase. Many of them were baked sweets, a staple of this time of year in Sanum. Though a few had regular dishes. Some fried monsters, grilled fish from the river, and fawns roasted in a hot fire were interspersed throughout the square.


    As Nic was taking in the sheer amount of food being sold, he heard a small noise from beside him, and looking over at Aria, he found her looking down at the ground in front of them, trying to hide her face. Hearing the sound again, he realized what it was and looked back at the food stalls around the square.


    It wasn¡¯t long until Aria had pulled him along to one of the many food stalls and the two ate their fill. Nic, while having not had fried monster in a while, had quite enjoyed the meal overall as it reminded him of the meals he always had with his parents when he was younger. Fried monster was usually seen as cheaper meat compared to that of regular animals, and was often quite cheap to get. But when cooked right, Nic thought it tasted better than most regular meat.


    As the meal ended, Aria began leading Nic to many different stalls and booths. She indulged herself in everything she wanted to do. If she wanted a sweet or commemorative trinket, she bought it. If she wanted a prize from a game, she had Nic win it for her. Well, most of the time she did. Sometimes she just wanted to let loose herself and win a game or two, outclassing most other participants in seconds. They quickly left Blood Queen Square and made their way down one of the many larger main roads of the city.


    Street after street went by, and yet they still kept finding stalls to visit. The sun was getting fairly low in the sky as they came up on a particular booth. Despite being located on a main street, the booth had very few customers compared to every booth around it. The reason was simple. In front of the booth was a sign that said ¡°Get a glimpse of your future here! Time magic will help you on your path!¡±


    Time magic is widely viewed as one of the weakest forms magic could take, especially for born magic. While many would hope it would allow you to slow down or speed up time, no one has ever been known to have those abilities. Most time magic only allows its users to see small, mostly unclear, visions of the future. Because of how unclear most predictions become, most people steer clear of those who use time magic, believing it to be a waste of time as they rarely get any meaningful look into their future.


    ¡°Time magic? Really? At a festival like this? That seems like a bad way to get hated by a lot of people. Let¡¯s move on.¡± Quickly dismissing the booth, Nic turned to leave but was stopped by Aria tugging on his arm.


    ¡°I want to do it.¡± Aria whispered quietly behind him.


    ¡°You¡­? Want to do it? Why?¡±


    Hearing no answer from her, Nic turned around to look at her, only to find a beet red face in front of him.


    ¡°Because I want to make sure that everything works out, y¡¯know? That we won¡¯t have any surprises.¡±


    ¡°I guess we have to then if you want to do it. That is my punishment and all.¡± Remembering their earlier conversation, Nic let out a sigh after he answered and walked over to the booth with Aria in tow.


    Sitting there was a middle-aged man. In front of him were a young couple and an even younger kid standing a bit away from the table. The kid looked familiar to Nic, yet he was having trouble figuring out where he knew him from. As the couple sitting there got up to leave, they and Nic caught a glimpse of the man¡¯s face and everything clicked into place. Standing before him was the man he had healed just a few hours prior. The woman with him had to be the one he had been trying to go meet. Though Nic was confused as to why his younger brother was with them.


    As they walked by Nic and Aria, both of the brothers gave Nic a small head nod, and Nic thought he heard a female voice say ¡°thank you¡±. Yet by the time he had turned around, the trio had disappeared.


    ¡°Who were they? They seemed to recognize you.¡±


    ¡°They were¡­ the older guy was the one I healed earlier. I wasn¡¯t expecting to see him here.¡±


    ¡°Come on up, you two, and have a seat. I¡¯ll get started on your future info right away.¡± A bright and cheery voice, completely antithetical to the way the man looked, came from the middle-aged man sitting at the booth. The sudden interruption shocked both Nic and Aria and it took them a second to realize he was talking to them.


    ¡°Alright now give me each one of your hands.¡± As soon as they had sat down, the man held out both of his hands, one to each of them.


    ¡°Come on, come on, I won¡¯t bite. I promise.¡± Seemingly wanting things to go fast, the man reached out and grabbed Nic¡¯s left hand and Aria¡¯s right. Seeing as their other hands were still holding each other, this was the only option for the booth owner.


    ¡°Alright, here¡¯s what¡¯s gonna happen. You¡¯re gonna feel a rush of emotions for a few seconds and maybe see some flashing images appear in your vision. That¡¯s all very normal and I will help you understand what they mean afterward. But whatever you see or feel, do not let go of my hand. You hear me?¡±


    As the two of them nodded in affirmation, the man took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Nic could tell that he was starting his magic, after all he did something very similar when healing people. Knowing that he might get overwhelmed by what was to come, Nic closed his eyes, hoping to calm his nerves.


    Immense grief took hold of his body. He saw someone crying at some stone. Fear took hold next as his vision filled with a smoky substance. Relief came as what looked like two people hugged. Finally, everything ended with happiness as Nic seemingly looked down from atop a hill.


    Everything was over within seconds. As the emotions and visions disappeared, Nic finally opened his eyes again and took a deep breath. As he tightened the grips he had with both hands, he realized he had been crushing Aria¡¯s hand. He turned his head to apologize, but his voice caught in his throat as he looked at her face. She was still in a daze, and a few tears were sliding down her face.


    ¡°Hey Aria. Aria. Hey, look at me.¡± Nice waved his now free left hand in front of her face, causing her to snap out of the daze she was in. Realizing what had happened, she quickly wiped the few tears off her face and looked at the booth owner. When Nic looked as well, he saw that the owner was looking at the two of them in surprise.


    ¡°That. Has. Never happened before. I¡¯ve never had a vision so clear and emotions so strong.¡±


    ¡°Is that a good thing?¡± Nic posed the question, hoping for an explanation. What he got was the middle-aged man standing up in excitement.


    ¡°Yes. Yes! This is a very good thing! Because it was so much clearer than before, I¡¯m sure my deciphering of it will be all the more accurate!¡±


    ¡°And what did all of¡­ that mean?¡± Aria whispered. She was scared of the answer, but asked anyway. If she was going to know, she wanted it to be of her own volition. Nic understood that and stayed quiet, leaving the man to answer.


    ¡°Well, the first two clearly are showing us that something terrible will happen to the two of you. But, it seems that despite whatever may happen, the two of you will always be able to find your own happiness together, as we saw in those last two visions.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­ It? That doesn¡¯t seem like a lot to go off of.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, that¡¯s way better than what most people get. I wonder why it was so much clearer with you two. Maybe you are destined for something great that only you can do? Or maybe you just have a very strong connection to one another.¡± As the man sat down, Nic reached to grab his coin purse to pay the man, only to get stopped before he could even get the bag out of his pocket.


    ¡°You two gave me such clear visions that I will count that as your payment.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± With only a nod in response, Nic and Aria look at each other for a minute before standing up. As Nic stepped away from the table, Aria stayed back.


    ¡°Thank you, for showing us that. I¡­ I am glad to know that things will end well for Nic and I. So thank you again.¡±


    ¡°No problem, miss. I hope that one day we run into each other again! And when that day comes, I hope you two will be able to show me even clearer visions! Yes hahaha. That would be great.¡±


    As she stepped away from the table, the booth owner waved her goodbye. Nic and Aria were once again trudging the crowded streets of the festival¡¯s first day. While Nic didn¡¯t know where she planned on taking him next, he figured anything was better than having a time mage use their magic on him again.


    ¡°How did it get so late? The sun¡¯s already setting! Nic, come with me, I have somewhere I want to show you, but we gotta be quick.¡± Without giving him a chance to respond, Aria grabbed Nic¡¯s hand and sped off, dragging him along behind her.


    It didn¡¯t take long for them to get to where Aria wanted to go. In the southern part of the city, there was a gorge that ran through the mountain, and by extension the city. However, the people of Sanum had built around it, leading to the upper side having a wall that acted as a great scenic spot to look out on the plains outside of the city. It was also commonly used as a lookout position as it was very easy to see any incoming army from the plains to the south from there.


    By the time Nic and Aria had reached the lookout, the sun was nearly below the horizon. Because of this, deep red rays of light canvassed the snow-covered plains in their color. What had been, just a few hours earlier, a pure white surface as far as the eye could see had become a deep sea of red with hints of gold here and there. It was a sight that Nic would never have thought possible, and it took his breath away.


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty, isn¡¯t it? Yuuki thought about it this morning, and thought it would be a great place to end our little day together.¡± Aria spoke up from her place next to Nic. She slowly leaned on the rail as she looked out at the plains.


    Nic quickly stepped behind her, wrapping her in a hug from behind. He lost all sense of consciousness and simply held her in his arms. The warmth of her body brought him immense joy. If he could, he would want to hold her like that forever.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, just like you are. I hope you don¡¯t think I didn''t know how much you dressed up for today.¡± Nic gently whispered in her ear. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want it to seem like I was trying to butter you up after, well,¡± Nic lifted his gloved right hand, clenching his fist in front of her. ¡°After this.¡±


    Aria leaned back into his chest. She grabbed his clenched fist and brought it in close to her own heart. Nic could feel the heat from her body clearer than ever before.


    His heart raced and his face grew hotter. Nic felt like the snow around them would melt just from how hot he was. The hand surrounding his own tightened.


    It was comforting.


    There was no pain in it, only a warmth that reassured Nic.


    Aria turned around in his arms and put one of her hands on his cheek. She leaned up and kissed him. Nic could feel the longing in the kiss. The last time they had contact like this, Nic hadn¡¯t been conscious. For him, this was the first kiss that he actually remembered. The kiss didn¡¯t last long, only a few seconds, and as they slowly separated, Nic couldn¡¯t help but long for it to go on longer. Aria slowly rested her head on his chest, letting Nic absorb her in a deep hug.


    ¡°No matter what happens, I¡¯ll stay by your side, Nic. I couldn¡¯t care less how much Irradiation you absorb. As long as it doesn¡¯t kill you, I will be there with you. If you¡¯re on that edge, then I will stop you. I won¡¯t let you leave me. Do you hear me? Never leave me.¡±


    The whisper of hers resonated in his chest. Nic couldn¡¯t find any words to say, he could only feel at that moment. Hugging her even tighter than before, he searched for the words he wanted to say. They wouldn¡¯t come.


    The words he wanted to say were right out of his reach.

 Interlude 6: Gifts from the Dark

    ¡°The man we planted in Sanum has stopped releasing Irradiation.¡±


    ¡°Stopped releasing it? How? That shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡±


    ¡°Is it? Do you not remember what Cariatel told us after we freed him? That Verilo can supposedly absorb Irradiation and purify it afterward.¡±


    Three men sat around a poorly kept, small, wooden round table. The chairs they sat on creaked each time one of them so much as shifted their feet on the ground. The room they were in wasn¡¯t much better than the table. It was made of stone and the smell of moldy water came from one of the two entrances to the small room.


    A single candle-lit fire barely illuminated the room. It was just enough light for each of the three robed figures to see the outline of the other two.


    ¡°So? What should we do? Infect another with Cariatel?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just send Cariatel himself in?¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? He hates us just as much as he hates Verilo.¡±


    The three had been in charge of an operation. Their plan had been going smoothly until their unwitting operative stopped working. To have all of their hard work snuffed out in a second like that was irritating to each one. They wanted to get things back on track but were unsure of the best way to do that.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I think dangling Verilo on a stick for him might work.¡±


    ¡°Re-Really?¡±


    ¡°Yea. What if we tell him that Verilo can be blamed for everything that happens when he is in the city?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s try it.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, who wants to tell him?¡±


    While they had come to a conclusion on what to do, they now had another task that silenced the table. Each member looked at the other two expectantly. Not a single one wanted to go near the man. He was still regularly releasing Irradiation out of his body, and getting near to him would ultimately lead to getting Irradiation Sickness themselves.


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    The soft sound of rushing water was the only thing that cut through the silence for minutes on end. The air was tense. The slightest movement could set the other two off.


    One of the three shifted their foot ever so slightly.


    A chair creaked.


    ¡°So, Carl, you¡¯re the one that came up with the plan, I think you should do it.¡±


    ¡°Yea, Carl, you should do it.¡±


    ¡°Hey, no fair. If that¡¯s what we''re going by, Daniel, you should do it since you were the one that suggested we use Cariatel in the first place!¡±


    And with that, an argument broke out between the three. Their voices raised and echoed throughout the corridors leading to the room. Down the one without water, sitting at the end behind an enclosure of bars, was Jack Cariatel.


    A far cry from the man he once was. His face was disheveled. His clothes barely tatters. He had grown gaunt from a lack of meaningful food. Cheeks sunken and ribs visible beneath his skin. His extremities had become sticks. They were so thin, one might think that they would break from the slightest touch.


    A web stretched across his skin. It was pure black. The telltale sign of Irradiation Sickness. But for Jack, it was something else. It was a sign that he was emitting Irradiation with no consequence to himself.


    No one else could see the miasma rolling off of him. But Jack did. He saw it, he felt it, and he controlled it.


    ¡°Kill¡­ Verilo¡­? Heh. Hah. Hah hah. HahahahahaHAHAHAHAHA!¡±


    With a force mismatching his current body, Jack stood up. He felt the Miasma around him, which he had previously let roll freely, and collected it into a single point in his hand. When he closed his hand around it, a longsword made of the miasma appeared.


    It was far lighter than an actual greatsword, useable in a single hand.


    Two strikes. One high and one low.


    Every bar in front of Jack fell to the ground.


    ¡°Huh? What was that?¡±


    One of the voices down the hallway spoke up when they heard the sound of the bars clattering against the ground.


    The sword slithered back into Jack¡¯s body. The black veins disappeared.


    Footsteps flew down the hallway as three robbed figures appeared. Jack was waiting patiently for them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what you want. But first, I need to regain some muscle and weight. I¡¯ll need to be in the best shape I can be to kill that little punk¡­¡±


    The three robed figures gulped as they looked between each other.

 Chapter 14: Gift

    As the three of them walked through the town, a spring breeze blew through, reminding them that some warm weather was finally returning. Nic and Aria were walking hand in hand, enjoying their time together out in the city of Sanum.


    They had just gotten through a set of Sanum Magic University Midterms and had a day off to relax. Nic himself had come quite a far way, passing most of his tests this time, compared to the complete failures he had on the entrance exams. To celebrate, Aria had invited him out to spend the day together in the city.


    ¡°Come on, the shop¡¯s just over here!¡±


    Walking a few mer in front of the two was an unusually jubilant woman. Her long black hair was swaying back and forth as she walked. The beanie covered head bobbed up and down with each step taken.


    After hearing how Nic had done, Yuuki appeared before the two of them just as they had been leaving the campus. Apparently, she had a gift for Nic for doing so well.


    ¡°Just what kind of shop are we going to, Yuuki?¡±


    Both Nic and Aria were completely in the dark as to what this gift was. It was some sort of surprise, but for both of them, the real surprise was how far out the shop was. Both had planned to stay somewhat near the campus while spending the day together, but now they found themselves near the base of the mountain.


    ¡°Oh, you know, it''s the kinda shop where¡­¡± Yuuki kept her voice low as she avoided answering the question. She seemed to want to keep it a secret until they got there in person.


    After turning a corner, the architecture around them changed in an instant. Nic had never seen this style of building before. They had far more angled roofs and everything seemed to be made out of different types of wood with very little stone. Of course, there was still stone, just not as much as most other buildings in the city.


    The people around them also changed. Humans became far and few between as Demi-Humans became the dominant people on the street. On top of that, they were all wearing foreign clothes. They were longer, made of fabric, and had many different designs embroidered on them.


    Being a human wearing normal clothes, Nic was starting to feel uncomfortable as they walked through. From the way that Aria got closer to him, he had a feeling that she was feeling the same uncomfortableness as him.


    A large, open air building came up on their right. A large chimney was spewing out ash above it as a large fire burned near the back of the open air area. A sign hung out front with an anvil emblazoned on it.


    It was a blacksmith.


    And it was where Yuuki stopped and turned to face the two of them.


    ¡°The blacksmith here is an old acquaintance of mine. Nic, since you have grown a bunch as a Swordsman, and have passed most of your tests this time around, I went ahead and ordered a longsword to be custom-made for you!¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Both Aria and Nic stood there stupefied, mouths agape and staring at Yuuki. Sure, Nic had gotten better with a wooden sword, but he had never even touched a full longsword, let alone swung it around. Nic never thought that he would be given one as a gift.


    ¡°And to top it off, It¡¯s gonna be a Magic Weapon!¡±


    Nic looked at Aria, who in turn was looking at him. Neither of them had heard of Magic Weapons before, so they were looking to each other for an explanation. When it became clear that neither knew what they were, they both looked at Yuuki.


    ¡°Oh, Mrs. Ito. So you¡¯re the one causing the ruckus out here?¡± A tall, slender man walked out from behind a curtain. His short brown hair was currently ruffled up and one could see dirt on it. His face, while showing signs of having been immaculately cleaned at some point that day, was covered in soot. Nice clothes sat beneath a very dirty apron that held multiple smithing tools through loops on its sides. A small dog-like tail could be seen swishing back and forth behind him. ¡°If Mrs. Ito is here, then you must be Mr. Healstry. It is a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Sora, the owner of this establishment.¡±


    ¡°Uh, hello there Sora¡­?¡± Nic held out a hand to shake his, but when the fair-skinned Sora held up two grime-covered hands as if to warn Nic, he rescinded his hand. Instead, he turned to look at Yuuki. ¡°So why are we here?¡±


    ¡°Were you not listening to me at all!? We¡¯re here because I ordered you a custom magic longsword!¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, Mrs. Ito, I have the weapon ready in the back if you want to see it.¡±


    ¡°Ooohhh Yes! Yes yes yes!¡±


    Nic was unable to get a word in as Yuuki seemingly jumped for joy at the thought of getting to look at the sword. The blacksmith and the sword fanatic walked through the same curtain that Sora had walked out of before.


    Dropping his shoulders in defeat, Nic led Aria into the back as well.


    ¡°So what even is a Magic Weapon?¡±


    Yuuki and Sora turned to look at Nic as he asked the question. In Sora¡¯s hands was a beautifully crafted longsword. No part of it was extravagant, but every part was beautifully crafted in just the right way. At the center of the crossguard, where the blade and hilt met, was an opaque jewel.


    ¡°Have you never-¡±


    ¡°Let me handle the explanation, Mrs. Ito.¡± Sora cut Yuuki off with a gentle hand gesture before focusing on Nic. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the basics. You know what weapons are, correct?¡±


    Nic nodded. Of course, he knew what weapons were. Who didn¡¯t know what weapons were?


    ¡°Well Magic weapons, as the name implies, are weapons that channel magic through them. Once a magic weapon is crafted, as long as someone can sense the flow of magic, whether or not they are able to cast magic themselves, they can activate the magic imbued in the magic weapon as an attack.¡±


    It really was that simple. Magic weapons were simply weapons that could channel magic if prompted by the wielder.


    ¡°But Nic is already a Mage as well. He can use magic. What benefit is there in him using a magic weapon over weaving his magic in with a regular weapon?¡±


    Aria was the one who brought up the question and based on her fervor it seemed like something that had been bothering her since she first heard the term.


    ¡°Good question, Mrs¡­?¡±


    ¡°Aria Towsend¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Towsend! Good question indeed. For one, if he was to use a magic weapon that has a different magic than his own, then that would open up more possibilities in combat. But, if the weapon is made using his magic, then he will experience what I like to call a ¡®magic feedback loop¡¯.¡±


    Another new term had been thrown at Nic and Aria, both of whom grew an even more confused face. Their reactions caught a chuckle from Sora before he continued.


    ¡°Basically if Mr. Healstry here were to use a magic weapon infused with his own magic, then they would complement each other. Mr. Healstry¡¯s magic would be supplementing the swords, raising their power. And then the sword''s magic would supplement Mr. Healstry, raising his magic. It¡¯s a beneficial ability that raises one¡¯s magical abilities.¡±


    An all-encompassing way to boost someone''s magical abilities. How this wasn¡¯t public knowledge defied Nic¡¯s brain. Something as simple as using it to learn a weapon, which could be something as small as a tiny dagger or knife, to get a boost in magical abilities sounded too good to be true.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t more mages use this? It seems like too good of something to pass up!¡±


    Aria voiced Nic¡¯s internal thoughts for him. Her face had changed from one of confusion to one of excitement. Even if she was considered one of the top magic users at the University, something of this power was still enticing to her.


    ¡°Well, there are a few problems that stop it from being widespread. First, the ability to make magic weapons is usually found only in those that can consider themselves master smiths. Your ordinary smith would have an intense struggle to make one, and even then it would most likely result in a failure. And second, the magic infusion process must be done during the forging of the sword. This results in most magic weapons being ordered by someone who already knows about them, thereby limiting the pool of people trying to order them. No matter how popular a smith might be, if their customers don¡¯t know about magic swords, then they won¡¯t be willing to buy them, especially once they see the price tags most smiths give them.¡±


    Yuuki popped her head in front of Sora as he finished talking. She raised both hands expectantly and gave the two of them the biggest smile she could.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the cost. Sora here is making it to get rid of a debt he owes me, and I¡¯ll pay the rest!¡±


    Nic walked next to Yuuki and looked down at the table she and Sora had been standing next to. Sitting on a small pedestal was the sword that Sora had been holding. Or more accurately, a completely identical sword as Sora was still holding the other one. From what he saw, both swords seemed to be fully forged. If that was the case, why hadn¡¯t they been brought there sooner if the magic had to be imbued during the forging process?


    ¡°I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but these swords look completely finished. How are they supposed to be magic weapons?¡±


    Nic looked from the sword to Yuuki and finally to Sora. Sora had a mischievous smile on his face. Raising the sword in his hand, he brought the hilt up to his face and gently reached in and plucked the opaque jewel from where it had been sitting. He placed the sword back down on a raised part of the table before holding the gem out in his hand.


    Looking down at the identical blade, Nic reached out and put his finger on the opaque jewel embedded in that one. Or at least, what he thought had been embedded.


    As soon as he put his finger on the jewel it started moving. It was just as loose as the one in the sword Sora had been holding. Nic gently plucked it out as well and held it in his hand.


    ¡°These jewels still need to be set in the sword''s hilt. Me putting these in still counts as forging the weapon.¡±


    ¡°It does?¡±


    Sora nodded. A small hammer, barely the size of Sora¡¯s hand, appeared in said hand. He placed the jewel back inside the socket it would be fixed into.


    ¡°Oh, I should also mention. Lesser and Greater spirits can¡¯t imbue their magic into magical weapons. So make sure any magic that you do use is Born Magic.¡±


    Nic shot a quick glance at Aria, who in turn nervously looked at Yuuki before looking back to Nic. The only born magic that Nic knew currently was his ability to absorb Irradiation. If Yuuki were to see that, it was unknown just how she would react.


    Nic himself turned to look at Yuuki. When he did, she gazed at him quizzically.


    ¡°Is something up, Nic?¡±


    ¡°Ummm, yea. I hate to ask this Yuuki, but could you wait outside during this?¡±


    Yuuki looked shocked but mostly hurt, at Nic¡¯s request.


    ¡°What? Why!? Aren¡¯t you just gonna use your wind magic?¡±


    A small green blob appeared in front of Yuuki¡¯s eyes. She leaped back in surprise, landing on one of the tables. Nic thought he heard a pained cry come from behind him, but was too focused on Yuuki to look at Sora.


    ¡°Hey, buddy, come on. You don¡¯t show yourself very often, how was she supposed to know about you.¡± Nic sighed as the blob floated itself over to Nic¡¯s shoulder and plopped itself down. ¡°Yuuki, this is the Lesser Wind Spirit that I have a contract with. As Sora just said, magic from a contract with a lesser spirit can¡¯t be used for magical weapons.¡±


    Yuuki pointed a shaking finger at the blob on his shoulder.


    ¡°You never told me it was spirit magic!¡± Nic wasn¡¯t so sure that what she had said was true. He thought he had mentioned it at least once in passing. ¡°Do you even have Born Magic to do this with then? Why don¡¯t we just have Aria use her magic then?¡±


    Yuuki threw out the suggestion that Nic and Aria had both been hoping for. This way, Nic wouldn¡¯t have to use his own magic in front of Yuuki. But of course, his relief only spelled doom for him.


    ¡°I mean, I do have Born Magic, but this works better. Mine isn¡¯t something to be used on offense.¡±


    The second he uttered those words, Nic stiffened. He could feel daggers being forced into his back by Sora staring at him. At the same time, Yuuki had this look on her face like she was asking him what he was on.


    ¡°Ah! I¡¯ll do it! Don¡¯t worry, just like this right?!¡±


    Aria quickly rushed to Nic¡¯s side and faced Sora. She reached out and put a finger on the jewel in the sword he was next to.


    Before Sora could answer her question, the room whipped into a frenzy as a strong wind, centered on Aria¡¯s finger, began. Papers, a few chairs, and other bits and bobs sitting on the tables were lifted in the air and slammed into one of the walls in the second it took for Aria to gain control of the wind.


    Once it was centered on the jewel, the jewel itself began to turn colors. What was once a clear opaque gem was turning into one vibrant green in color. It was so vibrant, that everyone in the room simply stood in awe for a bit.


    ¡°Y-Yes, just like that. Keep it there for a minute.¡±


    Sora, ever the professional smith, was the first to start moving again. He quickly took his small hammer and began plinking away at the metal holdings for the jewel. It took nearly a full minute for any noticeable change to occur. The green glow of the jewel quickly spread, covering the entire sword in a transparent green coat. After another minute, the transparent layer was absorbed into the sword.


    Sora¡¯s plinking stopped. He swiped the sweat from his head as he stood up. He put down the hammer and picked up the sword. Turning away from the group in front of him, he gave it a light swing.


    Nothing happened. It was just a normal sword swing. After which, Sora checked the area around the jewel intensely before swinging it again. This time, the cabinet sitting at the end of the room was split in two a second after the sword was swung. Both Aria and Nic stared at the damaged cabinet in awe as Sora grabbed a sheath for the sword and handed it to Nic.


    ¡°Here you go, one magic weapon just for you, Mr. Healstry.¡±


    Nic gingerly picked up the now-sheathed sword. It was heavier than the wooden swords, but surprisingly not that much heavier. One side of the sheath had a small attachment that would normally be used to attach it at the waist. However, currently, it was attached to a much longer leather belt.


    ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that. I just added it on so that you can simply put the swords on your back as you head back to the University.¡±


    ¡°Swords¡­?¡±


    Sora gave Nic an evil grin as he spread his arms out over the identical sword still on the table. Nic quickly looked at Yuuki who simply shook her head in confusion. Just like him, she wasn¡¯t sure what Sora was talking about.


    ¡°Well, I have a perfectly good sword here that I had made in case the magical implementation of the first one went wrong. And you said that you had born magic as well. I would love to see what this one is like. In return, I¡¯ll give you this sword for free.¡±


    Nic¡¯s runny mouth was coming back to bite him in the ass. His heart was beating faster as he tried to think of a good way to turn down the offer.


    He nervously looked towards Aria with his eyes, only to find her sighing as she held her head in one of her hands. She reached over and grabbed one of Yuuki¡¯s hands before pulling her away.


    ¡°Come on, Yuuki! I think we should give them some space, yea.¡±


    ¡°Whaaaat?! But I want to see Nic¡¯s born magic!¡±


    ¡°Look, he gets nervous using it around others, just let it be. You can see it later¡­ maybe¡­¡±


    Pulling the fighting swordswoman away, Aria gave Nic a final wink to let him know that it would be okay for him to use it. Seeing that, Nic shrank inwards. He didn¡¯t want Sora to see him use his magic either.


    ¡°Nervous in front of a crowd, huh? Never would have pegged you as someone who had a fear like that Mr. Healstry.¡±


    Sora gave him a smile as he talked. If looks could kill, Nic was sure that the smile would at least seriously harm him if he wasn¡¯t careful.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ I just, look I¡¯ll do what you want, but you can¡¯t say anything about my magic or what the jewel looks like afterward. As long as you are fine with that, we can continue.¡±


    Sora nodded.


    Nic let out a long breath. He reached out and put a single finger on the gemstone. He closed his eyes and reached out. He knew what it was like to absorb Irradiation from another being. He remembered how he had done it before. So he reached out and pulled. Anything in front of him.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. Just continue doing that for a bit.¡±


    Plink. Plink. Plink. Sora¡¯s tiny hammer started repeatedly hitting the metal casing, bringing it in around the jewel. If Nic just focused on that, he would be fine.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ an interesting color¡­¡±


    Plink. Plink. Plink. Nic was unsure of how long it had been. It felt like ages, but Nic was sure it had only been maybe a minute in terms of time.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re done.¡±


    The Plinking stopped as Sora spoke up. Nic opened his eyes and looked down at the jewel beneath his finger. What had once been a slightly opaque, clear crystal was now pitch black. It was even hard to see the shape of the Jewel. If the rest of the blade wasn¡¯t relatively lighter colors, Nic would have mistaken the jewel for nothingness.


    ¡°You know, I have never once seenmagic that is just black. What kind of magic do you have?¡±


    Nic wasn¡¯t surprised by the color himself. After all, Irradiation appears as black when it is visible. But to see it this black was astounding.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know¡­ Or well, more accurately, if you learn, then it¡¯s already too late for you.¡±


    Nic gave Sora a grave warning as he took the now-sheathed second sword from the smith. With both in hand, he swung them both over a shoulder before motioning to the flap that acted as a door for the building.


    ¡°Shall we go meet Yuuki and Aria?¡±


    Sora nodded and quickly cleaned up his work area. Or at least the immediate area they were in. Some of the places would need a dedicated cleaning time later.


    ¡°I still need to get the payment for the one sword from Mrs. Ito. Follow me, Mr. Healstry.¡±


    Sitting outside of the blacksmith were the two women, waiting on them. When they saw Nic and Sora come out, they rushed over. Aria quickly took place at Nic¡¯s side and looked up at him. Her gaze was asking whether everything was alright.


    Nic simply nodded and grabbed her hand. His heart was pounding a million times a minute. He needed to calm down, and her warm hand was the quickest way for him to do it. Aria seemingly understood what Nic was doing as she squeezed his hand lightly. The pressure helped soothe Nic¡¯s heart even more.

 Chapter 15: Dreams

    Aria was waiting in the hallway connecting every dorm suite, including her own team''s dorm. Nic and Yuuki had headed inside to put the two swords away. Aria wasn¡¯t upset about Yuuki sidetracking their plans for the day, especially after seeing what it was for.


    But the pain in her chest was eating away at her.


    Seeing Nic try so hard the past seven months, all to cultivate in him coming out of a test period majorly passing had made her want to spoil him, even if just a bit.


    But more than that, she wanted to be by his side. That was the true pain she felt. Even if it was selfish of her, she wanted a day with just the two of them. She wanted to feel the heat of his body next to hers. To feel the roughness of his hands that calmed her every time.


    How many times had she told him how she felt? Too many times for him to not know.


    She had even kissed him, albeit under extreme circumstances that caused Nic not to remember it.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem you¡¯re having, oh mighty wind princess?¡±


    A highly energetic, sarcasm-filled voice cut through Aria¡¯s thoughts, snapping her back to reality. In front of her, a face cupped by short, light blonde hair and green eyes was staring up at her expectantly, with a bit of a quizzical look in their eyes.


    ¡°Uwah!? Ouch.¡±


    Caught by surprise, Aria took a step back only to bang her head against the wall she had been standing next to. She rubbed the back of her head before looking at the woman in front of her. Standing a bit away was a Racoon clan Demi-human woman with long dark hair and purple eyes that glimmered like gemstones.


    Both of them were wearing dresses that matched their eyes. Each dress matched the personality of the one wearing it. Sarah¡¯s looked far easier to move around in while Kiara¡¯s went for a more prim and proper elegant look.


    ¡°Sarah. Kiara. What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Well, we were on our way to a dinner reservation when we saw Nic being chased by Sarman. You didn¡¯t seem to notice something as big as that so we came to make sure that everything was fine.¡±


    Aria quickly looked around as she heard that Nic was being chased but didn¡¯t see any sign of them.


    ¡°They went that way a minute or so ago.¡±


    Kiara pointed to Aria¡¯s right. Right on cue, a loud scream could be heard echoing down the hall before Nic appeared running past the intersection of hallways at the end. Following close behind him was Sarman who had already gotten out a flaming weapon and was trying to hit Nic for some reason.


    Aria was about to start running down the hallway herself when Sarah jumped in front of her.


    ¡°Woah Woah Woah. Hold your horses and let the boys wear themselves out. Unless you two had somewhere you were going to be yourselves?¡±


    ¡°We were going to have dinner at a restaurant ourselves.¡±


    When Aria told the two of them the name of the restaurant, a gleeful smile appeared on Sarah¡¯s face. She bounded into the dorm room next to them, searching for Yuuki.


    Sarah and Kiara just so happened to be going to the same restaurant. When Sarah reappeared, the two dragged Aria along with them.


    ¡°I told Yuuki to let Nic know to just come to the restaurant if he comes back here.¡±


    ¡°But why do I have to go with you two?¡±


    Aria wanted to walk to dinner with Nic, not Sarah and Kiara. She didn¡¯t hold anything against them, she just wanted to be with Nic that much.


    ¡°Oh, come¡¯on. You had a scary face back there when you were thinking. I just wanna know what that was about.¡±


    Aria averted her head. Why did she have to go through this conversation? Why did everyone have to get in the way of her spending time with Nic?


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s back! What¡¯re you thinking right now?¡±


    ¡°Why¡­ Why do I need to talk to you about this?¡±


    At this point, the three of them had exited the building they were in and were now walking down the path to the university grounds entrance. The setting sun bathed them in its warm orange glow. Aria felt out of place standing next to the two dressed up women.


    While she had tidied herself up and put a bit more effort into her look, it was nowhere near the same amount as those two.


    ¡°You know¡­ I feel like Kiara and I know the rest of your team pretty well.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that-¡±


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Aria began to talk but was cut off by Sarah, who ignored her and continued to talk.


    ¡°Sarman and Master, we¡¯ve known them for a few years now. Both of us know pretty much everything there is to know about them. What they like. What they dislike. Their dreams and aspirations, or lack thereof when it comes to a certain Spirit King. While we¡¯ve known Nic for less time, we¡¯ve spent a lot of time talking. He and I duel quite often as Master¡¯s two pupils. And Nic and Kiara always meet me after the class that they share. We get to talk then as well. I think we both know him pretty well by now.¡±


    You know nothing. That¡¯s what Aria wanted to say. She knew Nic had kept his true name secret from everyone. Without knowing that, all they could know was the facade he put up on a daily basis.


    ¡°But you, Aria¡­ We barely talk to you. Even if we¡¯re in the same place, you only focus on Nic. You barely talk to others.¡±


    Aria stopped in the middle of the street. Sarah and Kiara stopped as well and looked at each other, wondering why Aria had stopped.


    ¡°And¡­? If you¡¯re so buddy-buddy with everyone else, why don¡¯t you just ask them about me?¡±


    Kiara sighed and rubbed her temples with her fingers before speaking up.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to ask the others. We want to hear it from your own mouth.¡±


    ¡°Why!? I don¡¯t know anything about you! So why do you want to know about me?¡± Aria shouted at the two without meaning to. When she realized what she had done, she tried to instantly backtrack her words, only to find the two of them grinning as they stared at her. Kiara was the one that spoke up again.


    ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t we let you know who we are!¡± She moved over and grabbed Sarah¡¯s wrist and pulled her in close. ¡°This is my amazing human fiance, Sarah.¡± She emphasized the fact that Sarah was a human.


    ¡°And this,¡± Sarah reached down and started petting the raccoon tail that wrapped around her waist. ¡°Is my demi-human fiance, Kiara. The love of my life.¡±


    ¡°We were both born twenty-two years ago.¡±


    Aria tried to speak up. A human and a demi-human had vastly different lifespans. For them to already be calling themselves engaged at this young age for Kiara would only spell pain in her future.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably already thinking that something like this is bad for me right? After all, if we were lucky and stayed in Sanum, Sarah would maybe manage to live till one hundred. Meanwhile, I¡¯ll easily live past two, no, three hundred years.¡±


    It was exactly what Aria thought. Even if it was hypocritical of her to think that, seeing as how Nic would most likely die sooner from the natural Irradiation absorption he had.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, Aria!¡± Sarah walked up to Aria and grabbed her hands, covering them with her own. ¡°Once we leave the university, we plan on finding a way to extend a human¡¯s life. Kiara will research it and I will be her beautiful bodyguard!¡±


    ¡°Your¡­ dream¡­? That¡¯s¡­ is that even possible without turning you into a demi-human as well?¡±


    Aria finally got a chance to say something. She was trying to comprehend everything she had just heard. It sounded silly, that dream. But somehow, hearing it made Aria feel like she knew everything she needed to about the two of them.


    ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. We won¡¯t know until we try.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s who we are, Aria. That¡¯s our dream. So? What¡¯s yours? What is it that keeps you getting up every day?¡±


    Her dream?


    She had completed the only dream she knew of; coming back to Sanum. But was that really it? Did she have nothing else that she wanted to do? Was there no one else that she wanted to live for?


    Her heart was shot with pain.


    The answer really was simple. At least for her.


    He was the answer. Her heart¡¯s answer would always be him.


    Of course, how many times had she told him how she felt?


    She had even kissed him. Albeit under extreme circumstances. But it had been her first thought at that moment.


    Ever since that day nearly three years ago when he had first come up to her, his role in her life had only grown. It filled up her life. It captured her heart.


    But there were things that they had to do before she could simply let those feelings overtake her entirety.


    ¡°I¡­ I simply want to be able to live in peace with Nic¡­¡±


    It was really simple, her wish. So much so that she chuckled lightly to herself after voicing it.


    Kiara and Sarah smiled at her as she told them the truth.


    ¡°In that case, aren¡¯t you already there?¡±


    Sarah was the one who asked the question. Aria wasn¡¯t surprised that she thought that. After all, she only knew the facade that Nic put up.


    Aria shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as that. Nic¡¯s family¡­ It comes with a lot of baggage. Until we deal with that baggage, we¡­ well Nic can never truly live in peace.¡±


    ¡°His family? I see. He never talks about his family. I guess that¡¯s the reason.¡± Sarah looked at Aria and gave her a smile. Aria could see a hint of sadness behind it but decided to not say anything.


    As the two were standing there, Kiara patted Aria on the shoulder to get her attention. When Aria looked at her, she was directed to the building in front of them. Without her realizing it, the three of them had arrived at the restaurant already and had been doing all of this in front of it.


    ¡°With all of this out of the way, why don¡¯t we go grab our tables?¡±


    Kiara led the way inside with her offer. Sarah followed behind her while Aria brought up the rear. Kiara tried to get a table for four, but Aria stopped her pretty quickly.


    She was closer to them for sure, but she still wanted to spend the rest of the night with Nic, alone.


    He did appear only a few minutes later. Ragged and out of breath from being chased by Sarman across the dorm building.

 Chapter 16: The Duel

    Sunlight cascaded through the window that made up the arena¡¯s roof, gently lighting up the wooden floor of the room. In the center of the room stood two people, a man, and a woman, facing each other. To their side was a rack containing two wooden swords, nicked multiple times with fractures throughout. The amount of use they had seen in the past six months was more than they had ever seen before that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with a simple spar today Nic. Gotta test just how much you¡¯ve been training these past two weeks since our last session.¡± The woman was the first one to speak between the two of them. Yuuki Ito, the master or teacher between the two. She has spent the past nine months teaching the young man in front of her how to fight with a sword. Like any other day where the two of them trained together, she was wearing simple pants, a loose-fitting white shirt, and her almost signature black beanie covering the top of her head.


    ¡°Um, ah! Can we actually, uh, try a spar with actual swords today?¡± Her student, Nic Verilo, spoke up as he raised his right hand to stop her. Like Yuuki, he was wearing regular pants, though he had a light jacket over his shirt. In his left hand, he had a sheathed sword which he slightly lifted as he asked his question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°I know you never duel anyone with actual swords but please, can we spar with them today?¡± Nic took a step closer, cutting off Yuuki mid-sentence.


    ¡°Why do you want to spar with swords this much?¡± Her question was a whisper, barely audible even to Nic only a few feet away from her. He sighed and gave a small shrug as he took a step back.


    ¡°Look, I just want to get a feel for what it¡¯s like using an actual sword. The weight is all different that¡¯s gonna affect how I fight, isn¡¯t it?¡± Nic unsheathed the sword as he was talking and lightly moved it around. The small gem on the hilt of the sword softly glowed green, revealing the weapon¡¯s true nature as a Magic Weapon, capable of using magic-based attacks alongside cutting, slashing, and piercing.


    It had been a few days since the two of them and Aria had gone to get the swords from Sora the smith.


    Yuuki said nothing as she looked at him.


    ¡°If we are doing this, it will be a one hit duel, no fatal attack. Got it?¡±


    Before Nic realized it, Yuuki was standing next to one of the arena¡¯s walls. She slowly reached out and grabbed a long, slightly curved sword off of the wall. He looked at the sword but didn¡¯t recognize what kind of sword it was or where it originated from.


    ¡°What kind of sword is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a katana. They are a type of sword forged in my homeland. If we¡¯re to battle with sharp blades, then I shall face you using this. Prepare yourself, Nic.¡± Yuuki pointed the sword at Nic as she stepped back into the arena proper.


    No words needed to be said as Nic threw his sword¡¯s sheath to the side and got ready for the fight. They now stood on opposite sides of the ring, on guard and waiting for the other to make the first strike. He stood with a standard mid-guard stance while she held a high stance that he had never seen before. Neither side moved as they watched their opponents.


    Nic tried to slow his breathing into a steady rhythmic pace as he stood there. This was his first ¡°real¡± battle with Yuuki. Every time before this had been with wooden swords, but this one was different, this time they had sharp blades. Even if it was a single-hit duel, that one hit would result in actual blood loss and not simple bruises.


    Ba-dump. Ba-dump.


    Nic could hear his own heartbeat as it gradually sped up. His breathing plan had already been thwarted by his excitement for the duel.


    Ba-dump ba-dump. Ba-dump ba-dump.


    His heartbeat continued to get faster. Sweat began slowly trickling down his forehead, nearly distracting him with how slow it was moving.


    Caw.


    The moment that started the duel was a caw from a crow that flew above the roof of the arena. In the blink of an eye, Yuuki had the point of her katana on the floor of the arena. A second later, Nic began his rush toward her. However, something had wrapped itself around one of his legs, stopping him before he could even begin.


    As Nic looked down at his trapped leg, he found a vine growing out of the floor and wrapping itself around his ankle. Quickly swinging his sword down, He cut off the vine. But it was too late. As he looked back towards Yuuki, she was already on top of him, swinging with her katana. Unable to do anything else, he flung himself backward and downwards to the floor.


    The gambit worked and Nic barely dodged the cut, and after tumbling a few feet, he was immediately back up. This time his sword was ready and in front of him, barely blocking the next slash as it came in.


    Yuuki was always holding back.


    It took blocking a single hit for Nic to realize that one simple fact. Every time they had fought before, every spar, every duel, every single time she had held back significantly. Her true strength was far greater than what he had thought. The sound of metal clashing continued to ring out as the master and student clashed blades time and time again. Every block, parry, and riposte that he managed continued to weaken his arms. It wouldn¡¯t be long until he would be unable to even hold his sword anymore. He had to go on the offensive. The only way to do that was to use his sword¡¯s magic ability to hope for a hit.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Nic jumped back, creating a bit of distance between the two combatants. As he did, he slashed through the air three times. With each slash, his sword made a blade of condensed air that shot toward Yuuki. Invisible to a human¡¯s naked eye, the attack should be unavoidable.


    ¡°Huh?!¡± In front of Nic¡¯s eyes, with inhumane speed and feline-like agility, Yuuki dodged every single one of the wind blades.


    Yuuki is the greatest swordswoman of the generation. A saying that Nic had heard daily for nearly the past year. He had always heard it. But now he knew what it truly meant. There was nothing he could do. The gap between them was simply too great. Nic''s guard faltered, and the sword in his hands wavered. His hands were shaking as he thought about the gap between them.


    ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°Get a hold of yourself. You think you can just chicken out of an actual fight like that?¡± Nic¡¯s head snapped up. There was a glint in Yuuki¡¯s eyes that hadn¡¯t been there before. She held her katana horizontally at her waist. A clear sign that she was going in for a horizontal strike. He sucked in his breath.


    ¡°This is my final strike Nic. Block it and you win the duel. Don¡¯t and I win.¡± Nic heard her but couldn¡¯t process what she was saying. There was no way that he could block the attack. There was no path to victory for him.


    Looking at Yuuki again, Nic was about to simply give up when he noticed something that was so small, most people would see it as insignificant. She was going all out. But she had to focus on not killing him. Because of that, she lowered her guard in one area. In every fight she had been in that he had seen, Yuuki always guarded her head. But at this very moment, she wasn¡¯t. Her katana was getting ready to strike his midsection. It was not in a place to deflect any ranged attacks against her head. Especially if she was already committed to an attack.


    ¡°I won¡¯t give up ¡®till the end, Yuuki. I promise you that.¡± Giving his statement, Nic readied himself. His sword was raised, the hilt parallel to his eyes. His right leg was back while his left leg was forward. Yuuki smiled as she readjusted her own stance.


    Ten meters stood between them.


    Yuuki was the first to move, launching herself at Nic.


    7 meters.


    Nic began to move his sword forward, twisting his body with it to give it more force.


    5 meters.


    Yuuki began to swing her sword. At the same moment, the jewel on the pommel of Nic¡¯s sword radiated green. A small condensed bit of air, less than a centimeter in diameter, formed at the tip of his sword.


    4 meters.


    The condensed speck of air shot forward.


    Nic fell to his knees, his sword clanging to the ground in front of him. He was so tired, he couldn¡¯t even stand anymore. Yuuki fell backward hitting the ground in front of Nic, her sword still in her hand. Nic didn¡¯t have a single cut on him. Yuuki had one. Her signature beanie had been blown off by the speck of air. In its place were two feline ears. The left one had a nick at its base, brand new and slowly trickling blood.


    ¡°I¡­ I won!?¡±


    Nic relaxed as he fell onto his butt. His chest heaved as he struggled to steady his breathing.


    Not only was he shocked that he won, but he was shocked at what was on top of Yuuki¡¯s head. And he wasn¡¯t the only one.


    ¡°Nic!¡±


    ¡°Yuuki!¡±


    Two female voices cut in as Kiara and Sarah rushed to Nic¡¯s side. He wasn¡¯t sure how long they had been watching, but he was glad to accept Sarah¡¯s help standing up.


    Kiara stood in front of them, staring at Yuuki with a stupefied expression on her face.


    Yuuki, for her part, was dazedly patting her head, trying to figure out why she couldn¡¯t feel the beanie she always wore. It took her a few minutes before she finally realized where it had gone. When she looked at the three of them in front of her, the two feline ears flattened, almost like it was in embarrassment.


    Before any of them could say something, Yuuki leaped to her feet and ran out of the hall as fast as she possibly could.


    ¡°Yuuki!¡±


    Kiara was the first one to run after her, calling out at the same time.


    ¡°Nic, can you stand on your own?¡±


    Sarah, who had been propping Nic up asked him as she slowly stepped away from him. When he gave her a nod of his head, telling her he could, she fully stepped away and quickly moved towards the entrance to the hall.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll catch up!¡±


    Nic called out to her, telling her to get going. If there was anyone who had a chance at catching up to Yuuki, it was Sarah and not Kiara.


    After Sarah disappeared as well, Nic walked over to the sheath he had thrown on the ground before the duel. Picking it up, he slid his sword into it before slinging it over his back. After that, he walked over to an identically sheathed sword that had a pitch-black gem instead of a green one in it. He swung that one onto his back as well.


    Looking around for the sheath to Yuuki¡¯s blade, he saw that the training hall was empty. He didn¡¯t think that she had had time to grab the sheath before she ran, but apparently, she did.


    With nothing left in the room, Nic began his jog to try and find the other three. His legs were still burning from the duel, so a light jog was the best he could do. He was guided by the sounds of Kiara and Sarah yelling after Yuuki.


    Eventually, he found Kiara leaning against a door to one of the university''s many towers. She was breathing heavily as sweat covered her entire face. When Nic caught up to her, she pointed to the door leading to the tower.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ up there¡­¡±


    Nic leaned in the door and looked up. There was a spiraling staircase leading to the top of the tower, nearly twenty mer high. Looking back at Kiara, Nic knew that she wouldn¡¯t be able to make it all the way up by herself.


    He grabbed her hand, causing her to yelp in surprise. Nic dragged her along with him. He was determined to have her there at the top as well. It took them a few minutes as Kiara had to pause and catch her breath at regular intervals but they finally made it to the top of the tower.


    Sarah was waiting for them by the door, and took Kiara from Nic, letting her rest on one of her shoulders.


    Standing in front of them, leaning up against the wall that marked the edge of the tower, was Yuuki. This tower was one of the highest points in all of Sanum. Because of how high it was, it was easy for the wind to pick up. Yuuki¡¯s hair was flowing in the wind currently passing through.


    Her feline ears perked up as she heard the door close, and the cat tail that had been swishing back and forth stopped in fear.


    ¡°Yuuki¡­?¡±


    Nic took a step forward as he said her name. He heard her take a sharp breath in.


    ¡°...¡±

 Interlude 7: Cats Past

    ¡°Centuries ago, even before the First Irradiated Winter, there was a nation in the East. Kyoku. It mainly consists of a large landmass just a bit off the eastern coast of Kronul, though they also control some areas in the north part of Kronul past the World End Mountains.


    There was a family that grew to be very prosperous in this country. Eventually, they became the leader of the country and were given the title ¡°Shogun¡±. One of the things that made them so powerful was a special type of magic that they had. It was their family''s ¡®Born Magic¡¯.


    The Royal Ice Magic. An ice based magic that was seemingly limitless. Members of the Shogun family were able to create anything they could ever want or need out of Ice. They made swords as sharp and as tough as the strongest steel blades. Armor that blocked attacks from the hardest of hammers.


    This magic was the pride of the Shogun family. The pride of the nation of Kronul. The pride of my ancestors.


    That¡¯s right. The Shogun family was once the Ito bloodline. My blood.


    But one day, five hundred years ago, my ancestor at the time made a mistake. He pissed off a god.¡±


    ¡°A god¡­? Not a Spirit Progenitor¡­?¡±


    The boy listening to her story cut her off with a question. It was one she asked herself countless times.


    ¡°My father always said that it was specifically a ¡®god¡¯. Whether or not that was an actual Progenitor or something else, I don¡¯t know for certain. But I believe that it was something of a higher power than even the spirits. After all, it was this god that rent my family asunder.


    They cursed the Ito family.


    Our Royal Ice Magic was taken from us. Stripped without remorse. And on top of that, the firstborn of every generation will always be devoid of magic. It doesn¡¯t matter how strong the magic of the person who marries into the family is. As the firstborn of my father, I¡¯m a living testament to that curse.


    I can feel the magic still. I can feel it coursing through the air. I can feel it in magic weapons, and use the magical abilities of those weapons. But I will never be able to use magic myself. I can¡¯t learn any magic. I wasn¡¯t born with any. And if a spirit were to try to create a contract with me, they will die.


    The Ito bloodline fell from grace with the populace of Kyoku. We handed off the title of Shogun to a close friend and settled in the role of advisors. Even to this day, my father is still one of the closest advisors to the current Shogun.¡±


    ¡°But why hide this master? Is it because you didn¡¯t want people to be curious about a Demi-Human with no magic?¡±


    One of the other listeners, a hyperactive girl with short blonde hair that had been learning how to sword fight from her for a while now, asked the question that she had been dreading this entire time.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°That¡­ It has to do with my journey to this place. Eleven years ago, when I was seven years old, my father thought that it would do me some good to see the world from a different place. He used his connections as an advisor to the Shogun of Kyoku to get Mr. Chapman to let me stay here in Sanum for a while.


    Once the plans were made, we set out on the long journey. My father didn¡¯t want to risk taking me over the tall World¡¯s End Mountains at my age, so he had our group skitter through the edges of the Dragonsung Wastes.


    While in them, we ran into a group of human bandits. They attacked us just for being Demi-Humans. They¡­ They killed so many¡­ I watched as so many people I cared about¡­ were slaughtered in front of me. I was powerless to do anything about it.¡±


    Her voice quivered. Remembering that day was painful for her. She wanted to curl up and forget it. The blood that caked her clothes. The blood of those that gave their lives to make sure she stayed safe.


    She hadn¡¯t been able to do anything on that day.


    ¡°I was scared. Kyoku doesn¡¯t have many humans living in it in today¡¯s world. It¡¯s mostly Demi-humans. After that attack, I thought that all humans outside of Kyoku thought that way. So I hid my ears. I hid my tail.


    When I got to Sanum, the first people I met were the Chapmans, two demi-humans. I felt safe around them. They wouldn¡¯t hurt me, someone just like them.


    But I was still scared that if another human saw me, then they would attack me again. The Chapmans were understanding and didn¡¯t tell anyone about me. I lived my life as a human, only showing my Demi-Human side when I was in private.


    By the time I realized that Humans weren¡¯t going to attack me, I had already been introduced to so many people. At that point, I became scared to reveal the truth. Scared of being embarrassed about it. I didn¡¯t want people to think that I was some scaredy-cat unwilling to face the truth.


    So I continued to hide it.


    At the same time, I honed my skills with the sword. I trained and trained. Harder than my body was supposed to let me. I became a sword machine. All so that if something like that day ever happened again, I wouldn¡¯t be powerless to stop it.


    So that¡¯s my story. I¡¯m pretty pathetic, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    Yuuki turned around and gave the three people standing there a forced smile. It was self-deprecating and she knew it. She could feel the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.


    She hated herself. She hated how she kept things from others for so long. She hated having to lie about everything related to her.


    This was all she had to show for herself. A broken Demi-Human that couldn¡¯t even show the world what she was.


    ¡°You¡¯re not¡­¡±


    The one person who hadn¡¯t said anything up to this point. The one person that Yuuki had least expected to do anything. She wrapped her arms around Yuuki and held her tight.


    ¡°Kiara¡­?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not pathetic! How could you call yourself that!¡±


    Yuuki was silent. Her eyes were getting blurrier the longer she held them open. Something fuzzy wrapped itself around her waist. It was Kiara¡¯s tail. Yuuki¡¯s own tale feebly wrapped itself onto it, trying to find comfort in it.


    ¡°You were still a child! And you had to watch dozens of people die in front of you the minute you entered a new world. How can that be called patheticness?! That¡¯s only natural!¡±


    Yuuki broke down in Kiara¡¯s arms. No one had ever told her that, not even Sarman. She wasn¡¯t sure if he had abated from doing it out of some sort of concern for her. But at that moment, Yuuki realized that those were the words she needed to hear.


    So she let everything out. She held Kiara close and cried into her shoulder. She wept and heaved until she had nothing left to give.

 Chapter 17: To Save Sanum

    The wind blew across his face as he stared down at the city in front of him. Standing in front of him was the girl who had just revealed her deepest secret, one that she held so close to her heart that only a handful of people knew about it.


    As his eyes drifted towards her, he saw it, the thing she had been hiding this entire time. Swishing behind her was a feline tail, one that Yuuki had kept hidden for so long by wrapping it around one of her legs. On her head were two feline ears that she had kept hidden by wearing all manner of headwear.


    Nic had only found out about it because he had been lucky enough to strike her beanie with a shot from his magic sword in a duel. When it hit, her beanie was thrown off, revealing the feline ears.


    Sarah and Kiara were still embracing Yuuki in a strong hug as the third girl cried her heart out. Nic was staying away from the group hug for a specific reason. It felt wrong for him to join in.


    The girl of the hour, Yuuki, had just revealed a truth that she had kept hidden for over a decade. One that would change how people viewed her once they learned the truth. She was happy that the truth was out. Nic could hear it in her sobs. She was crying tears of joy. Of relief.


    And yet Nic refused to reveal his. Why couldn¡¯t he just come out and say that he was a Verilo? Why was he so scared of the three people in front of him learning the truth?


    As if a higher power had been reading his thoughts, a loud bang echoed across the city, quickly followed by a white flash and then a wave of wind rushing past the four of them at the top of the tower.


    The group hug broke up as everyone looked out at the city of Sanum.


    Nic caught his breath as soon as he saw the city. He could instantly tell where the origin of the sound and light were, but for all of the wrong reasons. Nestled into one of the many districts of the city, a black miasma was spewing forth, slowly spreading across the city.


    Somehow there was a new vortex of Irradiation being created within the city. Nic could tell that it wouldn¡¯t be long before the city was a lost cause. There would soon be too much Irradiation, and the city of Sanum, the first City Nation to be created after the Irradiated Winter, would fall.


    Nic thought he felt someone pulling on his arm, but his body wouldn¡¯t move. If someone was shouting his name, he couldn¡¯t hear it. Every part of his body was focused on the ever-growing Miasma.


    It was far larger than what he could handle.


    Without being able to reliably purify the Irradiation he absorbed, there was a max that he could handle. The new miasma was leaps and bounds over it. There was nothing he could do. Nothing at all.


    ¡°Nic?! Nic!?¡± Yuuki grabbed the collar of Nic¡¯s shirt and shook him until his eyes focused on her face, still stained with tears.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°The flames! Were you not also staring at the flames? There is no one else in this city, no in the world, that can create flames that big and strong except for Sarman. And if he is creating flames that big, then he is fighting someone very powerful. We need to get down there and help him.¡±


    Nic realized that what she was talking about was probably being blocked by the Miasma for him. Not many others could see it, Nic only knew of one other, so it made sense that Yuuki believed him to be looking at whatever was behind it.


    But the one thing she had said that made his gut drop was that Sarman was there. Sarman and Aria were supposed to be together that day. Aria had asked him to help her with something since she knew Nic was going to be held up at the university campus. It was still early enough in the day that if Sarman was there, then Aria most likely was as well.


    At the thought of Aria being in the middle of the miasma, Nic was raring to go in milliseconds. But stopped when he looked back at the city. The black miasma had only grown even larger in the time they had been standing there.


    ¡°Come on!¡±


    ¡°We need to get down there!¡±


    ¡°Nic, let¡¯s go!¡±


    The three of them were standing at the door to the tower stairway. Each one wanted to go out there and help Sarman and Aria fight. But if they did that¡­


    ¡°No¡­ If you three go there, then it will spell your doom.¡±


    Nic couldn¡¯t let them go. He didn¡¯t want them to die. He clenched his fist as he turned to look at the three of them.


    ¡°What¡­? Nic, what are you talking about? What about Sarman? And Aria!?¡±


    Yuuki was the one who responded. She was worried about the two other teammates of theirs out in the city. And it was clear based on her face that she didn¡¯t understand why Nic was saying what he was saying.


    ¡°You three¡­ Sarah, you¡¯re just a normal human. The amount of Irradiation in that area will kill you in an instant if you get too close. Kiara and Yuuki, while you have some innate resistance to Irradiation thanks to being Demi-Humans, you most likely will succumb to it soon after as well.¡±


    The three of them looked at each other. They lived in a city-state, and Irradiation was never around. And yet, Nic was saying that there was enough there that they would all die. It was hard for them to trust him off of that alone.


    ¡°How¡­ How is there Irradiation there? We live in Sanum! The first Irradiation free city-state after the Irradiated Winter three centuries ago!¡±


    Sarah was the one who talked this time. Her voice was strained. Everything he said was scaring her. She didn¡¯t understand it.


    ¡°I need you three to do something for me.¡± Nic ignored her. He didn¡¯t have the time or patience to explain everything to her. Nor did he want to. ¡°Go to Sarman¡¯s father, Ordwell. Find him and pass along a message for me.¡±


    ¡°A message?¡±


    ¡°Tell him that the situation here is far worse than how it was in S-012. Tell him that they need to start an evacuation of the city. I will do my best to take care of what is going on. Yuuki, you go with them. I¡¯m sure that you can get them into any place as the daughter of an advisor to the Kyoku Shogun.¡±


    It was the only way he could think of making sure that the message got to Ordwell. But Yuuki quickly shut down that option.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. Even if I wanted to. I¡¯m just here as an exchange student. I have no power to do any of that.¡±


    The only thing Nic had been able to think of was taken from him in an instant. There was no other way to get the message to Ordwell.


    No, that wasn¡¯t true. There was one option.


    But Nic would have to reveal everything.


    How would they react? Will they hate him when they hear the truth?


    Nic¡¯s chest tightened. He was scared. He thought of each of the three people in front of him as friends. He likes hanging out with them. Sparring with them. And talking with them.


    He was scared that learning the truth would change their relationship.


    But Aria was in danger. So was Sarman. The entirety of Sanum was. He had to suck it up. It was just like when he stepped out in front of Jack Cariatel in S-012. He had to accept that people would learn the truth.


    ¡°Then¡­ In that case¡­ I¡¯ll tell you how to get a guaranteed audience with Ordwell. Just tell them that the message is from me¡­ From Nic Verilo.¡±


    The air froze over. No one said anything.


    Nic stared at the ground in front of him. He didn¡¯t want to look at their faces. He was sure that they hated him. All because of his family name.


    ¡°Does Aria know?¡± Yuuki spoke softly.


    It was a simple question, but it caught Nic off guard.


    ¡°Since before we came to Sanum.¡±


    A hand appeared in front of Nic. He looked up and found two cat ears right in front of his face. Yuuki had a soft smile on her lips. He was about to reach for her hand when he hesitated. And in that hesitation, Yuuki grabbed his hand and wrapped her own around it. It wasn¡¯t quite a handshake, but more of a unifying grasp.


    ¡°Then I will trust you.¡±


    Maybe it was because she had revealed her own secret just before, or it was the time they had spent together over the past half of a year. Yuuki held no fear or hatred in her eyes, only acceptance.


    ¡°Family baggage huh?¡±


    ¡°Aria really was spot on with that.¡±


    Standing at the doorway still were Sarah and Kiara. They both wore strained smiles on their faces. For them, it wasn¡¯t so easy to trust someone that called themselves a Verilo, but they would try. They had spent far too long with Nic to throw it all away over something so small.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take care of getting the message to Sarman¡¯s father. You two go help Sarman and Aria. And if Yuuki starts to get Irradiation Sickness, then I will blame you Nic.¡±


    The two of them disappeared down the staircase, leaving Nic alone with Yuuki at the top of the tower.


    ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be counting on you, Nic.¡± Yuuki sped past him, taking the lead as they ran down the stairs.


    The tower stairs led straight down to ground level, and by the time they were out of it, Nic had moved one sword from his back to his waist like usual. The two quickly found out that every outdoor section of the university was filled with students and professors alike as they stared at the distant commotion.


    Pushing their way through the crowds, Yuuki and Nic eventually made their way to the entrance of the university. The streets of the city outside the campus were no better. It seemed like every person had gotten out of their house to see what was going on. Many simply stood in the middle of the streets, blocking Yuuki and Nic¡¯s way past.


    But they were simple enough to get around. The ones that caused them the most trouble were the people who instantly began to panic. Anyone who was not standing still was seemingly running in the opposite direction as them. This caused them to slow down much more as they had to actively navigate past the scared civilians so that no one got hurt.


    Somehow, despite all of the crowds, Nic found that they were steadily getting closer to the Miasma. And it showed in the people they passed as well. More and more of the people that they passed were showing signs of Irradiation sickness. And Nic could see that they were radiating the black miasma off of themselves now too.


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    ¡°University Guy!¡± A loud voice called out to Nic as he ran through one of the streets. A familiar guy ran up to Nic, who was having trouble putting a name to the face. ¡°Oh, uh, it¡¯s me, Jax. You healed me during the festival¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Jax, you¡¯re here as well? It¡¯d be best for you to get out of here as fast as possible.¡±


    As Jax told Nic who he was, Nic remembered him. He had absorbed some Irradiation from the man around the time of the festival a few months prior.


    ¡°About that, I saw the same man inside the city recently! I think he is the cause of this.¡±


    ¡°Same man?¡± Nic had no idea who Jax was talking about.


    ¡°The guy that I got close to before getting Irradiation Sickness.¡±


    A truth that Nic had never heard about before was revealed. The same person was seemingly responsible for both incidents of Irradiation inside the City-State. If that were the case, this might have been a targeted attack.


    But was it aimed at Sanum, or at Nic?


    ¡°Got it. You get away from here. As far as possible. And take anyone you can with you.¡±


    Jax nodded to Nic before running off. He grabbed an older lady and helped her as well as he was leaving.


    Nic turned and raced to catch up with Yuuki. When he did, he saw some black veins on her already. He reached out and grabbed her shoulder. When he did he activated his absorption and absorbed the Irradiation out of her.


    ¡°What did you just do?¡±


    ¡°What I can do. Absorb the Irradiation out of you.¡±


    It was almost too much for him. The constant strain as his body naturally began absorbing Irradiation began to affect him externally. Black veins were peeking out from under his clothes, growing longer every second. If he didn''t do something soon, he was bound to begin feeling sick.


    His vision grew darker with every step. His stomach began to churn as he got closer. He could feel the sickness coming, yet he pushed forward; fueled by his desire to save Aria.


    "...."


    Nic was stopped by something. He thought someone was talking to him, yet he couldn''t remember who the voice belonged to. He fell to his knees. Was his body covered in black veins? He couldn''t tell anymore. He couldn''t see anything. He was alone in a void created by the Miasma.


    Rocks continued to fly at them at high speeds. How many did this make? Aria couldn''t remember. The man firing them, Jack, had been relentless in his attacks, and Sarman and Aria were barely holding onto their lives. Every rock seemed faster than the last. Aria¡¯s wind no longer was able to swerve them off target. Sarman¡¯s fire was no longer able to hit them accurately.


    The two jumped behind a nearby building as an especially large rock struck where they had been moments prior. In its wake, a crater had formed. What was a popular street to hang out in with friends had been reduced to smoldering ruins. The bodies of civilians that were caught up in the initial attack were scattered like flies on rotten food.


    "Just bring out Verilo and all of this bloodshed can be stopped." Jack called out as Aria and Sarman caught their breath.


    "How many times do we have to tell him that the Verilos aren''t in this city? There''s no way my father would let one in."


    Aria stayed quiet, unable to speak. She knew that there was one in the city, and Mr. Chapman had been the one to let him in, whether he knew it or not. But as long as Nic didn¡¯t show up, they should eventually be able to bring Jack down.


    As long as he didn''t arrive.


    She could fight until Jack died.


    She rushed out and contorted the wind around Jack. Her goal was to suffocate him. If nothing else, it would allow the police force in Sanum to capture him.


    Sarman also jumped out, a flaming spear in his hand as fire covered his body like armor. He chucked the flaming spear at Jack before creating another one instantly.


    But Jack was ready. He flung a bigger boulder at the flaming spear, stopping it in its tracks. The boulder continued so Aria switched to slowing it down. She condensed the air in front of it, causing it to significantly slow. In that time, they fled back behind the house they had been hiding behind this entire time.


    "Yuuki?! What are you doing- No scratch that, what happened to Nic?" Hearing Sarman say his name caused Aria to snap her head to look towards the other end of the building. Standing there was a person that¡­ definitely looked like Yuuki, yet she was a cat person, something that the Yuuki she knew was not.


    The thing that stopped Aria¡¯s heart was the person that the Yuuki look-alike had leaned on her shoulder. Nic was limply being held up by her. He didn''t look like he could even walk, as his feet seemed to be being dragged behind them. But covering his body were black veins. Irradiation, and a lot of it at that.


    "Drop him immediately and stand back." She gave quick instructions to the Yuuki look-a-like as she ran up to Nic, grabbing him as he fell to his knees. As she gently set him down she began checking for his pulse. It was very weak, but she was able to feel one. Sighing in relief, she began lightly slapping his face, hoping to get some reaction out of him


    "Hey, Nic, wake up. What happened? How did it get this bad?"


    "I can''t answer all those questions myself, but for the second one, it happened while we were running here.'''' Yuuki spoke up to answer one of the three questions.


    The answer was quite simple really. It was all that the Yuuki look-alike could respond with. Yet it told Aria plenty. If she didn¡¯t know what exactly had happened, then he hadn¡¯t told her the truth yet. But the worrying part was that it happened while they were walking. Based on how she had responded, it seemed like Nic hadn¡¯t stopped for anyone. If that was the case, then the area they were in was heavily Irradiated again.


    ¡°Aria, I-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak like you know me. I have no idea who you are.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ you do. It¡¯s me, Yuuki,¡± She paused for a second as Aria whipped her head around to look at her. Yuuki¡¯s ears had flattened against her head and she was looking away in embarrassment. ¡°This¡­ this is who I really am.¡±


    The first truth was spilled to the last person. Aria tried to say something, but it caught in her throat. The friend of hers from so long ago, one she believed she was close to, had kept her in the dark about something so significant for so long. Aria couldn¡¯t talk. She couldn¡¯t make sense of the feelings swirling around her gut as she simply stared at Yuuki. But she knew one thing. She and Nic had done the same exact thing. So it wasn¡¯t really fair for Aria to continue to be upset about it.


    ¡°Yuuki! I thought you wanted to keep it a secret!¡± Sarman¡¯s voice rang, stirring Aria to stand up.


    ¡°Nic found out during our duel earlier. It doesn¡¯t feel right to leave Aria out of the loop now, does it?¡± Aria slowly laid Nic up against a nearby wall. His two swords were still attached to his person, so she undid them and set them down next to him.


    ¡°I¡­ We will discuss this later. Right now, Nic¡¯s life is in danger, and I believe the source is Jack. He¡¯s the only anomaly in the city right now, so he¡¯s most likely to be responsible for the increase in Irradiation in the city.¡± Aria had stood up to face her two friends again. She knew her words would spark confusion in them, and was prepared for any response.


    ¡°Irradiation? How do you know that?¡± Sarman¡¯s response was laced with malice. Aria knew that he was already connecting the dots in his head, even before his sentence had finished.


    ¡°Nic was saying the same thing. So there really was someone causing it.¡± Yuuki spoke up before Aria. What she said made Aria realize that Nic had said more to her than she initially thought.


    ¡°The black veins under his skin. They are caused by increased exposure to Irradiation. It¡¯s caused by his heightened absorption of the stuff.¡±


    ¡°Higher absorption? Why does he have that?¡±


    ¡°We will talk about that later, when his life isn¡¯t in danger.¡± Aria was nearly in his face. She wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer, something that Sarman could clearly see. He hesitated a moment, wavering in his decision, before stepping back a step.


    ¡°Fine. But if I don¡¯t like what you say, I will burn him myself.¡±


    Quickly turning back towards the entrance to the alley that they had entered through, he readied a flaming spear he had summoned in the blink of an eye. Almost as if on cue, the building they were behind exploded, causing the stone that made up the wall to shotgun out, hitting everyone.


    Not allowing a hint of fear to show across her face, the cat drew her sword, its blade long and slightly bent, a staple hint of her homeland. Before Aria or Sarman had even recovered, Yuuki was clambering over the ruined house, and as she reached the peak of the rubble, she stopped and pointed her sword at Jack.


    ¡°If you will not stand down, Jack Cariatel, then you leave me no choice.¡±


    ¡°That voice, Lil¡¯ Yuuki? But you don¡¯t¡­ You must¡¯ve been hiding the truth then¡­ It matters not, if like Sarman, you stand against me in protecting that man, then I will have to mur-¡± His sentence was cut off by the appearance of vines winding themselves around his arms and legs, holding him in place.


    Atop the rubble, the sword in Yuuki¡¯s hand was now stuck into the rubble, with Yuuki grasping its hilt to the point that her knuckles were white. She wouldn¡¯t let go of the hilt, not until the other two had joined the attack. She may not be able to use magic like Aria and Sarman, but the sword that her mother had given her, was a magic weapon, just like Nic¡¯s swords. It had been made using her mother¡¯s own magic, the power to control flora in the world. Right now she was using it to capture Jack in vines in order to hold him still.


    Aria could see just how much Yuuki was struggling against her sword. For a non-magic user to hold the ability of a magical weapon for so long must have been taxing on the body. Though if Yuuki was a demi-human like she seemed to be she should¡¯ve had some sort of born magic. Aria had something else she wanted to talk to Yuuki about later now. But first, they had to survive.


    ¡°It must be hard holding him by yourself, Yuuki, so¡­ Let me join you. It¡¯ll be just like old times when we would work together to hold down Mr. Chapman together, won¡¯t it?¡± Aria climbed up the hill to stand next to her friend. The childhood friend she, just a few months ago, thought she would never see again. Aria¡¯s brown hair was dancing in the wind like it always did when she used her wind magic.


    ¡°Yea, just like old times. So now we need Sarman to deliver the big final blow, huh Aria?¡±


    Aria smiled at her old friend next to her. Her long black hair, which Aria had always found beautiful, but was sad it was always hidden by a hat of some sort, now sported a pair of cat ears near the top. Somehow, seeing them, Aria¡¯s felt peaceful, despite the fact that they were holding down someone who wanted to kill them.


    She quickly turned her head around to look at her other childhood friend, who was only just now standing up from the house explosion.


    ¡°So, you think you can do the honors Sarman?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only gonna knock him out. Questioning him later would be more beneficial for the city.¡± A sound response came from him. But Aria knew that¡¯s just how he was. When it came to matters that involved Sanum, Sarman was dutiful in his role as the Head Minister¡¯s son.


    A flaming spear was already in his hands as he strode past the pile of rubble that once was the house. He raised the spear, holding it above his shoulder like a javelin, ready to throw it at Jack from a safe distance. Before he did, however, he pleaded with the man one last time.


    ¡°Will you give up quietly Jack? If you do, I can ask my father to let you off with a light sentence. You¡¯ve done so much for this city in the past, don¡¯t throw it all away for nothing!¡±


    ¡°Why are you stopping me Sarman? If anything, you should be on my side. That boy¡¯s family killed my parents.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Sarman hesitated. Aria was having trouble holding down the air near Jack and needed Sarman to attack now.


    ¡°Your mother was killed in the same way my parents were! Weren¡¯t their killers the same people? So you should be wanting to kill the Verilo boy as well!¡±


    The truth had been revealed to her two childhood friends. Aria readied herself for the shock and betrayal from the two of them.


    ¡°Sarman¡­ Even if Nic is a Verilo, he is still our teammate! We can¡¯t just throw that away because of a family name!¡±


    But defying her expectations, the friend next to Aria yelled at Sarman. She was still on Nic¡¯s side.


    After all, She had already known.


    But to Sarman, it was a betrayal of his very being. His face contorted with anger as the flaming spear was sung at Aria instead of Jack.


    She was forced to jump back while letting go of her hold on the air around Jack. She landed close to Nic¡¯s body.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    Aria snapped her head up as Yuuki cried out. The flaming armor around Sarman had disappeared as he used his size to catch Yuuki in a large hug. Even as she tried to fight back to get out, the sheer size difference between the two of them rendered her attacks useless.


    Jack sneered as he walked by them uninterrupted.


    The only person between him and Jack was now Aria. She prepared herself to fight him alone. If he simply used the same attacks she had seen him use for minutes now, she would be fine.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    What she hadn¡¯t been expecting was the black coil that appeared in Jack¡¯s hand. When he swung it at her, it extended like a whip and wrapped itself around her leg.


    But instead of pulling her back, it went through it.


    Her body rejected everything. She could feel her stomach turning upside down. The leg it passed through went numb as Aria fell to her hands and knees. She reached down and pulled her pant leg up.


    The veins in her leg had grown black.


    The black coil once again wrapped itself around her body. This time she fell to the ground. Her entire body was covered in black veins.


    She had seen something similar just a little bit ago.


    What was it?


    What couldn¡¯t she remember?

 Chapter 18: To Save This Dream

    Dark.


    Never-ending.


    A void.


    No, not a void.


    Nic could still feel the ground he sat on and the wall he sat against.


    But he couldn¡¯t see it.


    He couldn¡¯t see anything.


    Everything was gone because of the Irradiation.


    Everything was gone because he couldn¡¯t stop it.


    This is where his story ends.


    I¡¯m sorry Aria. I¡¯m sorry that this is where it ends. I just hope that you can live on¡­


    ¡°Why are you saying you¡¯re sorry, she¡¯s the one at fault here isn¡¯t she? If she hadn¡¯t barged in when the past me was helping you unlock your true magic, you probably would be able to save Sanum from this guy.¡± Before Nic stood the image of a single person. He had only seen an image of them once, that time also in his mind.


    How¡­? Why are you here now?! Why didn¡¯t you do anything sooner?! Answer me, NOAH!


    ¡°But am I really here?¡±


    Huh?


    ¡°What if I¡¯m just a figment of your imagination, created from your very few memories of Noah Verilo? What would you do then? What would you say?¡±


    Screw off. If you have nothing helpful to say to me, or any way to get me out of this, then screw off. I don¡¯t need to listen to you.


    ¡°Hmmmmm. In that case, I¡¯ll only say this: If you want to save her (which I really don¡¯t think she deserves) then you need to make peace with what your dream is.¡±


    My dream? It¡¯s to¡­ to free the world from what you did so that I can live without the stigma you gave our family name.


    ¡°Bzzzt. Wrong. Those were some nice, selfish words there, but that¡¯s not the truth is it?¡±


    What do you mean? That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s the truth I gave you last time! How can it not be the truth now?


    ¡°Tell me, Nic, what¡¯s your light?¡±


    The image of Noah Verilo faded, and in its place was a small green blob. Nic had seen it before. Of course, he had. The blob had been with him since Nic and Aria had been on that hill.


    It was his tie to Wind Magic.


    It was his tie to Aria.


    It was his tie to her dream.


    It was his tie to her light. The light he loved.


    Aria¡­


    He reached out for the light, trying to grab it. As he did, his hand wrapped around something. A cylinder that felt like it was leather bound.


    The world returned to his eyes.


    The destruction of the house in front of him.


    Yuuki, embraced by Sarman on a pile of rubble in front of it.


    Aria face down on the ground in front of it.


    The black miasma rising from their bodies.


    The black miasma rising all around him.


    In his hand was a sword with a black jewel in its hilt. As he held it, strands of black miasma left his body and entered the jewel. Nic realized what happened.


    Magic feedback loops.


    Since his magic was imbued in the sword, by wielding it in his hand, he was causing the magic feedback loop to affect his absorption of Irradiation, and the jewel was siphoning it out of his body.


    He slowly got up, his other sword clattering onto the ground where he had been sitting.


    He walked over to Aria, whose body was covered in black veins. He kneeled down and put his hand on her back, absorbing most of the Irradiation in her body.


    ¡°How are you¡­?¡±


    Standing in front of him was the same man he had faced in S-012. He looked a bit more rugged than back then, and the black blade in his hand was brand new. But he was still the Hunter, Jack Cariatel.


    ¡°I heard you had escaped soon after we arrived, Jack. I never thought this would be your next action.¡±


    Nic held up his sword and pointed the tip at the man in front of him. Jack swung his own sword at Nic, but the instant the two blades touched, Jack¡¯s was absorbed into Nic¡¯s.


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    ¡°What!? That sword¡­ A magic weapon!? HAH! So that¡¯s how it will go today. Well, kid. It¡¯s not too late for you to sit down and die. Just like how your parents killed mine, I will kill you!¡±


    A rocky spear appeared in Jack¡¯s hand. He swung it at Nic, who parried the attack, knocking it to the side. He hadn¡¯t been sitting around doing nothing for the past eight months. He had been training. He knew how to fight now.


    The two entered into a fast bout of strikes, but Nic was able to block or dodge every one that Jack sent at him. Nic was moving fast enough, and hard enough, that he had Jack on the backpedal.


    The two of them passed by Sarman and Yuuki and entered the square that Jack had initially been fighting Aria and Sarman in.


    Their exchange grew fiercer.


    Nic was giving his all. His muscles screamed at him in pain while his lungs were on fire. He was pushing himself far further than he should.


    A small green blob appeared behind him. It sent wind his way, hoping to revitalize Nic. But it did little to help the situation.


    From one of the other entrances to the square a group from the police force arrived. When they saw that Nic was fighting with Jack Cariatel, a hunter widely known in the city of Sanum, they lowered their guards. Nic didn¡¯t know if they saw the massive black tendril being flung at them.


    But he wouldn¡¯t let it hit them. He ran, breaking the limit of his body. There was a metallic taste in his mouth. But he wouldn¡¯t let more be infected.


    Nic swung his sword at the large tendril and as his sword passed through it, the entire thing was absorbed into the sword, and into Nic.


    He stopped in front of the men. When he cut the tendril, it seemed like they had realized what was going on.


    ¡°You¡¯re a university student, right? We¡¯re sent by Minister Chapman. We¡¯ll take it from here. Get back!¡±


    One of the men, presumably the leader, tried to step in front of Nic but was stopped as Nic swung his sword through another tendril. A third tendril followed mere seconds after.


    ¡°You¡¯re the ones that need to go!¡± Nic shouted at the man as he intercepted another three Irradiated tendrils. ¡°Help with the evacuation. You will die if you try to fight Jack.¡±


    The man was going to talk back but was forced quiet as Nic danced around in front of the entire squad, stopping five different Irradiated tendrils that were coming in at different angles.


    The metallic taste had only grown stronger as he felt something slip out of his mouth while he struggled to breathe. Black blood hit the ground beneath him.


    Even with his sword and the magic feedback loop, there was a limit to how much Nic could absorb at one time. Without the ability to purify Irradiation, Nic was coming up on that limit again.


    He heard the people behind him move their feet. As the sounds got more distant, he focused back on Jack. He ran at him. With each step he took, his body groaned. His blood boiled and his lungs were ablaze in an inferno of pain.


    He swiped right and left with his sword countless times. Each one absorbed an Irradiated tendril sent by Jack. With every tendril that he absorbed, Nic grew more sluggish.


    When Nic finally reached Jack, all it took was Jack hitting him with an earthen-made weapon to send him flying to the ground.


    ¡°Is that all? You sure put up more of a fight last time. Whatever, I guess that makes my job easier.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Not¡­ Done.¡± Using his sword to support him, Nic slowly stood back up. He wobbled on his feet, almost falling down multiple times. In front of him, Jack was standing there, surrounded by as much Irradiation as Nic had ever seen.


    ¡°You can barely stand! Of course, you¡¯re done for. And once you¡¯re dead, I¡¯ll kill those three over there. When you are all taken care of, all I¡¯ll have to do is cover this entire town in Irradiation, escape, and tell everyone you were the one who did it. Of course, as a Hunter, I valiantly stopped you, but was unable to save the innocent people caught in the crossfire!¡± Jack flung his arms in the air as if he was presenting some masterful plan.


    ¡°Why¡­? Why blame it on me?¡±


    ¡°Why? Because you¡¯re a Verilo! You¡¯re the villain of this story. Your family always has been and always will be. No matter what happens, a Verilo can never be free.¡±


    ¡°What is your light, Nic Verilo?¡±


    The voice of his ancestor rang in his head again.


    ¡°Not until the transgressions of your ancestor have been paid for. And they will never be paid for. So you can never be allowed freedom. That¡¯s just how it goes.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I¡­¡± Nic was whispering, yet Jack had heard him and stopped talking.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to lose you. When Mr. Chapman said I had to make your body feel intense emotions, it was the only thing I could think of to do¡­ Nic, promise me something. Don¡¯t even go near a person with Irradiation Sickness. Not until you can purify it yourself.¡±


    As he remembered what Aria had said, Nic couldn¡¯t help but look over. She was still lying on the ground. She hadn¡¯t awoken yet.


    ¡°I¡­ I simply want to be able to live in peace with Nic¡­¡±


    It was something that she hadn¡¯t said to him. In fact, he was sure that she hadn¡¯t even known that he was nearby when she said it. He had never told her how he felt in response.


    A sigh escaped Nic¡¯s lips as he looked back at Jack.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I know that. My dream is the same as hers. We will fight until we can reach that place¡­¡±


    ¡°Dream? Hah! You don¡¯t get a dream. You¡¯re gonna die here and now as payment for your parents killing mine twenty-one years ago.¡±


    ¡°Twenty-one¡­?¡± Nic caught onto that timeframe. It was before he was born, sure, but that also meant that it had to happen in a specific place. ¡°You¡¯re wrong Jack. My parents didn¡¯t kill yours. They were still living at the base of the World End Mountains and your parents were killed just outside of this city, weren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ lying¡­¡± Jack narrowed his eyes at Nic. It was clear that Nic was saying something that he didn¡¯t want to hear.


    A wild swing came at Nic, but he stepped back. He dodged it while putting some distance between the two of them.


    His vision began to darken. He had absorbed enough Irradiation that he would soon be back in that void. But he couldn¡¯t go yet. He had one thing he had to do before then. He couldn¡¯t purify the Irradiation inside his body. Instead, he would absorb as much as he could from the surrounding area.


    ¡°Buddie, are you there?¡± Responding to the whisper that barely made any sound, the small green blob moved to Nic¡¯s shoulder.


    It would most likely be his final gamble. He had to repeat what he did back then. He had to hope that Aria would wake up. He had to hope that Sarman, Yuuki, and her would be able to defeat Jack while he absorbed the Irradiation. He had to hope that Aria would be able to activate the purification abilities within him again.


    As if understanding what Nic wanted to do without any words, more green blobs of varying sizes began to appear around Nic. The wind began shifting, moving towards the palm that Nic held out. As the green orbs flew through the air, the Irradiation in everything was pulled out and sent toward his hand.


    Jack instantly recognized what had happened and tried to attack Nic with the Irradiation he controlled. Every tendril was quickly caught in the wind and brought to his hand. When Jack realized Irradiation attacks wouldn¡¯t work, he tried to punch Nic physically. The green orbs created a wall and blocked the attacks from reaching their target.


    Soon, a vortex of wind had surrounded Nic. His vision was rapidly disappearing. He was about to lose consciousness. He willed his body to keep what it was doing, no matter what happened to it.


    ¡°Aria, please, save this dream.¡± Before he completely succumbed to the void, Nic let out one last whisper. A cry to Aria. One he knew would never reach her.


    As Nic lost consciousness, the original green blob had been right in front of him. Hearing his master¡¯s final words, he caught them with the wind and flew to the girl they had been addressed to. He flew up to her ear and released the little bit of wind he had caught. He hoped she would hear his master¡¯s words. The only thing he wanted in this world was for his master¡¯s dream to come true.

 Chapter 19: Aerial

    ¡°Aria, please, save this dream.¡±


    Nic¡¯s voice echoed in Aria¡¯s head. Her body was still sore, but she was no longer feeling sick to her stomach. As she opened her eyes and struggled to get up, she looked at her surroundings.


    She was in the alley next to a broken and destroyed house. The square that was directly in front of her had become a warzone. At its center was a black maelstrom, not too different from the one she had seen in S-012. This one was multitudes larger, however. Standing at its edge was Jack Cariatel, trying to punch his way into the maelstrom, but was being stopped by a wall of green blobs.


    Standing between the Irradiated maelstrom and Aria were Sarman and Yuuki. Sarman had Yuuki locked in his arms still but was seemingly starting to loosen his grip.


    ¡°Aria! Nic, he¡¯s in the storm!¡±


    Aria barely heard Yuuki as she called out to her. Instead, her focus was being drawn behind her. Sitting on the ground was a sheathed sword. In its crossguard was a green gemstone.


    She limped over to the sword and grabbed it off of the ground. When she grabbed hold of the hilt, the magic within her and the gemstone synced up. The magic feedback loop had started. Aria¡¯s control over the wind grew even greater. She could feel each individual stream of air as they rushed towards the Irradiated maelstrom, carrying even more Irradiation from around the city.


    But that wasn¡¯t the only thing that changed when the magic feedback loop started.


    ¡°With this much magic, I should be able to adequately support her even if we can¡¯t communicate.¡±


    She heard an androgynous voice nearby. She had never heard it before. She looked around but saw no one nearby. In fact, it sounded like it was directly in her head.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    Aria held up the sword in front of her as she continued looking around. It was heavier than she thought it would be, but not too heavy for her to hold up.


    ¡°Oh? You can hear me now? And just so you know, I¡¯m talking to you in your head directly.¡±


    The voice chuckled a bit as it answered. It seemed to find her actions funny. But even still, hearing that it was talking directly through her mind made Aria look at the gemstone in the sword, wondering if it was from there.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t think I¡¯m some mere gemstone. Let me at least introduce myself before that point!¡±


    Then introduce yourself?


    Aria simply thought it instead of saying it out loud. The voice seemed able to read her thoughts, so it would probably look a bit more normal to other people if she just thought things.


    ¡°Ah, fair. Ahem. I¡¯m Aerial, the Wind Spirit Progenitor. And I am also the source of your magic.¡±


    Aria froze. For nearly seven years, she had thought she had exceptional born magic. But now she was being told that the entire time, it was simply a one-sided contract with a Spirit Progenitor?


    Knock it off. My magic is my own. No one else''s. And it certainly isn¡¯t yours.


    ¡°Oh? And what proof of that do you have?¡±


    It was a question that Aria had no answer to. She simply wanted to believe that it was true. She lowered the sword in her hands as it got heavier the longer she held it up. The sword¡­


    The sword! That¡¯s my proof. Spirits can¡¯t be the catalyst for magic weapons. So my-


    ¡°Let me stop you there. Lesser and Greater spirits can¡¯t, yes. But Spirit progenitors can. In fact, for us it is just like creating a lesser spirit, but we are simply confining it to a metallic body.¡±


    Aerial shut down Aria¡¯s argument quickly. There was no other way to disprove what they were saying. Her only option was to accept the truth.


    ¡°Oh, I should also tell you. Since you couldn¡¯t hear me before, every decision you made was still your own. Every feat of yours still belongs to you. I¡¯m simply your power bank, so to speak.¡±


    Aria sighed before turning back to the Irradiated maelstrom in the square. Jack Cariatel was still trying to smash his way past a barrier of wind spirits to no avail.


    Then let¡¯s test out this expanded power of mine with the sword.


    Aria lifted her hand and felt the air around Jack. In an instant she took it all away, leaving the Hunter in a vacuum. He grasped at his neck as he tried to figure out what was going on. When he saw Aria, he created a large stone and flung it at her with his own stone magic.


    The boulder was bigger than the ones she had struggled with before. But now, as soon as she switched to focusing on it, she was able to stop it and fling it back at Jack, using only the wind around it.


    Next, she swung with the sword. As the sword arced through the air, a blade of wind was shot out from it. It flew towards the hunter at high speeds and was stopped at the last second by the creation of a wall directly in front of him. Aria was about to launch another one when the ground beneath her feet began to rumble.


    Before she knew it, she had been flung into the air by the appearance of a stone pillar directly beneath her feet. She flew up about 20 mer before reaching the apex of the height she would reach.


    ¡°Let me get this.¡±


    Aerial took some control as they condensed the air beneath Aria¡¯s feet. This gave her someplace to stand mid air. Using this to her advantage, Aria began running. With each step she took, Aerial created another platform for her foot.


    Soon she was directly above Jack. Using this as an opportunity to attack, she jumped. She let gravity pull her down as she readied her sword to strike her opponent from above.


    But Aria is not a combat tactician. Her attack had been obvious from the start. So Jack used effortlessly dodged, causing Aerial to have to catch Aria before she slammed into the ground.


    As soon as her feet were on solid ground, she swung again and again. Her swings were wide and unrefined. She hadn¡¯t learned from Yuuki, or Nic, how to fight. Each of her attacks with the sword was predictable.


    And at the same time, Jack was able to counterattack without Aria even noticing.


    ¡°To our right!¡±


    Aerial called out into Aria¡¯s brain. She stopped her attack and looked right, only to find a boulder barreling down on her. She had no time to stop it.


    She was flung backward.


    Aerial had once again used his authority as the Wind Progenitor to have the wind pull Aria out of harm''s way. She landed close to Yuuki and Sarman, and as she stood up, the once massive boulder split into hundreds of small rocks and was sent her way.


    They rushed past her, opening multiple wounds all across her body. Aria had no way to stop it.


    A burst of heat passed over her. Flames covered her vision. When they were done, the rocks had all been burned to ash. Jack was screaming in surprise as vines intertwined themselves around his arms and legs.


    ¡°Aria!¡±


    She looked behind her. Her childhood friends were standing there. Sarman was supporting Yuuki with one arm while the other was extended towards Aria, fires still lapping around his fingers.


    Yuuki, who was being supported by Sarman, was holding her sword into the ground while she coughed up blood.


    ¡°I can hold him for 30, maybe 60 seconds. You have to end this in that time¡­¡± Yuuki coughed up even more blood, forcing her to stop talking.


    ¡°Got it¡­ Yuuki¡­ Sarman¡­ I¡¯ll finish this.¡±


    Aria looked back at Jack, only to find another boulder being hurled at her. She swept it to the side with the wind. It seemed that he was able to still control earthen constructs without touching them, even while bound.


    Aerial, is there any way for us to quickly end this?


    Even without Yuuki giving her a 60-second timeframe, she wanted to finish the fight sooner. Nic was stuck in the maelstrom without the ability to purify the Irradiation he was absorbing. The only way the two of them knew how to activate his ability, and the only way it had been activated in the past, was when she had kissed him.


    She would have to do it again.


    If she waited too long, then he would die from the absorption. So she wanted to end the fight as fast as possible.


    ¡°Not as our connection is now. We would need more magic power. And more importantly, you would need to be fine with this ending with Jack¡¯s death.¡±


    Jack¡¯s death. It was something that Aria thought she was fine with, but hearing Aerial say it, her stomach churned. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was really fine with it after all.


    Is his death the only way?


    ¡°Trying to keep him alive would take too long. You wouldn¡¯t be able to save Nic at the same time.¡±


    She had to choose. Take a life to save Nic, or let Nic possibly die by sparring Jack¡¯s life. When put like that, the choice for her was simple.


    How do we get more magic power?


    ¡°Enter a two-way contract with me.¡±


    A two-way contract. Aria knew about them. It was the second of the two forms of contracts one could have with a spirit. The first, one-way contracts, were commonly found with lesser spirits, as they could not talk back to the human contracted with them. It simply required one of the two parties involved to verbally consent to the contract. A two-way contract was the evolution of that. Both parties consented. It is said that those who enter into two-way contracts are able to use more of the spirit''s power at once.


    That was what Aerial was offering.


    Aria stood up fully. Another boulder was heading straight for her, but it stopped in midair. Everything around her stopped.


    It wasn¡¯t her doing. After all, all of her magic had just left her body. It coalesced in front of her. A transparent green suit of armor made up of the wind. This was Aerial''s physical form. Similar to how Salamander could appear as a flaming lizard.


    ¡°A Spirit Progenitor?!¡±


    Sarman was the one who shouted in surprise, but Aria was sure that all three people watching her felt the same surprise.


    ¡°Aria Towsend, I offer you this contract.¡± Aerial began speaking out loud. Its voice remained androgynous, even in its physical form. ¡°I will give you my power, my strength, and my magic. In exchange, I ask that you support Nic Verilo. Be the pillar he can lean on. The one he can put his faith in. Be the one that he lives his life for. And live your life for him just the same. Those are the stipulations of our contract, do you accept?¡±


    Aria was at a loss for words. She had been expecting something far different than what Aerial had offered.


    ¡°Did I say something wrong? I have risked my own life to support you and him so far. I will continue to do it, as long as you accept the contract.¡±


    Aria didn¡¯t know it, but Aerial was speaking the truth. It had, in fact, risked its very life by allowing Nic to gain access to the memories of his ancestor stored in his blood. Releasing the seal laid there three hundred years ago went against the wishes of Aerial''s creator.


    ¡°I accept the contract.¡±


    In a split second, Aria¡¯s connection to the wind came back. Once again it was even stronger. The wind armor in front of her had moved onto her body, conforming to her skin.


    She was now wearing something she had seen on Sarman multiple times; the armor of the spirit kings.


    ¡°For you, it would be more accurate to call it the Armor of the Spirit Queen.¡±


    Aerial was once again speaking directly to Aria through her head. Aria released the wind that was being held around her. When she did, she directed it all at the stone boulder, smashing it into pieces of dust before blowing them all away.


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    So what kind of plan did you have in mind?


    Aria still didn¡¯t know Aerial¡¯s plan for dealing with Jack, only that it would involve Jack¡¯s death.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be real honest, neither of us are good strategists. At least, neither of us can compare to a trained Hunter. So instead, we¡¯re just gonna hit him hard and fast.¡±


    A single strike. Fast enough that Jack would be unable to dodge. Hard enough that he wouldn¡¯t get back up afterward. And there was only one place to get enough speed to do that.


    So we¡¯re going up?


    ¡°You caught on quickly. Up we go!¡±


    ¡°AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH¡±


    Aria was quickly thrown into the air. She tumbled around as Aerial continued to accelerate her upwards. A small bubble of air formed around her head as she reached heights so high up that Sanum was becoming a small circle beneath her. The temperature had quickly dropped, leaving Aria freezing.


    ¡°I need you to trust me, Aria. Relax your body.¡±


    RELAX?! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO RELAX AT THIS HEIGHT?


    ¡°I will guide your body back down with the wind. All you have to do is make sure that sword is ready to plunge into the Hunter.¡±


    Aria somehow still had the magic weapon in her hand. Listening to Aerial, she gripped it tightly with both hands.


    She reached her highest point and began the descent.


    She had just made a contract with Aerial. She had to trust him. So she relaxed her body, letting it straighten out.


    Her speed increased. It kept increasing the closer she got to the ground. Surprisingly, Aerial was keeping the wild wind from hitting her actual body, keeping her relatively safe.


    Reaching a point mere mer away from hitting the ground, Aerial leveled out Aria¡¯s body. She careened through alleyways and streets, flying directly over the heads of hundreds of people. Aria knew the layout of the city. She was flying almost directly at Jack.


    She pointed the tip of the sword in front of her.


    At the speed she was flying, it only took Aria a second to cover the rest of the distance to Jack.


    He had broken out of Yuuki¡¯s vines.


    But it was too little, too late.


    Aria smashed into Jack. The sword punctured straight into his heart. But she didn¡¯t stop. She couldn¡¯t. Momentum pulled them both forward.


    Aria heard multiple walls shatter as she pushed Jack¡¯s body through them. She wasn¡¯t sure how many they had broken through before they came to a stop. The sword pushed straight through Jack¡¯s heart was stuck in the cracked stone of the wall, pinning the lifeless body to it.


    Aria¡¯s feet hit the floor as she began coughing. Blood splattered across the ground with each cough.


    While she hadn¡¯t been hurt externally, the plan of Aerials had put a lot of stress on Aria¡¯s body in a short timeframe. Because of this, she was suffering from internal bleeding. Her entire body was on fire. She stayed hunched over, coughing and wheezing as she tried to regain her breath. It wasn¡¯t until she felt something warm drip onto her back that Aria stepped back.


    Jack¡¯s blood was dripping from the corners of his mouth. His lifeless eyes were opened in shock. It seems his death had been quick, but not painless.


    ¡°The Hunter is dead.¡±


    But our job isn¡¯t over yet.


    Aria left the sword in Jack¡¯s heart and turned around. She stumbled through the openings in the walls she had created, eventually coming back out into the square.


    The maelstrom that Nic was trapped in was still going.


    Aerial.


    ¡°You plan on going in and kissing him again?¡±


    It worked last time. The likelihood of it working again is our only shot.


    ¡°... Fine¡­¡±


    If Aria had taken a second to actually listen to the Spirit Progenitor, she might have heard the hesitation in its voice. But she didn¡¯t. She marched on into the maelstrom, trusting that Aerial would put up a barrier of wind in time. The barrier was barely off of her skin, but it blocked the Irradiation from reaching her.


    It didn¡¯t take her long to reach the center of the maelstrom. There, standing with an arm outstretched, was Nic. He had black veins running the entire length of his body, from head to toe. Unlike last time, where he had already been unconscious when Aria found him, this time he was still here. His face was contorted in agony, but when he saw Aria walk up to him, it softened. His eyes widened in surprise for a second before going back to how they were.


    ¡°Aria¡­?¡±


    His voice was weak, strained beyond belief. But she heard him.


    ¡°Mhm. It¡¯s me.¡±


    Aria reached out her hand and cupped the side of Nic¡¯s face. Of course, her hand wasn¡¯t actually touching it thanks to the wind barrier, but it was enough for Nic, who leaned his head into it.


    ¡°What about Jack? And Sarman and Yuuki¡­?¡±


    ¡°Everything out there is taken care of. All that¡¯s left¡­ is you.¡±


    Hearing this seemed to relieve Nic as he closed his eyes and took a long, shaky breath.


    ¡°Then I leave that up to you, Aria¡­¡±


    Nic smiled as he told Aria that. Aria herself was trying to stop her heart from beating too fast. She leaned in closer and was about to bring her face in line with Nic¡¯s when a voice in her head spoke up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. There¡¯s only one way.¡±


    In the instant that Aerial spoke, Aria¡¯s body was wracked with pain. It was too much for her to handle. Her vision faded fast. The last thing she saw was her hand, black veins protruding everywhere as Nic¡¯s face contorted in fear slowly.


    ¡°ARIA!¡±


    Nic couldn¡¯t tell how long he had been in the middle of the maelstrom. His existence within it was simply agony. He had far surpassed the amount of Irradiation his body could handle long ago. So now every waking moment he was on the verge of passing out.


    Nic pushed through the pain. He persevered. So when he saw Aria appear before him, he was thankful. Even he knew that the only time his Purification ability had knowingly activated was when she had kissed him before.


    ¡°Aria¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. It¡¯s me.¡±


    She reached out and cupped one side of his face. He let his head fall gently to the side, but he still couldn¡¯t feel the warmth of her skin. She had a wind barrier up so that she could walk through the Irradiation.


    ¡°What about Jack? And Sarman and Yuuki¡­?¡±


    He had left everything to her. To them. While he was happy to see Aria here, he worried about what was happening outside of the maelstrom.


    ¡°Everything out there is taken care of. All that¡¯s left¡­ is you.¡±


    He was the final piece that needed to be taken care of. More accurately, the Irradiation was. And he was the only one who could take care of it. He closed his eyes and breathed out a long sigh of relief. The pain that racked his body seemed to disappear as he thought about everything being over. A smile formed on his lips.


    ¡°Then I leave that up to you, Aria¡­¡±


    She leaned in close to him. He could almost feel her breath as she got closer.


    But before anything could happen, her eyes snapped open in surprise. Nic watched in horror as her veins turned black. She crumpled into his body.


    ¡°ARIA!¡±


    He screamed her name. The pain didn¡¯t matter anymore. Nothing about his body did. He stopped any absorption of Irradiation and fell to his knees as he held Aria¡¯s body close to his.


    He desperately tried to absorb just the Irradiation out of her body, but was unsuccessful. Every time he tried, the Irradiation around them would just seep back into her body.


    There was nothing he could do.


    Why?


    Why?


    Why?


    That was all Nic could think. What had he done to have to watch the one person he loved more than anyone else die in his arms? Why couldn¡¯t his body do what he wanted and purify the Irradiation within him? Why did Aria¡¯s barrier fail?


    He had so many questions and no answers. Something wet was in his eyes. He closed them and let out a long wail.


    The tears poured.


    ¡°WORK DAMMIT! MAGIC WORK!¡±


    In between the sobs, he called out to himself. He called out to his body.


    He wanted to save Aria more than anything else. And yet he cursed his body that wouldn¡¯t do anything.


    Suddenly, like a switch was flipped, Nic¡¯s body grew lighter. At the same time, the maelstrom seemed to grow crazier.


    Nic kept his eyes closed as he cried. He didn¡¯t care about his surroundings.


    A strong wind kept being pulled into Nic, but he didn¡¯t feel it.


    He knew it was there, but paid no attention to it.


    Nic simply cried.


    Something cupped his cheek. It was warm, soft, and familiar. A thumb wiped away the tears in one of his eyes.


    Nic stopped breathing.


    ¡°Nic¡­¡±


    A sweet, angelic voice softly called out to him. He didn¡¯t want to believe what he was hearing. He didn¡¯t want to feel hope, only to have it crushed seconds later.


    ¡°Nic¡­ open your eyes¡­¡±


    Her voice softly called out to him again. Nic did as he was told this time.


    Aria was in his arms, her eyes wide open as she smiled at Nic. The veins that had covered her body just moments ago had disappeared. She was perfectly healthy, well¡­ not perfectly. Her lips were still covered in the remains of her own blood that she had coughed up earlier. Her body had multiple bruises all over it as well. But she no longer had Irradiation running through her veins.


    ¡°How¡­?¡±


    ¡°How do you think, dummy?¡±


    Aria teased Nic as she used her free hand to grab one of Nic¡¯s and pulled it in front of his face. Just like Aria, Nic¡¯s skin was free of black veins.


    In fact, Nic didn¡¯t even hear the noise of the wind that had caused the maelstrom. It had disappeared. In its place was a clear sky speckled with green blobs of all shapes and sizes. A familiar green blob raced down from the sky and landed on Nic¡¯s head.


    ¡°All you need¡­ to awaken born magic is a strong emotional response¡­ Last time it was me kissing you¡­ This time, it was simply your fear of losing me.¡±


    The change Nic had felt in himself, like the flip of a switch, had been him activating the purification ability at last. He was finally able to purify Irradiation whenever he absorbed it.


    ¡°So everything is over now?¡±


    Nic looked down at the girl in his arms. She glanced back up at him expectantly before shaking her head.


    ¡°No, there¡¯s one last thing that needs to be taken care of.¡±


    Aria leaned up and pressed her lips against his. It was Nic¡¯s first kiss that he would remember. Full of the taste of metal. But it was something he would never forget. The two closed their eyes and pulled each other closer.


    ¡°Alright! Break it up! If you want to make out, do it when you¡¯re alone in the dorm or something.¡±


    Sarman¡¯s gruff voice separated the two of them. He was standing in front of them, a beaten and battered Yuuki in his arms. She didn¡¯t seem to be conscious and also looked to have the worst injuries out of any of them on the surface.


    ¡°Yuuki! Is she okay?!¡±


    Nic was worried when he saw her. She had helped him get there, and he felt responsible for dragging her into the mess in the first place.


    ¡°She overestimated her ability to use a magic weapon as someone without magic. In short, she broke some vital components in her body. Components that my feathers can¡¯t heal on their own. She needs to get to an expert fast.¡±


    Nic didn¡¯t know for sure how bad it was, but based on Sarmans explanation, it seemed that Yuuki had pushed herself beyond her capabilities and had damaged herself because of it.


    ¡°In that case, son, I¡¯ll have a unit get her to the best professional in the city.¡± A familiar voice to all three of them spoke up.


    Ordwell Chapman, the head minister of the city of Sanum, had entered the square. Behind him, a number of soldiers rushed by. Two of them had a stretcher between them. Those two ran up to Sarman.


    ¡°Father¡­¡±


    Sarman seemed torn by seeing his father there, but he quickly handed Yuuki off to the two men with the stretcher. Once she was strapped in, they quickly ran off into the city.


    ¡°Hey, Nic¡­¡±


    Aria whispered in his ear as she sat up. She wanted to stand up, but he was still holding her. He quickly let go and stood up after she did.


    Ordwell looked between the two of them before grinning like a madman.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interrupting your moment, though I think my son did that before me. Nic, it looks like you were able to take care of the Irradiation here like you did in Aric, thank you. Do you think you will be able to do it again if needed?¡±


    Ordwell addressed Nic first. His question was simple, yet important. Nic could finally purify the Irradiation he absorbed, meaning that he could theoretically be used to systematically heal the world of the pain his ancestor inflicted upon it.


    ¡°I can. I was very much conscious when it happened, and I should be able to replicate the feeling of purifying Irradiation again.¡±


    Nic was saying what Ordwell wanted to hear. In truth, Nic was actually unsure on how to replicate the exact feeling, but he felt like he would still be able to do it either way.


    Ordwell nodded with a smile on his face at Nic¡¯s answer.


    ¡°What about Jack? Is he¡­¡±


    Was he still alive? That was what Ordwell wanted to say but he seemed to be scared to voice it.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead. It was him or Nic, and I made my choice.¡±


    Aria was the one who answered. There was no remorse in her voice, and Nic felt he could understand why. If he was the one in her position, he thought he would make the same choice.


    ¡°And his body?¡±


    A flash of surprise crossed Ordwell''s face at the fact that Aria had been the one to kill Jack, but it was quickly removed as he asked for the body of the Hunter. Aria pointed to a broken wall nearby.


    ¡°He should be through there.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ destroyed an entire wall?¡±


    Ordwell motioned for a number of soldiers to check past the broken rubble for the body.


    ¡°Multiple actually. Not sure how many it was though. Was a bit preoccupied and didn¡¯t count.¡±


    Both Ordwell and Nic looked at Aria suspiciously. Both of them had only seen her magic power before she created a full two-way contract with Aerial. They also didn¡¯t know about the contract in general. So they thought that this amount of destruction was a bit much compared to how strong her magic was. Sarman seemed to catch on and cleared up the confusion for them.


    ¡°This amount of destruction is actually on the tame end, considering she now has a full contract with the strongest Spirit Progenitor out there.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Nic was in shock while Ordwell nodded in understanding. When Nic saw Ordwell not freaking out, he turned on him.


    ¡°Ordwell, how are you not freaking out about that revelation!?¡±


    ¡°Well, even back in the rad-town, she was showing signs of using a progenitor''s magic so I had a hunch it would be something like this.¡±


    As he was talking, the soldiers that had gone to check the rubble for Jack¡¯s body came back with only a bloodied sword and nobody.


    ¡°Sir! We only found this sword laying on the ground. The ex-hunters body was nowhere to be seen.¡±


    ¡°What!? He was dead! I saw it with my own eyes! There¡¯s no way he could have pulled the sword out of his heart and started walking again!¡±


    When Aria heard the report from the soldiers, she started yelling up a storm. Not only had she sent him through multiple walls, she had also apparently stabbed him in the heart as well.


    Ordwell held up a hand to stop her.


    ¡°I believe you. It seems that they got to his body first and whisked it away.¡±


    ¡°They?¡±


    Nic, Aria, and Sarman all asked the question at the same time.


    ¡°The ones who gave Jack the ability to create Irradiation. They are also the ones responsible for the death of my wife, Lily.¡± Ordwell turned to look at Nic directly. ¡°Nic Verilo. Will you help me in bringing these people down?¡±

 Part 1 Epilogue: A Promise!

    Aria floated down between the trees, landing at the top of the hill. It was a very familiar hill. For a long time, she had seen it every night in her dreams. Repeating that day over and over and over again. One day, that dream changed. It had been similar to her repeating dream, yet it had been vastly different.


    The day that she had that different dream, she met him. Nic Verilo. Of course, at the time, she didn¡¯t know that he was a Verilo. He was simply a boy from the Rad-Town that she had moved to.


    He had practically begged her to teach him how to use magic. At the time, she thought she had Born Magic and found herself agreeing to it.


    She never regretted that choice.


    In the end, she never had Born Magic. Instead, she was contracted to the Wind Spirit Progenitor, Aerial. Among the eight progenitors, Aerial was considered the strongest.


    Nic would eventually reveal himself as a Verilo, saving both the Rad-Town they had lived in, and just a few days prior, the City-State of Sanum. Since they stopped Jack Cariatel¡¯s attempt at spreading Irradiation throughout the city, both of them had been resting. As had their two friends Sarman and Yuuki.


    Yuuki was stuck in a medical ward, recovering from wounds she had gotten by pushing herself far past her limit.


    Sanum Magic University, which they all attended as students, had closed for the time being as the city had experienced what could only be described as a terrorist attack. Because of that, they had a lot of free time on their hands.


    ¡°Is Nic really going to be here on this hill?¡±


    The androgynous voice speaking in Aria¡¯s mind was Aerial. When Aria had inquired about Nic¡¯s location to Mr. Chapman, she had been told he had asked to leave the city. Hearing that, she knew exactly where he was going.


    He¡¯ll be here. See! There he is.


    They reached the apex of the hill where they saw Nic standing there. He was gazing off into the distance, away from Sanum behind him.


    Aria knew where he was looking. A large rock structure clearly sets one part of the forest apart from the rest. This structure stood over the once homestead of the Verilo family, three hundred years prior.


    It was also where Nic had first met the memory of his ancestor.


    ¡°Nic!¡±


    When Aria called out to him, he looked over his shoulder. He seemed surprised to see her there. He was wearing his usual clothes. A blue shirt and brown pants matched his eyes and messy hair respectively. Over the top of it all, to help keep himself warm was a black coat. At his waist was a longsword. In its crossguard was a gemstone that was as black as the darkest night.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Aria could see a hint of sadness in his eyes.


    For her part, Aria was wearing something very similar to Nic. The differences mainly stood in the color of her first layer. Her shirt was dark green while her pants were black. Her brown hair had grown longer over the past year. She was letting it flow gently in the wind while her light blue eyes gazed at Nic and the rock formation past him in the distance. The sister sword to Nic¡¯s was currently strapped to her back, its green gemstone dazzling even in daylight.


    She walked to Nic¡¯s side and grabbed his hand. She interlocked her fingers, letting him know that she had no intention of leaving his side.


    ¡°Thinking about your ancestor?¡±


    ¡°Yea¡­¡±


    Nic had met the memory of his ancestor, Noah, multiple times according to him. It seemed like his ancestor had believed it would take five hundred years for the seal on their blood to be broken, and yet Nic had done it after only three hundred years.


    He had apparently seen him again during the attack on Sanum but hadn¡¯t seen him since. He was apparently worried about what that meant.


    ¡°I think that not seeing him again means that he approves of the fact that you have removed the seal.¡±


    ¡°But what if it means the opposite? What if it means that I¡¯m walking into hell because of what I did?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be right there, walking into hell with you.¡±


    Aria wouldn¡¯t let him go, no matter what. She would always be by his side. Even if the contract she had made with Aerial didn¡¯t require it, she still would.


    After all, he was her world.


    ¡°Hey, Nic?¡±


    ¡°Yea?¡±


    ¡°When we¡¯re back in Sanum, can you teach me the basics of sword fighting?¡±


    The reason that there was a sword on Aria¡¯s back was because of the magic feedback loop she got from it. Her problem was that she had no training in fighting with it. When she used it against Jack, he had read every single attack of hers like she was nothing. If she had to use it again, she wanted to be prepared this time.


    ¡°Are you sure you want me to? Yuuki knows far more than me. Sarah does too, for that matter.¡±


    Aria leaned into Nic. He held steady, which allowed her to feel the full warmth of his body as she let herself be supported by him.


    ¡°It has to be you. They can join in from time to time, but I want you to be the one who teaches me.¡±


    She could hear a soft sigh from Nic.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Promise?


    ¡°I promise. Oh, one other thing.¡±


    Aria looked up at Nic, questioning what else he had to say.


    ¡°Close your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Aria stood up and closed her eyes. A second later something warm pressed itself against her lips. Aria¡¯s face grew hot but she didn¡¯t back away. She leaned in instead. She wanted to savor the moment.


    But it was gone too soon as Nic pulled away himself.


    ¡°I promise that I love you, Aria.¡±

 Part 2 Prologue: Meetings In The Dark

    A black, smoke-like substance rose from the ground for many Ker. This substance was the telling factor of Irradiation, marking the land as an Irradiated Sector. This land had not always been like this. The main contributing factor was the many massive skeletons that dotted the landscape. The remains of the once great race known as Dragons.


    This was the Dragonsung Wastes. Their last great act of destruction against humanity after the first Irradiated Winter.


    An inhospitable portion of land settled in the middle of the World End Mountains on the eastern edge of the continent, Kronul. Stretching 200 Ker inland from the coast, the Dragonsung Wastes created a gap in the mountain range 100 Ker long.


    The many Dragon skeletons dotting the wastes spouted large amounts of Irradiation, even nearly 300 years after their death. Because of how thick the Irradiation was within the Dragonsung Wastes, many humans believed it to be a death sentence to walk through it for the longest time. On the other hand, thanks to their increased Irradiation resistance, many Demi-humans pass through the edges instead of scaling the nearby mountain range. But even for Demi-Humans, it is widely believed that even slightly prolonged exposure to the area would result in one acquiring Irradiation Sickness.


    That¡¯s what everyone normally believed. So if anyone was to see the hooded figure riding a Gigant Bear through the middle of the Dragonsung Wastes, they would surely faint from the shock.


    The hooded man chuckled as he thought about this.


    Soon a large overhang came into view. Many other people, both humans and Demi-Humans, were standing in front of it. They wore a variety of different clothes and armor.


    But each one had the disgruntled look of a revolutionary working towards change.


    They were the hooded figure¡¯s fellow revolutionaries.


    Most didn¡¯t understand their goals and instead called them bandits.


    ¡°Halt!¡± One of the revolutionaries, an older gentleman that the hooded figure recognized, called out to the newcomer.


    ¡°Master, it¡¯s good to see you again!¡± The hooded figure called out to the man as he got off the Gigant Bear he had been riding. With a small tap, the monster bowed its head before turning and rushing off into the distance.


    ¡°That voice¡­? Is that you, Alec?¡±


    Alec turned around as he used his left hand to remove the hood, revealing his face. Compared to the man in front of him, Alec seemed to be a young boy, barely into adulthood. The thing that drew most people¡¯s attention though was the massive scar that ran the length of his entire right side of his face. It cut straight through the always closed right eye.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Master. Now is there any chance I can get through? I have a message for her majesty.¡± His master tried to grab Alec as he walked by, but his hand only met the emptiness of the cloak covering Alec¡¯s right side. Where there should have been an arm, there was nothing.


    ¡°What happened to you¡­?¡±


    Alec stopped. Not because of what his Master had said, but because he heard the rest of the murmuring around them.


    ¡°No way, is he the one-eyed Tyrant?¡±


    ¡°What!? But he¡¯s so young. There¡¯s no way.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s missing both his right eye and arm! That matches the description perfectly.¡±


    The story of how he lost half of his eyes and arms was seemingly being exaggerated by some. But for Alec, that didn¡¯t matter. If anything, it would be helpful in the long run.


    ¡°Master. It seems that the rest of the revolutionaries stationed with you know the story. Why don¡¯t you ask one of them?¡± This time, when Alec addressed his former teacher, the title he gave him was dripping with poison.


    For just a second, Alec¡¯s true feelings slipped through.


    He left the entrance guards in the dust and descended into the base. Only the entrance to the base was located above ground. Almost all of it was below ground. The further down one went, the higher one had to be in the revolution.


    Alec went straight to the bottom.


    The lowest point in the base housed only a handful of rooms. And each one belonged to the person who sat as the head of the revolution. They were their personal work spaces, as well as the room that they slept in.


    As Alec reached the hallway leading to these rooms, he entered the first one he saw. He knew that the person he was looking for would be there. They always were.


    At the center of the room was a metal contraption. Alec had never learned what it was or how it worked, but he knew that it made images from light that one could interact with. It was always interacted with by the same person.


    In fact, that very same person was currently interacting with it.


    Long white hair, so pristine that it almost seemed to glow, flowed down to her waist. Alec knew that when she turned around she would have a fair face with eyes as red as rubies. When she would appear in front of anyone else, she normally wore an exquisite red dress that matched her eyes. But in this room, in front of Alec, she wore far more normal clothes. ¡°They were more comfortable to work in¡± was the reason she had given Alec the first time he saw them.


    ¡°Your majesty.¡± Alec quickly dropped to one knee and bowed his head.


    To the rest of the revolution, the woman in front of Alec might as well have been God themself. That was the amount of reverence they held for her. But for Alec, he simply held the reverence he believed one should hold in a superior.


    The woman called ¡°majesty¡± turned around after hearing Alec¡¯s voice. Though Alec didn¡¯t see it, she had a small smile on her lips after seeing him.


    ¡°Oh, Alec! It¡¯s been a bit longer than I expected. How did your journey up north go? Also how many times do I need to tell you that when we¡¯re down here, you don¡¯t need to kneel?¡±


    Hearing her soft footsteps coming towards him, Alec stood up and looked at the woman¡¯s face.


    Alec was 189 Cer in height, while the woman was roughly half a head shorter, so Alec was looking slightly down while she looked up at him.


    ¡°It would¡¯ve gone well if that Ito Swordsman hadn¡¯t been with the Shogun. Sorry, but the Shogun is still alive and kicking.¡± Alec spat the name Ito with almost as much vitriol as he had used when talking to his former teacher earlier that same day.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Alec was confident in his own capabilities with the sword. He knew he was stronger than most other sword fighters. But Ito was a step above even him. If Alec still had both arms, he might¡¯ve been able to fight with the sword master on even terms.


    Seeing the pain in his eyes, the woman reached up and cupped the left half of his face in her hand. It was a gesture she always used to calm him down. And it only worked because of who she was.


    Alec put his own hand on hers as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath in.


    ¡°I have some other news as well, Ruby. About the operation in Sanum.¡±


    The next time Alec spoke, he used the woman¡¯s actual name instead of calling her ¡°majesty¡±. He was probably the only one crazy enough to do it.


    Hearing her actual name caused Ruby to smile widely before removing her hand from Alec¡¯s face and turning back around to the metallic object in the center of the room.


    ¡°The operation in Sanum? I assume it was a success.¡± Ruby flippantly dismissed any sort of news with an assumed completion. She didn¡¯t see how anyone in Sanum could have possibly stopped the operation.


    ¡°It failed.¡±


    Alec gave her the truth. It was something that not even he fully understood. But it was the truth. Their plans to flood Sanum with Irradiation had failed.


    ¡°It¡­ Failed¡­?¡±


    Ruby had stopped moving. Her hand hovering over one of the images created of light.


    ¡°Everything was seemingly going according to plan, but after the creation of Irradiation started, someone¡­ Well¡­ Someone absorbed it all.¡± The last thing that Alec said was full of confusion. He didn¡¯t understand how something like that could happen.


    But it was clear that Ruby knew something. The second she heard what he had said, she was in his face. There was a hint of desperation in her eyes.


    ¡°Alec, what year is it?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ 294 years since the first Irradiated Winter?¡±


    Hearing that, Ruby began pacing. The desperation in her eyes was joined by confusion and a hint of fear.


    ¡°The only people who could¡¯ve done that are them¡­ But they shouldn¡¯t gain that ability for another 200 years. Unless¡­ Did she find out my plan and help them? Alec!?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Ruby was once again in his face.


    ¡°We¡¯re moving up the timetables. Go get the battalions ready. We are marching for Kyoku as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    Alec shouted in confusion. He wasn¡¯t about to disobey orders from Ruby, but he at least wanted to know why first. And to move up their schedule that much? It was an almost six month speed up.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Ruby took a step back and seemed to think for a second. It was clear that whatever the reason was, Alec was possibly not trusted enough by her to know.


    ¡°There is only one group who could have caused the Operation in Sanum to fail¡­ And if the Verilo¡¯s have broken their restrictions 2 centuries early, then our entire revolution is in jeopardy.¡±


    As she said those words, the flag of a rising sun that was hanging on the wall stirred with her words before falling to the ground.


    The thud of something hitting the ground jolted Yuuki Ito awake. The room she was in was covered in shadows. Faint moonlight strayed through the open window alongside a chilly breeze. But her cat-like eyes pierced through the darkness.


    An intruder had entered her room.


    Yuuki was in the medical room that she had been recovering in for the past two weeks. In an incident that threatened to destroy the City-State Sanum, Yuuki had forced her body beyond its limits.


    There were three types of people in the world. First are those born with magic. For these people, manipulating the magical energy in the air comes like second nature. Second are those born of parents who can use magic, but they themselves can¡¯t. For people that fall into this group, sensing magic energy is easy, but actually trying to manipulate it takes some effort. And finally there are those born of parents without magic who don¡¯t have magic themselves. For those in this group, they must train to be able to feel magical energy, and then train even more to be able to manipulate it.


    When using Magical Weapons, as long as one has even the slightest ability to touch magical energy, then they would be able to use a Magic Weapon¡¯s magic.


    However there is a limit to how much one can use that magic. It grows the more someone is able to touch and manipulate magical energy, but it''s there and always looming.


    For Yuuki, she fell somewhere between the first and second groups. Had her family not been cursed hundreds of years prior, she most likely would¡¯ve been able to use magic fully from a young age. But her blood has been locked from using the magic power it should be able to. Instead, all Yuuki can do is feel the magic around her.


    Thud! Crash!


    The intruder in her room knocked over a vase holding some flowers Sarman had brought Yuuki. Sarman was a childhood friend of Yuukis who was very important to her. To see the flowers he brought her strewn across the floor made her blood boil.


    ¡°Is there a reason why you broke into my room in the middle of the night?¡±


    Yuuki finally spoke up, causing the intruder to stop in their tracks. They timidly turned towards Yuuki.


    ¡°Y-y-you¡¯re awake¡­?¡±


    He had a very timid voice as he struggled to ask the question to the person he had assumed was asleep.


    Even in the dark, Yuuki narrows her eyes and sees a small tail sticking out of the man¡¯s back.


    He was a demi-human. Just like Yuuki.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m awake. Did you expect me to just ignore the thumping of you walking around or the change in the temperature? Now answer my initial question, Demi-Human.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, hmmm. Can I start a candle? It¡¯s a bit dark in here-¡±


    ¡°No. If the night nurses weren¡¯t alerted by the noise you¡¯ve been making, they definitely will be by a light.¡±


    Yuuki cut the Demi-Human off, dismissing his question before he could even finish it. It seemed like the person in front of her wasn¡¯t a part of any of the tribes with darkvision.


    ¡°I see¡­ Well,¡± the Demi-Human walked up to the side of the bed. ¡°My name is Cyril and I¡¯m here to ask a favor of you in place of my Queen.¡±


    ¡°A favor? And who is your queen?¡±


    ¡°We want your help as a swordswoman, Ms. Ito.¡± The person bowed their head as they relayed the request. Yuuki caught her breath hearing it. They wanted her help¡­ with swordfighting?


    ¡°Who is we?¡±


    The Demi-Human tensed up. It took him a few seconds before he finally said a name. The name that came out of his mouth shocked Yuuki.


    ¡°She¡­ wants my help?¡±


    The Demi-Human nodded. It seemed too good to be true.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why I can¡¯t help out. I will be released tomorrow and then I can head to your village with you.¡±


    ¡°No! We have to leave tonight. We can¡¯t afford to wait here!¡±


    Yuuki was taken aback by Cyril¡¯s outburst. She hadn¡¯t expected they would need to leave immediately.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°We are expecting our village to be attacked within a month. Right now, our fighters are nowhere near trained enough to protect the people living in the village.¡±


    Yuuki understood that the threat of an attack was motivating the man in front of her. What she didn¡¯t understand is why the threat warranted leaving only a few hours earlier. If anything she wanted to at least let Sarman know what was going on. It would be even better if he agreed and wanted to go with her.


    At least, that¡¯s what Yuuki believed. That was what she wanted.


    ¡°Please! We, no she needs your help. You are one of the most, if not the most, skilled sword wielders in the current era. Please!?¡±


    Cyril pleaded to Yuuki while on his knees.


    A soft sigh escaped Yuuki¡¯s lips as her heart panged with guilt. Thinking about it, Yuuki thought it made sense for her to just go with Cyril. There would likely be no classes at the university for a while, given the nature of what had happened with the Hunter Jack Cariatel.


    And she held nothing tying her to Sarman. She didn¡¯t have to tell him where she would be. She didn¡¯t need to get his permission.


    Yuuki slipped out of the bed she was in. Her pajamas weren¡¯t something she should go out in. As she looked at Cyril sitting next to the bed, he seemed to realize the same thing and instantly fled towards the open window.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting outside!¡±


    The Demi-Human practically jumped out of the window. Yuuki heard the sound of something crashing into the ground a second later.


    Yuuki quickly changed out of the sleepwear she had been wearing. Sarman had been kind enough to bring a couple changes of clothes a few days prior so that she didn¡¯t have to wear the drab clothes given to her by the nurses when she first woke up.


    Opting for a more subdued look, Yuuki pulled on a pair of black pants. Now that she didn¡¯t have to hide her Demi-Human nature, her black tail poked through a small hole built into the pants specifically for Demi-Humans with tails. For her shirt, Yuuki grabbed a dark purple long sleeved shirt that showed its age through the wear and tear. She hoped that Cyril would have another cloak that she could use as she didn¡¯t have an additional layer to throw on.


    Before leaving the room, Yuuki grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a small note to Sarman. Leaving it on the nightstand, Yuuki walked over to the window and jumped out into the midnight air.

 Chapter 20: Looking For a Friend

    The swooshing of an untrained sword echoed throughout the small plaza. Lying in the center of the house belonging to the longstanding Minister of the City-State Sanum was a small garden plaza that sported a foreign tree as its centerpiece. Everyone that lived or worked in the manor enjoyed spending their free time sitting there and enjoying the breeze that liked to sneak its way inside.


    But for the past two weeks, from mid morning till lunch, the usually tranquil garden had been invaded by the three youngest people in the manor. During this time, swords swished through the air, and the occasional pangs of pain could be heard when two of the people dueled each other.


    Every time it was the same person who yelped in pain. And every time it was that same person who lost the duel.


    Aria swung the wooden sword in her hand with reckless abandon. To onlookers, it looked like someone had given a child a branch and told them to go play. If there was supposed to be swordsmanship in the swings, none could see it. Even the one teaching her had trouble seeing anything he was trying to teach her in the swings.


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you? If you just swing wildly like this, you won¡¯t get anywhere.¡±


    Nic had stopped yelling days ago. Now his voice was simply full of exasperation and tiredness as he rested his hand against his head.


    Just under two weeks prior, a few days after Jack Cariatel¡¯s attack on Sanum, Aria had come to Nic requesting that he teach her the basics of sword fighting. Hearing the earnestness in her voice as she had asked prompted Nic to accept her request, even if he didn¡¯t think himself a good enough swordsman to teach someone else.


    It was a decision he had come to regret dearly.


    Aria stopped swinging the sword, stabbing it into the ground to use as a pole to rest on as she caught her breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it just doesn¡¯t feel right!¡±


    ¡°You have to think of the sword as an extension of yourself, not a tool.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying! It feels wrong though, like it¡¯s not what I¡¯m supposed to be holding. It doesn¡¯t feel at all like what the Magic weapon did on that day.¡±


    During the attack on Sanum, Nic had forced his body past its limits trying to absorb the Irradiation that Jack had been creating. In order to protect Nic, Aria had picked up a sword and entered a contract with the Wind Spirit Progenitor Aerial. With the sword, Aria eventually killed Jack and saved Nic, bringing him back to his senses and helping him finally unlock the ability to purify the Irradiation he absorbed.


    It was during her fight with Jack that Aria realized that she had no physical training when it came to fighting.


    But now that she was learning, she constantly said that holding the wooden sword felt weird. Nic had trouble figuring out the reason for this. He had also started with a wooden sword and hadn¡¯t moved to a steel sword till months into his training with Yuuki. It was his belief that things should be the same for Aria.


    The third person in the courtyard finally spoke up, interrupting Nic¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Hey Nic, maybe it¡¯s as simple as what Aria says?¡±


    Sitting against the foreign tree in the center of the garden was the speaker. Sarman sat wearing clothing far more relaxed than anything Nic had seen him wearing before the attack. The dark eyes that matched his skin had been watching every practice session that Nic and Aria had that week. If Sarman had seen something that Nic hadn¡¯t, then Nic was all for him speaking up.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°The blade¡­ It¡¯s a magic weapon created using her- well Aerial¡¯s- magic as its base correct?¡± Sarman stood up as he responded. Nic nodded as his answer to the question, prompting Sarman to continue. ¡°Well if it¡¯s anything like when I create my flaming weapons, which it most likely is, then that would explain the difference. To me, any physical weapon feels wrong in my hands. Only the weapons I make with flames feel right. So what if it¡¯s the same for Aria? Only weapons made with or from Aerial¡¯s power will feel right.¡±


    Nic thought about the idea. Looking between Aria and Sarman he thought it might be the case. The two of them were both contracted with a Spirit Progenitor. If anyone was going to understand what it was like for Aria, Sarman would be that person.


    Sarman seemingly looked over his shoulder for a second before extending one of his hands out in front of him. From his hand a small vortex of fire appeared. In an instant the fire morphed into the visage of a small lizard that skittered its way up Sarman¡¯s arm. It stopped and sat on his shoulder, like some kind of pet bird.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like Aerial wants to come out right now, so let me explain.¡± The lizard began speaking with an older voice. Nic had heard it before, back near the beginning of his time in Sanum.


    It was the Fire Spirit Progenitor Salamander.


    ¡°What you¡¯re experiencing is a phenomenon very few people ever experience. Only those contracted with Spirit Progenitors can experience it.


    Spirit Progenitors are the guardians of different elements. As such, we are only comfortable using that element. Even something as simple as using a wooden sword feels off as it¡¯s the domain of another Progenitor.¡±


    ¡°Another Progenitor?¡±


    ¡°Correct. Wooden weapons are the domain of Peter, the Earth Spirit Progenitor. Weapons made of any sort of steel are the domain of Sterling, the Metal Spirit Progenitor. As such, Sarman here, and Aria there, are unable to wield them properly as long as they are contracted with me and Aerial respectively.¡±


    The Salamander yawned as he finished his little lecture. Hearing what he had said, Nic let out a soft sigh as he looked back at Aria. She was gazing past him, as if into nothing.


    Nic figured that she was confirming what Salamander said with Aerial.


    Either way, this just confirmed that Nic would need to start letting Aria use the magic sword in her training. Thinking of that, he had a feeling that it would help if he upped the amount of strength training she did so that she could easily swing the sword as well. He wasn¡¯t sure how strong she was physically, but most mages tended to be on the weaker side.


    ¡°Fine. Aria?¡±


    As he called out her name, Aria¡¯s eyes focused back on him.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow you¡¯ll start using the magic sword during practice.¡± Aria shot Nic a small smile as she nodded. ¡°BUT! In exchange, I want Yuuki to help teach you as well. Even if she is just watching from the side. Got it?¡±


    Aria handed Nic the wooden sword. As he grabbed it, she gave a small smirk to Sarman.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with Yuuki joining¡­ I¡¯m sure she would love to spend time with Sarman as well. That is if you are still planning on coming to watch?¡±


    Sarman¡¯s face grew a bit lighter as he looked away from Aria awkwardly.


    Both Nic and Aria started lightly laughing uncontrollably. Seeing Sarman flustered like this was very rare. Especially for Nic.


    ¡°Ahem!¡±


    A female voice coughed from the entrance to the garden in order to get their attention.


    It was one of the maids that Sarman¡¯s father Ordwell employed within the manor. All three of them knew her quite well.


    ¡°Master Sarman, master Nic and mistress Aria, Master Ordwell has asked for you to visit him in his office.¡±


    The maid was a little shorter than Aria and had her auburn hair pulled back into a tight bun. She was wearing the uniform that all maids employed in the manor wore. A dark blue dress with silver highlights. They were the colors associated with Sanum by its people.


    ¡°Got it, Mary. Thank you for telling us.¡±


    Sarman was the one who responded. He had known the maid Mary his entire life. Nic had heard that Mary was the one who had taken up a motherly role for Sarman after his birth mothers death when he was a baby.


    The maid gave the trio a small bow before turning and leaving them alone in the garden once again.


    ¡°This is the first time my old man has actually summoned me to his office in a while. Most times I go in there, it¡¯s ¡®cause I barged in.¡±


    Sarman started talking, a sense of nostalgia in his voice, as the three walked out of the garden. The lizard on his shoulder snuffed itself out and disappeared.


    The first time that Nic had traveled through the manor had been less than a year prior. Only about eight months. But by that time, he had managed to learn the layout of the place. As such the time walking from the garden to Ordwell¡¯s office seemed so insignificant that Nic didn¡¯t pick up on any details.


    As they reached the hallway that Ordwell¡¯s office was on, they saw a well kept man in a suit walking towards them. All three of them recognized the man.


    ¡°Headmaster Black? What are you doing here, sir?¡±


    Nic spoke up as he saw the man. He had first met him seven months prior on his first day attending Sanum University. He was the head of the school and had met Nic in person. He also was one of the few people that Ordwell had told Nic¡¯s real identity too when he was brought to Sanum.


    ¡°Ah, you three! It¡¯s good to see you all looking healthy. Please pass my feelings onto Ms. Ito as well. As for me, I was just leaving. I do hope you three continue to enjoy your time out of class for the time being.¡± With a small wink, Headmaster Black walked by the three.


    ¡°That was weird¡­¡±


    ¡°Definitely¡­¡±


    ¡°Why was he meeting with my father¡­?¡±


    All three of them spoke at the same time. This encounter in the middle of the hallway was one they wouldn¡¯t forget for a while.


    As they entered Ordwell¡¯s office, the trio found Ordwell sitting behind his desk reading some papers. Hearing the door open, Ordwell looked up and smiled when he saw the three of them standing there.


    ¡°Ah, good good. You sure came fast.¡±


    ¡°Well, Mary did come to get us right as these twos¡¯ training session ended for the day.¡±


    Sarman was the one who responded to his father. Every time Nic had heard the two talk before, there was an undercurrent of hostility between them. But this time, he felt like the two were finally talking as father and son.


    ¡°Ah, I see. Perfect timing then. I have an update for you three.¡±


    The three of them sent glances to each other as Ordwell started speaking.


    ¡°Your original time away from the university was going to end next week. But, after some insistence on my end, Black has agreed to waive your attendance for the rest of the year.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Nic, Aria and Sarman all spoke at the same time. None of them had seen something like this happening.


    ¡°Of course, that goes for Yuuki as well.¡± Ordwell put the stack of papers he had been working on to the side and sat back in his chair. He almost seemed to be enjoying the look of disbelief on the faces in front of him.


    ¡°Father, why is this happening?¡±


    ¡°Well, you all agreed to help me catch the people behind the death of Lily. I have some leads on that front that I will need your help with.¡±


    Right after Jack Cariatel¡¯s attack on Sanum, Ordwell had approached the group. While Yuuki was being carted off to a medical professional, the other three had been told by Ordwell that he believed there to be a connection between the death of his wife and Jack¡¯s actions.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    When he asked them if they would help him track down this common thread, all of them had readily agreed. Sarman was more than willing to help track down those responsible for his mother¡¯s death. For Nic and Aria, the threat of Jack being able to create Irradiation was what motivated them. Yuuki, later while she was recovering, immediately agreed as well when Sarman asked her. If Sarman was going to risk his life, Yuuki would be standing next to him.


    ¡°Of course, I need you to stay on the down low for another week or two.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Nic spoke up before either of the others could. If there was something he could do, he wanted to get to it.


    ¡°Because of you.¡± Nic looked down upon hearing that. He had a pretty good idea of what Ordwell was talking about. ¡°The senate is still up in arms about what to do with a Verilo in the city. I have given them a 2 week limit on their bickering before a vote must be taken.¡±


    ¡°A vote!? You¡¯re gonna leave Nic¡¯s fate up to a vote, Father?¡± Nic was baffled by the tone of Sarman¡¯s voice. He had never heard him get mad for Nic. Sure, he had been mad at Nic before, but he had never stepped up in defense of Nic.


    Ordwell himself was put off by Sarman¡¯s outburst and held up his hands in defense. ¡°As much as I would love to force them to allow his presence, my own standing in the senate is shaky right now thanks to sneaking him in in the first place. If I was to force anything, then Gregor¡¯s faction would pounce on the opportunity.¡±


    Sarman cooled off after hearing his father¡¯s reasoning. It was clear to all three of them that Ordwell had his hands tied with the situation.


    ¡°So because of that, I need you four to stay on the down low for another two weeks.¡±


    That was Ordwell¡¯s request. It wasn¡¯t such a bad request. Nic had already spent most of the time in the past two weeks either training with Aria in the garden courtyard or visiting Yuuki during her recovery.


    ¡°Umm¡­ If that¡¯s the case, could I make a suggestion?¡± The girl who had been silent most of the conversation finally spoke up. When all three pairs of eyes turned to her, she took that as her sign to continue. ¡°How about a trip to Aric in those two weeks? I¡¯m sure my dad and Nic¡¯s mom would love for us to visit home, especially after Jack¡¯s attack. Plus it could be good for Sarman and Yuuki to get out of the city for a bit.¡±


    Nic straightened himself as Aria proposed the trip. He thought it was a good idea, but something kept him back from saying it. His chest was tight.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ that sounds like a wonderful idea.¡± Ordwell was the one responding to Aria. But with every word that Ordwell said, Nic could only hear his own voice pleading for Ordwell to disagree.


    ¡°I think you four should go.¡±


    In a single sentence, Ordwell had unknowingly rejected Nic¡¯s internal self. Nic was starting to shake. He could hear Sarman nodding his head in agreement with his father.


    It was becoming hard to breathe. Nic wasn¡¯t even sure if he was breathing anymore.


    ¡°Nic¡­?¡±


    A familiar hand reached out and grabbed one of Nic¡¯s hands. Even under the forming calluses, Nic could recognize her just by the touch of her hand. Feeling it, he took a sharp breath in.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to go if¡­¡±


    Nic had unknowingly been looking at the ground. But when Aria began speaking his head snapped up. Her face was full of sorrow as she was looking at Nic. He hated seeing it. He knew why she was making that face. She wanted to visit her father. He knew that.


    Nic also knew that if said he didn¡¯t want to go, she would force herself to not go. She would stay by his side, even if it went against what she wanted.


    Nic was glad that she was willing to go that far for him. Yet he hated it as well. He didn¡¯t want to make her sad purely because of his fear. He didn¡¯t want his own selfish desires to make Aria sad.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ go¡­ back to Aric¡­¡±


    His voice was shaking with each word. But he said it.


    If Aria was with him, Nic would be able to go back. He would be able to face his mother. Face his father again.


    Would he really be able to accept the consequences of his actions? Nic wavered.


    ¡°Nic!¡± Aria wrapped her arms around Nic. His nose was hit with her scent. Smelling it, his body slowly stopped shaking. He put his own arms around her and returned the hug.


    A cough coming from next to them caused the two to finally separate.


    Both Sarman and Ordwell were looking away from the two, but the red in Sarman¡¯s face revealed that he was the one who had coughed.


    ¡°Anyways, since that is sorted out, I¡¯m sure you are all going to pick up Yuuki now? Please let her know what is going on.¡±


    Ordwell grabbed the stack of papers he had been working through earlier and began leafing through them again. It was his way of saying that the conversation was finished.


    Sarman looked at a clock on the wall and his face nearly went white.


    ¡°We gotta go! Yuuki¡¯s release time is in 20 minutes!¡±


    Aria and Nic both quickly looked at the clock and realized that Sarman was right. The three bolted out of Ordwell¡¯s office, racing down the halls of the manor until they reached the front door.


    The City-State of Sanum is located on a mountain. In fact, the city spans the entire mountain, wrapping around it like a blanket. The mountain, named Sanum itself after the city situated atop it, only reached about 700 mer at its peak.


    The Chapman Manor, alongside the Sanum University, the Senate building and other government buildings sit at the top of the mountain. Sitting at the bottom and sprawling into the lands around the mountain are farms. Despite being at the bottom of the mountain, farmers are highly looked upon by the residents of Sanum as they provide a majority of the food eaten in the city. The rest of the mountain in between is covered in houses, streets and buildings of all different shapes and sizes. The bulk of the city.


    Sitting in the middle of the mountain, in an almost complete ring around the mountain, are a series of uniform buildings. This ring is known as the Hospital ring. Each building a medical center where one can find treatment. Whether through the use of Magic, or long standing medical practices from before the age of magic, the doctors in these buildings would take on any case that came their way. They were situated in the middle of the mountain so that everyone could visit them. Whether one was coming from above or below doesn¡¯t matter.


    Yuuki was situated in one of these medical buildings. She had been brought there after the fight with Jack. Normally it took Sarman, Nic and Aria just under 40 minutes to walk from the Chapman Manor to the building where Yuuki was being kept.


    Today they ran. Ran like their lives depending on it. And they made it in only 22 minutes.


    By the time that they got to the front door to the building, they were panting heavily, trying to catch their breath. Aria and Nic both leaned against the wall while Sarman straightened himself out.


    As he opened the door to the building, pandamonium greeted the three of them. Doctors and Nurses were running back and forth, searching for something. They were dead silent except for the occasional ¡°Not here!¡± being flung across the building.


    Sarman pushed his way to the front desk where an attendant was furiously scribbling away at a piece of paper. Nic watched as Sarman cleared his throat trying to get the attention of the attendant, only for it to fail.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± The attendant jumped in shock at Sarman¡¯s voice and bolted her head up. ¡°We¡¯re here to ge-¡±


    ¡°MR. CHAPMAN!?¡± Sarman was cut off by the attendant as she almost screamed his name. As soon as she did, almost every person that was running around stopped in place and turned towards the trio standing in front of the desk.


    ¡°Ummm¡­ Yes¡­?¡±


    ¡°Have you seen Miss Ito?¡±


    Nic froze. He was sure he misheard what the attendant had asked.


    ¡°Huh? We¡¯re here to pick her up¡­ Isn¡¯t she here?¡± Sarman seemed just as confused as Nic. A quick glance to Aria showed that she was in the same boat as the two of them.


    The attendant looked a bit nervous hearing the response that Sarman gave her.


    ¡°She¡­ Disappeared this morning.¡±


    As the attendant finally told them what happened, Sarman went pale and Nic stopped listening. He knew that she was detailing what they already knew, but it was simply going in one ear and out the other for Nic.


    He knew a few places that Yuuki liked. He had to go check them. He wanted to find her. Why would she simply disappear like this?


    ¡°I¡¯m going into the city to look for her!¡±


    Aria was the first one to speak up. She was clearly trying to hold the fear in her voice back. Just like Nic and Sarman, she was worried about her friend.


    ¡°Maam, we don¡¯t know if she is even out there. She might still be in the building or a nearby medical building.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know that she isn¡¯t out there.¡± Sarman spoke up this time. It was clear he was in Aria¡¯s camp. They needed people looking around the city for her.


    ¡°Guys, let''s just go and start looking. It¡¯s not like we need their permission right?¡± Nic was already turned around and walking to the door as he spoke. He wasn¡¯t going to wait around for the attendant to tell him whether he could or could not look for his friend.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the three of them to split up. In order to cover the most area they could, the decision to split up came easily.


    Nic himself headed down towards the bottom of the mountain. He had one place on his mind.


    He rushed down one of the main roads, pushing his way through crowds of people who had just finished a midday meal and break. He continued on and on until he reached the lower section of Mount Sanum. It was there that a certain street lay on a rather flat portion of the mountain.


    Nic turned onto the street that Yuuki had first introduced to him just a few weeks prior. The buildings around him quickly changed shape. Yuuki called the style of these buildings ¡°kyoku style¡±. They were native to her homeland of Kyoku, the nation in the East past the World End Mountain Range.


    The street itself had a similar name. It was called Kyoku Ave. Nearly every person who lived on the street had either come from Kyoku or were descendants of someone from the nation.


    That also meant that most of them were Demi-Humans. Nic, a human, running through the streets was a rare site for those he ran past. It was even more rare as he was wearing clothes of a completely different style.


    Many of the people he passed quickly got out of his way, looking at him with confusion. As for Nic, he simply shot each face a quick glance. He was scanning for Yuuki¡¯s face, but came up empty.


    Thud!


    Nic crashed into a shorter brown haired member of the Lycanthrope tribe of Beast People. The two crashed into the ground in front of a large round building. It wasn¡¯t until Nic was standing back up that he recognized the building in front of him.


    Its entrance was closed, but it was unmistakably the smithing building that Sora owned.


    ¡°Ughhhh.¡± The person that Nic had crashed into groaned as he struggled to stand up.


    ¡°Sora?¡± Nic was quick to recognize the man. His short brown hair, marked with two canine ears on top, and brown haired tail were the easiest things for Nic to recognize. The rest of Sora was much more cleaned up compared to the last time they had met. Long gone was the soot covering his face and the dirty clothes of a blacksmith. In their place was a slightly scuffed, thanks to the crash, clean face and clothes ready to weather a long journey.


    ¡°Hmm? Oh if it isn¡¯t Mr. Healstry.¡± Sora had been introduced to Nic using the last name that Nic¡¯s mother had before she married his father. It had been the name Nic had used to evade revealing the fact that he was a Verilo to others. Even though the amount of people that knew the truth had grown, Nic was still using the Healstry name for most people. ¡°What brings you down here to Kyoku Ave? And in such a hurry as well¡­ You weren¡¯t looking for me to do some work on one of your swords were you?¡±


    Nic ignored the blacksmith''s question and put both of his hands on Sora¡¯s shoulders. The fact that he had run down half of the mountain was catching up with his body, causing a shortness of breath.


    ¡°Have you¡­ Pant. Seen¡­ Pant pant. Yuuki?¡±


    ¡°Yuuki¡­? What kinda question is that? Isn¡¯t she supposed to be back at the University by now? I was just about to head up there myself to visit her before leaving for Kyoku.¡±


    ¡°Leaving for Kyoku? Nevermind. She¡¯s not there. She went missing last night. Disappeared from the hospital room in the middle of the night. Sarman, Aria and I are out looking for her.¡±


    Nic explained the situation to Sora as quickly as he could, leaving out the particulars of the fight with Jack as well as the truth about himself. Sora seemed displeased by the fact that Yuuki had used a Magic weapon for so long that she pushed herself to the point of being hospitalized.


    Once Nic finished his explanation, Sora let out a long sigh. It was clear that Nic had run into him at an inopportune time. Then he had dropped a lot on Sora just as he was leaving town.


    ¡°I see¡­ She couldn¡¯t have run off at a worse time, could she? I¡¯m sorry Nic, but I have to leave the search for her to you three.¡± Sora looked genuinely sorry as he muttered under his breath. It was clear that the two had a connection that went further than simply blacksmith and swordswoman.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Sora. I¡¯m sure your trip to Kyoku is important.¡±


    Nic¡¯s response got a dejected sigh from the lycanthropic beast human.


    ¡°My father called me back for reasons he won¡¯t specify.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Well, I wish you the best of travels. How long will you be gone?¡±


    Sora counted on his hands for a few seconds before responding.


    ¡°If I¡¯m lucky, two and a half months. If I¡¯m unlucky¡­ much longer than that. If you need someone to take a look at your weapons while I¡¯m gone, I can refer you to a friend. They aren¡¯t as well versed in Magical weapons as I am, but they should be good enough for anything you¡¯ll need.¡±


    Nic heartily took Sora¡¯s offer. Once Sora had given him the location of his friend, the two quickly parted ways. Sora ran down the road. He had a carriage to catch to start his journey back home.


    It wasn¡¯t until after sunset that Nic, Aria and Sarman got back together. They were currently sitting in Sarman¡¯s bedroom in the Chapman Manor going over what they learned. Nic and Aria were sitting in some extra chairs that they had brought in from the hallway while Sarman sat in front of a desk facing one of the inner walls.


    A cracked window was letting in cool air. Nic felt a slight shiver and instinctively brought his hands together to conserve some heat.


    Aria had been the first one to talk about the search. She had quite quickly informed the two boys that she hadn¡¯t found a single speck of Yuuki anywhere she looked. Not a thing. Her voice was shaking, and Nic could see her eyes starting to tear up.


    As she stopped talking, Nic slid one of his hands onto her knees and gave a small squeeze. With Aria finished, it was Nic¡¯s turn to talk.


    ¡°Like Aria, I found nothing related to Yuuki. I even ran into Sora on Kyoku Ave, and he confirmed that she hadn¡¯t been on the street all morning. No one else on the street or neighboring areas had seen her. It¡¯s like she just up and vanished into thin air¡­¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily.¡±


    Sarman cut Nic off as he began to lament the situation. The strength behind his voice caused the lament to disappear entirely.


    ¡°To be honest, I was hoping one of you had found another lead, cause I would rather this one not be true. But here we are.¡±


    ¡°What did you learn?¡±


    ¡°I stopped by the guards barracks and had a chat with one that I know pretty well. Apparently a female cat-person and a male racoon-person left through the East gate late last night. They were wearing hoods so the guard on duty couldn¡¯t get a good look at their faces, so I can¡¯t be sure that she was the cat-person¡­¡±


    Sarman stopped. Nic knew what he was going to say. He knew that Sarman didn¡¯t want to say it either.


    ¡°But it¡¯s the most likely chance, considering the timeline?¡± Sarman nodded and Nic sighed.


    If this was the case, then Yuuki was being led East¡­


    ¡°Wait¡­ This could actually work for us.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Sarman and Aria were staring at Nic confused. Neither of them had come to the same realization as Nic.


    ¡°Of course, I would rather this not be the case, and think that we should continue to search the city for the next week till we leave for Aria. But. The path that leads from the eastern gate heads to Aric. If they don¡¯t stray from the path, they will have to pass through there.¡±


    Sarman seemed to quickly understand what Nic was saying because his face was lighting up.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t find Yuuki by next week, we can see if anyone in Aric noticed her passing by!¡±


    Sarman nearly jumped from his chair as he finished Nic¡¯s sentence for him.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ And my dad is still in Aric. If he spots her, he is sure to at least think she looks like Yuuki, if not recognize her outright.¡± Aria chimed in with her own thoughts on the topic. It seemed to Nic like she was fully in agreement as well.


    With their plans now set for the next week, the trio stayed up late into the night deliberating on the specifics of where each person would search for the next few days.

 Chapter 21: Journey and Arrival

    ¡°We¡¯re getting close to Aric. Once we get there, I¡¯ll grab the horses from the house I left them at and we can continue on our journey.¡±


    Cyril was a few steps ahead of Yuuki. The two had been walking since they left Sanum two nights prior. While both of their cloaks showed signs of struggle, Yuuki¡¯s was in a far worse state. Most of it was shredded, with the entire right side of it being practically gone. Because of that, the bandages covering a wound on her right shoulder were clearly visible for all to see.


    The monster that gave her the wound was being dragged on the ground behind her. A massive War Bird. It was a monster that was rarely seen near human civilization. Like Thornback Spiders, War Birds preferred to live with areas high in irradiation density. They got their names because they usually traveled in larger groups and would attack humans or demi-humans on sight.


    During their travels that morning, the War Bird had appeared out of nowhere and attacked the traveling duo. Yuuki quickly dispatched the monster but was cut in return. Cyril¡¯s healing magic quickly got rid of the physical wound, but Yuuki insisted on wrapping the area in bandages. For some reason she could not explain, her arm felt off. It was a weird sensation, almost like the arm itself was delayed by a few milliseconds in receiving her instructions for it.


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll hang out around the town center, so just look for me there. I¡¯ll make sure to pawn off this monster''s corpse to anyone willing to take it.¡± There would be someone there who would buy the corpse off of Yuuki. The meat, while not great tasting, was still edible. Not to mention the extra materials that a dissection of the bird would wield. They would be useful to at least one person in the town.


    It didn¡¯t take much longer for an exquisite stone wall to come into view. Far too extravagant for a newly formed city-state, the wall stood out in the sea of trees all around them.


    The guards standing in front of the entrance didn¡¯t do anything to help Yuuki¡¯s thoughts about the town''s spending habits. The uniform they were wearing could barely be called leather. The weapons on their waists or in the hands were rusted and cracked. It seemed the city had spent all of its money on a wall rather than the guards who would actually protect it from attack.


    ¡°Halt! What¡¯s your business in Aric?¡±


    One of the poorly outfitted guards stopped Cyril and Yuuki as they approached. While the question was directed to Cyril, who was in front, the guard was eyeing the hooded Yuuki and the monster she was dragging with suspicion.


    ¡°We¡¯re just passing through. We ran into this War Bird on our way here and felled it. Would you happen to know of a trader or tradesperson within your walls that would be willing to buy the corpse off of us?¡± Cyril sweetened his voice as he dropped the hood covering his face.


    Two small racoon ears peered out from his short, flaxen hair. Pale skin and dark brown eyes contorted into what could only be described as a poor puppy face. The guard snorted as he saw Cyrils expression and moved to the side, letting them pass.


    ¡°Try Mr. Carnie. Ever since the kid healed him of his Irradiation Sickness, he¡¯s been acting like the town trader. Gathers materials from those passing by and makes sure everyone in town gets what they need. His place is a little bit south of the Town Center. His wife sells flowers out of it so you shouldn¡¯t miss it.¡±


    Cyril thanked the guard and the two walked into the town. While they walked, Yuuki couldn¡¯t stop thinking about what the guard said. ¡°Ever since the kid healed him of his Irradiation Sickness.¡± Yuuki knew that Nic came from Aric and wondered if he was ¡°the kid¡± the guard had mentioned. If it was, then that meant that Nic had been absorbing Irradiation for a time before he arrived in Sanum. Just how close had she been to Irradiation Sickness herself? For that matter, how close had Sarman and Sarah and Kiara been? And everyone else at the university?


    ¡°Hey, Yuukiiiii!¡±


    Cyril was in Yuuki¡¯s face, calling out her name. It took her a second to realize that he was trying to get her attention.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    ¡°You go get that War Bird pawned off and I¡¯ll get the horses, got it?¡±


    ¡°That was the plan already, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Yuuki questioned why Cyril was asking something that they had already agreed upon before reaching the town.


    ¡°You were off in your own world so I was making sure you knew what you were doing!¡±


    Without even waiting for a response, Cyril raced off towards a collection of buildings on the East side of the village. They easily dwarfed every other building in the town.


    Taking note of her surroundings, Yuuki began looking for a building selling flowers. She hadn¡¯t quite reached the town center yet so she first made sure to reach it. From there she found a main path leading south and walked down it. Eventually she saw a building with flowers out front and a massive sign hanging above the front porch.


    ¡°Carnie Flowers (and Trade Hub)¡± The second part was tacked onto the end of the sign, hanging out past the edge of the house. It seemed to have been added much later after the original was put up.


    ¡°He said to look for Mr. Carnie right?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for coming again!¡±


    ¡°No, thank you for the flowers. I¡¯m sure Samuel and Wendy would¡¯ve loved them.¡±


    As Yuuki stood at the steps to the patio talking to herself, the door to the shop opened and two people walked out talking to each other. One was a Demi-Human like herself. Two floppy dog ears sat atop a head of long, graying brown hair. The clothes she was wearing looked self made, but they reminded Yuuki of the maids that lived in the Chapman estate.


    The woman the Demi-Human was talking to was a normal Human with brown hair that ended just past her shoulders. When she turned to walk down the stairs, Yuuki came face to face with her.


    Her breath caught itself in her throat.


    The murky blue eyes the woman had were set in a face that Yuuki could only describe as eerily similar to a certain young boy she knew. The woman was wearing a black dress and held two bouquets of flowers in her arms. Yuuki could see a slight tinge of red within the woman¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Ummm¡­ Excuse me¡­¡± The woman was trying to walk down the steps, but Yuuki was blocking her. When she realized that, Yuuki quickly stepped aside, pulling the corpse of the monster with her.


    The Demi-Human eyed the monster corpse and sighed.


    ¡°You must be here for Dave right?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ I was told by the guard at the gate to go to a Mr. Carnie in order to sell this monster corpse too.¡± Yuuki had no idea who Dave was. She had only gotten the man¡¯s last name from the guard.


    ¡°Yea, that¡¯s Dave. It¡¯s his first name. Those guards really need to start giving people my husband¡¯s first name as well.¡± The Demi-Human sighed as she yelled back into the building for her husband.


    While she was doing that, the human woman looked between the monster''s corpse and the sword on Yuuki¡¯s back.


    ¡°Did you slay the monster?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Yuuki nodded to the woman. ¡°It attacked while I was walking here from Sanum.¡±


    ¡°Sanum?!¡± The woman gave a startled shriek before realizing what she did and looking around nervously. When she saw that no one around them was looking at the pair, she leaned in and whispered to Yuuki. ¡°Ummm¡­ Do you know what happened there recently? I heard there was an attack¡­¡±


    Yuuki sighed. Of course she knew what the woman was asking. Afterall, she had been very present at the fight itself.


    ¡°There was an attack by an ex-hunter. He was stopped by a trio of brave warriors and one foolish cat who didn¡¯t know when to stop.¡±


    The woman looked a bit sad after Yuuki gave her such a short explanation. She fidgeted a bit before asking Yuuki another question.


    ¡°Did the attack¡­ involve irradiation¡­?¡±


    Yuuki didn¡¯t know how to answer the question. Just the fact that the woman knew about Irradiation, mixed with her similarities to Nic physically, meant that she most likely knew everything already. She was fishing for confirmation, and Yuuki didn¡¯t know if she should¡¯ve given it.


    ¡°It¡­ did¡­ But even that was taken care of by one of those brave warriors. So it shouldn¡¯t be a problem going forward.¡± The woman sighed as she heard Yuuki¡¯s statement and gave her a small smile.


    ¡°Thank you for telling me¡­ No one has been willing to talk about it, so I¡¯m glad to know what actually happened.¡±


    As she was talking, another Demi-Person walked out of the house. Like the woman, he had two dog ears perched atop a head of graying brown hair. His own clothes looked far more refined, similar to traders who stayed in one spot for business. As he walked down the steps, he was eyeing the monster corpse that Yuuki had.


    After hearing him coming, the human woman bowed her head to Yuuki and took a few steps back, letting the new demi-human arrive onto the street.


    ¡°So, that corpse for me, miss?¡±


    His voice was completely different from what Yuuki had been expecting. While she had been expecting a deeper voice she commonly found older men to have, this demi-human was easily a high tenor still.


    Yuuki nodded and held the end of the bird''s feet out towards the demi-human.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know what they are worth so anything you are willing to offer will work for me.¡±


    The man looked at the monster for a second before reaching one of his hands into a pocket. Three silver coins clinked in his hand as he held them out for Yuuki.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit higher than normal rate for a War Bird. Since the death blow was clean, I¡¯m willing to offer this since I can probably get more material out of the monster.¡±


    Yuuki quickly took the 3 coins as the man took the War Bird. While she watched as the man slung the bird nearly as big as her over his shoulder like it was nothing, she rubbed her injured shoulder. She¡¯d noticed it before, but she had lost some strength in that arm after the attack. She hadn¡¯t been dragging the War Bird behind her for no reason. The man walked off to the back of the house.


    As he left, it seemed like the human woman was going to say something else to Yuuki but the sound of horses hooves clanging against the stone street cut her off. Cyril came riding by on a horse with another one in tow behind him.


    ¡°Figured you were still down here. It¡¯s time for us to go.¡± He motioned for Yuuki to get on the extra horse with his head.


    Yuuki gave the human woman a small bow of her head before turning to get on the horse. She quickly bounded herself up onto its back, the hood of her cloak finally falling off while she did. Her cat ears wiggled in their newfound freedom.


    Yuuki felt something in her chest. She looked back at the human and sighed. She wasn¡¯t sure if this was the right thing for her to do, but she felt she had to do it.


    ¡°Oh, my name is Yuuki. Nice to meet you.¡±


    The woman looked at Yuuki, surprised. She fumbled with her words a bit before finally responding.


    ¡°My name is Kayla. Kayla Healstry.¡±


    Yuuki had seen it from the moment the woman¡¯s face had become visible. Hearing the name was just confirmation for her. As Cyril and Yuuki left Aric on horseback through the southern gate, Yuuki thought about the boy she had spent so long tutoring in the art of the sword.


    ¡°Nic, your mom still worries about you¡­¡± She whispered to herself as the horses picked up speed. Cyril was none the wiser to what she was thinking about as he led the way.


    Compared to walking, riding on horseback was much quicker. While it had taken them two days to travel on foot from Sanum to Aric, they were able to cover the same distance in about two thirds of a day. It only took two and a half days for a large castle to come into view. The two were on the other side of the forest that Aric lay in.


    Contrary to Aric, the rad-town in front of Yuuki was much larger. It easily dwarfed the budding city-state by three or four times in land area alone. Like Aric, there was a large wall surrounding the entirety of the city. The wall was broken down, clearly showing its age. If a force of combatants tried to overrun the town, it would most likely not hold in the end.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Cyril came to a stop a few hundred Mer away from the front gates to the city. Yuuki had her horse come to a stop beside him.


    ¡°This is it?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Cyril nodded. ¡°The officials in Sanum call it S-086.¡±


    ¡°S-086?¡± Yuuki was familiar with the naming scheme. It was the same naming scheme that all rad-towns got. The first letter denoted the City-State or Nation in charge of watching over the rad-town. In this case, the ¡°S¡± stood for ¡°Sanum¡±. The numbers that follow designate the placement in time that the rad-town was formed in. Being number ¡°086¡± meant that 85 other rad-towns were being watched by Sanum before this one.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bland naming scheme. So we here in the rad-town have given it a name of our own.¡± Cyril kept talking about the city.


    ¡°What¡¯s that name?¡± Yuuki was genuinely curious. She wasn¡¯t sure if any other rad-towns gave themselves names for identification purposes.


    ¡°Crystalia.¡±


    ¡°Crystalia? That¡¯s¡­ an interesting name.¡± While Yuuki had never heard the word before, the inclusion of ¡°crystal¡± within it led her to believe that it was chosen because they were important to the city somehow.


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand why we named it that soon.¡±


    With a light tap of his foot, Cyril lurched his horse forward to the entrance to the city. Yuuki followed behind, watching as figures began to pop up across the top of the town wall. They were far enough away that Yuuki couldn¡¯t make out any noticeable details. They were probably scouts, and as such she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they had some sort of weapons on them.


    As they grew closer, Yuuki heard a short from atop the wall. In an instant, the gate to the city was lowered.


    ¡°Glad to have you back, Commander Cyril! Seems your little trip was successful?¡± As the two riders passed through the gates, a demi-human ran up to Cyril and gave him a small salute as he spoke.


    The newcomer had a pair of cat ears just like Yuuki¡¯s sitting atop his head. His brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail and a long scar cut through his face, barely passing the light green eyes that were bouncing between Cyril and the hooded Yuuki.


    ¡°Yes it did. Has anything else happened here since I¡¯ve been gone?¡± Cyril pulled his hood fully down and let his ears wiggle in the air as he talked. A small gesture of his hand towards Yuuki let her know that she could take her hood off as well.


    Yuuki tuned out the conversation that the two of them were holding out as she got off the horse that Cyril had been lending her. As her feet hit the ground another person, this time a human with short black hair, came up and took the reins from Yuuki. The person then led the horse over to a stable nearby.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Cyril to finish talking with the Cat-Person. As he was leaving, the Cat-Person gave Yuuki a slight nod before heading back into an entrance into the wall surrounding the city.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s start heading towards the castle.¡± Cyril began walking down what seemed like a main road. Shops lined the length of it, and as they walked through, people began poking their heads out of the doors. Once they saw the two people walking by, many seemed to recognize Cyril. It seemed that his presence told them that all was safe.


    ¡°Commander huh? It seems like the people of this city put a lot of trust in you.¡± As Yuuki talked, the street gradually filled.


    There was a good mix of demi-humans, both members of the Beast Tribes and Elves, and regular humans. Yuuki counted a total of 17 different Beast of Elven tribe members.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s how people see me. I¡¯m technically not a part of the defense force for this town. I¡¯m actually¡­ well I guess you could say that I¡¯m the boss of the bosses of that defense force.¡± Cyril scratched his head as he tried to explain his positioning.


    Yet the way he described it only garnered him a confused tilted head in response.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ In simpler terms, I¡¯m a part of the administration team for this whole town. If I was to equate it to the government in Sanum, I''d be like one of their senators. Except that I actually do things around the city instead of sitting in a room or two all day debating others.¡±


    The end of Cyrils comment cast the government of the city Yuuki had called home for so long in a bad light.


    Yuuki couldn¡¯t rebuke him. He was right. Aside from a few of the senators, Mr. Chapman was one of those few senators, most sat around and did nothing but debate all day. They rarely made appearances in the city that they were supposed to lead.


    ¡°I¡­ see¡­¡±


    A small Demi-Human child ran up to the two of them and hugged Cyril¡¯s leg. Like Cyril he was a part of the Raccoon tribe. In fact, he looked like a mini-Cyril. There were a few differences, but they really were quite similar to each other.


    When Cyril looked down to see what had latched itself onto him, a smile formed on his face. He reached down and patted the young demi-human on the head, garnering a small chuckle from the boy.


    ¡°Hee-hee-hee! Uncle Cyril! You¡¯re back!¡± Hearing that the two were related made Yuuki give a small sigh of understanding. The image of a young boy in the clothes of her homeland flashed in Yuuki¡¯s head.


    She shook the image away and was left with a lingering feeling in her heart.


    Yuuki left her family long ago.


    ¡°Who¡¯re you, Miss?¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s eyes refocused on the boy. He had moved away from Cyril and was standing in front of Yuuki.


    She looked over at Cyril, who simply gave her a smile and nodded to the boy.


    It¡¯s fine to tell him.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Yuuki squatted and found herself face to face with the young child. She gave him a warm smile as she answered. ¡°My name is Yuuki. I¡¯m here because your Uncle here asked me to come.¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes lit up as Yuuki introduced herself. He looked at her face, then behind her and gawked at something.


    ¡°That¡¯s a sword on your back! Are you an adventurer!?¡± Yuuki knew of adventurers. They traveled between nations and city-states, culling monsters that were near towns. She heard that many rad-towns viewed the ones that saved them as heroes. Supposedly, they always wore battle-worn gear and prominently showed their weapons.


    Given that description, Yuuki looked down at her own clothes and realized that she looked the part quite well at that point in time.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not.¡± Yuuki shook her head while answering the kid. Seeing his face grow sad as she answered, she tried to think of a way to make herself sound cool still. ¡°You see I¡¯m actually a¡­ knight from a far off land!¡±


    ¡°A knight? And what far off land?¡±


    If anything, the statement seemed to get the kids attention. He was more curious now than completely happy like he was before.


    ¡°Mhm. A knight is like¡­ the guards that watch this town. I¡¯m like them in a sense. As for the land I¡¯m from¡­¡± Yuuki pulled the sword off of her back and showed the curved blade to the boy. He stared at it in awe. ¡°There¡¯s this island nation far to the East of here. It¡¯s named Kyoku. That¡¯s where I¡¯m from. We use special blades like this one there.¡±


    The boy went to reach out to touch the blade but pulled back at the last second.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you can touch it.¡±


    The boy looked at Yuuki surprised. It seemed he didn¡¯t realize that his emotions were plastered on his face yet.


    With Yuuki¡¯s permission the boy gently put one of his fingers on the flat of the blade. Once he knew it was safe he gently swept his finger across it, giggling to himself as he did. After a few times, the boy finally pulled his hand away from the sword and looked at Yuuki¡¯s face again.


    ¡°Miss, if you¡¯re a knight¡­ Are you here to help defend the city against the bad guys that are coming?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Felix, where did you hear that?¡±


    Yuuki responded to the question with confusion while Cyril panicked as he tried to find out how the kid had learned of the attack.


    ¡°Mom and dad were talking about it after dinner one night¡­ Am I not supposed to say anything?¡±


    The kid, Felix as Cyril called him, started to shake slightly as he looked between Yuuki and Cyril.


    The kid was scared.


    Scared of doing something wrong and making the adults mad at him.


    Yuuki knew that fear.


    She patted the top of his head. As she did, Felix¡¯s ears pouted down.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. We¡¯re not mad at you. It was just surprising to see you already know about that.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Yuuki nodded.


    ¡°Now I need you to do something for me, Felix.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Yuuki sharply inhaled and sharpened her gaze on the boy''s eyes. She knew the fear he had been feeling. But she also knew that Cyril seemed to be hiding the truth from the general public in the town.


    She had first tried to lessen the fear, but now she had to be strict.


    ¡°You can¡¯t speak on this again to anyone but your Uncle and I, got it?¡± Felix visibly gulped as sweat began to form on his forehead. He nodded viciously. ¡°And when the day of the attack comes, promise me you¡¯ll hide? As well as you can so that no one, not even your uncle or I, can find you. Can you do that for me?¡±


    Felix nodded again.


    Yuuki looked up at Cyril to find a sad smile on his face. She stood up, patting Felix on the head again.


    ¡°What¡¯s that look for?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Felix, go ahead and head back to your parents.¡±


    Felix turned to his uncle and nodded before running off. Yuuki hadn¡¯t heard where his parents were at the beginning of their conversation, but Cyril seemed to know as he smiled at the back of his nephew.


    ¡°Seriously, what was that look for?¡±


    Yuuki pouted as they began walking through the town again. She wanted to know what the look was for. Seeing her face, Cyril began to laugh which only caused Yuuki¡¯s face to darken more.


    ¡°Sorry! Sorry! It¡¯s just that you took my place too fast. But bravo for saying what you did to Felix. Thanks for that.¡±


    The two continued down the main road. It took them a while, considering how large the town was, but they eventually made it to the castle gates. The guards let Cyril and Yuuki in without any fuss thanks to Cyril¡¯s position in the city.


    As Yuuki looked at the gates, she hesitated. Once she took a step in, her path for the next few weeks would be set in stone. There was no going back. Not when THAT person was involved.

 Chapter 22: Towards Aric

    ¡°Alright. Everything seems to be latched on properly. Remember to have fun visiting Aric! And don¡¯t get into any sort of trouble!¡± Ordwell was waving Nic, Aria and Sarman off as they climbed into the horse-drawn carriage that would take them to Aric.


    As the three of them took their respective seats, Ordwell leaned in and looked around at the three of them, expecting some sort of response to his statement.


    ¡°Alright, we get it dad.¡± Sarman forced a smile as he shooed his father out of the carriage. ¡°We won¡¯t do anything, don¡¯t worry so much.¡±


    Hearing this Ordwell let out a short forlorn sigh as he put one hand on the door to the carriage. His face pained as he gave the three of them a soft smile.


    ¡°I get it, I get it. I¡¯ll head out now. See you all in three weeks.¡± With a small wink to his son, Ordwell closed the door. ¡°Tim, keep them safe for me?¡± Though muffled, the trio in the carriage could hear Ordwell giving his goodbyes to the man driving the carriage.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the carriage to start moving. Slowly it made its way down the mountain.


    The carriage became deathly quiet. What should have been a joyous ride with friends discussing their plans for this vacation instead was one where no one wanted to talk. Only the clanking of the wooden wheels hitting stone and the pittering of the horses hooves sounded within the carriage cabin.


    The air was palpable. So stiff that even the slightest of movements felt like it would spark an explosion. Even if they wanted to talk, none of the three knew a way to diffuse the situation.


    It wasn¡¯t because of bad blood between the three of them. Nic knew that. Sarman, who was sitting across from Nic and Aria, looked off as he sat with his eyes closed. Without Yuuki next to him, Nic thought that something was missing.


    He reached out and slowly took Aria¡¯s hand in his own. She didn¡¯t flinch away from him. In fact she flipped her hand over and interlocked her fingers with Nics.


    Sarman and Yuuki didn¡¯t have the same kind of relationship as Nic and Aria. Sarman had said so many times when Nic had asked. But it was clear that the bond between them was at the same level or even stronger than the bond that Nic and Aria had.


    Nic hoped that one day they would be able to rival that bond.


    Pitter. Pitter. Pitter.


    The carriage continued down the mountain. Despite its prominence on the world stage, Sanum was an older city. Because of that, its roads weren¡¯t the most even, causing the carriage to bump occasionally. On top of that, many people owned shop fronts on the road, letting the carriage flow through the cacophony of sounds and smells that lingered in the air.


    A small growl finally broke the tense silence in the carriage.


    As Nic covered his stomach with one hand, Aria quietly giggled and Sarman opened one of his eyes to look at Nic.


    ¡°We just ate not even two hours ago. You¡¯re hungry again?¡± Sarman quietly asked his question. Like Aria, he was close to bursting at the absurdity of the situation.


    ¡°Look, It¡¯s just the smells. We must be going through a large food section of shops.¡± Nic tried to force the two back, but another growl from his stomach didn¡¯t help his case at all. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not actually hungry. I¡¯ll be able to last until we take a break specifically for lunch.¡±


    The plan had been to get out of Sanum before stopping at any point. It was better if people didn¡¯t know that Sarman Chapman was leaving town. Ordwell was fighting an uphill battle in the Sanum senate. They had to keep themselves on the downlow so as to not give Ordwell¡¯s opponents more ammunition to use against him.


    Now that a small stomach growl had broken the silence, each of the three felt far more comfortable talking within the carriage. By the time they were coming up on the gate that led outside of the city, the carriage had become quite lively, with, mostly Aria, and Nic telling Sarman stories of their time living in Aric back when it was a radtown.


    Their conversations came to a halt when the carriage suddenly stopped. Sarman peered out of one of the curtained windows. Nic also took a sneak peak but saw nothing out of the ordinary.


    Seemingly coming to the same conclusion, Sarman opened a small window behind his head that let him speak to the driver, Tim.


    ¡°Can you see what¡¯s happening, Tim?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t sir. It sounds like the gate guard might be arguing with someone though. Want me to go check it out?¡± Tim was an old friend of Sarman and Yuuki¡¯s from back after Aria moved away. He came from a much lower ranking family but when Ordwell offered him a job as a cart driver, Tim took it.


    ¡°Nah, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll get a little bit more of a stretch before we hit the road.¡± Sarman quickly got up and walked out of the carriage. Despite their plans to stay hidden, it seemed like Sarman was far too keen to see what was going on.


    Nic shot Aria a quick glance. When she nodded back, he knew she was thinking the same thing as him. Sarman¡¯s reason for going was weird. So they quickly followed Sarman.


    ¡°You could¡¯ve stayed back.¡± Sarman spoke up as the two of them fell in line next to him.


    ¡°Are you sure you want us staying in an enclosed space¡­ together?¡± Nic sent an elbow softly into Sarman¡¯s side as he teased him.


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ I shouldn¡¯t leave you two alone together again, right?¡± His face red, Sarman tried to give Nic a rebuttal.


    Nic and Aria responded with laughter. It wasn¡¯t too far from the carriage to the gate. As they got closer, they could hear a familiar voice yelling incessantly at someone.


    Nic sighed as he rubbed his temples with one of his hands.


    The three entered the gate house and Nic¡¯s thoughts were confirmed.


    Sitting against one wall was a demi-human girl about the same size as Nic. She had long straight black hair that reached about halfway down her back. Her soft purple eyes were staring vacantly at the ceiling. On top of her head sat two raccoon ears and a bushy tail idly hung down the side of the chair. While Nic had usually seen her wearing nice clothes, today she was in an outfit almost tailor made for trekking long distances. And based on the large bags next to her, it seemed she was going on a trip.


    ¡°Why are you keeping us!? We have our papers right here! Signed by the minister himself! Look, if you just let us go, I won¡¯t tell him that you were stopping us from doing our jobs!¡±


    In the center of the room was the first girl''s partner. She had much shorter blonde hair that had now gotten nearly to her shoulder. Though he couldn¡¯t see them because she was facing away from the entrance, Nic knew that the girl had vibrant green eyes. She was about the same size as Aria and had on a similar getup to the first girl.


    She was currently verbally berating the poor gate guard sitting at the desk in front of her.


    ¡°Kiara. Sarah. What the hell is going on here?¡±


    When Nic finally spoke up and said their names, both girls instantly locked eyes on him. Sarah seemed happy to see Nic while Kiara seemed far more reserved, almost scared.


    ¡°Nic! And Sarman!? That¡¯s even better!¡± Sarah, the blonde girl who had been harassing the gate guard, bounded up to Sarman and held up a piece of paper in front of his face. ¡°We have our orders from your father to head out of town, but this guard is refusing to let us go! Can you get him to let us through?¡±


    Sarman took the piece of paper and let out a long sigh. He looked over at the guard, who flinched in response.


    ¡°Why¡¯re you holding these two up? Everything on this piece of paper is legit, even you should know that.¡± Sarman was tired, and it showed. He didn¡¯t want to have to deal with this kind of bs right before leaving the city.


    ¡°Uh- uh-umm.¡± The guard stammered as he stood up and gave Sarman a small salute. ¡°You see¡­ I was told by the previous shift guard to watch out for a dark haired, purple eyed demi-human. He didn¡¯t tell me what kind of demi-human, so I stopped the lady and was trying to get in contact with the other guard, but this human kept interrupting me.¡±


    Nic heard Sarman heave a long sigh.


    ¡°Was the last shift guard Kyle?¡± The guard in front of them furiously nodded. ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming that was your friend that told you about the hooded figure?¡± Aria spoke up after hearing Sarman¡¯s question. He responded by giving her a dejected nod.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m the one who told Kyle to look out for them. I also gave Kyle a much more detailed description. Look out for a cat-person, long black hair, and deep purple eyes. Kiara here has light purple, got it?¡± The guard nodded as he scribbled down the description that Sarman gave him.


    ¡°Got it. I have it written down here now and I¡¯ll give this to the next shift guard as well.¡± He turned to Kiara and bowed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about the mixup here. Please let me get you through the gate as fast as I possibly can.¡±


    Kiara sighed as the guard quickly walked out of the building. She looked over at Sarah with a sharp glare that caused the girl to flinch slightly.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t supposed to let them know our job. That was the one thing that we were told by the minister, Sarah.¡± Kiara was tense as she reprimanded her partner. She shoved one of the two bags that had been sitting next to her into Sarah¡¯s arms before grabbing the paper out of Sarman¡¯s hands.


    Nic quickly glanced at Aria only to find her just as confused looking as he felt.


    ¡°Ummm¡­ What exactly is your mission?¡±


    Nic asked the question on both his and Aria¡¯s minds but only got a glare from Kiara in response. Sarah was looking away guiltily while Sarman let out a long sigh.


    ¡°Look, Kiara. If you won¡¯t tell them I will. I can understand why my father didn¡¯t want them to know, but I think they deserve the truth.¡±


    Kiara stopped right before the doorway. The sound of paper crumpling came from her right hand. Before she could say anything, the same guard as before peeked his head in, but a quick motion from Sarman sent him back out to let other people through the gate.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think¡­¡± Kiara¡¯s first words were a whisper. One that Nic barely heard any of. ¡°You don¡¯t think I want them to know!? You¡¯re right! They deserve to know. I know that! But¡­ But, this is our first job from the minister! I can¡¯t let it end horribly for us because of my own feelings!¡±


    Tears were beginning to form in her eyes as Kiara shouted at Sarman. She was conflicted. More than Nic had ever seen her conflicted before.


    Sarah ran up to her and wrapped her arms around Kiara¡¯s neck. A desperate attempt to calm down her partner.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Sarman,¡± Aria turned to the other person in the room who knew what the two girls'' mission was. ¡°If you tell us the mission, then that wouldn¡¯t be them breaking their promise to your father, correct?¡±


    Sarman grinned at Aria. She had come up with the same idea that he had. It wasn¡¯t Kiara or Sarah¡¯s fault that Sarman learned about their mission. And it wouldn¡¯t be their fault if Sarman was to tell Aria and Nic about it.


    How could this possibly reflect back on them poorly?


    Sarman would make sure it didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the carriage. I¡¯ll explain it more there.¡± Sarman walked up to the two girls and put a hand on both of their heads. ¡°You two are coming with us. Our destinations are the same. We might as well give you a ride.¡±


    Kiara looked at Sarman with a mix of gratitude and sadness. She wasn¡¯t so easy to convince that this wouldn¡¯t end poorly for them. But when Sarah took Kiara¡¯s free hand in hers, Kiara quickly allowed herself to be dragged along behind Sarman.


    As the three of them left the building, Aria quickly grabbed Nic¡¯s hand in a similar fashion to Sarah and gave him a quick smile. The two of them were the most in the dark about what was going on.


    After the five of them climbed into the carriage, Sarman looked a lot less lonely than before. While Nic and Aria found themselves in their original positions, Sarman was now sharing his side of the carriages¡¯ interior with Kiara and Sarah.


    ¡°Ahem, let¡¯s get this started. Kiara, can I have the paper?¡± As the carriage lurched into motion, Sarman held his hand out to Kiara. She gave him a slightly crumpled piece of paper, the same one that Sarah had shown him in the guard office. ¡°This here is a set of orders signed by my father, the Minister of Sanum.¡±


    Sarman took the paper and handed it to Nic and Aria. The two held it between them as they began to quickly scan over the orders that their friends had been given.


    ¡°Wait these are¡­¡± Nic murmured as he scanned the document.


    ¡°Long story short, it seems that Aric has requested help from Sanum in dealing with an influx of monsters appearing outside of their normal habitats in the deeper parts of the forest.¡±


    Nic glanced at Aria, worry seeping throughout his body. Both of them had people still living in Aric that they cared about.


    While Aric was situated within a large forest, it was still fairly close to the southern edge of it. If one was to head north into the heart of the forest from Aric, then they would gradually run into more and more monsters. If one encountered a monster near the village, like how Nic had run into the Gigant Bear nearly a year prior, it was usually on its own far away from its brethren.


    If the village was facing a horde of monsters approaching it, something must be happening in the heart of the forest. Even if the amount of guards in the village had grown in the past year, if they were asking for help from Sanum, then there was a chance the village could get overrun.


    ¡°So you two are¡­?¡± Aria spoke up, looking at Kiara and Sarah as she did.


    ¡°We volunteered to go ourselves. We will be helping assist the guards in protecting the town while also making a trip into the heart of the forest to find out why the monsters are appearing elsewhere as well.¡± Sarah was the one that answered Aria.


    ¡°Sarman¡¯s father asked us to keep this a secret from you all. He said you were passing by Aric soon and didn¡¯t want you to be caught up in everything.¡± Kiara bowed her head to Nic and Aria as she explained the promise she had been trying to keep.


    Yet both of them caught one part of what she said and looked at each other in confusion before questioningly looking at Sarman. When he realized he sighed.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t me who told him. Most likely he knew our changed plan the minute we thought of it.¡±


    ¡°Changed plan? Were you originally going to do something else?¡± Kiara peered at the three of them.


    ¡°Well¡­ Aria originally proposed this idea as a way for the three of us and Yuuki to get out of Sanum for a bit with the whole senate situation going on right now. They aren¡¯t really big fans of Nic. Last week Yuuki went missing.¡±


    ¡°What!? Master is missing!? Why is this the first I¡¯m hearing of this?¡± Sarah shot up as Sarman finally mentioned the missing fourth member of their group.


    Like Nic, Sarah was one of Yuuki¡¯s acolytes when it came to learning how to use a sword. In fact, she had been studying under Yuuki longer than Nic had. Nic knew it was unfair to keep her in the dark as long as they had, but there hadn¡¯t been enough time due to their search through Sanum for Yuuki.


    Sarman nodded to answer Sarah¡¯s outburst before continuing.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ve been searching throughout Sanum for the past week. We heard that a cloaked female cat-person had left the city through the eastern gate a few nights back. Right now, as thin of a thread that is, it''s our only possible lead on Yuuki.¡±


    ¡°While my original proposition had been for us to spend a week or two in Aric, now that we are planning on trying to find Yuuki outside of Sanum, Aric will simply be a stopping point for us before we move onwards further east.¡± Aria picked up halfway through the explanation, continuing from where Sarman ended.


    ¡°Further east? So you¡¯re heading to the rad-town on the other side of the forest?¡± Kiara seemingly knew a fair bit about geography as she accurately predicted the group''s final destination.


    Nic was going to answer her when Aria and him were thrown out of their seats by the carriage''s sudden stop. The two hit the ground hard while the other three braced themselves against the wall behind them.


    The small slit to be able to talk to the driver quickly opened from the outside.


    ¡°Sar! We got company!¡± Tim, the driver, shouted into the cart.


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re surrounded!¡±


    When he said that, everyone scrambled over to a window to look out. When he pulled back a curtain and peered outside, he could feel the hairs on his skin stand up straight.


    He gulped as a heavy feeling sunk in his stomach. Gasps came from two of the girls while the third one mumbled softly.


    ¡°Thornback spiders¡­¡±


    They were still in the plains that separated Sanum and the forest, and yet a host of Thornback Spiders had surrounded the carriage.


    ¡°Tim! Get inside now!¡±


    Sarman quickly opened the door and hopped up onto the roof of the carriage, positioning himself so he wouldn¡¯t fall. As he did so, the driver scurried into the carriage, cowering in one of the corners.


    Their reactions were textbook when faced with a horde of monsters.


    Nine Thornback Spiders sat encompassing the carriage. This monster, a perverted evolution of black widow spiders caused by Irradiation, was one of the deadliest monsters known. Nearly half the size of the average human, the eight legged arachnids were covered in brittle hairs nearly a foot long that were better described as spikes. These spikes were what gave the monsters their names.


    Each spider could fire the spikes off of itself at long ranges and fast speeds. Despite not being the most accurate projectiles, the monsters didn¡¯t need them to be. So long as their target was scratched, death was all but assured for the victim.


    Being monsters, the Thornback Spiders were born from Irradiation. Each spike on their bodies was coated in it. Being hit by one guaranteed Irradiation sickness and eventual death. It was a long, painful and arduous way to go.


    Seeing nine of these monsters would have been enough to make most people submit themselves to their fate. Yet for the carriage and the people inside, there was another monster that made them awe at Sarman¡¯s willingness to be out of the carriage.


    Standing with the Nine ¡°normal¡± thornback spiders was one nearly twice the size. Its eight eyes were surveying the carriage, focusing on the demi-human atop it.


    A Thornback Queen.


    Doubling the size of a normal Thornback spider wasn¡¯t the only thing that it had doubled. The amount of spikes had doubled, maybe even tripled, and their efficacy was far superior. A cut from one of those thorns would cause instant Critical Irradiation Sickness.


    But for the Thornback Queen, that wasn¡¯t her only Irradiation based attack. She was able to spew out a liquid form of Irradiation that wilted and killed anything it touched.


    It was easy to call a Thornback Queen one of the deadliest species to ever live on the surface of Kronul.


    And there was one leading the Thornback Spiders that had surrounded the carriage.


    One could call this a worst case scenario.


    ¡°Aria! Barrier!¡± Sarman yelled from the top of the carriage.


    Inside, the air coalesced onto Aria¡¯s body, forming a light green visage of armor surrounding her. Thanks to her contract with the Wind Spirit Progenitor Aerial, Aria was able to control the air surrounding them. When she fully utilized her connection with Aerial, this light green visage of armor was created. It was a symbol of her status as a Spirit Queen.


    With her arms pointed at opposing walls, Aria grunted slightly as she strained herself to create a barrier of condensed air surrounding the carriage. Outside, a wall of thorns fired from the Thornback Spiders were held in place thanks to the wall.


    They would have punctured the carriage from every side if Aria had not stopped them when she did.


    Sweat began to drip down Nic¡¯s forehead. Part of it was because of how close they had been to being punctured, but it was also because the carriage had heated up significantly. A large source of heat was directly above the carriage.


    Sarman had no intention of letting the monsters hold them up any longer.


    A bright flash of orange lit up the cavern despite the curtains covering the carriages windows. Nic grabbed his sword and ran out of the carriage. He couldn¡¯t let Sarman take care of everything by himself.


    But when he stepped outside, the scene in front of him made it clear that Nic wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to help.


    The Thornback Queen, one of the deadliest monsters known to humankind, had a flaming spear twice its length through its body. It entered through the monster''s mouth and Nic could see the end of it coming out of the bulbous back end of the monster.


    Not even a second later, a second spear descended from above, smashing the monster into the ground as it burned its way through the monsters body from above.


    The Thornback queen let out a languid screech as it was dying. Those screeching death throes would haunt Nic¡¯s dreams for days to come.


    Nic felt like he had finally seen Sarman¡¯s true strength. What he was truly capable of as a Spirit King. Was Nic truly needed in fights outside of his ability to purify Irradiation? With Sarman and Aria there, he wasn¡¯t so sure anymore.


    In quick succession nine more flaming spears appeared in the skies above. Each one targeting a different Thornback Spider. The monsters noticed the spear and tried to scurry away.


    It was futile. The spears were seemingly sentient as they moved in accordance to the monsters. Each one hit its target dead on. More screeching joined the Thornback Queen¡¯s death throes as each monster caught on fire and eventually burned to death.


    Less than a minute had passed since the carriage had stopped. For most people, this situation would have resulted in a guaranteed death for everyone involved. And yet for them, no one was hurt.


    Sarman jumped off of the carriage¡¯s roof, his body covered in a flaming visage of armor, just like Aria¡¯s wind visage of armor. He had a contract with the fire spirit progenitor. Sarman was a Spirit King.


    The thorns that had been shot at the carriage, currently stuck in Aria¡¯s wind wall, were quickly bunched into a group.


    ¡°Hey Nic, can you cleanse these? While we¡¯re probably going to just bury them, it doesn¡¯t hurt to be too safe.¡± Aria came out of the carriage and switched spots with Sarman who went in.


    ¡°Yea, I got it. Do you mind moving all the monsters into a pile as well? I can still see Irradiation on them. Better safe than sorry right?¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Aria ran off to move the corpses of the monsters while Nic kneeled down next to the pile of thorns. As he held his hand over them, he could feel the Irradiation they were giving off. It was trying to enter his body.


    He let it.


    The feeling of Irradiation was sickly to Nic. He hated the feeling of it. Especially when he absorbed it.


    That was why he wanted to purify it fast. He felt the sickening presence in his body and surrounded it with his own magic. As the two forces coalesced within his body, the sickly feeling went away. It was his own magic. One that only a few people knew about, and even fewer could use.


    As far as Nic knew, he was the only person alive who could use it. The last person who might¡¯ve been able to use it was the Blood Queen nearly three centuries earlier.


    ¡°Nic, all of the monster corpses are gathered!¡± Aria walked up to Nic as he was finished up with the thorns. As he stood up to go take care of cleansing the corpses, she bent down and began burying the thorns.


    Aria had piled up the monster corpses in a pile on the still burning corpse of the Thornback Queen. As Nic got closer he could hear a quiet sound and saw that one of the Thornback Spiders mandibles was still shaking.


    The monster was somehow still alive, if only by a thread. Nic drew his sword from its scabbard and held it above the monsters head.


    He plunged the sword down. He felt the cracking as the sword punctured the monster''s exoskeleton. In the same instant, black tendrils of Irradiation came from all of the corpses and spiraled up the blade. As they slithered over the blade, climbing upwards, they eventually hit the crossguard where they were absorbed in the black crystal in the center.


    Nic kept his sword where it was until there were no more black tendrils.


    As he walked back to the carriage, he saw Sarman come back out of it. Tim, their driver, also got out and found his place in the front area, ready to start driving again.


    ¡°Are we good for me to burn the rest?¡± Sarman shot the question to Nic as he looked past him. Nic nodded as the two passed each other. He got into the carriage and found Aria already waiting for him in the seats they had initially been in.


    A warm light covered the side of his face as a large fire was started outside. Sarah and Kiara watched out of one of the windows until Sarman got back into the carriage.


    As soon as the door closed and Sarman sat down, the cart lurched its way into motion again. Even with the delay, the group were still on track to reach the Aric by the end of the day.


    The journey was full of talking as the two groups, Sarman, Aria and Nic, and Kiara and Sarah, discussed the specifics on each other''s plans on their way to Aric.

 Chapter 23: Monarch

    Cyril lead Yuuki walked into a large open foyer that acted as the castle¡¯s entrance. Large stone pillars lined either side with guards standing in front of each one. The room was two stories tall and had a walkway positioned about halfway up.


    The second story walkway wrapped around three of the four wall, only leaving out the wall that the main entrance was connected to.


    Sitting in the center of each wall were staircases that presumably led up to the second story. Surrounding them were a multitude of doors that led to other room and hallways in the castle.


    Besides the guards standing next to each pillar, Cyril and Yuuki were the only people in the empty foyer. The emptiness of the room caused an uneasiness to settle in Yuuki¡¯s gut as Cyril led her up the left side stairs to the second floor walkway.


    Like the first floor, the second floor felt similarly empty to Yuuki. A couple of banners decorated the walls but that was it. No plants or tables or even chairs could be found near the walls for additional decorations.


    ¡°Cyril¡­?¡± Yuuki tried not to disturb the silence too much as she whispered to her guide.


    Cyril either didn¡¯t hear Yuuki or didn¡¯t care as he continued his walk. They quickly made their way to a third staircase on teh second floor that continued up to even higher floors. This third stairway was on the wall opposite the entrance to the foyer on the first floor.


    ¡°Sorry, the foyer always feels weird when there is no one else in there. I get a bit nervous talking when it¡¯s that quiet as well.¡± It was only once they were halfway up the staircase that Cyril began talking again.


    ¡°I see. Where are we going in the castle? I would assume that the one in charge would be in the deepest part with the best protection, and yet we are going up. From the outside it didn¡¯t look like this castle went higher than three, maybe four, floors.¡± Yuuki had noticed a couple of towers on the castle that went higher than that, but for the most part the castle didn¡¯t go as high.


    In fact, the main building of the Sanum University that she had been attending the past year was bigger than the castle. Both in hight and overall footprint.


    ¡°That would be the smartest choice, right?¡± Cyril answered with an exasperated acknowledgement to Yuuki¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Sadly, our queen doesn¡¯t see it that way. She holes herself up at the top of the center tower.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Yuuki was taken aback by the news. She couldn¡¯t possibly comprehend why that would be better.


    ¡°In her own words ¡®Everyone just assumes the towers are for lookouts, storage or prisoners. Who would think that the queen would be in one?¡¯ So here we are¡­ climbing countless steps just to get to her.¡±


    It was an insane idea. Everything that Yuuki knew screamed that it was idiotic. But yet, Yuuki couldn¡¯t stop herself from admiring the logic behind it. Clearly she was one of those people that the queen was talking about. This was yet another thing that she could learn more about by coming here.


    ¡°You know, if you didn¡¯t spend so much time running around, climbing these stairs wouldn¡¯t be as much of a pain.¡±


    ¡°Oh stop it Tom, you¡¯re being too harsh on Cyril. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s just doing everything he can to keep on her majesty¡¯s good siiiide.¡±


    A pair of new voices from the top of the staircase cut into the conversation that Yuuki and Cyril were having. Even before she looked up, Yuuki knew that the owner of the female voice was going to be a problem for her.


    Standing at the top of the stairs were the two newcomers. The first one to speak had been a rugged looking human male. Yuuki scowled slightly as she could instantly tell that the man had been an adventurer before he came to this city.


    Worn jeans filled with holes in the lower half covered his legs while a beat up jacket covered his torso. The jacket was old and worn out, though it seemed to have originally been red, which contrasted with the brown shirt underneath it. Neither shirt or jacket had sleeves, leaving the mans arms completely exposed. Scars from countless battles covered the muscles that were most likely needed to lift the massive sword slung across the man¡¯s back. The man had piercing eyes that stood out alongside the tattoo that covered the side of his bald head.


    Next to him stood the woman whose voice had already made Yuuki have a distaste for them. Her back had two massive bird wings sprouting from it, revealing her nature as a demi-human. Like the male, her clothes were worn out and faded, but they seemed to be in somewhat better condition and fully covered her arms as well. Yuuki didn¡¯t see a physical weapon on the woman so she assumed that the demi-human primarily used magic or something related to her wings. Her face was lined by short black hair, and while her mouth wasn¡¯t sneering, Yuuki could see the sneer in her red eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯re you two doing here?¡± A hostile tone in Cyril¡¯s voice betrayed his feelings, something that the newcomers eagerly picked up on.


    ¡°Well¡­ You see Cyril, you were gone for so long! And when we heard you had been spotted in the city, we just had to come meet you first!¡± The Demi-human drew out her words, creating what sounded like a seductive tone to Yuuki.


    She quietly laughed at how palpable the air on the stairs were at that moment.


    ¡°Oh really, Narissa? If that is the only reason you¡¯re here, then you can go ahead and leave. Your ¡°greeting¡± has been noted.¡± Cyril grabbed Yuuki¡¯s hand and tried to force his way past the two, only to be blocked by the burly human.


    The human, Yuuki believed that the demi-human had called him Tom earlier, pointed towards Yuuki with a grin growing on his face.


    ¡°She the one who you want to replace me with? She¡¯s just a kid!¡±


    Yuuki realized why there was bad blood between the two in an instant. If she hazard a guess it would be that Cyril doesn¡¯t think that Tom was teaching their defense force well enough. That in turn made Tom angry, so he was trying to prove himself.


    Well¡­


    Yuuki wasn¡¯t going to say it aloud but she thought Cyril was in the right.


    She hadn¡¯t met many Adventurers in her life. Yet she had learned about them all the same. And there was one thing she knew. Their style of fighting was great for the randomness that came from monsters. It also excelled when being used against enemies without weapons of their own.


    It¡¯s biggest shortcoming was that it failed miserably when pitted against those with weapons.


    If the people of Crystalia really were planning on defending against an armed enemy force, then having their defenders be taught by an adventurer was the worst outcome.


    ¡°So what if she is younger?! She¡¯s a far better swordsman than you will ever be.¡± Cyril made sure he was in between Tom and Yuuki as he shot back at the former adventurer.


    Clearly he had seen Yuuki fight before at some point, most likely a competition she had joined that had used only wooden weapons. But for him to put her on such a pedastel was making Yuuki a tad nervous.


    ¡°Better?! Hmph! I doubt it!¡±


    As if on queue, the adventurer took the bait and swung his arm at Cyril. Seemingly used to this sort of behavior, Cyril leaned to the side to dodge it.


    It was only once the fist pased Cyril¡¯s face that both Cyril and Yuuki realized that by dodging, Cyril had left a clear path to Yuuki herself.


    Yuuki quickly moved to the right herself. As she did, she grabbed the man¡¯s wrist and pulled. The extra force caught Tom offguard and caused him to tumble forward. Capitalizing on the situation, Cyril stuck out one of his legs, causing Tom to fully trip.


    ¡°Hey!¡± The demi-human woman grabbed Tom by his collar before pulling him back up. As he finally stood back up fully, Tom and the woman sent daggers towards Yuuki.


    ¡°Hmph. It seems you have some strength to you after all.¡± Tom patted down his pants like he was brushing off non-existant dust. When he was done he did a couple of light stretches before stepping back and letting Cyril and Yuuki past.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ letting us through? Just like that? What¡¯s going on?¡± Cyril looked at the former adventurer dubiously. He had clearly been expecting more resistance from the duo in front of them.


    ¡°Her majesty also heard of your return¡­ If we hold you up for too long, then it might be our heads on the chopping block.¡± Narissa took over for Tom as he childishly refused to speak anymore to Cyril.


    Yuuki and Cyril were about to continue on their way when a clear female voice cut everyone off. Cyril, Tom and Narissa all froze the second they heard the new woman.


    ¡°Welcome back, Cyril.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± In an instant, all three of them were on the ground kneeling towards the fifth person.


    Yuuki finally got a good look and felt her own heart skip a beat.


    Beautiful was the only word Yuuki could think to describe her.


    The newcomer was only slightly taller than Yuuki, and yet it felt like Yuuki was staring straight up when looking at her. A slim body was pronounced thanks to the stark red dress that matched the womans iris¡¯. A white coat hung over her shoulders, blending into the long silver hair that hung freely. Her skin seemed to glow softly, magnifying the well defined shape of her face.


    She had seen this woman before. In fact she had seen it many times. After all, statues of the woman could be found in a number of places in Sanum.


    The woman standing before her had a pair of related titles; ¡°The Blood Queen¡± and ¡°Blood Elf¡±.


    Yuuki was standing before the woman who had rekindled civilization after the first Irradiated Winter.


    She tried to kneel herself but was stopped when the Blood Elf motioned for her to stay standing.


    ¡°You don¡¯t belong to this city, nor have you pledged your allegiance to me. Kneeling is not necessary.¡± A soft smile was on the Blood Elf¡¯s lips. She was telling Yuuki that it was fine for her to stand.


    ¡°But I want to!¡± Yuuki blurted out her answer before she had even realized it. ¡°I want to pledge my allegiance to your cause! Cyril already told me what is going to happen¡­ If I can help you¡­ I¡¯ll do whatever I can.¡±


    Yuuki layed out her own convictions, She would be a better instructor for their defense forces. Far better than a washed up adventurer, no matter how good he had been in his prime.


    The response she got was a small sigh from the Blood Elf.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even introduced ourselves, and this is what you say?¡±


    Yuuki froze over.


    Why had she assumed that the Blood Elf would know someone like her based solely on her appearance? Why did she think that her name would be known like that?


    Her stomach began to churn as she realized just how embarrassed she felt.


    ¡°M-m-m-my name is Yuuki!¡± Each stammer caused Yuuki to bow her head lower and lower as she strived to fix her mistake.


    She seemingly accomplished her attempt when she heard pure laughter coming from the queen in front of her. Yuuki stood up as the queen clutched her sides as she continued to laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! You froze up so dramatically there and then! Pfft! It was so forced that I couldn¡¯t stop myself! Hahahahaha!¡± The queen stammered out her apology.


    Yuuki looked down at the still kneeling Cyril who could do nothing but shake his head as a small apology.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Ahhh! I haven¡¯t laughed that good in a while. Thank you for that, Yuuki. Now it¡¯s my turn. Crystal Serilo. Queen of this Rad-Town, and also known by quite a few names, but I feel like you probably know those already yourself.¡± Crystal extended one of her hands out towards Yuuki.


    Surprised by the gesture, Yuuki reached out herself but paused as she realized something. She looked at Crystal¡¯s face again only to find herself questioning her own thoughts.


    Something about the woman in front of her felt oddly familiar. She couldn¡¯t quite place what it was, but she seemed similar to Nic, to the point that they had very similar last names as well.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Crystal posed the question, forcing Yuuki out of her own brain. Realizing that she had left Crystal¡¯s arm hanging, Yuuki quickly grabbed it and gave it a firm shake.


    ¡°Sorry, nothing¡¯s wrong. You just feel¡­ familiar to someone I know.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Well now that we have gotten introductions out of the way, let¡¯s get back to what you said. You want to help this city in it¡¯s defense of the attack we know is coming?¡± Yuuki nodded. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll be honest here, Yuuki. I don¡¯t know you. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re capable of. Cyril here claims you to be a great swordswoman, yet all I see before me is a young girl. Why should I accept you¡¯re help?¡±


    Crystal¡¯s reasonings were simple. Yuuki was, overall, a no one in the grand stage that was the world. She had not made enough of a name for herself in order to be recognized by most people.


    This was her chance to prove herself.


    To prove that her skills were real.


    ¡°I¡¯m a swordswoman. I¡¯ve trained with this sword for the better part of my two decades of living. And my sword skills are actually focused on facing those with weapons. When compared to your current instructor, a former adventurer, my instruction for your forces would be far more effective.¡±


    Yuuki rebuttled the queen with her own arguments. Stating them in front of the three others gave Tom his chance at reaction.


    ¡°What was that?!¡± Tom stomped over to Yuuki and grabbed her by the collar. Yuuki stayed calm as Tom¡¯s jade eyes scanned her face. ¡°Are you vying for a fight?¡±


    The second question was barely a whisper. Yuuki wasn¡¯t sure if Tom actually wanted her to hear him. She responded with a small grin.


    ¡°I¡¯ll gladly beat you in a duel if it will let me prove myself.¡±


    As she said it, Tom shoved her away from him and turned to Crystal behind him.


    ¡°Your majesty, you can¡¯t possibly be considering this?!¡±


    ¡°I am. I think that is an interesting idea, Yuuki.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Tom¡¯s voice was growing louder and louder. Yuuki thought she saw the veins on his head nearly burst from anger.


    ¡°How about this? We all head down to the training field and you two have a duel. Whoever wins will get the rights to train our troops until the day of the attack. The loser will become someone elses assistant. I think that is fair, no?¡±


    Crystal laid out her rules for the duel and the reward for winning. Upon hearing the terms, Yuuki immediately nodded. She was fine with them, unlike her opponent who was visibly seething in anger.


    ¡°If I win, I want her out of this town, not some lackey working under Cyril or someone else.¡± Tom laid out his one change that he required.


    ¡°That¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Im fine with it, your highness.¡± Yuuki cut Crystal off. She was completely fine with Tom adding that addendum. It wouldn¡¯t matter to her in the end.


    Yuuki was going to win.


    Crystal lofted a heavy sigh. With no other additional terms being thrown out, the five of them soon found themselves in a large field situated behind the castle, yet still within the walls of the town.


    The grass was well kept with little shrubbery obstructing the space to fight in.


    A mixture of humans and demi-humans all wearing varying types of armor were practicing their swordskills with each other. It didn¡¯t take long for them to notice their instructor getting ready to fight a much younger girl in the center of the field. Before the duel even began, Yuuki and Tom had garnered a crowd.


    ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s settle the full rules. One hit, must draw blood. Oh! And no magic. Are you both fine with that?¡± Tom grunted his agreement to Crystal while Yuuki simply nodded her head.


    The format of the battle was one that Yuuki was quite familiar with. She had only just gone through another duel using the same format just a few weeks earlier. That time she had been facing one of her students, and in the end had failed because she had held back trying not to hurt him.


    Yuuki wouldn¡¯t make that mistake this time. She was going ot use every ounce of strength she had.


    The sun shone directly overhead as Yuuki and Tom faced each other.


    Tom had drawn the massive blade on his back, resting it on his shoulder as he waited for the duel to start.


    Yuuki did a small motion with her right arm, hopping to shake the slight numbness out of it, but was unsuccessful.


    It wouldn¡¯t affect her that much. Just a slight annoyance. If anything, it would be a small handicap on her that still wouldn¡¯t be enough to allow Tom to beat her.


    Yuuki put her hand on the hilt of her blade on her waist. With a sharp shting the curved blade left it¡¯s sheath and became an extension of Yuuki.


    She grabbed its hilt with both hands and lowered her center of gravity. As soon as Tom moved, Yuuki would lunge forward. She should have the speed advantage, given the size of the sword that Tom was using.


    The two stared at each other, remaining still as they waited for each other to move.


    Yuuki moved first.


    She speed towards Tom with a speed that should be too much for the former adventurer to stop. She would end the match in a single hit.


    She swung her sword¡­ And it hit nothing but the air were Tom had been just a second before.


    Yuuki was facing an adventurer with a speed she could not fathom. Tom¡¯s sword was coming down from above. There was not enough time for Yuuki to swing herself. She bounded to the right while throwing her sword up diagonally so that Tom¡¯s sword would deflect off of it.


    CLANG


    The two swords met in a clash of sparks. While Yuuki¡¯s positioning had led to Tom¡¯s sword missing her, as she landed from her rightward bound, she found her arm¡¯s shaking from the impact.


    Without any delay, Tom had another swing, just as fast, coming at Yuuki.


    There was no time for rest or to catch her breath.


    CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!


    Tom was relentless with his strikes. Each one shook Yuuki¡¯s arms just a little bit more. With each hit, she took a step back. Tom, a former adventurer, using tactics meant for monsters, was pushing Yuuki back.


    Every time she tried to counter attack Tom with a riposte, her right arm would cause her to move just slowly enough that Tom would then block her attacks.


    Yuuki had to find an opening. A way to attack.


    Tom had another swing coming at Yuuki, but this time, instead of redirecting the attack, Yuuki jumped backwards, just barely dodging the tip of the sword. The crowd that had formed around them at the beginning was getting ever and ever closer.


    The next time that Tom lunged at Yuuki, she moved to the right, circling around to his backside. Remembering her fight with Nic, Yuuki found herself moving her arms into the same position she had then.


    She angled the sword behind her as she prepared to lunge at Tom. If her arm was causing her to be just barely too slow on her normal swings, then she just had to go fast enough that the slowdown wouldn¡¯t matter.


    As soon as Yuuki saw Tom turn around, she lunged.


    When he turned around, Tom saw no one. His questioned his own eyes knowing that his opponent should have been there. It was only when he heard gasps from the ones watching the duel that he put a finger up to his cheek. When he pulled it away, it was lightly covered in blood.


    Shtick


    She had pushed herself to her absolute limit in terms of speed. Yuuki still won.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit this, you are probably the strongest adventurer I have ever seen or heard of. But your swings are still too wild. They will never beat someone who was trained to fight others with weapons.¡± Yuuki stared down the wild eyes of the man in front of her. Tom was holding himself back, yet it was clear that he wanted to dispute the outcome of the match. He was too proud to admit defeat like this.


    ¡°Tom, don¡¯t try to start anything. You lost. Accept it.¡± Cyril could also see the writing on the wall and stepped in between Yuuki and Tom.


    Hearing Cyril¡¯s voice seemed to make Tom even madder yet he quietly headed the man¡¯s advice and sulked off the field. Narissa ran after him, leaving just Yuuki, Cyril, Crystal and the rest of the troops around the field.


    As soon as Narissa and Tom were out of earshot, nearly unanimous applause erupted from the crowd.


    ¡°You beat Tom?!¡± ¡°Can you teach me to move like that?!¡± ¡°Are you going to be instructing us from now on?¡± ¡°Can you do that again!?¡±


    Yuuki had quickly become a favorite among the rank and file people that had signed up to defend the town. It seemed that she would be readily accepted as their new instructor, as long as the queen of the town accepted it.


    Crystal motioned for Yuuki to follow her with a slight movement of her head.


    It took Yuuki a second to push through the crowd, but once she did, everyone knew to keep their distance thanks to Crystal¡¯s presence.


    Crystal and Yuuki walked through the halls of the castle. News of Yuuki¡¯s victory had spread fast as they even heard the guards in the many halls whispering about it. One of them must have seen the match from a window and had spread the news.


    For her own part, Yuuki didn¡¯t mind the extra attention. She knew from the beginning that she would win. Even if Tom had been stronger than she had originally assumed, her victory had always been certain.


    It wasn¡¯t until the point that the two of them reached the hallway where Yuuki had originally met Crystal in person, that the queen spoke again.


    ¡°You know, when you introduced yourself, you never said your last name.¡±


    Yuuki was surprised. The thought of using her last name in the first introduction was something she actively avoided.


    The Ito family line was widely known by a lot of people. If they weren¡¯t aware of them as the former shogun family in Kyoku, then they were known for the sword skills they had trained in the centuries since they left the seat of Shogun.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that¡­ I¡¯m actually-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Crystal cut Yuuki off. ¡°You¡¯re the eldest child of Kyouya Ito, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s own skills with the sword had revealed her name to Crystal. And seeing as she was able to name Yuuki¡¯s father correctly, she must have seen him fight at least once in person.


    ¡°You know dad?¡±


    ¡°Seems I was right. And yes. I met him nearly two centuries ago when I travelled to burgeoning nation that was Kyoku in the aftermath of the Irradiated Winter.¡±


    Crystal smirked as she answered.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°Your fighting style is nearly a one to one copy of how his was in those days. Of course, I¡¯m sure his has evolved in the two centuries since then. I just find it fascinating how close yours was after training it on your own for nearly an entire decade without any input from your father.¡±


    Crystal stopped in front of a staircase near the end of the hall. She turned and looked back at Yuuki.


    ¡°Up these stairs is the tower that use as my own personal space. If you ever have any questions, or need to find me, please check here first. And over here¡­¡± Crystal walked to the wall opposite of the staircase. Situated there was a simple wooden door. Crystal put her hand on the door and gently pushed it open. ¡°This will be your room while you stay in Crystalia.¡±


    Yuuki looked at Crystal with a confused look. ¡°Huh?¡±


    A hand extended towards Yuuki.


    ¡°I look forward to seeing what the defenders of Crystalia become with you as their instructor, Miss Ito.¡±


    Yuuki looked down at the hand, then back at Crystal¡¯s face, then again at her hand. She reached out and gently shook the hand.


    ¡°Yuuki, thank you for coming all this way to support this city.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°As someone who has lived in Sanum for a decade, you¡¯ve probably heard the stories of my saving that place back after the first Irradiated Winter. I hear even the name was chosen because of my involvement with it¡¯s founding as the first City-State. But, this town¡­ It¡¯s something else. I want it to be a beacon. To bring together people from all walks of life. Humans, Demi-humans, Mages, Swordsmen, Adventurers¡­ The one thing I learned in my travels around Kronul was that there are a lot of different people out there. Crystalia will become a shining beacon to bring them all together. But¡­ There is someone who wants to change the world for the worse.¡±


    ¡°And that is the person who will attack this city?¡± Yuuki could tell where Crystal was going without her needing to say anything. ¡°Then I¡¯ll do everything I can to make sure the town¡¯s guards are up to par. By the time this attack comes, the enemies of this town won¡¯t know what hit them.¡±


    Crystal smiled at Yuuki, her convictions empowering the queen herself.


    ¡°In that case, you can start tomorrow. For now, get some rest. I¡¯m sure the journey here was tiring, and then you had to face Tom on top of it. Your body surely needs that rest.¡± With a final goodbye, Crystal headed up the stairs to her own quarters.


    The room that Crystal had given Yuuki claim of was fairly basic. A single bed was nestled in one corner with a desk next to the end of it. On the wall next to the door was a small wardrobe with a mirror attached to it. Yuuki slung her travelling sack over the edge of it while closing the door to her room.


    She walked over to the bed and sat down on it. The mattress itself was fairly firm, barely giving any leeway to Yuuki¡¯s lighter body. She laid back fully letting her mind wander as she stared at the ceiling.


    ¡°Sarman¡­¡±


    The only thing, the only person that Yuuki could think of was the man who she had spent the last decade by his side. Her chest hurt as she realized how long she was going to be gone. Should she send him another letter, saying that she had gotten to the town safely?


    Would he even want to know that?


    Maybe she should bring him here after the attack, so he can see the town for himself. She could introduce him to Queen Crystal and Cyril¡­ and even Tom and Narissa.


    That would be nice¡­ right?

 Chapter 24: Reunions in Aric

    The wagon came to a rolling stop as sounds from the surrounding buildings overtook any possible conversation within. Nic¡¯s hands shook slightly as he listened to the distant conversations.


    They had passed through the walls encircling the city of Aric and had stopped in the center of the City-state. The last time Nic had been in the center of Aric had been during his first confrontation with Jack Cariatel. That day had been the moment that the truth about Nic¡¯s family had been shown to the entire city. It had been the day that Nic first absorbed a large amount of Irradiation.


    And it had been the day that Nic¡¯s father died.


    Nic hadn¡¯t been fast enough.


    Not fast enough to save Aria¡¯s mother.


    And in the end, Nic didn¡¯t stop Jack in time, resulting in his father¡¯s death.


    The one at fault for both of their deaths was Nic himself.


    Nic¡¯s hands continued to shake relentlessly. He didn¡¯t want to step out of the vehicle. He didn¡¯t want the other residents of the village to see him. Nic didn¡¯t want to see their faces. How they looked at him.


    His mother¡¯s face was sure to be the one that was filled the most with hatred. Aria¡¯s father would be the same way.


    There was no way Nic could look either of them in the face.


    He couldn¡¯t even visit his own father¡¯s grave.


    A familiar, warm hand reached out and gripped Nic¡¯s shaking hands. The owner of the warm hand leaned her head against Nic¡¯s shoulders as she moved closer to him. The warmth of her body was able to calm the nerves he was feeling.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, Nic.¡± Aria¡¯s voice was angelic as she whispered close to his ear.


    Like Nic, Aria had witnessed her mother¡¯s death. Being by his side, day after day following the events that happened in the town square, Nic believed her to feel similarly to him.


    Yet here she was, acting as the rock that he could lean on. She was fine coming back to Aric, in fact, she had even suggested it in the beginning. It made Nic wonder just how similarly she thought to him.


    ¡°SARMAN! It¡¯s good to see you!¡± A familiar male voice shouted from outside the wagon, causing Nic to jerk up. It was only once he did that he realized that Aria and him were the only people still in the carriage.


    When he looked over at her, Nic found Aria¡¯s face nervously close to his. The worry in her eyes was palpable as she cupped half of Nic¡¯s face with her free hand.


    Her eyes closed as she brought her forehead into contact with Nic¡¯s. She had gotten so close that Nic could smell the sweetness of every breath she took.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be alright, Nic.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. I¡¯ll be by your side the entire time.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯re-?¡± Nic tried to ask her what she meant but was cut off when his mouth was suddenly covered by a soft feeling. Aria had kissed him again.


    The sweet taste of her lips seemed to last a lifetime. When she pulled back finally, Nic found himself following her. He didn¡¯t want to stop tasting that sweetness.


    ¡°So let¡¯s go meet Papa¡­ and your mama¡­¡± Aria finally stood up, pulling Nic with the hand she still had on his.


    As he let her pull him up, Nic finally realized the truth.


    Aria had never felt the same as him about the death of their parents. She had accepted her mother¡¯s death long ago. And now she wanted Nic to accept his father¡¯s death.


    She wouldn¡¯t leave him to face it alone, however.


    Aria was his pillar.


    She was always his pillar.


    And so Nic found himself being pulled out of the carriage by Aria.


    The setting sun had already begun to paint the small City-State a deep orange. Shadows loomed large as well, covering the ground. Despite this, Nic could instantly tell that the once dirt roads had been covered with a delicate stone pattern reminiscent of the streets in Sanum. The people he had been worried about facing walked by the wagon without pause. None of them were interested in the man that had just walked out of it, despite what he had done in that very same spot nearly a year earlier.


    Only one man was at all interested.


    ¡°Aria¡­ Nic¡­¡± Aria¡¯s father was standing by the wagon, waiting for the two of them to exit. Sarman, Kiara, and Sarah were all already gone, leaving just the three of them by the wagon. Even Tim, the driver of the wagon, had disappeared.


    Aria nudged Nic slightly ahead of her. He knew what she wanted. She wanted him to raise his head.


    The face full of anger, hatred, and every other negative emotion that Nic had been expecting wasn¡¯t there. In its place was the face of a father simply glad to see his daughter and the person she cared the most about in the world.


    Nic found himself unable to move. His mouth refused to work and his body felt like lead.


    ¡°We¡¯re home, Papa.¡± As Aria announced their return, Kayde Towsend wrapped his arms around the two newfound adults. Not just Aria, but Nic as well.


    ¡°Welcome back, you two.¡± It was a whisper, but Kayde welcomed both of them back lovingly. His grip on them tightened as Aria put one of her own arms around her father''s back in response. ¡°Before anything else, I just wanna say ¡®Thank you¡¯. After what he did to Wendy and Samuel¡­ I wanted to kill Jack myself. I heard from Sarman that you two were the ones who eventually put that bastard in the ground. Thank you.¡±


    The words that Kayde was saying passed straight through Nic¡¯s ears. He was having trouble understanding why Kayde wasn¡¯t mad at him. Not even the man¡¯s own words were enough to explain it to Nic.


    Even after the hugging stopped, Nic continued to stare into the abyss as his brain tried to catch up to what was happening. This was nothing like how he thought things would have gone.


    Aria and Kayde continued their conversation as daughter and father until the rest of their group finally reappeared.


    ¡°Yo! We¡¯re back.¡± Sarah was the one who shouted out to the group as they walked up to the town center from the western road that the wagon had come in on. Getting a nonreaction from Nic, she waved her hand in front of his face in order to get his attention.


    ¡°He¡¯s having a bit of a night.¡± Aria stopped talking with her father and put a hand on Nic¡¯s shoulder. That was the only thing that got his attention, which caused Sarah¡¯s face to sour slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it Sarah. He¡¯ll hopefully be back to normal by the morning.¡±


    ¡®Hmpf. Fine. I¡¯ll hold you to that, Aria. I wanna spar with him at least once before you guys leave.¡± Sarah revealed her true intentions as she responded to Aria.


    Kiara snickered behind her before putting a hand on Sarah¡¯s back and leading her to the side. The two started whispering as Aria looked back over to her father.


    ¡°Papa, do you know where Kayla is? It¡¯d probably be good for Nic to see her again.?¡±


    Kayde folded his arms while thinking.


    ¡°Given the time of day, she should just be finishing her daily visit to Samuel in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Perfect! We can just meet her there then and kill two birds with one stone.¡± Aria reacted to what her father said with a certain enthusiasm. Yet the person next to her shrank back.


    ¡°Who¡¯re they?¡± Sarman finally spoke again for the first time since the group arrived back at the wagon. The entire time that Nic and Aria had spent in Sanum, Nic had refused to talk about his parents. Not even going so far as to say their names when others were around.


    ¡°Kayla is Nic¡¯s mama and Samuel is his papa.¡±


    ¡°Oh?! I want to meet the people who raised my fellow disciple of the master!¡± Sarah forgot her whispering with Kiara and barged her way into the conversation. Her words caused Aria¡¯s father to raise an eyebrow at Nic.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ fine¡­ we can wait till Ma gets back¡­ We don¡¯t need to visit Father.¡± Nic struggled to talk, even in a quiet voice. If Aria was there, he could find the courage to face his mother. But not his father. He couldn¡¯t find that courage no matter what. He couldn¡¯t face the remnant tombstone of the man he was too slow to save.


    ¡°No. Nic, I agree with Aria. You have to go visit Samuel before you leave, so you might as well get it over with now. Besides, this will give me a chance to take you somewhere specific.¡± Kayde refuted Nic, agreeing with his daughter.


    ¡°You want to show me something?¡±


    Kayde nodded. Nic hung his head and looked down. He couldn¡¯t find the courage to say no, yet if he said yes he wouldn¡¯t be able to move. He was stuck with no way out.


    He heard Kayde tell everyone to follow him. Nic heard him. But his feet stayed still.


    Once again, Nic was stuck. He could feel his stomach quivering in fear.


    His arm was pulled by the girl who had become the pillar he relied upon. His head jerked up only to find her smiling back at him. She pulled him along. Even if it was against his will, she wouldn¡¯t care. Aria knew that Nic needed to travel this path. So she would be the pillar that supported him or the one to guide him.


    The place that Kayde wanted to show Nic ended up not being that far away. Not even halfway down the southern street, the group stopped in front of a large house.


    Standing on the porch of the house was an older woman. Her greying hair was topped with two floppy canine ears and a bushy tail was wagging behind the dark blue dress she was wearing. She was humming quietly as her hands moved around a series of floral arrangements on the porch. Each one was a different flower, and yet all of them looked beautiful in their own right.


    Nic recognized the woman. He had talked to her many times while living in the town while it was still a Rad-Town. His gaze wandered up to the sign above the porch as he heard Kayde cough to get the woman¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Carnie Flowers and Trade Hub¡±


    The second part of the name had been tacked on later and looked ready to fall at any moment. His attention was drawn by a loud gasp and as he looked back at the floor level, the woman had already rushed down the stairs and was awkwardly running to Nic.


    The moment he was at arm¡¯s distance, Mrs. Carnie wrapped her arms around Nic in a tight hug. It was something he never thought he would ever be the recipient of. Unsure of what to do, Nic wrapped his own arms around the older woman.


    Mrs. Carnie was easily a head shorter than Nic, so when she finally pushed her body away from Nic¡¯s she had to look up in order to talk to him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten even bigger this past year.¡± It was a completely normal sentence. Nic wasn¡¯t sure what he had been expecting after what Kayde had said earlier, but a normal sentence wasn¡¯t it.


    ¡°I guess?¡±


    His response was rewarded with a small smile from Mrs. Carnie.


    ¡°Have you been eating well in the big city? And I see you¡¯re still wearing the same clothes I made for you before you left, have you been buying yourself some nice clothes there?¡± She started rapidly firing questions at Nic, concerned for his well-being.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing fine, Mrs. Carnie.¡±


    She looked back down as she grew quiet. Her next words were an almost unintelligible whisper.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I said you¡¯re not doing fine. I can hear it in your voice. The trepidation you have in speaking to me. I also know that you refused to send your mom any letters while you were in Sanum. Do you know how worried she has been since we heard about the attack last month? You don¡¯t do you?¡± She was pounding on his chest with every question. Her voice steadily got louder and louder until the entire group was staring at the two of them. Even some of the passersby were starting to stare.


    Nic couldn¡¯t do anything but allow her to continue. He had no way of stopping her. After all, everything she was saying was correct. He hadn¡¯t sent a single letter to his mother. He was scared. He didn¡¯t know how she felt about him after he caused the death of his father.


    ¡°But you know¡­¡± Mrs. Carnie got quiet again as she earnestly stared up at Nic¡¯s downtrodden face. ¡°No one blames you for what happened that day. No one except yourself it seems. So, if you have to blame yourself for what happened, then remember this. You also saved countless lives that day. Don¡¯t blame yourself for just the bad, but blame yourself for the good as well.¡±


    ¡°The good¡­? Like what?¡±


    ¡°You wanna know something? If you hadn¡¯t absorbed all of the Irradiation in the town on that day, Dave would¡¯ve died only a few hours after from his sickness.¡±


    Nic¡¯s breath caught in his throat. He had been too late on that day. If only he had been earlier, he might''ve said his father and Aria¡¯s mother. That was what he believed. And yet Mrs. Carnie had just revealed to Nic that he hadn¡¯t been too late to save everyone.


    Nic had made it in time to save Dave Carnie, Mrs. Carnie¡¯s husband.


    Her insinuation was clear to everyone there.


    No matter what he thought, in the end, he had been there in time to save everyone else. Would that outweigh the feeling of being too late to save people precious to him? Only Nic could make that decision.


    That was what Mrs. Carnie left Nic with as she turned back to Aria¡¯s father and asked him where their eventual destination was that night.


    ¡°Kayla should still be visiting Samuel correct? That¡¯s where we¡¯re heading.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°In that case, take these. It¡¯s on me.¡± Mrs. Carnie rushed back up the stairs to her porch and started grabbing a number of flowers. She walked back down to the group and handed two flowers to each person. ¡°You¡¯ll need these.¡±


    When she got to Nic and Aria she gave them four each instead of two.


    ¡°Remember Nic¡­ You saved a lot of people on that day. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    That was the final thing that Mrs. Carnie said to Nic before the group began their trek to the final destination. They cut behind Mrs. Carnie¡¯s house and began moving through unpathed areas between houses until they came upon a wooden fence.


    This was the only section of the original wooden wall that remained. The rest had been turned to stone and expanded outwards. Yet this section alone remained.


    ¡°Is this¡­ a graveyard¡­?¡± Kiara looked inside the small entrance as she whispered. Within the wooden fence was a series of gravestones dotting the area.


    Kayde stopped the majority of the group, holding them back from going into the graveyard until Nic and Aria went themselves. Similarly, once they walked past the entrance, Aria herself stopped. Having been pulled along by her, Nic stopped himself. He was fearful of the conversation he had to have inside.


    He could already see her. His mother was kneeling before one of two graves in the middle of the area. She was the only other person there. Her black clothes covered most of her body, while her brown hair, the same shade as Nic¡¯s, covered her head and neck.


    ¡°You go first.¡± With a whisper into his ear, Aria pushed Nic, forcing him forward into the graveyard. A quick glance back told Nic that she wasn¡¯t going to let him leave until he went over to the grave of his father.


    He wasn¡¯t going to be able to win against her. So he begrudgingly began shuffling his feet over to where his mother was. As he got closer, he could hear what she was quietly saying.


    ¡°-ack on Sanum a little bit ago. I heard Nic is fine though. Apparently, the attack involved Irradiation so I was a bit scared.¡±


    He should have known from the conversation with Mrs. Carnie that his mother already knew about the attack, yet hearing it from her own mouth caused the knot in his stomach to be replaced with a separate knot connected to a separate fear, one that even Nic was unsure of.


    His mother had been constantly bringing flowers as was evidenced by the large amount near the tombstone itself. Some were in their dying stages, but a lot were still healthy. Nic placed his own two next to the healthy ones before kneeling down next to his mother.


    Her eyes had been closed this entire time, so when she heard someone next to her, she said Kayde¡¯s name, assuming that he was the one who had come. She hadn¡¯t been expecting her own son to appear here.


    ¡°I¡¯m back¡­ Father.¡± Nic spoke slowly, still trying to figure out exactly what he wanted to say to the tombstone. Unlike his mother, he kept his eyes open so he saw as she flinched upon hearing his voice. His arrival had been a complete surprise. When she looked over at Nic, he could see that her eyes were red already.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say. I was too late on that day to save you. I took too long to absorb the Irradiation, and because of that, you had to die. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Father. If I had just been a bit faster, you would still be here now. Maybe even Aria¡¯s mother as well.¡±


    Nic continued to speak slowly and softly. It was the first time he had said any words to his father¡¯s grave since his death. He knew his mother was listening to him. Nic was expecting pushback.


    Slap!


    The full force of his mother¡¯s palm was sent across Nic¡¯s face, sending him onto the ground. Nic looked up at his mother¡¯s tearful face as she grabbed the collar of the blue shirt he was wearing.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to say that!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Nic, you don¡¯t get to disrespect your father¡¯s decision like that!¡±


    Her words sparked something in Nic. He grabbed the thin hand gripping his collar and pushed it away.


    ¡°Decision?! He died because I was too slow!¡±


    Their voices rang out in the quiet air. Neither cared who overheard them, in fact, neither of them was even aware of the rest of the world at that moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong! So wrong! Samuel sacrificed himself so that you could live! You wouldn¡¯t have had the time you needed if he hadn¡¯t put himself in the way of the Hunter!¡± His mother banged her hands on Nic¡¯s chest while she yelled at him.


    ¡°Why?! I didn¡¯t want him to do that! I never asked him to do that! So why did he have to die?¡±


    His mother stopped moving her arms as her tearful eyes stared into Nic¡¯s. His own eyes had grown so blurry that he could barely make out that it was his mother still in front of him.


    ¡°Because Samuel was the only one there that could see the truth right in front of everyone.¡±


    ¡°What does that even mean?¡±


    The two voices had quieted down. Tears still readily flowed from both of their eyes as Nic¡¯s mother grabbed one of his hands. She held it in hers before gently rolling it into a fist and covering it with her own hand.


    ¡°No one else saw what your father did that day. Not me. Not Ordwell. Not one person. Except for your father. He saw in you the chance that this world needs to move forward. Your father and I were stuck in the past. We didn¡¯t believe that the world could move forward for another two centuries. But you¡­ You challenged that belief and the result is here,¡± His mother poked his chest, right above his heart, once with a single finger. ¡°You can help this world. That¡¯s what your father saw. But if you had died there, then nothing would be able to take your place. So¡­¡±


    ¡°So I had to live?¡± Nic could connect the dots himself. He understood the reasoning his mother was spelling out for him.


    How simple it would be to accept it. To let go of the pain he had held onto for so long.


    But he couldn¡¯t.


    Doing so would just mean that he was only useful because of his ability.


    Was there really no other reason for him to be around? If someone else could do what he could, was there any reason for his father to have sacrificed himself?


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t accept that.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± His mother froze, confused at Nic¡¯s statement.


    ¡°If I accept that, then what reason is there in me living? If that¡¯s the only reason that father sacrificed himself, then I could¡¯ve been anyone. Is there any reason for me to do anything beyond freeing this world?¡±


    The answer he got didn¡¯t come from the mother in front of him. Instead, it came from a familiar girl who had walked up to the tombstone next to his father¡¯s tombstone.


    ¡°I guess I never thought about the fact that you didn¡¯t get to hear your papa¡¯s final words like I heard Mama¡¯s.¡± Aria placed two flowers down on the top of her mother¡¯s gravestone. ¡°You wanna know what the last thing she said to me was? ¡®No matter what choices I make in my life, she will always accept them as long as they make me happy.¡¯¡± She turned to look at the parent and child who had been arguing with each other. ¡°I think¡­ if he had the chance, your papa would have said the same to you.¡±


    ¡°Aria¡­ Even so, what would that change about Father¡¯s sacrifice? He-¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t save you only because of your magic, Nic. He did it because you¡¯re his son! Kayla, Papa¡­ isn¡¯t that what they call Parental Love?!¡± The two parents in the area nodded as Aria addressed them individually. ¡°Nic, you may not understand it now, but one day we will. And when that day comes, you will finally be able to understand why your papa sacrificed himself. It was to make sure you would have a future.¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡± A male¡¯s voice cut into the conversation. Sarman had appeared by Nic at some point. ¡°If your father really only saved you for your ability, and not simply because you were his son, he would have to be a pretty shitty father. And if that were the case, I doubt these two would be going to bat for him so much. So,¡± Sarman reached his hand out, offering Nic help in getting up. ¡°I think you should be able to stand on your own two feet and give your old man the proper sendoff he deserves.¡±


    Nic looked at the hand, His mother was helped up by Aria already and the two were hugging each other.


    He gently lifted his own hand and grabbed Sarman¡¯s. As he was pulled up, Nic was assaulted by a hug from behind.


    Sniffle.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized that your father died! It¡¯s so sad! And you too Aria! Why didn¡¯t either of you tell meeeee?!¡± Sarah was clinging to Nic¡¯s back as she cried.


    ¡°Oh c¡¯mon, Sarah. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re entitled to know everything about them!¡± Kiara attempted to pull Sarah off of Nic, only to cause her to tighten the grip she had on him. The scene caused Aria and Nic¡¯s mom to giggle as they watched. Nic felt his face getting hot and unsuccessfully tried to pry her hands off of him as well.


    Slowly the group introduced themselves to each other. Nic¡¯s mother seemed to get along extremely well with Sarah and Kiara. She ended up asking the two of them and Sarman a lot of questions about Nic¡¯s time in Sanum.


    The topic of the recent attack by Jack didn¡¯t cross their conversation once.


    Eventually, once everyone had paid their respects to the departed, the group as a whole got ready to head back to their lodgings for the night. As they were getting split into groups a surprising topic came up.


    Aria¡¯s father had noted that he would have Sarman, Sarah and Kiara stay at the Towsend household while Aria and Nic would stay in the recently renovated Healstry Household nearby.


    ¡°Huh? Why am I not staying at our place, Papa?¡± Nic was also confused by this. Even if the home he had lived in his entire life had been renovated, he doubted it had gotten much bigger. Which meant that there would only be two rooms- his Mother¡¯s and his.


    ¡°Well, I figured, you know, that you would¡­ uh¡­ want to stay near Nic.¡± Aria¡¯s father fidgeted while answering her. He was trying very hard to not look directly at Aria or Nic.


    ¡°Uh-¡± Aria seemed to realize the intentions behind his words and started to grow red in the face.


    ¡°KYYYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! GET AWAY FROM MEEEE!!!!!¡±


    The sound of a woman shrieking ground their conversation to a halt. It hadn¡¯t been a member of their group but had come from the nearby southern road.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Nic¡¯s mother was the first one to ask a question, to which everyone else except for Nic murmured their own variations of the question.


    ¡°Nic? What is it?¡±


    Aria was the first to notice the horrified look on Nic¡¯s face as he looked at the sky near them. No one else could see it but him.


    There was a black stack of smoke billowing up where there shouldn¡¯t be.


    ¡°Irradiation.¡±


    A mere whisper was all that escaped his lips. But everyone heard it.


    The City-state of Aric was brand new in the grand scheme of things. An outbreak of Irradiation now would spell doom for its future.


    Nic¡¯s whisper caused the group to begin moving immediately. None of them had physical weapons on them, only magic abilities. Reading the situation in an instant, Aria reached out one of her hands towards the town center.


    As they raced back to the main street, two swords came flying down from above. Nic grabbed the one with the dark crystal in its hilt while Aria grabbed the other, which she immediately passed to Sarah.


    ¡°In case you need it. I¡¯ll be fine without it for now.¡± Aria was still learning how to fight with the sword and was far worse at it than Sarah. Her decision to hand the blade over was the obvious choice.


    The group reached the road extremely fast in the end. In front of them a woman, presumably the one that had cried out, was on the ground. She was trying to back away from a man that was limping towards her. The man had a number of cuts, with each one spewing Irradiation into the air.


    He had been attacked by a monster. It might¡¯ve only been one or multiple. Either way, they were most likely not far behind the man if still alive.


    Sarman and Sarah seemed to recognize this as well as they ran past the man and stood on edge while facing the nearby gate to the town.


    ¡°Get everyone else away!¡± Nic shouted to the rest of the group to start moving the bystanders on either side of the street.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get her, you take care of him, Nic.¡± Aria ran up to the girl on the ground and helped her up while Nic got in front of the injured man. He held up his hands, trying to get the man to stop.


    ¡°-elp me¡­¡± The man groaned. It was barely audible to Nic, despite him standing so close to the man already.


    ¡°Help you? I will. But I need you to stop. Can you do that?¡± Nic gently took another step toward the man.


    Even after everything he had said at his father¡¯s grave, Nic¡¯s first instinct in a situation like this was to get rid of the Irradiation. He felt compelled to use his magic. Compelled to make it the most important part of his identity.


    ¡°You¡­ please¡­¡± The man dropped to his knees as he looked to Nic for salvation.


    The amount of Irradiation exuding out of the man¡¯s wounds meant that the man was already in an acute Irradiation Sickness state. The amount of pain he was feeling was more than any sane person could take for extended periods of time.


    Nic reached out. He felt that sickly feeling that he always felt with Irradiation. It was trying to enter his body. It always sought out other humans to infect.


    The only reason that Nic was different was that he allowed it to enter his body. In fact, he began pulling on the feeling with his mind.


    The black miasma Nic was seeing rise into the air turned direction and poured itself into Nic¡¯s body instead. As it did, the sickly feeling was coated by Nic¡¯s magic until it disappeared. In order to absorb everything, Nic had to keep his hand on the man¡¯s body.


    They stayed like this for a few minutes until Nic finally determined the man to be free of Irradiation. All that was left were the bleeding wounds he had suffered.


    ¡°He needs attention! Someone get a medic!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right here!¡± A woman pushed her way through the forming crowd and ran up to Nic. She had a bag that she set next to the man. When she opened it, Nic saw that it was full of different medical tools and bandages. ¡°You can leave him with me. Thank you for purifying him first.¡±


    Nic nodded and ran over to Sarman and Sarah, who had been joined by Aria and Kiara. They could all hear the sounds of monsters nearby. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they showed up at the city''s gate. Even the two guards that were normally posted outside the gate had retreated within and were standing near the group, ready to coordinate their attack.


    Two Gigant Bears and a handful of Thornback Spiders rushed the southern gate of Aric. Sarman prepared a flaming spear and was about to throw it at the monsters when a stone wall suddenly appeared and stopped the monsters in their track.


    Nic felt he had seen something similar happen before.


    Aria audibly gasped like she knew what exactly they had just seen.


    Three more walls appeared, encasing the monsters within. It didn¡¯t take long for the death screams of all the monsters split the air. Once the final one went quiet, the walls disappeared back into the ground. Where the monsters had been was a pile of sliced monsters.


    ¡°Alright, now that those are taken care of, just gotta deal with the runner¡­?¡± A familiar face walked around the pile of monsters. He was the shortest one on the street but was far stronger than most would gather. His rustic orange hair stood out as an unusual color. It was quite the ironic hair color, given the man¡¯s name.


    ¡°Rust!¡± Both Nic and Aria called the man¡¯s name at the same time, causing a bit of confusion among their own group.


    ¡°Well, look who¡¯s back ¡®n town.¡± Sarman released his hold on the flaming spear, letting it disappear back into the ether while Sarah lowered the sword in her hands. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you took care of the runner then?¡±


    Nic motioned to the man being taken care of by the medical professional behind him.


    ¡°Him? He¡¯ll be fine in a bit. He¡¯s receiving medical attention now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I was worried ¡®e might infect the entirety of Aric. Good thing you were here, Nic.¡± Rust reached out and tried to pat Nic on his shoulder, but due to the height difference, he ended up just hitting Nic¡¯s chest instead. ¡°I see you brought some friends as well.¡±


    ¡°Umm, Nic, Aria¡­ Who is this?¡± Kiara was the one who spoke up.


    ¡°Ah, this is Rust. He¡¯s the old keeper of the Verilo homestead out in the forest¡­ Well, he was. Not sure what he¡¯s doing in Aric though.¡± Nic introduced the dwarf in front of him to the rest of the group before doing the same in reverse. ¡°These two are Sarah and Kiara. They will be staying in Aric for a bit to help with the¡­ monster problem.¡± Nic whispered the last part. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was public knowledge to the people of the Aric. ¡°And this here is Sarman. He, Aria, and I are simply passing through on a bigger journey.¡±


    Rust sized Sarman up and down before grinning.


    ¡°You even made friends with another Progenitor Contractor, huh? Well, good to meet you, Salamander.¡±


    Sarman eyed the man suspiciously while a flaming salamander appeared coiled around his neck.


    ¡°Oooohhhh I know you!¡± An older man¡¯s voice came out of the lizard. ¡°You¡¯re the Deep Dwarf! I thought you were simply a legend! I¡¯m indeed the one and only Salamander, glad to make your acquaintance.¡±


    ¡°Sigh. If Salamander here speaks so highly of you, there is no reason for me to be apprehensive about this. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Rust. I¡¯m Sarman Chapman, current contractor of the Fire Spirit King.¡± Sarman bowed before Rust as he offered his greeting. Rust simply waved him off in response.


    ¡°Chapman, huh? So you¡¯re the son of the Phoenix?¡±


    Sarman eyed Nic, asking for clarification but all Nic could do was shake his head. He had never heard Ordwell called that name either.


    ¡°I am¡­?¡±


    ¡°The son of the Phoenix is the current contractor of Salamander? That is indeed an interesting arrangement there.¡± Rust made his way past the group and dropped a set of small crystals in the palm of Aria¡¯s father. ¡°Here you go, Kayde. They¡¯re getting more and more active as time goes on. We should make a trip to the heart of the forest tomorrow. Otherwise, we may face a horde far larger than anything humanity has seen before.¡±


    Kayde¡¯s face was contorted in pain as he looked at the crystals in his hand. ¡°That bad, huh? Alright.¡±


    The crowd that had gathered around them initially had dispersed, leaving only the group of travelers, Kayde and Kayla in the area with Rust.


    ¡°I hate to be the one to say this, but everyone should get to sleep as soon as you can. Tomorrow seems like it¡¯s gonna be a busy day, especially for you two.¡± Kayde motioned to Sarah and Kiara who nodded.


    The two groups quickly split up after that, with Aria and Nic following Nic¡¯s mother back to their home. When they got there, Nic saw that the place truly had been renovated, quite well in fact. It was much nicer than when he had been living there just the year prior.


    Nic¡¯s mother quickly put together some food as they stepped into the house. It wasn¡¯t a big meal, just some bread, meat, and water. For Nic and Aria, who hadn¡¯t eaten in a while, it was a wonderful meal.


    Once she was finished eating, Kayle quickly got up and started heading towards her own room on one side of the house.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Mother?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Nic?¡±


    ¡°Where is Aria gonna sleep?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm? Isn¡¯t she going to sleep with you?¡±


    Nic spit out the water he had just tipped into his mouth. Aria¡¯s face was bright red as she stared at the empty plate in front of her.


    ¡°Why is that your answer?!¡±


    His mother looked back at him with a quizzical expression.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you two dating at this point? What is wrong with sleeping together? Anyways, good night!¡± Kayla opened the door to her own room and took a step inside. As she was closing it, she peeked her head back out to say one last thing. ¡°Oh, before I forget. The new walls are pretty thick, so don¡¯t be afraid if you happen to make some noise tonight.¡±


    Leaving her red-faced son and Aria at the table, Kayla closed her own door for the night. The two left behind stole glances at each other, each time meeting the other¡¯s eyes for just a second before shifting away in embarrassment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll find somewhere else to sleep. You can take the bed.¡± Nic immediately offered the more comfortable spot to Aria and was getting up to go find another place to sleep when Aria grabbed his sleeve.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­¡± Her face had somehow grown even redder as she whispered.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Nic felt the heart inside of him start beating faster and faster. It pounded against his ribcage as he stared at the girl in front of him, mouth agape.

 Chapter 25: Journey of Revelations

    Nic felt something on his chest as the sunlight snuck in through a slightly ajar window board. The sunlight was sitting at the right angle to hit his right eye.


    As he let out a soft sigh, he felt someone else''s heartbeat beat softly against his side as her shallow breaths tickled his arms. Looking down he found a mess of brown hair strewn about his body.


    Aria was lying peacefully in his arms, as she had the night before as well.


    It was the third day since they had left Sanum. By the time the sun set Nic, Aria, and Sarman would be well on their way to Rad-Town S-086.


    The day prior had been spent helping Sarah and Kiara with their initial delve into the heart of the forest. It had ultimately ended with them only making it a chunk of the way in. No one had gotten hurt in the expedition as there had been no monster sightings at all. Rust was wary of this unusual emptiness in the forest and had constructed an additional wall further out from the town to act as an additional stop point if the monsters decided to attack.


    Aria¡¯s father had also decided that simply having two extra hands from Sanum would not be enough and sent a message to Ordwell asking for even more hands. The backup was set to arrive by noon on the third day. Nic and Sarman had agreed to stay until the second wave of hands from Sanum arrived.


    And so they had ended up staying another night, which meant that Aria and Nic had been forced to share a bed yet again.


    Nic had eventually succumbed to Aria¡¯s plea on the first night and had slept in the same bed as her. While nothing happened between the two, Nic had found Aria¡¯s presence next to him while sleeping quite relaxing.


    He had never slept as peacefully as he had that night.


    So when they decided to stay another night, Nic was far more willing to sleep with Aria next to him again.


    He reached over with his free hand and gently petted Aria¡¯s head as she soundly slept on top of his other arm.


    If the sun hadn¡¯t woken him up, Nic would¡¯ve soundly slept for a while longer. He enjoyed the peace that permeated throughout the room.


    Nic was taken out of his thoughts as Aria raised her head. Groggily wiping her eyes she looked down at Nic¡¯s face and smiled.


    ¡°Is it morning?¡± Aria¡¯s sleepy voice caused Nic¡¯s heart to stop for a second as he wished this moment could last forever.


    ¡°Mhm, but we don¡¯t have to get up yet. You can go back to sleep if you want.¡±


    ¡°Aaaaahhhhhhhmmmmmghhhhhh¡± Aria let out a long wordless sound as she sat upright and stretched her arms over her head. At times like these, she seemed so small to Nic. He wanted to hold her tight, never letting her go. ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me.¡± Aria fell back onto Nic¡¯s chest as she finished stretching. He couldn¡¯t see her face anymore, but her joyous voice told him everything he needed to know. ¡°I could sleep here all day if I was allowed.¡±


    ¡°I would love to do nothing but that.¡± Nic wrapped his arms around the girl on top of him and held her close. Her scent filled his nose as they sat there in silence. Nic savored every second of it.


    The two continued on in silence for a while longer. They let the heat of their bodies say anything that needed to be said. Some birds could be heard chirping outside. Soon more and more sounds joined the mix.


    Aric had woken up and the day was truly beginning for everyone.


    Bam!


    The door to the room slammed open as a woman who looked very similar to Nic barged in.


    ¡°Rise and shine younguns! Huh? I¡¯m too late?!¡± Nic¡¯s mother, Kayla, feigned mortification upon seeing the two lying together in the bed. The smile on her lips betrayed her true feelings for the two.


    ¡°Well, once you get up, I¡¯ve got some food made for us three if you want it.¡± Nic could already smell the food himself wafting in from the open door. Aria could also smell it and sat upright immediately.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be right out!¡± She had apparently grown quite fond of the food that Kayla made every morning and night. Kayla gave Aria a smile before leaving.


    As soon as the door closed, Aria practically jumped out of the bed. She had her clothes in a bag on top of Nic¡¯s dresser. She was already starting to strip before she even got to it. Realizing just how fast she was undressing, Nic quickly looked away, his face heating up at the same time.


    He sat quietly, listening to the ruffling of Aria¡¯s clothes as she quietly hummed a children¡¯s tune.


    ¡°Nic, aren¡¯t you going to get- why are you so red?! And looking away?¡± Aria stopped mid-question to ask Nic two more questions as she finally looked at him.


    Not sure if she was done herself, Nic continued to face the wall away from Aria while he answered.


    ¡°You just started changing! What am I supposed to do except look away?¡± Nic had already seen parts of her body before, but he wasn¡¯t willing to look at her without Aria first saying that it was okay.


    Aria stayed quiet, letting her footsteps echo in the room, beating alongside every two beats of Nic¡¯s heart. The bed creaked ever so slightly as Aria got on it and put her hands on Nic¡¯s shoulders.


    His entire body stiffened as he felt Aria press her body into his back. She whispered softly in his ear, causing his already fast-beating heart to beat even faster.


    ¡°So you¡¯re embarrassed to see me?¡±


    ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Nic nearly shouted as he tried to clear up what she was saying.


    ¡°What about last night? Or the night before? We¡¯ve slept together in the same bed, and yet you''re too scared to look at me?¡±


    Her tantalizing voice infected Nic¡¯s mind. He wanted to turn around. But he wanted her to say it directly first.


    ¡°Can I?¡±


    A small giggle answered him as the weight disappeared from his back.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I¡¯m fine with it.¡±


    Nic closed his eyes. His chest was thumping against his ribs with everything it had. So much, that his ribs were starting to hurt themselves. He turned around on the bed.


    He opened his eyes.


    Aria was standing in front of him¡­ already completely dressed. A huge grin was plastered over her face and as Nic¡¯s eyes betrayed his own feelings of pain, she started laughing.


    ¡°Aria!¡± Hearing her laughter, Nic tried to reach out to grab her. He was going to pull her into his lap again as her punishment for making him feel embarrassed. Yet announcing you are moving is never a smart decision.


    Aria quickly stepped out of Nic¡¯s way, letting him fall to the floor. He lay there, looking at the feet of the woman in front of him. He had let her tease him this early in the morning.


    Nic was never going to hear the end of it.


    Aria squatted down and patted Nic on the head. ¡°There there. You may have missed me this time, but maybe next time¡­ like say¡­ tonight?¡±


    Nic looked up at Aria, his face showing how he felt. Yet looking at her own face, he was unsure if she was teasing him again.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to see it yet, you can just say so. I don¡¯t want to force anything.¡± Nic grumbled as he got up. Aria reached out and grabbed his hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­¡± Aria almost mumbled the words so much that Nic barely understood what she was saying. But even still, his face got red in an instant.


    ¡°I''m gonna change! You can go out and eat.¡± Nic practically forced Aria out of the room and shut the door quickly. He leaned against it as he caught his breath.


    The rest of the morning was far more uneventful and Nic and Aria soon found themselves back in the small circular city square in the center of Aric. The carriage bringing the second round of hands to deal with the forest monster situation had just arrived.


    Three more mages and four physical fighters had come this time, greatly increasing the strength of the team dealing with the monsters. Nic didn¡¯t know any of them, though Sarman apparently recognized quite a few. He gave them a few words of thanks before they left with Sarah and Kiara to start making a plan to scout the forest.


    The biggest surprise of that noon meeting came from Rust.


    ¡°I¡¯m going with this group to S-086.¡±


    ¡°HUH?!¡± Nic, Aria, Sarman, and Kayde all let out a unified sound as Rust stated his intentions.


    ¡°Rust, we need you here! What about the defense of the city?¡± Kayde was the first one to question why Rust was leaving. He had been a part of the force investigating the monster situation, so for him to state so suddenly that he was leaving was a shock to the acting leader of the City-State.


    ¡°You just got in another seven members to help discover the truth at the heart of the forest. You won¡¯t need me for that. And as for the city proper, I¡¯ve already erected two stone walls. I made traps in between them this morning. You should be fine.¡± Rust shot back, covering all of his bases in the conversation in one fell swoop. As long as the attack on the City-State was not too great, they would be fine. ¡°Besides, I know some people in S-086. They might be in danger because of the monster situation as well. The Rad-Town is on the other side of the forest after all.¡±


    Kayde contemplated what Rust said before giving the dwarf a small smile.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. We can¡¯t just leave them defenseless either. Alright. I¡¯ll accept you going.¡± Kayde agreed fairly fast in the grand scheme of things. It seemed that Rust had at least mentioned this possibility before they knew what sort of reinforcements they would be getting. ¡°Just make sure to keep the kids safe?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! You have two Spirit Progenitor contractors in those kids. If anything, they¡¯ll be the ones keeping me safe. But I¡¯ll make sure that they don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± Rust extended his arm out to Kayde, he took it in a firm grasp.


    And with that, their group suddenly gained a fourth member. After saying goodbye to their parents, Nic and Aria joined Sarman and Rust at the southern gate of Aric.


    The sun was still high when they started their journey down the worn path that would eventually lead them east to the Rad-Town designated S-086. The first half-day leg of the journey was uneventful and the four of them soon found themselves looking for a suitable place to rest for the night.


    ¡°If we can find some good, even ground we should be fine.¡± Rust already had a plan for where they would stay in mind, he just needed a suitable area. They were currently trekking through a hilly area of the route.


    The route itself skirted on the southern edge of the forest from just past Aric all the way to S-086 where it would leave the Irradiated Forest behind and continue eastward as an actually paved road instead of simply compact dirt.


    On their left, the darkness of the forest loomed large and wide. While they were traveling along the path, Rust had to forbid them from entering the forest in any way. This meant that they could only look for flat space on the right side of the road. This side was devoid of almost all shrubbery and trees. Vast plains extended as far as the eye could see. The occasional building could be seen.


    ¡°Are those buildings inhabited?¡± Aria asked the question that was on all three minds as they searched the area near the road.


    ¡°Maybe they were once, millennia ago. But not now. They are burial sights of those who died during the first Irradiated Winter now.¡± Rust answered without any emotion. He had seen those houses back when they were inhabited by people. And now each one was a ruin that signified death.


    The group eventually found a place suitable for Rust¡¯s plan. As he planted his hand on the ground, the earth shook, throwing the other three off balance. A hut made of stone came out of the ground. It wasn¡¯t anything special, just enough room for two people to sleep comfortably, three if they squeezed together. It was tall enough that Sarman, the tallest one in the group, could stand up straight and just barely graze the ceiling with his hair.


    Outside of the hut, four stone benches appeared in a semi-circle while a smaller circle in the middle appeared for a fire.


    With his work done, Rust clapped his hands together before turning to the group.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Here is where we will be staying for the night. We¡¯ll have watch duty in two¡¯s tonight. But for now, let¡¯s get a fire started and some food cooking!¡± Rust was quick with his words as his stomach audibly grumbled. Nic could feel his own stomach getting close to doing the same thing.


    Firewood was easy to find this close to the forest. Deadwood was strewn all over the side of the road. Gathering up a few handfuls each, they combined them together in the smaller circle. With a snap of his fingers, Sarman lit the wood into a warming blaze. The sun was just setting as the fire started, so it also gave the group the light they would need to cook some food.


    ¡°How long will the trek to the Rad-Town take?¡± Nic spoke up as they began preparing the food. It seemed like Rust knew the route they were taking well, so Nic was interested to see how long he thought this would take.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Depending on how fast we walk, around seven days? The forest here is far larger than you might think.¡± Seven days was actually on the lower end. Based on the maps, Sarman had estimated nearly ten whole days to get there. Thankfully they were planning on getting some horses for the trip back, so it wouldn¡¯t take quite as long.


    ¡°Seven days? We better ration our food then.¡± Aria was taking stock of everything they had brought with them. They had packed for three people, not four, so they would need to ration out a bit more in order to make their supplies last.


    ¡°Or we can add some natural stuff to the list.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°The plains around here are full of smaller creatures. We can kill one or two each day and add them to the plans for dinner. That should help the supplies, right?¡±


    Aria looked to Nic and Sarman after hearing Rust¡¯s suggestion. Nic merely shrugged back at her. He didn¡¯t mind the plan. In fact, he thought it was a great way to make sure their supplies would last as long as they needed them to.


    They all agreed to the plan and in short order, the food they made for that night had been completed. As the group sat around the fire eating their first dinner on the way to S-086, Nic looked over at Rust.


    ¡°So you know someone in the Rad-Town?¡±


    Rust nodded as he took a bite out of the meat in his hands. Wiping away the juices from around his mouth he looked at Nic.


    ¡°She¡¯s someone you should meet yourself as well. Though I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve at least heard of her after living in Sanum.¡±


    Nic, Sarman, and Aria quizzically looked at each other as Rust paused to take another bite of his food.


    ¡°Surely you¡¯ve all heard of the Blood Elf?¡±


    ¡°The Blood Elf?!¡± Sarman cried out almost, almost dropping his own food. Aria and Nic were also shocked by the name drop. Statues of her had been erected all over Sanum, as she was the being who originally cleared it of Irradiation back during the first Irradiated Winter.


    She hadn¡¯t been seen in the world for a while now, but Rust was saying she was living within the Rad-Town they were heading to.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Rust nodded as he looked at the surprised expressions of the people around him. ¡°Crystal is the current head of that Rad-Town. I haven¡¯t talked to her in a while though. She needs to know about the movement of the monsters within the forest as 086 is situated on the other side of the forest.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ Why must I meet with the Blood Elf herself?¡± Nic questioned why he needed to meet her. He wasn¡¯t too knowledgeable about her past and achievements past how she helped create Sanum.


    ¡°Well¡­ How about I tell you the name she has been going by for some time? The full name that she has been going by is Crystal Serilo.¡±


    ¡°Serilo?¡± All three of them connected her last name to Nic¡¯s. They were different, but only by a single letter.


    ¡°Well, she has never been good at naming things. Her actual name is Crystal Verilo.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    ¡°After all, she fell in love with Noah Verilo and ended up marrying him during the first Irradiated Winter.¡± Just like that, Rust dropped a knowledge bomb that completely phased all three of the listeners.


    Nic hadn¡¯t been expecting that. As far as he knew, he had no elven blood within his body. But if the Blood Elf was his ancestor as well, then there should have been some sort of traits common to them within him. Yet there was nothing.


    Nic always knew that there was someone who had eventually bore the child of his ancestor. It had been written in the journal that he had kept. There had never been a name. That had been specifically written out.


    The Blood Elf had supposedly been able to do the same thing as Nic could; purify Irradiation. Her freeing the City-State of Sanum and other prominent cities were proof of that very feat. Nic could accept her having a high enough resistance to Irradiation to be in close proximity to his ancestor.


    ¡°How does that work? If she loved Nic¡¯s ancestor, why leave him? Why change her last name? This doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± Aria raised her own confusion to Rust. Nic realized that she had to be in a confusing position. Aria was in a similar situation to the one that the Blood Elf had supposedly been in during the first Irradiated Winter. If anything, her questions yearned for answers that would solidify her own choices.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ There is someone here that would be able to answer those questions better than I could.¡± Rust seemingly looked straight into Aria¡¯s eyes.


    Aria fidgeted before opening her eyes wide in surprise as the wind in front of her formed itself into a light green set of armor. It was as big as Aria and seemed to be made to conform to her body, giving it more of a womanly appearance. But when it spoke, an androgynous voice belonging to someone neither male nor female, came out from an area near the headpiece of the armor.


    ¡°Rust.¡± The armor bowed its head slightly to the dwarf, already on a first name-bases with the man, before turning to Nic. ¡°I believe this is the first time we have met face-to-face, successor of Verilo, though I have kept an eye on you for a while. I am Aerial, Progenitor of wind spirits.¡±


    Nic knew about the spirit in front of him. Aria had told him about the spirit soon after Jack¡¯s attack on Sanum, and even before that, Nic had an inkling that Aria had contracted with the spirit, even if she didn¡¯t know. When he first met Rust in the old household of the Verilo family, Rust mentioned that he had been chosen by the Progenitor.


    ¡°So we finally get to meet face to¡­ armor?¡± Nic shrugged his shoulders as the small green blob that was the lesser spirit that Nic was contracted to appeaed in front of Nic¡¯s face, buzzing around happily. ¡°You are the one to thank for me contracting with this lesser spirit back then?¡±


    The armor nodded back to Nic before turning towards Sarman.


    ¡°Why are you hiding, brother? Come out and say hi properly.¡± The armor folded its empty arms as it waited for a burst of flames to appear around Sarman. When the flames did appear, they quickly formed the shape of a flaming lizard as Salamander glared at the armor.


    ¡°Hello, sibling. I¡¯m sure you are more than aware of why I didn¡¯t want to come out. You¡¯re not gonna try anything today, are you?¡± When the armor shook its head, the lizard let out a deep sigh of relief before finding a comfortable position next to Sarman to sit. ¡°I take it you need my input on this story you¡¯re about to tell?¡±


    ¡°That I do, brother.¡± The armor finally turned back to its contractor and bowed entirely. ¡°Aria, I¡¯m afraid the answer to each of your questions is the same¡­¡±


    ¡°The same? What was it?¡±


    ¡°Me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Nic, Aria, and Sarman were confused at the response that Aerial gave them.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for the truth, I guess.¡± The spirit sat down on a rock that Rust forced up. They nodded to the dwarf in thanks before beginning his tale.


    ¡°Three centuries have passed since your ancestor,¡± The armor motioned to Nic. ¡°since your ancestor caused the first Irradiated Winter.¡±


    Nic cast his gaze down. He had read his ancestor''s journal time and time again. He knew the story by heart. Seemingly seeing Nic¡¯s face grow downtrodden, Aerial cleared his ¡°throat¡± before adding something to what he said.


    ¡°Let me say this, Nic. Your ancestor was not actually to blame for the Irradiated Winter.¡±


    Nic¡¯s head snapped to the armor sitting next to him. What did the spirit know that his ancestor hadn¡¯t?


    ¡°Have you heard of Kronus?¡±


    Nic and Aria shook their heads while Sarman nodded. It was very similar to what the entire continent they lived on was called; Kronul. A connection between the two was likely, though Nic didn¡¯t know who this ¡®Kronus¡¯ was.


    ¡°There is a religious group that lives near the middle of the world in a mountain range. The mountain range is named ¡°The World¡¯s Eye¡± as it apparently looks like one if you fly into the sky.¡± Sarman was the one who spoke up, explaining how he knew the name. ¡°The group that lives there call themselves ¡®Kronus¡¯ Monks¡¯. They have occasionally come to Sanum to recruit new members. Father meets with them every time.¡±


    The armor nodded, accepting Sarman¡¯s answer.


    ¡°Kronus is¡­ the creator of the spirit progenitors. A true god, as some might say.¡±


    A true god.


    Nic had heard of the many religions that had sprouted throughout the world. There were over a dozen, but a large portion of them are similar. Nine of the religions focus on the spirit progenitors themselves. They worship them as godly deities. There was a religion for each spirit progenitor and the ninth worshipped all eight equally.


    Kronus was supposedly the creator of each of those progenitors. Calling him a ¡°true god¡± seemed to be an apt description.


    ¡°A¡­ god¡­¡± Aria mumbled under her breath as she also attempted to understand what Aerial was saying.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Before the first Irradiated Winter, his name was much more well-known. In fact, those who couldn¡¯t use magic always prayed to him to awaken to magic. And one of those kids happened to be named Noah Verilo.¡±


    Nic closed his eyes and let out a long breath. He knew what Aerial was about to say. It hadn¡¯t been his ancestor¡¯s fault. It was Kronus¡¯ decision.


    Nic¡¯s dream went against the intentions of a god.


    Would he be able to truly achieve anything in life then?


    Was his family doomed to live this way for all eternity?


    Nic didn¡¯t have anything else. The only things he had to his name were his ability that went against the will of a god and swordsmanship that was useless when paired with two spirit progenitor contractors.


    ¡°Noah Verilo was marked by Kronus to be the unfortunate soul that would steep the world in Irradiation.¡±


    Nic felt something warm lean into his sides. Opening his eyes, he found Aria there, leaning herself into his body. Whether it was an attempt to console him or to console herself, Nic was thankful for her being there.


    ¡°So where does the Blood Elf come in?¡± Sarman cast a short glance at Nic and Aria before turning back to Aerial with a question. It might¡¯ve been the fire, but Nic thought that Sarman¡¯s face was slightly red.


    ¡°After living by himself for twenty years, Noah Verilo was visited by three people in short succession. The first was Crystal. She was looking for a way to stop the Irradiation from growing and so head ventured into the forest it originated from. Due to the spirit her soul had converged with, she has a much greater resistance to Irradiation than even more demi-humans.¡±


    ¡°The second was me.¡± Rust picked up seamlessly from where Aerial ended their sentence. ¡°I was actually a miner in the forest when the first Irradiated Winter happened. I had been underground near the Worldly River. I became a dwarf down there as I was surrounded by countless rock spirits. However, a cave-in happened soon after and I became stuck down there. Almost directly below ground zero. I was hit multiple times by waves of intense Irradiation while down there. Each one caused another rock spirit to be absorbed into my soul. Eventually, I became who I am now and was able to make my way out. It was a coincidence that I arrived at the place where Noah was living.¡±


    Rust finished his introduction and began eating again as Aerial once again spoke up.


    ¡°I was the final visitor. Though I had been warned against going near your ancestor by Kronus, all of us progenitors had, I was actually keeping tabs on Crystal at the time. Like her, I heard Noah¡¯s lament about what had happened and I wanted to help him.¡±


    The head of the armor dropped down as Aerial spoke. Their voice struggled to come out as they recounted the past. The flaming lizard that had been sitting next to Sarman walked up and sat next to the armor, putting one of its legs reassuringly on the armor.


    ¡°We were all told the same thing by Kronus. The advent of Irradiation would last for five centuries and the person who caused it was named Noah Verilo.¡± Salamander spoke softly. His grave words revealed certain truths about the world. ¡°The name meant nothing to most of us so when humans would ask us what happened, we would willingly tell them. That was how the Verilo name became so hated.¡± Salamander bowed its head towards Nic.


    Anger flashed through Nic. He had finally found the reason for his family''s discrimination after all this time. Yet he had been saved by Salamander before. Aerial had also saved him, and given him this ability he had.


    Nic couldn¡¯t hate the two people in front of him.


    Maybe if he met another of the progenitors, he would feel the want to attack them in anger.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hate you just for that, Salamander. Not after what you have done for me since I came to Sanum.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s any consolation, once I did learn the truth from Aerial here, I tried to reverse the damage I did. The same can be said of Sterling and Undine. The others, I can¡¯t speak on.¡± Four spirit progenitors including Aerial and Salamander. That was how many supposedly didn¡¯t hate his family.


    But not hating him didn¡¯t mean that they would be willing to support him.


    ¡°That¡¯s actually the answer to one of Aria¡¯s questions. The reason that Crystal would eventually use a different last name was that she would be ostracized in every city she went to if she used Verilo.¡± Aerial finally spoke back up. Its voice was struggling to not slip up.


    ¡°As for why she left in the first place¡­ that one is because of me. She had spent ten years with Noah at that point. The two were in love and Crystal had spent the entire decade working to figure out a way to reverse what had been done to Noah. She found it. She was so close to freeing the world from Irradiation right then and there.¡±


    The spirit''s voice cracked as they spoke. It felt like Nic could see the tears that should¡¯ve been forming in the spirit¡¯s eyes as they talked. Whatever they had done in the past, the weight of it loomed heavy on their very sense of being.


    Nic felt something in his own stomach. There was no other way for Aerial¡¯s story to end. Crystal hadn¡¯t freed the Verilo family line.


    ¡°Kronul came to me one night. He knew what was going on. He was going to burn the world if I didn¡¯t stop Crystal. The world has to suffer for five hundred years. So I did as he told me to. I convinced Crystal to leave, to bide her time until those five hundred years had passed.¡± The armor shook, its unsteady voice leaving behind whispers in Nic¡¯s ears.


    Aerial had been unable to go against Kronus. And so Nic¡¯s family had suffered for generations.


    Nic should have been angry. He should have been furious with the spirit. But¡­


    ¡°You changed your mind.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The spirit looked up at Nic. It had been expecting to see a face filled with pain, and yet all it saw was someone so calm it was almost eerie.


    ¡°You changed your mind in the end. It¡¯s only been three hundred years since that day, and yet here I am. I can reverse the damage that Irradiation has done to this world, just like how Crystal wanted all those years ago.¡±


    Nic had a fire burning inside of him. The blaze was willing to go up against the strongest force. Not the spirit in front of him. The one above it. The one that ordered it in the first place. Nic wanted revenge. But he wanted it on Kronus.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­! Ahahaha I knew it¡­ Nic, you are willing to go against the laws that govern this world, aren¡¯t you?¡± Aerial posed a simple question to Nic, yet it made him grin as he answered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else special about me. No quirks, no special skills. This ability, no this purpose is all I have. If I have to go against a god to keep it, then so be-¡±


    SLAP


    The sound reverberated through the campsite. Nic was caught off guard by the stinging on his cheek. Aria was standing in front of him, her arm still after having hit Nic¡¯s face. Her back was towards the fire, so her face was covered in shadows.


    Something wet hit Nic¡¯s knee.


    ¡°Aria¡­?¡±


    He barely whispered her name before she bolted off. Nic sat there stunned before Sarman appeared in his vision. Veins were building out of his head as he grabbed Nic by the collar and forced him up.

 Chapter 26: The Consequence of Truth

    ¡°Go after her, you idiot!¡± He shoved Nic in the direction that Aria had run. Nic stumbled as he found his footing. He looked back at Sarman, but that seemed to only piss the man off more. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me! I¡¯m not the one you need to be apologizing to!¡±


    Sarman eventually ran Nic out of the encampment. The light of the fire was no longer behind him as he stumbled through the grassy plains.


    He wasn¡¯t sure why Aria had been so upset, he had only spoken the truth that everyone should¡¯ve known at that point. She had been overreacting.


    As he wandered the edge of the plains, the sounds of the nearby trees rustling drowned out most of the noise at night.


    But the sound of crying cut through it.


    ¡°Aria¡­?¡±


    He found her sitting on a rock on the side of the road. When she heard Nic say her name she got up and grabbed his shirt with both hands before headbutting his chest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that ever again¡­¡± Her shaky voice quietly came out in between sobs.


    ¡°Say what? That I would fight a god¡­?¡±


    She gripped his shirt even tighter and yelled at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that! If you want to fight a god, I¡¯ll be there by your side! Don¡¯t ever say that the only thing you are good for is your magic! It¡¯s not true! It never has been and it never will be!¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°You have your skills with the sword for one! You trained under Yuuki, just like Sarah. You are better than almost anyone else at the University, and even a large portion of the Sanum guards. Sure, Yuuki may be better than you now, but in the future, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll surpass even her! Second¡­¡± Aria went on and on as she cried into Nic¡¯s shirt. His earnestness and kindness that he tried to always hide. His ability to learn and adapt. Sure he wasn¡¯t the smartest person in the room, but he was willing to put in the work to better himself.


    By the time Aria stopped crying, Nic himself was starting to feel convinced by what she said. He eventually wrapped his arms around her.


    The two stayed like that for a while.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Nic apologized softly.


    ¡°Never say that again.¡± Aria sniffled as she looked up at him.


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the way back?¡± Aria looked around. She had run off without warning and while crying. The reason she had even been sitting on the rock in the first place was the fact that she had gotten lost.


    ¡°Mhm. It should be this way.¡±


    Nic led the way as they wandered back towards the campsite, hand in hand. It didn¡¯t take long for them to reach the warm light of the fire, though the rest of their camp looked slightly different. A second hut had been erected by Rust next to the first one.


    Sarman turned to Nic as soon as he was next to the fire. He looked between Nic and Aria before sighing. ¡°If she hadn¡¯t slapped you, I would¡¯ve punched you myself, got it?¡±


    Nic nodded nervously.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I said.¡± Nic turned to Aerial. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened there, but¡­ If it will free my family from this curse, I will oppose Kronul.¡±


    The spirit stood up and extended an arm to Nic, who graciously took it.


    ¡°In that case, there is one thing you should know. I have kept Kronul in the dark about you for as long as I could. But once you come into contact with Crystal, he will know about you.¡±


    A warning.


    Nic had his plan already set in motion. Meeting the Blood Elf would further his goal to rid the world of Irradiation.


    But it would alert the being who would pose the greatest risk to those plans.


    Nic wouldn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. I¡¯ll work till this world is free of Irradiation, whether or not Kronus likes it.¡±


    The spirit seemed pleased with Nic¡¯s answer. It didn¡¯t have a face, a smile, or even cheery eyes, but still, Nic could feel an aura coming from the suit of armor.


    ¡°In that case, I think it¡¯s about time for this storytime to come to an end. You all should get some sleep, there is a long journey ahead of us.¡±


    Nic looked at Sarman who shrugged and walked into one of the two huts near the campsite.


    ¡°What about the watch? Someone needs to stay on alert through the night.¡± Aria brought up their previous agreement about keeping a watch over the group.


    ¡°Ah, that, don¡¯t worry about it. Aerial here and I will take care of the night watches. As spirits, we don¡¯t need sleep.¡± The flaming lizard sitting in the middle of the fire spoke up. Salamander and Aerial were perfectly fine staying up through the night, so long as they were somewhat near their contractors.


    Accepting the answer, Nic and Aria were directed into the second hut by Rust. The inside was large enough that the two of them would have enough room to sleep separately if they wanted to. Some natural light from the moon streamed in through small slits on the roof of the hut.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you out in the morning once it¡¯s safe to leave.¡± Rust left the two of them with a final note before filling up the entrance to the hut with rock, locking them inside.


    Nic grabbed the blanket he had brought with him and sat against one of the walls. Despite being in an enclosed space, he didn¡¯t feel comfortable sleeping directly on the floor that night. So he leaned his back against the wall.


    Aria quickly grabbed a similar blanket and sat down next to Nic. She was close enough that the two could feel each other¡¯s warmth through the blankets. She rested her head on Nic¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Do you mind¡­?¡± Aria glanced up at Nic as she whispered. Nic shook his head.


    Like the previous nights in Aric, Nic felt at peace with Aria next to him. Just to show her how fine he was with this arrangement, Nic repositioned his blanket so that it also wrapped around Aria.


    Her breathing slowed as she slipped into a peaceful sleep. Nic could feel each shallow breath on his chest. His eyelids soon became heavy, feeling the rhythmic pattern.


    As his mind skirted on the realm of consciousness, he thought about the words that Aria had said that evening. He told her he would stop saying the things he had.


    Nic wanted to be the person that Aria thought he was. He wanted to believe her words. But something in him couldn¡¯t let him accept them.


    But he would stick to his promise.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    If Nic didn¡¯t say those words anymore, maybe that would be the first step he needed to take to change.


    The midday sun beat down on the group as they started the trek up yet another hill on their journey to the Rad-Town S-086. It had now been just over three weeks since Yuuki had disappeared from Sanum. They had been walking for six days now.


    Aerial and Rust had informed them that they were indeed close now. Their pace had been faster than anticipated and they would arrive at their destination before midday the next day.


    They had yet to encounter a single Monster or even wild animal on their journey. Even the small game that Rust had proposed adding to their dinners had been absent the entire time.


    Nic stared at the top of the hill they were climbing. They were already over halfway up, and yet it seemed like an eternity away.


    Fifty percent turned to seventy-five percent.


    Aria stopped in her tracks and held up a finger to her lips, the universal sign to stay quiet. Seeing it forced Nic to focus on his surroundings again.


    It was then that he heard the noises. An amalgamation of sounds that made his stomach squirm in fear. He wouldn¡¯t be having lunch that day, that was for sure. But above those noises, Nic could hear a person¡¯s voice shouting things.


    The group quietly approached the zenith of the hill and looked down on the scene below.


    There was a small valley after this hill but before another one, whose own zenith was about 150 mer away from the group''s current locations.


    In the valley between was a horrific scene. Monsters of all types; Gigant Bears, Thornback Spiders, War Birds, and even some that Nic didn¡¯t recognize- were all fighting each other. They trampled over each other, clawed at each other, bite them¡­ all to get ahead. They were being funneled through the valley. From the forest to the wide open plains.


    And at the edge of the forest was the one doing the funneling: a person wearing a black cloak. The cloak obscured their features.


    Sarman drew back and brought everyone into a small huddle.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let the monsters get out into the plains.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Nic and Aria nodded as they let out a simple agreement.


    ¡°There are Rad-Towns out there that would be defenseless.¡± Rust also agreed though he showed that he was more worried for the people that it could affect.


    ¡°Then, in that case, I have a plan.¡± Sarman drew a few lines in the dirt behind them. It was a simple square with a few small dots in the middle and on one of the lines. ¡°Aria, I need you to make a wind barrier along the tree line.¡± Sarman circled the line that had the dot. ¡°Rust, can you make a stone barrier along the other hill and across the plains? We need to keep the monsters here.¡±


    ¡°Can do. So here and here?¡± Rust pointed at two of the other lines to which Sarman nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll create the hottest flaming lance I can and use it to start a blaze in the monsters. It should take care of most of them by itself.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Nic hadn¡¯t been given an assignment yet. It was like Sarman hadn¡¯t thought of something for him to do because there was no massive amount of Irradiation to absorb.


    ¡°You have two jobs Nic.¡± Sarman stared directly at Nic. ¡°The first, and the least important of the two, is to keep an eye on that robbed man out there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ it¡­?¡± It was underwhelming, but what could Nic say? He didn¡¯t have anything he could do in this fight.


    ¡°Nic, let me enlighten you on something. That man, he¡¯s wearing the same type of garments that Jack was wearing when he attacked Aria and me in Sanum.¡± Nic looked at Aria who nodded to confirm Sarman¡¯s statement. If the cloak was similar to Jack¡¯s, there was a chance the man could create Irradiation as well. ¡°And I have a second job for you as well. I¡¯m going to be focused on killing as many as I can from far away. Aria and Rust will be focusing on keeping those barriers up. I need you to stand guard and kill any monsters that get close to us.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Nic hadn¡¯t been expecting the second one. He was being asked to use his sword?


    ¡°You¡¯re as good as Yuuki on her average days now. No one else here is good enough with the sword to do their jobs and fight close range. It has to be you.¡± Sarman placed a hand on Nic¡¯s shoulder reassuringly.


    ¡°Are you sure? What about keeping watch on the man? I might miss something if I¡¯m taking out monsters.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to take out as many as I can before they reach you, but I want you to prioritize the monsters. Unless that cloaked person attacks, don¡¯t worry as much. If they run, that would be for the best. We need to focus on keeping the monsters out of the plains for now.¡±


    Getting information on the robbed individual would be nice, but the monsters were their priority. Nic was being told that if push comes to shove, to focus solely on the monsters and his sword fighting.


    Nic nodded his agreement to the plan. They quickly took off their bags and set them aside. Nic slipped his sheath onto his belt and gave a nod to Sarman to signal he was ready.


    He took a breath as Aria was quickly covered in the armor of Aerial and Rust put his hand to the ground. The wind tore across the planes and the ground trembled.


    Two walls appeared instantly. One was invisible in front of the tree line while the other, completely visible, covered the plains and the other hill.


    Sarman stood atop the hill, a flame in his hands. It billowed and burned, growing brighter and brighter. The flame started red before turning orange and eventually a bright blueish-white. Nic could feel the heat, even standing quite a distance from Sarman.


    The flames slowly turned into a long spear which Sarman threw with all of his strength. In an instant, white flames engulfed a large portion of the valley. Monsters screamed and cried as they burned alive.


    The cloaked man himself quickly disappeared into the forest to escape the flames.


    Not needing to focus on him, Nic turned to the hill where a number of monsters were already climbing up toward the ground.


    Nic grabbed his sword and charged at the first monster, a Gigant Bear. The last time Nic had seen one of these monsters, it had been about to kill him. If Rust hadn¡¯t stepped in at the time, he would¡¯ve died far too soon.


    He had cowered back then. Fell onto the ground and tried to run away.


    Nic had trained since then. He had learned to use a sword.


    He had gained the ability to absorb Irradiation.


    There was no running away this time. Nic had a job to do.


    As he got close, Nic slashed with the sword. It wasn¡¯t a shallow cut, but Nic noticed it the second the blade touched the monster''s skin. He had unintentionally ripped all of the Irradiation out of the monster in a single strike.


    The Gigant Bear crashed to the ground beside Nic.


    A new way of felling monsters had just been found. Nic could feel everyone staring at him as he stood there and looked at his sword.


    He didn¡¯t have any time to dally as a Thornback Spider charged its way at him, pincers snipping at his head. Nic ducked below them and broke one of the spider''s legs with his sword. Once again, the instant it touched the monster, the sword absorbed every last drop of Irradiation out of the monster, causing it to fall.


    A third monster, then a fourth, and a fifth. In the end, Nic felled a total of eight monsters like this. The rest burned to death by Sarman¡¯s flames.


    ¡°What was that?!¡± Sarman was unusually happy as Nic walked up to him.


    ¡°If I¡¯m being honest¡­ I don¡¯t know. It just happened, I guess.¡± Nic truly had no idea what had happened. It might¡¯ve been just the sword, or the fact that it was Nic using the sword. Either way, it would be useful in the future if they ever had to fight monsters.


    ¡°Still!¡± Aria practically jumped on Nic¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯re combining your skills into something unique to you. It¡¯s yet another thing special about you!¡± She continued on and on as the group got ready to move again. Nic glanced at Sarman in the middle of it. He was putting on a smile, but something about it was bothering Nic.


    The feeling continued to gnaw at him as they started back up on their trek. Before long Nic excused himself from Aria¡¯s side and slowed down to match Sarman¡¯s pace. Sarman had been walking behind the group since they had started continuing their walk.


    ¡°If we¡¯re being too close, you can just say it, you know?¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Sarman looked up with a jump as Nic spoke next to him. His face was tinted slightly red. ¡°Why would I need to say that?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Seeing us is making you think of Yuuki, isn¡¯t it?¡± The way Sarman¡¯s face contorted to try to hide his surprise spoke louder than the silence that followed. ¡°Just admit it. You wish that Yuuki was here, treating you in a similar way to how Aria is treating me, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s not the case¡­¡± His words barely managed to get out of his mouth before they disappeared.


    Nic mused for a second before responding. He wasn¡¯t sure if Sarman was denying it for the sake of denying it, or if he just didn¡¯t realize his own feelings on the matter.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll shut up. But you have to come walk with the rest of us.¡± Nic pulled Sarman forward and forced him to walk with the three of them. Sarman forced a smile and ended up making it all the way till they set up camp that night.


    The next morning, they set out as the sun was rising. The cool morning air was refreshing after the intense heat that had pelted them the second half of the day before.


    The pleasantness quickly gave way to even more heat the closer they got to their destination. The sun wasn¡¯t even at its highest point when the walls of the town came into view.


    ¡°There it is. The Rad-Town formerly designate S-086. Though its residents all call it ¡®Crystalia¡¯.¡± Rust introduced the town as they approached the entrance to the city.


    About 50 mer away from the gate, someone yelled out from the top of the wall.


    ¡°Halt! What is your business here?¡±


    ¡°We-¡± Rust was about to bellow out when he was cut off.


    ¡°FIRE!¡±


    A volley of arrows was loosed from the city walls. Each one pointed at the group.

 Chapter 27: Lonely Struggles

    ¡°That¡¯s it for today! Please make sure to take the rest you need the day after tomorrow.¡± Yuuki beamed a smile at the two dozen soldiers around her. Some of them were standing at attention, but most of them were splayed across the ground in groups.


    It had been just under three weeks since Yuuki had arrived in Crystalia. One of the first things that she had done after being put in charge of training the Rad-Towns defense forces was to create a schedule that allowed for training as well as actual work defending the city.


    Split into two groups of twenty-five people each, one group would spend the day training with Yuuki while the other worked with Tom and Narissa in the actual defense of the city. They would switch roles every other day. On the third rotation, however, instead of training with Yuuki, that group would get a day off.


    ¡°Thank you for teaching us every day, Ms. Ito.¡± One of the people standing at attention walked up to Yuuki as he spoke. He was tall enough that her cat ears barely reached his chin. The way he was built reminded Yuuki a lot of Sarman. If her long-time friend had been light-skinned, she might¡¯ve taken this soldier for his twin. ¡°I hope you get to relax over your few days off.¡±


    The soldier held out his hand.


    It was something that he had done every single day since she started teaching them how to use swords properly.


    Like every other time, her stomach churned a bit as she grabbed it.


    Something about the action set off alarm bells for Yuuki every time.


    ¡°Thank you. Good luck on your wall shift tomorrow.¡± Just like how her own plans for the next two days were known, Yuuki knew the stations of every person in front of her. She had spent time learning them in order to connect with her new pupils better.


    ¡°Thank you, Ma¡¯am.¡±


    With the small conversation done, Yuuki turned around and headed back toward the castle that towered over Crystalia. Thinking she was out of earshot, a number of the people catching their breath on the ground started grumbling about the difficulty of her routines.


    ¡°Stop your whining! She can still hear you, you know?¡± The person who had walked up to Yuuki tried to shut his companions up. He knew just how well her hearing was from personal experience.


    Yuuki paid the commotion no mind as she quickly sped her way up to the third floor of the castle. Sitting in the center hallway, almost directly in the center of the floor, were two doors opposite each other. One of them led to the tower that the Blood Elf Crystal used as her own personal quarters. Directly opposite it was Yuuki¡¯s temporary quarters.


    Normally they would be a place of peace for her to relax. Today, she wasn¡¯t that lucky.


    ¡°Well well well¡­ look what we ¡®ave here! If it isn¡¯t the know-it-all swordswoman who stole my place!¡± Tom and Narissa had seemingly just gotten down from Crystal¡¯s tower and were closing the door when the former saw Yuuki walking to her room. His venom-laced words were the same as always.


    How many times had Yuuki heard him call her a ¡°know-it-all swordswoman¡±? She lost count after it hit the double digits.


    ¡°Is there something you want, Tom?¡± Yuuki snapped back at the former adventurer. Her tail had grown fairly rigid, even as it swayed back and forth.


    ¡°Yea, my job back.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should¡¯ve fought better?¡±


    Tom wildly swung a punch at Yuuki. She dodged to the side while Narissa grabbed Tom from behind.


    ¡°Stop it! Stop stop stop! Tom, you know better!!!!¡± She desperately tried to hold Tom back. Yuuki could see the veins tempted to burst throughout her body. Tom was far stronger than her, causing it to look more like she was trying to steal a very awkward ride on Tom¡¯s back.


    ¡°What¡¯re you doin¡¯?! Get off my back!¡± Tom argued with Narissa as he swung his arms wildly about. Another fist came flying towards Yuuki, but she used her left hand to deflect it away from her body.


    Yuuki silently slinked backward until her hand reached the door that led to her room. She slipped inside as Tom struggled with Narissa. Only once she was closing it did Tom realize that she had disappeared into the doorway.


    She slumped to the ground in front of the door and held her breath. She heard Tom angrily grunt a few times across the hall before she heard footsteps angrily walk away. Hearing them get quieter, she finally let out her breath.


    Yuuki was never able to have a conversation with Tom. Every time she tried to, he would quickly devolve into yelling at her or, similar to what had just happened, even get violent. Every time it happened, he wouldn¡¯t let up until she disappeared from his sight or she forced him to be quiet. The latter had caused her to stop using her right arm entirely.


    She got up and grabbed a small cup with her left hand. It was half filled with water and had been sitting next to her bed, left there all day, and tasted quite stale by this point.


    Yuuki downed the entire thing in just a few seconds before setting it down. She reached out with her right hand and gripped the cup. As she slowly lifted the cup, her entire arm was shaking uncontrollably. It didn¡¯t take long for the empty cup to rattle so much that she lost the little grip she had on it.


    It fell to the small side table with a quiet thud.


    Something warm started dripping down her right arm. Yuuki saw a red streak of blood slowly moving its way down to her elbow.


    A sigh escaped her lips as she quickly grabbed a towel and wiped the blood off of her arm. Taking off her shirt, the blood-soaked bandages wrapped around her upper arm became visible.


    In one corner of the room was a small bucket of water that Yuuki had requested. Grabbing the cup from earlier, Yuuki sat down next to the bucket.


    The bandages made a sloppy sound as she slowly peeled them off of her arm, revealing the wound she had gotten from the War Bird before she had even been to Aric.


    On her third day in Crystalia, Yuuki had punched Tom hard enough that the wound itself had reopened. Ever since it had reopened, the wound never closed. She had to constantly clean the wound and apply new bandages every morning when she woke up and after she was done training the defenders of Crystalia.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Yuuki let out a soft cry as she poured water over the wound to clean it up. The water she was using quickly turned red as it dropped back into the bucket.


    ¡°Hmmm? Is something the matter, Yuuki?¡±


    A sweet voice came from beyond Yuuki¡¯s door, forcing her body to freeze up. The door was in Yuuki¡¯s line of sight, but if the door was opened, Yuuki would be blocked by it.


    ¡°Yuuki? Are you there? I heard what sounded like a quiet scream of pain¡­¡±


    The sweet voice continued to question Yuuki from beyond the door.


    Why was she here? Why was Crystal coming to see Yuuki at that point of all times?


    She thought of multiple different ways to get the Blood Elf to leave. Each one passed through her mind before she rejected it and thought of a new one.


    She saw the door open slightly and blurted out whatever she could think of.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine! You don¡¯t need to come in!¡± She reached out her hand as if she could force the door closed from a distance only to drop the cup she had been holding with it.


    The door swung open as it hit the ground and made a sound. Crystal forced her head into the room. As soon as she saw Yuuki off to the side, her face contorted with worry.


    Yuuki¡¯s face suddenly grew hot as the door was slammed shut. Crystal lowered a bar across the door, something that Yuuki was now wishing she had done herself. It was a locking mechanism for the door so that Yuuki could have complete privacy if she wanted it.


    Crystal kneeled next to Yuuki and grabbed her right arm so she could look at the wound.


    ¡°Is this¡­?¡±


    Yuuki nodded. She had told Crystal about the wound she had gotten from the War Bird back when she had first arrived in Crystalia. It wasn¡¯t hard to put two and two together and for Crystal to realize this was the same wound.


    ¡°How did it reopen? No, wait, when did it reopen?¡±


    Crystal started interrogating Yuuki as she grabbed more water and poured it on the wound. The rest of Yuuki¡¯s body aside from her right arm lurched in pain as the water passed over the wound.


    ¡°Three weeks ago¡­? When I punched Tom too hard¡­¡± Yuuki struggled to speak with gritted teeth as bouts of pain swept through her body. Crystal¡¯s worried look only grew deeper as the area around the wound grew cleaner and cleaner.


    Once all of the blood was washed away, Yuuki sucked in a gasp of air. The pain was still clear in her mind and lingered in the rest of her body.


    ¡°Yuuki¡­ have you had any interactions with Irradiation since this reopened?¡± Crystal¡¯s voice was grave. The question she asked was ludicrous in contrast. Interactions with Irradiation? Why would she?


    Yuuki shook her head.


    A soft sigh came from Crystal as she placed her hand over the wound. Yuuki felt something funny in her right shoulder. It was weird, the opposite of the pain she had been feeling. Whatever it was, it tickled as it moved through her shoulder.


    ¡°There we go.¡± Crystal lifted her hand off Yuuki. Where the wound had been was now a solid pink patch of skin. There were no traces of a cut ever being there in the first place.


    ¡°How?!¡± Yuuki stared at her shoulder in shock.


    ¡°I promoted the blood in your shoulder to heal that area faster. It shouldn¡¯t open itself again¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Yuuki¡¯s tale swung across the floor behind her in a wide arc.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Crystal still looked at Yuuki¡¯s arm with a hardened look. She reached out and grabbed Yuuki¡¯s hand before placing her thumb in the middle of Yuuki¡¯s palm. Yuuki was confused about what she was doing. She barely felt anything. ¡°Do you feel anything? At all?¡±


    ¡°No¡­? Am I supposed to?¡± Yuuki shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m pressing in with all of my strength.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Yuuki looked back at her palm. Her hand was thin enough that she couldn¡¯t tell how hard the Blood Elf was pressing visibly. Somehow reading Yuuki¡¯s mind, Crystal moved her thumb up to Yuuki¡¯s upper arm and did the same thing.


    Once again, Yuuki felt nothing. But this time, she could see Crystal''s thumb press into her arm by a small bit. There was no doubt that she was putting pressure on it.


    But she felt nothing.


    ¡°Why¡­? Why can¡¯t I feel anything in my right arm?¡± Yuuki used her left hand to grab Crystal by the collar herself. She knew that she had been slowly losing the feeling in her arm, but even just that morning she still had some. Now it was like she had none.


    ¡°I think that somehow, you are being exposed to more Irradiation. A War Bird¡¯s attack on the soul is possible because of the Irradiation the monsters have inside of them. While something like this has never happened before, it¡¯s not impossible that coming into contact with more Irradiation would cause that tear in your soul to grow larger.¡± Crystal laid out her hypothesis on the matter succinctly.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Somehow, somewhere in the Rad-Town, Yuuki had been consistently exposed to Irradiation. Despite how hard she was trying, she couldn¡¯t think of any place that she went often enough for it to happen.


    ¡°Even if that is the case, where would it happen? I spend most of my time here, near the castle. The few times I do go out into the town I rarely ever go to the same place¡­¡± As she was talking, Yuuki remembered that there was one place she did go to quite often. ¡°Actually¡­ no there is one place. But¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Crystal helped Yuuki over to the bed and grabbed a shirt for her to put on. As Yuuki took the shirt from Crystal she hung her head. She didn¡¯t want to say it. Why should she believe what she was even thinking?


    ¡°There is a place that I have gone to every day I let the troops rest. Cyril¡¯s place¡­¡± Yuuki was leveling an accusation against one of Crystal¡¯s top people. Neither of them wanted to believe that he would be the one responsible, especially since he had been the one to bring Yuuki to the Rad-Town.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Were you going over there any time soon?¡±


    Yuuki nodded. She was set to go the following day.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t. At least for now. Let¡¯s see how your arm does without being near Cyril for a while. I¡¯ll have him stay out of the castle area for now. If nothing gets better, we will know for sure it wasn¡¯t him.¡±


    Crystal got up and walked towards the exit to the room. As she put her hand on the door keeping the door shut, she gave Yuuki one last warning.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let this stay off the door at all. Only open it when someone comes to bring you food. We need to isolate the place you are getting Irradiation from.¡±


    Yuuki gave a slow nod as Crystal left the room.


    Once the door closed, she put the bar back in place. The air was as still as a frozen animal.


    It was suffocating.


    If only she had made Cyril let her bring at least Sarman.


    Sarman would have made this isolation more enjoyable. Heck, he could¡¯ve stopped it from happening in the first place. The second Yuuki got hurt, he would use one of his feathers to heal the wound.


    ¡°That¡¯s what he would¡¯ve done¡­¡±


    Yuuki fell onto the bed.


    She curled up around one of the blankets. Her eyelids grew heavy before eventually closing entirely.


    Time seemed to move differently when Yuuki was stuck in her room. It was faster than it had ever been, yet at the same time was so slow that she desperately wanted it to be over. In the mornings, she would wake up to one of the few real servants in the castle knocking on her door.


    ¡°Ms. Ito, I have some food here for you.¡±


    It was always the same line. Whether she was being given it in the morning, at noon, or at night.


    Yuuki would get up and open the door for the servant. Once opened, the servant would simply hand Yuuki a plate of food before quickly leaving. Yuuki closed the door as she brought the plate to the desk next to the bed.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re having a better meal than this, Sarman¡­¡± With a small whisper, Yuuki would pick up the bread that always came with the food and begin eating it.


    In the mornings she usually was only given some bread, an apple, and some water. Later meals in the day added extra items, namely meats, into the mix.


    ¡°It tastes the same again¡­¡±


    The bread she was given was hardened and barely had any taste to it. It wasn¡¯t something isolated to just Yuuki. She knew from her three weeks in the castle that all of the bread was like this. Crystalia didn¡¯t have a big wheat operation, so most of their bread was hardened from being stored for extended periods of time.


    Yuuki wasn¡¯t about to stop eating because of the taste.


    She scarfed down the food before setting the plate to the side. When the servants came back with food later, she would switch out the plates so that they could take this one to be cleaned.


    With food in her stomach, Yuuki began her daily routine, if one could even call it that.


    She started out by stretching for quite a while. Because of her right arm, she couldn¡¯t do much in terms of actual exercise so she supplemented it by stretching more rigorously.


    By the time Yuuki was done stretching, the sun was high in the sky. Its light cascaded in through the single window into the room.


    Opening it, she let the sounds of the Rad-Town wash over her as she sat beneath the window. Her ears twitched atop her head as she tried to focus on specific sounds far away. As a Cat-Person, her hearing was far better than the average human''s.


    Guards atop the walls were shouting at each other from different points, relaying any information needed for the defense of the city. The main street in front of the castle was already bustling with neighbors in jubilant conversations. Kids ran up and down the street, playing with each other.


    A lonely sigh came from Yuuki. Her days of freedom in Crystalia had been spent on that very street. She wanted to interact with the locals and get to know them better. Playing with the kids was so much fun, and with their boundless energy, it turned into quite a stamina-wearing activity.


    But for now, Yuuki was forced to simply listen to the town. Her tail droopily sat on the ground next to one of her legs. Like her, it had stopped moving entirely.


    ¡°Ms. Ito, I have some food here for you.¡±


    The voice of the same servant as before finally got Yuuki moving again. She stood up and grabbed the empty plate from that morning before opening the door. Once she did, the servant traded plates with her and quickly left.


    Sigh¡­


    Yuuki closed the door and sat at the desk again. The meal this time finally changed things up. A beef stew with some extra bread on the side was sitting on the plate. A spoon was also there, though the wood it was made out of didn¡¯t look the best.


    In the end, the soup ended up being the tastiest thing that Yuuki had eaten at the castle in her time there.


    She devoured it even quicker than normal and soon found herself restlessly moving from one area of the room to another. First, it was the bed, then the window spot. The Third was sitting at the desk and tapping on it. Interspersed in there were countless minutes of restlessly pacing back and forth.


    As the sun began to set, a knock on her door interrupted her restless movements. Yuuki¡¯s ears twitched as she listened in silence, waiting for the person on the other side to speak. The fact that they had not immediately said that same line meant that it wasn¡¯t a servant.


    ¡°Yuuki¡­?¡±


    A familiar voice came through the door. One that Yuuki didn¡¯t want to hear right now. She almost spoke up but someone else cut her off.


    ¡°Cyril? Are you not banned from the castle for the time being? You should get out of here before Mrs. Crystal finds out.¡± The same servant as always was apparently here to bring Yuuki her food and had run into Cyril.


    ¡°But¡­ I came to get Yuuki¡­¡±


    ¡°Ms. Ito is sick currently. No one is allowed to see her. I must say this again. Leave the castle until you are told you can return.¡± The servant was more forceful this time in her ¡°request¡±.


    Yuuki was standing against the door listening to everything they were saying. She wanted to speak up herself, but she still was scared that she couldn¡¯t trust Cyril anymore.


    There was a chance he wasn¡¯t the traitor. She wanted to believe that chance.


    But if it wasn¡¯t him, then who could it have been?


    ¡°Fine¡­ I understand.¡±


    Cyril was dejected as he slowly walked away from the room. It took a bit longer for the servant to finally speak up at the door itself.


    ¡°Ms. Ito, I have some food here for you.¡±


    Yuuki opened the door, the empty plate from earlier in the day already in her hands. The two exchanged plates. As she was closing the door, the servant spoke up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what just happened. It isn¡¯t my place to question my lady¡¯s orders, but whatever is going on, Cyril isn¡¯t the one responsible.¡±


    ¡°I hope so too¡­¡± Yuuki¡¯s response was barely a whisper as she closed the door. She quickly ate the food before lying in her bed yet again.


    She sat there, the sounds of the Rad-Town¡¯s night echoing from the window. She squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears with her pillow. She wanted to shut the noise out.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? The greatest swordswoman I know, brought down by mere loneliness? You endured being alone for how many years now, and now you break?¡± Sarman¡¯s voice rang in her head, taunting her. She flung her bedding away and looked for the dark-skinned shoulders she had been so used to seeing. But there was nothing there. Just a single feather that had been blown in through the window.


    She had imagined the voice.


    Realizing that she slowly laid back down.


    ¡°I was never alone in those ten years.¡± She responded to the voice she had imagined.


    Those ten years had been spent with some people always knowing her secret. And yet now she was truly alone in this room, in this Rad-Town.


    Two days later Yuuki found herself in the presence of the Blood Elf Crystal as she was getting ready for the day. A knock on her door had alerted her to someone being there, but when it was Crystal that spoke up, she opened the door and let her in.


    ¡°How¡¯s the arm?¡± Crystal looked over Yuuki¡¯s arm. As she did she pressed down in multiple places, each one earning not even a blink from Yuuki.


    ¡°I still barely feel anything. It hasn¡¯t gotten worse, but it hasn¡¯t gotten better yet.¡±


    It was good that it had stayed the same, but they needed to find the source soon, otherwise it may never get better.


    ¡°Alright¡­ I have Cyril staying off the castle grounds for a while longer. During your session today, try not to actively spar with anyone, got it?¡±


    Yuuki nodded in response. She hadn¡¯t been planning on sparring either so she was perfectly fine with what the queen was saying.


    ¡°Oh, once your training sessions are done for today, come find me in my tower. I do have something I need to talk with you about.¡± Crystal left Yuuki with that final request.


    She thought about what the Blood Elf could want with her as she finished changing her clothes and heading out to the fields behind the castle.


    Was it related to how long Yuuki would be staying? The attack they were expecting should be coming soon. Would she want Yuuki to leave before?


    If she did say that, Yuuki would reject the offer. Even if she couldn¡¯t use her right arm, she wanted to help defend Crystalia. Call it a misplaced sense of heroism or just plain foolishness. Yuuki hadn¡¯t done much when Jack attacked Sanum. She wanted to make up for that and help here.


    The training session started like any other day. The soldiers all did their usual warmups and were getting ready for a round of sparring to show Yuuki how well they were doing when an alarm sounded throughout the city.


    Everyone bolted upright as Yuuki looked around. The alarm was a horn that was seemingly being replicated all along the wall surrounding the city.


    ¡°What is this?!¡± Yuuki turned to one of the soldiers as she questioned the alarm.


    ¡°It the signal that were under attack!¡± A soldier quickly answered Yuuki with a mention of the very attack that Yuuki had just been thinking about.


    She was in the very back of the city, behind the castle. Half of their forces were with her.


    Narissa and Tom were in charge of the cities defenses that day and were leading the other half of their forces.


    BOOOOM!!!!


    A massive explosion sounded from the other side of the city. Smoke billowed upwards and was almost immediately visible to even those behind the castle.


    ¡°Go! Meet up with Narissa and Tom! Follow their orders!¡± Yuuki shouted commands at the group who quickly took action.


    Each one grabbed their weapons and ran off. The streamed past Yuuki, rushed through the castle and soon found themselves in the main portion of Crystalia. Once there, they were under Narissa¡¯s command, so Yuuki let them slip from her mind.


    Her biggest worry at this moment was Crystal. She didn¡¯t know what guard detail the Blood Elf had with her on that day.


    Yuuki rushed through the castle. When she reached the hallway on the third floor with the entrance to Crystal¡¯s tower, she decided to make a quick detour to her own room.


    She busted through the door and snatched up the sheathed blade leaning on the desk. It¡¯s blade was curved, a signature design from her homeland, Kyoku. She slid the blade under her belt so it would stay in place on her hip as she rushed up the stairs of the central tower.


    Three flights of stairs later she found herself in a small foyer area. A single window showed the horrendous state of the Rad-Town below. A massive fire had broken out at the main entrance to the city. It looked like part of the wall had been completely demolished. Weird stone slabs dotted the left side of the town.


    Standing in front of the window were two guards. When they saw her they quickly stood at attention.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am!¡±


    ¡°You two make sure to stand guard. Don¡¯t let anyone through if they make it this far, got it?¡±


    ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am!¡± Yuuki walked through the only door in the foyer. It led into a small circular room that took up the rest of the tower floor. In the back was a curved staircase that led up to yet another area.


    Sitting in the center of the room was a modest throne facing towards the door. This was the place that Crystal acted as Queen of the Rad-Town. Most visitors to the town would meet her here if they wished to have an audience.


    When Yuuki walked into the room, Crystal was deep in conversation with a bald, former adventurer, that Yuuki always had trouble dealing with.


    Tom turned to Yuuki as he heard the door close. He grumbled slightly before closing his eyes and speaking normally for once.


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    Yuuki stopped midstride. She had expected him to somehow blame her for this as a way to get his position back. She had never suspected he would act civilly instead.


    ¡°From what I saw out the window, they seem to have broken into the city already. I sent the full force that was with me out to Narissa to help her drive them off.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go with them?!¡± Tom questioned her again. His usual aggressiveness slipped into his voice.


    ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°She did exactly as I asked of her.¡±


    Crystal cut Yuuki off and answered herself. While Yuuki had been about to reveal the fact that she wasn¡¯t able to fight at her full capacity, Crystal¡¯s intervention kept the truth from being revealed.


    ¡°Why would you do that?! If she is going to be a commander for the troops, she should be fighting alongside them!¡± Jack continued to try to argue with Crystal but was forced quite by a single gesture of her hand.


    She had the ultimate say on where people went in the idle of the fight. If she said that Yuuki was to be with her, Tom wouldn¡¯t be able to change her mind.


    ¡°For now, you two need to put aside any ill will towards the other and work together. I have a feeling we will be seeing these intruders here in this very tower before long.¡± Crystal sat down on her throne, an air of royalty exuding from her as she sat with perfect posture despite the circumstances surrounding them.


    Yuuki had already thrown away any ill will she held towards Tom for the moment. She agreed with the Blood Queen. She walked up to Tom and extended him a hand.


    ¡°She¡¯s right. For now, we¡¯re just two sword fighters here protecting this city, right?¡±


    Tom looked down at her hand and sighed.


    ¡°Fine. You get the door, I¡¯ll stay over here. You¡¯re faster than me and will probably be able to react quicker when someone comes through.¡±


    Yuuki nodded. Once she was at the side of the door she waited.


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!


    She didn¡¯t have to wait long as the tower shook from the impact just outside of the room they were in. Yuuki wasn¡¯t sure what exactly it was but it sounded like something had crashed through the wall of the tower.


    The loud noise caused her ears to ring. She was recovering when yelling in the room next to her caught her attention. There was a male voice that sounded oddly familiar in the mix.


    ¡°Get ready!¡± Tom yelled at her from across the room. She got up and pulled her katana out and held it in her left hand.


    The door slammed open and a male about a head taller than Yuuki ran into the room. Yuuki immediately swung at his brown covered hair but was blocked by a sword she had paid for.


    The black jewel in the hilt pulsed softly as Nic looked back at Yuuki. The second their eyes locked together, they went wide.


    ¡°Nic!?¡±


    ¡°Yuuki!?¡±


    The two shouted at each other in unison.

 Chapter 28: Crystalia, the City of Blood

    ¡°FIRE!¡±


    A stone wall quickly appeared before Nic as Arrows and magic rained down from the Rad-Town¡¯s walls. The sounds of arrows harmlessly plinking off the stone and the constant explosions of different magics mixing together became a cacophony of sound that drowned out anyone else''s voices.


    ¡°Everyone alright?¡± It took a minute for the chaos to die down, but once it did Rust looked between each of the three of them- checking for injuries.


    Once they all confirmed that they were okay, Rust peaked his head out from the side of the rock only to have another blast of magic nearly hit him.


    ¡°Seems like the place doesn¡¯t want visitors right now¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not gonna just turn around, right?¡± Sarman looked to the dwarf as he hurriedly spoke. A hint of worry underlined his voice. His shoulders dropped in relief as Rust shook his head.


    ¡°I have a few things I need to talk with Crystal about myself, least of all the Verilo here with us.¡± Rust motioned to Nic. ¡°If they aren¡¯t going to just let us in, then we¡¯ll have to make our way in forcefully.¡±


    ¡°Should we really do that?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make getting an audience with Crystal tougher?¡±


    Aria and Nic were thinking along the same lines as they questioned if going in with a fight was really the right choice for them to make.


    Rust agreed with them as he let out a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Let me see if I can reason with them one more time.¡±


    Rust walked to the edge of the stone wall and put his hand out timidly. He waved it softly, trying to let the guards know that he came peacefully.


    ¡°Please! My companions and I mean no harm to the Rad-Town! We simply want to meet with your queen!¡± Rust shouted into the open air. His only hope would be that the guards on the wall heard him.


    The wait dragged on. Five seconds. Ten.


    The short time dragged into eternity.


    Until it was cut short by Aria grabbing Rust by the collar- pulling him back to her.


    The space his hand had just been occupying was quickly engulfed in crackling flames as a mixture of fire and lightning ran through the area, soon becoming an explosion as it hit the ground.


    The force was enough to blow everyone away from the cover of the stone wall they had been behind.


    Now in the open, another volley of arrows and magic was launched at the group.


    ¡°Looks like any form of diplomacy is out the window!¡± Sarman quickly launched to his feet, a flaming spear igniting in his hands.


    The flames grew larger and larger as he lifted the spear behind his head. As he threw it forward and the flames left his hand, the front grew even bigger. It consumed all of the arrows shot at them, burning the wood to ash instantly. Even the magic being thrown against it was no match for the sheer force of progenitor magic that Sarman used.


    Ignoring everything in its path, the spear soon found itself colliding with a relatively less populated area of the wall. The explosion wiped out a portion of the wall and set the nearby wooden parts on fire.


    ¡°We have an opening! Let¡¯s get going!¡± Sarman quickly pulled up Aria and Rust as Nic quickly got to his feet.


    They all ran, as fast as they could.


    More arrows were loosed from either side.


    A wall of stone appeared on the right, rising up to meet the arrows that came from that side; while on the life the arrows stopped midflight. A wall of compressed air blocked the projectiles on the left from reaching the group.


    Aria and Rust stood on their respective sides, giving the entire group the chance to make it past the Rad-Town¡¯s walls.


    The hole that Sarman made was on the right side of the main gate. As the group clambered through burning wood, they soon found themselves in a destroyed stable. Broken gates showed that the horses that had been kept there when the spear hit the wall had escaped. Though what condition they were in was anyone¡¯s guess.


    ¡°They¡¯re through the wall! Sound the alarm! This is what we¡¯ve been training for!¡± A male voice came from above them quickly followed by the tolling of a large bell. The bell tolled- once, then twice, then three times. With each toll another bell joined in, amplifying the sound.


    Nic¡¯s lungs were starting to burn as they rushed through burning hay and wood. Once they reached the entrance to the stable and burst through, fresh air quickly filled Nic¡¯s lungs. The refreshing feel was cut very short by the Demi-Human waiting for them in the courtyard they found themselves in.


    Two wings spread from her back, brown feathers still being ruffled by the wind, as she gently landed on the ground. Short black hair surrounded her face while eyes as red as rubies peered at the group. Light armor covered unkempt clothes as wind coalesced within one of her hands. The other held a small dagger in a reverse grip.


    ¡°You know¡­ Blasting a hole in the wall of our city doesn¡¯t seem like something people who just want to talk to the Queen would do.¡± Venom filled the words she whispered softly to the group.


    ¡°You!¡± Sarman realized far too late that the person in front of them had goaded one of them into acting rashly. It just so happened to have been Sarman that acted rashly. Sarman took a step forward, clearly about to begin fighting the demi-human when he was stopped by Rust.


    ¡°Is there a reason you don¡¯t want us in the city?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm?¡± The Demi-Human tilted her head. ¡°No? I just think that you¡¯ll work just fine when it comes to taking the fall.¡± A sickly sweet smile splayed across lips dyed red with makeup.


    Footsteps echoed around them as soldiers of different ages, sizes, and even races appeared behind the Demi-Human. They quickly encircled Rust, Sarman, Nic, and Aria. Swords were drawn and at the ready in the second it took for them to get into position.


    ¡°Wait-!¡±


    Aria tried to call out to the guards but was cut off quickly by the Demi-Human.


    ¡°Kill them! They are the individuals we have been expecting to attack the city! Remember your training!¡±


    ¡°Got it, Commander Narissa. All soldiers! Attack!¡± Seemingly the one in charge of the new soldiers, a guy standing next to the Demi-Human, named Narissa, let out a triumphant battle cry.


    It was the signal to the rest to begin the extermination of the enemies threatening their home.


    Swords came flying from every direction forcing Nic, Aria, Sarman, and Rust to move separately from each other. Each one of them defended against the attackers through their own means.


    Rust created stone pillars in front of each blade that came at him. Once they were stopped, the stone would shoot out from the pillar punching each soldier in the gut with enough force to send them flying back.


    Flames burst to life around Sarman. The intense heat directly around him was enough to catch his attacker''s clothes on fire.


    Aria had the weakest defense. In one hand she held her sword in a defensive position, but due to her lack of training, she was quickly being overrun.


    As for Nic, he found every attack familiar and was able to deflect or dodge them with an ease that unnerved him. The two swords flying towards his stomach passed through open air as Nic twisted out of range before countering with a strike of his own.


    One of the swords clattered to the ground while the wielder of the other was shoved down by brute force.


    Three completely fine people took their place. Their combined attacks moved through the air like it was molasses. It was like Nic was seeing things slower than they should be happening. Had his physical skills improved that much? Or were his opponents simply that slow?


    Either way, Nic dodged two of the blades while parrying the third. With a quick flick of his wrist, his opponent''s sword was in his other hand.


    Dual wielding was not his strength, but at that moment in time, it was better than his single blade for defending.


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    Clanging range out from the small area as Nic began to parry more and more blades. Both arms of his swung in tight arcs that left no room for his opponents to react. Effortlessly, Nic began disarming his opponents left and right, leaving each one with wounds bad enough to force them out of the fight, but not bad enough to kill.


    A dark shadow on the ground pulled Nic¡¯s vision away from those around him.


    It coiled around the area, seeping into the buildings nearby, and infecting the shadows cast by the burning stables. Its origin was the Demi-Human that seemingly was in charge.


    No one else saw it. Nic wasn¡¯t even sure if the one creating it could see it physically. There was simply too little of it condensed for a regular person to see it.


    Irradiation could only be seen by everyone if there was enough of it condensed into a small enough area. The shadowy veins that ran through the area seemed to be just under that threshold.


    ¡°What are you-?!¡± Nic pushed past the soldiers surrounding him. He had to reach the Demi-Human before she unleashed whatever she was preparing. He raised the sword in his right hand to slash at her. He had to swing down. There was no chance of a peaceful solution.


    They had passed a point of no return.


    He swung down-


    Nic¡¯s entire body jerked as he tumbled to the ground.


    Something cold and hard had grabbed Nic¡¯s ankle. As he fell, he heard a sharp snap coming from below him.


    Looking at his ankle, he saw bones clutching it. They gave off a small amount of Irradiation, though most of it was already being absorbed into Nic¡¯s body.


    ¡°Raise the alarm to level 2! The intruders have begun an attack using Irradiation Monsters!¡± The Demi-Human yelled into the air, her voice loud enough to be heard far past the small area they were in.


    The smile of a devil was splashed across her lips. In a single motion, the wings on her back unfurled and with one massive flap, she took off into the air.


    Her trap had truly been sprung. Every detail had gone exactly as she wanted.


    With her final shout, the entire city would believe that this was their fault.


    ¡°Uhhh¡­ Nic?¡± Aria¡¯s shaken voice forced Nic to look away from where the Demi-Human had flown off to.


    The entire group was surrounded by skeletons clawing their way out of the ground. Black tendrils coiled around each of the limbs, giving them movement.


    The Demi-Human calling them ¡°Irradiation Monster¡± was very accurate.


    Nic had never heard of skeletons, or any form of undead really, coming back from beyond to attack people. If there was anything that could cause that to happen, Irradiation was most likely it.


    The skeletons quickly grabbed swords that had been dropped on the ground.


    ¡°Wait! Wait! WAAAIIITTTT!!!!!¡± Skeletons made of Irradiation were beholden to no one. The soldiers who had been on the same side as the Demi-Human was just as good of targets as the ones the soldiers had been fighting just seconds ago. In fact, since most of them were unarmed, they were the better targets.


    Swords punched through the guts of multiple people as the skeletons mercilessly attacked anyone that got close.


    A skeleton got close to Aria, but when she tried to swing her sword through it, the black tendrils kept the frame intact.


    ¡°NO!¡± Nic rushed to get up. He saw Aria¡¯s strike. Normal attacks were seemingly useless against them.


    If that was the case, then Nic¡¯s own ability to absorb Irradiation was probably what had caused the hand that grabbed his ankle to fall apart after tripping him.


    There was a chance that he was the only one able to hurt them with physical attacks.


    ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t!¡± The commander of soldiers, the one that had blindly listened to the Demi-Human, was standing near Nic. As the latter tried to get up, the commander swung his sword at Nic¡¯s neck.


    It rebounded off of a slab of stone that appeared quicker than the swing.


    ¡°Kid, go!¡± Rust moved his hands ever so slightly. The movement forced four stone slabs to appear around the commander, trapping him inside.


    Nic took the opportunity and ran. His sword rushed through the skeleton in front of Aria. As it did, the Irradiation keeping it together rushed into the crystal in the hilt of the sword.


    With an unceremonious clacking sound, the remaining bones crumbled to the ground.


    ¡°You okay?!¡± Aria sighed in relief as the skeleton died. Nic grabbed her shoulder and pulled her in close. He only kept her in his grasp for a second before the sweltering heat beside them forced them apart. A skeleton that had been running at them burned to ash in front of their eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that right now!¡± Sarman was standing there, blue flames wrapping around his hands.


    Nic was not, in fact, the only one who could destroy the skeletons. That fact hurt him ever so slightly.


    ¡°Ahem, sorry. If you can burn the skeletons to ash, then we can work together to take them out for good.¡± Nic turned and motioned toward the ones that were attacking the Rad-Town¡¯s soldiers. ¡°You take the ones on the right and I¡¯ll get the left.¡±


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Sarman shook his head.


    ¡°I have to use extreme heat to burn them up. I¡¯ll grab any stragglers away from others, but if I burn them while someone else is close by, I¡¯ll probably hurt the soldiers as well.¡±


    Nic realized why the flames were blue. Sarman normally used red or orange flames. Both were cold in terms of fire. Blue was much hotter than those.


    Nic would still need to take care of the majority of the skeletons.


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    They were monsters. Plain and simple.


    Because of that, Nic already knew he could take care of them by himself.


    He let go of Aria and ran at the skeletons.


    With each one he passed, a single blow anywhere on their structure caused them to fall. Bones scattered across the ground, surrounding the soldiers of the Rad-Town as they looked at Nic with a mixture of horror and awe.


    Blue flames caused bursts of heat. With each one, Nic knew that Sarman had taken care of a skeleton himself.


    Taking out a few dozen skeletons didn¡¯t take them that long. Each time they struck three down, another rose from the ground to take its place.


    ¡°Nic! Try striking the ground to stop them from appearing!¡± While the two of them had been taking out the skeletons, Aria had been doing her best to help the injured soldiers. Seeing the continuous creation of the skeletons, she had thought of the idea as a way to stop it.


    Hearing it himself, Nic agreed. He could see the tapestry of Irradiation just below the ground the entire time. It was like a massive spiderweb sitting just below the ground. The largest concentration of Irradiation was at the spot where Narissa had been standing before.


    Nic rushed over, slashing another two skeletons as he ran by.


    The area she had been standing in was completely covered in stone.


    Nic tapped the stone with his sword. There was no way he would be able to absorb the Irradiation through it or stab his sword into it with the sword shattering.


    ¡°Need some help?¡± Without making any noise, Rust was suddenly next to Nic.


    ¡°Can you move it to show the dirt beneath?¡± Nic was a bit unsure if the dwarf could do that since the entire area was one big stone slab.


    ¡°HA! Can I?¡± Rust laughed in Nic¡¯s face. A stone pillar shot up from next to them. It had broken the stone slab, causing a fissure to run through the entire thing. ¡°Of course, I can!¡± Rust knelt down and grabbed the newly formed edge of the stone and lifted it up.


    It wasn¡¯t a large opening. But Nic didn¡¯t need it to be.


    Just large enough to fit a sword.


    Nic shoved his sword under the stone. The moment the tip touched the pool of Irradiation, it all came rushing into the jewel inlaid in the hilt.


    Nic sheathed his sword and Rust dropped the stone slab.


    No more skeletons appeared in their immediate vicinity. They were free of them for now.


    On top of that, the Rad-Town soldiers were all either dead from the skeletons or still fairly injured. None of them were up for continuing to fight in their current state.


    Of course, no one wanted to talk either.


    Aria stood up in annoyance.


    ¡°Why are they being so stubborn!?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Nic shrugged.


    ¡°They¡¯re probably all working with that Demi-Human,¡± Sarman said what Nic had been thinking. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I don¡¯t think there is a single soul in this town¡¯s defense force that we can trust.¡±


    Rust believed in Crystal. He¡¯d sworn on his own honor that she wouldn¡¯t be behind this attack on them. Narissa had also said that she was going to use them as sacrificial pawns to take the fall.


    ¡°So they¡¯re all traitors to this town? Every single one¡­?¡± Like Nic, Aria was having a hard time believing that every single person who was a part of the city''s defense was a traitor to the city. But with how they were acting, it was hard to disprove that assumption.


    ¡°Nic¡­¡± Sarman touched one of the dead soldiers with his foot as he spoke up. ¡°The way these guys fought-¡±


    ¡°You thought it was familiar too, right?¡± Nic finished off Sarman¡¯s sentence for him. Nic had noticed it immediately. If Sarman had picked up on it as well.


    ¡°What¡¯re you two talking ¡®bout?¡± Rust and Aria both looked confused at the sudden turn in the conversation.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who trained with her. How long do you think it woulda taken for them to get to this level?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Considering they were all fighting with the same style, it would¡¯ve been generalized group sessions so¡­ three weeks? Give or take a few days.¡±


    Three and a half weeks ago, Yuuki had disappeared from Sanum. Given that they had barged in through some stables, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she had been transported here by horse. Given the speed they could go, five days for travel would put her arriving in Crystalia roughly three weeks ago.


    Sarman understood this just as much as Nic.


    Not only was Crystal here, but Yuuki most likely was as well.


    And if Yuuki was here, they should have at least one ally in the city.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just hope she hasn¡¯t been attacked by that Demi-Human yet.¡± Sarman heaved a heavy breath before getting ready to move into the city proper.


    ¡°Wait¡­ Are you saying that Yuuki is here as well?!¡± Aria was slow on the realization here, but once she realized what Sarman and Nic had been saying, she practically yelled it, earning a small chuckle from Sarman.


    ¡°Did you only just now realize it?¡± Sarman cheekily grinned at her.


    Gong! Gong! Gong! Gong! Gong!


    The bells that had rung earlier began to ring again, echoing throughout the city.


    Screams rang out in unison, eerily timed with the bells. Nic looked to the skies and found multiple pillars of Irradiation rising into the sky.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Nic cursed under his breath before sprinting into the city.


    The stables they had blasted through were situated in a small clearing on the right side of the main gate. The clearing was accessible through a street that connected the main road and a street on the right side of Crystalia. It didn¡¯t take more than a glance to realize that the road stretched all the way to the left side of the city, most likely connecting to a third street on the opposite side of the city.


    The nearest pillar of Irradiation was a bit down the street on the right. Sarman, Aria, and Rust followed Nic as he rushed towards it.


    Turning the corner onto the street, Nic found himself facing a hellish site. In the center of the road was a small kid, the Irradiation pillar was gushing from every conceivable hole in his body.


    Trying to reach him was a raccoon Demi-Human. He wore the same uniform as the people that had attacked them on orders of the bird woman. Other soldiers were guarding the two of them in a circular formation, defending from an onslaught of skeletons.


    Sitting in the center of the circle, the little kid was reaching out to the Demi-Human. The amount of Irradiation pouring out of his body was still low enough that Nic wasn¡¯t sure if the average person could see it yet.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch him!¡± Nic yelled at the Demi-Human with a warning. If the two touched, the Demi-Human would also become a starting point for the pillar. His voice seemingly shocked the Demi-Human as his head snapped towards Nic. The moment their eyes met, the man stammered out a reaction.


    ¡°Wh- Huh! Why. No, how? What are you three doing here!?¡± Nic didn¡¯t recognize the Demi-Human, and a quick glance and two shaking heads told him that Aria and Sarman were in the same boat. Despite that, he seemed to know the three of them. Maybe he had been in Sanum at the time of the attack and had seen their faces then.


    Regardless, Nic rushed forward, slashing through three skeletons as he ran by. The guards in the circle readied their own weapons to stop him, two of them even swung at him. Like the other soldiers, Nic had little trouble disarming them.


    Two stone walls appearing out of nowhere forced the soldiers back. Rust had created a quick path through for the four of them, and once they were all within the circle, a massive stone bubble formed around them, blocking every soldier out.


    ¡°Sarman, can you create some light?¡± Aria spoke up in the darkness and was quickly followed by a fire forming out of thin air. The fire lit up all six people¡¯s faces.


    ¡°What are you three doing here?!¡± The Demi-Human asked his question again, this time in a more hurried tone.


    ¡°Un¡­cle¡­ It¡­ hurts¡­¡± Hearing the young boy softly call out, the man quickly turned and was about to grab him when Nic stopped him by putting a sword in front of his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. Let me help him first.¡±


    ¡°What? What is wrong with him!?¡±


    Nic sighed as he walked around the child, looking at the ground. With the amount of Irradiation underneath the kid, there most likely was a link between them. As the Irradiation followed the link into the boy, soon it became too much for his body to handle, so it started being forced out of his body.


    With Nic so close, he could already feel the floating Irradiation congregating around his skin. The sense of sickness that came with it flirted with his skin as it tried to invade his body.


    Nic quickly found the connection point as he looked at the shadow of the boy¡¯s body cast by the flame that Sarman was holding. Black tendrils flicked out of the kid''s shadow, leaping to his body.


    ¡°Found it.¡± Nic grabbed his sword and tapped the point of it onto the kid¡¯s shadow.


    The connection between the Irradiation and the kid broke as it instead crawled up the blade of the sword and invaded the sword itself. In reality, it had willingly been sucked into the black jewel.


    Nic kept the point of the blade on the kid''s shadow for a few minutes until no more tendrils appeared. Looking around, the web of Irradiation in this area seemed to be gone as well. With that taken care of, all that was left was the Irradiation still in the boy and the air around them.


    Nic placed his free hand on the small head. He could already feel the Irradiation trying to jump into his body. So he lowered his own magic and let it come in.


    The sickness assaulted him from all angles, causing him to groan as he absorbed it. Once all of the Irradiation in the area was absorbed, he coated the sickness in his body with his own magic. His magic assaulted the sickness, breaking it down until it no longer affected him.


    ¡°Felix! Are you okay?¡± Nic opened his eyes as he heard the Demi-Human call out the kid''s name. It was clear that he was free of Irradiation as soon as Nic saw him. Not only was the black pillar gone, but his face looked better than it had earlier.


    ¡°Uncle Cyril? It¡­ doesn¡¯t hurt anymore! What¡­ What happened?¡± The kids felt around on his body as he spoke.


    Nic saw Aria smiling a bit as she watched him.


    ¡°Who¡¯s them?¡± Realizing that there were people around them, the kid, Felix, questioned about the ones he had never seen before.


    ¡°They¡¯re¡­ You remember Miss Knight from a far-off land, right?¡± The kid nodded. ¡°These are her allies!¡±


    The kid looked around before stopping at Nic.


    ¡°Her friends? You have a sword like Big Sis! Are you also a knight?¡± He pointed at the sword in Nic¡¯s hand. ¡°Are you here to help protect us from the bad guys?¡±


    Nic froze.


    ¡°The bad guys, huh?¡± Sarman lethargically said the word himself. Between the two of them, Cyril quickly noticed that something was wrong. He wrapped a hand around Felix and hugged him close.


    ¡°What is it? What happened?¡±


    ¡°The bad guys! Hahahahaha!¡± Sarman burst out laughing. ¡°Yea, the bad guys. Defeating them huh? Well, according to your bird friend, we¡¯re the bad guys. Though she attacked us on sight. Didn¡¯t even give us a chance to speak.¡±


    ¡°What¡­? No, Narissa wouldn¡¯t do something that rash.¡± Cyril shook his head.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t all she did. As soon as we got past the wall, she sent a bunch of soldiers to kill us!¡± Aria spoke up this time, though she was much more light-hearted than Sarman despite the situation.


    ¡°Ah, she¡¯s also the one responsible for the Irradiation and the skeletons.¡± Nic brought up the last point and the one that was sure to hit the hardest for Cyril, considering his nephew¡¯s recent predicament.


    ¡°She¡­ did all that¡­ No. No no no. That¡¯s not. I mean, I don¡¯t have the best relationship with her or Tom¡­ But to betray her highness? That¡¯s too far!¡± Cyril shook as he tried to rationalize what he had heard. No matter how bad his relationship with the two other leaders of the city of Crystalia was, he couldn¡¯t believe that they would betray it.


    The sound of someone knocking on the outside of the stone dome forced them all to stop. The enclosure had made it seem like time had stopped and they had all of the time in the world to talk. Yet in reality, the city was still in shambles and Narissa was on the lookout for four of the six people in the dome.


    Rust cast a glance at Nic, asking if he should lower the stone without speaking. Nic took out his sword, causing Aria to do the same and for Sarman to ignite another flame in his free hand.


    With all three readied for whatever would come, the stone dome came sliding down. Standing in a familiar circular pattern were the guards that had once been defending Cyril and his Nephew from skeletons. Now they had turned in as all of the nearby skeletons had fallen apart once the web of Irradiation in the ground disappeared.


    Standing just a bit behind one of them was Narissa. She smirked as she saw the people she was looking for appear before her.


    Cyril also saw her and tried to take a step forward, only to be blocked by a spear being jabbed up against his throat.


    ¡°W-What¡­? Narissa¡­?¡± Cyril choked out the words.


    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk. Cyril, I knew you were losing it after you brought that outsider in, but now you are talking with the enemies of Crystalia?! I¡¯m ashamed.¡± Narissa shrugged as she easily lumped Cyril in with the other four next to him.


    ¡°What?! That¡¯s not what¡¯s going on! You know I would never betray¡­ this city¡­¡± Cyril tried to plead his innocence but faltered when he saw the grin on Narissa¡¯s face. ¡°You¡­ They¡¯re right, aren¡¯t they? You¡¯re the one who betrayed this city! Men, she should be the one you are going after!¡± Cyril looked at the soldiers all around him as he shouted. Two or three of them seemed confused and lowered their weapons. But that was only two or three of nearly fifteen soldiers.


    The rest all seemed to be directly under Narissa¡¯s thumb.


    They were all traitors to the city.


    ¡°How¡­?¡± Cyril was dumbfounded as he took a step back. Felix clung tightly to his leg as Aria quickly moved in front of them.


    ¡°We shall bring about the dawn of a new world! And none of you have a place in it¡­ Kill them!¡± A single order was said by Narissa.


    That single order was the sign for the soldiers that followed Narissa to attack.


    The few that had wavered earlier were the first to die. Struck down by the people that they had trained with for so long. They had been comrades, friends, and some maybe even beyond that. Yet they were cut down like it was nothing.


    Once they were dead, the dozen other soldiers rushed towards the six primary targets they had. Nic was ready for the fight.


    It never came.


    Bright blue flames passed Nic, the heat causing him to instantly sweat, and washed over the soldiers. Some were lucky and died almost instantly as they burned to ash. But the rest screamed out in agonizing pain as they felt their bodies burn to the point that it was better to say that they were melting.


    ¡°Rust, make another room!¡±


    ¡°On it!¡± Another set of stone walls appeared this time a square structure that completely went up about ten feet, far higher than most people could get. Knowing they were up against someone with wings, Rust also created a roof, blocking the sun again.


    ¡°Here.¡± Sarman created two flames to illuminate the room.


    They could all hear the sounds of someone banging against the stone repeatably. It didn¡¯t take too long for more to join in.


    ¡°Is this gonna hold?¡± Cyril looked at the walls suspiciously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if they manage to break one, these¡¯re four slabs thick.¡± Rust admired his own handiwork as he made sure Cyril and Felix felt fine in the room.


    ¡°So, do you believe us now?¡± Nic sheathed his sword again. This time, he didn¡¯t plan on taking it back out unless he really needed it.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Mhm.¡± Cyril sheepishly nodded. He had been branded a traitor as well. There was nothing else but for him to believe them. ¡°If Narissa has betrayed Crystalia, and brought a lot of our soldiers to her side as well, then Her Highness is in grave danger.¡±


    ¡°Her what now? Crystal?¡± Rust laughed off the title that his old friend had been given. Something about it was incredibly amusing to the dwarf, though he didn¡¯t elaborate on what.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Cyril nodded. ¡°The truth is, Narissa came to this town with a partner. An ex-adventurer named Tom. More than likely, he is also a traitor. The thing is, he was meeting with her highness all day today. If he knows that Narissa has already begun their plans of betraying Crystalia, he might go after Her Highness.¡±


    There was even the chance that he had already attacked.


    Cyril didn¡¯t say it but everyone, except Felix, understood the implication.


    ¡°Where would they be?¡± Nic spoke up. If they knew where the two of them would be, they could make their way there and find out what was going on themselves.


    Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang.


    The external banging on the stone echoed monotonously as they spoke. Before Cyril could answer Nic¡¯s question, Sarman put his hand up to stop the conversation.


    ¡°We won¡¯t need everyone there. Rust, can you open up a hole in the ceiling?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What are you planning on doing?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Aria asked out of concern about her friend¡¯s well-being while Rust merely gave Sarman a questioning look before smiling.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna get rid of this banging.¡± Rust addressed Aria¡¯s question before turning back to Rust. ¡°So, can you make me an opening?¡±


    ¡°Sure! But why the roof? Just go through the wall.¡± Rust walked over to one of the spots where the banging was the loudest.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Cyril called out to Sarman. ¡°Be careful, Narissa is contracted with a high-level spirit.¡±


    ¡°Hmpf! Is it a Spirit Progenitor?¡± Sarman grinned at the Demi-Human as he shook his head. ¡°In that case, this will be a cakewalk. It¡¯s time to show her what it means to cross Salamander.¡± The flames of Sarman¡¯s Spirit King armor wrapped around his body as he walked towards Rust.


    Rust tapped the wall and a doorway appeared. A soldier had been pounding on the stone in that exact spot and so fell in when the stone suddenly disappeared. He fell straight into Sarman¡¯s chest with a small thud.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The soldier looked up and screamed. He had not been prepared to meet a Spirit King in this fight.


    Sarman grabbed him by the neck before throwing him out of the hole- following close behind himself. Once he was out, the stone slab became whole again.


    Sarman was now on his own, for the time being.

 Chapter 29: Meeting the Queen

    ¡°Getting back to the question of a certain someone¡¯s location,¡± Cyril spoke back up after seeing Sarman leave. ¡°You saw the castle in the back of Crystalia as you came into the city, right?¡±


    Aria, Nic, and Rust all nodded simultaneously.


    ¡°Good. They should be in the central tower, near the top.¡±


    ¡°Ah, hold on, let me look.¡± Rust stayed quiet for a second before exclaiming a soft ¡®Aha¡¯. ¡°Got it. There seem to be some windows near the top as well. Though only one is facing towards us, though I think I see a balcony above it as well.¡±


    Cyril looked Nic and Aria with a confused face. While he had just described the tower, they were in a barely lit room and couldn¡¯t see it at all.


    ¡°He can see through stones.¡± Nic quickly explained the way that Rust spoke to Cyril.


    ¡°I see¡­ Then yea, that should be it.¡±


    ¡°Hmmmm¡­.¡± Rust crossed his arms as he thought for a minute. ¡°I have an idea to get one of us up there.¡±


    ¡°An¡­ Idea¡­?¡± Nic felt uneasy as he heard the tone in Rust¡¯s voice and the slow panning of the dwarf¡¯s head to him.


    ¡°Mhm. You¡¯re the one going up. So step right here.¡± Rust walked over to a spot roughly in the center of the small room.


    Nic slowly walked over, every step getting slower and slower until he was standing right in front of Rust, but not quite in the spot.


    ¡°Ah, that works fine.¡± Despite Nic not being in the exact spot, Rust simply shrugged and waved his hand at Nic. A new, much smaller, stone spear encapsulated Nic, cutting him off from the others.


    ¡°Hey! Hey! Rust! What¡¯s the meaning?!¡± He thought he heard Rust responding, but the sound was too muffled for Nic to hear what was being said.


    The ground beneath Nic started to move, throwing him off balance. He couldn¡¯t tell exactly what was going on but he heard Aria¡¯s muffled voice talking with Rust¡¯s.


    ¡°Hey! Hey!¡± Nic pounded on the stone around him. A small hole opened, letting Nic hear Rust clearly again.


    ¡°¡®lright, listen up. We¡¯re gonna send you flying at the tower. You should land either in the small foyer outside of Crystal¡¯s visitor room, or you will land in her own quarters above it. Once you have confirmed the safety of Crystal, you need to get her to jump out of the tower. Aria here will catch her. Then you jump. Once you have jumped, that will tell us that there is no one else coming out with you. Got it? Good.¡±


    Rust rapidly fired a set of instructions, never stopping to make sure that Nic understood what he had to do. Once he was done the hole filled back up with stone before Nic could say anything.


    The ball of stone became very jittery before suddenly shooting upwards. The force knocked Nic onto his back and kept him there as he, presumably, flew through the air in the stone ball.


    After what felt like only a few mere seconds, the rock surrounding Nic disappeared and he found himself lying on a carpeted floor.


    A quick look around while standing up told him that he had arrived at the tower. The gaping hole in the wall leading to open air was proof of that. In front of him was a set of doors that was flanked by two very confused guards.


    ¡°You two won¡¯t just let me in to see your queen, will you?¡±


    Nic had seen enough of Crystalia¡¯s soldiers that day to know that he was asking for the impossible.


    ¡°Never! Alex, get the intruder!¡± The two guards drew the swords at their hips and rushed at Nic.


    Like every other soldier Nic had foughten that day, the two guards used Yuuki¡¯s fighting style, though it was much less polished. As a trainee of the style himself, Nic had no trouble evading their attacks and striking at their weakness. One of the guards, the one who had responded to Nic¡¯s question, went down with a single punch to the back of his neck.


    Seeing how quickly his fellow guard went down, the other one dropped his weapon and held his hands up in defeat.


    ¡°You¡¯re smart, at least.¡± Nic walked past the man towards the set of doors. He could hear some talking in the next room, with one of the voices sounding familiar.


    They most likely were preparing for Nic¡¯s arrival with an ambush.


    Nic reached his hand out to open the door but was stopped by a screech behind him.


    ¡°For the dawn of a new world!¡± The guard who had feigned surrender ran at Nic, his sword aimed to stab through Nic¡¯s chest. Nic drew his own sword in the blink of an eye and swatted the guards away from him. With his chest open wide, Nic punched the guard hard enough to cause him to stumble backward. Not taking any chances of another attack, Nic burst into the room.


    The first thing Nic noticed when he rushed into the room was the presence swinging a sword at him from behind. Nic threw his blade over his shoulder, stopping the blade by just a few cer.


    When he turned around to see who had attacked him, Nic¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Though she was using her left arm instead of her right, Nic wouldn¡¯t mistake the purple eyes that were staring at him. Her long black hair was in disarray like she had just gotten through a lot of running.


    ¡°Yuuki?!¡±


    ¡°Nic?!¡±


    The two yelled each other¡¯s name at the same time.


    In Nic¡¯s case, he was simply glad to have found Yuuki. Even after assuming she was in the town based on how the soldiers fought, confirming she was there lightened his mood considerably. His heart jumped slightly as a smile formed on his lips.


    Though it wasn¡¯t all happiness as he looked at her. Worry crept into his smile as he looked at her limp right arm. The telltale black miasma of Irradiation was pouring out of it, though it seemed to be stopped by something foreign just below the shoulder.


    As for Yuuki, he could see a variety of emotions pass through her face in rapid succession. At first, happiness beamed from her eyes, but it was overtaken by worry, fear, and pain in the blink of an eye. Finally, it settled on a confused happiness. It wouldn¡¯t surprise Nic if she knew about the ¡®attack¡¯ on the city by foreigners.


    Appearing in front of her like this was sure to compound some worrisome ideas.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Teacher.¡± Nic didn¡¯t use her name. Even to Nic, it felt wrong. But if he positioned himself as someone who was on Yuuki¡¯s side, even if only as her student, Nic hoped it would help lower the guard of those listening to them.


    Nic lowered his blade before turning to the two other people in the room. One of them was half-sitting in an ornate chair. It was clear that she had moved to get up as soon as Nic had entered the room, but stopped once Yuuki and Nic crossed blades. She had eyes as red as rubies with long snow-white hair draped behind her. She was wearing a red dress that matched her eyes, though unlike the few that Nic had seen, this one looked formal while still looking like it could easily be moved around in.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    For Nic, the most defining feature on her was her face. It wasn¡¯t anywhere close to a one-to-one comparison, but he could see features of his father¡¯s in her face. Though, it might have been better to say that his father had some of her features instead. In fact, Nic was sure that he also had some of her facial features.


    He was her descendant, according to Rust and Aerial.


    ¡°You must be Crystal, correct? Leader of this Rad-Town?¡± Nic turned to the other person standing slightly behind Crystal. ¡°And you would be Tom?¡±


    It was plain to see that the burly man was confused. It was plastered over his bald face. The raccoon Demi-Human from before, Cyril, had mentioned that he was an ex-adventurer. Nic could totally see it. Muscles for the sake of lugging around the massive sword on his back. Clothes that looked like they had been dragged through the mud one too many times. Tattoos across the visible parts of the body.


    But what Cyril had never seen, and Nic was sure the other two people in the room couldn¡¯t see it either, was the third web of Irradiation running through the ground that Nic had seen that day. Like the first two, this one was focused on a person. And that person happened to be the ex-adventurer, Tom.


    ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯m the Blood Elf herself, Crystal Serilo. And you-¡±


    ¡°How do you know my name? Who did you beat it out of? The weak-willed fool Cyril?¡±


    Crystal introduced herself, but when she was beginning to ask Nic to do the same, Tom cut her off with a self-defending question.


    ¡°Tom!¡± Crystal turned to admonish her subordinate.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I heard it from Cyril yes, though I didn¡¯t ¡®beat it out of him¡¯. He willingly told me to stop you once Narissa branded him a traitor for simply talking to me.¡±


    Nic¡¯s statement left the room dead quiet. Three pairs of eyes were glued onto him.


    ¡°Narissa¡­ did what?!¡±


    ¡°Crystal, you know Cyril wouldn¡¯t do something like that! He loves this city, why would he betray it?¡±


    Crystal seemed dumbfounded and was questioning what one of her advisors had done while Yuuki immediately jumped to Cyril¡¯s defense.


    Given that Cyril had been able to recognize Nic, Sarman, and Aria before and Yuuki¡¯s avid defense of him- it wasn¡¯t hard for Nic to piece together that Cyril was likely the one to have brought Yuuki to the Rad-Town.


    At the same time, Tom took this opportunity to advance his own goals.


    ¡°See! Cyril was a traitor. And as the one Cyril brought, this cat person is also a traitor! You heard him right?! He called her ¡®teacher¡¯! They are working together to assas-¡±


    With each sentence, he took a step toward the throne. With each step, the net of Irradiation bubbled more and more. It was reaching for the Blood Elf herself. He continued to walk until his face smashed into an invisible wall just a few feet from Crystal. Sitting in the middle of the wall was a small green orb leisurely floating around.


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    ¡°I needed you to stop moving.¡± Nic pointed his sword at Tom¡¯s feet. ¡°Just so you know, I see what¡¯s below you. I won¡¯t let you get any closer to her.¡±


    The pleading look on Tom¡¯s face turned to confusion as he was stopped, then anger as he realized what Nic was saying.


    ¡°What¡¯s under my feet? There¡¯s nothing under me! Whatever you think you¡¯re seeing is delusional.¡± Tom tried to sweep Nic¡¯s accusation under the rug. In an instant, he had gone from trying to throw Nic to the wolves to simply defending himself.


    He tried too hard.


    Tom ratted himself out with that defense.


    ¡°You know, I do think yours and Narissa¡¯s plan would¡¯ve probably gone off without a hitch if Narissa hadn¡¯t unknowingly made one single mistake.¡± Nic grinned as he felt the glare of the ex-adventurer on him. ¡°One of the people she chose to act as your fall guys¡­ Well, I¡¯m the descendant of the person you''re trying to kill.¡±


    ¡°Descendant¡­¡± Tom looked between Nic and Crystal as the realization that the two did in fact look alike dawned on him.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Crystal Verilo?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ HAHAHAHA¡­. So you already know the truth?¡± Crystal burst out laughing, her speech coming out in bursts as she tried to hold it in. ¡°Who told you? Rust?¡±


    ¡°Aerial.¡± Nic responded with a single name, a name which caused Crystal to stop laughing immediately. She eyed Nic suspiciously as Tom, fed up with the situation and not caring about familial relations, charged at Nic.


    ¡°Who cares if your family?! I¡¯ll just kill you both!¡± Tom moved far too fast for Nic to dodge or block his attacks. He wouldn¡¯t be able to move his sword up in time.


    Yuuki might have stood a chance, but Nic wouldn¡¯t.


    So instead he pointed his sword at the adventurer''s shadow. The connection point for the Irradiation. Tom sensed a threat from the sword and stopped his charge. He kept a good chunk of distance between the two of them while eyeing the sword.


    ¡°What¡¯s that blade?¡±


    ¡°This one? Hey Yuuki, what does Sora make the blades out of?¡± Nic glanced over at his friend, who had been watching everything unfold quietly. Her eyes were full of anger as she stared at Tom herself.


    ¡°The blades? Nothing special, just some Iron and Steel. The gem¡¯s what¡¯s special with your blade, right?¡± Yuuki answered the question without turning away from Tom at all.


    Nic admired her one-track mind when it came to situations like these. Even without the use of her dominant arm, she was ready to attack Tom if she needed to.


    ¡°Ah yes, the gem!¡± As Nic spoke, he pointed to the muddied dark gem in the hilt of the sword. ¡°Here, let me show you what it does.¡±


    Whenever the sword absorbed Irradiation, two things happened. First, the gem would lose its luster and become muddier the more Irradiation it absorbed. Second, Nic could feel the Irradiation through the hilt. The sickness he always felt was in his hands.


    Because of that, Nic could always invite the Irradiation within the gem into his body.


    A dark tendril of Irradiation snaked out of the gem and up Nic¡¯s arm, where it then entered his body. As the sickly sensation spread, Nic¡¯s magic quickly coated it and wiped it out as fast as it appeared.


    When he was done, he held up the sword again to show a pristine, shining black gem inlaid in the sword''s hilt.


    ¡°Did you just absorb Irradiation willingly?!¡±


    Even if they were opponents, Tom yelled at the stupidity of the man in front of him. To a normal person, willingly absorbing Irradiation was simply a way of saying that you wanted to die.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can absorb much more than this and I¡¯ll be just fine.¡± Nic readied his sword again, pointing it at his opponent. ¡°I do believe it is time for me to stab that shadow of yours.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ Not happening.¡± Tom raised a hand, free of his sword but Nic could see the Irradiation pouring off of it. He raised it above his head, ready to slam it down.


    ¡°Yuuki, immobilize him with your sword!¡±


    His master didn¡¯t respond.


    All he heard was the clattering sound of a sword falling to the floor.


    ¡°You¡¯re too late! You¡¯ll always be too late! For the dawn of a new world!¡±


    Nic looked over at his friend.


    Yuuki was hunched over.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ It¡­ Hurts¡­¡±


    She wasn¡¯t being held up by her arms. Her legs had already collapsed beneath her.


    So what was holding her up?


    The black spike shot into her right shoulder from her shadow.


    Nic had been so focused on the web of Irradiation only being tied to one person''s shadow, that he had never even thought it could sit in two different people¡¯s shadows at the same time.


    Yuuki groaned in pain. Nic took a single step towards her.


    But it was too late.


    ¡°AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!¡±


    A guttural scream left Yuuki¡¯s mouth as the pain got to her. The Irradiation inside of her body bellowed out of every hole it could find. Mouth, eyes, ears, nose, skin pores.


    Yuuki was now a massive spiral of Irradiation.


    Nic gripped his sword so hard his knuckles turned red.


    ¡°Wait! Stop! AHHHHHH!¡± Nic looked over towards the screaming Tom just as his head dropped to the ground. A red liquid hung in the air for a second before slicing through the rest of his body.


    As it fell to the ground, Nic saw Crystal finally standing up.


    She was pissed. The red liquid hanging in the air came from her hand. It wasn¡¯t until it retracted into her hand that Crystal finally looked at Nic with worry in her eyes.


    ¡°Can you stop this?¡±


    Nic looked at the vortex of Irradiation next to him. What Noah Verilo had written in his journal flashed in his mind. Rust and Aerial had said the same things.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna say that I¡¯m 200 years early?¡±


    ¡°I only told Aerial that I would wait for them to choose when the lock would be dropped. If he has chosen to break his 500-year absence two centuries early, well that works better for me anyways.¡±


    Crystal had already pieced everything together. Nic smiled as he reached out toward the vortex.


    Crystal was the first one to simply accept that he was able to absorb and purify Irradiation.

 Chapter 30: The Blood Queen

    Pain.


    It ravaged her body.


    Every fiber of her being. Every nerve in her body. Every blood vessel that ran through her.


    It was a pain far worse than anything she had felt before.


    The pain washed over her like lava rolling down a mountain.


    Her body wanted to contort with the pain, but something stopped it. No matter how hard she tried, her body refused to twist.


    She heard something.


    A voice?


    It was a scream like something heard from an animal as it was dying.


    The scream was constant.


    ¡°Oh, is that me?¡±


    What was her name? Why was she screaming? What had she been doing?


    The answers to those questions were washed away by the pain.


    She was no one.


    She had no name.


    No friends.


    No family.


    No home.


    She was a blank slate.


    She was¡­


    ¡°Anala wo anala.¡±


    A deep gruff voice cut through her thoughts. She had heard it before. Where had she heard it before?


    The voice was kind and gentle. It caressed her with foreign words, yet she understood them.


    ¡°I am¡­ me?¡±


    Why could she understand the foreign words?


    ¡°Anala wo anala.¡±


    Another voice spoke up. This time a female. Like the male voice before, it felt familiar. She knew the kind and gentle voices from somewhere.


    She tried to conjure up the speaker''s image, but it was hazy; it was like she hadn¡¯t seen them in a long time.


    ¡°You are you, right *****?¡±


    Yet again another male voice deep like the first, but this one felt even more gentle. There was a hint of love mixed in with it. Not the kind of love that a family would have. This was more intimate.


    She turned her head to find a man standing before her. His dark skin was covered in lighter feathers. A gentle smile on his lips beamed at her. But she couldn¡¯t make out the rest of his face.


    She was more concerned with what he had said.


    ¡°What did you say I was called?¡±


    The man didn¡¯t answer her. Instead, a female voice came from next to him.


    ¡°Master is master, right?¡±


    ¡°She taught you well how to swing that sword of yours.¡±


    Two girls appeared. One was shorter with blonde hair travelling down to her shoulders. It cupped her fair-skinned face but somehow blocked out her eyes. The other was taller, nearly as tall as the dark-skinned man. She had long black hair topped with two adorable raccoon ears. As with the previous two people, her eyes were blocked. This time it was thanks to her long bangs.


    ¡°Taught? Why would I teach anyone anything? I don¡¯t understand!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because we¡¯re all friends?¡±


    A third girl appeared next to the other two. Her light brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, yet her eyes were still obscured. Like everyone else that had appeared, a smile was plastered on her lips. She was wearing a coat that felt oddly familiar.


    ¡°Friends? I¡­ Did I have those?¡±


    They were all saying such outlandish things.


    How could she have friends?


    And teaching someone? She didn¡¯t know anything to teach.


    ¡°But¡­ who was I?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know, teach?¡± Yet another man appeared. Dark brown hair covered his eyes, yet he gently held out his hand towards her. ¡°You¡¯re Yuuki!¡±


    ¡°Yuuki!¡±


    ¡°Yuuki!¡±


    ¡°Master Yuuki!¡±


    ¡°Yuuki¡­¡±


    ¡°Daughter.¡±


    ¡°Daughter.¡±


    They all called her by her name or by their relationship to her. Even the two disembodied voices that first spoke called her ¡°daughter¡±.


    The words rattled around in her.


    The name didn¡¯t feel real.


    Memories flashed through her mind. The distant past when she lived in Kyoku¡¯s capital city. Her journey to Sanum. Spending her days with Sarman and Aria. Going to school and meeting Sarah, Kiara, and eventually Nic.


    She remembered the last few days.


    Yuuki had instructed the Rad-Town¡¯s guards on how to fight against an opponent with a blade.


    She had made them deadlier to an unarmed opponent.


    And now they had turned.


    For all she knew, every single person could have been a traitor.


    ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to be Yuuki! I don¡¯t want to!¡± She screamed into the void.


    She rejected the visions she saw.


    She wanted them to disappear.


    She wouldn¡¯t me Yuuki any longer. She wouldn¡¯t be Sarah¡¯s master or Aria¡¯s friend. She would forget the feelings that Yuuki had for Sarman.


    If she didn¡¯t, she would have to bear the weight of her failure.


    How could she be a leader if this was the result?


    ¡°Yuuki.¡±


    Nic¡¯s voice called out to her. The vision¡¯s hand was still extended toward her.


    What would happen if she grabbed it?


    Would she go back to being the same Yuuki she had always been?


    ¡°Take my hand. I can make them all disappear.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    She was taken aback. She had expected that by taking his hand she would return to her old self. Would taking his hand really grant her wish?


    ¡°-uki!¡±


    Something was nagging at the back of her mind. It sounded like Nic, yet the person in front of her wasn¡¯t saying anything.


    ¡°All you have to do is take my hand and everything will go how you want it to. You don¡¯t want to be Yuuki anymore? You can be anyone you want! Forget about everyone else and be the you that you¡¯ve always wanted.¡±


    ¡°I can be¡­ anyone?¡±


    ¡°Anyone.¡±


    She lifted her arm. Her hand was close to his, a few cer at most. If she just grabbed his hand she could escape living with the pain of having failed as a leader.


    ¡°-uuki!¡±


    The nagging in the back of her mind was still there. Even when she shook her head to get rid of it, the nagging stayed.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!¡±


    The nagging turned into a guttural scream.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± The Nic in front of Yuuki pulled back his hand. ¡°Too slow. I guess you want to stay as Yuuki then.¡±


    ¡°Wait! I don¡¯t know! Please, don¡¯t go!¡± She shouted at the receding figure in her vision. It stopped and turned around, the image of it wavering in place. It shimmered until a new face had taken Nic¡¯s place.


    She had seen them before. In the memories. Every day for the past three weeks, he had shaken her hand after practice sessions.


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I wanted to get rid of you before that plan started, but he helped you too fast. Until we meet again, heiress. ¡®Sanso wo subene no hiso nu onozureru¡¯.¡±


    In a flash of white everything disappeared.


    Yuuki opened her eyes to find two people staring down at her. Their eyes were furrowed as they were pinching her face and poked her in multiple spots.


    The male was a face she had just seen. Nic was the one closest to her and had opened her eyelid to see if she was still asleep. When her other eye opened he reflexively moved back, nearly smashing his head against the woman behind him. Her ruby-red eyes had a few tears already welling up in them.


    ¡°Where am I?¡±


    The things she had just seen were already starting to fade away before she could store them in her memory. Only two things remained. The first was a feeling of unease being in her own body. The second thing that lingered was what that man had said at the very end.


    Why had he spoken in the language of her homeland? And that saying was an old one. She couldn¡¯t remember exactly what it meant. Despite that, she knew that it was a grave saying. Something was going to happen in Kyoku.


    ¡°We¡¯re still in my tower. Though once the Irradiation was removed from your body, we carried you up here so you could lay on the bed.¡± Crystal¡¯s voice was on the verge of cracking as she explained everything to Yuuki in a hurry.


    The explainer jogged Yuuki¡¯s memories enough to remember what had happened just before she had gone unconscious.


    Her blood rushed to her head as she bolted upright, startling both Nic and Crystal.


    ¡°What happened to Tom!?¡±


    She remembered that she had been ready to attack the man. But once she passed out, he could have run away without her knowing.


    But based on the face that Crystal was making, Yuuki had the feeling that wasn¡¯t the case at all.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead. That¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°I see. What about the rest of Crystalia?¡±


    Both of their faces turned to worry as they glanced at the balcony door nearby. Yuuki took that as a cue to see the town for herself.


    As she opened the door, she was blasted with the smell of smoke and the distant clattering of swords. She leaned over the edge and saw hell incarnate below her.


    Flames ravaged the peaceful town. Some had been caused by explosions, no doubt, but a large portion of the flames were centered on Yuuki¡¯s left. Atop some houses in the area, blue flames danced as two people were locked in combat.


    Yuuki let out a soft sigh even while her heart fluttered just a tiny bit.


    ¡°Sarman¡¯s fighting, huh? If I had to guess, Narissa?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s who he was fighting when he split from the rest of the group at least. He¡¯s keeping her busy so that she doesn¡¯t catch onto our plan of getting out of this tower.¡± Nic walked up beside her as he talked. Crystal stayed back a few feet herself.


    ¡°Plan?¡±


    Nic looked back at Crystal, an eyebrow raised questioningly.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s your plan. You get to explain it.¡± Crystal shrugged. It was only then that Aria realized that Crystal wasn¡¯t wearing a dress anymore. She had switched into clothes far more comfortable to move around in and even had some leather armor on over it.


    ¡°So,¡± Nic''s talking drew Yuuki¡¯s gaze back toward the city. He pointed out a bit further left from where Sarman was fighting at a weird box structure in the middle of the road. ¡°See that cube?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Yuuki nodded but then watched the cube begin to move. It moved down the street, closer to the tower. It didn¡¯t stop until it was close to the castle entrance. Maybe 20 mer away from the castle¡¯s entrance directly below the tower.


    ¡°Ah, they moved it so we would have an easier time.¡±


    ¡°Easier time with what?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Do you trust me?¡± Yuuki nodded. ¡°Do you trust Aria?¡± She nodded again. ¡°So when I tell you to go, I need you to jump off of this tower towards that blocky structure.¡±


    Yuuki stared at Nic. Her eyes traveled around his face, looking for any tell that what he had said was a joke. When she didn¡¯t find anything she reached out and pulled on his cheek.


    ¡°You¡¯re the real thing. Are you trying a new comedy routine or something?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m being completely sherious.¡± A green orb floated up between them. Seeing it, Nic gave Yuuki a small smile. ¡°Looksh like itsh time to go.¡±


    Yuuki let go of his cheek before looking back over the edge.


    ¡°So I just gotta jump?¡±


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Mhm. Aria will catch you and make sure you land safely.¡±


    Yuuki sighed. She had said she trusted both of them, but this was stretching that trust very far. If Aria wasn¡¯t able to catch her, this would be the end of her life.


    Though she wouldn¡¯t have to bear the burden of failure anymore if that-


    ¡°What am I thinking?!¡± Yuuki shook her head to get rid of a dangerous thought that had appeared. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll jump.¡±


    Nic gave her a supportive smile.


    ¡°Oh, one last thing. When you get down there, tell Aria that Crystal will be coming in right behind you. I¡¯ll be the last one to jump.¡±


    Yuuki nodded. She took a deep breath as she went over her next action and its intended route once again in her head.


    Jump. Get caught by Aria. Tell Aria that Crystal is jumping. Wait for Crystal and Nic to arrive.


    She looked over the edge- her ears flattened as the height seemed to get even larger. There was a large knot in her gut.


    The sound of something crashing in the tower drew all three of their attention.


    ¡°Shit, they¡¯re getting through! Yuuki, you need to jump now! I¡¯ll hold them back for now.¡± Nic rushed into the room leaving no room for either Yuuki or Crystal to say anything back to him.


    Yuuki looked back at the edge.


    There was no other way out.


    This was her only path forward.


    ¡­


    Yuuki lifted herself up and flung her body over.


    Gravity took hold immediately and sent her plunging down toward the solid ground.


    Yuuki tried to straighten her body mid-air, but the drag of the air caused her immense difficulty.


    The ground rushed towards her.


    Closer. Closer. Closer.


    25 Mer.


    10 Mer.


    She was right above the small circular opening when the wind below her condensed itself. It cushioned her fall and rapidly slowed her descent.


    By the time Aria was grabbing her out of the air, Yuuki had slowed to the speed of one jumping.


    With two small taps, Yuuki¡¯s feet touched the floor.


    Aria gasped slightly as Yuuki wrapped her arms around the woman who she had long considered her best friend.


    Her body quivered as she embraced one of the few people she felt comfortable with.


    ¡°Yuuki!¡± Aria sounded a bit panicked. ¡°I missed you too, but someone else is coming down, back up!¡±


    Crystal had not waited that much longer past when Yuuki reached the entrance to the stone structure. By hugging Aria, Yuuki inadvertently reduced the amount of time that Aria had to stop Crystal¡¯s fall.


    Yuuki jumped away from Aria as the air where she had just been coalesced in on itself.


    In her place, Crystal slowly glided down to the ground. Her feet touched the ground in a graceful landing that barely had any sound.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Yuuki had not been expecting Cyril to be in the room and was shocked when he happily called out to Crystal.


    But what hurt more was the fact that she saw little Felix with him as well.


    He had been pulled into a conflict he should never have been a part of.


    And part of that blame was on Yuuki for training the soldiers.


    While Crystal and Cyril shared a solemn nod to each other, Felix tried to get Yuuki¡¯s attention.


    Yuuki shied away.


    ¡°Well look who the wind dragged in!¡± Another male voice boomed out, cutting Felix¡¯s attempts off. A red-haired, burly, and stout man walked up to Crystal with a giant smile.


    ¡°Rust. It¡¯s good to see you again.¡± Crystal was melancholic as she responded to the man. Yuuki had heard the name from Nic as well. The two had a past connection, though that wasn¡¯t something that Yuuki needed to focus on at that moment.


    Two of the three people that had been in that tower were now at ground level.


    All that was left was Nic.


    Before they could see if he jumped, a flaming body blasted through the wall. Yuuki knew who it was.


    She could recognize his flames anywhere.


    ¡°Sarman!¡± Worry permeated throughout her voice. It was so strong that it would be hard for anyone to mistake the connection the two had.


    Sarman finally came to a stop on his back just a mer or two from where Yuuki was. The flames died down quickly as he groaned.


    Yuuki was on the ground next to him, holding the back of his head as he tried sitting up, only to be front and center for seeing him grimace in pain from an aftershock.


    ¡°Oh? Are we all here?¡± Yuuki knew Narissa¡¯s voice. She hadn¡¯t been as antagonizing to Yuuki as Tom, but she still had been against Yuuki from the moment she arrived. ¡°No, you¡¯re still missing one. The Verilo kid, right? Is he still in the tower?¡±


    Narissa was on the other side of the hole that Sarman had created when crashing into the room. Her wings had singes across them while her clothes had sections that were completely torn up or burned.


    ¡°Narissa.¡± A low growl escaped Yuuki¡¯s lips. Her tail had gone straight as a stick and the hair across her body was on edge. A single hand on her arm was all that kept Yuuki from lunging at the Demi-Human.


    ¡°Oh, Yuuki. So you¡¯re still alive? Guess that means our plan for you didn¡¯t work. Jumping from the tower and using wind spirits to condense the air to stop your fall, though. That was a smart plan. However,¡± Narissa swung her arm and the small area became a lot hard to breathe in. ¡°Did you forget? I¡¯m contracted with Sylph. The oldest and strongest wind spirit still roaming this world. Without Aerial, there is no one higher in the wind spirit pecking order than me.¡±


    The air molecules had stopped moving. The weight of it felt like a heavy blanket was dropped over everything. Yuuki¡¯s lungs tried desperately to pull the oxygen into them. Each breath only got a bit.


    Aria was the only one that could stop this. Yuuki looked at her friend, only to find her flustered as she frantically looked around.


    This was the first time that Aria had faced anything like this.


    CRACK!


    Narissa looked up as the sound reverberated throughout the entire village. A sinister smile grew on her lips. With a small wave of her hand, the rest of the walls surrounding them toppled.


    What lay behind them, more accurately above them, was a picture of the central tower of the castle. The source of the sound was a series of cracks visible even from this distance. What made them visible was the black smoke oozing out of them. Even a normal person could see Irradiation when it was this bunched up.


    ¡°It looks like your friend is in a bit of trouble.¡± Narissa raised one of her arms. Her palm faced the tower as the same black miasma appeared in her arm. ¡°All I have to do,¡± The miasma moved towards the tower. ¡°Is push it past the edge.¡±


    A thin black line connected her hand and the tower. It stretched through the air, reaching higher and higher. The tower creaked as rocks began to fall.


    They smashed into the entrance of the castle, the force creating small craters and sewing even more chaos throughout the streets. The blanket of heaviness stopped anyone from being able to move.


    The tower leaned and swayed in the wind, its structural integrity being slowly eroded away.


    Just before it fell, a green light leaped from the top. Not only had it leaped, but the Irradiation was following it. The black miasma was leaving the tower. As did the skeletons that were also at the top.


    Bones rained down as the skeletons were torn apart after losing the Irradiation tying their joints together.


    Nic had taken a leap of faith.


    It was a leap of faith that Narissa despised.


    ¡°Thinking wind spirits will help you?¡± Narissa spoke a single line and the green light disappeared.


    Narissa held dominance over the nearby wind spirits.


    Yuuki glanced at Aria again. Narissa may have believed in her own dominance over the spirits, but Yuuki knew of another who held a higher control.


    ¡°Yea¡­¡± Yuuki let go of her breath as she forced out some words. ¡°They will help him¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re letting go of the precious oxygen you have left?¡± Narissa¡¯s venomous smile grew ever larger. One of her pray was about to die.


    ¡°You¡¯ve made¡­ the one enemy¡­ you shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± Sarman and Yuuki thought the same. Even after being apart for nearly a month, the longest they had been apart for in ten years, they still had similar thought patterns.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Narissa¡¯s face turned to confusion. She looked around as if something had gone missing and she only just realized it. ¡°Why!?¡±


    Yuuki felt wind trickle its way back into her lungs. She inhaled deeply, letting it fill her lungs. The weight on her body disappeared.


    The deathly still wind whipped itself into a flurry. It swirled around a single point, a single person. Her eyes full of rage as she stared at Narissa.


    ¡°Help Nic.¡± A small whisper escaped Aria¡¯s lips. Yuuki barely heard it herself.


    A small portion of the rampaging wind rushed to help the falling Nic in the air. While it did, the rest of the wind began to coalesce around Aria. It wrapped around her body and got denser and denser until a translucent green set of armor sat on Aria. In her right hand was a sword with a green stone shining brightly in its hilt.


    Yuuki had seen a similar suit on Sarman before. Armor of a spirit king. Or in this case, a spirit queen. As far as Yuuki was aware, this armor could only be found on those contracted with a spirit progenitor as the progenitors were the only spirits strong enough to create it.


    ¡°Sylph, was it?¡± A malic foreign to Aria was seeping through her voice. A single step from Aria was all it took for Narissa to turn her attention fully to the girl.


    ¡°You think you can dominate your brethren in my presence?!¡± A strange androgynous voice came from the armor. Crystal inhaled sharply when she heard it while Narissa staggered back. Just the sound of Aerial was enough to sow fear deep into her heart. The fear of the spirit she was contracted with was affecting her as well.


    ¡°A-a-a-aerial?!¡± Narissa stammered out the spirit¡¯s name. Her superiority over the group of them based solely on her contract was quickly thrown away.


    ¡°Aria.¡± The androgynous voice spoke to its contractor next.


    ¡°Mhm. I know.¡± Two wings, translucent like the armor they sprouted out of, appeared behind Aria. As they unfurled, Narissa realized in that moment that she needed to get away from the spirit progenitor in front of her.


    Narissa hastily took off into the air herself. She flew fast, heading for the edge of the village. Yet she never made it. The simple wooden wall that surrounded the village had been extended by an invisible force.


    The air above the wall had contracted tight. It was now an invisible wall that nothing would pass through.


    Yuuki watched as Narissa flew straight up instead. Just above the height of the still-leaning center tower, she hit another barrier.


    Narissa was trapped in the city.


    They were all trapped in the city, it seemed.


    ¡°Our entrance is still open.¡±


    Aria looked below Yuuki at Sarman as she spoke the line. It was the last thing that Yuuki heard her say before Aria shot into the air herself. A single green point that flew straight at Narissa like an arrow.


    With her gone, the air around them returned to normal. Yuuki, Rust, Crystal, and Cyril all got up unsteadily. Yuuki helped Sarman up at the same time while Cyril held Felix in his arms.


    ¡°So, Aerial really has chosen to break his time frame? Interesting.¡± Crystal muttered to herself. Yuuki wasn¡¯t sure about what this time frame was, but she had seen that armor before. Although she had barely been conscious, she had still seen it in the fight they had against Jack.


    ¡°Sarman?¡± Yuuki decided to focus on things that she could do in the moment so she turned to the man next to her and quietly said his name. ¡°What did Aria¡­¡±


    Sarman interrupted Yuuki as he wrapped his arms around her. She felt the pressure being exerted as he squeezed tightly.


    It was a hug full of longing.


    Yuuki wasn¡¯t blind to that truth.


    She just couldn¡¯t understand it.


    ¡°Why did you leave without saying anything!?¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s eyes went wide. She had left a note for him. How was that ¡°leaving without saying anything¡±?


    ¡°What? I left you a note! I told you exactly where I was going and how long I was supposed to be here!¡± The hug loosened a bit.


    The two looked at each other, surprise slowly creeping into their faces before quickly being replaced with confusion.


    ¡°Note?¡± Sarman didn¡¯t know what she was talking about.


    ¡°You¡­ didn¡¯t get it?¡± He shook his head. No note had ever been passed through his hands. ¡°I¡­ see¡­¡±


    ¡°Yuuki?¡± Sarman softly said her name as she gripped his shirt in both of her hands. She leaned in and placed her forehead on his shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I thought you knew¡­¡±


    She was shaking. Yet another thing that she had failed at. Another incompetency. Yuuki didn¡¯t even know what she was good for anymore.


    Sarman tried to speak up again, but Yuuki softly headbutted his shoulder each time to stop him. She didn¡¯t want to hear him try to cheer her up. She was worthy of that treatment.


    A soft touch tickled the hair behind Yuuki¡¯s left ear. She immediately leaned into it and let out a soft sound she hadn¡¯t made in a long time. She caught herself mid-purr and looked up at Sarman sulkily.


    He had used a small spot that he knew of from their time as kids to get her to do something other than lean on him. It was a spot that only Sarman knew about as Yuuki had tried very hard to hide it from even those that knew she was a Beast-Person.


    ¡°Unfair.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Yuuki puffed out her cheeks at his response. ¡°We can deal with whatever you were just doing later. Right now we need to focus on getting out of this town alive. And, you know¡­ we¡¯re being stared at.¡±


    Sarman pointing it out made Yuuki feel the gazes around them. She cleared her throat and took a small step away from Sarman.


    ¡°Ahem, Sarman¡­ what did Aria mean by ¡®our entrance is still open¡¯?¡± Yuuki posed her original question as a decoy for the stares.


    ¡°Ah that. She probably wants us to save as many people as we can and get them out of the city before that goes off.¡± Sarman pointed behind Yuuki. Near the center of Crystallia was a thick black plume of smoke.


    ¡°Is that Nic?¡± Cyril had also seen the incident in Sanum. He knew what a large mass of Irradiation looked like.


    ¡°It is, but, even if Nic is our descendant, without my blessing the amount of Irradiation he can absorb at once is limited.¡± Crystal took up the mantle of answering the question, leaving in a small thing that Cyril clearly hadn¡¯t known about.


    ¡°OUR?!¡± And so he latched onto that one word, completely dismissing anything else that she had said.


    ¡°Long story, I¡¯ll tell you the truth later.¡± With a simple wave of her hand, the queen of the town pushed the topic to the side. ¡°For now, we just need to get as many people to us as we can, right?¡±


    Sarman nodded.


    ¡°That would be the best course. Once we have the civilians, we can lead them ourselves to the wall.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re still here!¡± A voice from outside the destroyed cube rang out.


    The walls tumbled to the ground as Rust let them go. He was close to summoning more when Crystal stopped him with her hand.


    The reason she did that was because the people had seen her with them.


    Narissa had been shouting that Sarman, Rust, and Cyril were trying to kill the queen. Yet they all stood together in front of them.


    Crystal planned to capitalize on the moment.


    ¡°Subjects of mine who live in Crystalia. I am your Queen!¡± Crystal spoke clearly, yet her voice was far louder than Yuuki had ever heard it. The sound of it reverberated throughout the road.


    It was being magically enhanced by something. And that enhancement let it travel across the entire city.


    ¡°You have been lied to by Narissa, a former member of my inner circle. Narissa has betrayed this city. She has betrayed me. If you truly believe in this city, then you are to protect the citizens and bring them to the Eastern Road. Those of you that have betrayed us alongside Narissa, know this; your deaths will not be swift, nor will they be painless. The pain of your betrayal will be rendered unto you unless you surrender yourselves.¡±


    Her speech resounded through Crystallia. The soldiers in front of them split nearly in half. One half quickly moved to guard Crystal while the other looked at each other. Their plan had been revealed.


    ¡°Kill the queen! For the dawn of the new world!¡±


    Yuuki watched as the people she had taught how to use a blade fought against each other. Swords clashed in front of her eyes. She could see the sparks flying as edge met edge.


    Every scream of pain echoed in her ears.


    ¡°Rust, build a shelter for the civilians.¡±


    ¡°Hmpf, you giving out the orders now?¡±


    ¡°Just like old times?¡±


    Rust let out a sigh as large walls appeared behind Yuuki.


    ¡°Just like old times.¡±


    The regular civilians nearby collectively rushed to the safety of the walls. Some scurried around the fighting while others simply slinked through the shadows. Slowly but surely they reached the safety of the walls. A place for them to hide until they could get out of the city.


    Yuuki couldn¡¯t look any of them in the eye. She could see some crying. Others were hugging. A couple were quietly calling the names of their children or loved ones.


    Civilians had died.


    They had died at the hands of the soldiers that she helped train.


    How many times would Yuuki screw up? How large would the fallout from them become?


    Yuuki¡¯s sword hung on her waist. It¡¯s weight dragged her down. Get behind cover? Yuuki couldn¡¯t even take a step. The weight locked her in place.


    ¡°We have a problem.¡±


    Rust walked over to Sarman as we spoke. The two of them murmured quietly so that no one overheard them. Once they were done, Sarman walked over to Yuuki and put his hands on her shoulders.


    A small shake forced her to look up at his face. The seriousness of his expression jolted through her body. It was like a small boost of energy to get her moving.


    ¡°Sarman? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Yuuki, stay here. There is a group of Sanum soldiers wearing the colors of the Alberie family.¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s stood there, her mouth trying to work but nothing was coming out.


    The Alberie family was prominent in Sanum as the leading family of the group within Sanum¡¯s government that opposed Ordwell¡¯s continuous rule of the city. The current head of the family, Paul Alberie, was constantly opposing anything presented to the senate by Ordwell.


    His son was always trying to one-up Sarman. He went so far as to harass Yuuki multiple times in order to get to Sarman.


    ¡°What- Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I will take care of them- whether or not they are here to help us.¡±


    Sarman took a step back.


    Then another.


    Flames wrapped around him. His armor, similar to Aria¡¯s, formed itself around his muscles.


    Sarman was the Fire Spirit King.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Yuuki reached out her hand lazily.


    Why did he have to go himself?


    Was he going to leave her alone as well?


    Didn¡¯t she deserve this?


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ go¡­¡± Her voice was barely a whisper. It never reached the back of the person it was aimed at. He had already begun to run.


    Yuuki was stuck in place.


    How could one as incompetent as her run after Sarman? It was a preposterous idea.


    ¡°Yuuki! Watch out!¡± Someone called out her name. She looked to the side to find one of the soldiers she had trained every day thrusting his sword at her side.


    It was finally her time.


    Time to pay for messing everything up.


    Warm blood splattered across her face. It wasn¡¯t her blood. The soldier next to her had been punctured by three thin, long, red fluid spikes.


    One through his head. One in his neck. One through his heart.


    The body slumped to the ground as the red spikes retracted.


    ¡°Yuuki! Pull yourself together!¡±


    Crystal was yelling at her. She was nice to Yuuki. She cared about her. And yet Yuuki had betrayed her by training those that were attacking them.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Yuuki¡¯s voice was caught in her throat.


    What could she even say?


    ¡°What? Have you lost your senses? Why did you come here in the first place?!¡±


    Come here? Yuuki had come to help protect the town. She thought she would be needed for that. And yet she had merely made that defense harder by training the enemy.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know anymore!¡±


    Yuuki let it out. A single scream.


    And then she ran.


    Her legs creaked. Her lungs were raggedly drawing breath.


    The soldiers she rushed past swung at her. Some swipes she dodged. Others burned their way into her skin as cuts.


    She rushed into a small alley between buildings. Crushed boxes threatened to trip her as she ran through. The dust in the air coated her mouth, smothering any wetness from her saliva.


    Finally, she came upon a swirling black wall.


    There was a person in the center of it. She knew that. She knew him as well. But she didn¡¯t care.


    She reached out her hand.


    ¡°Yuuki.¡±

 Chapter 31: Decisions

    Skeletons swarmed around Nic as he drew them away from the tower balcony. Through the open doors, he was able to catch Yuuki¡¯s hair disappearing as she fell below.


    One was gone. Now he just had to wait for the other person on the balcony to jump.


    His sword met the swinging bones from one of the skeletons'' bare hands. As they touched, black miasma was absorbed into the sword from the skeleton. With nothing keeping its bones together, the skeleton fell apart.


    The bones left a sickening thump as they all hit the floor at nearly the same time.


    That was the tenth skeleton that had fallen apart already in the short time that Nic had been facing them. Each swing of his sword took another. Despite that, the horde never thinned. When one skeleton fell, another took its place. There was as an infinite amount trying to push their way up the stairs.


    ¡°Nic!¡± Crystal called from the balcony. Her head poked in ever so gently, and yet the moment she did a number of skeletons forgot about Nic and started towards her.


    ¡°Get going!¡± Nic reached out his hand towards the balcony. In front of his palm was a small green blob. The lesser air spirit had been with him for over a year now.


    The two could not communicate verbally. Yet they didn¡¯t need to.


    The spirit understood what Nic wanted as he held out his hand.


    A vortex drew in all of the air between Nic¡¯s hand and the door to the balcony. As the air rushed by the skeletons, it took the Irradiation keeping them together with it.


    Fifteen skeletons in a cone area fell to the floor. Their bones rolled around before coming to a stop.


    Crystal¡¯s eyes were filled with determination as she watched the scene unfold. Leaving Nic with a solemn nod, Crystal turned and heaved herself over the side of the balcony railing.


    Both were now gone.


    Now all that was left was Nic.


    There was one problem. By running through the room, Nic had put himself away from the balcony. To top it off, as the only one left, Nic had a horde of skeletons piling onto him.


    His sword smashed another bone. More Irradiation was absorbed.


    His hand crushed the neck of a skeleton. More Irradiation absorbed.


    There was a sickness within him. It moved and squirmed through every part of his body. Nic may have been able to absorb Irradiation, but he had a limit. A limit that he was fast approaching.


    He activated his own magic and felt it start going after the Irradiation within his body.


    He pushed against the onslaught of skeletons. His body pushed against the onslaught of Irradiation. Two separate battles and yet both were vital he won.


    Tendrils of black miasma wafted up from the floor.


    CREAK


    Nic could feel the tower moving ever so slightly.


    The weight of all of these skeletons mixed with the strain of the Irradiation was breaking the tower at its foundation.


    There was only one way out; the balcony.


    ¡°Buddy, you ready?¡±


    A mere whisper, but the blob heard it.


    The wind began and Nic ran.


    He held his blade out to the side.


    It was a lightning rod for Irradiation in a sense. An Irradiation rod really. The wind that whipped around the room and through the tower was pulling all of the Irradiation toward it. The sword would absorb it and then Nic would absorb it through the sword and purify it.


    And while it did that Nic ran to the balcony. He put his free hand on the railing and vaulted himself over. At the last second, he bunch his legs up and pushed himself away from the tower.


    He was free falling towards the center street of the town. Behind Nic was a trailing cloud of black miasma.


    Wind currents violently thrashing beneath him kept him from falling too fast while the air flowing freely from the tower dragged the Irradiation closer and closer.


    Once he landed, he would find some cover and absorb it all. It was Crystalia¡¯s only chance at not being coated in the stuff for centuries to come.


    He had done this same maneuver twice already. A third time would be quite simple.


    As he was thinking about this, his plans quickly flew into the wind as the winds keeping him up suddenly disappeared. Not only that, but the wind drawing the Irradiation to him also disappeared suddenly.


    Nic entered freefall.


    What was once a much softer fall turned into a quick descent as Nic plummeted toward the road.


    As he watched the stone get closer and closer, he wondered what caused this. The small spirit was rushing itself around him frantically. It also did not know what had happened.


    Its connection to the wind around them had been suddenly cut off.


    Nic was already halfway to the stone.


    He shut his eyes. Faces flashed through the darkness. His mother. Sarman. Yuuki. Kiara and Sarah. Rust.


    Aria.


    Her face lingered.


    Thinking that he wouldn¡¯t get to say anything else to her, to not be close to her anymore, to not be able to touch her anymore; that caused his gut to hurt.


    His gut?


    Something was pushing against his gut. That¡¯s what he was feeling.


    Nic opened his eyes to find an absolute maelstrom of wind below him. In its center was the small green spirit.


    It didn¡¯t have a face but Nic thought it was beaming up at him, proud of its accomplishment in restoring its power.


    Nic was floating slower again, though he was already at the height of the buildings around him. There were barely three mer left before he hit the ground.


    His floating wasn¡¯t the only thing turned back on. He could sense the Irradiation flowing towards him at a rapid pace again. He spun around and thrust his sword toward the encroaching miasma.


    The force of the collision between the two forced Nic back to the ground. As his feet touched the ground, his knees immediately bent to conserve the force of the impact.


    Irradiation rushed over his body. He absorbed as much as he could, but it still wasn¡¯t enough. Even with his magic going at full force, he was not able to purify the Irradiation in his own body fast enough to absorb more.


    Nic stabbed his sword into the ground in front of him. If nothing else, he needed it to act as the primary reciever of the Irradiation in the air.


    Ideas were running through Nic¡¯s mind, a plan slowly formulating.


    ¡°Buddy,¡± Nic called out to the small blob circling around him. Even through the darkness of the Irradiation, he could see that green light. ¡°Gather as much as you can here and focus it into the sword.¡±


    The blob bobbed up and down once in acknowledgement. Nic placed a single finger on the hilt of the sword. That small connection was the only way for the Irradiaiton in the sword to move to Nic¡¯s own body.


    He cut off the rest of his body from the Irradiation trying to force it¡¯s way in. His magic was forming an invisible barrier at his skin, stopping the Irradiation outside while still purifying the Irradiation inside.


    Once he purified the Irradiation within his body, Nic absorbed everything out of the sword. With the new Irradiation in his body, he once again cut off the flow of Irradiation and purified it.


    Purify, absorb, close the connection.


    Over and over.


    Again and again.


    Nic couldn¡¯t tell how long each batch of purification took. His vision was greatly limited by the sphere of miasma around him.


    His only sense of time was the gradual fading of the miasma. The more he absorbed, the thinner it got.


    He heard shouts and commands only because of how loud they were normally. To him each one was muffled and distorted.


    Thinner and thinner the miasma became. Yet as thin as it got, the border stayed relatively thick. It wasn¡¯t until the border outline of the sphere was the last thing that it started getting thinner.


    Had the spirit been protecting Nic¡¯s secret from the villagers running by?


    Without the ability for it to speak, Nic had a feeling he wouldn¡¯t get the answer to that question.


    He looked outside the sphere as it started getting thinner. Fires burned in multiple places as the stone in the street was upturned everywhere. He could see a number of store fronts trashed and burning as well.


    He finally smelled a putrid scent that was being blocked by the Irradiation. His nose hated the scent.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to see the source.


    Burned bodies were halfway out of the fires.


    Charred remains of those innocents that had been attacked.


    Nic looked away. He couldn¡¯t face that reality just yet. Not while the rest of the people living in the village were in trouble. He needed to focus on clearing out the rest of the Irradiation before joining back up with the rest.


    As he looked away from the bodies, his eyes passed over a narrow alley between two of the buildings. Standing there was a girl with cat ears and a tail. Her breathing was shallow as she leaned against one of the walls. Her long black hair was disheveled, far worse than it had been when Nic had just seen her a couple minutes prior.


    She reached her hand out to the wall of Irradiation.


    ¡°Yuuki.¡± Nic pulled in the rest of the Irradiation as he said her name. Between his own body and the sword, there was enough space to absorb all of it.


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    Her ears flattened as she heard his voice. Her eyes looked away and she tried to step back only to find her back up against a wooden beam.


    ¡°Nic.¡± It was barely a whisper. Nic wasn¡¯t even sure if it was Yuuki who said it. It could¡¯ve been anyone else in the area.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Trepidation creeped into his voice. Yuuki refused to meet his gaze and she was shifting her body nervously. ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡±


    A loud explosion went off in the distance past the gate to the city. It didn¡¯t take more than a glance to see the large column of blue flames rising into the sky.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be with Sarman?¡± Nic nodded over to the flames and watched a small amount of worry flash across Yuuki¡¯s face. But it quickly disappeared and was replaced with the same apathetic look that she had before.


    She moved around the wooden beam and took another step back.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Another step. Nic took his own towards her.


    ¡°She can¡¯t.¡± Another male voice spoke up, answering in Yuuki¡¯s place.


    Nic turned towards the newcomer. He was wearing the same outfit as the rest of Crystallia¡¯s guards. A short sword hung at his waist and his short brown hair matched the leather he was wearing perfectly. Two blue eyes sneered at the two of them.


    ¡°You!?¡± Yuuki shouted in fright as she looked at the man in front of them. The man smiled as he heard her.


    ¡°Yai, Commander Ito.¡± The man addressed Yuuki by her last name, cementing to Nic that he was indeed one of the people that was a part of Crystallia¡¯s small military force. However, the first word he said was something Nic had never heard before. A tongue that he had yet to learn.


    ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± As Nic asked that question, he finished purifying all of the Irradiation within himself. Free of that burden, he pointed his sword at the newcomer. ¡°What do you know about Yuuki?¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m just a humble part of the force here to destroy this Rad-Town. As for the Heiress over there, I know quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°Heiress?¡± Nic looked back at Yuuki to find her looking conflicted as she looked at the man.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The true Heiress of Kyoku. As for why she¡¯s like this, well¡­ she¡¯s lost all of her confidence in herself and is just looking for an easy way out.¡±


    Yuuki was shrinking back into the darkness of the alley even more. The man had hit the nail on the head.


    Nic let out a small sigh. It was filled with pain itself. He wanted to help Yuuki, but he couldn¡¯t. Nic knew that. If there was anyone who would be able to help her it would be him.


    Despite this, Nic stepped in front of Yuuki. He readied his sword properly this time.


    If Yuuki was going to be saved by Sarman, Nic would make sure she would stay alive till then.


    ¡°Even if she is¡­ She won¡¯t find it.¡±


    Nic wouldn¡¯t let the man past him. Not with Yuuki there.


    ¡°Oh? How can you be so sure?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m her friend.¡± Nic let a smile creep onto his face. ¡°I¡¯ll believe in her until the end.¡±


    The man doubled over as he laughed at the answer. Nic knew it was tacky, but he truly believed in Yuuki. She wouldn¡¯t let things end so simply. She will still be standing when Sarman sees her again.


    Even if she didn¡¯t know it herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s too good!¡± The man picked himself up as another explosion shook the street. ¡°Sound¡¯s like Mr. Chapman over there is having some difficulties. So, what¡¯re you gonna do? Stay here and protect the Heiress? Or go help the Flame Spirit King?¡±


    A decision needed to be made. Nic couldn¡¯t be in two places at once.


    Two of his friends were in danger.


    Yuuki would surely be attacked if he left her alone.


    He didn¡¯t know how bad the situation with Sarman actually was.


    If he grabbed Yuuki and ran to Sarman, there was a chance the man would follow and then they would be fighting on two sides.


    The biggest factor was how strong the man in the street was.


    Despite his mediocre look, Nic¡¯s gut was telling him that it was a lie.


    Taking everything into account, there was only one choice that Nic could think of.


    He took a deep breath in and imagined his father. He imagined the physical instructor at the magic university. He imagined Ordwell.


    Nic put on the most serious face he could.


    ¡°Yuuki.¡± His voice came out loud and clear. It was far crisper than his normal speech. ¡°Get going!¡±


    ¡°Hoh?¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Two voices answered him. One in front and one behind.


    ¡°Go!¡± Nic looked back at Yuuki as he said it again. He was forceful. ¡°Go help Sarman!¡±


    The severity of his voice blew the fear away from Yuuki. Still somewhat hesitant, she gave Nic a nod before fading into the dark alleyway and out of sight.


    Nic watched where she had disappeared from for a minute before turning back to the man in front of him. Eyeing the man cautiously, Nic sheathed his sword.


    A bemused eye followed his sword until it was sheathed.


    ¡°Sending the Heiress to him? I wasn¡¯t expecting that. Why¡¯d you go that route?¡±


    ¡°Because Sarman is the one keeping her alive. As long as she has him, she will never truly fall.¡± Nic raised his own eyebrow in question. The man was still in roughly the same spot he had been the entire time. Not even his hands were moving that much. ¡°How about you? You could easily run me through and go after her, yet you don¡¯t. You don¡¯t want her to die either, don¡¯t you?¡±


    His first movement in a while was to raise his arms in surrender.


    ¡°You got me. No, I don¡¯t plan on trying to kill her myself anymore.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Of course, if any of the plans I already have in place go through¡­ well, I can¡¯t help it if she falls then.¡±


    ¡°Why did you appear before me? And what¡¯s your name?¡±


    Nic knew nothing about this man. While he was stalling for time as well, there were things he wanted to know. First and foremost was a name.


    ¡°Name? I go by many, but,¡± A bright light enveloped the man¡¯s entire body in a second. ¡°You can call me Solus.¡±


    While he wore the same outfit when the light finally disappeared, Solus¡¯ entire face had changed. His once brown hair was now blindingly white, the same with his eyes. It looked like they simply didn¡¯t have iris¡¯ when in reality their iris¡¯ were actually the same color as the rest of the eyeball. But the most defining feature was the massive scar through his left eye.


    ¡°Solus?¡± Nic had heard the name before. Anyone who was around Greater Spirits or Spirit Progenitors was bound to have heard it. ¡°As in the Light Spirit Progenitor?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve heard of me? As I would expect being so close to two of my siblings.¡±


    Nic stood there, confusion running across his face. Was the man in front of him Solus themself or just the one Solus was contracted with?


    The realization of what was happening hit him like a kick to the gut. Elves were easily spottable because their hair and iris¡¯ would match a color associated with their element. Light Elves had white hair and iris¡¯.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? Did you realize that I¡¯m an Elf as well? Now you¡¯re probably wondering how or why this would happen.¡± He did a small twirl to show that his body was indeed complete. He then kicked up a small piece of wood and tossed it into the air before catching it.


    He was tangible.


    ¡°You see the one I was contracted with decided to give me his body! So now I have my powers as the Light progenitor still and the ability to do anything that you mortals do! And boy, let me tell you, being a mortal is great.¡±


    Solus was enjoying his self-aggrandizing. Nic felt a lump in his gut as he listened to the Elf.


    ¡°Why tell me this?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm? You asked, didn¡¯t you?¡± Solus waved the question away before switching back to a serious demeanor. ¡°Let¡¯s get back on track. I don¡¯t care if the Heiress lives or dies here. Her appearance here in the first place was quite a shock to me if you can believe it.¡±


    ¡°I can. Her disappearing on the rest of us was quite a shock when it happened.¡±


    Solus nodded his head in understanding. Like Sarman, Nic, and Aria he had not been expecting Yuuki to leave Sanum.


    ¡°What¡¯s your reason for attacking this Rad-Town then?¡±


    ¡°To kill Crystal. To rid this world of one who could oppose my true queen¡¯s plans. Just like our attempt to remove Sanum from the face of these lands.¡±


    Nic took a small step back. Learning the truth behind Jack¡¯s attacks didn¡¯t affect him too much. What sent him for a loop was Solus¡¯ admission that Crystal was their target.


    Nic barely knew the woman. He had spent less than thirty minutes talking with her. Yet he knew she was his family thanks to Rust. Not only that, she was the one who could help him increase the amount of Irradiation he could absorb at once.


    Nic wasn¡¯t about to let her die.


    ¡°Should you really be telling me that your target is Crystal?¡± Nic¡¯s hand reached for his sword again.


    ¡°If you want to save her, go ahead and try.¡± Solus looked past Nic, towards the front gates of the city. Then he looked up. In the sky, there were two beings locked in aerial combat.


    Nic followed his gaze up. Even without demi-human eyesight, Nic could see Aria.


    ¡°Before I leave this Rad-Town and report to my queen, let me offer you some advice.¡± Solus held out three fingers. ¡°You have to make a decision.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There are three choices for you. Three places that could all use your help. Crystal is defending the innocent civilians of this town against the horde of soldiers I helped bring into Crystallia¡¯s defensive forces.¡± Solus put one of his fingers down. ¡°Chapman¡¯s kid is fighting in front of Crystallia¡¯s gate. The ones attacking him are soldiers from Sanum that Orpheus sent to me. I hear they are part of his own personal force stationed in the City.¡±


    ¡°Orpheus?¡± Another name. Another one that Nic knew only because of his time with Aerial and Salamander. A second Spirit Progenitor.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. My opposite; Orpheus the Darkness Spirit Progenitor.¡± Solus¡¯ grin grew wider as he put down the second of three fingers. ¡°And finally, Aerial¡¯s contractor up there. She faces off against Narissa, contractor of Sylph- the second oldest wind spirit after Aerial and the first one that my sibling made.¡±


    Three choices. One decision.


    Nic understood what Solus was doing. He couldn¡¯t be everywhere at once.


    Solus offered Nic three enticing choices. Each one had at least one person in danger that he cared about.


    Who would Nic choose to save? Would that decision result in the death of one of the others?


    But there was also a fourth option.


    Nic drew his sword.


    ¡°Or I can stay here and make sure you don¡¯t get away.¡±


    The tip was pointed at Solus yet again.


    Solus¡¯ reaction was to simply smile. A bright glow surrounded him before Solus simply disappeared.


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Nic looked around.


    Had Solus teleported? Was that magic even possible?


    ¡°How would you keep me here if you don¡¯t know how to find me?¡± Nic turned around. The voice had come from behind him. ¡°Wrong area.¡± A shove sent Nic fumbling forward.


    Managing to stay on his feet, Nic swung around again, a wild slash stretching out in front of him.


    ¡°Show yourself!¡±


    ¡°The reflections of light can do many wonderful things. For example, I can change how I look physically.¡± The original face that Solus had been wearing flashed through Nic¡¯s vision. ¡°Or I can change how you see things. If you can¡¯t see me, then wouldn¡¯t that make me invisible?¡±


    Calling it invisibility was stretching the truth. In reality, Solus¡¯ actions were the opposite of invisibility. Instead of truly making oneself disappear, Solus instead made everyone else blind to his body through light.


    Even if it was done through opposing means, the end result was still the same.


    Nic was unable to see Solus. Without visual confirmation of the Elf¡¯s location, Nic was unable to fight him and keep him there.


    ¡°You should think about the decision you have to make, Verilo.¡±


    Nic tensed up. The voice was getting farther away and there wasn¡¯t anything he could do.


    ¡°Oh, one last piece of advice.¡± The voice stopped moving. ¡°If you do go after Narissa, she is not a natural Demi-Human. Her wings were grafted on with Irradiation.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Nic had never thought about using Irradiation for something like that. While it was responsible for the creation of the first Demi-Humans, hearing that it could be used to make someone have Demi-Human body parts made Nic feel queasy.


    ¡°Oh, and you should know that Narissa seems to be far more used to fighting midair than Aerial¡¯s contractor. See you around, Verilo. Sanso wo subene no hiso nu onozureru.¡± With a final message in that same foreign tongue that Nic didn¡¯t know, Solus¡¯ voice went quiet.


    Nic listened as the sounds of swords clashing could be heard in the distance. It was coming from the general direction that he knew Crystal was in.


    Behind him, he could still hear explosions going off continuously. Sarman was in full swing. With Yuuki already heading there, or possibly already there, Nic felt that Sarman would be fine.


    Finally, above him, the winds covering the town were a chaotic mess. Two strong wind spirits were fighting each other. If Solus was to be believed, it seemed that Aria was in danger.


    What Solus had offered as three choices was actually only two for Nic. And one of them was far more important to him than the other.


    Nic started moving again. He ran away from the sounds of swords clashing. Away from the sound of explosions in front of the town.


    As he ran down the street, he looked for any sort of access to the roofs of the buildings around him.


    One of the buildings on his left had partially collapsed. The collapsed side made a nice ramp up to the roof.


    Nic quickly scaled it. At the top, he looked up again. One of the two flying fighters was clearly struggling to keep up.


    Narissa struck a decisive blow to Aria and sent her tumbling toward the ground. Nic thrust out his hand. In his palm the lesser spirit he was contracted with. The spirit coaxed the whirling air to send Aria¡¯s body toward Nic.


    The spirit wasn¡¯t able to get the wind to slow down though.


    Aria slammed into Nic¡¯s chest. Nic was pushed onto his back by the force but kept his arms wrapped tightly around Aria.


    ¡°Ughhh¡­¡± Aria let out a soft groan as she opened the eyes she had squeezed shut. When she saw Nic holding her, Aria¡¯s cheeks turned a faint red. ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I figured you could use some help with her. I also happen to have supposedly learned her weak spot.¡±

 Chapter 32: What Am I Fighting For?

    Yuuki ran.


    Behind her, Nic stood up to a man wearing the same drab gear as every other person who had said they would ¡°defend¡± Crystallia.


    Yuuki had seen him every day for the better part of a month. She had shaken his hand after every practice session.


    And for what?


    All she got in return was a betrayal.


    Like everyone else the man, standing across from Nic, had betrayed her.


    Yuuki was exhausted from the betrayals. She just wanted everything to be over.


    ¡°She¡¯s looking for the easy way out.¡± He had said that. He knew what Yuuki was looking for deep down better than Yuuki herself.


    Her legs trembled as she ran.


    Her breath came out in ragged gasps.


    Her arms felt numb and her chest hurt.


    Yuuki was scared.


    Scared of her own mind.


    Scared of how everyone else seemed to know her better than herself.


    Scared of facing Crystal.


    Scared of her failures.


    The light of the Eastern street filled her eyesight as she burst out of the small alley between buildings. The wasn¡¯t a single soul in front of her. All that was there was the destruction wrought by the fighting. Buildings were half demolished. The only thing left of shopfronts was the twisted remains of their merchandise.


    And that pungent smell. It followed Yuuki throughout the town.


    To her left she heard swords clashing against stone. Crystal, Rust, and Cyril were holding the line for the rest of the civilians.


    One of them called her name in the commotion, but Yuuki ignored them.


    To her right was more of the same chaotic mess that once was the town of Crystallia. Beyond it, a warmth was spreading.


    Yuuki moved one foot to her right.


    Then another.


    She started out slowly walking towards the source of the heat. In a few steps, that walk had turned into a run.


    She ran into a small clearing next to the town wall. Where a large stable once stood, now only a smoldering pile of ash remained. The stable had been burned to a crisp and could no longer stand. Behind where it had once stood, where the stable and the wall had met, was a large opening.


    Not only had a flame burned down the stable, but it had created a second opening in the wall protecting the town.


    Yuuki gingerly stepped through the charred hole and looked beyond at the landscape.


    If anyone else had described the scene in front of Yuuki, they might have called it Hell. Flames burned so bright they hurt to look at. As far as the eye could see. There were pockets of scorched ground showing. In each one a person wearing armor stood tense.


    Emblazoned on each set of armor was a symbol that Yuuki was far too familiar with for her own liking. A crown surrounded by the wings of the faeries of myth.


    The mark of the Alberie family in Sanum.


    Standing in front of the flames, close to the actual gate of the town of Crystallia, was a single man. His normally dark skin was wreathed in white flames, some even dripping off of his body. When those drops of flames hit the ground, they burst and covered a large section just by themselves.


    Normally, when using his Spirit King armor, Sarman would have Salamander sitting on his shoulder or fighting in tandem with him. But this time that was not possible. Salamander was part of the flames covering Sarman. It was the only way for the flames to get so hot as to become blinding to any passersby.


    Yuuki wanted to step out.


    She wanted to run to Sarman.


    But her body wouldn¡¯t move.


    What would he think of how she has acted?


    Would he also hate what she has become? Just like herself?


    Or would he be like Nic; protective of the person he calls his friend?


    The question paralyzed Yuuki. The emotions overwhelmed her body so she was forced to stay where she was.


    She was forced to watch Sarman fight for his own life.


    Any normal person would be charred within a second of coming near Sarman in his current state. Some of the Alberie soldiers had fallen into that very trap. Their corpses were littered across the field. The fire would make quick work of their remains.


    But for the rest, their survival was improbable in the best scenarios. For them to still be walking was an affront to Sarman¡¯s very skill. The source of their survival remained hidden well until Yuuki finally saw them shielding themselves behind a rock near the back.


    Three Water Magi.


    Two Wind Magi.


    One Earth Magi.


    Each one individually would not have been able to take on Sarman. Even if they had grouped up by what type of magic they used, they would have been unable to beat Sarman. But working together, they were able to use their magic in tandem with each other. This tandem magic, mixing water, the winds, and dirt, was able to smother the flames enough to make them non-lethal to those simply standing nearby.


    Because of these mages, Sarman was having to face each person individually. Only once that person was dead could he move on to the next.


    White flames shot from Sarman¡¯s hands. One of the soldiers screamed in anguish as his armor melted on top of him. Vapor rose from his scorched body as it fell to the ground. The mixture of water, wind, and dirt that had been applied to him had been burned off instantly.


    In return for killing one of their comrades a few arrows and rocks were hurled at Sarman. The arrows burned as they got too close but the rocks posed a serious threat.


    A flaming whip coiled its way through the air, wrapping itself around the rocks. Once it was squeezed, they all split into two smaller chunks. Most of these smaller chunks flew past Sarman, but a third of them managed to hit him across the body.


    A flash of red fire burst through the blinding white.


    A feather had been used to keep Sarman alive.


    Yuuki hadn¡¯t seen that red flash of fire since the two were kids. Sarman hadn¡¯t faced a fight that he couldn¡¯t win with overwhelming force in a while. No matter who came at him, they were usually down before Sarman could break a sweat.


    And yet now, he had already used at least one.


    Yuuki wanted to go out there.


    She wanted to stand behind him to support him.


    But she was stuck. How could she support him if all she did was make things worse?


    Something struck her face.


    She could feel something warm trickling down as a soft thud came from behind her.


    Her hand found its way to her face and came in contact with something sticky. Her fingers were covered in red blood. Just touching it had caused a smear.


    The thud behind her had been the arrow hitting the burned wood.


    One of the soldiers facing Sarman had noticed her. More turned her way. Another volley of arrows was nocked.


    Yuuki didn¡¯t have time to think. Her body wouldn¡¯t let her mind control it anymore.


    She moved into motion as the arrows landed where she had been standing. Her body rushed away from the wall. While moving back inside might¡¯ve afforded her all of the cover she could need, Yuuki¡¯s body wouldn¡¯t let her run away.


    ¡°AHHHHHHHHHHHH¡± Sarman had noticed her and let out a war cry as flames danced from his hand. He deftly moved between soldiers, cutting them down one after another. While the water magic was being used to surround them and give them resistance to his flames- it was only useful when he was trying to spread out his attacks. As he was cutting them down one at a time, he was using the full force of his flames in each attack.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at her!¡± Yuuki stopped in her tracks as she heard Sarman yelling at the soldiers. ¡°If you keep looking away from me, that¡¯ll mean your death!¡± Was that a plea she was hearing in his voice? Or was he simply trying to be commanding? Yuuki wasn¡¯t able to tell. ¡°Isn¡¯t your main target me!? Isn¡¯t it, Aneris?!¡±


    ¡°Why are you all focused on Ito!? Kill the Phoenix!¡± One of the mages in the back of the group responded to Sarmans words with her own anger-filled shouting. The men who had been firing at Yuuki hesitated. Since she had stopped moving while listening to the shouting she was an easy target. And yet their commander was telling them to switch targets to the man who was currently the living embodiment of death.


    That hesitation cost them their lives.


    Sarman cut each one down in quick succession.


    The mages next to Aneris threw different spells in his direction. They were fruitless attempts to try to hurt the Phoenix.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    At the very least, these mages were loyal to their commander. It wouldn¡¯t save them in the end.


    ¡°Urgh.¡± Yuuki closed her eyes. She wished she didn¡¯t have to hear the death throes of each person individually as Sarman killed them. Her stomach churned as she stood in one spot.


    Yuuki opened her eyes again once she stopped hearing it. The blazing field was slowly dying out. In its place was charred land, black as the night, spreading out around the entrance to Crystalia. Yuuki doubled over as she saw the small lumps sticking out of the ground and finally noticed the putrid smell in the air.


    ¡°Please! Please please please! Don¡¯t kill me!¡± Yuuki heard a pathetic cry from in the field and forced herself to look.


    Sarman stood above a younger woman in armor scuttling backward on the ground. In Sarmans hands was his usual flaming spear. Its tip was nearly pressed into the womans throat.


    Yuuki recognized the woman as well. Aneris was the right-hand woman to Paul Alberie¡¯s son. They were like two peas in a pod and were probably in a relationship if the rumors were true. Yuuki felt like she was just trying to marry into a family with power in Sanum though.


    ¡°Please, I¡¯ll do whatever you want! Just let me live! I can¡¯t die like this!¡± Aneris continued to plead for her life. Yuuki could see that Sarman was having none of it. The flames wreathing him were somehow still growing even brighter as his anger rose.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of your voice.¡± Sarman pushed the spear forward. Aneris went quiet as her body fell limp. She probably hadn¡¯t lived for more than a second after Sarman finished talking.


    Yuuki watched her body as Sarman moved towards her. She found her vision slowly falling toward the floor. Further and further down. Even as Sarmans steps got louder, signifying that he was close, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to look up.


    ¡°So? Why didn¡¯t you help? Coulda used it.¡± Yuuki felt a flick against her head before Sarmans entire weight dropped onto her shoulders. Her knees buckled under the intense sudden weight.


    ¡°What¡¯re you-!¡± Aria was about to protest when she heard the panting coming from the side of her face. Sarman had finally let the flames shrowding his body go. But by doing so, the toll that it had taken on his body was catching up.


    To put it shortly, Sarman was exhausted and barely able to stand.


    He was leaning on Yuuki just to stay upright.


    She wrapped one arm around his back while she used her other to keep him upright.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to Rust and everyone else.¡± Despite his physical weakness, Sarman still spoke with strength.


    Yuuki didn¡¯t want to go back, but upon Sarmans pushing, she started moving her feet slowly.


    ¡°So what¡¯s your reason?¡±


    Sarman brought back up his question. Yuuki looked away. She didn¡¯t have an answer. Sarman picked up on this and changed his approach.


    ¡°So what happened to you here?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Yuuki was confused. What was Sarman asking? Which part did he want to know?


    How was she supposed to answer?


    ¡°You¡¯re clearly shaken by something. You were earlier as well.¡± Sarman pointed out the obvious. It was clear to anyone paying any sort of attention to Yuuki that she was mentally out of what was going on. Sarman just found it easier to get directly to his point. ¡°You weren¡¯t like this the last time I saw you. And from the little I¡¯ve heard from the people in this village, you weren¡¯t at all like this till just the other day.¡±


    Yuukis breath caught in her throat. He had heard things about her time here already? From who? When?


    ¡°Ah¡­ Did you hear it from Cyril? Or Little Felix?¡± Yuuki had seen both of them when she reached the street. Depending on how long they had been talking, Sarman would¡¯ve easily heard some stuff from either of them.


    ¡°A bit. But I also heard the whispers from some of the defenders that didn¡¯t turn against everyone else. How Yuuki Ito had come in and whipped their forces into shape in a mere three weeks, but that in the last few days, you had been conspicuously absent.¡± Sarman regaled Yuuki with second-hand stories about herself as the two made their way back through the burned wall. Yuuki could barely stand listening to them. She wanted to refute each and everyone, but Sarman wouldn¡¯t let her.


    Once he had finished with the small stories and snippets he heard Sarman finally let Yuuki speak again. Her voice was low, full of self-loathing and pity. ¡°I¡¯m a failure.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Instead of refuting her or simply accepting her words, Sarman posed a simple question, prodding for more details.


    ¡°I am! Look just at the stories you tried to regal me with! I helped ¡®whip their forces into shape¡¯? All I did was help train the enemy to destroy this town faster. How many of those forces turned coat on us? It was more than half, I can tell you that. I put the defenders of this city in danger by teaching their opponents how to kill them faster! How am I not a failure?¡±


    All she had wanted to do was to help the Blood Elf. Crystal was a mythical figure, especially to Demi-Humans. Yuuki had heard stories about her from her father. The two had even met in the past. So when Cyril had asked her to come help at the behest of the one mythical person that Yuuki truly believed in, what could she do but say yes?


    ¡°And even beyond that, now I¡¯ve dragged you all here. What if someone else I care about dies? What if you die? Or Nic? Or Aria, who I had already spent most of my life lying to. What if she dies before I truly get to say sorry to her for lying for all those ten years?¡±


    After Aria had seen Yuuki during the fight against Jack in Sanum, the two had only exchanged simple words while Yuuki was in the medical ward. Yuuki had apologized with words, but she felt that there was still more that she could do to show Aria the truth. But now, as Yuuki looked up at the cloudy skies, she could see that very same Aria fighting to the death against a Demi-Human far more suited to aerial combat.


    ¡°And let¡¯s not forget how I was the first, and only, one of us to go down while fighting Jack. You and Aria managed to stay awake and were combat-ready the entire time. And right before that, I lost to Nic. All I¡¯ve done for the past while is lose. So tell me! Sarman! What use is there in me staying alive? All I do is create more problems and I¡¯m unable to fix them.¡±


    Yuuki''s voice was hoarse as she finished yelling at Sarman. The two hadn¡¯t even left the area with the burned-down stable. Yuuki was in control of them moving still and had stopped when she started yelling. Her vision was getting blurry. Her knees wanted to give out and drop her to the ground. But the part of her that wanted to keep Sarman safe forced her to stay upright.


    Sarman let out a slow sigh before responding to her. ¡°Sometimes, I have to remind myself that you¡¯ve always put in the effort to be a prodigy. Even when you didn¡¯t need to since you already were one.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°How many times have you lost a fight since you came to Sanum? You don¡¯t need to worry about the answer as I can already tell you. Two times.¡± Sarman held up two fingers in front of Yuuki¡¯s face.


    ¡°The first one was to me about eight years ago. You wanted to see just how strong I was and so we sparred. You lost and as a result, my flames singed multiple parts of your clothes. I remember it clearly because one of those pieces of clothing was your beanie. You were worried that Aria would realize what you were and that you were lying.¡± Sarman put down one of the fingers.


    ¡°The other was just a little over a year ago now. It was the publicity match we had at the end of the school tournament. As the winners of the Magic and Non-Magic fighting sections, we were pitted against each other to see which was stronger. Like the first time we sparred seriously, I won again and the debate was put to rest for the time being.¡± Sarman put down the other finger.


    ¡°Why are you bringing up more failures of mine?¡± Yuuki was getting annoyed. She already knew that she was a failure, and yet Sarman was here rubbing more salt in the wound. Did he have some sort of secret agenda against her?


    ¡°I¡¯m bringing it up to make a point.¡± Sarman put his pointer finger on her forehead and flicked her softly. ¡°You have always been a prodigy, but that doesn¡¯t make you infallible. Your lack of failures in the past has made you forget what failing is. It doesn¡¯t make you weak, nor does it mean you have no meaning or purpose for living. It¡¯s a stepping stone. One that you can use to make yourself better.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take your own examples. So you failed to see that half of this Rad-Town¡¯s forces would betray it? Well, that means you need to work on your ability to sense the good and evil in those you train. You need to learn to distinguish what they want to use the power they are learning for. You brought Aria, Nic, and me into this mess? Then you need to learn to make sure that others get your messages. Your loss to Nic back in Sanum? While this could be a good thing from one point of view, the student has learned everything they can. It also means that you need to rededicate yourself to learning as well. So that the student doesn¡¯t overcome the master. Same with the situation with the Jack fight. It just means that you need to train more. Become stronger so that you aren¡¯t left behind.¡±


    Sarman lifted himself off of Yuuki and propped his body against a wall before looking at Yuuki. ¡°You think I didn¡¯t know this would happen if I used those white flames? Of course, I knew. But every time I¡¯m like this, it reminds me that I still have more room to grow.¡±


    Sarman¡¯s body began to crumple under its own weight. Despite her ever-blurrier vision, Yuuki quickly caught him. As the two fell to their knees, Yuuki found herself gripping his shirt with white knuckles. She couldn¡¯t stop the tears pouring out of her eyes.


    What Sarman said was something that she hadn¡¯t expected to hear. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to fully accept it, yet it resonated within her. It was what she needed to hear. If she just believed in his words, then she could find the strength to push forward.


    ¡°Is it really okay? For me to continue despite my failure?¡± Her voice was weak, shaking as she slowly asked Sarman for his own thoughts.


    ¡°Did anyone ever say it wasn¡¯t?¡±


    Yuuki shook her head while giving herself the answer she needed to hear. She was allowed to learn from her mistakes. Just like everyone else.


    It took her a minute to finally stand up again. She wiped away the excess water from her eyes before helping Sarman back onto his feet.


    With a new determination, she was able to continue the journey back to the spot where Rust and Crystal were keeping the villagers of Crystalia safe. The two trudged through burned buildings and the remains of what had once been a lively street. While Yuuki used her right arm to keep Sarman up, her left was openly brandishing her sword for defense.


    The street was not super long, only about one hundred Mer in length, but because of a fallen building halfway through, they couldn¡¯t see the refuge that had been made for the villagers.


    Nor could the other side see them.


    They had to be as careful as they could be.


    As they came up to the fallen building, Yuuki glanced around.


    ¡°This must¡¯ve happened while we were out of the gate, let¡¯s look for a way through.¡±


    Sarman nodded in agreement. His nod was accompanied by a small grunt of pain.


    ¡°You okay? Sure you don¡¯t need to use another feather?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. The feathers won¡¯t help anyways. They won¡¯t get rid of soreness.¡±


    Yuuki didn¡¯t like the answer, but there was not much she could do about it. With no way of using healing magic herself or any healing implements, all she could do was make sure he got back to the refuge in one piece.


    Once they got there, she would make sure that he rested.


    It didn¡¯t take them long to find an opening near the base of where the building had once stood. Yuuki had to bend in a few awkward positions in order to make sure that Sarman got through fine.


    ¡°Ah! It¡¯s Yuuki! And the Fire Man!¡± As Yuuki was helping Sarman get through the opening she heard a familiar child¡¯s voice. She looked back to find Felix pointing at her from nearby. Behind him was Cyril who immediately began to run over to them as soon as he heard Felix.


    ¡°Yuuki! Sarman! Are you two alright?¡± Cyril helped Yuuki pull Sarman through. Once he saw that she was supporting one of his sides, Cyril quickly stepped to the other side and helped out. The instant he did, Yuuki could feel a lot of the weight disappear from her shoulders.


    She felt her entire body, including her cat ears, heave a sigh of relief.


    ¡°We¡¯re fine. Help me get Sarman to the refuge so he can lie down. I¡¯ll explain everything else after.¡± The two worked together to bring Sarman back. Felix had run ahead to prepare a place to lie Sarman down so everything went smoothly once they got there.


    Yuuki kneeled beside the groaning Sarman as he adjusted to laying on hard stone and flicked his forehead softly. ¡°Don¡¯t move from this spot, got it? I¡¯m gonna go explain everything to Rust and Crystal. I expect you to be just like this when I get back.¡±


    A chuckle escaped Sarman¡¯s lips. ¡°What? Are you trying to-¡± He stopped midsentence as he felt the fierce gaze coming from Yuuki. ¡°Alright. Alright. I¡¯ll stay put.¡±


    Yuuki stood up and nodded to Cyril. With Sarman laying down the two of them walked over to where Crystal and Rust were. With the lack of fighting, Yuuki assumed that everyone else had been taken care of.


    ¡°Yuuki!¡± Crystal called out her name as soon as she came into view. Yuuki hesitated for a moment before bowing deeply before Crystal.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I ran because I felt responsible for training those who turned on the village. I was blaming myself and didn¡¯t want to face the blame of anyone else so I ran. I¡¯m sorry-¡± Yuuki was stopped by a light tap on her shoulder.


    She looked up to find Crystal smiling gently at her.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m the one most at fault for letting everyone into the village. You have nothing to be ashamed of, Yuuki. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Why had she run in the first place?


    She knew that Crystal was like this. She was always forgiving and kind. So why had Yuuki assumed that she would be harsh on her?


    She wasn¡¯t sure. But she smiled as she stood back up.


    A warm, sticky, fluid flicked across her face.


    What was the first thing that happened?


    Was it the screams from those around her?


    The gurgling of the woman across from her?


    The realization that something had hit her face?


    Yuuki opened her eyes to find a blade piercing through the chest of the queen in front of her. Behind the queen was a soldier wearing the Alberie crest as he slowly became visible again.


    ¡°C-Crystal?!¡± Yuuki could barely speak her name as she watched the queen crumple into her arms.

 Chapter 33: Twin Swords

    ¡°Her weak spot?¡± Aria whispered into Nic¡¯s ear as he set her down. Her quiet voice was courtesy of the fact that Narissa was floating down to them.


    Nic eyed her warily as he responded. ¡°Her connection to her wings is partially held together by Irradiation.¡± He pointed his sword at the sky. Its tip lined up perfectly with Narissa¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Hmph. So Verilo came to join in as well?¡± Narissa stopped descending as she spoke. In the end, she was still more than five mer above Nic and Aria on the roof. Her silently beating wings kept her afloat.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t just leave you two alone, could I?¡± Nic eyed Aria. She had already regained her composure from the tumble. Her armor made of wind had reformed and two transparent wings were unfurling behind her back. It was a mirror of the Demi-Human above him.


    ¡°And you think you can do anything?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to see, won¡¯t we.¡± Aria raised her own sword in her left hand. The two swords aimed at Narissa in unison.


    Two swords, siblings in a sense, made by the same blacksmith at the same time. One held Nic¡¯s magic in its crystal while the other held Aria¡¯s. The pair that wielded them was the most opportune.


    Narissa scoffed from above before outstretching her own hand. A torrent of wind was unleashed from her palm.


    Nic and Aria split without a single word. Aria flew into the sky, quickly gaining the upper ground on Narissa. Nic jumped off the building to escape the torrent. A small green blob appeared beneath his feet. The wind around the spirit condensed until Nic had a soft spot to land.


    The moment his feet hit the stone, Nic was running down the street. Narissa was right about one thing- as long as she was in the air, he couldn¡¯t do much.


    He needed to wait for the right moment.


    A moment that his partner had to make.


    In the skies above him, Aria was already on the offensive. Her strikes were wide and untrained. But they were good for applying pressure.


    Aria was augmenting the weight of the blade with the wind around it. So while her swings were wide, they were also fast. Narissa had her own blade to block and parry Aria¡¯s attacks. The shrill ringing of the blades clashing pierced even Nic¡¯s ears.


    Narissa¡¯s main form of counter-attacking was through wind-based magic attacks weaved through her defensive swordplay. Aria was too focused on attacking to go on the defensive. The first few magic attacks managed to hit her, forcing some grunts of pain.


    Aria backed away from Narissa, granting them both a chance to orient themselves.


    Nic stopped running. He had gotten quite a distance away from the two. Nearly thirty Mer stood between Nic and the spot that the two were above.


    Nic and Aria locked eyes for a split second.


    They had never voiced a plan. They didn¡¯t need to. As soon as Nic informed Aria that Narissa¡¯s weakness was Irradiation, the two had the same idea.


    ¡°AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡± Aria let out a war cry far more primal than anything she had ever released. She shot at Narissa far too fast for a normal person to react.


    Narissa was able to just barely get her sword out in front of her.


    SHRING!


    Aria¡¯s sword slammed against Narissa¡¯s¡­ But that wasn¡¯t the crux of the plan. With the two swords interlocked, Aria grabbed Narissa¡¯s collar with her free hand and began to push her down.


    The sudden velocity threw Narissa off center. She began to beat her wings incessantly, fighting against the wind dragging her down.


    The two finally leveled out just two mer above Nic¡¯s head. They were still flying at quite the speed towards him.


    There was a broken cart nearby. Nic ran at it and used it as a springboard to jump even higher. His sword flashed through the air as Aria and Narissa flew by; followed by Nic falling into a pile of rubble.


    Narissa fell to the ground. Her body tumbled for a few seconds before coming to a stop. As it did, Aria stopped herself and landed past her.


    With Nic fishing himself out of the pile of rubble, Narissa was now surrounded on both sides.


    ¡°What did you do to me!?¡± Narissa screamed out in pain as she tried to stand up. One of her wings was conspicuously lethargic in its movements. At its base was a long red line of blood leaking out.


    ¡°I thought you said that I couldn¡¯t do anything in this fight?¡± Narissa snapped her glaring eyes to Nic. He flourished the sword in his hand, Irradiation still being sucked into the crystal inlaid on its hilt.


    She knew what that meant.


    ¡°You-! How did you know?!¡± Her form was lopsided as she stood up. The lethargic wing was dragging down half of her body. Her knuckles had grown white from gripping her own weapon too tight. ¡°Who told you?!¡±


    Narissa was demanding an answer.


    ¡°Solus.¡± Nic didn¡¯t mind giving her the answer she wanted. As he watched her face twist in disgust at the name of her betrayer before turning to shock, Nic let out a soft sigh. Neither Aria nor Nic was expecting what Narissa decided to do next.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I don¡¯t have a need for this,¡± Narissa raised her sword and slashed down on the wing. With a disgusting tearing sound, most of the wing was cut off in a single slash. Only a bit past the connection point remained as an elongated stump. ¡°I¡¯ll finish you two off first, and then I¡¯m going to go find that light bastard and kill him!¡±


    Narissa rushed Nic, her sword swinging in as soon as she was in range. Nic¡¯s sword collided with hers, sending it to the side. Narissa wasn¡¯t fighting like normal though.


    With one of her wings gone, Narissa couldn¡¯t fly. So instead she used her one remaining wing to her advantage on the ground. After Nic had blocked her sword strike, she rolled her body and struck with her wing.


    It was a strike that came out of left field. Nic was hit in his shoulder and sent tumbling back. His shoulder ached in dull pain, causing Nic to shake his arm out.


    Another sword slash.


    This time Nic was barely able to get his sword up in time.


    Narissa was putting her all into each strike. Nic¡¯s sword wobbled in his hand. His unsteady grip was threatening to let go of the hilt.


    Narissa would drive her sword at Nic again.


    The tip of the blade stopped mere cer away from piercing Nic¡¯s skin.


    Narissa¡¯s face was contorted in anger as she struggled against an invisible barrier. Her sword would not budge forward anymore.


    Aria had stopped her blade. Using the wind around it she had locked it in place.


    Nic gratefully took the opportunity to step back, regaining his footing and breathing at the same time.


    ¡°There are two of us, don¡¯t forget.¡± While he said one thing, Nic was fishing for the opposite reaction. He was trying to keep Narissa¡¯s focus on him. Just those three strikes were enough to tell Nic that she was almost on par with Yuuki when the latter was serious.


    That meant that she was still stronger than Nic, even on his good days. Her strength and technique were nothing to scoff at. Aria wouldn¡¯t be able to last very long if Narissa focused on her.


    Aria let go of the wind around the blade, which started the dance between Nic and Narissa again. Nic had to opt for mainly dodging while on the defensive. He blocked as many of her swords strikes as possible, but her wing attacks forced him to stay mobile.


    The few times that Aria found a spot to jump in and strike with her own sword, Narissa was fast enough to completely parry the sword trainee and still attack Nic at the same time, forcing him to stay on the defensive.


    After a minute of this dance, the only thing that Aria and Nic had to show for themselves were a few shallow cuts on Narissa.


    ¡°Hmpf.¡± Narissa snorted as she unleashed a powerful downward strike at Nic. He jumped to the side, avoiding a direct impact. ¡°This is all you can do? I guess I can¡¯t be too surprised. After all, you Verilo¡¯s are simply one trick ponies.¡±


    Narissa spun around and with a flick of her wing sent multiple arrows laden in a dark miasma at Aria. Nic watched in horror as two of them cut straight through Aria¡¯s Spirit King armor, causing large gashes in her side and arm, while a third punctured her skin in an unprotected section of her abdomen.


    Nic ignored his opponent and rushed to her side. He was quick to pull out the feather in her abdomen before putting his hand on Aria¡¯s chest and absorbing the new Irradiation in her body.


    ¡°Like I said, a one-trick pony.¡± Narissa sneered at the two of them.


    Nic¡¯s heart was beating faster than normal. Sweat was finally beginning to dribble down his face. His eyesight narrowed as his face turned more and more sour.


    ¡°So she can create Irradiation- ow ow ow,¡± Aria stood up behind Nic and clutched the spot in her abdomen that had been punctured. ¡°Just like Jack.¡±


    Nic realized it as Aria said the connection out loud. The group that had betrayed Crystalia was the same group that had recruited Jack. At the very least they had the same technology.


    He looked at Aria with concern. She looked at him with a scant bit of worry on her face before sighing and holding her sword¡¯s hilt out to him. ¡°I¡¯ll stay in the back. Ranged attacks and keeping you safe.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be taking the brunt of the attacks.¡± Nic grabbed the second sword¡¯s hilt. With the magic loop no longer in effect, Aria¡¯s Spirit King armor disappeared as she moved away from the fight area.


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    ¡°Splitting up?¡± Narissa watched the two of them with a creepy fascination.


    ¡°Nah, just going to our best-suited roles for now. Aria still hasn¡¯t learned the sword that well. I¡¯m your only opponent for now.¡± Nic raised the sword with the black crystal and pointed it at Narissa. The second hung in his left hand.


    The extra weight was off. He needed to make small adjustments to his movements as he fought.


    ¡°Hyahahahahaha! Fine then! Come to your death. Your skills are not as refined as Ito¡¯s! I know I can beat you.¡± Narissa didn¡¯t let Nic have a chance to strike first. She moved as she talked. Another of her deadly strike was fast approaching.


    Nic dodged the first one.


    He used both swords to block the second.


    Narissa was right about his skills. He was simply doing as he had been instructed by Yuuki this entire time. He was copying someone else. And he had never reached that person¡¯s level of expertise.


    Narissa wasn¡¯t as strong as Yuuki. Both Nic and her knew this. But she was still powerful. With the intent to kill, she was stronger than Yuuki had been on that day that Jack attacked. The first, and only, time that Nic beat Yuuki in a duel.


    If Nic wanted to win, he had to take all of his knowledge and truly make it his own.


    His key to victory was the second sword in his hand.


    Twin swords, forged of the same metal and tempered in the very same flame. One held his own magic while the other held the magic of the one he loved.


    Nic wasn¡¯t used to fighting with two swords. He had done some practice when first starting but had quickly moved to a single sword as that was what Yuuki had known best.


    With these twin swords, Nic would learn to adapt the sword skills that he had been taught to work with two swords.


    Narissa attacked again. This time Nic deflected it with one sword while he closed the distance and struck with the second. A red line appeared on Narissa¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°So you¡¯re changing up the tempo? Tsk.¡± Narissa clicked her tongue as she quickly adapted to the new method of attacking that Nic was using.


    Between deflecting her attacks and dodging them while using one of the two swords to quickly counter-attack, Nic was beginning to see more and more cuts and gashes on his opponent.


    But that wasn¡¯t the only damage that Narissa was taking. Aria was also fighting. Nic would occasionally find his opponent gasping for air, being lurched in a sudden direction, or even wildly missing their swings. Each time it was thanks to Aria manipulating the air around the two.


    ¡°Why are you so much harder to hit now?! What changed? Changing your sword style mid-combat should result in your being less effective! Not more!¡± Frustrated, Narissa began to complain in the middle of their fight.


    Nic actually wondered the same thing himself. He was feeling far more comfortable fighting like this than he had expected to. Because of that, he was moving faster than before and was striking fairly hard for only using one arm for each sword.


    Narissa flicked her wing at Nic, sending a wave of black miasma at him. A single cut of the black crystal sword caused it to vanish. With a flick of his other wrist, the green crystal sword created a thin blade of air in much the same way. This blade hit its mark, creating a gash in the remaining wing of Narissa¡¯s.


    She cried out in pain. Her attacks became less refined as time went on. Each strike more wild than the last. Her attacks with the wing were more and more reliant on Irradiation instead of the physical wing itself.


    The two¡¯s fighting styles continued to contrast with each other the longer the fight went on.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this starting to drag on? Won¡¯t you surrender?¡± Nic wove his words in between the constant barrage of strikes coming from his swords. In between each word, a blast of air hit Narissa in a random spot. Aria was weaving her magic in from behind Nic the entire time.


    ¡°N-Never-Ah!¡± Narissa tries to refuse Nic but was cut short when he simply hit her sword out of her hand. It clattered to the ground as Nic kicked Narissa down as well. ¡°No no no no! This was supposed to end with your death!¡±


    ¡°Stop complaining. As long as you cooperate, you get to live.¡± Nic wanted to kill her. That was the truth of the matter. But he also needed her alive- if for nothing else than to confirm some of the things that Solus had said.


    ¡°Live?!¡± Narissa scoffed as she scuttled backward. ¡°You call living in shackles life?! All you¡¯re gonna do is interrogate me then it''s off to the gallows for my death. That isn¡¯t life,¡± Narissa spat in Nic¡¯s general direction. ¡°That¡¯s an extended death sentence.¡± She lifted her body up just enough to move the still-in-motion wing. ¡°One that I won¡¯t accept!¡±


    Her wing expelled more Irradiation.


    Nic was faster than her. His sword pierced through miasma and flesh, finding its purchase in the stone beneath.


    Another cry of anguish.


    ¡°This¡­ won¡¯t stop¡­ me!¡± Nic looked down as a sickening sound filled his ears. Before his eyes, he watched as Narissa pulled her body away from the pinned wing. She used enough force to tear the skin and bones keeping the body part attached.


    He stood there motionless, unable to fully grasp what he had just seen.


    Narissa took the opportunity to make her escape attempt. She pulled herself to her knees and was about to get to her feet fully when she stopped.


    Her hands scratched at the air around her neck almost like there was something invisible there.


    ¡°Ug- A- Eh- Kcchk!¡± Blunt noises came out of her mouth. Was she trying to talk? Nic couldn¡¯t tell.


    Her hands became more chaotic. She scratched faster. Harder. Her nails managed to draw her own blood as she tried to remove the invisible hand there. When she looked at Nic, her eyes were already bulging out of her head. She looked at Nic with intense fear.


    Or¡­ Was she looking past Nic?


    He turned around and found Aria still standing a few mer away. She wasn¡¯t making any noise or any visual movements, but even Nic could see the movement of air around her. Not only that, he could feel the magic flowing through the air.


    ¡°Aria, wait!¡± Nic raised one of his hands. ¡°We need her alive, at least to verify some stuff.¡±


    Aria ignored Nic. Narissa continued to choke on nothingness as the air in her lungs was forcibly removed by the Air Spirit Queen herself.


    Nic walked up to Aria and grabbed her shoulders.


    ¡°Aria! We need to keep her alive!¡± Nic shook her shoulders slightly. He needed her to not kill Narissa.


    Behind him, he heard the sound of Narissa¡¯s body hitting the ground. He started to rush over to her when he was stopped by Aria finally speaking.


    ¡°She¡¯s just unconscious. While I wanted to kill her, I agree that we need to let her live, at least for now.¡± Aria let out a soft sigh as she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°At least this way she won¡¯t put up much of a resistance.¡±


    Nic let out a short breath in relief. He continued over to where Narissa¡¯s body was and checked its pulse just to be safe. There was a soft beat. It was slow but there.


    He needed to tie her up. Nic looked around for some rope, hoping to spot any in the rubble.


    ¡°You see any rope? For tying her up?¡± Nic called out to Aria as he looked in his general vicinity.


    ¡°Ah! Got some here.¡± Aria had found a small spool near a crashed stand. The stand had probably once been a small storefront. Nic gratefully took the rope as Aria rushed it to him.


    It was singed in multiple areas and had already frayed at both ends, but it was better than nothing. Nic just hoped that it would last once she woke up as he tied her hands and feet together.


    Once that was done he turned to Aria and handed out the second sword to her.


    ¡°Here you go. Once we get back to Sanum though, It¡¯ll be practice from dawn to dusk.¡± Aria took the sword with a soft smile on her face. She slid it into the sheath sitting on her waist before giving Nic a small nod.


    Nic slid the other sword into the sheath at his own waist before squatting down and picking up their new unconscious prisoner.


    With Narissa slung over his shoulder, the two started their walk back to the area that Aria had left the rest in. The two were able to follow the connecting path near the castle walls.


    As they made their way from the western road to the middle road, a runner in leather armor came bursting through wreckage blocking the way to the eastern road. In his hand was a bloody short sword, still dripping with fresh blood. Nic and Aria only exchanged a split-second glance before the runner was stopped in their tracks by the wind around them.


    Unlike Narissa they still had the ability to breathe, they just couldn¡¯t move their limbs anymore. Which was most likely the one thing they didn¡¯t want as a berserk Yuuki quickly rushed into the area behind him.


    Tears were streaming down her face as she tackled the runner to the ground. She had her sword in her hands in an instant and was getting ready to stab the man in the back.


    ¡°Die! Die! Die die die die die!!!¡± Yuuki¡¯s voice cracked as she screamed at the runner.


    ¡°Yuuki?¡± Aria was the one who spoke up between the two of them. Hearing her voice seemed to shake Yuuki enough to stop her mid-downward thrust.


    ¡°Aria¡­? Nic?¡± Yuuki looked between the two of them confused. Her eyes were bloodshot and there was a spray of blood already caking half of her face.


    ¡°Hey, what happened? What did this man do?¡± Nic kneeled down next to her. His gut was already telling him that whatever was going on was bad. He had to figure out the truth as soon as he could.


    ¡°He¡­ Crystal¡­ He stabbed¡­ She¡¯s bleeding out!¡± Her voice was confused like she didn¡¯t fully know everything herself. Yet she said those phrases with such confidence that Nic realized what she was saying.


    That bad feeling in his gut- why was it always right? His heart began to beat faster. His breathing quickened.


    Aria put her arm on his shoulder and motioned for him to get past the barrier. He nodded and ran towards the gap in the debris blocking the way. Behind him, Aria took care of both Yuuki and Narissa, whom Nic had dropped when he had knelt at Yuuki¡¯s side.


    Nic burst into the small clearing. It wasn¡¯t hard to tell where Crystal was. There was a crowd forming. Her subjects were crying as they looked on at their dying queen. Rust was at her side, trying to stop the bleeding while Cyril was talking with her.


    Cyril was the first to notice Nic and motioned for him to take his place. Nic hurried over and knelt by his dying ancestor. When she saw his face, Crystal smiled as sweetly as she could.


    ¡°Is that Nic¡­ I see? Or¡­ Noah?¡± Crystal reached up and cupped Nic¡¯s cheek with one of her hands. The feeble digits trembled as they touched his skin. Nic grabbed it with his own hand.


    ¡°Nic.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± A fit of coughing racked her body in pain. ¡°The assailant¡­ got me with¡­ a strong poison. There is only so long¡­ that I can survive. Even with the slowing of¡­ my blood.¡± Blood came out of her mouth as she coughed again.


    ¡°Just rest. If we get Sarman over here, he can help.¡± Nic tried to get Crystal to calm down by offering a small hope but she simply shook her head.


    ¡°If I¡¯m gonna die¡­ I need to do this first¡­ Nic, cut your hand¡­ please?¡± Nic stared at her. Cut his hand? Why did he need to do that? That was when Nic realized it. The person in front of him was the only known person who could manipulate another¡¯s blood.


    With that realization in his mind, he unsheathed his blade enough to be able to tightly grip the blade. He squeezed until he felt the blade cut the skin on his palm.


    Crystal grabbed the bloodied hand and closed her eyes.


    Nic felt something change in him. His mind grew foggy. His body felt light. It was like he was in the clouds, but he couldn¡¯t focus on anything.


    The feeling disappeared in an instant. Nic was brought back to reality. The sudden shift caused his stomach to lurch. He nearly threw up on Crystal right at that moment.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Nic felt his body over once but felt nothing physical out of the ordinary. It was simply an internal feeling that something had changed.


    ¡°Aerial has broken his 500-year pact¡­ so I lived up to my end¡­ of the deal.¡± Crystal smiled at him. Nic realized what she meant. He would be able to absorb more Irradiation at once.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± The words were sincere as he bowed his head to her.


    He wouldn¡¯t be able to absorb all the Irradiation in the world, but he could now absorb a major city''s worth at least. If nothing else, that was a great boon to Nic.


    ¡°Cyril! Over here!¡± Nic looked up as he heard Aria calling out to the person standing above him. Yuuki and Aria had brought back the runner and Narissa¡¯s bodies. Both were still alive.


    After Cyril took the runner off of Yuuki¡¯s hands, she looked over at Nic kneeling next to Crystal.


    Nic motioned for her to take his place, just as Cyril had done for him.

 Part 2 Epilogue: Where One Story Ends, Another Begins

    Yuuki stumbled over her feet as she lurched her way to where Nic was kneeling next to Crystal. She dropped to her knees and took his place. Before her, Crystal was in the middle of coughing up blood. Yuuki tried to help but was waved away by the queen.


    ¡°Please, let me do something!¡± Yuuki¡¯s voice was hoarse as she pleaded with Crystal. She would do anything to help her. ¡°I¡¯ll get Sarman! He can use a feather! Please!¡±


    A hand reached up and patted her on the head. Her ears folded down as she struggled to keep herself remotely sane in this situation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Someone called?¡± A gruff voice cut Crystal off. Sarman grunted as he knelt down next to Yuuki. He reached into his shirt and pulled out a crimson-red feather from inside. ¡°Salamander, mind helping me with this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about-¡± Crystal tried to stop Sarman despite her incessant coughing. She had to resign herself to Sarmans plan as a flaming lizard jumped onto her chest.


    Salamander sniffed around the wound.


    ¡°Salamander? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sarman noticed the lizard''s stiffness first. The connection between the two was to thank for that.


    ¡°This¡­ smell¡­¡± The lizard whipped its head around, looking for someone in the crowd. Spotting its target it fiercely jumped off of Crystal. It grew midair until it was the size of a proper human. It landed with a crash on top of the man who had stabbed Crystal. ¡°Where?! Where did you get that poison!?¡±


    ¡°HehahehahahahaHAHAHA! I won¡¯t tell you anything.¡± With a single hiss, the man bashed his head against the stone beneath him.


    ¡°No!¡± It wasn¡¯t just Salamander that cried out in shock. Nic and Aria immediately moved to subdue the man as Cyril forced the flaming lizard off of the man.


    Sarman ignored everything and tried to press the feather into Crystal¡¯s wound. His face grew enraged as nothing happened.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t this work? Salamander!¡± Sarman called out to the lizard. ¡°Get over here, I need your power to make this work.¡± Sarman finally looked at the lizard when he didn¡¯t get any response. ¡°Salamander¡­?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t work¡­¡± The lizard had grown crestfallen before responding. His apathetic, dejected voice for the one he was contracted with.


    ¡°What?!¡± Yuuki nearly screamed at the lizard. ¡°You haven¡¯t even tried! And you¡¯ve already given up!¡± Why would Salamander refuse to heal Crystal? Was it because it wasn¡¯t acquainted with her? What about Yuuki¡¯s feelings? Was she just supposed to sit down and let Crystal die without doing anything?


    ¡°I have tried!¡± Salamander seethed as he responded. ¡°Eighteen years ago, Ordwell and I tried everything to cure Lily! And nothing worked!¡± The flames surrounding the lizard slowly disappeared. Soon the body had disappeared as well, leaving only a faint sentence for those still listening. ¡°This poison¡­ it¡¯s incurable.¡±


    Yuuki was silenced in an instant. She shivered as she put one of her hands on Sarmans. As much as she was shivering, Sarman could be said to be in an uncontrollable shake. In a silent daze, he slowly backed away, muttering his mother¡¯s name in confusion.


    What could Yuuki do but let him go?


    Crystal reached out her hand again. She cupped the side of Yuuki¡¯s face, smothering the blood slowly trickling out of a hidden cut. The sting of skin touching the open wound was what let Yuuki even know that the cut was there.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Crys- Ah!¡± Yuuki gasped midsentence. Something cold had spread its way through her body, originating from the contact with Crystal. Her body temperature dropped considerably for a split second before returning to normal. ¡°What¡­ did you¡­ just do?¡±


    Plip. Plop.


    As Yuuki struggled to speak again, some water droplets hit the ground next to Crystal¡¯s body.


    ¡°I wanted,¡± More blood spilled from Crystal''s mouth as she coughed in the middle of her response. ¡°I wanted to give you¡­ one last gift¡­ When you need it the most¡­ the gift will make¡­ itself¡­ known to you.¡±


    Plop. Plip. Plop.


    Crystal¡¯s hand dropped to the ground. Her labored breathing became erratic. Yuuki¡¯s vision blurred as she looked into the dimming eyes of the queen in front of her.


    ¡°Cyril¡­?¡± Crystal weakly called out for her attendant.


    ¡°Yes, my queen?¡± The man she called out for knelt next to Yuuki. His shaky voice failed to mask the tears he was holding back.


    ¡°Crystalia¡­ it will need a new¡­ leader. Please¡­ support her just¡­ as you have supported me.¡± Cyril¡¯s fist tightened as he struggled to nod his head to the whisper that barely reached his ears.


    Yuuki was still clinging onto Crystal¡¯s body, stopping anyone else from reaching it. If she hadn¡¯t, Cyril would¡¯ve taken her place instead.


    ¡°Then¡­ my last act¡­ as queen: My successor¡­ is¡­ Yuuki¡­ Ito¡­¡± With a single breath, Crystal named her successor. The Cat girl that she had only known for a little over a month. The girl that stared blankly at her body as tears streamed openly from her face.


    Yuuki was silent as a chorus of wails rose into the air. In its path, the noise was met by a sheet of rain from the heavens.


    The gray clouds in the sky let loose their waiting teardrops unto the crowds below.


    ¡°Ah. At least I got to give that final decree.¡±


    I looked down at the girl holding the body I once occupied. Her body was glued in place like steel, tears silently streaming down her face. Had she even realized that the clouds had let loose their own tears for my death?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yuuki. Don¡¯t hate me too much for hoisting this weight on your shoulders.¡±


    The Cat girl couldn¡¯t hear me. Nor could she see me as I reached down and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.


    Standing up, I looked to the East. I have traveled across many different lands in my time alive on Kronul. At one point I even visited the lands that Yuuki hailed from. Kyoku, the land in the East, named for its western capital. While there I met two young fellows still in their prime. One was a Cat man named Nobu Ito. Yuuki¡¯s father.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t hate me either, young Nobu. I have sealed her future away from Kyoku after giving her the gift you so longed for. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I still remember his pleas for me to help him with his little ¡°bloodline¡± issue. But it is not for me to willingly defy the will of Kronus simply because someone asked me to.


    I only defied it now because of who she would eventually face.


    ¡°I wonder, where are you¡­ daughter?¡±


    The attack of Crystalia. It was her fault. The woman I call my daughter. The woman who was created as a mirror image of me. Ruby Serilo. Why did you want to kill me so badly? I guess I¡¯ll never know the answers to those questions myself.


    A beam of light cutting through the rain caught my attention. Standing at its base was another like me. He looked an awful lot like the kid I had just helped before my death. A smile as wide as my face formed. Even as I am now, I¡¯m able to feel this happiness just because I saw him again.


    I was a flower on the wind as I raced to him. Debris. Walls. None of them stopped me. I ran through each one and threw myself into his arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s really you, isn¡¯t it, Noah?¡± I could barely contain my excitement at seeing him again at last. It has been far too long since we last laid eyes on each other.


    ¡°It is. And it¡¯s been far too long.¡± He stared deeply into my eyes. It felt like I was going to drown in his presence.


    It only took a second for both of us to grin like madmen before bursting out into laughter.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s two hundred years early, isn¡¯t it? Do you think they¡¯ll reverse the past?¡± Noah nodded behind me to the group still mourning over my body.


    ¡°I do,¡± I nodded as I said it. ¡°After all, if they don¡¯t¡­ Kronul will never know the peace it once knew.¡±

 Part 3 Prologue: Dawns Meeting

    The musky hues of the cloud covered morning sky sat overhead. Below her, flames billowed from the seaside town. The sound of swords clashing against steel, the screams of the resistors, and the destruction of the buildings reached up the mountainside to her ears.


    A sinister grin danced across Ruby¡¯s face as she took in the destruction.


    ¡°This is their comeuppance for daring to deny us passage across the channel.¡±


    Behind Ruby were two of her advisors. To the right was Alec, his face as stone cold as when they had arrived. He would never show any dissatisfaction with her actions in front of others. Of course, she would get an earful the next time the two of them were alone.


    But to the left was the one she aimed her words at. A spineless advisor who was only there because of their prior knowledge of Kyoku. When she first ordered the attack on the village, he was the only one to argue against her. Even now, his hands shook with fury aimed at her. The man hated the carnage he was witnessing in front of him.


    ¡°I¡­¡± The man was about to speak up, but was cut off by a quick jab to his side from Alec. ¡°But!¡± He turned to the other advisor. Only instead of Alec, it was Ruby who turned around to face the advisor.


    With her attention turned to him, he succumbed to the pressure and flinched, hiding his face behind his arm.


    ¡°But what? My orders are absolute for the rebellion. If you wish to deny them¡­ then do you wish to die?¡±


    The advisor, too scared to talk, simply shook his head before racing out of her presence.


    Only once he was out of sight did Ruby let out a long sigh. Her shoulders drooped as she let go of the aura of authority she had been keeping together.


    The only other person there was Alec, who had long known this side of her. She glanced over at him knowing full well that he had something to say now that they were alone.


    ¡°Why attack the village? They would¡¯ve become our people eventually.¡± Instead of completely bashing her plan like Ruby had been expecting, Alec posed it as a question.


    ¡°An example had to be made. If not here, another village.¡± Ruby looked back out towards the coastline. ¡°Kyoku will never give itself up without a fight. We have to show them that we are willing to go as far as we need to.¡± If she could¡¯ve avoided a fight, Ruby would¡¯ve. But the reputation of Kyoku¡¯s leader, the Shogun, was well known. He would fight to protect his people, no matter what. He would never simply let them go.


    ¡°And this village is the least populated¡­¡± Alec had connected the dots and realized Ruby¡¯s true intention. She had specifically chosen this fishing village because it was the newest, and therefore the smallest, of the fishing villages.


    Ruby turned around to find Alec looking away from her. At the spot he was looking at, a pillar of light appeared next to an ever growing shadow on the ground.


    From each a man appeared. They were nearly identical. The only difference was the color of their hair and eyes. The one that came from the pillar of light had white hair and eyes, while the one that came from the shadows had black hair and eyes. They both wore dark cloaks that covered the rest of their features.


    ¡°Ah. Solus, Orpheus. You two are back at the exact same time, huh?¡± Ruby greeted the two Spirit Kings with a small bow. She hadn¡¯t been expecting either of them back for another day or two. What news had they brought of their respective jobs?


    ¡°No need for the formalities, Queen Ruby. You are technically our boss, remember?¡± Solus waved away Ruby¡¯s bow with a wave of his hand and a quick remark. His quiet companion simply gave her a small bow in return. ¡°Eh, whatever. I got some good news and some bad news. Which would you like first?¡±


    ¡°Good first, please.¡± Ruby was hopeful that the good news was exactly what she wanted to hear.


    ¡°Crystal is dead. Injected with her poison.¡±


    For once, Ruby genuinely smiled. There was a sinister tint to it, but for her it was filled with pure joy. While she was a clone of Crystal¡¯s, she had always opposed the Blood Elfs view on how the world and Irradiation should interact. Hearing that her creator was dead lifted Ruby¡¯s spirits immensely. There was nothing that Solus could say that would be able to deny this joy.


    ¡°And the bad?¡±


    ¡°Crystallia is still intact. In fact, an Ito was crowned as its ruler now.¡±


    Hearing that, Ruby looked back at the ocean, or more accurately across the ocean. To the landmass that sat there. The mainland for the country of Kyoku.


    The Ito¡¯s were a line of famous warriors from that country. They even used to be the rulers of it. For one to be named as the Crown Ruler of another city¡­ Ruby wondered if the Ito¡¯s still in Kyoku knew of this development.


    ¡°We should quicken our pace then. Don¡¯t want them ruining our plans.¡±


    As she declared her intent, a loud roar rang out from the mountains behind Ruby. She looked up and saw a large wing disappearing into the clouds high above.


    ¡°Was that a prophecy for our future, M¡¯kara?¡± Ruby whispered into the morning sky.


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    The rain had lasted for two whole days after Crystal¡¯s death. During that time, Crystallia had worked to rebuild much of the damage that had been done. Rust drowned himself in work, forcing his grief to the side.


    With his help, the townspeople had gained much improved housing. No longer were their buildings primarily wood. Stone had taken over the primary material used for buildings and the defensive wall built around Crystalia.


    Sarman himself had helped around the town quite a bit. Wherever there was help needed, he had found himself there. It helped him take his mind off of the poison used to kill the former monarch. The same poison that had taken his mother¡¯s life two centuries prior.


    Now that the rain had subsided, Sarman found himself in the central tower of the castle. The room he was in was wide and mostly empty besides some royal decorations and a simple throne that sat in the center of the room. Cyril  had said that it was the queen¡¯s audience chamber.


    But the person that Sarman was looking for wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°...¡±


    A sound came from above him. Sarman looked for a staircase that Nic had told him about. Apparently the queen¡¯s bedchambers were directly above her audience chamber.


    ¡°She made it just for you. She was going to give it to you before you left, but¡­ well¡­¡±


    Sarman could hear someone talking as he ascended the stairs. As soon as he could see into the circular room, he saw the person he was looking for.


    Yuuki was standing in front of a closeted dresser. Next to her was one of the castle maids, an elf with fiery red hair.


    In her hands, Yuuki was holding an elegant royal purple dress. It looked fit for a queen, but matched Yuuki¡¯s eyes shade for shade. Sarman could realize it just by looking at the dress. He had seen Yuuki¡¯s eyes enough to know what shade of purple they were.


    The dress looked to be woven from a fine silk. From what little Sarman could see from it, there were no sleeves and the back seemed to be open as well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t accept something as fancy¡­¡±


    ¡°No no no. It¡¯s yours already. No talk about accepting it. You should wear it when you need to take care of your duties as our queen.¡±


    The maid was trying to push the dress onto the wavering Yuuki. Sarman could tell from her dropped shoulders that Yuuki really meant it when she said she didn¡¯t want the dress. From what she had been telling him prior to Crystal¡¯s death, Sarman was fairly confident in assuming that she blamed herself entirely.


    Accepting the dress probably felt like an admission of guilt to her.


    That was why, ¡°You should wear it. I think you''d look stunning.¡± That was why Sarman would give her his own push.


    Both Yuuki and the maid quickly turned around at his voice. Yuuki¡¯s face was full of confusion while the emotion only briefly glanced over the maid¡¯s face. Instead, her face got red as a fire ball appeared in her hands.


    ¡°Who are you? You¡¯re not allowed to be in here!¡± She had quickly gotten into a defensive position in front of her queen. The dedication to her job was admirable.


    ¡°Linda, it¡¯s fine.¡± Yuuki tried to get the maid, Linda, to stand down, but was instead met with a barrage of her own.


    ¡°Fine? This is the queen¡¯s quarters! You can¡¯t just let some nobody in. Especially a nobody that isn¡¯t even from Crystalia.¡± Sarman chuckled at the nobody comment. It was even funnier since a flaming lizard was currently sitting beneath the maid¡¯s hand. It had seen the small fireball and thought it was a snack.


    Impatient and tired of waiting for the maid to take notice of it, Salamander jumped onto her arm and ate the small fireball in front of her face.


    ¡°Salamander, that¡¯s enough.¡± Sarman called out for the spirit king. Hearing its name come out of his mouth, the maid was slack-jawed in response. Sarman let the spirit jump back onto his own shoulder before addressing the maid herself. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m not just a ¡®nobody¡¯. And, I¡¯m also your queen¡¯s oldest friend.¡±


    Linda looked to Yuuki for confirmation, who simply nodded her head in confirmation.


    ¡°I trust Sarman. He won¡¯t do anything to me.¡± With Yuuki¡¯s reassurance, Linda finally relaxed. Without so much as another word to the two old friends, she scurried past Sarman and down the steps.


    Sarman gave her a small apologetic nod as she passed by. Once she was gone, he turned back to Yuuki who had sat down on the large bed in the middle of the room.


    ¡°This was your first time up here since that day, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Sarman walked over and sat next to Yuuki after she motioned to him that it was fine for him to sit. She still had the purple dress in her hands. She barely looked away from it as Sarman spoke.


    ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s hard being up here.¡± Yuuki could barely talk in a whisper. Her voice was stretched too thin as she held back the emotions surely swirling through her heart. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe that Crystal is¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you blame yourself?¡± Sarman knew what the silence he got in return meant. She had blamed herself for everything that happened to the city before. Of course she would find herself at fault for the death of the city''s monarch. Sarman reached out and pulled Yuuki into his chest. ¡°You don¡¯t need to blame yourself.¡±


    ¡°But!¡±


    ¡°No buts. I can¡¯t blame myself or my father for my mother''s death. And you can¡¯t blame yourself for Crystal¡¯s. If you want to blame someone, blame whoever made that poison.¡± Sarman still remembered what Salamander had said that day. The poison that Crystal had been stabbed with- it was also the poison that had taken his mother¡¯s life when he was still a baby.


    Yuuki stayed quiet as she listened to Sarman. She didn¡¯t offer any words of her own, just the quiet sniffling caused by the tears streaming down her cheeks.


    ¡°When I find the person responsible for the poison¡­ I¡¯ll let you know and we can kill him together.¡± It was a vow that Sarman was making in his heart. He alone knew what it was like to lose someone dear to that incurable poison. He alone knew what she was going through. How powerless she must feel. So no matter what, he would let her get revenge as well. No matter who they would find at the end of the search.


    Yuuki nodded. She also agreed with Sarman¡¯s personal vow. But she wasn¡¯t going to let it go without her own input. ¡°It won¡¯t be you who finds him. It will be us.¡±


    Sarman looked at her in surprise. She had been named queen of a city. Yuuki wouldn¡¯t have the time to search for herself.


    ¡°You¡¯re queen of this city now. Do you really have time to search?¡±


    ¡°Sarman, I can¡¯t stay here. Not now. I need time away from Crystalia.¡±


    Sarman stayed quiet. He could understand her wanting to get away from the place that Crystal died.


    Maybe having her stay with them for a bit longer would be best for her.


    And it would mean that he wouldn¡¯t have to have that dreaded conversation about her leaving yet.


    ¡°In that case I should let you in on our plans¡­¡±

 Chapter 34: Leaving Crystallia

    Nic stood near the entrance to the Crystallia Castle. In his hand was a small journal that Yuuki had found in Crystal''s sleeping quarters. Normally he wouldn¡¯t have taken it himself, but Yuuki insisted on it thanks to some of the things in it related to his family. Next to him was Aria with Rust on her other side. Sarman was near the center of the entrance hall to the castle, near Yuuki. Yuuki herself was on a raised platform, quickly crafted in the past two days for this very moment.


    ¡°And now, at the request of our former queen I, Cyril Loughmen, hereby declare Yuuki Ito as the new Queen of Crystalia.¡±


    Nic watched as Yuuki was officially crowned into the small Rad-Town¡¯s monarchy. If this was any other moment in time, this would also mean that Nic would once again be unable to see his friend for a long time.


    But this wasn¡¯t ¡®any other moment in time¡¯.


    ¡°Thank you, Cyril.¡± Yuuki thanked the racoon demi-human as he quickly stepped off the stage. Yuuki turned to face the crowd gathered in the castle. She was wearing a beautiful crafted purple dress. Apparently, Crystal had it made for her before her death. It was originally meant to be a parting gift, but now it stood as the clothing that Yuuki decided to wear as she received her true parting gift from the Blood Elf. Atop her head was the small golden crown. Her long black hair was perfectly aligned with her straight back.


    ¡°To everyone in Crystalia: thank you for agreeing with Crystal¡¯s announcement on her deathbed. To tell you all the truth, I wish I wasn¡¯t standing on this stage right now. I wish she was still with us.¡± Yuuki stopped her speech as the crowd sorrowfully murmured in agreement. ¡°I can¡¯t be the same as Crystal. I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m cut out to be a Queen. Not yet at least. That¡¯s why I must make a few announcements here and now.¡±


    Yuuki turned back to the side of the stage.


    ¡°Cyril Loughmen, would you please come back up here?¡±


    The Racoon Demi-Human looked around in confusion as he walked onto the stage. When he got to Yuuki he knelt in front of his new Queen.


    ¡°You may stand.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your highness.¡±


    ¡°As my first act as Queen of Crystalia, I hereby name Cyril Loughmen as the Grand Governor of this city.¡± A ripple of shock swept through the room. Cyril himself was eyeing Yuuki with great suspicion.


    ¡°Grand Governor?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Yuuki nodded. ¡°I¡¯m still fairly new to this city. Your job while I¡¯m here is to help me run the city as you are a longstanding citizen of it.¡±


    ¡°While you¡¯re here?¡± Cyril questioned the wording of Yuuki¡¯s declaration. Unknowingly he had hit on the one point that Yuuki was about to explain.


    ¡°And that question gets me to my second announcement. Though, in this case, it¡¯s not really my announcement. Nic. Aria. You two have the floor.¡± Yuuki nodded confidently at them.


    Nic let out a sigh. The reason they were by the door itself was for this reason. Nic and Aria soon found themselves blocking off the main exit for the 100 or so people in the castle at that moment in time.


    Could Yuuki have painted them as villains any more?


    ¡°Hello everyone,¡± Nic projected his voice as loud as he could. ¡°I know that my friend and I here are standing in a very suspicious spot, but I assure you that nothing bad will come of what we must do. We came to this town during the recent attack and helped to defend the citizens. During that time, we witnessed the destruction you all faced. And we saw how you bounced back to rebuild the city. We¡¯re leaving Crystallia soon, but we wanted to give you a gift before then. One that will hopefully make your lives just a little bit easier.¡±


    Nic and Aria shared a glance as Nic took out his sword and held it above his head. The room they were in began to groan. A low continuous sound that droned on for a while. As it grew louder, the wind began to pick up. It found its way past every person there, drawing out the Irradiation in their body. It didn¡¯t matter if it was only trace amounts or they were on their deathbeds with Irradiation Sickness.


    But it wasn¡¯t just the people that the wind drew Irradiation from. Every piece of object. Every building outside. Every shard of grass or speck of dirt. The wind drew it from everything.


    And it funneled all of it into the sword raised in the air.


    Nic absorbed and purified all of it. It didn¡¯t even take him long to do it. He had finally reached the point where creating a new City-State like this wouldn¡¯t take the strength out of him like it had originally.


    And so after a few minutes, Crystallia had stopped being a Rad-Town and was now a fledgling City-State.


    There were a handful of people who had been bedridden with Irradiation Sickness. They were looking around wondrously as they could finally stand up again. The air grew abuzz as the citizens of Crystallia slowly began to realize what Nic¡¯s ¡®gift¡¯ was.


    A life without Irradiation.


    Freedom from the fear that it brought.


    A chance for the city to grow.


    Realizing this and more, the people crowded around Nic and Aria. Praises, Thankful cheers, and the crying embrace of those whose family were on the brink of death from Irradiation were showered upon the two of them. They each tried in their own ways to calm the people down, but when it was clear that they wouldn¡¯t be able to do it, they simply gave in and let the people do what they wanted.


    ¡°Ahem!¡± It was only after a few minutes of watching this display that Yuuki loudly cleared her throat, drawing the attention back to her. ¡°As you have all realized, Nic and Aria have graciously freed Crystalia from the shackles of being named a ¡°rad-town¡±. We now have a chance to grow. To prosper. To become the city that Crystal always knew we could be.¡±


    Before Crystal had appeared, Crystalia didn¡¯t exist. It wasn¡¯t a town that had existed beforehand and simply changed its name. It was Crystal that built the first building. It was her that drew so many people together. It was her that kept them around.


    Crystal was responsible for creating so many of the first City-States after the Irradiated Winter. Each one was a place for humanity to survive the apocalypse on their doorstep. But as the years went on, Crystal became dissatisfied with those City-States.


    And so Crystallia was her answer.


    ¡°Crystal created this town to bring change to the world. And as a City-State ourselves, now we have the chance to do just that.¡± There were strong murmurs of agreement coming out of the crowd as they listened to Yuuki. ¡°But there are still rules we must follow. And we must make sure we can get through long enough to do what Crystal hoped this town would do. As it stands now, we don¡¯t have enough resources to last us through the year.¡± Yuuki paused for a moment. The air above the crowd grew strained. What she said wasn¡¯t what they wanted to hear, but each and every single person knew it held a kernel of truth in it.


    ¡°So this is what I plan on doing. While our friends travel back to their home of Sanum, I will lead a small delegation and travel with them. My goal is to enter an alliance with Aric or Sanum, maybe both if I¡¯m lucky, to help us with supplies and protection while we get back on our own two feet.¡±


    The tension in the air broke. Yuuki had set up the moment with her pauses in order to gain the maximum support for her plan that she could. She let the tension rise with the less than well news, before springing her proposal on the people of the village.


    The adults in the crowd didn¡¯t care if they knew that their emotions were being manipulated. Nearly every single one of them raised a voice in support of Yuuki¡¯s plan. Cyril had looked worried for a bit there, but once he heard Yuuki¡¯s plan and everything clicked into place in his mind, he looked relieved more than anything.


    ¡°You have the city¡¯s blessing, your majesty!¡± One of the people in the crowd called out to Yuuki. He may not have gotten everyone¡¯s permission to say what he did, but the cheer that resounded from the rest of the people showed that the sentiment was correct.


    ¡°Thank you. I guess I should get ready to make my departure from Crystallia then. Everyone is dismissed!¡± Yuuki turned to Cyril to talk, but Nic was too far away to hear anything.


    Aria and he quickly got out of the way of the townspeople as a number of them left to get back to their usual daily routines. Not a small amount stopped to thank the two of them for what they had done for Crystallia.


    Once things had died down and most of the people of Crystallia had left the church Aria, Rust, and Nic finally managed to get close to Yuuki and Sarman. The latter two were talking with a couple of straggling townspeople. As the group got close to them, it became abundantly clear why.


    ¡°-row two of the city carts then.¡±


    ¡°That would be very nice, but I don''t want to take away resources that could help the people here. Just walking should be fine for us.¡±


    Yuuki was trying to argue that they didn¡¯t need to use the few carts that Crystallia had on their journey, but was being met with the wall that is a stubborn man.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem for us, Queen Yuuki. Your safety should be the highest concern. Getting to Sanum and back in a timely manner would help make sure you are safe. So these carts are still going to be used for Crystallia¡¯s interests!¡±


    Yuuki was in a losing battle, and even she realized it. Continuing to argue would only serve to delay their departure from the fledgeling City-State. With a clear sense of annoyance, Yuuki finally submitted to the townsperson¡¯s request.


    With their goals accomplished, the last few people left the castle, leaving only a handful of people left. Besides the four outsiders to the city, Aria, Sarman, Rust, and Nic, Yuuki and Cyril were also there. As was a maid named Linda, her fiery red hair making her standout even in the largest of crowd, and two other people who would be joining them as part of Yuuki¡¯s little delegation.


    ¡°Well then, it looks like we are ready to head for Sanum then?¡±


    It was the first time that Sarman had spoken up since the coronation ceremony had begun. He had silently watched the entire thing, focused on making sure that no one would attempt to regicide yet again so soon.


    Yuuki gave him a quick nod of her head before addressing Cyril. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re heading out now. I trust the city in your hands.¡± The two shared a strong moment of silence before Cyril let out a troubled sigh.


    ¡°I guess. Make sure to come back quickly though. There are still a number of things you need to be taught about being queen.¡± He waved his hand in dismissal as he turned to leave the entrance area himself. It seemed that the man had already fallen into the trap of his position and found himself unable to argue against it.


    Nic oddly felt that the role suited him just a bit too well.


    ¡°Lady Ito, I have already moved everything to the stables near the entrance of the city. We can head out as soon as wanted.¡± Linda bowed deeply before Yuuki as she spoke up. What she said caused a small confusion attack throughout most of the people listening to her, including Yuuki.


    ¡°You already moved everything there?!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Linda nodded while still bowing. ¡°I assumed that the people would offer you assistance upon hearing your plan, so I moved everything there before the ceremony had begun.¡± Linda stood back up and cocked her head slightly to the right. ¡°Have I done something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No- no no no. I just wasn¡¯t expecting it.¡± Yuuki stammered out a response as her face turned a bright red. Perhaps she felt the heat in her face, or the awkwardness in the air, because Yuuki quickly turned towards the castle entrance and quickly walked that way.


    Nic couldn¡¯t help but stifle a laugh as the rest of the group ran to catch up with Yuuki outside of the castle.


    The roads in Crystallia weren¡¯t that long, only a few hundred Mer at the longest, so getting to the newly built stables didn¡¯t take the group long.


    It was there that they found all of their luggage already packed onto two horse drawn carts. They weren¡¯t as luxurious as the carts that Sanum had for its people of importance, but it would do nicely for the trip back.


    The carts were each pulled by two horses and were essentially just boats with wheels. Two benches adorned the length of the half walls on either side. There was an extra seat on the front of each cart for a coachman to sit. With all of the luggage split between the two, there was a total of enough space for twelve people. Two coachmen and ten riders in the back.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Linda and Rust ended up taking the role of coachmen for the carts. Yuuki, Sarman, and the two other members of the delegation sat in the one that Rust was driving while Nic and Aria found themselves alone on Linda¡¯s.


    ¡°I hope you two don¡¯t mind the bumpy ride.¡± Linda looked back at the two of them with a glint in her eyes. One that made both Nic and Aria glance to each other for confirmation that they were seeing the same thing.


    ¡°Uh¡­ How many times have you driven a cart?¡± Nic asked, hesitation permeating his voice.


    ¡°Once!¡± With her triumphant cry in response to his question, Linda kicked the horses into high gear and the cart sped through the still opening gate of Crystalia.


    ¡°What?!¡± Nic shouted at their driver only to have his cry drowned out by her laughter.


    This wasn¡¯t something that she got to do very often, but Linda loved the feel of rushing through the land on horse or being pulled along by a horse. The freedom she felt in those moments were shining beacons by which she lived every day of her life.


    Nic and Aria had been dragged into that very same beacon.


    It only took the two carts a little over two days of travel to reach the entrance to the City-State of Aric. What had been a seven day journey on foot was much faster on horseback. Overall it had been nearly two weeks since the last time they had been there.


    They had been stopped at the gate, but once the guard saw who was on the carts they quickly hurried inside the town.


    Not long after a familiar face appeared walking up to the gate.


    ¡°Papa!¡±


    Aria called out to her parent once she saw him. He smiled at her before looking at the rest of the group and finally landing on Yuuki.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you all back, and some new faces as well. Hello. As for our last guest here,¡± Kayde bowed his head. ¡°It has been far too long, lil¡¯ Yuuki.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Mr. Towsend.¡± Yuuki also gave him a small head bow as a greeting. ¡°Ten years, no?¡±


    ¡°At least you still remember me.¡± Kayde wiped a fake tear away from one of his eyes. ¡°I have some questions about the ears and tail, but at least our lost cat has finally been found.¡±


    Yuuki looked embarrassed before glaring at Sarman, Aria and Nic for a second each. They had conveniently forgotten to tell Yuuki that they had informed Aria¡¯s father about the truth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for keeping the truth from you for so long.¡± Yuuki bowed her head again, this time in apology, earning a small laugh from the man welcoming them into the village.


    ¡°Ahahah! Don¡¯t worry about it. For now, welcome to Aric. Properly this time.¡± Everyone got off the carts as Kayde gave them an extravagant gesture to welcome them.


    As her feet hit the ground, another shout was directed at Yuuki from within the town gates.


    ¡°MASTER!¡± Sarah burst past Kayde and wrapped Yuuki in a large hug. Kiara walked up a moment after and pried Sarah off of the trapped demi-human.


    ¡°Sorry about her, Yuuki.¡± Kiara chopped Sarah on the head to get her to calm down. ¡°Welcome back.¡± Yuuki found the racoon-type Demi-Human warmly smiling at her in place of her significant other¡¯s rash actions.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Yuuki clearly wasn¡¯t sure on how to respond to Kiara. So she simply returned the smile while thanking the other demi-human.


    ¡°Well, since it seems the major reunions are done, let me show our guests from across the forest around our small city!¡± Kayde motioned to Yuuki, Linda and the two other delegation members as he talked.


    Yuuki had been in Aric the longest as she had passed through it before, but even she didn¡¯t know everything about the town. With a gleeful acceptance, Yuuki spoke for the rest when she accepted it.


    And so their group split apart yet again. Sarman, Sarah, and Kiara all joined for the tour around Aric and left with Kayde. Rust disappeared at some point himself, though Nic had made sure to mention to Kayde that Rust had lost his close friend and most likely wanted some time alone.


    As for Nic and Aria, they had their own destination in mind. Their ultimate goal was the house that Nic¡¯s mother lived in, but Nic also wanted to stop at his father¡¯s grave first.


    The two of them found the small graveyard nearly empty again. Rows of gravestones populated the small lot. Almost every single one of them was older than a year. Only a handful have been recently added. Two of which belonged to Nic and Aria¡¯s parents. For Nic it was his father, and Aria; her mother. Both of them had sacrificed themselves during Jack¡¯s attack on the then Rad-Town, creating time for the city to be saved by Nic.


    An older couple was leaving as Nic and Aria arrived. They exchanged a hushed greeting with the two before moving into the cemetery proper.


    Like last time, there was someone in front of the gravestones for their parents. Unlike last time, they seemed to have just gotten there themselves as they were in the process of cleaning up the site around each gravestone.


    ¡°If we keep meeting here, it might make me think that you only spend time next to father,¡± Nic called out to the brown haired woman as they got close. ¡°Mother.¡± He nodded to her as her head shot up upon hearing his voice.


    ¡°Nic. Aria. Did you find your missing friend?¡± His mother walked up and hugged both of them in turn. Any surprise she had felt upon seeing them again had quickly faded. Unlike their last time apart, this time Nic and Aria had been gone for just under two weeks.


    ¡°We did, Kayla, but¡­¡± Aria confirmed that they had found the one they had been looking for.


    ¡°We also learned some stuff. Stuff I thought that father would¡¯ve wanted to hear.¡± Nic let the heavy words slip out of his mouth. The things he had learned; things about the source of Irradiation, about his family¡¯s history, and the forces he would have to face soon. And that damned journal of Crystal¡¯s. Nic had taken the journey from Crystallia to Aric to fully read it.


    ¡°What kind of stuff?¡± Kayla peered at her son in confusion.


    ¡°Mind if we sit down?¡± Nic pointed to the area in front of the gravestone. The other two agreed to it and so the three found themselves sitting in front of the two gravestones.


    With a heavy sigh, Nic took out Crystal¡¯s journal and set it in front of him before looking at his mother.


    ¡°Mother, do you know of the Blood Elf, Crystal Serilo?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. Who hasn¡¯t at least heard of her?¡± His mother responded to the question with a slight scoff in her sentence. The answer to the question should have been obvious to most people.


    ¡°Well,¡± Nic paused for a second. He didn¡¯t know which news he should¡¯ve started with. ¡°For one, she was killed just a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Clearly shocked, his mother almost grabbed him by both shoulders as he revealed the news of such an important figure''s death.


    ¡°That¡¯s not all for us. Her real name is Crystal Verilo.¡± His mother stammered as Nic dropped the biggest of the Crystal related news to her. She looked completely out of things as she tried to get her bearings.


    ¡°How? How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°Alongside Rust, she was there with Noah Verilo when he first unleashed the Irradiation upon the world. She stayed by his side through it all. It¡¯s thanks to her meddling in the bloodline that we had the chance at purifying Irradiation in the first place.¡±


    Nic stopped as he saw Kayla pondering the revelations that he had just dropped on her.


    ¡°But, if she was the reason for that and she has been around since the beginning, why did we have to wait five centuries in the first place?¡± Kayla had found the hanging thread in all of this herself. Why had Crystal put in a five hundred year time limit?


    Nic looked up at the sky as he listened to his mother¡¯s questions. What was the best answer? What should he tell her? Would the truth make her worry too much?


    ¡°That¡¯s,¡± Nic reached out one of his hands and grasped nothingness in the sky. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m up against a god.¡±


    ¡°You-! Are you insane?¡± Kayla nearly screamed as she grabbed Nic, shaking him with all of her strength. Aria was about to step in herself when Nic motioned for her not to. ¡°A God?! Like a Spirit Progenitor?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nic shook his head. A majority of the religions currently in the world worshiped one of the eight Spirit Progenitors. Each claimed that its Progenitor was the dominant force in the world. Yet Nic had learned the truth from one of those very same Progenitors. And that knowledge had been built upon thanks to Crystal¡¯s journal. ¡°The one I¡¯m up against is Kronus. The one who created the Spirits.¡±


    ¡°Kronus¡­¡± Kayla repeated the name with a mix of fear and trepidation in her voice.


    Nic reached back down and grabbed Crystal¡¯s journal, opening it to a page near the beginning. It was one of the passages she had written hundreds of years in the past, a short time after she had left Noah Verilo¡¯s presence.


    She had looked into the one behind Irradiation.


    Crystal had searched high and low. It was a part of her journey throughout the lands. In each place that she stopped and created one of the initial City-States she would search for more clues to Kronus.


    ¡°I have spent ten long years traveling so far.¡± As Nic began reading the section, his mother slowly let go of him. ¡°In each place that I stop, each city that I help, I find little more about this being named Kronus. The whispers that I do hear contradict each other. Some say that it is just another Spirit Progenitor while others relate it to a truly godlike being above the Progenitors. I wish Aerial had told me more before disappearing.¡±


    ¡°Is that Crystal¡¯s findings?¡± Aria had yet to see the journal herself. Everything that he was saying was new to her, and by extension Aerial as well. Nic nodded before continuing to read.


    ¡°My proposed theory on Kronus is this; Kronus is a being above the Progenitors. If any being had the right to be called a God, then it would be Kronus. As the creator of the Spirits, it seems that Kronus also has control over the different elements in this world. Creating a new element and inserting it into an unsuspecting human wouldn¡¯t be that difficult for it.¡±


    Nic stopped reading and let the air stifle for a bit as he turned the pages in the journal. The contents that he wanted to read jumped forward to just under a hundred years ago.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Kayla hesitantly asked her question. Even what he had just read was almost more info on Kronus than Nic had ever heard in one sitting before himself. The only thing that beat it was hearing things from Aerial and Salamander themselves on their way to Crystallia.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be.¡± Aria peered at the book with quizzical eyes. Because of her connection with Aerial, Nic knew that she would be questioning the lack of information in that one excerpt.


    ¡°Aria¡¯s right. There¡¯s another section I want to read.¡± Nic looked back at the journal. The next entry he was going to read was from ninety-nine years ago. The day¡­ one week before the founding of Crystallia. Nic already knew from reading the rest of the journal that the contents of this entry were what sparked the founding of the Rad-Town.


    ¡°I met Kronus.¡± The first words on the page. The first words out of Nic¡¯s mouth. They were the biggest words that could¡¯ve been written. ¡°Not in the way I thought I would. I learned a lot from this meeting. About that God, and even about myself. Yes. Kronus is a God. Through and through. There is simply no other way to describe a being of his caliber. He controls time and space. The Spirit Progenitors were created to aid in his control over space and the elements that flow through it.¡±


    There was still more on the page. More that Nic would need to tell Aerial and Salamander later, but for now, Nic stopped. He had read everything he needed to. The rest was not something that the common person should know.


    ¡°So¡­ this Kronus, it¡¯s the Godlike being that you have to go against?¡± Worry coated his mother¡¯s face as she confirmed everything. When Nic nodded in response to her, he could see a visible shrink in her demeanor.


    Kayla stood up and began to pace back and forth. She looked between Nic, the journal in his hands, and the gravestone of her husband. She was worried about her son. Worried about his future. About his life.


    Of course she would be worried at this moment.


    ¡°Kayla, Nic isn¡¯t alone! He has me. And Sarman. Yuuki, Sarah and Kiara as well! Not to mention¡­¡± Aria tried to placate her fears. She wanted to console Kayla with the knowledge that Nic wasn¡¯t alone. Nor was he in weak company. They had two Spirit Progenitors on their side. Aerial and Salamander were widely considered the strongest of the Spirit Progenitors in terms of power.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m worried. But I also understand that even if I wanted to stop Nic, I wouldn¡¯t be able to, would I?¡± Kayla shot Nic a small look of quiet resignation.


    ¡°No¡­ You wouldn¡¯t.¡± Nic got up himself and faced her mother properly. ¡°This is something I promised I would do. I can¡¯t back down now, knowing everything that I do.¡±


    Nic knew too much about the world now. He knew about Kronus, and about the origins of Irradiation. At long last he had learned the truth about his bloodline. The full truth of his family.


    There was one last secret that he couldn¡¯t reveal yet. Aerial was probably the only other person who knew about it, seeing as he was the only Spirit Progenitor to know Crystal even at the beginning.


    ¡°I see,¡± Kayla reached out and pulled Nic into a hug. ¡°In that case you have to promise me something. Promise me you will end it all.¡±


    Hearing the soft whisper of his mother¡¯s request, Nic simply smiled as he wrapped his own arms around her.


    ¡°I will¡­¡±


    After the sun had set on the day, Nic found himself sitting in front of a small fire behind the house that his mother was the sole inhabitant of. Everyone else was in the town circle, celebrating the return of those from Crystallia and the news of their neighbors'' newfound freedom.


    It had been decided that a meeting would be held the next day to decide the specifics of the proposed alliance that Yuuki had brought. In the meantime a large feast had been set up in little time.


    Sigh¡­


    Nic let out a low sigh as he held Crystal¡¯s journal over the fire. Three sets of torn pages sat under a rock next to Nic. They were the only things in the journal that were of importance to most people.


    The rest contained secrets that shouldn¡¯t be revealed to anyone else. Secrets that even Nic felt bad about learning.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t mention it this afternoon, but Crystal learned the truth in the end, didn¡¯t she?¡± A familiar androgynous voice spoke up from next to Nic. A small glare had it holding its hands up defensively. ¡°Aria is at the feast. It¡¯s just you and me here.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Nic stayed quiet for a moment before asking the question weighing down on him. ¡°Do you know if anyone else knows? That Crystal was¡­?¡±


    ¡°That the spirit that she combined with to become an elf was a Spirit Progenitor? As far as I¡¯m aware, only Noah Verilo learned at the end of his life.¡± Nic was relieved to hear that. When he burned this journal, the only ones alive that would know would be Nic, Aerial, and Ruby- another name that appeared in Crystal¡¯s journal.


    Nic dropped the book in the fire.


    He listened to the crackle of the fire burning any water and air stuck in the pages. The book shriveled up, growing ever more black as it did. Heat washed over Nic¡¯s body from the fire fueled by this secret.


    ¡°Now there are only three.¡±


    ¡°Three? Who¡¯s the third?¡± To Aerial, it should have only been two; him and Nic. To answer his question, Nic reached down to the three sets of pages from the journal that he had torn out. Two of them had been the passages he had read to his mother that morning.


    But the third¡­


    ¡°Ruby Serilo. Crystal¡¯s first and only attempt at cloning herself to provide a companion to the Verilo meant to break the curse.¡± Crystal was known as the Blood Elf because of her control over blood. It was that control that let her stay near Noah Verilo in the beginning. It was that control that let her create the method that Nic was using in the current day to absorb and purify Irradiation. It was that control that let her heal the wounds of ordinary people just by touching them.


    And it was that control that made her toy with the idea of being able to create a clone of herself. She wanted to give her descendant, 500 years in the future, a companion to help them on their journey.


    ¡°The result of her attempts was Ruby. She apparently looks exactly like Crystal, and even shares some of the blood related abilities to her.¡±


    ¡°I feel a but coming¡­¡± Aerial was learning all of this for the first time, but even it knew what it was feeling was more than just a gut feeling.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Ruby should have been the success that Crystal was looking for, but her personality was the complete opposite of Crystal¡¯s in certain important areas.¡± Nic looked over at the suit of armor made of wind. ¡°She wants to create a second Irradiated Winter.¡±


    The armor stood quiet. The slow popping of the fire was gradually going out. Soon there was nothing but empty air between the two of them.


    ¡°Crystal wanted to create a unified world,¡± Aerial was quiet when it finally spoke again. ¡°One where humans and demi-humans worked together for the betterment of everyone. And one without Irradiation.¡±


    ¡°But Ruby,¡± Nic continued after Aerial without so much as a pause. ¡°She wants to rid the world of Humanity. Force everyone to either die or turn into a Demi-Human through a second Irradiated Winter.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Aerial spat at the notion. Like Nic, the very notion of a second Irradiated Winter seemed to make Aerial sick to their stomach.


    That afternoon Nic had stated that his enemy was a godlike being; Kronus. But that wasn¡¯t fully the case. He had a second opponent; Ruby.

 Chapter 35: Homecoming

    Sarman found himself sitting near the head of a long table. On his right, at the head of the table, was Kayde Towsend, a long-time friend of his father¡¯s, and the father of one of Sarman¡¯s best friends. Across the table from Sarman was Yuuki, who was here as the representative for the new City-State of Crystallia. Finally on his left were Nic, Aria, and then Rust in that order.


    Yuuki had the other two members of the Crystallian delegation on her other side. One of the last two spots at the table was taken up by another citizen of Aric who was considered a respected elder in the town. The last member, directly opposite Kayde, was Kiara. She was sitting in on the meeting as the leader of the group that had been diving into the Irradiated Forest. Their goal had been the search for whatever was causing monsters to migrate out of the forest.


    The room they were in was actually the dining room in Kayde Towsend¡¯s house in the city of Aric. As the current leader of the City-State, and the very person who had proposed this discussion in the first place, he had quickly offered up his house for the meeting place the night before.


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Kayde clapped his hands together twice as he spoke up. Kayde was taking charge in leading the meeting. ¡°First off, let me extend my congratulations on behalf of the City-State of Aric to Crystallia for its newly found statehood as well.¡±


    Kayde led the rest of the table in a small series of claps as he bowed his head towards the Crystallian delegation. Sarman noticed that Yuuki was slightly red as the attention was forced onto her.


    Once the clapping and congratulations from the table died down, Yuuki spoke up.


    ¡°Thank you. As the current head of the city¡¯s monarchy, I humbly accept your congratulations.¡±


    In the silence that followed, Yuuki sat back in her chair and let out a long breath of air. Sarman looked to his right only to find Kayde hanging his mouth open. At the other end of the table, Kiara was making similar motions.


    For those that knew Yuuki before all of this, what she had said had come as a shock. She had hidden her ascension to the new City-States monarchy the entire previous night.


    ¡°Head¡­ of the city¡¯s¡­ monarchy?!¡± Stupefied by what he was saying, Kayde stumbled over his own words as he asked for clarification.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I am the current Queen of Crystallia. My position was given to me by the previous Queen, Crystal.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Kayde¡¯s face was full of conflict. Like Sarman, he probably had things he wanted to say to the girl who he had known for almost ten years. If Kayde was like this already, Sarman feared for how his own father or the Kyokan ambassadors in Sanum would respond.


    ¡°Does this mean you won¡¯t be staying in Sanum anymore?¡± Kiara spoke up from the end of the table.


    Hearing her question, a pang of guilt washed over Yuuki¡¯s face.


    Seeing that, Sarman felt a pang in his own heart. He knew the answer. He knew it, but he didn¡¯t like it himself.


    For Sarman, the hardest part of the last few days was realizing that Yuuki would be going off on her own at some point. He had to face that truth. No matter how much it made him hurt.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Kiara whispered something else under her breath, but Sarman was too far away to hear it. What he did know was that it got looks of empathy from Nic and Aria.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Sarman cleared his throat loudly, pulling all of the attention to himself. ¡°I¡¯m sure this news is quite shocking to those who were not in Crystallia when it happened, but we should not let it distract us too much. We have much to discuss at this meeting today.¡±


    As he motioned for Kayde to begin the discussion again, he found quizzical stares coming at him from both ends of the table. A glare was all he needed to dispel both of them, but it still irked Sarman just a bit that the focus of worry had been placed on how he responded to Yuuki¡¯s news.


    ¡°Sarman is right.¡± Aria spoke up from a few seats down. ¡°We should get back on focus. We can talk about Yuuki¡¯s new position after the meeting is done. Is that alright with you two?¡± Aria threw the question at both Kiara and her own father. Mixed with Saraman¡¯s gaze, it was enough to get them to both agree.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s start with the official meeting between members of the three nearby City-States then. Of course, I represent Aric, as do Nic and Aria over here.¡± Kayde motioned to the two of them. ¡°Mr. Tearl here is acting as a scribe, writing down everything that will come out of this meeting. He may also bring up some stuff relating to Aric if he thinks of it.¡± Kayde motioned to the last citizen of Aric at the table. Once he was done Sarman spoke up.


    ¡°While not here in an official capacity, as the son of the current Minister, I am representing the City-State of Sanum. Kiara is also representing Sanum with me, though she has also served the role of helping Aric with a recent incident in the Irradiated Forest.¡±


    ¡°And finally, my fellow delegates and I are here representing the newly formed City-State of Crystallia.¡± Yuuki motioned to the two other delegates sitting next to her.


    All three City-States were represented in these basic talks. If things went well here, Sarman had every intention of barging into the Sanum Senate building as soon as they got back to Sanum. He would convince his father to help Crystallia.


    ¡°Alright then. Yuuki, as the head of the Crystallian delegation, you yourself wanted this meeting to happen, correct? What is it that Crystallia wishes to discuss with Aric and Sanum?¡± Kayde had slipped into the role of Meeting Mediator quickly and was now rolling out the big question to Yuuki specifically.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Yuuki sat up straight and looked Kayde in the eyes. ¡°A few days ago, Crystallia was hit by a large-scale attack by an outside source. It was in this attack that we lost the last queen; Crystal. But that wasn¡¯t all we lost. We lost a large part of our trained defenders and large portions of the City were burned down.¡±


    Starting with a brief explanation of what had happened in Crystallia in recent weeks, Yuuki soon moved into what her City-State was hoping to get out of these negotiations. Mainly that Crystallia wanted help with defending against any further attacks and some help with food for the time being until they could get the city back on its own two feet fully.


    Kayde quietly listened to the requests before sitting there quietly for a while.


    ¡°Aric can¡¯t help with the defense. We barely have enough people trained to defend our own city. That will have to be something that you talk with Ordwell about Sanum helping with.¡± Kayde motioned to Sarman who nodded in agreement. ¡°As for the food, Mr. Tearl, how much extra food do we have sitting in storage for a rainy day?¡±


    The last member of Aric¡¯s representatives looked up from the paper he was writing. He tapped his quill against his head a few times as he worked through Kayde¡¯s question.


    ¡°We usually make about one point five times the food we consume each harvest. The last point five goes into storage. In there right now we have about four times what we would eat every harvest saved for a bad season. Of course most of it is grain or dried jerky.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. What if we take about half of that and send it to Crystallia to help them? Do you think that would be good with the rest of Aric?¡±


    Mr. Tearl nodded. ¡°That should be fine. I don¡¯t see why anyone would be mad at this outcome.¡±


    ¡°Good, good. I trust this is fine for Crystallia?¡±


    The Crystallian delegation whispered between themselves before Yuuki spoke up in response. ¡°We are grateful for the amount of support you are willing to offer us.¡± Her face was full of gratitude as she gave Kayde a soft smile.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s just up to me to convince my father then.¡± Sarman sighed as he spoke. His job was easily the biggest and hardest one of them all. The distance between Sanum and Crystallia was great, and it would be hard to have a rotating set of people going there to help defend the city for the time being.


    ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s true. Thank you for taking the job on, Sarman.¡± Kayde heartily laughed at the young man¡¯s ¡®misfortune¡¯.


    ¡°Ummm¡­¡± Kiara spoke up from the end of the table. As all of the attention was drawn unto her, she looked at Yuuki. ¡°When exactly did this attack on Crystallia happen?¡± Her voice was strained, and her face stretched in worry.


    ¡°When? Six days ago.¡±


    ¡°Six days!¡± Kiara looked at Kayde in concern. The two had made a connection right then and there. A connection that caused the air to grow stale fast.


    ¡°Is that important?¡± Aria spoke up from the middle of the table. She looked between her father and Kiara in confusion.


    Sarman was also looking at the two of them in confusion. What could their sudden alarm mean?


    ¡°I think this is a story that Kiara should share, seeing as she was there¡­¡± Kayde sat back, the worry on his face growing ever deeper.


    With everyone turning to face her, Kiara took a deep breath.


    ¡°As you all should know by now, Sarah and I came to Aric as the leaders of a squad sent by Sanum to help Aric with a unique problem in the Irradiated Forest. As of late, Monsters that normally would reside in the depths of it have been moving further and further out. Over the course of a few days, we tracked the cause to a robed man who had taken up residence in a clearing near the center. Six days ago was the day of our attack on the clearing.¡± Kiara took another deep breath. The hand she had laid on the table was starting to tremble. Seeing that perked Sarman¡¯s interest specifically.


    ¡°He was too powerful for any of us. The man made short work of our attack.¡±


    Kiara stopped. The trembling in her hand had moved to her entire body. Remembering what had happened that day was too much for her.


    ¡°Did they get a look at the man¡¯s face?¡± Sarman asked Kayde instead of Kiara. She wasn¡¯t in a position to answer him at that moment.


    ¡°They did.¡± Kayde nodded. ¡°The report said that he had pitch black hair and eyes as dark as the night. Not a speck of white was visible in them.¡±


    ¡°A Dark Elf!¡± Sarman nearly shouted in surprise. Of the many elven Demi-Human races there were, Dark and Light elves were among the rarest. They usually stayed away from others because they had long been hated for the pureness of their eyes. Neither had visible pupils, which made a lot of people uncomfortable.


    ¡°He¡­ He was too powerful for us¡­ They all¡­ They all died¡­¡± Kiara continued her story in pieces. Nic reached out and put a hand on her shoulder in comfort.


    ¡°If that Elf killed a bunch of people and is that powerful, there are very few options as to what Dark Spirit was merged into the Human Soul in their creation.¡± An old voice spoke up in Sarman¡¯s mind. Salamander was analyzing the situation himself and had come up with a surprising fact.


    ¡°How many options?¡±


    ¡°Less than five. Less than four if we rule out Orpheus because of his nature as a Progenitor.¡± Salamander¡¯s confidence in Orpheus being ruled out didn¡¯t last long.


    It was shattered the moment that Nic spoke up.


    ¡°The one that attacked you, Kiara, wasn''t an ordinary Dark Elf, right?¡± When Kiara looked at Nic, tears flowing down her confused face, he continued. ¡°Did they call themselves Orpheus?¡±


    ¡°How did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible!¡± Sarman stood up as his hands slammed on the table. His trust in Salamander¡¯s knowledge on the world was implicit. If Salamander didn¡¯t believe that a Progenitor could become an Elf, then neither would Sarman. ¡°A Progenitor can¡¯t be the spirit half of a Demi-Human! That¡¯s not possible.¡±


    Nic looked at him before pulling out three small stacks of paper and putting them down in front of him. ¡°It is. And the reason why Kiara is able to sit with us today- the reason why she is still alive- is because Orpheus left before killing her.¡± He looked back at Kiara. ¡°That¡¯s how it went, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Kiara nodded. ¡°The Elf¡­ he said his name was Orpheus. He was about to kill Sarah when he looked East¡­ He said that his brother had failed¡­ That he had to go¡­¡±


    Her words shut Sarman up. Not only him, but Yuuki and Aria as well. They all could connect the dots. The only reason that Kiara and Sarah were alive was because the attack on Crystalia failed. Orpheus had known, so he left.


    ¡°His¡­ Brother?¡± Sarman croaked out the words. He could feel Salamander about to explode inside of him. Not only was Nic saying that one of his brother¡¯s, Orpheus, had become a Demi-Human, but Kiara¡¯s words implied that another had done the same.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Nic looked at Yuuki, giving her a slight nod. ¡°The mastermind behind the attack on Crystallia. The one who led the charge of betrayal there. Was the Light Elf Solus.¡±


    The instant that Nic said the name of the second Progenitor Elf, the two Progenitors currently at the table materialized in front of everyone. Behind Aria, the suit of armor made from the wind appeared. And on his shoulders, Sarman could feel the heat emanating from the lizard that had perched itself on him.


    The appearance of not one, but two progenitors caught Kayde, Kiara and Tearl off guard. The surprise was clearly visible on their faces.


    But what caught Sarman¡¯s attention more than anything was the attitude that Aerial had towards the news. Salamander was bristling with rage, yet its sibling was so calm it was unnerving.


    ¡°Tell me, sibling¡­ Are you not angry about this!?¡± Salamander spat his words out. Rage billowed in the flames escaping from his mouth.


    ¡°I am.¡± The genderless voice spoke up, addressing the flaming lizard. ¡°But this is not news to me. I have known about this since last night.¡±


    Hearing that, Aria turned around in shock. ¡°You know about this?!¡± In a moment of understanding, Aria turned to Nic. ¡°You¡­ Nic did you meet with Aerial behind my back? Was that why you stayed away from the party?¡±


    A pang of guilt visibly flashed across Nic¡¯s face as he continued to look away from Aria. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my intention to meet Aerial.¡±


    ¡°But you did.¡±


    Silence filled the room. Nic didn¡¯t respond. And no one, Sarman included, had the strength to break that silence. It would have to be something that Nic did.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know about Orpheus. Today was the first time I learned that he was the same as Solus.¡± It took a minute for Nic to whisper again. ¡°But I knew about Solus. After all, I ran into him during the attack on Crystalia.¡±


    ¡°Nic wasn¡¯t the only one. I also ran into Solus during all of that. I can confirm that it was him.¡± Yuuki spoke up from across the table.


    Salamander stayed quiet, yet Sarman could feel the anger continuing to grow in the Progenitor.


    ¡°So, the one causing us problems was Orpheus,¡± Kayde spoke up, his voice soothing as he attempted to diffuse the growing tension. ¡°And he stopped because he was working with Solus and could sense that Solus¡¯ plan had failed? Succeeded?¡±


    ¡°Solus Succeeded. Their main goal was the death of Crystal, and they accomplished that.¡± Nic picked up one of the stacks of paper in front of him. ¡°Now that I know about Orpheus, I want to propose a theory to the rest of you.¡±


    His words sparked interest not just from the human participants, but also Aerial and Salamander. The latter of which was able to subdue his rage partially because of it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    The bump of the cart hitting a stone jostled Sarman out of his thoughts of the previous day''s meeting. Leaning back, he looked out ahead of the carts to see how close they had gotten to Sanum.


    The mountain city was clearly visible and growing ever larger. They would reach the city gates in just under an hour at their current pace. The sun would still be high in the sky at the time.


    ¡°There is a secret group that has been working against the entirety of Kronul. Crystal knew about them. They call themselves the ¡®Irradiated Resistance¡¯. Their goal is to create a second Irradiated Winter in order to turn the rest of humanity into Demi-Humans.¡±


    Nic¡¯s words rang through Sarman¡¯s head. The thought that there was a group of people actively working to repeat the tragedy from three centuries prior caused Sarman to burn in fury. His clenched fist was starting to create smoke.


    As everyone started to smell the smoke, a tender hand reached out and grabbed Sarman¡¯s fist. Yuuki leaned into Sarman as she softly whispered to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. We¡¯ll get revenge on them together.¡±


    She had heard the same thing that he had. The same truth that Nic had put into words. The truth that Sarman had been running from since Salamander had seen the poison that killed Crystal.


    ¡°The attack on Crystallia, the incident in the Irradiated Forest, Jack¡¯s attacks on Sanum and Aric¡­ It was all them.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯ve only been active recently?¡±


    Sarman wished that Kayde had never asked that. For what Nic said next was the confirmation that Sarman never wanted to face.


    ¡°No. Twenty years ago they tried to assassinate the Minister of Sanum. But in the end they only managed to kill his wife, leaving Ordwell without a wife and Sarman without a mother.¡±


    Like Sarman, Kayde had nearly fainted hearing that.


    This group had been active for a long time. And somehow, they were responsible for everything horrible that had happened to Sarman. How was it that they always seemed to be involved in his life? Why did they care so much about Sanum?


    As the carts grew closer and closer to Sanum, Sarman continued to mull things over. He couldn¡¯t take his mind off of what had been revealed. In the end he continued to come back to the same feeling time and time again.


    Why did he feel like pursuing this group would lead to something horrible?


    His gut was telling him to run the other way. To forget about everything and escape while he still could.

 Chapter 36: Forging Alliances

    Sanum was the first City-State to be created after the Irradiated Winter three hundred years ago. The Blood Elf, Crystal, appeared from within the Irradiated Forest and cleared the entirety of the mountain of Irradiation. This feat led to people from all over flocking to the mountain for any sort of respite.


    In a few short years, what had once been a small farming community living off of the river flowing down the mountain became a leading figure in the world. The small town turned into a city. And with each passing year the houses got higher and higher on the mountain.


    Crystal left Sanum and traveled the world, creating multiple City-States in precise locations. But throughout all of that time, Sanum continued to grow. It became the leading City-State in the entirety of Kronul.


    Its reputation boomed.


    And at its head was a simple Demi-Human that didn¡¯t look the part. Carrying the Phoenix¡¯s blood, Ordwell still looked like a normal human while wearing clothes, but beneath them was a wellspring of life that kept him alive for three centuries. Three centuries of life where he led the City-State of Sanum to prosperity.


    Once the homes of the city''s population reached towards the summit of the mountain, Ordwell decided to claim the land for the City-States government. On top of the mountain he had three buildings constructed.


    One was the premier school of the city; the Sanum University. This large campus would serve as a place to train the next leaders of the City-State. It would also eventually become a way for other City-States to send their own future leaders to create connections while they were growing.


    The second was a large military base. This base served as the headquarters to the Sanum City guards, who acted both as a military and a police force within the city.


    The third building, easily the grandest, was the senate building. This senate building became the beating heart of Sanum. Within it, Ordwell would meet with the various senators in charge of the many facets of Sanum. These meetings resulted in new laws that determined how the city was run.


    Nic found himself staring at the entryway to the Sanum senate building, his mouth agape at the grandness of the structure. He had seen the building from the University campus many times, but being in front of it made the building feel so much bigger.


    Grand marble pillars lined the pure stone walls of the building. Windows were dotted along the walls, but curtains on the inside of them blocked any views into the building. The walls were intricately chiseled to be pleasing to look at.


    He gulped down a stray breath as the two guards that had escorted their carriages up the mountain ushered them into the main foray. While the outside was pristine from the pureness of its stonework, the inside was pristine in its own way. Lavish rugs covered the floor of the reception hall. A counter stood alongside one wall with a receptionist standing behind it. The walls themselves were adorned with pictures of different members of the Senate.


    Noticing one of Ordwell, Nic assumed that each person showed there was an important member. Below the pictures were a wide variety of small plants and tables, not that all unlike how Ordwell¡¯s personal residence was adorned.


    Across from the entrance doors were a grand set of double doors. It didn¡¯t take much to know that these doors led into the main floor where the Senate sessions took place.


    ¡°They¡¯re here to see the senate.¡± Nic heard one of the guards talking and looked over to see them and Sarman talking with the attendant behind the counter. It didn¡¯t take long for the attendant to nod before quickly leaving her post and sneaking into the senate chambers.


    ¡°What¡¯s she doing?¡± Nic walked over to Sarman as he asked the question.


    ¡°Letting father know that we are here to talk with the Senate.¡± Sarman leaned against the counter. ¡°I don¡¯t imagine that he will turn us away.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s our plan in there?¡±


    ¡°Simple.¡± Sarman pointed at Nic. ¡°We¡¯ll go in first with the assassin between us. Once we have gotten a reaction and confession out of Alberie, we can bring in the rest and make our case to the entirety of the senate.¡±


    Having heard their discussion, Yuuki, Kayde and Aria walked over to the two of them and joined in.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting on standby then.¡±


    ¡°My daughter and I will act as the representatives for Aric for now. Nic, you are more of a wild card here. We don¡¯t know how Sanum wants to treat you yet.¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s response was first. Short and sweet, she didn¡¯t even question the logistics of the plan. Kayde on the other hand put in some small advice.


    Nic was well aware of his nature as a wild card. While he wanted to just be a representative of Aric with Aria, it was natural for City-States to question his loyalties. He was the only person in the world that could purify Irradiation. If nothing else, Sanum¡¯s senate was sure to want him to be their pawn instead of Aric¡¯s.


    ¡°I understand Kayde. Thank you for the reminder, though.¡± Nic nodded in acknowledgement to the man. As he did, the door to the senate chambers opened again and the receptionist came back out.


    ¡°They¡¯re ready for you.¡± She bowed her head to Sarman.


    ¡°You two,¡± Sarman motioned for the guards that had led them to the building. ¡°Grab him and follow us in.¡±


    The ¡®him¡¯ that Sarman was referring to was the man with a sack over his head. Sara was currently holding him with his hands behind his back, but quickly gave him up to the guards.


    With their prisoner in tow, Sarman and Nic walked side by side into the senate chambers.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± Nic found himself muttering in amazement under his breath as they walked down the stairs they found themselves at the top of.


    The room was a large rectangular room that dipped down into the center. In the very center was a raised podium where Ordwell stood. The surrounding area was covered in seats for the different senators. Much of the room was empty, clearly having been made with the future in mind. There were far more seats than senators currently.


    The senators that they did pass on their way down muttered under their breath as well. Nic was unsure whether that was because of Nic, Sarman, or their prisoner.


    ¡°Sarman? Nic? I see you two have finally returned. What is the meaning of your presence in the Senate hall?¡± Ordwell spoke up from the center of the room as Nic and Sarman descended to the center floor.


    ¡°Father,¡± Sarman spoke up in response. ¡°We are here today because one of the people in this very hall is acting against Sanum¡¯s best interest.¡±


    The murmurs in the hall rose in noise at Sarman¡¯s declaration. Nic stood stiff as multiple eyes were plastered on him. One of the senators spoke up in response.


    ¡°Are you implying that one of us is a traitor!?¡± Their shout caused a chorus of similar jeers to be shouted. Each one had fought hard for their position. The mere idea that they would be called traitors was an affront to the work that they put in every day.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that it was necessarily a senator.¡± Sarman turned to the first one who had shouted at him. ¡°In fact, I hope that it is merely an attendant or a trainee. But I do know that the culprit is in this room right now.¡±


    His words hushed the room. The senators looked at each other. Those with sons and daughters shadowing them looked at their children, and those with attendants carefully second guessed their own retainers.


    ¡°This is a big accusation, Sarman.¡± Ordwell rubbed his temples as he talked. ¡°I hope you have some evidence?¡±


    ¡°This man right here,¡± Sarman moved back to show the prisoner to his father. ¡°He was a part of an attack on the former Rad-Town S-Oh-eight-six.¡±


    Sarman pulled the sack off of the man¡¯s head. The instant he did, Nic heard a gasp from a nearby man.


    ¡°John!?¡± A bulky man of similar size to Sarman had stood up in surprise. Nic looked him over, but found his attention drawn to the younger man sitting next to him. The two looked alike and were probably father and son, if Nic had to take a guess. Unlike the utter confusion on the father¡¯s face, the son was full of hatred.


    ¡°As Mr. Alberie has clearly demonstrated, the force that this man was a part of all wore the family mark of the Alberie¡¯s.¡± Sarman turned to face the shocked man himself. ¡°Of course, Mr. Alberie, it is also clear from your expression that you had no idea this was happening.¡±


    ¡°Of course I had nothing to do with this! Why would I attack a Rad-Town like that?¡± Alberie spat out his response.


    ¡°Do you know what that Rad-Town called itself? Who was its founder and leader?¡±


    Alberie faltered and let out a stammered response. ¡°N-n-no¡­¡±


    ¡°Then let me enlighten you. The newly founded City-State that is situated on the other side of the Irradiated Forest is named Crystallia. That name is in honor of its founder, and first queen, the Blood Elf Crystal. A founder and leader who is now dead, thanks to the work of this man right here.¡±


    Sarman left the room quiet. Nic wasn¡¯t quite sure what had actually quieted the room. Was it the news of a new City-State? Or the news that Crystal had been its leader? Her death? Her killer?


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    It was a lot for the room to take in.


    But once they did, chaos erupted. Shouts came down about all four of the things that Sarman had said. Senator Alberie was being hounded by those around him. His son sank further and further into his own seat, avoiding the ire of those around them.


    The sound of wood knocking on wood spread through the room. Ordwell was clapping two pieces of wood together to make enough sound to get everyone¡¯s attention. It took a minute, but once the senators finally quieted down, Ordwell spoke up.


    ¡°That is a lot to accuse the Alberie family of, but you also said you don¡¯t think that the culprit is a senator. Who are you truly accusing, Sarman?¡±


    Sarman walked towards the section of the room where Alberie was sitting. His gait was relaxed, yet a small flame was lit in his palm. Nic could just barely see it as Sarman walked past him.


    Sarman walked straight up to the lowest seats, just to the right of Senator Alberie, in front of the man who looked similar to the senator.


    ¡°Rudy Alberie. You were the one who sent the force to Oh-Eight-Six, right?¡±


    The senator¡¯s son stood up. A look of pure frenzy was plastered on his face as he leaned into Sarman¡¯s face.


    ¡°For the dawn of a new day!¡± With the words leaving his mouth, a knife appeared in his hands. It plunged towards Sarman¡¯s neck.


    Nic took a step towards his friend as he saw the black miasma oozing off of the sword. He was stopped by the display of fire that enveloped Rudy Alberies hand and the knife.


    ¡°AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH¡± With a loud scream Rudy fell into his seat grasping his burned arm in pain. From the tips of his fingers to the elbow of the arm, large burns covered every part of exposed skin.


    A flaming salamander had appeared on Sarman¡¯s shoulders, flames licking its mouth.


    But Nic tuned out everything else.


    His eyes were on the knife that had fallen to the floor.


    His eyes were drawn to the black miasma still being released by the weapon.


    Nic knelt down and grabbed the knife in his hands. The instant he did, the darkness within it tried to force its way past his hand.


    Nic let it in.


    In the instant he did, the darkness was obliterated. Purified into harmless energy that became nothingness as it dissipated through Nic¡¯s body.


    Nic held the now normal knife up to Ordwell.


    ¡°On top of the charges we have brought against him, Rudy Alberie has also attempted to attack the son of the minister of Sanum with a knife brimming with Irradiation. Is this not enough to get this council to act?¡±


    Nic¡¯s question only got an irritated sigh from Ordwell.


    ¡°This council will go on recess for now. You,¡± Ordwell pointed to one of the guards that had brought in the assassin. ¡°Grab that knife and Rudy Alberie and follow me. Sarman, Nic and Paul, come with me as well.¡±


    Ordwell let the senate meeting go on break and began walking up towards the entrance doors.


    As a group they soon found themselves in the main entrance foyer to the building.


    In front of another group of people.


    Ordwell groaned as he saw everyone else¡¯s face.


    ¡°You all really came up with an elaborate scheme, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! Don¡¯t say that!¡± Kayde spoke up as he slapped one of Ordwell¡¯s shoulders. ¡°The rest of us are here to speak with you as well. It¡¯s somewhat related to what I believe just happened on the senate floor?¡±


    ¡°Fine, come with me as well.¡±


    With a final order for the soldiers to bring the two prisoners to the nearby military base, Ordwell led everyone else through a set of side doors.


    They walked down a long hallway, doors leading to offices lined the hallway with decorative plants between them. At the end was a final set of double doors that led into Ordwell¡¯s office in the building.


    The office itself was fairly large, easily big enough to handle the eleven extra people that were piling into the room.


    ¡°Ordwell listen, I-¡± Paul Alberie was the first to speak up, presumably trying to separate himself from his wayward son, but he was cut off by Ordwell raising one of his hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Paul. While your son will be tried for what he did, I¡¯ll make sure it doesn¡¯t get dragged back to you. Like my own son here, from what I saw on the senate floor, I don¡¯t think that you had any involvement.¡±


    Ordwell¡¯s words caused Paul¡¯s shoulders to relax yet his face remained contorted in pain. It would be hard for anyone to learn that their child was going against everything they believed.


    ¡°I understand¡­¡± Senator Alberie was about to walk out of the room in defeat when one Yuuki and one of the other ambassadors from Crystallia stopped him. ¡°Hmmm? What is it?¡±


    ¡°While it seems like Rudy¡¯s actions are being accounted for on the Sanum side of things, the city of Crystallia still has their own charges they want to bring against him as well.¡± Yuuki was the one who spoke up, standing directly between Alberie and the door to the office.


    ¡°Yuuki?¡± Her response had clearly caught Ordwell off guard as he stood up in confusion while calling out to her.


    Nic had moved to stand besides Aria and Kayde when they had entered the room. At this moment, he spoke up while stepping forward.


    ¡°Mr. Chapman, I think that now would be a good time for introductions for our guests from Crystallia.¡± Despite the confused looks that he got from Ordwell and Alberie, Nic continued. ¡°And it would be the perfect time for us to tell you why both representatives from Aric and Crystallia are really here in Sanum.¡±


    Nic¡¯s words left everyone silent. For those that had come from Aric, this was fully expected.


    Their plan all along.


    They couldn¡¯t guarantee how the senate would act with the accusations against Rudy Alberie.


    So they had made two plans. One where this happened on the Senate floor and one where it happened here.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Ordwell acquiesced to the request from Nic. He started the introductions, followed by Paul Alberie and Sarman. Kiara and Sarah were up next in the list, as they were both from Sanum proper. Nic introduced himself as a wandering entity, currently unassociated with any City-State.


    Aria introduced herself as the first representative of Aric before her father¡¯s introduction would shake the unaware.


    ¡°Kayde Towsend, head representative for the City of Aric. However, today I come with a second title as well. Today I¡¯m also the acting head of the newly formed Alliance of Free City-States.¡±


    Kayde¡¯s words caused Ordwell to audibly fumble over his words as he struggled to utter a response.


    ¡°A-A-a-a-alliance!?¡±


    ¡°I am Linda, representative of Crystallia and attendant to our Queen.¡± Linda bowed her head, completely bypassing Ordwell''s current surprised nature.


    ¡°Catherine, ambassador for Crystallia.¡± The crystalline next to Linda was quick and curt, not giving a second of empty air.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Luke, the current representative of Crystallia as part of the Alliance of Free City-States.¡±


    As Ordwell continued to stammer over his words, the only one left to introduce themselves was Yuuki. She took a deep breath and looked at Sarman for reassurance before speaking.


    ¡°Last, but certainly not least, is me. I now come before you, Minister Chapman and Senator Alberie, as Yuuki Ito, Queen of Crystallia.¡±


    Yuuki bowed in a way that Nic knew she had been practicing for a few days now. It was a low bow, one of royal proportions. Apparently she had been told that it was something she had to do as Queen of Crystallia from Linda.


    On the other side of the room, Ordwell fell into his chair with a loud thump. His face had lost all emotion as he simply stared ahead.


    He had been shocked too much.


    A second later he rubbed his temples and spoke up again.


    ¡°Did you just say that you were queen of Crystallia?¡±


    His question was directed solely at Yuuki.


    ¡°I am, yes.¡±


    ¡°What am I going to do?¡± Ordwell spoke quieter. ¡°How am I going to tell the Shogun about this?!¡±


    ¡°If you are talking about father, you don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± Yuuki twitched her ears as she spoke. Even if he had been trying to talk to himself, she heard everything.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I plan on traveling to Kyoku soon. I shall explain everything myself then. So you don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s words did little to actually placate the concern on Ordwell¡¯s face, but he apparently decided to move past it as he turned to Kayde.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about an Alliance then? Why create it now of all times? What is it for?¡±


    Kayde stepped up to Ordwell¡¯s desk and motioned for Nic to stand by him.


    ¡°Jack¡¯s attack on Aric. His attack on Sanum. The recent incident in the Irradiated Forest. And the attack on Crystallia that ended in Crystal¡¯s death. Do you know what all of these had in common, Ordwell?¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t say I do.¡±


    ¡°They were all orchestrated by the same people.¡±


    Ordwell¡¯s face filled with surprise. When he looked over at him, Nic simply nodded in agreement before placing a stack of papers down.


    ¡°This is an entry from the journal of one of my ancestors, the Blood Elf Crystal Verilo. She knew about this group because they are led by a clone of hers. This clone, Ruby, is hellbent on creating a second Irradiated Winter.¡±


    Nic pushed the papers towards Ordwell and let him flip through them. The room stayed quiet with only the sound of shuffling papers being heard.


    ¡°This is a bit hard to just accept. But I take it then that this Alliance was made to combat this group?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Nic stepped back as Kayde answered Ordwell.


    ¡°There¡¯s one other thing, father.¡± Sarman took Nic¡¯s space.


    ¡°Sarman? What is it?¡±


    ¡°This group killed the Blood Elf Crystal using poison.¡±


    Ordwell¡¯s gaze grew stronger as Sarman continued to speak.


    ¡°I was there when it happened. Salamander couldn¡¯t stop the poison.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Ordwell¡¯s silence weighted everyone down. They all knew what Sarman was about to say.


    Their ace in the hand.


    The one thing they knew would work to bring Ordwell and Sanum into the alliance.


    A truth that would give Ordwell the chance he had been looking for.


    ¡°Salamander has only seen that poison once before¡­ twenty years ago¡­¡±


    A fist slammed down on the table. Everyone could feel the rage emanating off of Ordwell.


    ¡°The last time Salamander saw it, was when mother was killed.¡±

 Chapter 37: Alberie & Chapman

    The entire room flinched from the sound of a fist hitting the desk.


    Sarman looked at his father, his eyes pleading for him to say anything at all.


    ¡°Out.¡± Ordwell strained to keep his voice down. ¡°Now.¡± His face was red. Veins were visible across his forehead. Muscles bulged under his clothes as he forced himself to keep appearances while others were in front of him.


    ¡°Father!¡± Sarman raised his voice over the sound of clothes rustling and shoes walking through the room''s door.


    The room emptied quickly. The only person still in the room besides Sarman and Ordwell was Senator Alberie, who was hovering near the table. He was fidgeting as if he had something he wanted to say as well.


    ¡°Sarman, leave!¡± Ordwell¡¯s voice was raised. His fist slammed down on the desk again as he shouted at his son.


    ¡°No. Not until you give me your answer!¡± Sarman responded by imitating his father; raising his voice and slamming a fist on the desk.


    ¡°Answer?! I need time to think!¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t! This is your chance to finally make a step towards avenging Mother! And you¡¯re going to sit here and ¡®debate¡¯ with yourself whether or not you want to take it?¡± Steam had started to billow from the closed fist on the desk. All three of the people in the room could feel the heat rising. ¡°That isn¡¯t something that you would do! You would take the initiative! You would at least let the senate-¡±


    ¡°Shut it!¡± Sarman was cut off by his father suddenly standing up. ¡°You think I¡¯m a coward for this? Fine! At least I¡¯m not letting my feelings for a girl get in the way of my rational thinking! You only want Sanum to join so that you can join Yuuki!¡±


    What he was saying was true. Sarman already knew that she was the reason he felt so driven to join the alliance.


    He knew all that.


    He had not realized that his father would feel this way.


    ¡°I have spent years making sure you get the best education! Make sure that you would be ready to take up this seat when I step down!¡± Ordwell grabbed Sarman¡¯s collar, locking him in place. ¡°So I know that you know better than this. Better than letting your emotions dictate your actions like this.¡±


    Sarman grabbed the hand holding his collar. His vision was going red with anger, listening to the hypocritical words that Ordwell was saying. Ordwell let go once Sarman¡¯s hand heated up to unbearable temperatures.


    Seeing his father look at him in pain, Sarman finally responded.


    ¡°I know better? Sure, maybe. I don¡¯t care. If you refuse to even think about bringing this up to the senate, then I will step away from Sanum.¡± Sarman spat in the face of his father¡¯s words. He meant everything he said. He had no intention of simply lying down and letting Crystalia and Aric go through things alone. ¡°You¡¯re right, I do want to help Yuuki. And I won¡¯t let her deal with this alone.¡±


    His words cut deep.


    It was plain to see on Ordwell¡¯s face.


    His father may have expected Sarman¡¯s emotions, but he had underestimated how far Sarman was willing to go.


    With Sarman¡¯s emotions beginning to flare, the room was gradually warming up. It would quickly become a sauna for anyone else. As a Demi-Human who was part phoenix, Ordwell didn¡¯t show any signs of the heat affecting him.


    The same was not true of Paul Alberie.


    His shirt was already beginning to become drenched from the sweat pouring down his skin.


    Which is why it came as no surprise that he was the one to step in between them. ¡°Ok ok ok! Stop!¡± Alberie put his hands in between father and son. ¡°Ordwell, I understand why you are hesitant to bring this up to the Senate floor¡­ Which is why I will do it myself.¡±


    Sarman watched as his father¡¯s face contorted through a wide variety of emotions¡ªsurprise, pain, and finally confusion.


    Sarman himself was feeling that same confusion.


    Paul Alberie was the biggest opponent his father had in the Sanum Senate. Even with everything that had just happened with his son, it was pretty odd for him to speak up in a way that would benefit Ordwell.


    ¡°Paul¡­? Why would you¡­¡± Ordwell¡¯s voice disappeared as Alberie shook his head.


    ¡°I may be your political opponent, but that doesn¡¯t mean I hate everything you do. And even I can see the good in this proposed Alliance. If nothing else, I see this alliance as nothing but good for our City-State.¡±


    Alberie was concise in explaining his reasons. And with that done, as Ordwell looked at him incredulously, Alberie turned to Sarman.


    With a flick of his head, Alberie motioned for Sarman to walk with him out of Ordwell¡¯s office.


    Sarman took one last look at his father¡¯s confused face before following the Senator out of the room.


    ¡°What do you get out of the alliance?¡± As soon as the door to his father¡¯s office was closed, Sarman started questioning Alberie. The hallway had long been cleared out of anyone passing by, leaving just the two alone.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Alberie raised an eye to the question before finally answering. ¡°Nothing myself. But it would be good for your father.¡±


    Sarman nearly stopped in his tracks when he heard the answer.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing it¡­ for my father? But aren¡¯t you his political rival?¡± Sarman was running everything through his head, but it wasn¡¯t making sense.


    ¡°Yes, but only out of respect for the man your father once was in the senate room. After he lost Lily, Ordwell changed. The way he ran this City-State changed. And I didn¡¯t like it. So I fashioned myself into a worthy political opponent for him. Every time I pushed him it was because I wanted to see him become the man I admired when I was younger again.¡±


    Paul¡¯s words were too good to be true.


    Honey words spoke to what Sarman wanted to hear. Yet, Sarman couldn¡¯t find it in himself to outright deny the words said by the man.


    ¡°How will the Alliance change my father?¡± Instead of denying them, Sarman instead tried to get to the core of what was being said.


    ¡°The thing that changed your father was Lily¡¯s death. He became much more reserved. You never experienced what this city was like before Lily¡¯s death.¡± Alberie softly smiled as he thought about the past. ¡°In the past, Ordwell was much more into the continual growth of the city, and the inevitable change that would bring.¡±


    ¡°Sanum was a city at the forefront of change for all of Kronul. Of course, the entire world is still struggling with Irradiation, but Ordwell was always working with other City-States and Nations. Members of our city were always there when new City-States were formed. We were always there when new ways of detecting Irradiation were discovered. When others went to war, it was often Sanum that intervened and acted as a mediator.


    But in the twenty years since your mother¡¯s death, the city has stagnated. Ordwell stopped pushing for advancement and instead became a benefactor of the political faction that believed in Sanum staying precisely as it was. The only thing that he allowed change with was our police force. It has become much more militaristic in recent years. I can only imagine the two are related.¡±


    Paul Alberie shrugged his shoulders.


    The two were nearing the doors that led to the main entryway. Yet as he listened to what Alberie was saying, Sarman stopped.


    Just a few more steps.


    Yet he turned around.


    The spark of a flame was in his hand.


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    He had known that his father had changed after his mother¡¯s death. He was often told this by the maids in their house.


    But to hear that he has forced the city to stagnate. That was the last straw for Sarman.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯re you doing?¡± Alberie grabbed Sarman¡¯s shoulder. His fist gripped tightly, forcing Sarman to look at him.


    ¡°Are you sure about your assessment of what my father has been doing?¡± The anger in Sarman¡¯s heart seeped into his words.


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m going to slap some sense into him. I may not have many memories of Mother but I remember how much she loved this city! And it wasn¡¯t because of how the city was in that moment.¡±


    Sarman was barely a year old when his Mother, Lily, was killed. He had almost true memories of her, only snippets here and there. But when he had turned fifteen, one of the maids had given him her journal. His father had tried to get rid of it, but the maid had saved it.


    That journal had shown him the kind of person his mother was.


    She didn¡¯t love Sanum in a single moment of time.


    She loved how it grew and changed.


    And yet his father spat on that. He refused to let the City-State continue to grow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± A hand grabbed Sarman¡¯s shoulder and stopped him from moving. Alberie was shaking his head slowly as he spoke. ¡°Your father is still grieving after two decades. If that was thrown back in his face, it might make things worse.¡±


    ¡°Then what am I supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°Give him the one thing that will naturally make him let go of the guilt.¡±


    Sarman¡¯s eyes went wide. His brain had finally connected the dots.


    Alberie¡¯s sudden insistence in having Sanum join the Alliance.


    An Alliance whose enemy is known to use the same poison that killed his mother.


    ¡°If the senate joins the Alliance, Father will have a reason to go after the man who killed Mother way back then¡­¡± Sarman whispered the words to himself.


    ¡°So leave the rest to me.¡± Alberie gave Sarman a smile before opening the door to the entrance hall.


    The Senator finally left Sarman alone as he walked back into the Senate chambers.


    The entrance foyer was fairly empty. Most of the group that had arrived with Sarman were nowhere to be seen. Only four people remained waiting in the hall.


    Nic, Aria and Kayde were discussing something in a small huddle while Yuuki was lazily listening in from the side. Her face lit up when she saw Sarman enter the room. As soon as Alberie walked away, she made her way over to him.


    ¡°Did everything go well with your father?¡± Her voice was laced with concern. Her eyes were scanning everything about Sarman¡¯s body, trying to pick up on his mood from it alone.


    ¡°No,¡± Sarman gave her a quick smile. ¡°But everything will work out fine, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°What happened with Senator Alberie? Is he mad about his son?¡± Yuuki looked at the doors that Alberie had walked through. The worry on her face had turned into pure concern about the Senator¡¯s actions.


    Sarman shook his head before answering. ¡°Senator Alberie is fully on our side. Honestly after hearing everything he said, I feel like Rudy was simply left in the dark just as much as we were.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Yuuki¡¯s voice was just a bit tight as she responded. Sarman assumed that she was feeling off about how easy the Senator was on their side.


    If Sarman hadn¡¯t heard the Senator¡¯s words himself, he probably would have felt the same as her.


    Sarman gently took her hand in his. The action caught her off guard, so Sarman got to see her face grow ever so slightly red. The expression caused his body to relax as he began to feel a bit warmer himself.


    ¡°So what were they doing?¡± Breaking the silence between the two of them, Sarman motioned towards the three other people in the room.


    ¡°Discussing what they would do if Sanum didn¡¯t join the Alliance.¡±


    ¡°Well they don¡¯t need to discuss that any longer.¡± Sarman jumped at the sudden appearance of his father behind him.


    Ordwell¡¯s words caused everyone in the room to look at him.


    ¡°The Senate meeting is going back into session. If you all wish to see the results with your own eyes, you may take seats in the back of the hall.¡±


    Ordwell stood in front of the door to the Senate Chamber. His hand stopped just before opening the door.


    ¡°Sarman, I-¡± His father tried to say something to Sarman, but he cut off his own father.


    ¡°Whatever you have to say father, save it for after. Right now, you need to be the leader the Senate needs..¡±


    Sarman found himself sitting in the top row of the Senate floor. In a line next to him was Yuuki, Kayde, Aria, and then Nic.


    The sound of two pieces of wood hitting each other resounded through the room, quieting the many Senators that had been chatting amongst themselves. The person who had hit them together was Ordwell Chapman who was standing in a center box.


    Elevated slightly off the floor, his father¡¯s position on the Senate floor put him directly in the center of the room. That position was also directly above the single highest point on the mountain that Sanum was built above.


    ¡°Quiet down, this session has now reconvened.¡±


    As Ordwell spoke up, his voice reverberating throughout the room, the many senators finally sat still and looked down upon him. Of the faces that he could see, Sarman noticed many looking at his father questioningly.


    They were wondering what was happening to Alberie. Both father and son.


    Especially the one still on the Senate floor.


    ¡°Rudy Alberie has been arrested on multiple charges. Charges that Paul Alberie seemingly had no knowledge of. Because of this I have let him return to the Senate floor. No one should have a problem with this, correct?¡±


    The room fell quiet. No one responded.


    No one had a problem with this outcome.


    ¡°Good, then let us get back to the topic we were discussing before all of this.¡±


    Sarman felt his heart sink slightly.


    He wasn¡¯t giving up as Senator Alberie had promised him it would be brought up.


    But Sarman was disappointed that his father would choose to go down this route. Clinging to a never-changing Sanum.


    Yuuki¡¯s hand gripped tightly onto Sarman¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Hold it!¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s grip loosened immediately.


    Paul Alberie had stood up. His voice boomed through the hall.


    ¡°I thank everyone for allowing me back on the Senate floor, but that was not all that we heard while on recess Ordwell.¡± Alberie¡¯s words caused some commotion amongst the senators. ¡°If you won¡¯t bring it up, then I will.¡±


    ¡°Senator Alberie, that won¡¯t be nec-¡±


    ¡°Yes it is, Ordwell.¡± Alberie slammed his hand down on the small fence in front of him. ¡°You may not want to face true change, but the rest of us have the right to hear the truth! Every single Senator here has the right to hear about the newly formed Alliance of Free City-States!¡±


    Paul Alberie¡¯s words caused the room to stir. Whispers of excitement reached through every corner of the Senate hall.


    No matter how much his father denied it now, Sarman knew that this was the chance that they needed.


    A chance for the Alliance to represent itself.


    A chance to preach their own beliefs.


    So he stood.


    ¡°Father! If the people of the Senate want to learn more about the Alliance, they should hear it from the Alliance themselves. The leaders of which are sitting right next to me!¡±


    Sarman¡¯s words boomed through the space. He projected his voice into every nook and cranny that could be found.


    He drew everyone¡¯s attention.


    Sarman could hear a small snicker coming from Kayde as he struggled to keep in a laugh.


    ¡°Would you all not want to hear from our guests?¡± As Sarman pointed his question to the Senators, the edge of his vision drew his attention.


    Alberie was smiling.


    He gave Sarman a small nod as he realized that the Spirit King was looking at him.


    ¡°We would!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    Cheers of affirmation came from around the room.


    Hearing them all, Sarman looked back towards the center of the room. ¡°Well, father?¡±


    Ordwell heaved a sigh in response. He waved a hand, inviting Yuuki and Kayde down to the center of the room.


    And so the Alliance of Free City-States was allowed to give their pitch to the entirety of the Sanum Senate. If Sanum was to join the Alliance, it would happen at the discretion of every leader of the city.


    Kayde took charge as the elder of the two leaders. He didn¡¯t mince words as he recounted the tales of Aric, Sanum and Crystallia. Kayde laid out the evidence of a hidden group working in the shadows. With some input from Yuuki here and there, the two managed to make a convincing argument.


    At least, the reactions that Sarman saw pointed towards that.


    By the time that the two sat back down next to him, the Senators had already come to an unwritten agreement with each other.


    All that was left was for Ordwell Chapman to hold a vote.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Ordwell did a full circle as he looked at every senator''s face. ¡°I believe this isn¡¯t needed, seeing all of your faces. But in the honor of tradition, let this Senate vote commence. All those in favor of Sanum joining the Alliance of Free City-States, please raise your hands now.¡±


    With his words, most of the senators in the room raised their hands. By Sarman¡¯s count, only a handful didn¡¯t.


    ¡°I see, you may put your hands down. All those not in favor of joining the Alliance, please raise your hands.¡±


    Sarman expected the handful who hadn¡¯t raised their hands before to raise them now. Instead, they continued to keep their hands down. They were simply abstaining from the vote overall.


    ¡°Then that settles this little debate. Kayde. Yuuki. The city of Sanum would like to officially join your Alliance.¡±

 Chapter 38: Plans

    After the Sanum Senate¡¯s vote to join the newly formed Alliance of Free States, Nic and Aria found themselves alone outside of the building. Sarman, Yuuki, and Kayde had all been requested to meet Ordwell in his office. Discussions about the Alliance most likely.


    With everyone else who had come with them from Aric having left even earlier, the two found themselves with nothing to do.


    The sky itself was dyed a bright pink as the sun slowly set over the horizon. A couple of stray clouds passed by, seemingly just out of reach from the two as they stood near the top of the mountain.


    ¡°We probably won¡¯t be spending much more time in Sanum for now.¡± Nic spoke up as the two of them slowly walked down the path. ¡°Is there anything else that you wanted to do while we¡¯re in the city?¡±


    Aria stayed quiet. Nic wasn¡¯t sure what had happened to make her stay this quiet, but she didn¡¯t make a noise until they came up to a small clearing partitioned off from their path by a fence.


    Nic heard a longing sigh escape Aria¡¯s mouth as she looked up at the tall building in front of them.


    ¡°The university¡­¡± Nic looked up as well before remembering what the small clearing was.


    ¡°This place is where I first dueled Sarah¡­¡± It was back in his first week at the school. Sarah had challenged Nic to a duel after he had gotten Yuuki¡¯s help for over a week. ¡°You watched that duel as well, right?¡±


    ¡°I did. But on that day I never thought that-¡± Aria was about to turn to Nic as she talked when another person interrupted her.


    ¡°Nic? Aria?¡± Nic immediately turned to the voice to find an older gentleman standing near them. He was walking in the opposite direction that they had been, meaning that his destination was most likely the Senate building that they had just left.


    ¡°Headmaster Black. It¡¯s good to see you.¡± Both Nic and Aria bowed their heads slightly as Nic addressed the man.


    ¡°You as well. I¡¯m glad you have returned to Sanum safe and sound. I was just summoned by Ordwell to meet him at the Senate building. Apparently it has something to do with you two? By chance, are you returning to your scholarly journey?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no.¡± Nic felt bad as he responded to Headmaster Black. His hand reached up and scratched the back of his neck in nervousness. ¡°We actually won¡¯t be staying in Sanum that long.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Really?¡±


    ¡°Excuse us, Headmaster Black.¡± Aria spoke up this time. ¡°We have been chosen to be ambassadors for Aric, so we will be traveling to different City-States and Nations for the time being.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Black seemed to deflate slightly at the news. ¡°I suspect that the other four will be joining you then as well. Losing six of our students in one day, especially as some of them are our brightest, will be a blow to the school. But, know this you two. If you ever want to continue with academics, the school will always be open to you.¡±


    Nic and Aria stood there, their expressions slightly stunned.


    ¡°In that case,¡± Aria had a question she wanted to ask. ¡°May we use one of the school¡¯s sparring grounds for a bit?¡±


    Nic looked at her in confusion while Black merely laughed softly.


    ¡°Of course you can. They should all still be open.¡± With a small hearty laugh, Black bowed to the two of them himself. ¡°In any case, I should get going. Don¡¯t want to keep the Minister waiting too long.¡± He gave the two of them a small wink before continuing his journey up the mountain.


    Nic watched the headmaster leave before turning back to Aria. ¡°Why did you ask for a sparring room?¡±


    He got no response. Instead, Aria simply started walking again.


    This time her destination was clear.


    The two of them entered the school¡¯s corridors and soon found themselves in one of the empty sparring halls.


    Aria lit a few candles surrounding the room, giving them just a bit of light.


    ¡°Aria, what are we doing here?¡±


    ¡°Draw your sword.¡± The sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath echoed her words. Nic had his on him as well, but was still unsure about what was going on.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The question barely left his mouth when Aria¡¯s sword swung at him. He moved his body out of the way, but the sound of the sword cutting through the air as it whisked by his face rang clearly in his ears.


    She was out to hit him.


    ¡°Aria, wait!¡±


    Nic¡¯s pleas fell on deaf ears as Aria swung again. Nic dodged again. Another swoosh that rang loudly in his ears.


    ¡°Aria!¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me!?¡± Her third swing was accompanied by a question. It was too fast for Nic to dodge it.


    He was forced to draw his own blade.


    The two blades clashed before Nic¡¯s was even fully out of the sheath.


    ¡°What?¡± Nic was unsure of what she was talking about. Everything since they had left Crystallia had seemed fine. Had Aria been holding something in from even then?


    ¡°Crystal! Your family! Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Two more strikes in quick succession.


    Nic blocked them each, but he could tell that she was doing more than simply augmenting her swordplay with magic. The speed and power was being boosted even further by her apparent pain of not being told about Crystal.


    Nic responded to her questions with his own strikes.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would be such a big problem if I didn¡¯t tell you for a few days.¡± His words were accompanied by a number of strikes. Aria managed to block two of them but the third managed to land. Not wanting to hurt her, Nic had been aiming to hit her with the flat of his blade the entire time. She winced in pain as the blade made a loud smacking sound, hitting her side.


    Nic took a step back, creating space between the two of them.


    Aria herself was struggling to stand back up. Her labored breath could be heard throughout the room.


    ¡°Not a problem?¡± Aria shakily held her sword at the ready, its tip swaying up and down as she tried to control her breathing. In response, Nic held his own blade in a defensive position.


    Unlike her, he had no reason to actually strike out.


    So he wouldn''t. Nic would simply defend against each strike.


    Aria lunged forward with a simple strike at Nic¡¯s body. As their blades clashed, metal shrieking against metal, Aria spoke up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you should hold those things by yourself!¡±


    She drew back her blade and struck again.


    ¡°I want you to let me hold them with you. To lessen the burden you already hold!¡± Another strike, more metal shrieking. ¡°Let me help you!¡±


    A simple plea.


    But one that Nic couldn¡¯t understand.


    Had she not already been helping him? To Nic, just her presence near him was enough support. Was it not enough for her to simply be with him?


    ¡°I,¡± Nic blocked another strike. As the blades locked together, he opened his mouth to say what he was thinking, but found himself unable to speak. ¡°I- No, if that¡¯s what you want then I¡¯ll share with you next time something like this comes up.¡±


    Nic said what Aria wanted to hear. He made a promise that she was willing to accept, and because of that their little duel ended. Aria took a step back and began to catch her breath.


    Nic simply stood in the same spot. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to be okay with simply making that promise. Not without saying his own piece.


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    If Aria thought that he didn¡¯t trust her, that he didn¡¯t think she was helpful, then he had to fix that notion.


    ¡°But,¡± His voice carried throughout the room. ¡°If you think that you aren¡¯t helping me enough, that you aren¡¯t doing enough¡­ That¡¯s completely false!¡± Nic¡¯s voice rose as he nearly began to yell. ¡°Everything you do has been more than enough! You¡¯ve stayed by my side this entire time! How can I not appreciate everything that you do? You are the constant proof that I¡¯m not alone in this gods-forsaken world.¡±


    When Nic looked back at Aria, she seemed like she had something that she wanted to say, yet they were both cut off when another voice spoke up from the entrance to the room.


    ¡°Hmm. Looks like we may have interrupted something important.¡±


    ¡°You can say that. Though these two really need to learn to get their own private room.¡±


    A much more elegant female voice was cut off by the familiar complaining of one of their roommates at the school.


    Four people stood at the entryway. Three Demi-Humans and a single human.


    Kiara¡¯s long raven hair was tied up in a ponytail between her two raccoon ears. Her tail was peeking out from behind what could only be described as her adventuring gear. The difference between her elegant way of speaking and her outfit was laudable. Standing next to her was her Fiance, and Nic¡¯s fellow student of Yuuki, Sarah. Sarah was wearing a matching outfit to Kiara, owing to them having recently spent time in Aric working under Ordwell¡¯s plans.


    Standing next to the two of them were the two other Demi-Humans in far different clothes.


    Sarman was wearing a much more formal suit due to his meeting with his father and the Sanum Senate about the Alliance of Free States. Likewise, Yuuki was wearing an elegant violet dress that matched her eyes perfectly. Her hair was loosely running down her back. Sarman, the one who had just spoken up, looked the most uncomfortable in his current attire.


    Nic, realizing that all four of them had heard what he had said, began to grow red in the face while Aria spoke up.


    ¡°What¡¯re you all doing here?¡±


    ¡°We,¡± Sarman spoke up while pointing to Yuuki and himself, ¡°were just leaving the Senate building when we ran into the headmaster. He told us that you two were heading to one of the school''s sparring grounds so we decided to come see what was going on.¡±


    ¡°As for us,¡± Kiara spoke up next, ¡°we were walking through the school when we ran into the two of them. We decided to tag along before heading back to our own room to rest.¡±


    Nic took a deep breath, steadying himself and slowly making his face less red.


    ¡°So the meeting is over?¡± Nic looked at Sarman as he asked the question. When he got back a simple nod, Nic slipped his sword back into its sheath. He could hear Aria doing the same as he began to walk over to the four of them.


    As he got closer, he saw Yuuki smirking at something behind him.


    He sighed. Nic knew what she wanted.


    The sheath to his blade was attached to his waist through a belt he wore. Slipping the belt off he lightly tossed the entire thing to Yuuki.


    ¡°You probably won¡¯t need to, but I hope you can move well in that dress.¡±


    Yuuki looked surprised as she caught the sword right before it hit her. As she looked down at the hilt in surprise while listening to Nic, she slowly lit up.


    ¡°Of course I can! Aria!¡± Yuuki quickly responded to Nic before turning her attention to the woman walking slightly behind him. ¡°It¡¯s time for me to test how well Nic has tested you! Prepare yourself.¡±


    ¡°Huh?! What?!¡± Aria simply stammered a response as she stopped in place.


    Nic could hear the all too familiar sounds of swords being held at the ready and soon the clashing of the blades as well.


    He ignored the fight for now and focused on Sarman.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the decision?¡±


    ¡°Our next destination is set in stone. Father agreed with our plans.¡±


    Nic was relieved. After getting Sanum to agree to join the Alliance, he thought the next greatest obstacle would be convincing Ordwell to allow them to head to the Far East nation of Kyoku.


    Yuuki had plenty of reasons to go back to her home nation as of now. She had become the de facto ruler of another nation. And even beyond that, she hadn¡¯t been home in over ten years. She was sure to want to visit, even if just to say hello to her family.


    As for Nic, the words he had heard from Solus at the end of the fighting in Crystallia still rang true in his ears. They were in a language that Nic had never heard before. Yet once he talked with Yuuki, she had confirmed that they were from the old Kyokan language, though she was unable to translate what they meant.


    ¡°Again!¡± Nic turned around as he heard Yuuki announce the end of the first fight. As he looked back, he saw Aria getting off the ground and preparing another strike. He may have been the one teaching her, but Yuuki was the far better sword fighter, and was a far better teacher than he would ever be.


    ¡°When do we leave?¡±


    ¡°First we¡¯re gonna have a meeting tomorrow. Father is going to be inviting the current ambassadors from Kyoku to the meeting as well.¡±


    The current ambassadors may very well be able to translate the words that Nic held. This possibility made him feel a fair amount of anticipation for the meeting to come.


    ¡°So¡­ you all are leaving again?¡± Sarah spoke up from beside them. She looked downtrodden, and the energy was seeping into her voice.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Nic, Sarman, and Kiara all looked at her in confusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ I don¡¯t get to train with Master anymore!¡±


    Nic immediately knew how she felt. Like Sarah, he hadn¡¯t actually trained with Yuuki since that day when Jack attacked Sanum nearly a month ago. But he didn¡¯t know what he could say to alleviate her pain.


    ¡°Well then,¡± At just that moment, Sarman spoke to Sarah directly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you two come with us again?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s okay?¡±


    Both Sarah and Kiara reacted simultaneously. Sarah¡¯s was an outburst of confusion while Kiara simply asked if it was okay, not letting her own feelings on the offer come to the surface.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m the representative for Sanum, and I think that it never hurts to have more people who can fight in case we need to.¡± Sarman held out a hand to the two of them. ¡°So, if you want to, I can say that you two are my bodyguards on paper so you can join us.¡±


    Sarah nearly jumped on Sarman¡¯s hand as he held it out.


    ¡°Yes! Yes! Yes! We will join you! I promise that no harm will come to you as long as I¡¯m your bodyguard!¡± Her face beamed with joy as she shook his hand vigorously.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s one. How about you, Mrs. Kiara?¡± Sarman looked over at the Demi-Human.


    His response was a simple sigh before nodding her head.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just leave Sarah to go on her own.¡±


    Their group had gained another two official members.


    Nic couldn¡¯t help but smile as he thought about the five people around him. Each one knew his past, and each one still accepted him as a friend.


    The next day Nic found himself sitting at the same long table he had eaten his first dinner in Sanum at. Inside the Chapman Manor, the food on the table was all exquisitely made for the Minister who ran the entire City-State and his guests.


    At the head of the table was Ordwell Chapman, the selfsame Minister. To his left was Sarman, Kiara, Sarah, and then the two Kyokan Ambassadors. And on Ordwell¡¯s right was Kayde, Nic, Aria, and the two other Crystallian Ambassadors. Finally, sitting directly across from Ordwell was Yuuki.


    They all sat at the table to partake in a meeting. The Alliance of Free City-States was planning a diplomatic mission to the Eastern nation of Kyoku. And so they had invited the Kyokan ambassadors in order to get their thoughts on everything.


    ¡°Well,¡± Ordwell was the first to break the silence as maids ran in and out of the room, dropping plates of food across the table. ¡°Mr. Watanabe and Mrs. Sato, thank you for agreeing to join us in this meeting.¡±


    The two Kyokans sitting next to Yuuki both gave Ordwell a warm smile.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to be here. We were glad when you sent us news that Mrs. Ito had been found.¡±


    ¡°Very glad. We will need to send word to her father as well.¡±


    Yuuki silently ate the food she had gathered to her plate as the two natives of her homeland began to speak about her.


    ¡°About that,¡± Ordwell took a few bits of his own food before continuing. ¡°We invited you here today because there have been some¡­¡± Ordwell paused as he thought of a way to word the rest of his sentence. ¡°Some political changes have happened. Changes that we wish to discuss with the Shogunate and his advisers.¡±


    His words caused the male Kyokan to narrow his eyes and lean forward. ¡°What changes?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Ordwell cast out his arms wide, ¡°everyone here aside from you two are representatives of the newly formed Alliance of Free City-States. My son, his two aids, and myself are here at this table representing the City-State of Sanum. Kayde here, his daughter, and Nic are representing the City-State of Aric. And finally, these two diplomatic ambassadors and Yuuki Ito are representatives of the fledgling City-State of Crystallia.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Both of the Kyokans turned to Yuuki, the latter of which was composing herself before speaking.


    ¡°The previous queen of Crystallia named me as her successor. As such, I¡¯m now the leader of the City-State.¡±


    Her response was short, concise, and to the point. Something that seemed to anger the two Kyokans even more.


    ¡°Does your father know of this?!¡±


    ¡°No. I was planning on journeying back to Kyoku myself in order to talk with him about it all.¡±


    The Kyokan that Ordwell called Mrs. Sato looked like she wanted to say something, but was cut off when Ordwell spoke up again.


    ¡°And that very same journey will be taken by a diplomatic expedition with members of each City-State that is a part of the alliance. And so we come to why I asked for the two of you to dine with us. Would you be willing to give us your input on this expedition?¡±


    As Ordwell raised a glass to his lips, the two Kyokans looked nervously to each other before both nodding their heads.


    They began talking with the others throughout the meal. Every topic imaginable was discussed between the members sitting at the table, yet to Nic it was all white noise.


    He bid his time.


    He waited until the discussions stopped. Till the last bite of food was had.


    And finally the moment came.


    ¡°Thank you for the meal, Minister, but we should get going ourselves. I hope our insight into your journey proved most valuable.¡±


    The two Kyokans stood up to leave, saying their goodbyes on the way out.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Nic called out to them. It was the first thing he had said the entire meal.


    Every eye turned to him in confusion.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I have a single question I need answered, and I hoped you could answer it for me?¡±


    ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°Do you know the phrase ¡®Sanso wo subene no hiso nu onozureru¡¯?¡±


    Yuuki went pale when she heard him, as did the male Kyokan standing near her.


    ¡°Where did you hear that?!¡±


    The Kyokan, Mr. Watanabe, nearly yelled at Nic.


    ¡°In Crystallia, one of our opponents there. Do you know what it means?¡±


    Watanabe stopped in his tracks. His face contorted in anger.


    ¡°No, but I know who does. When you meet Yuuki¡¯s father in Kyoku, tell him those words and who spoke them to you. He will tell you what they mean¡­¡±

 Chapter 39: Heading East

    The delegation milled around the entrance to Crystallia. They numbered eighteen in total. Four guards stood watch over the group as they traveled along the lone eastward road. Alongside them were four coachmen controlling the carriages they were riding in.


    In the first carriage were the representatives of Crystallia. Yuuki was the main representative of the City-State of Crystallia. With her, four more residents of the city were coming along. Two were representatives of the City while the others were servants assigned to attend to Yuuki¡¯s every need.


    The second one contained Sanum¡¯s group. Sarman was the leader of that one and he was only joined by Kiara and Sarah. The three of them were the only representatives from Sanum, though each of the four guards also came from the large City-State.


    The third carriage was the home of Aric¡¯s representatives. Nic and Aria rode in this one alone. Neither of them minded privacy when they wanted it. And, when stopping to sleep, they were able to comfortably sleep in the wagon without being squished.


    Of course the roofs of the carriages were made of cloth and could be taken down when wanted. This allowed for those on different carriages to converse with one another easily. Most of the journey was spent like this.


    The last carriage was hauling provisions and necessities for the journey. Food, tents for sleeping, weapons, and gifts for the Shogunate of Kyoku were all stored on that carriage.


    It had been over a week since the meeting deciding on the Alliance¡¯s next course of action had taken place. Two days after the meeting, the delegation had left Sanum for Aric. Once there, Kayde said his goodbyes to the group before seeing them off towards Crystallia. Which brought them to their current location.


    They had been in Crystallia for only a day and were getting ready to head East.


    ¡°Everything good over there?¡± A voice called out to Nic as he finished tightening the straps on the carriage¡¯s cover.


    ¡°Yea, we should be good now. Everything ready to go inside Aria?¡± He called through the cloth to the person who was working inside.


    ¡°We¡¯re good! Nothing should get wet if it does start to rain.¡± All four of the carriages were having their cloth overheads put on due to the sky. Dark storm clouds blotted out the sun, and had been all day. It was only a matter of time before the rain began.


    Nic turned back to Sarah and gave her a strong nod. ¡°Sounds like the Aric carriage is good to go.¡±


    Sarah smiled softly before turning towards the Crystallian carriage to check on them. The Sanum carriage had been done for a while, as had the extra provisions carriage.


    Taking that as his cue to get ready to leave, Nic climbed into the carriage himself. Aria was sitting to the left side, her back up against a couple of boxes that were being stored there.


    They hadn¡¯t brought much stuff themselves, just three boxes. They were lined up against the left wall of the carriage. Neither side had seats so the only way to comfortably sit was up against something like one of the boxes. To Nic¡¯s surprise however, he found that Aria had put down their bedding so that it was a bit more comfortable to sit on.


    ¡°Tired of sitting on wood?¡± Nic popped the question as soon as he saw the bedding, which hadn¡¯t been there the day before.


    ¡°Mhm. It was starting to hurt my butt, especially with all of the small bumps.¡± Aria let out a sigh as she spoke. ¡°These carriages are sturdy enough for long journeys, but they aren¡¯t pleasant to travel in.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Too bad we couldn¡¯t have used the fancier ones.¡± Nic thought back to the ones that they had ridden in before. They were always much nicer than these.


    But they had been denied access to them for a variety of reasons.


    ¡°At least these are inconspicuous enough that we won¡¯t get attacked by bandits on sight for our wealth.¡± Sarman peaked his head into the cart as he inputted his own thoughts on the matter.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that defeated by the fact that we have four armed guards with us?¡± Nic looked back at his friend. ¡°Seems to me like anyone who has four guards probably has the money to pay for them.¡±


    ¡°What if we were just merchants?¡± Sarman shrugged his shoulders as he responded to Nic.


    ¡°Merchants? That would put an even larger target on us!¡± Nic and Aria nearly shouted at the same time. The two of them were in sync as they looked at Sarman with insane eyes.


    ¡°What?!¡± He held up his hands in defense. ¡°It was a ¡®what if¡¯ question. I wasn¡¯t saying it was a great thing.¡±


    Shaking his head, Sarman moved back away from the cart. ¡°We¡¯re leaving here in a second, make sure you¡¯re ready for the trip.¡±


    ¡°We are, don¡¯t worry.¡± Nic nodded to him as Sarman turned away from the carriage.


    With his friend out of sight, Nic took the opportunity to sit down next to Aria. The bedding that she had put down truly did make sitting in the cart much more comfortable. Just as he was going to bring it up, he felt Aria¡¯s hand wrap around his and tighten itself. A familiar weight rested on his shoulder at the same time.


    ¡°The bedding was a good idea.¡± Nic squeezed Aria¡¯s hand back as he spoke.


    ¡°I know.¡± Aria¡¯s voice was quiet.


    Nic could hear the coachmen calling out to each other, shortly after followed by the lurching of the carriage. Their journey had begun. Nic watched out the back of the carriage as the charred bricks that made up the entry to Crystallia passed them by.


    Plip. Plop.


    Just as they passed through the city gates, the rain began. Gentle at first, it soon turned into a torrential downpour.


    Nic laid his head down on the head resting on his own shoulder. With the bumping of the carriage and the pitter pattering of the rain, Nic was soon lulled into a small rest.


    The rain ended up not letting up for another two days. Most of their meals ended up being non heated food as the group was unable to safely make a fire. The second night they were able to find a small underhang that allowed them to make a fire and, in turn, some warm food.


    On the third day they finally woke up to the sun rising over the distant mountains. Not a single storm cloud in sight. They were finally able to lower the coverings on their carriages. Because of that, the day was full of a lot more laughter as the three carriages of people were finally able to talk with each other as they rode down the path.


    Their journey was not uneventful though. Monsters occasionally attacked them as they passed by their habitats. Most times the guards took care of them with ease. But the few times that they weren¡¯t enough, the fighters stuck in the carriages were far too happy to lend a hand and stretch. It often became a bit of a race to see who would be the first to strike in those cases.


    Nic was the only one who always stayed out of it.


    He had another job that he was saving his strength for.


    The route that they were taking towards the World End Mountains was host to a number of Rad-Towns of different sizes. With each one they would pass, Nic would get out and purify the Rad-Town. Once that was done, they would inform the villagers and tell them what they could do next.


    Some of these villages elected to send people west to Crystallia to get in touch with a city that was a part of the Alliance. Others simply continued their lives as it was. To them, being a Rad-Town or a small City-State meant nothing.


    A little past lunchtime on the third day, Nic found himself climbing back into the carriage after helping a rather particularly rude village of the latter type.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    He sat down with an annoyed grunt. Aria handed him a sandwich with a sympathetic smile.


    ¡°Another one that didn¡¯t want your help?¡± Her question was asked softly, though Nic could see Sarman sitting in a similar position to him.


    ¡°They cursed out Sarman and I this time.¡± Nic answered after taking a bite of the sandwich. ¡°Didn¡¯t want our ¡®delusional¡¯ help or something like that.¡±


    ¡°Well, we didn¡¯t expect to be able to help every Rad-Town, or that every single person would accept it.¡± Aria comforted Nic as the bumpy ride east continued. It was becoming more of a ritual for the caravan to sit in silence like this after a Rad-Town that acted like the last one.


    Nic and Aria sat in silence mainly because the other two would. Even on this sunny day, without the rain to hamper their ability to talk with each other, they fell silent.


    The cause was Sarman. His anger at how their help had been dismissed was growing each time. And of course, it was showing to everyone. Heat rose from his body in large waves. Large enough that the last carriage, with its stores of food, had started trailing behind enough to not be affected by the heat.


    Both Sara and Kiara managed to hop off the same cart as him and came to join Nic and Aria in theirs.


    ¡°Gosh, that heat really is something.¡± Sara whispered as she climbed into the carriage.


    ¡°I get that he¡¯s mad, but should he really get this mad about something like this?¡± Kiara muttered her own complaints under her breath.


    Nic grew a small smile as he listened to them.


    ¡°Give him a break. If it was just me, that would be one thing. I''m a nobody. But Sarman? He¡¯s well known enough to be known on sight even all the way out here. They ripped into him especially hard, and even tried to talk bad about Sanum.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Sara and Kiara quieted down.


    The silence in the air hung heavy again. Hoping to lighten the mood, Nic and Aria started a normal conversation with the two that had joined them. A conversation that lasted long into the night, until they finally stopped to rest for the night.


    Four days passed. Then five, and six, and seven. Soon a whole ten days had passed in their journey eastward. Each day held its own trials and tribulations, and by the tenth day, Nic had grown tired from the constant absorption of Irradiation throughout the journey.


    Finally, on the dawn of the tenth day, Sarman called for a meeting in the morning after everyone had woken up.


    With mountains looming large behind him, Sarman stood in front of a rock with a hand drawn map on it.


    ¡°Today we decide on what path we take.¡± Sarman put his hand on the map as everyone leaned in.


    On one side were a bunch of upside down V¡¯s marking the mountain range they were next to. Conspicuously a large portion of the line of V¡¯s was missing. Nic could see that they had once been there though and had been removed after the fact.


    ¡°Currently we are here,¡± Sarman put his finger down near the mountain line. ¡°We have two options at present. The first is to go over the mountain range on foot,¡± Sarman slid his finger over the line. ¡°If we do this, we will need to leave the carriages at this Rad-Town near the base of the mountains and carry on the rest of the way on foot.¡±


    ¡°On the other hand,¡± Sarman moved his finger back to the starting point. ¡°We can travel south for a while till we hit the Dragonsung Wastes. Once there we can move past the mountain range,¡± Sarman moved his finger down to the large break in the mountain line on the map. Once there he moved it across the open space to the coastline. ¡°But, this route is dangerous. The Dragonsung waste is an Irradiated wasteland.¡±


    Nic had heard of it before. He knew just how bad it was said to be. If a normal person stepped in, it was said that they would succumb to Irradiated Sickness immediately.


    ¡°And we don¡¯t know if I will be able to guard us against it.¡± Nic spoke up.


    Sarman nodded. ¡°So we need to decide what path we will take.¡±


    The southern route would be much faster, a result of using the carriages the entire time, but may be more dangerous if Nic couldn¡¯t protect them all. But the route over the mountains would take more time. They would have to carry their provisions the entire time. It would be far more laborious for the entire group.


    ¡°Nic, can you do it?¡± Aria asked the question on everyone¡¯s minds. He could see it as they all looked at him in suspense.


    ¡°I¡­ I wouldn¡¯t know for sure until I was standing in front of the wastes, but if I have to make the decision right now,¡± Nic took a deep breath. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can.¡±


    He could see everyone nod in assurance. None of them were going to doubt his own personal assessment, not at a time like this.


    ¡°I think we should take the mountain path. It will be harder for everyone, but it is less likely for us to end in complete failure.¡± Nic placed his vote.


    ¡°Alright. What about the rest of you?¡±


    ¡°I agree with Nic.¡±


    ¡°If Nic says he doesn¡¯t want to risk the southern route, then the mountain is our only option.¡±


    One by one, most of the group voiced their own thoughts. Each one agreed with Nic. If there was a danger to the south, then it wouldn¡¯t be worth it. By the end of the meeting, it was abundantly clear which path they had decided to take.


    ¡°Alright then, we will take the pass over the mountain range. Our destination then is the Rad-Town at the base of the mountains just a bit northeast of here.¡± Sarman looked around at the group of them and smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    As if a fire had been lit beneath them, the entire entourage packed their carriages and were on the road within just a few minutes. Their goal was on the other side of the mountain range. All they had to do was pass over it.


    Less than an hour later, Nic found himself at the gates to a rather large Rad-Town. It had stone walls surrounding it, but Nic could see the tops of many buildings squished together within. He could even see what looked to be a place of religion sticking up near the center.


    ¡°Wait here.¡± A guard at the entrance to the city told Nic to wait. After explaining why they were there, the guard had run inside the city to grab their leader.


    Nic and Sarman waited patiently until an older gentleman came out to meet them. He had managed to live a long enough life for his hair to turn gray. Despite that, Nic thought that he looked strong enough to hold his own in a fight against monsters.


    ¡°So I hear you travelers have something you wish to discuss?¡± The old man spoke with ragged breaths as he coughed between almost every word.


    Nic could see the Irradiation seeping off of him.


    ¡°We do.¡± Sarman was the one who spoke up. He couldn¡¯t see the Irradiation, but Nic was sure that he knew what it was. ¡°We are passing over the mountain range and would like to stow our carriages here if at all possible. In exchange, we have a way to rid your Rad-Town of Irradiation completely.¡±


    ¡°You-!¡± The words that Sarman spoke lit a fire in the old man¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you nation dwellers think you can do, but Irradiation is not something you can get rid of. It permeates everything and is a part of life. To get rid of it is impossible! A farce that goes against his Lord¡¯s will!¡±


    ¡°His¡­ Lord?¡± Nic asked the question in confusion before he could realize what he was saying.


    ¡°Yes! The one true God of this world: Kronus¡±


    Nic and Sarman passed sidelong glances at each other.


    ¡°So, this town is a follower of the True God Religion?¡± Sarman named one of the ten major religions in the world. It was the only one that didn¡¯t revolve around the praise of one of the Spirit Progenitors.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°Praise be to his grace.¡±


    The old man and the guard spoke in unison in response.


    ¡°I see,¡± Nic spoke up this time. ¡°And what exactly is your Lord¡¯s will?¡±


    ¡°His will? That humanity must suffer for our greed. Our suffering comes in the form of Irradiation, given to this world by his Lord¡¯s greatest disciple: Verilo!¡±


    His fist tightened as he listened to the man. Nic couldn¡¯t bear to listen to this perversion of the truth any longer. He took a step forward.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Sarman whispered as he held out a hand to stop Nic.


    ¡°You say all of this old man, but have you ever talked with your God? Have you ever talked with this disciple?¡±


    The man scoffed.


    ¡°To talk with a God is preposterous. Even those fake Gods known as Spirit King¡¯s shouldn¡¯t be talked to. It¡¯s heresy!¡±


    Sarman scowled himself this time.


    ¡°So you¡¯re a zealot. One who refuses to listen to anything but your own voice. Well, unfortunately for you, this conversation makes you a sinner. Both of you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The old man peered at Sarman with menace.


    ¡°Salamander, do you wanna come out?¡± As Sarman spoke, a flaming salamander appeared on his shoulders.


    ¡°We ¡®fake gods¡¯ as you put it have no desire to stop humanity from conversing with us. And let me tell you one thing; father communs with humans in the Eye all of the time.¡±


    ¡°W-W-What?!¡± The man fell on his back as he stared at the salamander. ¡°How! Why?¡± His shouting caused a small crowd to form around the entrance. One of the people walking out, a woman with dark black shoulder length hair, punched the old man in the head.


    ¡°You are way too zealous, Kam. Go rest again. You¡¯re not well enough to be out here.¡±


    The old man crawled away with the fervor of a scared animal running from its largest predator. With him gone, the woman turned to address Sarman and Nic.


    ¡°Sorry about that. To be honest, he is far more zealous than anyone else in this village. He¡¯s the head of a group that believes that suffering through Irradiation is some sort of rite of passage.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Nic stayed quiet while Sarman hesitantly responded.


    ¡°If you are still open to the deal, I think the rest of us would gladly take it. And we will allow you all to stay in the village tonight in order to rest for your journey.¡± She offered an answer to their offer. One that Sarman was all too glad to accept.


    ¡°Then I think that settles that.¡± Sarman turned to Nic. ¡°Can you do it?¡±


    ¡°Yea.¡± Nic grumbled slightly, still annoyed by the old man.


    But he couldn¡¯t allow that annoyance to stop him from doing what he needed to do.

 Chapter 40: The Mountains Base

    The villagers in the Rad-Town at the base of the mountain range welcomed the rest of the group with open arms. Once they saw just how many people were going to be staying the night, a small feast was held in celebration. It was the largest number of visitors that the village had ever seen.


    And that wasn¡¯t mentioning that one of those members was recognized, even if he had never been there before.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name again?¡± The lady that had silenced the elder walked up to Nic, curiosity all over her face. About to respond to the question, Nic finally took a second to look at the woman and found himself stumbling over his words.


    ¡°W-what?¡± His confused reaction drew the attention of those near him.


    ¡°How?!¡± Aria had a similar reaction when she looked at the woman.


    They both had seen it. The woman looked eerily similar to Nic¡¯s mother. Almost too similar. Nic felt like he was staring straight at her.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Her sweet voice drug up memories of his mother even faster.


    ¡°N-n-no.¡± Nic stumbled back. ¡°You just look like my mother.¡±


    A soft smile drifted across the woman¡¯s lips as he spoke.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Her eyes drifted away, like she was looking past Nic to something behind him. ¡°Yea, that makes sense,¡± The woman nodded with a fierceness that set her eyes back on Nic. ¡°I guess that means you¡¯re the nephew I never knew I had. How is my little sister?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Kayla¡¯s son?¡±


    ¡°So she had a kid with Verilo?¡±


    ¡°Why is there a Verilo back here?!¡±


    Nic found himself unable to speak. He could hear the whispers coming from the villagers around them. Well, they were less whispers and low talking. Everyone else that was a part of the diplomatic group, especially the four people that had spent a year with him at the university in Sanum, began to bristle at the more negative comments they heard.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡± When Nic finally found himself able to talk again, his voice was so quiet that his aunt could barely hear him. ¡°She¡¯s well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I take it that the little rascal she ran off with is fine as well?¡± His Aunt beamed a large smile at him, but Nic once again found himself unable to get the words out.


    He could barely remember his mother ever talking about the family she ran away from. She had done it because the village was ostracizing him once they found out he was a Verilo.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± A soft voice spoke up from next to Nic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt Mrs¡­¡±


    ¡°Call me Mika.¡±


    ¡°Uh, all right then. Mika, Nic¡¯s father¡­ he¡¯s dead.¡± Aria softly spoke in Nic¡¯s place. Her words forced an uncomfortable silence in the small clearing.


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Mika looked down uncomfortably. ¡°Can¡¯t say I saw that coming. How¡¯d it happen?¡±


    Her question was painful. Nic clutched at his chest. It had been so long since it happened, and yet Nic still felt the pain whenever he had to say it.


    ¡°He-¡±


    ¡°He sacrificed himself so that I could live.¡± Nic cut off Aria from answering. He had to be the one to say it. ¡°So that I could live¡­ and redeem our name.¡±


    ¡°And how do you plan on redeeming the Verilo name? It¡¯s the name associated with the Irradiated Winter. Whatever you plan on doing has to be more impactful than that.¡±


    ¡°Do you not remember the deal we made earlier today?¡± Nic looked at his aunt with a small smile finally gracing his lips. His question was met with a confused look. ¡°Aria, mind gathering it for me?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Right now?¡± Aria was shocked at the sudden request.


    ¡°What better time to do it than right now?¡±


    Aria let out a sigh and stood up. In an instant, her body was enveloped in a light green glow. A torrent of wind whipped its way through the village. Its twirling caused a ruckus from the villagers. As Nic put a hand on her shoulder, the wind began to bring black mist through the air.


    It coalesced in front of the two of them. Contracting into a black round sphere of gas sitting there. Villagers stared in awe at it.


    ¡°What is that! What are you doing?!¡± Mika yelled at the two of them. She reached towards them but was stopped by a wall made of wind.


    ¡°We¡¯re freeing this town.¡± Nic stated calmly before reaching his hand out and grabbing the orb.


    The darkness of it coiled around his arm. It snaked into his skin, into the very veins that his blood ran through. It filled it up with a sickening ease.


    Irradiation never made it past Nic¡¯s elbow. At that point, his own magic fully kicked in. The sickening sensation was stopped and pushed back. Nic¡¯s arm glowed a ghastly white as it purified the Irradiation that was entering his system.


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± After a minute, the wind died down. Nic let his perfectly good arm fall to his side as he looked at his aunt once again. ¡°I have now upheld our end of the bargain.¡±


    ¡°What did you do¡­?¡± Mika stared at the empty space.


    Before Nic had a chance to respond, one of the nearby homes had its front door burst open. A much older man stumbled out. He looked around in awe, as if it was his first time leaving that very house. Once one of the villagers saw him, confusion spread through the crowd.


    ¡°I have removed all Irradiation from this village. No longer are you a Rad-Town, you are now officially a City-State if you wish to be.¡±


    His words shocked the people who heard him. It was a declaration that nine of them ever expected to hear. Luckily, none of the people who heard it were members of the faction that believed that bearing Irradiation was something good.


    When the people of the village finally found their voices again, a loud ruckus ensued.


    Aria and Nic were quickly surrounded by more and more people as the news spread.


    Nic smiled softly as he heard the words of thanks that were thrown at the two of them. Not just because he was receiving those words, but because Aria was similarly getting the same praise.


    The celebration grew even larger, lasting well into the night. It didn¡¯t end even as the visitors that were a part of the delegation all gradually began to take their leave so that they could sleep.


    Each one was offered a place to sleep in the houses of the villagers. Some decided to take rooms together, but in the end most slept separately.


    Well after the sun had set and the moon was high in the sky, Nic and Aria finally walked up to Nic¡¯s aunt and asked where they should sleep for the night.


    ¡°Mika!¡± Nic called out to her over the noise of the villagers.


    ¡°Hmmm? You don¡¯t need to call me that! Auntie is just fine.¡± Nic¡¯s aunt slapped him on the shoulder lightly.


    Nic thought that it wasn¡¯t right to simply move straight to that, especially when he didn¡¯t know the woman. But he would at least add on the moniker.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Aunt Mika, where should the two of us stay the night?¡±


    Mika clicked her tongue in slight annoyance before answering.


    ¡°I guess that works. Fine. You can stay in our family''s home.¡± Mika led the two of them to a rather large building near the center of the town. Compared to most of the village houses, this one was particularly extravagant. The only building that Nic had seen that looked more extravagant was the church nearby.


    Noticing their gazes, Mika spoke up. ¡°Our family has led this town for many generations. Your mother was supposed to be the next leader, but when she ran off with your father, the duty fell to me.¡±


    Nic was shocked. His mother rarely talked about her family, his extended family. Everything she said was brand new to him. Things he had never known about his heritage.


    ¡°I¡­ Mother never talks about you or the rest of your family. The little that she does say, she says while wearing a pained expression.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Mika started laughing as she opened a door into a small room. ¡°She probably holds some regret for leaving as suddenly as she did.¡±


    Mika stood aside so that Nic and Aria could enter the room. It was their accommodation for the night. But Nic barely looked at it.


    ¡°Mother said that you all knew who my father was, and that they ran because you all were going to ostracize him.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what she thought, huh?¡± Mika burst out in laughter as she held herself upright with the door. ¡°Maybe she wasn¡¯t as fit to be a leader as we all thought.¡±


    Nic was unable to let that slide and grabbed his aunt by the collar of her shirt.


    ¡°Woah hold on!¡± Mika yelled quickly as Nic grabbed her. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to say she is stupid! The two of them were running from shadows, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Shadows?¡±


    ¡°We never knew about your father. At least not until they ran away.¡±


    Nic let go of her. His arm dropped to his side as he took a slight step back.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± His parents had to have run? He could have been born and grown up far away from that building in the forest?


    Nic¡¯s thoughts swirled in a jumbled mess of what could have been. Would he have ever met Aria? Or Sarman and Yuuki? Would he have ever learned to fight with a sword? Had he even broken the 500 year curse because his parents had run away from this town?


    His eyes wandered to Aria again. He had spent so much time with her, it was becoming hard to even think of spending that time without her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go thinking that your life would¡¯ve been much better here!¡± Mika forced Nic out of his own brain. ¡°While we didn¡¯t know who your father was before, we would have figured it out eventually. I don¡¯t know how the town would have reacted if they found out while he was still living here¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Nic heaved a long breath. His aunt was right. If they had stayed, there was no saying how the people would have reacted in the moment. More than likely, they would have reacted just like every other village had reacted to Nic on their way there. The whole reason the Verilo¡¯s had always run was because villages ran them out when they learned the truth.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Mika slapped Nic on the shoulder before turning to finally leave. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you with that for tonight. Make sure you get some rest. We can talk more in the morning.¡±


    With a small wave of her hand, Mika closed the door, leaving Nic alone with Aria. The latter had stayed quiet the entire time that Nic had been talking with Mika in the room. When Nic finally did turn to look at her, he found that she had already gotten ready to sleep and was simply sitting on the bed, waiting for him.


    Nic sat down next to her and silently held her hand in his. The warmth in his hands reminded him that everything he had done so far epitomized the life he wanted.


    ¡°You have a lot more family than you thought, huh?¡± Aria laid her head on his shoulder as she spoke.


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯re you thinking about?¡± Aria had noticed his distant expression.


    ¡°Just about what would have happened if my parents stayed here. How my life would have changed.¡±


    ¡°And what do you think?¡±


    Nic squeezed Aria¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I never want to switch my life for that one.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡± Aria moved her head to look at Nic, her eyes wide in surprise. He realized that she also probably thought that he would have had a better life.


    Nic smiled and leaned in, his forehead touching Aria¡¯s.


    ¡°Because I wouldn¡¯t have met you.¡±


    Her face flushed red as she quickly backed away for a second.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to sleep!¡± Her eyes were diverted as she quickly hid under the blankets on the bed.


    Nic chuckled quietly as he joined her.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how long he had been asleep when Nic was jolted awake by the sound of a nearby explosion. Sitting up, Nic rubbed his eyes in grogginess as another explosion went off in the distance.


    There was a slight bit of sunlight coming through the window in the corner. It was morning.


    Aria was slowly waking up as well.


    ¡°Aria, I think something is going on.¡± Nic gently shook her by the shoulder before getting out of the bed.


    He still had his clothes from the previous day on, having slept through the night with them on.


    The door to the room swung open with a loud bang, fully making sure both Aria and Nic were wide awake. Standing in the doorway was Mika, holding two familiar sheathed swords.


    ¡°Nic, Aria! I see you¡¯re already awake! Good.¡±


    ¡°Aunt, what¡¯s going on?!¡± Nic was helping Aria out of the bed.


    ¡°There are monsters attacking the village. Your companions are already out there helping our guards fend them off. They sent me with these for you two.¡± Mika held out the swords. They were the two blades that Nic and Aria often used.


    Nic grabbed them, attaching his sword to his waist in a single move while giving Aria hers. Once they were both ready, they followed Mika out of the house.


    ¡°Have they entered the village?¡± Aria spoke up as they ran through the center of the village.


    ¡°Not yet. Sarman has been keeping them away from the entrance with those explosions of his.¡±


    Nic wasn¡¯t surprised that Sarman was holding them off on his own. Even if it was a monster attack, it shouldn¡¯t be that many at once.


    So why had Sarman sent for Nic and Aria as well?


    The Sanum portion of the delegation alone should have been more than enough to take care of a normal monster attack.


    ¡°Nic!¡± As the three of them reached the entrance to the city, Nic heard someone calling to him from the side. Laying on a stretcher was Sarah, a dark miasma radiating off of her shoulder.


    This wasn¡¯t a normal monster attack.


    Sarman was firing off fire blasts in a wide berth around the village, holding back a horde far larger than normal. Nic couldn¡¯t even see the individual monsters at this point. They were giving off so much Irradiation that Nic only saw a dark layer past a certain point.


    The person who had called out to him as Kiara.


    ¡°Aria, help Sarman keep them away from the village for a few seconds. Once I have taken care of Sarah, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Nic quickly hurried over to the injured Sarah and quickly absorbed the Irradiation out of her. Once he saw that she was breathing normally again, with no traces of Irradiation, he nodded to Kiara before moving to help take care of the monsters.


    Sarman and Aria were combining their fire and wind magics to deal with a large amount, but they couldn¡¯t take care of everything at once. So, Nic ran towards the once section they weren¡¯t able to focus on.


    Nic started slashing through the monsters. Each time his sword touched any part of one, he was able to absorb the Irradiation holding them together.


    To an onlooker he was taking care of them faster than the two spirit kings he was fighting alongside. His sword cut through them like butter, turning each and every one to dust in an instant.


    With the arrival of Nic and Aria, the village¡¯s normal guards found themselves with nothing to do except to watch these newcomers completely demolish the enemy standing in front of them.


    When the final monster turned to ash, Nic thought that was it. He began walking over to Aria and Sarman. There was no more threat.


    Until there was.


    A deafening roar came from above. One that paralyzed all who heard it. Aria and Sarman, two of the most powerful Spirit Kings on the planet, were also paralyzed.


    ¡°The Lord of the Mountain!?¡±


    One of the villagers called out the name, only to start a mass panic from the rest.


    Nic could tell that this was something bad yet also uncommon.


    And then he saw the shadow. On the ground, mirroring the flying beast above. Its widespread wings covered a large distance as they blotted out the sun.


    Nic had heard of them before. Everyone had. But he thought they had been a legend, wiped out by the Irradiation.


    A Dragon¡­


    The dragon descended for a mere instant before flying into the air again. It flew straight towards the mountain next to them. It flew high into the air, disappearing in the clouds near the top.


    Once he could move again, Nic realized too late what had happened.


    He was the only person standing on the battlefield.


    ¡°Aria!?¡±


    ¡°Sarman!?¡±


    Nic wasn¡¯t the only one who called out someone¡¯s name. Yuuki ran out onto the battlefield herself, shouting Sarman¡¯s name.


    Nic looked back up at the mountain as Mika spoke up.


    ¡°They were taken by the dragon.¡±

 Chapter 41: Up the Mountain

    Nic slammed through the door to the place he had slept the night before. The ringing of the dragon¡¯s roar still echoed in his ears. It didn¡¯t take long for him to find the bag he had left sitting on the floor. His heart was shot with pain seeing the bag sitting next to it.


    ¡°Be careful up there. The mountain¡¯s peaks are covered with snow.¡± Mika warned Nic. She stood just inside the door, her face full of anger and pain. ¡°There is an old lady who lives up on those peaks. Her name is Kara. If you can find her, she should be able to help you find where your friends are.¡±


    Nic was thankful for the information. It was a bright spot in the pain that had been the last few minutes. His body was shaking uncontrollably. His mind racing.


    What had Aria been wearing? Was she going to succumb to the cold before he could get up the mountain? What about Sarman? The two of them were strong, but could they defeat a dragon on their own?


    Many more questions swirled in Nic¡¯s head. It was dizzying.


    ¡°Nic?¡± Mika¡¯s voice was growing distant as Nic found himself leaning against a wall. He couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore and soon found himself emptying what little he had in his stomach.


    The bile forced its way out of his mouth, causing Mika to jump back with a yelp. The bitter taste continued to remind him.


    ¡°Nic, calm down. Deep breaths! Deep breaths!¡± Mika supported him by his shoulder as she whispered into his ear.


    It was thanks to her that Nic was able to sit down and breathe after only a few seconds.


    But he didn¡¯t allow himself time to rest.


    He struggled to get to his feet. His balance was off, and he nearly fell again, only to be caught by his aunt. Even with pain showing on her face, Mika helped Nic stand up fully.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stop you from going¡­¡±


    ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t.¡± Nic shook his head, trying to stop her from dissuading him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stop you, so just listen to me for a second.¡± Mika put all of the force she could into her voice. ¡°You will find the dragon. You will find your friends. They will be safe, understand?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple! It¡¯s a dragon! The mythical kings of the sky!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. One of the last of its kind. We call it the ¡®Lord of the Mountain¡¯, do you know why?¡±


    Nic was unable to answer. His first thought was that it was a title given in fear, yet the look on his Aunt¡¯s face gave Nic the impression that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°That dragon has lived in the mountains since long before I was born. It has always had a symbiotic relationship with Ms. Kara at the summits. It has even fought back larger hordes of monsters for this village.¡± Mika sighed as she helped Nic move towards the entrance of the house. ¡°I trust the Lord, Nic. So put a little bit of your own trust in it. I promise you it won¡¯t hurt Aria or Sarman.¡±


    Nic found himself at a loss for words. He struggled to simply accept trusting a beast that had taken two of the most important people in his life.


    Soon he found himself in front of the village, standing on his own. Before him was Yuuki and the rest of the expedition team, all ready to go already. Yuuki had Sarman¡¯s sack hanging off of her back as well as her own.


    There were two extra people in their group. Villagers that Nic had remembered seeing at the celebration the night before. Both of them were well toned, and carrying the big bags that they were, looked ready to hike to the ends of the earth.


    ¡°What are they doing there?¡± Nic looked at his aunt, who simply responded with a soft smile.


    ¡°We are coming with you. We¡¯re carrying two large tents that should be big enough to fit everyone in. Once we hit Ms. Kara¡¯s abode, we will turn back and head back down here.¡± One of the men walked up to Nic and explained their plans.


    ¡°Oh, I see. Thank you for that.¡± Nic looked around at the rest of the expedition force there. ¡°Is everyone else good to go?¡±


    The response that he got was an overwhelming amount of confirmations. No one was willing to wait a second longer. Like him, they couldn¡¯t just accept that the dragon wouldn¡¯t do anything to Sarman or Aria.


    With a small nod of his head, they set out. It was only midday and they planned to start the hike up before night settled.


    While Nic stayed at the back of the group due to not feeling 100% still, he found himself with company. Yuuki was walking beside him, her face down. Nic assumed she was downtrodden.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Since he assumed that she was feeling similar to him, Nic wasn¡¯t expecting the firmness in her voice as she asked about his well being.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You were the last to arrive, and to be honest, you don¡¯t look all that great at all.¡± Yuuki finally looked at Nic, showing him the resolve that bolstered her entire face. She wasn¡¯t downtrodden at all.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Nic found himself instinctively apologizing. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m worried sick.¡±


    ¡°Worried?¡± Yuuki seemed genuinely confused about Nic''s feelings.


    ¡°No matter what any of the villagers say, Aria and Sarman were taken by a dragon! I¡­ I can¡¯t help but fear for their safety. I¡¯m worried about what we¡¯ll find when we get up there. Don¡¯t you feel the same way?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Yuuki responded coldly. Her icy words pricked Nic¡¯s skin. ¡°I¡¯m not worried. Even if it was a dragon that abducted them, I believe in the two of them. They are both Spirit Kings. If anyone can take down a dragon, it will be those two.¡±


    Nic listened to Yuuki and somehow found himself laughing by the end. The pain of fear was being melted away by Yuuki¡¯s cold belief in the people they cared the most about in the world.


    She was far stronger than Nic. Nic found himself thinking about that.


    ¡°As always, you are the stronger one!¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Yuuki¡¯s cold facade dropped as her face tinged red at the compliment. ¡°What are you talking about now?¡±


    ¡°I crumbled to fear, and yet here you are, as steadfast as ever. I should¡¯ve known that something as silly as fear couldn¡¯t break you.¡±


    Nic¡¯s laughter caught the attention of everyone else, who began to look at the two of them with weird faces. Nic never saw it, but when Kiara and Sarah saw him laughing, the two finally let out a long breath of relief and began smiling themselves.


    The trek up the mountain would be a long one, but at least they would go in levity.


    The village itself was situated almost directly at the base of the mountain, meaning that they would begin going vertically fairly soon. The sun beat down on the group the entire way. The heat picked up as the day went on, causing the group to need to stop at multiple points so that they could rest and get some cool water.


    The first time night fell and the moon began to rise, the group had managed to make it nearly a third of the way up the mountain.


    ¡°We should stop here for now.¡± One of the two villagers was the one to suggest stopping. ¡°If we go any higher, we risk it getting far colder at night. At least here, we will have the ability to put out our fire before heading to sleep.¡±


    Nic simply nodded. With Sarman gone, he had become the de facto leader in the eyes of most of the group. Even Yuuki, who held a far greater position than him, was perfectly fine letting him take charge on their trek up.


    ¡°Thank you for the idea. Let¡¯s find a nice clearing and get everything set up!¡± Thankfully they didn¡¯t have to go far to find a large enough clearing.


    The two villagers, Yuuki, and Sarah quickly began setting up the two tents while the rest of the group scoured the area looking for flammable twigs and logs. Nic himself was able to find a handful of larger branches and brought them over to the center of the clearing.


    Kiara was waiting for him, having found a number of larger stones that she had formed into a circle.


    ¡°Put the branches in here.¡± Kiara was talking to Nic at first but quickly began talking to some of the others behind him. ¡°You two do the same. The rest of you, put them in a pile nearby.¡±


    As two of the Crystallians put their wood next to Nic¡¯s, the other two made a small pile. All four quickly went back out to find more wood to add to it.


    ¡°Hopefully they are able to find enough to last us through the night.¡± Kiara muttered. She turned back to the pile of branches and twigs in the stone circle and knelt down. She poked a single finger into the center.


    Smoke came out.


    Kiara¡¯s magical specialty was fire magic. Nic knew that she saw Saraman as an unreachable goal, but one that she strived to surpass either way.


    Within the college, some students had called her the ¡°Flaming Witch¡± due to adaptability.


    Unlike most mages, Kiara¡¯s base magical power was actually fairly low. She only had more magic power than a lesser elemental spirit. But in return she had a uniquely prodigious adaptability with her magic. She was on the verge of being a leading researcher into the distinct intricacies of magic, changing its inner structure to get more force out of less power. That ability gave her the power to swing far greater than any other mage at her level, or even those moderately stronger than her.


    With the fire started, Nic quickly grabbed some of their cookable food and brought it over. It wasn¡¯t much, but the vegetables they had mixed with some leftover meat from the day before would be enough to make a stew over the heat.


    Soon enough, the smell of the food attracted the rest of their group. Eager to dig into their food, everyone grabbed wooden bowls and began pouring food into them.


    ¡°MMMMMMmmmm! This smells delicious! Kiara, did you make this? Thank you!¡± Sarah enthusiastically hugged Kiara, their lips meeting in a kiss before Kiara could refute her statements.


    ¡°Uh- I¡¯m not the one who made it! Nic did.¡± Kiara finally got her words out, which forced Sarah to look at Nic instead.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I think just a hug is good enough for you. Don¡¯t want you getting any weird ideas.¡± Sarah was about to walk over, but Nic held his hand out to stop her.


    ¡°Kiara did give me some pointers. I¡¯m not the best at cooking, so it may not taste as good as it smells.¡±


    ¡°I see! No hug for you then! All of my affection is for Kiara!¡±


    Sarah¡¯s loud, rambunctious nature brought out smiles and laughter from the rest of the group. Nic hoped that he hadn¡¯t just become the butt of the joke.


    They quickly sat down and began trading stories about their lives as they ate. Nic found himself next to Yuuki. As they shared laughter, Nic accidentally bumped into her.


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    As he found himself apologizing, his mind wandered to the coldness he felt when he bumped into her.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to ascend slower from here on out.¡±


    The second day traveling up the mount had been devoid of anything noteworthy till near the end. Due to the dragon living near the top of the mountain, barely any monsters survived in the region. There were still some normal animals that they had to deal with, but they had not required much effort.


    Now that night was beginning to set in on their second day, one of the guides was informing them of a future change of plans.


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Sarah was the one who asked the question instead of Nic.


    Nic¡¯s own assumption was because they were directly below when the snow started, but the answer that they got was something he hadn¡¯t even noticed yet.


    ¡°We¡¯re high enough up that it becomes harder to breathe. On top of that, it is gonna get much, much colder from now on. The two can be a deadly combination.¡±


    ¡°How much longer do we have till we get to this Kara¡¯s home?¡± Nic spoke up. He needed to know how much this would change their plans.


    ¡°If we were able to go at the same rate we have been, we would get there around noon tomorrow. With the slowdown, we should reach it just before nightfall.¡±


    Half a day worried Nic, but he knew that it would be better if they arrived in one piece, instead of half dead. He had no choice but to accept the villagers'' concern and agree to move slower the next day.


    With that decided, they quickly set up camp, this time using branches they had been picking up all day to start the fire. Another meal was quickly cooked, this time by Kiara entirely.


    It was a far better meal to Nic than his meal had been the day before.


    That night Nic took the first watch. The cold air bit into his exposed skin, forcing him to stay by the dwindling fire as much as he could. Even next to the fire, Nic could see his breath in the air every time. A small faint cloud that dutifully served to distract him every single time.


    It was only a few hours before Yuuki walked up to Nic and sat down next to him.


    ¡°Time to switch.¡± Yuuki talked quietly, not letting a small yawn interrupt her.


    ¡°Are you not cold?¡± Yuuki had sat down in such a way that Nic was in between her and the fire. On top of that, she was wearing much lighter clothes. Clothes that shouldn¡¯t be enough to keep her warm from the cold.


    ¡°Cold?¡± Yuuki¡¯s voice was full of skepticism. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt cold all night. And you are?¡±


    ¡°Everyone else is!¡± Nic loudly whispered at her. His eyes were wide open as he grabbed her arm. ¡°Ow!¡± Nic¡¯s hand recoiled back. Yuuki¡¯s arm was as cold as ice, and it hurt to touch it.


    ¡°Nic?¡± Yuuki tilted her head and moved a bit of her hair behind her ear. Nic finally saw her flushed face. She looked like she was in a perfectly normal environment. Not only that, he didn¡¯t see any small vapor clouds when she breathed.


    ¡°Maybe you should get some rest, Nic. If you¡¯re thinking everything is cold to the touch, you may be the one that¡¯s sick.¡±


    Nic stared at her, horrified. He wasn¡¯t sure what was happening. Was he the one that was wrong, or was Yuuki?


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± Nic got up and walked over to the tent that Yuuki had come out of.


    There were two open spots on one side of the tent. One for Yuuki and one for Nic. On the other side of the tent was Sarah and Kiara, huddled together for warmth. The inside of the tent was as cold as ice, despite being next to fire outside. He could see small vapor clouds next to each of their mouths.


    What was the last thing he remembers? He couldn¡¯t tell.


    His body was heavy, his eyelids even heavier as he tried to open them. Every muscle screamed out in excruciating pain.


    There was wood above him.


    He was on a soft bed.


    Was that a candle he smelled nearby?


    He tilted his head to the right and saw that candle. Sitting next to it was a small lizard made entirely of fire. It was a miracle that it didn¡¯t catch the rest of this room on fire.


    ¡°S-sala¡­ mander¡­¡± He weakly called out to the spirit king.


    In response the lizard raised its head. It didn¡¯t show emotions like humans, but the flick of its tongue seemed to be a good thing.


    ¡°Sarman, you¡¯re awake. Good.¡± Salamander jumped onto the bed and quietly moved his way over to sit next to Sarman¡¯s face.


    ¡°What happened¡­?¡±


    ¡°M¡¯kara accidentally crushed a number of your bones when she picked you up. Same thing happened to Aria as well. Aerial and I have been working on healing the two of you. Thankfully you already have quite the regenerative healing, so you have woken up first.¡±


    Salamander was talking about a lot of things that Sarman didn¡¯t understand. M¡¯kara? Crushed bones? Aria?


    The flaming lizard walked over his body, checking certain points, before coming to a stop on his chest.


    ¡°It looks like all of your broken bones have healed successfully. I¡¯m gonna give you a small boost to ease the soreness of your muscles.¡± A flash fire covered Sarman¡¯s body before disappearing just as fast as it had appeared.


    Sarman instantly sat up. His body no longer hurt and he felt like he could move again. His head was still a bit hazy, but it was nothing that wouldn¡¯t go away with time.


    Taking a second to fully look at his surroundings, Sarman found himself in a small wooden room. Only a bed, small cabinet, and bedside table inhabited the room. There was a small window on the wall opposite the only door. Looking through that, Sarman found himself surrounded by snow.


    ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°A small cabin high up in the mountains. M¡¯kara brought you here when she grabbed you from in front of the village.¡±


    ¡°M¡¯kara? Who is that? Better yet, what is that?¡± Sarman knew that whatever this ¡®M¡¯kara¡¯ is, they seemed like trouble.


    ¡°One of the few remaining Dragons, and an elder one at that.¡±


    Sarman nearly fell out of the bed at the word ¡°Dragon¡±. The ferocious beast of myth and legend, and yet he had been grabbed by one?


    ¡°Did you just say a Dragon?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, would you like to meet her?¡±


    Sarman shook his head and was subsequently led out of the room by Salamander. He found himself in a larger room that seemed to be the centerpiece of whatever building they were in. On one end was the front door with two small windows on either side of it. In the center were a number of comfortable looking chairs and a wooden table. And at the other end of the room was a cooking area. Doors leading to other rooms, presumably just like the one he left, lined the last two sides of the room. There were six other doors in total.


    And sitting in one of the many chairs in the center of the room was an old lady. As Sarman entered the room she looked up at him and gave him a sweet smile.


    ¡°Salamander said that you would be the first to rise. Sarman, correct?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. And you are¡­?¡±


    ¡°You may call me Kara when you see me like this.¡± The old woman got up and began walking towards the front door.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Sarman reached out a hand to stop her, but found himself frozen when she answered him quickly.


    ¡°You want to meet M¡¯kara, don¡¯t you?¡± With that question, the old woman walked out of the house and into the snow. The door creaked on its hinges as it sat there, inviting Sarman to follow.


    Unwilling to let the opportunity go, Sarman chased after the old woman into the freezing cold. Being contracted with Salamander gave Sarman some resistance to the cold as he could increase his own internal body temperature enough to stave off frostbite or outright freezing.


    The old woman led Sarman even further up the mountain till they found themselves in a large overhang. The overhang itself had a stunning view of the area west of the mountain. Clear views of both Kara¡¯s home and the Village at the base of the mountain meant that the inhabitant that lived there could see if either was in distress.


    In short: the dragon clearly lived there.


    And yet no dragon was there at this moment. Only Sarman and Kara stood in the open cavern.


    ¡°Where is the dragon?¡± Sarman moved around, trying to find any hints he could as to how long it had been since the dragon had been there. Scratches lined the floor in uneven treds. Burn marks were all over the wall. Yet none of them were recent.


    They looked hundreds of years old.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been back here in two hundred years.¡± The woman cryptically talked as she watched Sarman from the center of the room.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t know if the dragon lives here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she did. Before the Irradiated Winter, this was the place M¡¯kara always rested.¡±


    Sarman clutched his head. Despite the healing from Salamander, and the biting cold taking off more of his grogginess, Sarman felt like he was missing an obvious connection in what the old woman was saying.


    ¡°So¡­ where is she now?¡±


    ¡°Right here.¡±


    Sarman looked around at the empty overhang. What was the old woman talking about? Was the dragon dead? Then what had grabbed him?


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing here!¡±


    Sarman turned back to the old woman.


    In fear he stepped back as soon as he saw her. Sarman was unable to draw his eyes away as he watched the woman¡¯s form contort and morph. It grew larger, the skin hardening into scales, and her hands growing claws. Her mouth turned into a large snout. Wings sprouted from her back.


    The old woman was gone.


    In her place stood a hulking white dragon. It was many times larger than Sarman, filling up most of the overhang. Its white scales reflected the setting sun¡¯s rays, nearly blinding Sarman. When it opened its snout, a low rumbling came out before a deep voice reverberated through his bones.


    ¡°In my human form, I am Kara. In my original form, I am M¡¯kara; the prophetic dragon as humans have come to call me.¡±


    ¡°W-w-w-w- AHHHHHH!¡± Sarman let out a terrified scream.


    He was strong. Stronger than most. No one would ever argue that. Most thought his strength came from the fact that he was contracted with a spirit king. And most of it did, but Sarman had a higher than average base strength even without Salamander. His phoenix blood increased not only his body¡¯s innate healing potential, but helped him build strength far easier as well. On top of all of that, he had the abilities that the feathers that coated his body granted him.


    And yet in the face of a true dragon, Sarman couldn¡¯t feel anything except for fear.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t be like that. I don¡¯t plan on hurting you physically.¡± M¡¯kara spoke up as she moved her head closer to Sarman. ¡°Unlike most of my deceased brethren, my specialty was never fighting.¡±


    ¡°R-r-really?¡± Sarman sputtered out his response. He tried to slow his breathing to calm himself down, but it still took a few minutes to get past the innate fear of the massive dragon before him.


    ¡°Not to say I can¡¯t fight, I just detest it.¡± As M¡¯kara saw that Sarman was calming down, she moved back and laid down.


    Her two massive wings were currently folded up against her body, and her front two legs were perched under her body, giving her a small way to prop up her upper body and head.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Having finally managed to calm down, Sarman spoke up again. ¡°Why did one of the last remaining dragons appear and kidnap me and my friend?¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± The dragon snorted. ¡°I didn¡¯t take you two for yourselves. At least not initially. I have long protected that village at the base of the mountain in exchange for them bringing Kara human food. I noticed the presence of monsters and was heading down to help protect the village when I sensed two Spirit Progenitors nearby. I wanted to ask them some questions regarding my master, so I grabbed the two people I sensed they were connected to.¡±


    ¡°So, you only grabbed us to ask Salamander and Aerial some questions?¡± Salamander appeared on Sarman¡¯s shoulder as he was asking the clarifying question. As he did, he simply nodded to Sarman.


    ¡°I did, and they were more than happy to answer as long as I let you two recover in Kara¡¯s abode. Of course, my interest peaked when I looked at the two of you and saw your futures.¡±


    Sarman was stunned. He had heard the tales from the time mages in festivals. ¡®Our magic never grants us a clear picture, but they say that if the prophetic dragon sees your future, it is bound to come to pass.¡¯ And before Sarman stood that very same prophetic dragon.


    Just what had she seen in their futures?


    ¡°Our futures¡­?¡± Sarman murmured.


    ¡°Yes. I can tell you now that the rest of your friends will arrive tomorrow night. And Aerial¡¯s contractor will wake up an hour before then.¡±


    Sarman perked up when he heard that. ¡°Then Yuuki and Nic are going to make it!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± M¡¯kara nodded her head. ¡°But I¡¯m more interested in your future beyond that.¡±


    ¡°Our future beyond¡­?¡± Sarman stood there dazed for a second before furiously shaking his head. ¡°No no no. It¡¯s too dangerous for me to hear any details.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. There are some limitations to my ability you see.¡± Despite his refusal to listen, M¡¯kara continued to talk. ¡°I can¡¯t use it on myself. So any knowledge of my own future comes from seeing myself in other¡¯s futures. And yet when I looked at Aerial¡¯s contractor''s future, it suddenly stopped in three years.¡±


    Sarman froze.


    ¡°What?¡± Aria¡¯s future stopped in three years? Was she destined to die in three years? ¡°How does she die?¡± Sarman found himself asking the question. He knew he shouldn¡¯t, yet he had to know.


    ¡°That¡¯s the hilarious part. The final moments I see of hers, she is killing a monster overflowing with Irradiation. Yet I know that Verilo¡¯s descendant is with her. No matter how much Irradiation she is exposed to, he should be able to absorb it.¡± M¡¯kara snorted as she shook her head.


    Sarman had realized what M¡¯kara¡¯s vision meant though. The prophetic dragon in front of him would one day turn into a monster that they would have to kill. They just couldn¡¯t see it for themselves.


    ¡°Wait, if you saw that in Aria¡¯s future, then does my future continue past the three year mark as well?¡±


    Sarman¡¯s question was met with silence. Both from M¡¯kara who was trying to look the other direction, and Salamander who sat on his shoulder.


    ¡°Hey! Answer me!¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said that it was too dangerous to know your own future?¡± Salamander spoke from his spot. ¡°Should you really be asking that question?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°If he wants to know, he should know.¡± M¡¯kara spoke up, glaring at Salamander.


    ¡°No. You promised me not to tell him. It was our deal.¡±


    ¡°A deal that I think is void if the subject himself wants to know.¡±


    While Salamander and M¡¯kara bickered, Sarman loudly spoke up.


    ¡°What is wrong with me knowing Salamander? The way you¡¯re acting, it¡¯s like I die tomorrow or something!¡±


    ¡°One week.¡±


    Sarman stopped in his tracks and looked over at the dragon in front of him.


    One week?


    ¡°One week, in the Kyoku Imperial senate room you will be betrayed and killed.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±

 Chapter 42: The House of a Dragon

    The tent slowly warmed up for a few hours after Nic had entered it. Even wrapping himself up in bedding did little to help with the cold. All of this resulted in him waking up much more tired than everyone else in the group.


    ¡°You look horrible.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you got enough sleep?¡±


    ¡°Not sick, are you?¡±


    Everyone had something to say about Nic¡¯s appearance. And yet all he did was simply wave them away.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. Just a bit tired, but I¡¯ll make it.¡± The monotone, apathetic way that he responded did little to relieve his companions. Yet none of them could argue with him. They had a limited amount of time to head up the mountain, and leaving someone behind alone was dangerous. Even if they hadn¡¯t seen many animals or monsters, they couldn¡¯t guarantee that there were none.


    With all of this in their minds, they reluctantly erased as much of their campsite as they could. The brisk, cold morning air bit into any exposed skin that they had. The only person seemingly unperturbed by the coldness was Yuuki.


    Two hours after dawn, the group finally continued their trek up the mountain. The ground crunched beneath their feet as snow soon began to cover the dirt and grass that they had been climbing the past two days.


    The rest of the mountain¡¯s peaks were covered in the white powder. And it showed just how cold the air had gotten around them. Nic had put on extra layers that morning, and it still wasn¡¯t enough.


    Kiara tried to start a fire, but was quickly told off for doing so. While it would have provided the group with heat, it would have used up some of the already thinning air that they were dealing with.


    The group trudged on. Through the freezing cold and the building snow. A single trail up the mountain¡¯s side.


    They barely stopped to eat lunch. Just a minute to grab preserved jerky out of one of the bags.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡± One of the two villagers guiding the group up held up a hand, signaling for the group to stop.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Nic spoke up from the back of the group.


    ¡°Quiet.¡± The villager shushed the rest of the group as well. His eyes were locked onto a calm segment of snow not that far away from the group.


    With slow, methodical movements, the villager slowly put down his bag and reached in. He pulled out multiple pieces of jerky that he still had. Taking one he threw it high into the air to the side of the group, right next to the segment of snow that he had been looking at.


    ¡°Run!¡± The villager shouted as a number of white-haired creatures burst out from the snow. They were all jumping towards the piece of thrown jerky. They were like giant rats, except that their front paws held webbed hands. And the fact that each one was half the height of an average human.


    The entire group ran upon seeing the creatures. The Villager let everyone pass him. He took Nic¡¯s spot in the rear as he continued to toss pieces of jerky behind him.


    ¡°What¡¯re those!?¡± Nic shouted to the villager as they ran.


    ¡°Snow Moles! They hide in powder snow, waiting to prey on others as they pass near them.¡± The villager yelled back and continued to chuck the strips of jerky behind him. ¡°Usually the Dragon keeps them in check. I guess it¡¯s our lucky day!¡±


    Nic laughed in his own head. Their trip up the mountain had gone relatively uninterrupted the entire time. And right before they reached their goal, this happened.


    How much longer till they reached the house? Nic had felt like they hadn¡¯t slowed down that much compared to the previous days. But the house they were going to wasn¡¯t even in sight. All that they could see ahead of them was the blinding white of the snow.


    Looking back, the Snow Moles were still chasing after them. Some had dropped out of the chase as they had gotten their fill on the jerky, but the rest were ravenously chasing them. And they were beginning to catch up.


    The snow may have been beautiful to look at from a distance, but it was beginning to slow the group down. None of them could run properly in it, even the villagers.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have to fight them!¡± Nic made the proclamation as he put a hand on one of his swords.


    ¡°We can¡¯t! There are too many for us to fight at once!¡±


    ¡°Are they monsters? Or just normal beasts?¡± If they were monsters created through Irradiation, Nic could easily take care of them. But that was a big ¡°if¡±.


    One that turned out to be false as the villager shook his head.


    ¡°They¡¯re normal animals.¡± The villager seemed to know what Nic had been thinking and had quickly shut his idea down.


    Nic was about to turn around and fight anyways when his face was quickly heated by a passing lance made of flames. As it hit the snow behind the villager, it burst into a large explosion of flames. The entire thing went downhill, and the little bit of explosion that tried to go back towards Nic and the villager were blocked by an invisible wall.


    Looking up the mountain, Nic finally saw them. In the middle of the snow, running down it towards them, was Sarman. His large frame was impossible to miss against the backdrop of pure white that was the snow. And being carried on his back was Aria.


    The entire group of travelers bunched up as the two finally reached them.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Sarman bent down as he let Aria slide off of his back.


    ¡°Yea.¡± Aria tried to stand up as she talked, but instantly grimaced in pain. Nic tried to reach out to her but was stopped when she took a step towards him. Then another. A third. All accompanied by the slight sound of pain. Finally she stopped right in front of Nic.


    Nic reached out to her shoulders, still shaking in pain. The moment he touched her, Aria seemed to fall into his chest, letting his arms wrap around her and support her. Nic looked up at Sarman.


    ¡°What happened to her?¡± The urgency in his voice caused Sarman to smile slightly as he looked at the two of them.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. M¡¯kara accidentally broke a number of our bones when she grabbed us in front of the village. Aria here only just woke up and is still sore, but she jumped out of bed the moment she heard that everyone was being chased on the mountain.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Aria whispered a soft apology as she buried her head in Nic¡¯s chest.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize!¡±


    ¡°Yea!¡±


    ¡°Right, Nic?¡±


    Yuuki, Sarah and Kiara all spoke up before Nic could even comprehend that Aria had been apologizing for what she had done.


    ¡°They¡¯re right. No apologies.¡± Nic patted her head softly as he told her that he didn¡¯t need an apology from her. In response she simply clinged to his shirt harder.


    ¡°How did you know that we were being chased?¡± Yuuki spoke up as she walked over to Sarman, her face getting awfully close to his.


    ¡°Ah, that-¡±


    ¡°-would be me.¡± Sarman was cut off by a low rumbling voice from above. The group looked up and found a dragon flying down from the sky. With a quick twirl of its body, and a mighty flap of its wings, the dragon gracefully landed in the snow next to the group. ¡°Welcome, Verilo¡¯s inheritor and the Heir of the East.¡±


    The dragon only welcomed two people in the group specifically. Nic was quick to realize who the two people were. It was clear that he himself was ¡°Verilo¡¯s inheritor¡±, but he was confused why the dragon had called Yuuki the ¡°Heir of the East¡± and not acknowledge her title as the Queen of Crystallia.


    Something that was not lost on Yuuki either.


    ¡°Heir to the East?¡± Yuuki audibly questioned the title herself.


    ¡°Hmmm? Oh, have you not realized it yourself yet? Surely you have noticed the changes already¡­¡± The dragon mused under its breath quietly. Yet quiet for a being of that size didn¡¯t help much as everyone in the group heard what it had said clearly.


    Yuuki looked at her own hands, looking for anything different.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t felt anything different with my body?¡±


    The dragon looked at the Cat-Person carefully. Nic meanwhile thought that he knew what the dragon was talking about. He was sure that Yuuki had felt different the night before. She hadn¡¯t been affected by the cold like the rest of them had. Was that the change that the dragon was talking about?


    ¡°Ah, we can figure this out later. You must be quite cold out here. Let¡¯s retreat back to the cabin for now.¡± The dragon leaned her neck down; an invitation for those there to get on her back.


    Sarman was the first person to take up the dragon¡¯s offer. It seemed he had a trust in the dragon that not even Aria had. Yuuki, trusting Sarman fully, was the second person who got on.


    One by one the rest of the group got on, leaving just Nic and Aria off of the dragon. Nic helped Aria up first before getting onto the dragon¡¯s back himself. As he got onto it, Nic felt a tug in his body. His ability to absorb irradiation was pulling at something within the dragon.


    He focused his eyes on the core of the dragon. As he did, he spotted the mass of Irradiation welling up within it. But it wasn¡¯t leaking at all.


    ¡°What¡­? Is this¡­?¡± As Nic muttered to himself, the dragon gave a mighty thrust with its wings and took to the skies. Flying above the snow was a much faster way to get to their destination.


    With the dragon''s flight, the cabin near the summit of the mountain quickly came into view. It was a simple wooden cabin really, but it was quite large and managed to take up most of the flat area near the top of the mountain. Alongside the decent sized clearing in front of the cabin, the mountain quickly began to rise to its uppermost point. Near the top, there was a seemingly cutout section of the mountain.


    A large stone overhang.


    The dragon flew past the cabin and landed in the overhang. It was the best place to land as it gave the group the most space to disembark from the dragons back. The ride hadn¡¯t been long, less than a minute in fact.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Nic looked up at the dragon as Sarman and Yuuki slid off of its back. ¡°You¡¯re a demi-human, right?¡±


    Nic¡¯s question stopped the rest of the group in their tracks. A dragon based demi-human had never been heard of. And the villagers at the base of the mountain believed that the Dragon and the old woman on top of the mountain were two separate beings.


    ¡°Oh? And what makes you think that, Verilo?¡± The dragon snorted as they lowered their head to be on level with Nic.


    ¡°I can see Irradiation, even in living beings. You clearly have a lot within your body, and yet you haven¡¯t been turned into a monster or have signs of Irradiation sickness like other living beings. In fact, the Irradiation within you is calm. Just like it is in Demi-Humans when there isn¡¯t enough to make them have Irradiation sickness.¡±


    ¡°Bwahahaha!¡± The dragon let out a long burst of laughter. Its body glowed a bright white and in the blink of an eye, standing before the group was a simple old woman. The cane she used to help her stand properly shook with each fit of laughter that came over the old woman. ¡°You¡¯re quite right. I¡¯m indeed a demi-human.¡±


    Sarman and Nic were the only two who didn¡¯t show an outburst of surprise after hearing the truth. The two villagers that had come with them were easily more confused than surprised, but their voices only served to add to the commotion of everyone else''s surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a Demi-Human being able to switch between forms.¡± As the person closest to the old lady, Nic tried to get more info then and there.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the warmth of my cabin. I¡¯ll explain more there.¡± The old woman said before beginning the trek down.


    Nic¡¯s first impression of the dragon¡¯s human form was that it looked frail and weak. Yet the strength of her voice and the way she moved while leading the group down from the overhang proved that she was anything but.


    The cabin already had a small fire going when the group walked in. This fire had kept the cabin warm, which was a wonderful delight to the group that had spent the past three days climbing the mountain.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Most of the group huddled around the fire, taking the opportunity to warm themselves up. Only two people from that group didn¡¯t try to join the huddle. Yuuki stayed near Sarman, almost glued to his side. When asked why she wasn¡¯t going to join the rest, she simply stated that she was warm enough with him. The other was Nic, who had taken a seat on a small couch in the center room.


    ¡°Mind if I rest here?¡± Aria sat down next to him. Knowing that Nic was fine with it, she quickly used his body as something to lean against, letting her body finally continue to recover from the soreness that came from healing multiple broken bones in a single day. Her eyes quickly closed, and her breathing slowed down.


    ¡°She is very relaxed with you.¡± Kara nodded towards Aria as she spoke to Nic.


    ¡°She is.¡± Nic responded softly. He laid his hand over one of hers and gently squeezed it. Inside, he was relieved to have her next to him again. It was only once she sat down next to him that Nic had realized just how lonely he had felt the past few days. Even though he had been surrounded by friends and allies, he had felt isolated without Aria.


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s time for me to come clean?¡± Kara joked before finally looking serious.


    ¡°How can you change forms?¡± Sarman was the one who asked this time. He and Yuuki were standing behind the couch. Unlike Nic and Aria, the two of them were themselves Demi-Humans. They had the biggest stake in learning how Kara was able to switch forms.


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not a ¡®normal¡¯ demi-human. When the Irradiated Winter began and Irradiation flooded the world, I happened to be in the middle of looking at someone¡¯s future. The Irradiation merged our two souls, like it did for a lot of the first generation demi-humans. When the soul of a Human and an Animal merge, which one becomes the dominant personality?


    Almost everyone believed it to be the human soul for a long time. But, as some have recently learned, it is a bit more complicated than that. The actual answer to that question is that the stronger soul becomes the dominant personality. The body then gains features of the weaker soul''s original body. And so, Demi-Humans were made.


    When I merged with that woman three hundred years ago, my soul was the stronger one. And so my body should¡¯ve taken the characteristics of a human. What is there that a Human can give to a Dragon? Hands? I could already pick stuff up with my claws. Speech? We Dragons have long been able to speak the human tongues. The only thing that Humans have that the Dragons did not is the ability to walk around human settlements as a human.


    That is what was given to me. The ability to turn into a human so that I could interact with human settlements.¡±


    As Kara finished her explanation, the cabin fell silent. All twelve of her listeners had become fascinated by the tale as she spun it. The creation of Demi-Humans was a hotly debated topic. The intricate details unknown to so many.


    Yet Kara had revealed everything in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°So it is because your dominant soul is the dragon soul?¡± Sarman was stunned as he tripped over his own words. His hand hovered over his own chest, which was covered with phoenix feathers underneath his clothes. If Kara was telling the truth, then Ordwell¡¯s soul had been stronger than the soul of the mythical Phoenix.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Though it makes sense. Am¡¯Kara was quite the willful dragon. He was always seeing into the future, though even that didn¡¯t save him from one man¡¯s defiance of Kronus.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Multiple things that Kara had just said had set off bells in Nic¡¯s head. ¡°You know about Kronus? And he was a willful dragon?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know about Kronus. I am an ancient dragon, you know. I was created alongside one of the Spirit Progenitors like the rest of the ancient dragons. Our duty is to protect them from humans who wish to do them harm.¡± Nic twisted his head to look at Sarman who simply nodded.


    ¡°Salamander confirms that she is telling the truth about that.¡±


    ¡°As for your other question; yes, I was once a male dragon. But that¡¯s in the past. It doesn¡¯t matter now.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Nic nodded. It was just a phrase that he had been curious about since the person sitting before him was female. ¡°So your name is¡­?¡±


    ¡°In my human form, I go by Kara. But when I revert back to my dragon form, it is M¡¯kara. Though in recent years I have heard that people are beginning to call me ¡®the Prophetic Dragon¡¯ due to my ability to see into the future,¡±


    Nic had definitely heard the moniker of ¡°prophetic dragon¡± before. And judging by the looks of everyone in the room, they all had as well. It was a well known name. The dragon that held it was said to be able to clearly predict someone¡¯s future, down to how long they had left to live.


    If Kara was to be believed, that very same dragon was sitting right in front of them. The mere thought of it made Nic gulp in slight anticipation. Knowing if anything bad was going to happen on their journey into Kyoku would be valuable information.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I think we¡¯ve all heard of you before. But how can we verify that you are who you say you are?¡± Nic forced himself to be wary. Wary of the power that could be right in front of him.


    ¡°I think you already have your answer.¡± Kara looked behind Nic.


    ¡°She told me yesterday how today would go. She is the real deal.¡± Sarman spoke up. ¡°But, I don¡¯t think it would be wise for us to pry for information out of her.¡±


    It was like he had read Nic¡¯s mind and knew what he wanted. Sarman shut him down hard.


    ¡°Is there a reason why you think that?¡± While Nic wanted to say that, the voice that did came from right next to him. Nic had thought that Aria had been completely asleep, but in reality she had just been listening quietly with her eyes closed.


    ¡°I think that the temptation for us to change the future if we hear anything bad will be too great. And if we were to change the future¡­¡±


    ¡°Something far worse would happen.¡± Kara finished off Sarman¡¯s statement for him. Nic thought that he was probably parroting something she had told him the day before either way. Even if he didn¡¯t like their answer, Nic had to admit there was some merit to what they were saying.


    If Nic learned that any of the others were going to die, he would do everything he could to stop it from happening. Just like what Sarman was saying, he knew he would try to change the future.


    ¡°I¡­ understand.¡± Nic couldn¡¯t mask the twinge of disappointment in his voice. Something that Kara did not miss.


    She continued to tease him for the rest of the day about it. Much to the enjoyment of the rest of their group as they warmed up, had some nice warm food, and finally got assorted to different rooms for the night.


    The delegation planned to pass across to the other side of the mountain the next day. Once they descended they would officially be in lands considered to be a part of Kyoku.  Their journey was almost over.


    The rest that Aria had been taking wasn¡¯t nearly enough to rid her of her fatigue. Because of that, after they all shared a meal, Aria pointed out their room to Nic. She was currently resting her head against his chest as he carried her into the room and set her down on the bed.


    ¡°Stay with me.¡± After Nic closed the door, Aria whispered to him. He smiled and sat down on the bed next to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± He stroked her head, watching her eyes flutter till they finally closed and her breathing slowed down. She had fallen back asleep.


    The two¡¯s room was on the left side of the cabin, near the entrance. Because of that, they had a window that overlooked the area in front of the cabin. Despite the sun having set, Nic could still see some of the area in front of the cabin. Sarman and Yuuki were sharing the room on the opposite side of the cabin, with much the same view.


    ¡°Who¡­?¡± As Nic looked out the window, he spotted someone hurrying across the area in front of the house. He couldn¡¯t tell who it was because of the dark, but they were walking towards the path to the overhang.


    After leaning over Aria to make sure she was asleep, Nic quietly got off the bed and left the room. The main room had quieted down. The fire was burning low and would eventually go out halfway through the night. It also provided the only light in the large room.


    Using that light, Nic found a rather large jacket near the front door and threw it on. He needed some help against the biting cold as he opened the door and slipped out into the snowy mountain night.


    Sarman moved through the cold darkness without creating a single flame to guide him. He had burned the path to the overhang in his mind the day before. Even if the moon wasn¡¯t shining at all, he would be able to find his way through the dark.


    He refused to create a flame in order to stop anyone who could¡¯ve possibly still been up that late from seeing him through a window. Sarman didn¡¯t want to be followed.


    He couldn¡¯t afford to have this conversation overheard.


    Sarman¡¯s legs quickly took him up the small passageway to the empty overhang. Once he was near the middle, a flaming lizard came to life on his shoulder.


    ¡°What¡¯re we doing here so late?¡±


    ¡°I needed to talk to you privately.¡±


    Salamander listened to Sarman and jumped onto the ground in front of him in answer. If his contractor wanted to talk, there was no reason for him to deny him. It was a bit weird that Sarman wanted to do this verbally. The two had the ability to communicate in Sarman¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Is this about what M¡¯kara said? You can ignor-¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Sarman cut off the Spirit Progenitor. ¡°I need you to promise me.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Salamander clicked his tongue. ¡°Let me guess; don¡¯t tell anyone what I heard?¡±


    ¡°That would be nice, but that isn¡¯t it. Salamander, after it happens¡­ Can you promise me that you will look after and protect Yuuki? Oh, and make sure she knows that it isn¡¯t her fault.¡± Sarman added the last part onto the question in a hurried way before Salamander could respond.


    ¡°I¡­ You really are just like her¡­¡± Salamander hung his head low.


    ¡°Her?¡±


    ¡°Sarman, you know our meeting wasn''t a coincidence, right?¡±


    Salamander suddenly bringing up the past caught Sarman off guard. Their meeting? Sarman couldn¡¯t remember it. How could he, it happened when he was still a baby. Salamander had always been there. That much Sarman knew.


    ¡°Of course it wasn¡¯t. You¡¯ve always been with me.¡±


    The lizard let out a sigh, a quick stream of flames accompanying it. ¡°And why do you think that a spirit progenitor created a contract with a baby?¡±


    Sarman¡¯s mind went blank. What Salamander was saying was showing the cracks in his own logic. Why would a spirit progenitor make a contract with someone who wasn¡¯t even six months old?


    ¡°Why¡­ why did you choose me¡­?¡±


    ¡°My last contractor, in their dying breaths, made me promise to protect you and guide you.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡­ma¡­¡± Sarman uttered a single word. No matter how many times he said it, it felt alien on his lips. An unknown word to describe someone he couldn¡¯t remember.


    ¡°The person who I had contracted with before you was Lily Chapman¡­ you¡¯re mother.¡±


    Sarman fell to his knees. His heartbeat was getting faster and faster. It threatened to destroy his chest as his eyes fought back the water welling within them.


    He couldn¡¯t remember her. He couldn¡¯t remember his own mother. And yet she had given him everything. Salamander had been such a big part of Sarman¡¯s life, and it was thanks to his mother¡¯s request.


    ¡°Her last request, I remember it clearly to this day. ¡®Salamander, please protect Sarman, no matter what happens.¡¯ And now you¡­ you¡¯re asking me, Salamander, to protect Yuuki, no matter what happens.¡±


    Sarman had never heard Salamander crack. He showed emotions often, yet it was always Salamander in control of them. He was steadfast.


    Yet now his voice was cracking.


    Sarman¡¯s own eyes were watering, so he couldn¡¯t see the lizard anymore, but he was sure that the lizard was also trying to hold them back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ It¡¯s cruel of me to ask this of you¡­¡± Sarman was stopped by the heat of flames licking his face. The spirit didn¡¯t have physical hands. This was the best that it could do to comfort its contractor.


    ¡°Sarman, don¡¯t feel bad¡­ I¡¯m still a spirit, progenitor or no. I must uphold my end of the contract.¡± Flames flew to life around the two of them as Salamander spoke. They twisted and entwined with each other, creating a blazing cage. A cage where their promise would be made.


    The cage of binding.


    Sarman had seen it before, though he only knew he had. He couldn¡¯t remember it. The last time that Sarman had seen the cage was when he was a baby. It was the same cage that had been made when the two had made their initial contract.


    ¡°I Salamander,¡±


    ¡°I Sarman,¡±


    The two spoke in sync. Sarman spoke on instinct. He didn¡¯t think about what he was saying, he just began to talk.


    ¡°Hereby promise to fulfill this request of Sarman,¡±


    ¡°Hereby request fulfillment of this request by Salamander,¡±


    A new portion of the contract was being made in that instant. An amendment to the end of their contract.


    ¡°That I will forever protect Yuuki once he has passed away.¡±


    ¡°That he forever protects Yuuki once I have passed away.¡±


    A new promise made. A pact forged in the fires of a spirit progenitor and the phoenix. To protect the most important person to the Demi-Human.


    Sarman stared in disbelief at the lizard in front of him. The flaming cage slowly disappeared, the heat giving way to the biting cold of the night.


    ¡°What did you just do!?¡± Sarman raised his voice, nearly shouting. He had wanted Salamander to promise, yet he somehow felt like what had just happened wasn¡¯t what he asked for. It felt wrong.


    ¡°I simply made your request part of our contract. When Lily asked me to watch over you, it was in her dying breath so it couldn¡¯t be added onto her contract. But you are not dying right now so it could be added.¡±


    Salamander had seemingly regained control of their own emotions. They had gone so far as to speak monotonously to Sarman.


    ¡°I just asked you to make a promise! Not to modify our contract!¡± Sarman began to seethe as he shouted at the lizard.


    ¡°Think of it this way, now you can rest assured that I have no way to forgo that promise. Since it is a part of the contract, I must uphold it.¡±


    Sarman reached out to strangle the lizard himself. How could he trust the lizard if he could only keep the promise by adding it to their contract.


    ¡°You know,¡± Sarman stopped as Nic spoke up. ¡°If you keep talking this loud, you¡¯ll wake up the rest of the cabin.¡±


    Sarman quickly turned around. Nic was standing at the entrance to the path between the overhang and the cabin. His hair was a mess, like he had just gotten out of his bed before coming there. He had on an extra layer of clothing on top, something thick that Kara had kept lying around the cabin for any visitors of hers.


    ¡°How long have you been there? How much did you hear?¡± Sarman¡¯s voice shook as he looked at his friend.


    ¡°Since the flames surrounded the two of you. I spotted you leaving the cabin and followed a bit behind. I only heard everything that happened after the flames disappeared though.¡±


    Nic didn¡¯t know the truth that Sarman knew. He only knew that the two were making some sort of promise.


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± Sarman muttered quietly to himself.


    ¡°So what¡¯s this promise?¡±


    ¡°When Sarman passes, I am to protect Yuuki for the rest of her life.¡±


    Before Sarman could stop Salamander from talking, the lizard had blurted out the promise.


    Confusion grew on Nic¡¯s face as he listened to the promise. Sarman¡¯s heart was racing again. He could feel beads of sweat growing on his forehead despite the sheer coldness of the air around them.


    ¡°Honestly Sarman, I get what you¡¯re trying to do. But isn¡¯t it a bit much to force Salamander to add it into your contract?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The two stared at each other as the awkward tension in the air quickly disappeared.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I was doing! I just wanted him to promise me, not add it to our contract. That was entirely because of Salamander. I don¡¯t even know how to do what we just did.¡± Sarman quickly blurted out whatever he could think of. It was a desperate attempt to clear his own name to his friend.


    Nic quickly moved up to Sarman, his hand hitting Sarman¡¯s shoulder. A smirk crossed his face, forcing Sarman to stop talking.


    ¡°Yea yea yea. Just so you know some more people are coming. Want to head back before everyone finds out what you were doing up here?¡±


    Nic was trying to help Sarman save face. It was natural. They were friends after all.


    And now Sarman was hiding the truth from him. He was hiding it from everyone. Could he really be called a good friend at this point?


    ¡°Hey Nic?¡± Sarman spoke quietly as Nic was turning around.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, just a question for you.¡± Sarman took a deep breath before looking at his friend. His face had gone stonelike compared to the amount of emotion he had been showing just a minute before. ¡°If M¡¯kara told you that you would be the first person to die, would you tell Aria? What about Yuuki and I? Would you tell us?¡±


    Nic stopped. He was clearly pondering the question and thinking through his response before speaking up again.


    ¡°If this happened despite our agreement to not have her tell us the future, then I think I would definitely tell Aria. I think it would be better if she knew so that the pain wouldn¡¯t hit her at the same time as my death. As for you and Yuuki, I think I would tell you a few days before.¡±


    Nic¡¯s response was the opposite of what Sarman was doing. And yet hearing it, Sarman knew that it was simply how Nic was. When it came to the three of them, he would want to make sure that they had the time to grieve beforehand so that his death wouldn¡¯t affect them as much.


    ¡°That does sound like you. Thanks Nic.¡± Sarman was genuinely happy to hear what Nic said. But he would never be able to bring himself to do the same thing.


    For Sarman, he couldn¡¯t put that pressure on the three of them. And he knew that Yuuki would try to change the future that M¡¯kara had seen. If that happened, Sarman couldn¡¯t begin to fathom who would have to die in his stead.

 Chapter 43: The Peak

    The morning sun did little to combat the biting cold that permeated throughout the cabin. Even under a heavy blanket and sharing body heat with Aria, Nic could still feel his body chilling more and more. It was cold enough that every muscle in his body was begging Nic to stay wrapped up in the blankets.


    The woman laying in the bed next to him was acting the same way. Aria turned herself around and dug her head into Nic¡¯s chest. Nic wrapped his arms around her and tried to pull her as close as he could. The body heat from the other person was heavenly to both of them.


    Nic wanted to stay in that position forever. He really did. Yet when the door to their room was flung open, the two of them bolted upright. Despite being nearly fully clothed from the cold, Aria instinctively grabbed the blanket to cover herself. It only took her a second to realize what she had done and dropped the blanket, her face growing red.


    The open door had let in a blast of warm air from the main room, where the fire had already been started. Standing in the center of the doorway was Yuuki, a slight frown on her face as she looked at the two of them. Unlike the previous day, she had heavier pants on and a long sleeve shirt under a small vest. All she needed was a thicker jacket, and she would finally look like she was wearing the same thing as the rest of them when they trekked up the mountain.


    ¡°Time for you two to get up. Breakfast.¡± Quicker and more curt than normal, Yuuki was about to leave when she turned back and looked at Aria. ¡°You feeling better? Able to walk?¡±


    ¡°Yea.¡± Aria nodded as she watched Yuuki quickly close the door, leaving the two alone in the room again.


    Nic thought about Yuuki¡¯s curtness that morning. Even if she had slowly been getting more direct with how she talked over the past few weeks, this felt unnatural. It was like something was directly affecting her.


    Nic wrapped his arm around Aria and pulled her close. ¡°You heard her. Time to get ready for the day.¡±


    Aria simply nodded. Like Nic, she seemed to be confused about Yuuki¡¯s attitude. She shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s get ready.¡± When she stood up, Nic could see that she was forcing herself to not think about Yuuki. She wanted to be happy. To show that happiness to Nic and the others.


    Nic wasn¡¯t about to let her outdo him. He quickly got up and put on some thicker pants and an extra layer covering his upper body. There were two larger jackets sitting on a small table next to the door to the room. They were the two final layers that Aria and Nic would wear once they finally continued their journey to the other side of the mountain.


    Sitting underneath the table were their packs that held all of their travel gear. Nic grabbed both and put them right outside the door. Aria grabbed their jackets and brought them out as well.


    A wonderful odor wafted through the main room. Kara and Kiara were both standing near the fireplace, flipping cuts of meat that were being cooked for breakfast. Smelling it, Nic couldn¡¯t help but salivate slightly. Sara and Sarman were in a small kitchen making the rest of the food that would go with the meat.


    The Crystallian members of the delegation sat on the couches in the main room, waiting patiently for the food.


    ¡°Sarman¡¯s in the kitchen today?¡± Nic said as he sat down on the free couch.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised. I didn¡¯t think he was that good of a cook.¡± Aria sat down next to Nic.


    ¡°He¡¯s surprisingly decent. They also needed Salamander''s ability to control the heat of the flames.¡± Yuuki waved their questions away with a simple answer.


    Hearing what she said, Aria chuckled quietly. ¡°That¡¯s the real reason.¡±


    ¡°I can hear you all!¡± Sarman cut through a carrot while he spoke. The thud of the blade hitting the wood accented the end of his sentence.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted! We need to get these vegetables cut up.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m going.¡±


    The knife continued to thud against the wood as Sarman quickly chopped up the carrots, then moved on to cutting different other vegetables. It didn¡¯t take long for the meat to finish cooking. Only a couple of minutes after and the breakfast was plated and served to everyone. Several strips of meat were put onto a vegetable salad.


    It wasn¡¯t something that Nic would consider a proper morning meal. But their host was a dragon, and that fact made Nic think that this wasn¡¯t so out of place for Kara.


    Nic took a bite from the meat that smelled so good. It melted in his mouth. The meat was for more tender than any he had ever had. It had some toughness to it, but only on the initial bite. As soon as it was in his mouth, the meat seemed to melt. It tasted like the meat from Gigant Bears, but was much softer.


    ¡°What meat is this?¡± Aria questioned it herself.


    ¡°Snow Mole.¡± Kara said.


    Nic almost choked when he heard her. His mind went back to the day prior and the white creatures that had been chasing them. They hadn¡¯t seemed like creatures that would have a lot of meat on them, nor ones he had thought would even taste good.


    ¡°It tastes way better than I would¡¯ve thought.¡± Nic said before stuffing his face with more of the Snow Mole meat.


    Murmurs of agreement floated around the room as everyone ate their food. Once everyone had eaten their fill and the wooden plates were cleaned off and put away, Kara stood in front of the group.


    Everyone but her were already wearing everything except their outermost jackets. They were all ready to leave. Kara knew it as well.


    ¡°It has been wonderful meeting the group of you. But I know it is already time for you to depart. Your journey to Kyoku must continue here and now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality these past few days.¡± Sarman bowed his head.


    ¡°And for the rest of us, thank you for the past day.¡± Yuuki stood next to Sarman. She bowed slightly as well.


    Kara raised her hands in defense. ¡°There is no need to bow to me. Just do one thing for me? Remember your goals, even in the bleakest of moments.¡±


    It was an odd request when said out of the blue. They had never asked to hear their future, but Kara had probably seen them anyway. Nic realized that this was her own way of trying to secure their future.


    His hand rested on the sword hanging from his hip. Its jet black jewel somehow managed to sparkle whenever he looked at it. His hand griped the edge. His goal? Which one did she mean? To purify the world or to live free? One would lead to the other.


    Every member of their party was stone faced at the mention of their goals. Like Nic, they each were thinking of the reason they agreed to go on this expedition. The goals and dreams that they held deep within their hearts.


    ¡°We will. Thank you, Kara.¡± Sarman spoke for the group.


    His words marked the end of their stay. With them, they quickly put on their coats and slung packs over their backs. The door to the cabin opened and a gust of cold air rolled through. The sun was still rising, and it did little to combat the freezing cold air of the morning. The pure white snow covered the rocky surface of the mountain.


    Nic looked up. They were almost at the peak of the mountain. Kara¡¯s cabin was situated very close to it. The path up to the peak followed the same path to the rocky overhand just above them. The group just had to continue going up.


    The peak was a little over three times the size of the stone overhang above it. The top of the mountain wasn¡¯t a point. Instead, it was significantly flatter. While there was a point that all the sides slowly ramped up towards, it was only a few cer higher than the rest. The mountain¡¯s peak was twice the size of the town circle in Aric. But what surprised Nic the most were the broken stone columns dotting the peak.


    ¡°What¡¯re those from?¡± Nic walked up to one of the broken columns and put his hand on it. The stone was cold to the touch, expected of it being in this environment. But it felt just like stone.


    ¡°Are these the remains of Kara¡¯s old nest?¡± Yuuki put her hand on another column as she asked the question.


    It wasn¡¯t impossible. The columns were close to where the dragon currently lived. The spacing of the columns was also large enough to fit a large sleeping dragon within them.


    ¡°If only she had come up with us. We could¡¯ve asked her.¡± Aria lamented the possibility as she looked closer at the columns.


    Nic would come to regret hearing those words. An unknown prophetic sentence that was followed by the pressure of beating wings.


    A thunderous roar rang out from above them as M¡¯kara appeared in the skies above them. She landed with a viciousness that shook the mountain. Flames leaped from her mouth into the sky.


    ¡°Kara?!¡± Sarman shouted while stepping in front of Yuuki to protect her.


    ¡°All who enter the domain of the lord must face a trial to continue.¡± The voice echoed in their minds. It was M¡¯kara, yet she had become furious in a manner of minutes. ¡°The lord is kind, and so you will only have four fighters. Nic Verilo. Aria Towsend. Sarman Chapman. Yuuki Ito. You four will face this trial alone.¡±


    M¡¯kara had upped her intimidation factor. Her commanding presence forced those four to stillness. The other four members of the delegation cowered in fear from the overpowering aura of a dragon.


    ¡°Why do we have to fight?¡± Sarman tried to reason with M¡¯kara. But there was no stopping the dragon. She had already set her eyes on her first target.


    Nic couldn¡¯t draw his sword in time. The dragon had flipped its tail around far too fast for him to see. The impact didn¡¯t break any bones, at least as far as he could feel. But Nic was sent flying into the snow behind him. If it hadn¡¯t been for the snow, he might have been flung off the mountain by the sheer force of the hit.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Standing back up, Nic¡¯s chest tightened as he saw M¡¯kara turn to Aria next. The Dragon unleashed the flames from its mouth on her. In a single blast, all the snow on that side of the peak melted. Only stone was left shining under the rising sun.


    As the smoke disappeared, Aria was fine. She had created a barrier of wind in front of her that had split the surrounding flames. But using a barrier like that was costly. Aria had already begun to breathe heavily. Even Nic could see it from where he was.


    Dragons were mythical creatures. There were only a handful left that were known to be alive. But each one held more power than a greater Spirit. It has long been thought that ancient dragons were as powerful as Spirit Progenitors in their prime.


    Aria had not spent long mastering her connection with Aerial. The difference in their power was far too great. That meant that the difference in power between Nic and M¡¯kara was even greater.


    In this fight, he was barely more than an ant.


    There was very little he could do. But he ran.


    He ran at the claw coming towards Aria immediately after the fire.


    He threw himself in front of Aria, his arms wrapping around her body. And in that instant, the claws hit his side. The force was just the same as the tail, if not greater. Nic couldn¡¯t tell as he was flung through the air again. This time with Aria still clutched in his arms. He tried to angle his body so that he would be the one on the bottom when they hit the ground.


    The blow from M¡¯kara¡¯s claw hadn¡¯t been enough to knock him unconscious. But the blow from hitting one of the broken columns was.


    Nic didn¡¯t even feel the pain from the hit. His vision was already going as his body fell to the floor. He thought he heard Aria saying his name. He thought that until his consciousness faded away.


    Sarman couldn¡¯t understand. It all happened so quickly. Why was M¡¯kara there? Who was this lord? Why did she have to attack them?


    He was frozen as he watched Nic get slapped around without a sign of trouble from the Dragon. Aria was similarly unable to formulate any sort of defense against the dragon. Now Nic was lying on the ground, unmoving. Aria was desperately trying to wake him up.


    And Sarman was standing there doing nothing. Why wasn¡¯t he doing anything?


    Sarman hated that he wasn¡¯t doing anything. But his legs were trembling. They refused to move. He had grown up with stories of the dragon¡¯s power. How could he ever compare to that strength?


    ¡°Die!¡± Unlike Sarman, Yuuki had grown enraged seeing her friends hurt. Even if she was scared, to her, it was more important to attack the dragon that had hurt the two of them.


    Blind Rage.


    Sarman shivered looking at her as she swung the katana towards M¡¯kara¡¯s foot.


    The blade was sharp, and cut through a few scales, but it stopped only a few cer into the flesh. With a horrific snarl, M¡¯kara swung her leg, dislodging the blade and sending both it, and its wielder, flying into a pile of snow.


    ¡°Why are you just standing there? Do something!¡± Salamander spoke directly into Sarman¡¯s mind.


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t. She¡¯s too powerful¡­¡±


    ¡°Like hell, you can¡¯t! What did you make me promise? That I would protect Yuuki after you died next week, not today. So you are going to get your ass in motion and use all of my strength to beat that dragon.¡±


    Salamander was right. Sarman knew his own future. He was going to die in six days. But the rest, they had to live. They had to live so that they could free this world.


    ¡°Arrrrrggghhhhhhh!¡± Sarman let out a guttural scream as he slapped himself in the face. This was no time for him to be scared; to refuse to fight. He was contracted with the Spirit Progenitor of fire. How many years had he spent working to control that power?


    A decade and a half. He had the strength of fifteen years behind him. And Sarman wouldn¡¯t let that go to waste.


    The air around Sarman sizzled. He slowly took off his two topmost layers, leaving him in only a long sleeve shirt. Heat radiated off of his body in droves, melting the snow beneath his feet.


    His hands burst into flames.


    In a single leap, Sarman rocketed his body straight at M¡¯kara¡¯s face. Even if they were a dragon, a punch at this heat was sure to leave a lasting mark. With that idea in his head, Sarman threw his fist. As it connected, the flames that were covering them expanded.


    Further and further. Hotter and hotter. An explosion of blue flames rocked the two of them.


    For Sarman, it sent him flying back towards the ground. He landed on his feet, the impact numbing his legs.


    On the other side, M¡¯kara¡¯s head had whipped back from the force. A low growl in pain echoed out as she tried to take off.


    However, only a few mer off of the ground, vines sprouted from beneath her. They reached up and coiled themselves around M¡¯kara¡¯s legs, stopping her from fully taking to the skies.


    ¡°Don¡¯t count me out just yet!¡± Kneeling where she had landed, Yuuki had plunged her sword into the ground, activating its magical ability.


    The Katana had been forged with her mother¡¯s magic infused into the blade. Manipulating the magic within it, Yuuki, someone who couldn¡¯t use magic normally, was able to activate the sword¡¯s ability.


    The vines coiled around M¡¯kara¡¯s legs, pulling her down towards the ground. Even the powerful beating of the dragon¡¯s mighty wings did little to combat the vines.


    It was a perfect opening.


    Sarman coalesced flames around his hands. They burned hotter and hotter, turning from orange to blue and finally a blinding white. The flames stretched, forming the shaft of a spear.


    Most Spirits excelled in establishing their magic around one thing in their element. Creating buildings from an element, like Rust did, was one example. Creating weapons out of their elements were another. Spirit Progenitors were able to create anything. They stood as the epochal power of that element.


    But that didn¡¯t mean the same thing for those contracted with Spirit Progenitors. Most contractors tended to focus on one focus of creation. More often than not, that focus was combat oriented. For Sarman, his focus was the creation of weapons and armor made of fire. His favored weapon was a flaming spear.


    He had spent fifteen years honing his ability to make flaming spears. He had learned how to condense the flames into a tangible weapon that he could throw. The flames naturally grew hotter the stronger that Sarman got as well.


    In his hands, Sarman now held the peak of his power. The blindingly white flames heated up the entire peak of the mountain, melting snow all around the area. Smoke was rising from the stone directly beneath Sarman as it sizzled with energy.


    This was one of the most powerful attacks that any human had ever created.


    With a single stride forward, Sarman lifted the spear behind his head. All of his strength went into the single throw, launching the flaming spear at M¡¯kara. Even if they were facing an elder dragon, Sarman knew that his spear would damage the dragon.


    ¡°Bwahahaha!¡± Sarman froze. No, his body couldn¡¯t move. But it wasn¡¯t just him. Sarman could tell he wasn¡¯t the only one. The air itself had seemed to stop moving. The smoke that was rising around him had stopped floating up. There was no more breeze on the wind. The flaming spear had stopped mere cer in front of M¡¯kara.


    The only sound was M¡¯kara¡¯s laugh.


    ¡°It is time for you to learn the gulf between where your allies are now, and where they must become.¡±


    In an effortless motion, M¡¯kara used her wings to cut the vines trapping her down.


    A single flap of her wings broke the spear. Sarman¡¯s strongest attack was reduced to nothing in a second.


    The world began to move again. In that instant, wind rushed past M¡¯kara, blowing the white-hot remaining flames of the spear towards Yuuki. Sarman couldn¡¯t do anything to stop it. He had to painfully watch as the flames passed over her body, coating the area directly behind her in its fiery presence.


    Flames burned Yuuki¡¯s jacket as she threw it off. Burns covered her face and her hair had singed from the heat.


    But she still stood tall. Her sword trembled slightly at the power she was standing against. Sarman was amazed as he looked at her. He was doubting himself after seeing his spear be broken apart as easily as it was. But as he looked at Yuuki¡¯s face, all he saw was a mad determination built on anger.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sarman wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed. M¡¯kara, her wings beating ever so uniformly, had also noticed. She dropped onto the ground, her head moving around as she studied Yuuki¡¯s position.


    ¡°What? Is this not a trial? Are you surprised that I¡¯m still standing?¡± Yuuki held her sword aloft in front of the dragon, ready to strike at a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°A little. But I see now. You do have the strength to grow.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Yuuki let out a questioning sound while Sarman held his head in one of his hands to the side. M¡¯kara had been testing them under the guise of a trial to pass her. But it was more than that. She had been showing them¡­ No, she had been showing Sarman something in particular.


    ¡°You have passed this trial. But let me offer you this immediate reward.¡± M¡¯kara gave her judgement before a bright light encompassed the Nic, Aria, Yuuki and Sarman. It only lasted a second, but once it was gone, everyone noticed what had happened.


    Nic coughed harshly as he woke up. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?! You were slammed into the column.¡± Aria quickly began to check over Nic¡¯s body, but was waved off by the man as he stood up. Sarman was surprised. That attack had knocked out his friend in an instant, yet here he was standing up like nothing had happened.


    ¡°The burns?¡± Sarman heard Yuuki exclaiming surprise herself and looked over. The burns she had just gotten had completely disappeared. Her hair was as pristine as it had been when they had left the cabin.


    Sarman himself felt like he hadn¡¯t used any magic at all. He was as rested as he had been that morning.


    ¡°I rewound time for your bodies. They are back how they were before the trial.¡±


    M¡¯kara¡¯s statement caused a small uproar on the peak of the mountain. And it wasn¡¯t just the fighters who raised their voices. All four of the other members of the delegation crowded around the dragon as well.


    Time manipulation by a mortal creature like that had never been heard of before. In fact, time manipulation was long thought to be a simple dream of madmen.


    ¡°How can you manipulate time?¡± Aria excitedly asked what was on everyone¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Each of my fellow eight elder dragons and I were created by mother Gaia to watch over the creations of father Kronus. The other eight were all assigned to the Spirit Progenitors that you know of, and as such held a similar dominion over those elements. I was assigned to another creation of Kronus¡¯. One that held dominion over time. And so my dominion is also time.¡± M¡¯kara relayed the story of the creation of the dragons to the eight standing around her.


    The dragons were mirrors of the Spirits. Their strength and control over the dominions of elements was as strong as the original spirits. Dragons were meant to watch over and protect the Spirit Progenitors, but when the progenitors began to enter contracts with humans, the dragons felt that they were no longer needed. So they became wandering beasts that would protect large swaths of land.


    ¡°Salamander, do you know who M¡¯kara was talking about being assigned to?¡± Sarman asked internally.


    ¡°I do. Father¡¯s vassal. It was unexpectedly combined with a human¡¯s soul to create an odd Elf during the first Irradiated Winter.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t the first time that Sarman had heard of a Spirit Progenitor turning into an Elf. Supposedly both Orpheus and Solus had as well. Sarman¡¯s hand clenched into a fist as his mind began to lead towards those two.


    ¡°Is this Elf still alive?¡±


    ¡°No, they died recently.¡±


    Sarman figured that would be the case. If the Elf had still been alive, they may have been able to learn more about Kronus from them. It would have been far too easy.


    ¡°Sarman?¡± Yuuki¡¯s voice threw Sarman out of his own thinking. He had spent a while lost in thought, and now everyone else was already moving to walk down the other side of the mountain. Only he was left in front of M¡¯kara.


    ¡°You guys go on ahead. I have something I need to ask M¡¯kara.¡±


    Yuuki hesitated for a second before turning around and catching up with the rest of the group. They quickly disappeared over the edge of the mountain''s peak.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a test at all.¡± Sarman looked up at the dragon.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I needed to show you how weak they all were now.¡±


    Sarman sighed and moved his foot. A cracking sound came from beneath him.


    Looking down, next to Sarman was a small circular patch of ice. The heat from his attacks had gotten rid of all the snow in the area. Had this one patch been unaffected? How did Yuuki, who had been standing next to him, not notice it?


    ¡°And I wanted to show you that.¡± The dragon noticed the ice as well. ¡°Remember, you must die in a few days for those three to become strong enough to defeat someone who has the same strength as me.¡±


    What did the ice have to do with their strength? Sarman couldn¡¯t find that connection.


    ¡°I know. And if I don¡¯t die, something far worse will occur?¡±


    The dragon never answered.


    Sarman closed his eyes and began to walk towards the side of the mountains that his companions had already begun to descend on.


    He had forced his companions to not ask M¡¯kara about their future. Sarman did it because he had already learned the truth. And if they knew that he was going to die in six days, Sarman was sure that they would try to change that future.

 Part 3 Epilogue: The Village at the Edge

    It took the group two days to successfully descend the mountain. Nic had noticed a few things on the way down.


    First, Yuuki was growing ever stranger. Her words had started to warm up again, but she was now freezing to the touch. The only person besides her that didn¡¯t seem to notice was Sarman. The extra heat that his body produced must have offset the coldness of the touch. Yuuki was also wearing less and fewer clothes, despite the temperature continuing to be on the colder side. When she was asked about it, Yuuki simply said that she didn¡¯t need the extra layers as she didn¡¯t feel cold.


    Second, Sarman was acting strange, and he had been since M¡¯kara had decided to test them. Nic wasn¡¯t sure what was going on with his friend, but he didn¡¯t like it. Every time he tried to bring it up, Sarman would find a way to exit the conversation.


    Third, there was something fishy happening along the coast.


    ¡°There should be a city with a sizeable port that can take us to the capital city of Kyoku north of here. We won¡¯t be able to make it there tonight, so let¡¯s see if we can find the nearby fishing village I saw from the mountain.¡± Yuuki was explaining her own idea of their plan for the next few days as they walked through a wooded forest.


    The entire coastline on this side of the mountain was flooded with trees almost up until they reached the ocean itself. They had been able to see the vast ocean from on the mountain, and even up high, it had looked endless.


    ¡°The boat ride itself will be about two days long, so let¡¯s try to get to the village tomorrow.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±


    ¡°Same.¡±


    ¡°As long as we don¡¯t have to sleep in tents tonight, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Everyone readily agreed with Yuuki¡¯s plan. Each with their own reasoning and words. Nic himself was completely fine with it, though he was worried at what they would find at the fishing village.


    There was more Irradiation than normal in the area surrounding them. It made Nic worry that monsters were roaming about more than normal.


    They quickly made their way through the forest. Eerily quiet as it was, Nic wondered where the monsters were.


    ¡°The village should be just up here!¡± Yuuki ran ahead as they reached the edge of the forest. The village was bound to be in site once they left.


    Everyone ran to catch up with her. But they all collectively stopped as they finally left the forest behind.


    There should have been a bustling fishing village in front of them. A village full of life, teaming with activity.


    But there wasn¡¯t.


    Yuuki fell to her knees at the sight. Kiara and one of the Crystallia delegates ran back into the forest. Nic could hear them emptying their stomachs. He wanted to do the same thing. A putrid smell was invading his nose.


    In front of them was the ruined remains of the village. And in between the buildings, they could all see it. A pile of bodies, rotting in the sun above them.


    The village had been ransacked and destroyed. There would be no one left alive.


    The only clue to who did it would be the torn flag haphazardly hanging from one of the destroyed buildings. It was stained red with blood, but the rising sun boldly emblazoned on it would not be covered up.

 Part 4 Prologue: Queens Gambit

    Rays of sunlight poked through the cloud strewn skies, cascading into the room through the open blinds. Standing next to the window was a woman in a ruby red dress. Her snow-white hair that normally hung down to her waist was tied up in a thick ponytail, nearly halving its length. She sipped on a glass of red wine as her eyes tracked the people walking through the unknown street below.


    The exquisite room she was in matched a woman of her status. She was in the penthouse suite at the Kyokan Capital¡¯s most high-end hotel. As soon as she had made her presence known, using her creator¡¯s name instead of her own, she had been escorted here and told to wait. The time was coming soon that she would be called upon again.


    Two knocks came from the door to the room. ¡°Your Highness, Senator Ito is here to speak with you.¡±


    A smile crept upon the woman¡¯s lips as she moved to sit down on the couch in the center of the room. The couch, adorned with luxurious leather and stained with intricate decorations, was uniquely positioned to be facing the front door as soon as it opened.


    ¡°Let them in!¡± The woman called out before taking a final sip of her wine.


    Two natives of Kyoku entered her room. Both were Demi-Humans, cat people to be precise. A man and a woman.


    The man was staggeringly tall. Nearly 2 Mer in height. His dark hair did little to cover the two cat ears popping out of the top of his head. Though it might have been better to say it was one and a half ears, as one was cut in half. A deadly scar cut across the left side of his face, pointing directly at the injured ear, having been earned in the same slash.


    The woman was a head shorter than the man, and looked significantly younger on top of it. Her light-brown hair was done up in an intricate looking braid.


    Both were wearing traditional garb from the nation of Kyoku. Kimono¡¯s that the woman had only seen worn by officials within the city.


    This man in front of her was the one who had bested Alec in combat. She had no room to make any mistakes in this conversation. If she did, then he would find her out.


    ¡°Thank you for letting me in, Miss Serilo.¡± The man bowed his head as he greeted her, a motion that she had learned was a custom in this land.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Ruby responded while plastering the most sincere smile on her face, a far cry from the emotions she really wanted to show. ¡°You two have given me the greatest service since I arrived in this city. How could I do anything except show you the greatest respect I can?¡±


    The man stifled a small laugh. ¡°Please, no need to be so formal, Blood Queen. This nation would not be here if it wasn¡¯t for our Shogun and my chance meeting with you three centuries ago,¡± The man narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue. ¡°You look like you haven¡¯t aged a day since then. Hell, I would go so far as to say that you even look younger.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡± Ruby could feel her smile tightening as the man¡¯s words grated in her ears. Her creator hadn¡¯t told Ruby much of her travels, so hearing that she had already met this man and the Kyokan Shogun before caused her heart to race again. Would they see through her? It had been three hundred years, so maybe she could pass any irregularities off as a change brought through time.


    ¡°But of course. I am quite jealous. Those two centuries have not been as kind to me, as you can probably tell.¡± The man stroked the scar covering his face as he said that. ¡°I¡¯m sure my wife is also quite jealous.¡±


    The woman standing next to him took that as her cue to speak up. ¡°Of course I am. Any woman would be jealous of your longevity, your Highness.¡± The woman bowed even deeper than the man had when she spoke.


    To most observers, she might¡¯ve simply seemed like a simple wife who was following her more powerful husband around. Many would assume that the husband, who was the right hand man to the nation¡¯s ruler, was the one who made all of the money in the house, and therefore made all of the decisions. His wife was most likely a homemaker.


    But that wasn¡¯t true. The woman in front of Ruby had a shrewdness to her that most would never see. Ruby only barely glimpsed it herself in the moment. She was sure that the man standing next to the woman knew nothing of her shrewdness, and even less about where she was each day.


    ¡°Well then, Sir Ito, since you are here, does that mean you have word about the Shogun¡¯s decision?¡± Ruby relaxed her smile as she steered the conversation back towards the main topic.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    The head of the Ito household straightened his posture before handing an envelope to Ruby. ¡°Yes. While the Shogun would like nothing more than to lend you our aid, he can¡¯t make this decision by himself and will need the votes of half of the council. There will be a meeting between every council and senate member in three days time. You are hereby invited to take part in this council meeting so that you may present your case to the Shogun and his advisory board.¡±


    As he spoke, Ruby opened the letter and quickly scanned its contents. Everything matched with what was being said verbally. Three days was a tad longer than she had wished, but it would still allow her plans to move smoothly.


    ¡°I understand. Thank you for giving me this news and this opportunity.¡± Ruby stood up and bowed her head to the man in front of her, who mirrored the gesture.


    ¡°Of course. Now, my wife and I shall get out of your hair and leave you in peace. I look forward to hearing your proposal at the meeting.¡± The head of the Ito household turned to leave, but was stopped by Ruby, raising one of her arms.


    ¡°Actually, if you don¡¯t mind, could I borrow your wife for a few minutes? There are a few things I want to ask her about, woman to woman.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He turned to his wife. ¡°I will be waiting in the lobby.¡±


    The woman quickly lowered her head as the man left. The room fell silent as the two women listened to his footsteps until they disappeared.


    Instantaneously, the mood in the room changed as the man¡¯s wife prostrated herself on the ground, her head practically slamming on the floor in front of Ruby¡¯s feet. ¡°Your Majesty! It is wonderful to see you again. Please do not take any offense to what my husband said or did.¡±


    Ruby chuckled softly as she knelt down next to the woman. ¡°Lift your head, Luna. You¡¯ve never had to bow to me before, and yet you are always the most outspoken when it comes to it.¡± She reached out and lifted Luna¡¯s face with a single finger.


    ¡°But of course, Mistress Ruby. Your path for this world is the only true path.¡± As Luna spoke, she slowly stood up and straightened out her wrinkled clothes.


    ¡°You are just as loyal as the rumors say you are, Miss Luna,¡± The closet door creaked open and a man missing an arm stepped out. ¡°I am disappointed that I questioned those rumors simply because you are married to that buffoon.¡±


    Ruby clapped her hands together and her face lit up in happiness as she saw the man. ¡°Alec! I hope that closet was too uncomfortable for you. Let me introduce you,¡± Ruby grabbed Luna by the shoulder and brought her in close. ¡°This is Luna Ito, one of the founding members of our revolutionary group. She has been a close friend of mine for nearly 150 years. She is also our main informant of the going-ons here in Kyoku.¡±


    When Ruby finally finished introducing her, Luna stepped forward and extended a hand towards Alec. ¡°So you¡¯re the famous rookie I¡¯ve heard about. Rising up the ranks to become Ruby¡¯s right-hand servant in a matter of months once you officially joined.¡± The two shook hands.


    ¡°Now that introductions are out of the way, Luna, do you have any updates on the production of that?¡±


    Luna turned back to Ruby at her question, a look of sorrow on her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have the sword I need to make it. Without the sword, I can¡¯t activate magical feedback and produce poisons that potent. The best I can do right now is a poison that works at about seventy percent what that one does.¡±


    Ruby pursed her lips as she contemplated how to change their strategy with this new information. ¡°Could you make us enough to dose the entire council?¡±


    ¡°The entire council? Are you sure?¡± Luna skeptically looked at her leader, wondering just what their backup plan would be.


    ¡°If they don¡¯t agree to what we want, we¡¯ll need to be able to force them into working with us. You aren¡¯t having second thoughts about this, are you, Luna?¡±


    Luna furiously shook her head. ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s just that producing that much poison in three days will be a bit taxing on my body.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t completely knock yourself out.¡± Alec made a rare interjection that was in support of someone being good with their health.


    ¡°Whatever you can give us, we can make use of it. Like Alec said, make sure you stay healthy.¡± Ruby agreed with her right-hand man easily and smiled at Luna.


    Luna¡¯s cheeks grew rosy-pink as she averted her eyes. ¡°I understand.¡±


    With their main topic finally finished, Ruby asked a few more questions for Luna, mainly about the city itself. Their conversation lasted for a few minutes before Luna finally disappeared from the room.


    Once she was gone, Alec looked at Ruby with a quizzical look. ¡°Will waiting a few days work for us?¡±


    ¡°Are the soldiers still waiting out in the ocean? Unmoving?¡± Ruby answered the question with another question.


    ¡°Of course. They won¡¯t move until we give the signal.¡±


    ¡°Then waiting a few days will be fine. This country will either become a vassal for the new world, or they will die in the ruby flames of war.¡± Ruby¡¯s words were a silent declaration of war that no one heard except for Alec.


    A single sentence. A single gambit. For the sake of her perfect new world. Ruby would throw away anything and everyone if it leads to the birth of her ideal world. No one would stand in her way.

 Chapter 44: The Village on the Shore

    Red washed over Nic as the sun slowly began to disappear behind the mountains not too far from where he was standing. A pungent smell was constantly bombarding his nose, overpowering any other scent that tried to make its way through. If he hadn¡¯t already emptied his stomach numerous times over the past two hours, Nic was sure that he would¡¯ve been heaving at that very moment.


    Every other member of the delegation that was with him was in the same situation. Each face that he looked at was gaunt with pain after having thrown up everything they had eaten over the past few days. None of them had an ounce of food or liquid left in their stomachs.


    Yuuki looked the worst by far. Not only had she been heaving from the sight and smell in front of them, but her eyes were stained red from tears as well.


    They had found their first sign of life in the land that she came from, only to find the entire village decimated.


    After first coming upon the pile of bodies in the village¡¯s center, the group had spent the last two hours desperately looking for any survivors in the houses nearby. They only found more corpses.


    More and more corpses piled up.


    On Yuuki¡¯s suggestion, the pile was transferred to the small dock where two dinghies were tied up. Her plan was to burn the body of the villagers, letting the ashes be spread into the ocean that gave the villagers life.


    The dinghies were already geared for a fishing outing, and blood had already been scattered across the small boats. The village had been attacked when they weren¡¯t aware. The village had been getting ready like any other day, but had been ruthlessly slaughtered.


    When searching through all the bodies, they only found one beastfolk that had been wearing unique plated armor. They set that body aside from the rest, leaving the mystery of who they were till after respects had been paid for the dead villagers.


    ¡°Yuuki, I just double-checked, that¡¯s all the villagers we could find.¡± Nic spoke as he walked up to Yuuki and Sarman, with the latter comforting the former.


    Sarman looked up at Nic and gave him a firm nod.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Yuuki¡¯s voice was quiet. With Sarman¡¯s help, she stood up and took a deep breath in. ¡°Light it up, Sarman.¡±


    Hearing her words, Sarman silently took a step forward. By the time his arm had been lit on fire, the rest of the group had gathered behind Yuuki, watching on as they lamented the inability to save the village.


    If only we had descended the mountain faster. Nic thought. It wasn¡¯t an unusual thought, and he knew that every single person next to him thought the same thing.


    Everyone watched as a flaming spear appeared in Sarman¡¯s hand. They watched as he raised it over his head.


    Aria appeared next to Nic, grabbing and squeezing his hand as they anticipated the spear to be set loose upon the bodies. The rest of the group moved forward, leaving Nic and Aria near the back. Anticipation racked their bodies, keeping them still as their muscles tightened.


    ¡°AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡±


    A scream cut through the tension of the air like a knife through butter. Nic turned towards the scream and saw a beastfolk charging at him, a spear in hand ready to pierce through his body. On instinct, Nic shoved Aria away from him, letting the force he exerted push him back as well, out of the spear''s trajectory.


    While grabbing the shaft of the spear with one hand, Nic drew the sword at his hip with his other hand. He brought the edge of the blade up to the beastfolk¡¯s throat, helping to stop him in his tracks.


    ¡°Why-¡±


    Thwak! Thwak!


    Nic was cut off by the sound of two arrows being loosed from nearby. Before he could turn his face to look at the source of the noise, Nic felt the wind next to his body grow wild as the arrows were stopped mere cer from him. One arrow was right in front of his face, while the second had been aimed at his heart.


    ¡°Are you okay, Nic?¡± Aria spoke up as she flicked her hand, sending the two arrows to the ground.


    ¡°Perfectly fine, thanks for your quick response.¡±


    Fwoosh!


    Nic¡¯s sight was filled with orange flames as the spear meant for the pile of bodies flew past his head. It exploded right behind the two archers, sending them tumbling to the ground.


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for flirting, you two.¡± Sarman said while shaking his head in disappointment.


    ¡°MURDERERS!¡± The beastfolk holding the spear thrashed against Nic¡¯s weight, throwing him off balance. As Nic tried to wrestle the man to the ground, the spear snapped in two. Using this opportunity, the beastfolk stabbed at Nic¡¯s stomach with the jagged, broken edge.


    Nic contorted his body. He threw himself to the ground next to the beastfolk as a warm fire spread through his side. Dropping the half broken spear in his left hand, Nic brought it down to his side and felt a warm, sticky fluid flowing out of his body. The beastfolk had managed to slice him open.


    In an instant, Nic flipped the sword in his right hand and slammed the beastfolk¡¯s temple with the pommel. The force was enough to knock him out cold.


    ¡°Nic!¡± Aria called out his name, worry clear in her voice.


    ¡°Help me up¡­¡± Nic let out the words alongside a long sigh. As Aria did as he asked, Nic winced.


    Aria lifted his shirt to look at the gash. It was big enough to be letting out a solid amount of blood, but it wasn¡¯t going to be life-threatening.


    ¡°Quick, get me our bandages.¡± Aria turned to one of the Crystallian delegates and shouted an order at them. While the delegate ran off to search their supplies, Aria got to work cleaning the wound using her wind magic.


    ¡°Here you go.¡± The delegate arrived with the bandages as Aria finished. Taking the cloth being held out to her, Aria quickly began to tightly wrap it around Nic¡¯s stomach. Once she was done, she stood back up and hugged Nic tightly.


    ¡°Be more careful next time.¡± Aria quietly said as snuggled her face into Nic¡¯s shoulder


    ¡°You know things like this are going to happen.¡± Nic whispered back as he softly patted her shoulder.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°I know. I don¡¯t either.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we just disappear?¡± Aria let out a soft question, one that had long been in the back of both of their minds. It was a forbidden wish, one that they could never act on.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave the world in this state, you know that.¡± Nic refused that forbidden wish. He had once thought something similar, back before he had gained magic, but the journal of his ancestor had always kept him on this path.


    ¡°I¡¯ve tied him up for now.¡± Yuuki interrupted their quiet conversation, holding the beastfolk by the now tied hands of his. Nic finally got a good look at the man and realized that he was a Tigerkin.


    ¡°Thanks, Yuuki.¡± Nic thanked his friend as she silently nodded and turned to go join Sarman in interrogating the two archers.


    ¡°Oh, Aria,¡± Yuuki stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Aria. ¡°I need you to remember one thing.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Without Nic, this world will be doomed.¡± With a cold sentence left behind, Yuuki walked off to join Sarman, the Tigerkin being dragged behind her.


    Nic and Aria looked at each other in embarrassment. Yuuki had heard their hushed conversation.


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    ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Nic was the first one to speak up. ¡°Right now, only I can free this world from the Irradiation.¡±


    Aria nodded in agreement. ¡°I know. I just wish we could run away and live peacefully.¡±


    Nic squeezed her hand tightly. ¡°We just need to free this world sooner rather than later so that we can go live freely in peace.¡±


    Without saying anything else to each other, the two finally joined Sarman, Yuuki, Sara, Kiara, and the two archers.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal here?¡± Nic asked, hoping to be quickly caught up on the info the others had already gotten.


    ¡°These three are from the port city north of here that we were planning on going to next. They came down to check on this village since they hadn¡¯t heard from them in a few days. When they saw us, they assumed we killed everyone.¡± Sara quickly filled the two latecomers in on everything that had been discussed so far.


    ¡°We¡¯re so sorry for firing at you. When Oz saw the bodies, he became enraged.¡± One of the archers bowed on the ground towards Nic.


    Oz must be the Tigerkin. Nic thought.


    ¡°Since he became much more enraged than either of you, I assume he has a greater connection to this village?¡± Sarman continued the questioning.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Oz is from this village, actually. He¡¯s only been in Lyuku, our city, for the past few months because he has been instructing our new guard recruits. His wife and daughter still live in this village.¡±


    As Nic listened to the archer¡¯s story, his stomach began to drop. They had found other Tigerkin in this village. Two, to be exact. No more. No less. An adult woman who had been wrapped around a little girl, maybe only eight or nine years old.


    ¡°I see,¡± Sarman looked at Nic, noticing the look on his face. ¡°Did you find them earlier, Nic?¡±


    Eight pairs of eyes locked onto Nic as he slowly nodded his head. ¡°They¡¯re both gone. I found them huddled together in a house near the edge of the village.¡±


    ¡°Oz is all alone then. We¡¯ll have to bring him back to Lyuku then. If he stays here he will only wallow in self-pity.¡± One of the archer¡¯s, the same one that had spoken up earlier, said these words coldly.


    She was clearly the leader between the two archer¡¯s, but Nic wondered what their relationship with Oz was. According to what she had said, Oz was a temporary commander in their port town¡¯s guards. But why had they come with him to this city specifically? Were they his equals? Or were they the new recruits that had been mentioned?


    ¡°That pile, is that everyone who died?¡± The second archer finally spoke up. Unlike the first archer, the second¡¯s voice was quiet and almost kidlike.


    ¡°It is. We were planning on burning it and letting the ash be sent into the ocean that gave this village life.¡± Yuuki was the one who responded to her.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m sure they would like that.¡± The younger archer nodded her head. ¡°Can you wait to burn it till Oz wakes up? I¡¯m sure he would want the chance to properly say goodbye to his wife and daughter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a reasonable request.¡± Sarman nodded in agreement as he spoke. ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll leave you two to watch over Oz. I¡¯m going to go find a place that doesn¡¯t smell as bad to wait it out.¡±


    As Sarman walked away, Yuuki ran after him. The rest of the group gradually grew apart.


    For his part, Nic sat down on a log not too far away from the archers and Oz. Hearing Oz¡¯s story, his mind was flashing to just a few moments earlier when Oz had attacked him. He had only done it because he thought that the delegation had been responsible for killing his only family.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Aria sat down next to him. Her hand found its way around Nic¡¯s, warming it up in a comforting manner.


    ¡°Oz, he attacked us because he thought that we had attacked his family. I was just wondering what I would do if I was in his position.¡± Nic honestly answered Aria, only to get a light laugh from her in response.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t we already gone through something similar, though?¡± Aria leaned her head on Nic¡¯s shoulder as she whispered in his ear.


    Nic thought about everything that they had gone through in the past few months. ¡°Ah. Jack¡¯s attack in Sanum. We did both go at him quite hard when we thought the other was out of commission, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Nic couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the words he was saying. Aria was absolutely right. When he thought that Aria was in trouble, what had he done? He had thrown away all thoughts of hiding who he was and used everything he could to save her. And she had done the same for him.


    Their relationship was what caused that desire. The same desire that Oz had surely felt when he had seen them in front of a pile of bodies. Nic empathized with the Tigerkin¡¯s plight.


    ¡°When Oz wakes up, I¡¯m going to apologize for knocking him out.¡±


    ¡°Looks like you won¡¯t have to wait that long.¡± Aria motioned with her head towards where the archers were. Oz was in the process of waking up. Both of the archers were on their knees, whispering something to him.


    ¡°Stay here.¡± Nic stood up as he asked Aria to stay here for a bit longer.


    ¡°Alri-¡±


    ¡°No! That can¡¯t be!¡± The Tigerkin¡¯s yell cut Aria off. The Tigerkin sprung to his feet and sprinted off towards the edge of the village, his arms still tied behind his back.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Nic knew where he was going. It wasn¡¯t that hard to guess. Nic began sprinting after the man. Dirt flew behind him as he ran as hard as he could. Nic rounded the only corner he needed to and began to slow down.


    Three buildings away there was a small wooden house. Half of the roof had been caved in, and one wall showed the scars of being burnt. The door was left ajar and in the middle of the doorway was the Tigerkin.


    Nic watched as he fell to his knees. His hoarse voice was repeating two names as tears threatened to rack his entire body. ¡°Yang. Xiao Mei. Please come out. I¡¯m home.¡± When no voices answered his plea, Oz¡¯s body convulsed as tears came plentifully and quickly.


    The soft crunch of the dirt under Nic¡¯s foot caused the Tigerkin to quickly turn. When he saw Nic, he barred his teeth and let out a low, guttural growl.


    ¡°What do you want? Come here to knock me out again?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I actually wanted to apologize for that. I heard about your wife and daughter from those archers. If I was in your position, I would act the exact same way.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Is that so? Well, your apology isn¡¯t accepted. Now get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Which one was your wife?¡± Nic took a slow step towards the man.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I was the one who found the two Tigerkin in this house when we got here. They were both already dead. Which one was Yang? Which one was Xiao Mei?¡±


    ¡°You-!¡± The Tigerkin caught himself before he began shouting. He took a deep breath, calming himself before speaking again. ¡°Yang was my wife, Xiao Mei my daughter.¡± The Tigerkin looked back in the broken house, his eyes lingering on the blood spread across the floor. ¡°Did they look like they died painlessly?¡±


    Nic walked up behind the Tigerkin as he pondered the question. When he had found them, the mother Yang had been curled around the daughter Xiao Mei as if she had been shielding her. Their wounds didn¡¯t look like the death had been quick.


    But was that really the answer that Oz was looking for? Nic knew that if Aria died, he would want to be told that her death had been quick. But would Oz also want that? Nic didn¡¯t know what Tigerkin held importance in with deaths.


    ¡°They,¡± Nic drew out his words. ¡°They died without much pain. And Yang, she died heroically protecting your daughter till the last moment.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Oz¡¯s body spasmed as he let his tears flow freely. ¡°I hope you two are forever running in the fields of the afterlife. I promise you, Yang, I¡¯ll find the ones who did this to you and I will make them pay.¡±


    After a while, Oz stood up and faced Nic. ¡°The bodies on the dock, what were you all planning on doing with them?¡±


    ¡°We are going to burn them and let the ashes be taken into the ocean.¡±


    Hearing the plan, Oz nodded thoughtfully. ¡°The people of this town would want that. The ocean gave us life, it is only right that our lives now nurture the ocean.¡± Oz strode past Nic, his path clearly heading towards the small dock.


    ¡°Ah- Wait one second, Oz.¡± Nic grabbed Oz by the shoulder and stopped him from walking forward or turning around. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I have to do real quick.¡±


    Nic quickly unsheathed his sword and nimbly cut the rope tying Oz¡¯s hands together. Oz raised his hands with an incredulous look on his face, like he hadn¡¯t thought Nic would ever let him go.


    ¡°Thank you, young man.¡± Oz¡¯s face scrunched up like he had forgotten something. ¡°Ah, I guess I should ask, but what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Nic.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet ya, Nic.¡±


    The two walked back to the dock, where the rest of the group had gathered together again. When Sarman saw Nic, he lit another flaming spear in his hand. Once he got the go ahead, the spear found its new job in burning the deceased corpses. Everyone watched in silence until all that was left was ash spilling into the ocean. With some light help from Aria, the rest was quickly spread out across the ocean.


    Once that was done, Sarman showed Oz and the Archers the banner that had been hung up in the village, as well as the dead body that stood out from the rest. Neither of them were recognized by Oz or the archers. Sarman took the banner and placed it in his bag, hoping to find a clue to it later in their journey.


    Once everything was packed up, Oz and the archers offered to lead the delegation to Lyuku. Moving at a brisk pace, they eventually reached the port city right as night was beginning to set in.

 Chapter 45: What Does It Mean to Lead?

    The port city Lyuku sat 20 ker north of the destroyed village where Sarman had burned a pile of bodies just a few hours ago. As he walked through the city¡¯s gate, one of his hands was unconsciously scratching his other arm. Flashes of burning bodies stopped him in his tracks.


    The smell of burning bodies crinkled Sarman¡¯s nose. He swiveled his head, looking for the source, yet finding nothing. There was no smoke in the night sky. No glow of a burning fire. Just like there hadn¡¯t been on the walk from the village to the city.


    The two archers leading Sarman and the rest of the delegates led them to a large house near the city¡¯s port. Inside, an older man greeted everyone.


    How is no one freaking out? Sarman looked at his comrades, studying their faces. Some looked at him quizzically, while others simply ignored him. Sarman looked back at the older gentleman. Gaunt eyes stared back. Skin was nearly falling off the man. No, it looked like it was slowly being burned off.


    ¡°Hey, shake his hand! You¡¯re being rude.¡± A very annoyed older male voice echoed in Sarman¡¯s mind. The sudden intrusion caused Sarman to blink and when he did, the dying man in front of him turned into a well off older gentleman. A gentleman that was holding a hand out for Sarman and giving him a curious look.


    Sarman shook the man¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you for meeting with us.¡± Sarman said before he took a sharp breath. He was starting to see things and had to get his mind back on track.


    ¡°Thank you for snapping me out of that, Salamander.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later.¡± Sarman shut down the conversation he was having with his contracted spirit within his head as the old man finally responded.


    ¡°Of course. I know you must be searching for passage to our capital, correct?¡± His voice was old, yet very smooth. His words left little in the way of hidden meanings.


    ¡°Yes, we were hoping that you would be able to get us across the water on one of your boats.¡± Sarman politely leaned his head forward in a small bow as he told the old man of their request.


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be hard. However, you will have to wait till tomorrow night. We had another guest come into town this morning looking for the same request to be fulfilled. The captain that took her request is the only one of our people that knows the route. He won''t be heading back here ¡®til tomorrow, after all of our wares have been sold in the capital.¡±


    Another person also looking to get to the Kyokan capital? At the same time as them?


    Sarman found the coincidence to be too much for a mere coincidence.


    ¡°A similar request? What did this guest look like?¡± Yuuki grabbed the hem of Sarman¡¯s sleeve as he asked for more details.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± The old man closed his eyes as if trying to picture the guest in his mind. ¡°She was a beauty, that¡¯s for sure. Even for an Elf. The moment she stepped in town, a lot of the young guys were trying to win her favor. She had long white hair. It was as pure as the snow on the mountaintops. Her eyes though. Her red eyes felt like they could see through anything.¡±


    ¡°An elf with white hair and red eyes!?¡± Yuuki exclaimed in shock as she heard the description. Sarman understood her shock. Of course, they couldn¡¯t prove it without more details, but white hair and red eyes for an elf was extremely uncommon. In fact, Sarman only knew of one person with that exact combination. Crystal.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. She also had a few bodyguards with her. They left this morning.¡±


    Before Yuuki could say anything again, Sarman put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this in private, don¡¯t make it a big deal here.¡± Sarman whispered into her ear before turning back to the old man.


    ¡°Thank you for telling us that. Since we have to stay here for the night, do you have any place that we can stay?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The man turned to the two archers. ¡°Can you take our guests to the old Aki household?¡±


    ¡°Old Aki household?¡± Nic was the one who spoke up with a question about their accommodations. Nic didn''t get the answer to his question till they had left the old man¡¯s house and were already walking to their abode for the night.


    ¡°It¡¯s the house we use for guests whenever they come into Lyuku. The couple that originally owned it passed away a while back, so we decided to convert it into a guest house after a while.¡± The older of the two archers explained everything as they were coming up on the house.


    It was a two-story house near the water. There were no other houses nearby, but there was a fairly large building that went out onto the water. It was connected to the small docks that could be seen.


    ¡°What¡¯s that building?¡± Sarman asked while pointing towards it.


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    ¡°We store our boats in there during stormy weather. Helps to keep them in operation for longer.¡± Sarman nodded as he listened to the explanation.


    As the group reached the house, the archer opened the front door and led them into a spacious room that took up nearly the entire first floor. There were a few couches and chairs taking up the entire left side of the room, all centered around some rather large tables. To the right was another table as well as a kitchen area connected to a small fire pit built into the back wall. The area where the kitchen was indented more to the right than the area with the table. That was thanks to a small door in the side that led to stairs to the second floor.


    ¡°I will leave you all here to sort out your arrangements on your own. There are 4 rooms upstairs, all with beds in them. And there is an outhouse directly behind the building.¡± Their guide bowed her head before leaving.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you all want to do for sleeping arrangements. I¡¯m not feeling well, so I¡¯m just going to go choose the first room I find and fall asleep.¡± Sarman shook his head as he practically ran up the stairs and burst into the first room he saw.


    ¡°So, going to tell me what¡¯s up with your attitude tonight?¡± Salamander¡¯s voice echoed in Sarman¡¯s mind as he threw his bag to the ground and crawled into the bed.


    ¡°I can still smell it. And see those bodies. I can¡¯t unsee it.¡±


    Sarman was constantly smelling that putrid smell. It took everything he had in him to keep himself from throwing up. When he closed his eyes, all he could see were the faces in the flames. Their gaunt eyes staring out at him with mouths agape. He heard the non-existent screams as they were burned alive at his hand.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Salamander didn¡¯t say anything after that. He stayed quiet and simply stayed as a familiar warmth that overtook Sarman¡¯s body. Sarman closed his eyes and worked towards forcing himself to sleep.


    It wasn¡¯t until the door to the room opened again after a while and a cold body wrapped their arms around Sarman that he finally felt peaceful enough to sleep. Salamander¡¯s warmth was familiar, but Yuuki¡¯s coldness was what he needed to sleep.


    The next morning, Sarman woke up as dawn was beginning to break. Yuuki was still sleeping behind him, her arms tightly wound around his stomach.


    Gently, Sarman moved Yuuki¡¯s arm off of his chest and got out of bed without waking her. Creating as little sound as possible, he made his way downstairs and out of the house. He didn¡¯t take a breath until he had reached the bottom of the stairs in front of the house.


    Sarman took a deep breath in. He could feel the salt from the ocean in the air. Instead of smelling burning bodies, he finally was able to smell the water from the house. Thanks to the salt that he could taste, he also smelled it with his nose. Seabirds cawed overhead as they flew around the ocean¡¯s edge. Sarman saw a couple dive into the water and come back out with fish in their beaks.


    Sarman knew it was a peaceful morning. The entire small city was peaceful. It was a far cry from Sanum¡¯s mornings. The few times that Sarman had gone out into the city proper at this time of morning, it would already be full of people selling wares or promoting shopes elsewhere in the city.


    ¡°-ain!¡± A shout from the other side of the house caught Sarman¡¯s attention. As he walked over to see what it was, a group of people on the beach caught his attention.


    Standing above the rest was a lone tigerkin, Oz. Below him was a cohort of Archers, Spear wielders, and those using a sword and shield. Oz was watching over twenty-four soldiers in total. Twelve were archers, including the two archers that Sarman had met the day prior. The other twelve were split evenly between the spearmen and the swordsmen.


    ¡°Oz?¡± Sarman called out the Tigerkin¡¯s name as he got closer.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Oz looked over at Sarman with surprise on his face. ¡°Everyone, keep working on those drills!¡± He turned back to his subordinates and gave them some quick instructions before walking towards Sarman.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be grieving? You just found out your wife and daughter are dead.¡± Sarman worriedly asked about the man¡¯s mental state, only to be met with a long sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I grieved last night. And besides, they need me to train and to lead them,¡± Oz motioned with his arm to the people on the sand. ¡°I can¡¯t sit around grieving forever, not when they are counting on me. Besides, I¡¯ll feel better about grieving once I find the bastards that killed them.¡±


    Sarman knew the look in the man¡¯s eyes. He was out for revenge, and he wasn¡¯t going to stop until he got it. Nothing Sarman would ever say or do could change that.


    ¡°I see. Well, if I happen across any information on them myself, I¡¯ll make sure to let you know.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Now, I have to get back to my trainees.¡± Oz turned around and immediately started barking orders once again.


    Sarman had made him a promise. One he would never be able to keep. He only had another few days left to live. There was no chance he would find out that information before leaving this world.


    But maybe he should have Yuuki talk with Oz. She¡¯ll need his kind of resolve to survive and continue on once Sarman died. He would have to teach her everything he knew about what it means to lead her people. Though, he was sure it wouldn¡¯t be good advice. All he knew was how to lead people in combat.


    ¡°Sarman?¡± An older gentleman was standing in front of Sarman, blocking his path.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡± He didn¡¯t recognize the man immediately, it took him a bit to remember that he had met the old man the night before. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re the man we met last night.¡±


    The man let out a small chuckle. ¡°Yes, you can call me Zi. I¡¯m the one in charge of this city.¡±


    ¡°Thank you again for letting us stay here, Zi.¡± Sarman bowed his head to the old man.


    ¡°Of course. Now tell me, what¡¯s on your mind? You were standing there like you couldn¡¯t even see your surroundings.¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± Sarman thought for a moment. How was he supposed to talk about this without revealing that he knew he wasn¡¯t long for this world? ¡°I¡­ Well, you see, my father is the Minister for the city of Sanum. Like you, he¡¯s in charge of everything in the city. And he wants me to be his successor once he passes away. But I don¡¯t know how to lead a city. All I¡¯ve ever done is lead small groups into combat.¡±


    Zi nodded his head as he listened to Sarman. ¡°Ahhhhhhh. I see. When I was young, I was like you; a warrior. All I knew was how to fight. But then I became the leader of Lyuku, and I learned a secret about leading others. Want to hear it?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Leading a city is like leading your fellow warriors. But the people you are leading them to fight, is themselves. Your opponents are your allies, and your allies are your opponents. They won¡¯t all think the same way as you, so you have to come up with strategies to appease everyone.¡±


    Sarman stood there, almost dumbfounded by how simple Zi made it seem. With a chuckle at his expense, the old man continued on his morning walk, sidestepping the still Sarman.


    Sarman stayed in that spot, thinking about what he had been told till the Sun had fully come up from behind the ocean.

 Chapter 46: Signs of Irradiated Monsters

    The first thing that Nic noticed when he woke up was that. It was so apparent that he wondered how he had slept through the night without noticing it in the first place. As he sat up at the edge of the bed, Aria reached out and wrapped her arm around his waist.


    ¡°Hrnnng¡­ where you goin?¡± Aria¡¯s groggy words were barely coherent as she tried to pull him back onto the bed.


    Nic let himself be pulled in a bit and landed a soft kiss on her forehead. As he brushed his hand down the back of her head he whispered quietly into her ear. ¡°Go back to sleep, I just need to relieve myself.¡±


    Aria let a smile come across her lips as she quickly fell back asleep. Nic waited until he confirmed that her breathing had once again slowed before getting dressed. As he walked out of the room door, he grabbed the two swords leaning against the corner made between the wall and a small dresser.


    While walking down the stairs to the first floor, he fastened the sword with the green gem to his back while the sword with the black gem hung at his waist. With no one downstairs to question where he was going, Nic opened the front door of the house, finding a translucent green suit of armor leaning against the front wall of the house, seemingly waiting for him.


    ¡°So where are you actually going?¡± An androgynous voice came from the suit of armor, despite no apparent mouth moving.


    ¡°Are you going to tell her, Aerial?¡± In reality, the suit of armor was the physical form that the Wind Spirit Progenitor Aerial took when they wanted to talk with someone. They also happened to be contracted with Aria at this current moment, and so could always pass along information to her through their telepathic link.


    The suit of armor shook its helmet. ¡°No. We both know that you didn¡¯t tell her because you wanted her to get better sleep for once. Her sleeping has not been the greatest since M¡¯Kara took her.¡±


    Nic let out a sigh. Aerial was right in his assumption. Nic hadn¡¯t told Aria about what he had felt because he wanted her to sleep soundly. The past few nights she had been waking up constantly, ever since she had been taken alongside Sarman by the ancient dragon M¡¯Kara.


    ¡°I sensed Irradiation just outside of the city when I woke up this morning. I plan on checking out to see if it¡¯s anything major before everyone else wakes up.¡±


    Aerial was silent for a few seconds before responding. ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to hear this from me, but be careful. I would rather not deal with Aria¡¯s wrath if you get hurt.¡±


    Nic couldn¡¯t stop himself from chuckling slightly at Aerial¡¯s main worry. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll make sure to stay safe out there. But in case it gets bad, can you be on the lookout for any signs that I send you?¡± Nic wasn¡¯t sure how dangerous things were going to get, but it never hurt to make sure that his allies were on alert just in case.


    ¡°Of course.¡± The helmet nodded before disappearing into a gust of wind that rushed past Nic. ¡°I¡¯ll be watching.¡±


    The progenitor¡¯s last words lingered in the air for a few seconds. Nic took a deep breath, smelling the salt from the ocean as he looked up at the slightly cloudy blue skies. The sun had been rising for a few hours, but it had some time before it hit the center of the sky still. If Nic had to guess, it was most likely around 8 or 9am.


    As Nic made his way into town, a number of villagers in light garb ran past him towards the small docks where it was quite busy. Nic could see that two ships were being set up for a fishing expedition that day. Each ship was big enough to fit a handful of sailors and tens of fish easily.


    The streets that he walked through were fairly busy as well. The villagers who weren¡¯t going on the boats were just as busy setting things up at home. There were a couple of homefront businesses setting up their limited wares. Other houses were setting up wet clothes to dry in the heat of the sun. Nic saw a number of roaming guard groups, most likely looking for any wrongdoings happening in their city.


    Nic finally made it to the outer wall of the city closest to where he had been feeling Irradiation from. At this distance, he was able to make out a couple strands of rising miasma in the distance over the wall. If he had to guess, there was a group of Irradiated Monsters nearby that would have to be dealt with before they became too much of a problem. Looking around, Nic noticed a gate through the fence not too far away.


    The gate itself wasn¡¯t as big as the one that they had come through the night before, but it was still big enough to easily fit two people shoulder to shoulder. There was a single guard watching this side of the gate, with another presumably on the other side to make sure nothing got too close.


    ¡°Hey there!¡± Nic called out to the guard as he walked up. ¡°Is there any chance I can head through the gate?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The guard responded curtly without giving an explanation. When Nic tried to say something else, he was similarly cut off and quickly told to leave the gate.


    Nic relented and moved away from the gate. He would just have to find another gate to get through if he wanted to check out the outskirts of the city. Since he was closer to the northside of the city, Nic decided to continue heading north till he reached another gate.


    Nic barely moved when he ran into a familiar Tigerkin leading a group of guards towards the small gate behind him. The Tigerkin also recognized Nic and gave him a wave.


    ¡°Nic, what brings you out here? Exploring like Sarman was earlier?¡± Oz¡¯s words were news to Nic. He hadn¡¯t realized that Sarman had been exploring earlier in the morning. Nic had assumed that he would¡¯ve slept in more after seemingly being sick the night before.


    ¡°Sort of. What¡¯s this gate for? It seems smaller than the rest and the guard there refused to tell me about it.¡± Nic hoped that the small bond he had with Oz would get him to talk.


    Nic was thankful that he was right.


    ¡°It¡¯s the gate that our hunters use to go out into the forest between us and the Mountains. We don¡¯t allow normal people to go through, as there is no set path past this gate. It¡¯s much safer for normal people to go through the North or South gates.¡± Oz explained everything while the guards behind him stood awkwardly.


    There were seven guards behind Oz. Two of them were raccoonkin, three were humans and the last two were a wolfkin and a catkin respectively. They were armed with a variety of weapons. The racoonkin both had spears slung on their back. Two of the humans and the catkin had bows and a quiver of arrows. The last human had a mace hanging at his waist while the wolfkin had a sword and shield.


    The wolfkin walked up to Nic and Oz and leaned in towards the latter. ¡°Sir, who is this human? And should we be telling him our city''s secrets?¡± The wolfkin was speaking at a lower volume, but his growly voice was still loud enough for Nic to clearly hear what he was saying.


    He couldn¡¯t fault the man for being cautious around someone new.


    ¡°Quiet Akira, Nic is a friend of ours. He was one of the outsiders that we found at the southern village yesterday.¡±


    The wolfkin looked at Nic, a splash of surprise apparent for only a second before he quickly bowed his head down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know. Please accept my apology for being rude to you.¡±


    Nic held up his hands as he felt uncomfortable with the apology. ¡°There¡¯s no reason you need to apologize. You didn¡¯t know who I was, so it was right for you to question me. Besides, just because I was a part of that group, there¡¯s no need for you to be nice to me.¡±


    ¡°No! You don¡¯t understand. My sister lived in that village. While I am sad and angry at her sudden passing, thanks to you and your group, I know that her soul will be at rest.¡±


    Nic simply nodded in acceptance of the wolfkin¡¯s feelings. He knew that he would feel the same way if someone had laid his mother to rest before he knew that she was dead.


    Finally, Nic turned back to Oz. ¡°I take it you¡¯re leading a group through to scout the forest beyond?¡± When Oz nodded in affirmation, Nic continued. ¡°In that case, can I tag along with you?¡±


    ¡°What for?¡± Oz quizzically peered at Nic.


    Nic told the tigerkin a white lie, one that was not technically false, but not the actual reason that he wanted to join them. ¡°You see, my City only recently became a City-State free of Irradiation. It¡¯s a tad smaller than your town. I figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to see how you all defend your city since mine is also near a forest.¡±


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    Nic was being truthful in that he did also want to learn how Lyuku¡¯s guardians protected the area around the village. This would also let him see how they reacted to the Irradiated Monsters that he knew were lurking out there.


    Oz crossed his arm as he thought. The soldiers behind him were all sizing Nic up, wondering if he would be able to hold his own. Despite carrying two swords on him, many seemed to think that he wasn¡¯t able to hold his own in combat. A belief that Oz clearly shared.


    ¡°Fine, but you must stay in the back. And if I tell you to run, you run.¡± Oz laid out his expectations of Nic. None of which were all that surprising to him.


    ¡°If I think I will be helpful, then I will join your men in fighting. But if I don¡¯t think I can win against something, then I will stay back.¡± Nic stared down the tigerkin until the latter finally relented by holding out a hand.


    When Nic shook Oz¡¯s hand, the tigerkin spoke up. ¡°Fine, but if you overestimate your abilities, I will do everything in my power to get you off the battlefield.¡±


    Joining the group of guards, Nic made his way through the smaller gate, giving the guard there a wink as he got through. On the other side, there was a small stream immediately in front of them before it gave way to a dense forest. Nic wasn¡¯t sure how large the forest was, but he wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if it was a northern part of the same forest that had been down by the small fishing village.


    Inside the forest, Oz¡¯s guards spread out in a predetermined pattern, with Nic being left behind the three archers in the backline. They quickly and deftly made their way through the forest with the ease of seasoned explorers of the area. Nic was forced to move much faster and louder than he expected to keep up with them.


    ¡°It¡¯s too quiet.¡± That was a sentiment that every single guard from Lyuku was sharing right now. They could still hear birds, but there were no sounds of even insects around them, let alone land-dwelling animals. Nic was the only one that knew that it was getting quieter as they got closer to the dark miasma floating up into the air. Nic was barely able to make it out through the forest roof.


    ¡°Maybe a monster made it¡¯s nest in the forest?¡± One of the human archer¡¯s quietly posited a theory. Nic wasn¡¯t sure if the guard was new or something, but her words caused a ripple to go through the rest of the party.


    If a monster had caused this, how much of an alpha predator had they become?


    A little while later the catkin hissed at the archer that had spoken up. ¡°You just had to open your big mouth didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What is it, Li?¡± Oz turned and looked at the catkin archer kneeling on the ground.


    ¡°There are Dire Wolf tracks here. From what it looks like, there¡¯s one adult and three or four cubs.¡±


    Things were far worse than anyone had expected them to be. Not only was there a monster, but it was a territorial mother beast. They would attack anything that came close to them and their cubs.


    ¡°Tch.¡± Oz clicked his tongue before quickly reorganizing the party. ¡°Everyone, formation beta. Be on the lookout for any signs of these monsters. Nic,¡± the tigerkin looked at him in particular, only to find a determined look on the human¡¯s face. ¡°You won¡¯t leave, even if I ask, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. So where do you want me?¡±


    ¡°Guard the archer¡¯s. They will be the key to defeating a monster of this size.¡±


    Nic had a feeling he knew what the strategy was as he watched every non archer create a circular wall around them. Every melee guard would be the wall that the Archer¡¯s could fire past to safely take out their opponents.


    In their circular formation, the group slowly continued their trek towards the mountain range beyond the forest.


    Soon, they came upon a clearing, and as they left the treeline a ferocious howl came for them.


    ¡°AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!¡±


    Standing on a massive boulder in the center of the clearing was a deranged looking Dire Wolf.


    ¡°What the hell is that?!¡±


    This Dire Wolf didn¡¯t look at all like a normal Dire Wolf. It was as big as Oz, maybe even bigger. It was at least twice as large as Dire Wolves were supposed to. Its fur was patchy and barely held together. Blood was dripping from its gaping mouth as it stared hungrily down at the group.


    ¡°That black smoke¡­¡± When Oz said this, Nic realized that he wasn¡¯t the only one seeing the Miasma anymore. It was so concentrated when it came off the Dire Wolf¡¯s body, that even a normal person could see it. The miasma was coming from every part of the wolf¡¯s body. Every place that the fur was patchy was an opening for the Irradiation to come off. With each heavy breath, more Irradiation was being loosed from within.


    ¡°This ain¡¯t no Dire Wolf anymore.¡± Oz looked back at the group, worry painted clearly on his face. ¡°That¡¯s a Shadow Wolf now.¡±


    ¡°A Shadow Wolf?¡± One of the racoonkin spoke up.


    ¡°Dire Wolves that become so inundated with Irradiation, that it becomes a part of them. They can attack at distance using Irradiation, but to us, it would look like it¡¯s attacking with a shadow. We can¡¯t defend against it, nor can we hope to get near to the wolf to attack physically.¡±


    Oz¡¯s words shook the guards to their core. Their entire strategy had hinged upon the outer circle being able to defend the archers, but at this rate it would instead be a suicide mission to protect them.


    With a fierce roar, the Shadow Wolf interrupted the group''s stupor. It raised a single claw and slashed down, sending an attack straight into the center of their group.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Akira, the wolfkin from before, jumped into Oz, knocking the tigerkin out of the way of the strike. Instead, Akira was the one who took it. The hit tore open his right shoulder as he was sent flying into the middle of the group.


    As he landed in front of Nic and the three archers, the latter all moved away quickly. It was clear that Akira was already showing signs of Irradiation Sickness. The veins all around the wound were black.


    Nic stood there, looking at the wolfkin below him, as Oz shouted for him to get away. Nic knelt down next to the wolfkin and reached out his hand. He felt the Irradiation just beyond his fingertips. A sickly sensation that he hated to this day.


    ¡°Nic!¡± Oz yelled his name, yet Nic simply held up his free hand to cut him off.


    ¡°Oz, I agreed to your rules while we were in your domain. Now we have entered mine, so please, trust me.¡± Nic¡¯s words came only a moment before he dipped his fingers fully into Akira¡¯s wounds.


    Nic felt that sickness, the Irradiation, within the wolfkin¡¯s blood. It wanted to enter his. It was coming for him. He had given it a door to his body, and Nic would hold it open for the Irradiation to come through. He could feel it enter his fingers, then run up through his hand, and finally enter his arm.


    A couple of the guards surrounding them gasped as they watched the blackness transfer from Akira to Nic. All of them then gasped when the black veins in Nic¡¯s arm disappeared as his internal magic attacked the Irradiation, purifying it.


    ¡°He¡¯ll need more traditional medical treatment now, but he no longer has any Irradiation in his body. You¡¯ll also want to alert the rest of Lyuku, Oz. There may be more Irradiated Monsters nearby. I¡¯ll take care of this guy for now.¡± As he was talking, Nic slowly made his way past the stunned tigerkin.


    As he drew his two swords, Nic held the black jeweled blade in his left hand, while the green jeweled blade was in his right. The Shadow Wolf, sensing that the human standing in front was her true opponent, leapt down from the rock.


    The two stared at each other, neither daring to make the first move. Nic knew that if he made even the smallest mistake in this fight could cost him his life. He had to use everything that he had learned from Yuuki to stay alive.


    The Shadow Wolf was the first to make a move. A swipe filled with Irradiation was thrown at Nic. Raising his left arm, Nic quickly absorbed the Irradiation before channeling magic into the sword in his right arm, creating a wind blade that struck the Wolf on it¡¯s shoulder, creating a gush of blood.


    The wolf closed the distance between the two of them, bringing her claws down on Nic from above, forcing him to use both blades to block them. His legs quickly buckled under the weight, forcing him to jump backwards. His right leg burned as one of the claws tore into it. Seeing the weakness in it¡¯s enemy, the Shadow Wolf stood up on it¡¯s hind legs, preparing to fall straight down onto Nic.


    Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!


    Three arrows lodged themselves in the Shadow Wolf¡¯s face. Two had landed in the eyes, blinding the monster, while the third was sticking out of its nose. As it came down, roaring in pain, Nic took the opportunity to thrust the sword in his left hand straight up through the Wolves head. Nic was pulled out of the way by two people as the Shadow Wolf nearly fell on top of him.


    When they stopped pulling him, Nic looked back to find Oz and a racoonkin breathing heavily. They had been the ones who pulled him out at the last minute.


    ¡°Help me up, Oz.¡± Nic called out to the tigerkin who reluctantly helped him up and let him lean on his shoulder. The wound on his leg was going to stop him from walking properly if he didn¡¯t get it checked out quickly.


    Before they went back, however, Nic retrieved his sword from the underside of the Shadow Wolf¡¯s head and absorbed any remaining Irradiation in the area. Oz and the guards were thankful that it was now safe to go near the beast¡¯s body.


    Once they got back to Lyuku, Aria was waiting near the gate and ran to Nic as soon as she saw him. The entire time that they walked to a local healer¡¯s house, Nic was getting an earful from Aria. An earful that he believed he deserved.


    Nic spent the rest of the day inside the healer¡¯s house, getting his leg healed. Lyuku was home to a Water Magic user who specialized in healing others. Because Nic¡¯s wound wasn¡¯t fatal, it was practically healed to new by the time he was set to leave that night. She had even been able to heal the leftover wound that Oz had given him two days earlier. Akira, on the other hand, would be staying with the healer for a while longer.


    And so, as the sun was setting that night, Nic found himself standing next to Aria, Sarman, Yuuki, Sara, and Kiara as they said their goodbyes to Zi and Oz. Zi was mainly talking to Aria, Sarman, Yuuki, and Kiara as they had all spent time with the city leader that day. Nic and Sara were saying goodbye to Oz. While Nic had been out of town, Sara had apparently spent a lot of time in the town¡¯s barracks herself, talking and socializing with the guards there.


    ¡°¡®Lright! E¡¯ryone get o¡¯er here!¡± The captain of the boat behind them called out to the group. It was time for them to leave Lyuku. The sailors had all been switched out with rested sailors, and now it was time to leave.


    ¡°Take care, all of you.¡± Zi bowed his head to the group as they walked away. Oz didn¡¯t leave them with any parting words. Nic had a feeling that they would see him again.

 Chapter 47: Where I Once Lived

    The sea rocked the ship as the moon rose overhead. A soft wind was blowing from behind, propelling the ship on its journey towards Kyoku City. Yuuki could taste the salt on the wind as she sat on a barrel near the ship¡¯s bow.


    This ship didn¡¯t have a name, and was simply called the fishing ship by most of the village. It was nearly 50 mer long and had two masts situated a third from the bow and stern. The top deck was practically empty at this point. The ship¡¯s captain was talking with the night watchman back by the helm of the ship. They were the only three people still on top.


    Besides the barrel that Yuuki was sitting on, the rest of the deck mainly held crates and barrels of differing sizes. There wasn¡¯t a single canon for self-defense, as the sailors in this strait of ocean rarely ran into antagonistic forces. The right side''s railing was shorter than the left, with a large net strung up on it. During the day, it was the sailor¡¯s main method of catching fish.


    The ship itself only had one deck below. Half of it was partitioned off, and held fish on the ship¡¯s journeys. The other half was where the sailors slept.


    ¡°If you stay up here much longer, you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± A heavy blanket dropped onto Yuuki¡¯s shoulders. She turned around to tell Sarman that she was fine, only to find him already dragging another barrel next to her.


    ¡°I could say the same thing to you. I don¡¯t mind the cold up here.¡± Yuuki averted her eyes slightly at the end.


    The truth was that Yuuki didn¡¯t mind the cold because she didn¡¯t feel it anymore. Neither did she feel the heat from flames. She had been like this since Crystal died. No matter how close she got to the flames, or how much snow she sat in on the mountain, Yuuki didn¡¯t feel anything. There was only one place in the last few weeks that she had felt any warmth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure of yourself, miss.¡± The captain had walked up to join the two of them, butting into their conversation. He had a small limp in his step, supposedly from the fight he had when younger that earned him the title of captain. ¡°I¡¯ve seen many a sailor try to brave the cold before, only to end up dead by the morn.¡±


    ¡°Dead? I highly doubt that will happen to me.¡± Yuuki shook her head. Even if she didn¡¯t feel the cold, there was no way that it was actually affecting her.


    ¡°Yuuki¡­¡± Sarman looked sad as he muttered her name.


    ¡°Hah!¡± The captain gave a hearty laugh. ¡°That¡¯s what they all say. But then they get cold, and the blood in them starts to slow. Eventually it will be too slow to keep you livin¡¯. Remember that tonight.¡±


    With a wave of his hand, the captain left no time for Yuuki to respond before heading below deck. Yuuki shook her head before turning to Sarman. He was still standing next to the barrel, simply looking down at her. She could see pain in his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Will you?¡± Saraman¡¯s eyes were searching her body, presumably for clues.


    ¡°I will. Come on. Sit down.¡± Yuuki said while patting her hand on the barrel next to her.


    Sarman sat down reluctantly. When he did, Yuuki threw the blanket around him as well. She snuggled herself against him. While she didn¡¯t feel any warmth from the blanket, her side was heating up just leaning against Sarman.


    ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Yuuki whispered. She could tell that Sarman was still worrying about her.


    ¡°That¡¯s not going to stop me from worrying about you.¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s hand gripped Sarman''s shirt as her heart skipped a beat. Ever since they had reunited in Crystallia, Sarman had been staying by her side far more than before. It made her almost believe that his feelings for her had changed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, can we just be friends?¡± His words from three years ago echoed in her head. They always brought her back to reality. He didn¡¯t have feelings for her in the same way that she had for him. He only saw her as a friend, maybe as a sister.


    But he would never see her as a lover.


    Yuuki knew that.


    ¡°If you¡¯re gonna be so worried, why don¡¯t we make a deal?¡±


    ¡°A deal?¡±


    ¡°You stay with me till I fall asleep. Then you can carry me below deck.¡± Yuuki proposed the deal with her eyes already growing heavy. She could feel sleep beginning to take her for the night.


    ¡°Fine. What were you doing up here?¡± Sarman accepted the deal, satisfied that he would be able to make sure she stayed warm.


    ¡°The stars.¡±


    ¡°Stars?¡±


    Yuuki pointed up at them. ¡°I used to look at the stars every night when I was a little kid. Looking up at them now, they¡¯re the same. But they¡¯re also different. They¡¯re subtly different.¡±


    Sarman wrapped a hand around hers. ¡°Are you scared about being back?¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s cat ears twitched when she heard his question. She hadn¡¯t been able to name the feeling she had held for a while, but after hearing Sarman say ¡®scared¡¯ she knew that was the feeling. Her body trembled slightly.


    How could she admit that?


    Even to Sarman, she was scared to say that she was scared. Yuuki was terrified of admitting it out loud.


    There was no way she could admit it.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡± Yuuki refused to say it. Her hand went limp and her eyes closed. She slowed her breathing and refused to say anything else.


    ¡°So you fell asleep already, huh?¡± Sarman let out a sigh before picking her up. He gently walked towards the stairs that led below deck. The soft swaying of his steps slowly put Yuuki really to sleep.


    ¡°Yuuki¡­ Miss Yuuki¡­ It¡¯s time to get up.¡±


    A familiar sweet voice was calling out to her. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times while raising her arm to block the sunlight pouring in through her window.


    ¡°Mmmmm¡­ Riko?¡± The little girl groggily said the name of the blonde haired fox woman in front of her.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Miss Yuuki. I¡¯m here to get you dressed.¡± Riko knelt down next to the futon that Yuuki was sleeping in. She had short blonde hair that barely reached past her cheeks, with two large fox ears sitting atop her head. She was wearing a simple dress that every maid in the building wore.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wanna. I want to sleep more.¡± The young Yuuki dove back under her bedding.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Today¡¯s the special day when you and the master are going on their trip.¡±


    Yuuki peaked her head out from under the bedding. ¡°Really?¡± The simple question was met with a simple nod of Riko¡¯s head. Seeing that, Yuuki jumped out of her bed. ¡°Yay! Yay! Yay!¡±


    She bounded around the room, circling around the maid while continuing to exclaim ¡®yay¡¯ with every bounce. Riko smiled and slowly moved to the window, opening it, and letting in the smell of the flowers just outside. It also let in the noise of the other parts of the household, where Yuuki¡¯s father was making sure everything else was ready.


    ¡°Alright, Miss, it¡¯s time to get on your clothes for the journey.¡± Riko called out to the bouncing girl. Her voice stopped the young child in her tracks. Yuuki spread her arms wide and beamed at her maid.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡±


    Riko laughed as she grabbed a bundle of cloth from the dresser and knelt in front of the girl.


    ¡°What happened to wanting to sleep?¡±


    ¡°I can do that on the boat!¡±


    ¡°Haha! You sure can.¡± Riko unfolded the cloth bundle. It was a high quality Yukata that the Mistress had ordered made for this very occasion. Riko gently pulled it over Yuuki¡¯s body, pulling and tightening certain points so that it wouldn¡¯t come off easily.


    ¡°Will you sleep on the boat as well, Riko?¡± Yuuki looked at her maid expectantly. She was sure the maid was coming with them. Who would change her clothes if she didn¡¯t? Who would put her to bed, and make sure she was at the dinner table on time?


    ¡°I¡­¡± A flash of pain passed through Riko¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss, but I won¡¯t be going with you. I have to stay here and look after Kyouta and Mirai.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going with us?¡± Yuuki¡¯s eyes filled with water as she processed what Riko was saying. ¡°No! I don¡¯t want you to stay! You have to come with- ugh¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s protests were cut short by Riko pulling hard on her obi to get it tight. ¡°I know you want me to go, but I can¡¯t. Now turn around, it¡¯s time to work on your hair.¡± Riko turned the girl around and sat her down in front of her.


    ¡°What should we do with your hair today? Braids? A ponytail or twin tails? Do you want me to keep it straight?¡± Yuuki winced with each stroke of the brush that Riko was using. Her hair was a mess from sleeping, so there were a number of knots in it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Yuuki answered with a pout.


    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go with a special braid, then.¡± Riko said.


    The maid soon finished brushing out her hair and began to braid it. Yuuki sat in a silent pout through it all.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done yet, but I think this is my best braid yet.¡± Riko said, praising herself.


    Silence.


    ¡°I hope you have a good trip to Sanum with your papa. I¡¯ve heard that the city is beautiful.¡± Riko said, wishing the young Yuuki good fortune.


    Silence.


    ¡°And done. With this braid, your hair should stay out of the way while you sail on the boat.¡± Riko said, hugging Yuuki from behind.


    Silence.


    ¡°And, if you¡¯re ever missing me, have someone braid your hair just like this. It¡¯ll be like I¡¯m right there with you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to imagine you¡¯re there! I want you to be there!¡± Yuuki cried out.


    Riko was about to respond when a knocking on the room door stopped her.


    ¡°Riko, Yuuki, are you two ready?¡± A female voice echoed through the door.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Mistress. Yuuki is ready to go.¡± Riko responded.


    The door opened, and a middle-aged woman entered the room. She looked like a much older version of Yuuki, except that her hair was a light brown instead of a dark black. Yuuki had gotten the color of her hair from her father, as well as her purple eyes.


    ¡°Mama! Why does Riko have to stay?¡± Yuuki ran to her mother as soon as the door was open. She was only half her height, so she grabbed onto one of her legs.


    With a soft smile, her mother knelt down and patted her head. ¡°I know it¡¯s going to be tough for you, sweetie, but we need Riko here to look after your little brother and sister.¡±


    ¡°But! But! Why can¡¯t you get someone else to look after them?¡± Yuuki refused to accept this decision.


    ¡°We simply can¡¯t. You¡¯ll have to deal with it until you get back from Sanum, okay?¡±


    Her mother stroked her head and talked softly. It began to work, calming Yuuki down until she finally relented.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Yuuki turned to Riko and ran over to hug her. ¡°You better be here when I get back.¡±


    ¡°I will be, I promise.¡± Riko patted the young girl¡¯s head.


    ¡°Pinky promise?¡±


    ¡°Pinky promise.¡±


    Yuuki looked up at her maid. There was still pain on her face, but she was going to bear it until she returned.


    ¡°Now go with your mother.¡± Riko gave her a soft smile.


    Yuuki¡¯s mother picked her up from behind, and the two of them left that room. They walked through the large household estate. Yuuki¡¯s room was in its own building alongside the dojo that she often spent time in with her father.


    There were three buildings in total, all of them surrounding a central garden. The main building was where they were heading. It housed most of the normal facilities that were found in households, and was used by the few maids and butlers that they had sleep there. The building across from the one with Yuuki¡¯s room held both her parent¡¯s room and her sibling¡¯s rooms.


    The central garden was her mother¡¯s pride and joy. There was an abundance of flowers. All sorts of different colors dotted the garden. And at its center was a large tree that bloomed beautiful pink petals, yet they only bloomed in the fourth month of the year.


    Yuuki¡¯s mother gently carried her through the flower garden. They weaved through the scents of the summer flowers as they slowly made their way to the entrance to the estate.


    ¡°Yuuki, will you be strong for me on your journey?¡± Yuuki¡¯s mother whispered to her while they walked.


    ¡°I will be strong!¡± Yuuki gave her mother a large smile.


    ¡°Your name means ¡®courage¡¯. Will you be courageous?¡±


    ¡°I will be courageous!¡± Once again, Yuuki¡¯s smile beamed bright.


    ¡°Then, when you get back, can you promise me that you will still be my little angel?¡±


    Yuuki threw her arms around her mother¡¯s neck. ¡°I promise!¡±


    As they reached the main building of the estate, another maid was waiting inside. In their arms was a small baby girl. She didn¡¯t have many distinguishing features except for the cat ears on her head and the tail coming from her rear waist. Mirai, Yuuki¡¯s youngest sibling, who was barely a year old.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Standing next to the maid was a young toddler boy. He had brown hair like their mother and the usual cat features that they all had. He was wearing a loosely fitted Yukata to see his father and older sister off. Kyouta, her younger brother, had just turned four years old, and was a little over three years younger than her.


    ¡°Sis?¡± Kyouta looked up at Yuuki.


    Their mother put Yuuki down so that she could hug her brother. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, Kyouta. In the time that I¡¯m gone, you gotta protect Mirai, okay?¡±


    Her brother softly shook his head in response.


    ¡°Yuuki! Looks like you¡¯re ready as well!¡± Their father¡¯s booming voice echoed from the front of the room.


    Yuuki turned to face him. He was wearing an intricate Kimono that did little to hide the muscles that Yuuki strived to mimic one day. He had the same jet black hair that she did, yet one of his cat ears was cut short, having been lost in a fight years ago.


    She stood straight, not making a move towards him or anyone else. He wouldn¡¯t have wanted that.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready, papa.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve said your goodbyes?¡±


    Yuuki nodded in response.


    ¡°Good. It¡¯s time for us to head down to the docks.¡±


    Her father was curt, like always. With little more fanfare, Yuuki was moved onto a carriage with her father. They had a fairly large group heading with them, full of soldiers and guards. When they got down to the docks, her father talked with her uncle for a while, and then they were moved onto a large ship.


    Yuuki stood by the railings on the ship as they set sail. She was waving to her mother and Riko, who she saw on the docks. As she was waving, a familiar man walked up next to them. He was young, and Yuuki could see bird¡¯s feathers peaking out from his loose clothes.


    ¡°Sarman?¡± His name came to her naturally. When she said it, she realized it was him. ¡°Sarman!¡±


    Yuuki leaned over the railing and yelled out to him. What was he doing there? Why wasn¡¯t he on the ship with them?


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Nic and Aria were behind her. The former was the one who had asked the question.


    ¡°Sarman¡¯s still on the docks! We need to get him over here.¡± Yuuki turned to her two other friends.


    ¡°What? Sarman is exactly where he should be.¡± Aria said.


    ¡°No! That¡¯s not right! Sarman should be leaving Kyoku with us!¡± Yuuki turned around again and tried to lean over the railing, but was blocked by an invisible wall.


    A torrent of wind had surrounded her. Yuuki put her hand on the hilt of the katana on her waist. She turned to her friends.


    ¡°Aria, let me go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re acting weird, Yuuki. Sarman is exactly where he needs to be.¡± Aria repeated the same message.


    Yuuki clicked her tongue and drew the sword, only for the wind to block any attack she could make with it. Yuuki slammed her body against the wall of wind. It numbed her shoulder but did little else.


    When she realized she wasn¡¯t getting at Aria, Yuuki turned back towards the edge of the ship. The dock was getting further and further. Sarman was becoming smaller.


    Yuuki hit the wall with her body again.


    Another figure walked up besides Sarman. Her white hair was unmistakable.


    ¡°Crystal! Get Sarman over here!¡± Yuuki called out at the top of her lungs.


    The small Crystal reached her hand out and touched Sarman.


    Yuuki watched in horror as Sarman froze. Ice slowly encapsulated him.


    ¡°Sarman!¡± Yuuki began to pound her body against the invisible wall again. She threw her entire body behind it.


    Slam. Slam. Slam.


    Crack.


    Yuuki heard it, even with the impossible distance between them. The ice holding Sarman had snapped in half. And the body inside it had as well.


    ¡°ARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!¡± Yuuki screamed in pain as she threw her body at the wind wall again.


    Only it wasn¡¯t there.


    Yuuki realized only after she had flipped over the ship''s side.


    She fell face-first into the icy cold water.


    Yuuki¡¯s eyes snapped open. Her breathing was ragged and erratic. She was lying on her side, a small blanket between her and the wooden floor. She could feel warmth surrounding her. Sarman¡¯s arm was wrapped around her. She could feel his body wrapped around hers.


    His presence calmed her breathing.


    There was a faint chirping from above. A bird must have been close to the boat.


    She wrapped her hand around Sarman¡¯s, squeezing it lightly. Moving slowly so she wouldn¡¯t wake Sarman up, Yuuki slowly sat up. She propped herself up with a hand placed where her head had been. Her fingers glided across the rough wood before suddenly hitting a smooth, cold, patch.


    ¡°Ice?¡± Yuuki looked down at her fingers, one of which was sitting on a small splotch of ice, barely larger than her finger.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake.¡± Aria¡¯s voice came from the entryway to the sleeping area.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah.¡± Yuuki said distantly as she looked at her friend. Aria was already dressed and ready for any possible meetings they could have that day. Her light brown hair was swaying gently with the rocking of the boat. It had grown longer, reaching well past her shoulders now.


    ¡°Yuuki? Is something wrong?¡± Aria peered at her questioningly.


    ¡°No? Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°Well, it looks like you¡¯ve been crying.¡±


    Yuuki reached up with a hand, feeling her face. Her eyes did feel slightly more wet than normal, but she hadn¡¯t realized it had been because of tears.


    ¡°I must¡¯ve cried while I was asleep.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Aria shrugged. ¡°Well, we¡¯re going to hit the dock¡¯s in an hour or so. Make sure to wake Sarman and get ready.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Yuuki called out to Aria as she turned to leave. ¡°Let me wake up Sarman, but I want your help today. If you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Aria¡¯s eyes went wide for a split second before being replaced by a soft smile. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Hearing confirmation, Yuuki turned around and began to lightly shake Sarman.


    ¡°Hngh. Wha?¡± Sarman was groggily speaking as he rubbed his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to get up. We should be reaching the port in about an hour.¡± Yuuki spoke softly.


    ¡°Hmmmm. Got it.¡± Sarman slowly sat up and looked around. Spotting Aria standing near the entrance seemed to wake him up fully. He looked between Aria and Yuuki a few times before speaking again. ¡°Oh. I need to leave here, don¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Please.¡± Yuuki bowed her head as she responded.


    ¡°Got it. Got it. Don¡¯t gotta tell me twice.¡± Sarman quickly got up and left the room with his bag.


    As he left, Aria closed the door before walking over to Yuuki. ¡°So, what do you want my help with?¡± Aria said while sitting down next to Yuuki.


    ¡°My hair.¡± Yuuki turned so that her back was facing Aria, giving her easy access to her hair. Her two cat ears flattened against the top of her head.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Aria sounded shocked, but she still grabbed a brush and began to methodically brush out Yuuki¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Last night, I dreamt about the time when I left Kyoku. That¡¯s probably why I was crying in my sleep. But, when I left, a woman I respect did my hair in a specific style. I want to get as close to that style coming back.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t do it alone?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t. That¡¯s why I want your help.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    The two sat there, Aria messing with Yuuki¡¯s hair, doing everything she asked. In the end, it took thirty minutes for Aria to finally get Yuuki¡¯s hair how she wanted it. Her hair was braided, starting just above each ear, and pulled to the back of her head. There, each braid went around the bun that was the rest of her hair.


    ¡°There we go.¡±


    Yuuki lightly patted the bun, making sure everything felt right. Satisfied, she turned around and hugged Aria. ¡°Thank you.¡± She whispered softly.


    ¡°Is that all you needed help with?¡± Aria stood up while asking.


    ¡°Actually, there is one more thing.¡± Yuuki walked over to her own bag and began searching through it. She finally pulled out a rather large cloth package and showed it to Aria.


    ¡°Is that-?¡±


    ¡°A Kimono.¡±


    Aria had seen one before. She was familiar with the process of putting one on. Yuuki had gotten her help when they were younger, though at the time, she had been wearing jeans and a hat to cover her feline features.


    ¡°If we¡¯re meeting with the Shogun today, I should be wearing one out of respect.¡± Yuuki explained herself to Aria.


    Yuuki began to strip as Aria took the package of cloth and began to unwrap it.


    ¡°Hey Yuuki, there is a small hole in this.¡± Yuuki turned to look at what Aria was talking about. There was indeed a hole in the back of the kimono, but Yuuki had intentionally had that made.


    ¡°It¡¯s for my tail.¡± Yuuki said.


    ¡°Of course. You¡¯re right. What was I thinking?¡± Aria berated herself while pulling the first layer of cloth over Yuuki¡¯s body. Yuuki let out a small grunt when Aria tightened the cord around her waist. Aria helped Yuuki get her tail through the small holes in the cloth.


    The air was growing charged without either of them saying a word. Aria silently slipped the second layer of cloth on Yuuki.


    ¡°Aria, I-¡± Yuuki tried to say something. She wanted to say anything to break the oppressive feeling that was filling the surrounding air.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Aria cut Yuuki off. ¡°Don¡¯t feel the need to apologize for lying to me for all of those years. I heard the story from Nic and Sarman. I get why you did it. So don¡¯t apologize.¡±


    ¡°But-¡± Yuuki was cut off again, this time by Aria pulling the Obi tight around her gut and forcing her to stop talking. Yuuki desperately wanted to apologize. She hadn¡¯t gotten the time to sit down and talk with Aria since everything happened. ¡°Aria. I want to apologize. It wasn¡¯t fair of me to keep this from you for so long.¡±


    Yuuki could hear Aria sigh. Aria wrapped her arms around Yuuki from behind, embracing her in a one-sided hug. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then promise me something.¡± Aria¡¯s voice was a whisper that came from right next to Yuuki¡¯s ear.


    ¡°What?¡± Yuuki could barely get her answer out.


    ¡°Next time, don¡¯t hide anything from me. If something happens, tell me. Let me be your friend. Let me be someone you can lean on to tell things. Can you do that?¡±


    Aria¡¯s words forced a smile from Yuuki. She grabbed the arms hugging her from behind and nodded her head. ¡°I will.¡±


    Knock knock!


    A knocking at the door caused Aria to quickly let go of Yuuki.


    ¡°We¡¯re about to dock!¡± The voice coming through the door was Nic¡¯s. He had come down to collect the two of them.


    ¡°You ready?¡± Aria looked at Yuuki. Yuuki looked around and grabbed her cloak, throwing it on over the Kimono. She slid the hood over her head, blocking out her face, as she nodded.


    ¡°Still scared of being seen?¡± Aria asked while grabbing Yuuki¡¯s bag for her. Yuuki¡¯s Katana was tied to the side of the bag. It rattled slightly as Aria threw it over her shoulder.


    ¡°Kind of? I don¡¯t want my father seeing me too early, if possible.¡± Yuuki explained as the two left the room and climbed up onto the top deck. Standing near the bow was the rest of their group, already good to go. Nic and Sarman were talking with Sarah and Kiara. The other two diplomats that had come from Crystallia alongside Yuuki were standing next to them, but were simply looking out at the port looming ahead.


    Yuuki watched the port as they came in to dock. It looked similar to what she remembered from the time she left. There were certainly more ships docked than there used to be, but the market that thrived next to the docks was in full swing. People were coming and going, and prices were being thrown out at the top of vendor¡¯s lungs.


    In the center of the area, right before the street that led up to the Shogun¡¯s palace, was a large tree that was currently blooming with beautiful pink petals. Yuuki knew the tree well. There was an identical one in her family¡¯s home.


    ¡°What¡¯s that tree?¡± Sarman switched places with Aria while asking the question.


    ¡°Sakura trees. They only bloom once a year during the fourth month. I guess it¡¯s that time already, huh?¡± Yuuki answered, a hint of sorrow bleeding into her voice.


    ¡°It sure is. I almost forgot what today was, myself.¡±


    ¡°Today?¡± Yuuki looked at Sarman, with a confused tilt of her head.


    ¡°Oh? Have you lost track of the days?¡±


    ¡°Travelling makes it hard to keep up.¡±


    ¡°Fair.¡± Sarman smiled at her. ¡°I guess you have forgotten that today is the twenty-first day of the fourth month?¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°It¡¯s the twenty-first?¡± She said, almost a whisper.


    So much had happened in the past few weeks that she hadn¡¯t come to realize that it was almost the fifth month in the year already. But the twenty-first of the fourth month was a special day for her. It was on that day, twenty years prior, that she had been brought into the world.


    In other words, it was Yuuki¡¯s twentieth birthday.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Yuuki.¡± Sarman said with a smile plastered on his face.


    Yuuki was about to respond when the boat lurched into port. The captain began shouting down to the dockworkers. Ropes were thrown overboard, caught by waiting hands, and tied around posts to keep the boat stable.


    The captain was the first one off the boat. At his command, the group of delegates from the alliance came off after him.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at the capitol of Kyoku.¡± The captain welcomed the group of foreigners to the proud city.


    ¡°Thank you for ferrying us across the ocean, Mister.¡± Sarman bowed as he responded.


    ¡°All in a day¡¯s work. You¡¯ll be heading to the Shogun¡¯s palace, correct?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Then you shall find your final destination at the top of the city. That grand palace is the heart of our nation. Tell the guards at the gate your request, and you may get a chance to talk with the Shogun.¡± The captain climbed back onto his ship. A couple of dockworkers rushed on as well, carrying more goods for the mainland village.


    ¡°May get a chance?¡± Nic caught a word and asked about it.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. May. The Shogun is a busy man. And who¡¯s to say that they will even accept a meeting with outsiders like yourselves.¡±


    The group looked between each other, worried about this new question of their plan. Yuuki was sure that, being that a portion of their group was from Sanum, they wouldn¡¯t be turned away immediately from the gates.


    She pulled her hood low over her face as the group set off. If they were denied entry, she would play every card she had to get them in.


    With each step her hands grew more and more wet with sweat. Every step brought her closer to what she had been running from for so long.


    Sarman matched his steps to her, always being right by her side. Did he know how she was feeling? Yuuki wasn¡¯t sure, but she was glad to have his presence beside her. Familiar visages passed by the group. Yuuki had faint memories of these streets. Places where she had run when younger.


    The sun was shining brightly in the sky, beating the cloaked demi-human with growing heat. She was relieved thanks to the wind blowing from the port, bringing the cool sea air into the town.


    ¡°Halt!¡± two spears snapped against each other, blocking the delegations way forward. They had finally reached the gate to the Shogun¡¯s palace, and were being blocked by the guards standing there. ¡°What is your reason for coming here?¡±


    ¡°Good guards,¡± Sarman stepped forward, leading the rest of the group. ¡°We are a group of delegates from a number of City-States, including the City-State of Sanum. We are here to seek counsel with your Shogun.¡±


    ¡°Foreigners?¡± The guard on the right answered as he stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, especially after you have come so far, but the Shogun is currently not taking visitors.¡±


    ¡°I see. When will be the next time your Shogun is available?¡±


    ¡°The earliest anyone will be able to get a meeting with him will be next week.¡± Another voice spoke from within the gate. The guard stood up straight in surprise.


    Yuuki felt her breath catch in her throat as she looked at the two people coming out of the courtyard. The dream she had the night before came rushing back to her thoughts. THey barely looked different, despite the decade it had been since she had last seen them.


    There were two of them.


    A man much older than he looked, and he still looked to be in his forties, who had dark hair that almost seemed purple in the sunlight. One and a half cat ears stood atop that hair. The other half of the left one had been lost in combat centuries ago. His grizzly face was marred by a scar going through the entire left side of his face, intersecting with his purple eye, and pointing directly at the damaged ear.


    Like Yuuki, he was wearing a formal outfit. A kimono with a few pieces of his armor above it in specific places. Two of them were the sodes upon his shoulders. The one on the right was emblazoned with the image of a rising sun behind two katana --the insignia of the shogun-- while the left featured a cat¡¯s tail wrapped around the hilt of a katana --the insignia of the Ito family--. At his waist was a ceremonial katana. Yuuki imagined that it was mainly being worn for appearances. Wrapped around the edge of the katana¡¯s sheath was the man¡¯s tale.


    Next to him was a woman who, despite her centuries of life, still managed to look barely above 25. Like the man and Yuuki, she was a cat-demi-human. Unlike them, she had much lighter hair that matched her two youngest children. Her long, light-brown, hair was currently tied up in a somewhat intricate bun. Her dark brown eyes quizzically passed between the eight foreigners standing in her way. She was wearing a Yukata similar to the one that Yuuki had on beneath her cloak.


    The man¡¯s eyes rested on Sarman as a sad look rested on his face.


    ¡°While we want to have a good relationship with Sanum, I¡¯m afraid that you will have to wait about a month, after the rest of the people who have come before you, Sarman.¡±


    The group looked between each other in surprise, though none were as surprised as Sarman himself.


    ¡°You remember me?¡±


    ¡°Ha! You¡¯re a spitting image of your old man. It¡¯s not that hard to guess who you are, even if the last time I saw you, you were but a young kitten. I must say, you have grown into a fine gentleman.¡±


    ¡°Then surely you can make an exception for us, please? We desperately need to see your Shogun.¡± Sarman pleaded with the man in front of them. In vain, he pleaded against an impenetrable wall.


    The man shook his head. The guards sighed. Everyone in the castle knew that this man wouldn¡¯t have his mind changed for anything. Sarman was fighting a fruitless battle. There was only one way to scale that impenetrable wall.


    Yuuki put her arm on Sarman¡¯s shoulder. A signal that she was stepping in. Sarman quietly complied, stepping back as Yuuki stepped forward. Unlike Sarman, she knew the one thing to scale the wall that is the man in front of her. As she slid back the hood covering her face, the man¡¯s face twisted in surprise while the woman let out a soft gasp.


    ¡°Father, we need to see Uncle. It is a matter of grave importance.¡±


    The key to scaling the wall was her. Yuuki Ito, daughter of Nobu Ito, the man standing in front of her.

 Chapter 48: Capital, Day One

    The room that Nic was in could be described in just a few words; luxurious, but practical. While everything within the room was clearly made with an attention to detail, Nic couldn¡¯t see anything that couldn¡¯t be used for something. There was only a single item that could be considered a decoration; on the wall opposite the room''s entrance was a single long, curved sword- a katana similar in size to Yuuki¡¯s- hanging on the wall. It would easily be grabbable if someone tried to attack the man sitting in front of it.


    Yuuki¡¯s father, whose name Nic had learned was Nobu, was sitting at a rather large desk in the center of the room. Nic was unsure about what wood had been used to make the desk, but the deep brown-red coloring of the wood was intricately crafted to look like something a king would use.


    In front of the desk were two ornate chairs currently occupied by Sarman and Yuuki, the latter of which had been consistently switching between sitting down and standing up and pounding her hands on her father¡¯s desk.


    Nic and Aria were sitting on a small couch to one side of the room, in front of a small glass coffee table. Nic could see the rings of a few cups having been recently placed on the glass top.


    After Yuuki revealed herself to her father, the group had been split into two. Aria, Sarman, Yuuki, and Nic had been taken by Nobu Ito into the complex at the heart of Kyoku¡¯s government. The room where they were now was his office as the right-hand man of the current Shogun.


    Sara, Kiara, and the other delegates had been led off by Yuuki¡¯s mother. Being friends of their daughter, the Ito¡¯s had no plans to let them all sleep in some random Inn, and instead were giving them all a place to sleep within the Ito homestead.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, we need to see Uncle!¡± Yuuki slammed her hand on the wooden desk for the umpteenth time already in this conversation.


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to happen. You haven¡¯t given me anything concrete to act on.¡± Her father sighed as he slowly shook his head.


    ¡°What do you mean? Have you not been listening to us at all?!¡±


    ¡°Listening? To what? To a story that sounds more fantastical than real?¡± Nobu shot back at his daughter, causing her to quiet down as he continued. ¡°You¡¯ve been gone for ten years, five of which you refused to answer any letters your mother or I sent you! The only reason that I have known that you were fine is because our people in Sanum have kept me appraised of everything happening to you.


    And now you come here spinning this tale that you are the- what was it? The Queen of a new City-State that I¡¯ve never heard about? And on top of that, Sanum has entered an alliance with two new City-States and is now coming to us for help with food?¡± Nobu scoffed in annoyance. ¡°It sounds to me like Sanum needs our help for itself and is too ashamed to admit it.¡±


    Waves of heat rolled off of Sarman, hot enough that Nic didn¡¯t even need to be looking at his friend to know that he was angry at the comments being thrown at his home. Thankfully, Sarman managed to keep himself from releasing the flames within his heart as he dropped a small letter in front of Nobu.


    ¡°This letter was penned by my father and should corroborate our story.¡±


    Nobu sighed as he picked up the letter and began to read it. Yuuki took the opportunity to sit back down in the chair, staying quiet like the rest of them. The quietness within the room was occasionally broken up by grunts and the clicking of Nobu¡¯s tongue, done in annoyance.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s all true, then? You¡¯ve become the queen of some foreign City-State?¡± Nobu¡¯s eyes pierced through his daughter, who could only respond with a meek affirmative nod. ¡°Look, I want to believe you. My daughter is right here in front of me, telling me a story, and I want to believe her, but there is a glaring part of this story that makes me think this is all a ruse.¡±


    Nic had never seen the letter that Sarman produced, and upon hearing this statement began to worry about what had been written within the letter. Had Sarman¡¯s father revealed his secret within the letter? Did Yuuki¡¯s dad not believe that a Verilo was within their countries borders?


    His curiosity beat the alarm bells ringing in his head as he slowly got up and moved closer to the actual desk. Aria, seemingly just following in his footsteps, was just a few feet behind him, one of her hands clutching the back of his cloak. Nic wasn¡¯t sure if the gesture was meant to make him feel calmer, or if it was meant to hold him back in case he did something rash.


    ¡°What problem is that?¡± Sarman had noticed Nic moving and had said something before Nic could even open his mouth.


    ¡°Well, you see,¡± Nobu put the letter down in front of him and folded his hands on top of it. ¡°You claim that the blood elf, Crystal Serilo, passed away in an attack on this City-State named Crystallia?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Yea.¡± Sarman and Yuuki answered at the same time.


    ¡°Then tell me something¡­ who is the woman currently in this city waiting to have an audience with the Shogun?¡± Nobu¡¯s words created a quietness in the room that rivaled even the greatest vacuum created by wind magic users. In Nic¡¯s mind, he saw the journal that his ancestor, Crystal, had written about her one experiment with cloning blood.


    ¡°Ruby¡­¡± The name left his mouth before he had realized he was moving his lips.


    When the rest heard it, the heat from Sarman was extinguished in a second, replaced by a chilly air that sucked the heat out of everyone there. As if a spark had lit a fire in Sarman and Yuuki, both of their faces grew grim with a realization.


    ¡°The village¡­¡±


    ¡°It all makes sense now. Ruby was behind that as well.¡±


    ¡°That name sounds ominous, just like all of your reactions to it. I take it this ¡®Ruby¡¯ is someone dangerous?¡± Nobu looked between the four of them.


    ¡°She¡¯s a clone, father. A clone of Crystal¡¯s. Except she wants to create a second Irradiated Winter.¡± Yuuki responded, a cold edge in her words as she spat out the truth of their enemy. ¡°We believe that she is also responsible for the mass extinction of one of the villages on the Kronul part of Kyoku.¡±


    Hearing of the death of an entire village caused Nobu to sit up much straighter. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°When we were coming down from the World¡¯s End Mountain range, the first fishing village we came upon was completely murdered. Every single inhabitant was still laying where they had been killed and this banner,¡± Sarman pulled out the rolled up banner they had collected. ¡°Was there, like the attackers were staking claim to the dead village.¡±


    Nobu unfurled the banner, and upon looking at the design on it, immediately called in a servant, who after being whispered orders, took the banner and quickly left the room.


    ¡°You bring a strong case. I can¡¯t give you preferential treatment over the woman claiming to be the Blood Queen, but, I can give you a chance.¡±


    ¡°A chance?¡± Sarman leaned forward, listening intently.


    ¡°The woman claiming to be a Blood Queen is set to speak before the Shogun and our Senate tomorrow. I can make it so you can also be at that meeting, debating your own side of what will ultimately be an argument between the two of you.¡±


    Nic knew that the offer they were being offered was the best they were likely to get. If they refused this offer, there was no telling when they would get to meet with the Shogun, and if Ruby truly was here already, then they didn¡¯t have the luxury of waiting.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Sarman clearly agreed with Nic¡¯s assessment.


    ¡°Good. Then, like I said to the rest of your group at the gate, you are free to stay in our home while you are here in Kyoku. I can take you there now.¡± With the discussions done for the day, Nobu stood up and quickly moved to the door of his room, motioning for everyone to follow him.


    Aria, Sarman, Yuuki, and Nic soon found themselves standing in front of a large, ornamental designed, compound not too far from the center palace. As Nobu called out, a large circular gate slowly opened, leading into the compound itself.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The main building within the compound was not too tall, only standing at a single story tall with a slanted roof made of wood. What it lacked in vertical height, it more than made up for in horizontal length, being almost as wide as the entirety of Aric. There was a short patio that seemed to wrap around the entire house, with multiple doors leading from different rooms to the gardens in front.


    Nic thought of the front area as a garden, but he wasn¡¯t quite sure if that was the right name for it. One side was filled with rocks displayed in a specific way that seemed calming to look at. The other side had a similar design, but a large portion of it was taken up by wires held up by rather long sticks of wood. Thanks to the few pieces of cloth hanging on the wires, Nic assumed that they were there to dry clothing and other pieces of cloth.


    His gaze around the garden was interrupted by the soft sound of the front door being slid open. From the door came a small girl - probably ten or eleven years old, and looked like Yuuki¡¯s mother - running towards Nobu. As she got closer, Nobu knelt down and wrapped his arms around the girl as she threw herself into him.


    ¡°Papa!¡±


    Being situated slightly behind Yuuki, Nic was the first to notice when she stopped at the sight of the young girl. Her voice was trembling as she spoke a name softly. ¡°Mirai?¡±


    ¡°Mirai! How many times do I have to tell you not to run! Even if it¡¯s papa!¡± Yuuki¡¯s murmuring of the girl''s name was drowned out by a boy¡¯s call from the doorway.


    A boy not that much younger than Nic, fifteen or sixteen if he had to guess, appeared as the owner of the voice. Unlike his little sister, this boy looked much more like his father, and Yuuki who also happened to take after her father more than her mother. He was standing in the doorway, staring at the group of people that his sister had just run towards. While Mirai was focused on their father, the boy¡¯s eyes were wavering as he stared at Yuuki.


    Walking at a somewhat quick pace, the boy moved down the steps, past his father, and stopped in front of Yuuki. Nic wasn¡¯t sure how small he had been when Yuuki had originally left Kyoku, but now he was slightly taller than her, causing her to need to slightly look up.


    Yuuki reached out and softly patted the boy¡¯s head as she shakily spoke. ¡°Kyouta, you¡¯re so big now¡­¡±


    ¡°If it really you?¡± The boy was close to crying as he reached out and hugged his older sister.


    ¡°It is. I¡¯m finally back.¡±


    ¡°Papa?¡± Before Kyouta could say something again, Mirai¡¯s voice cut through. ¡°Who is she? Why is Kyouta crying and hugging her?¡±


    ¡°This, little Mirai, is your big sister.¡± As Nobu answered his younger daughter, Mirai looked at Yuuki as her eyes went wide in surprise.


    ¡°Yuuki sis!?¡±


    Yuuki let out a small laugh as tears began to pour out of her eyes. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, Mirai. Come here.¡±


    Mirai ran over to her and Kyouta and the three siblings held each other tightly for the first time in a decade. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t been here, Mirai. I hope to get to know you while I''m back.¡±


    Nobu motioned for the other three to come with him and led them into the house proper. At the entrance, they were asked to take off their shoes and put on slippers before stepping up a single step onto a wooden floor.


    ¡°Welcome to our home, please make yourselves comfortable.¡± The woman they had met at the palace gates earlier greeted them within the home¡¯s main foyer.  She gave the group a small bow before leading them through the building to a back door. The building itself wasn¡¯t that wide inside, but coming through the back door, Nic found that there was a sizeable garden in the center, with more buildings on either side of it.


    The center garden was full of beautiful flowers of ever color. Their fragrance was strong on the nostrils as a light wind blew the scent towards the open door. Pink petals surfed on the wind, being plucked from the single, fairly massive, tree in the center of the garden. The petals on the tree were weak enough that even this faint wind was causing them to fall to the ground.


    Nic had seen a bunch of these trees on the walk from the docks to the palace itself. They seemed to be everywhere, and a majority of the trees seemed to be this specific kind. Nic resolved to ask Yuuki about them later.


    ¡°Miss Luna, this garden is wonderful!¡± Kiara appeared from within the garden, mentioning the woman¡¯s name. When she noticed the rest of them, she gave them all a small wave.


    Luna, Yuuki¡¯s mother, indulged in a small talk with Kiara before leading the three of them to a room in the eastern building where they were told they could sleep for the time being. When everyone came back together, Nobu made the announcement that he had to head back to the palace to take care of some final work.


    ¡°Aria.¡± Nic leaned close to Aria and whispered into her ear.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Can you cover for me? I¡¯m gonna try to talk with Yuuki¡¯s father alone.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Aria raised her voice in a short yelp before covering her mouth and continuing to talk quietly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, but if Ruby is really here, I think it would be better for Yuuki¡¯s father, and hopefully the Shogun, to know who I am before tomorrow.¡± Nic was sure that if he didn¡¯t reveal his lineage now, then Ruby would use it the next day as an attack, When he looked at Aria¡¯s eyes, he knew that she was thinking the same thing.


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll cover for you for now.¡±


    And so, just a minute after Nobu left the household, Nic sneaked away himself and rushed after the Catkin. As Nic rushed towards the palace, he expected to be stopped by the guards, but after a scant look, the guard at the gate let him through.


    On the other side, he came face to face with Nobu.


    ¡°So, Nic, was it?¡± Nic nodded. ¡°Why¡¯d you follow me? Got something you want to say, but don''t want to say it in front of everyone else?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, sir.¡± Nic steadied his breathing before continuing. ¡°There is something unrelated to your daughter, Sarman, and the rest that I believe that you, and the Shogun, should hear privately before tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°As I said before, no one sees the Shogun before tomorrow. No exceptions.¡±


    ¡°Please. I am simply trying to make sure that a truth about myself is not used against me.¡±


    Nic hoped his plea was enough. Nobu stayed quiet, his eyes thinning as he looked Nic up and down multiple times. When he finally spoke, Nic found the topic rapidly changing.


    ¡°Your sword¡­ who¡¯s your teacher?¡±


    Nic instinctively gripped the sheath of his sword when he heard the question. He had dropped the blade that had been on his back at the household, but this sword with a black gem was almost glued to his hip.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, your daughter, Yuuki. She¡¯s my teacher.¡±


    Before Nic heard the sound of a sword being unsheathed, his body was already moving to unsheathe his own. Two swords clashed with a loud clang.


    Steel on steel.


    Sparks flew in front of Nic¡¯s eyes.


    It took a second for his brain to comprehend what had just happened. His body had sensed a killer instinct from Nobu in front and had subconsciously drawn his own sword halfway out of it¡¯s sheathe to block the katana flying at his midsection. Nic hadn¡¯t even been consciously aware that Nobu had been holding a blade from the moment that Nic passed through the gate.


    ¡°Good reflexes. She taught you well. Fine, come with me.¡±


    Nobu¡¯s words passed through Nic¡¯s ears before his brain could comprehend them. By the time he realized what was being said, Nobu was already almost through a door to the palace.


    Nic sprinted after Yuuki¡¯s father, barely getting into the palace before the door closed. Once inside, Nobu led Nic to a room deep within the center of the palace. Once they came to a set of two rather large doors, Nobu opened one and motioned for Nic to enter the room.


    Nic had been expecting a room not all that unlike Nobu¡¯s office, but instead found himself within the personal bed chambers of the Shogun. The man leading the country was lying in the bed in the center of the room. Nic saw a small amount of Irradiation drifting off of the man. The reason why everyone was being told to wait to meet with the Shogun had become perfectly clear.


    ¡°Hah!¡± On the edge of the bed was a small metallic bird. The laugh had come from it. ¡°This is an interesting sight.¡± Its voice was like that of a deep male¡¯s voice.


    Nic had heard rumors that the Shogun of Kyoku was also a spirit king, though neither Sarman, Aria, nor their respective spirits knew how true that was. But this bird seemed to be proof.


    ¡°Are you¡­ Sterling?¡± Nic asked cautiously.


    ¡°Oh-hoh! He¡¯s done some research and knows me as well!¡± The bird was Sterling, the steel spirit progenitor.


    ¡°Sterling, shut it.¡± The Shogun said before coughing. ¡°Nobu, why have you brought a stranger to my bedroom?¡±


    ¡°Sorry about this, Asumasa. I got a few updates for you. First, Yuuki has returned to Kyoku.¡±


    ¡°Little Kyoku is back, huh? Have you gotten her answer to my question?¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t burdened her with it yet.¡±


    The two old men talked like old friends, despite Nobu standing near the door next to Nic. Nic was curious what this question that the Shogun had given Yuuki. He knew it wasn¡¯t his place to know, but he still wondered.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t come alone, however. Sarman Ordwell, son of that old bird Chapman, as well as Nic here and a few more arrived with her. They are a part of a new Alliance being formed between City-States near Sanum and are looking for our help.¡±


    ¡°And? Why is he here now? Couldn¡¯t you have just told them to come tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I did. And they will. Nic is here because he says he has something to tell both us privately.¡±


    Nic took a step forward towards the Shogun. Then another. Nobu tried to stop him, yet froze when Nic started talking while moving.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself fully before it is revealed tomorrow. As the leaders of this country, I think it is only natural that you learn who has come into your borders.¡± Nic stopped at the bed''s end, in front of Sterling the spirit. ¡°My name is Nic Verilo.¡±


    ¡°Verilo?!¡± Both the Shogun and Nobu cried out his family name. The former in astonishment and the latter in anger.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. My ancestor, Noah Verilo, caused the Irradiated Winter.¡±


    ¡°So he had children?¡± Nobu seethed from behind him.


    ¡°Yes, with Crystal Serilo, the Blood Elf.¡±


    Hearing the Blood Elf¡¯s name, Nobu stopped in confusion.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± The Shogun was the one who spoke up next.


    ¡°Nothing. I simply wanted you to know that I was within your borders.¡± Nic had spoken his mind and turned to leave, but was stopped by the Shogun calling out to him.


    ¡°Wait! Tell me, can you absorb Irradiation? I doubt that Sanum would let you go otherwise.¡±


    Nic hadn¡¯t planned on healing the Shogun, hell, he hadn¡¯t even known that the Shogun had Irradiation Sickness till just a few minutes ago. He didn¡¯t know what it would be like if he said yes. Would they distrust him? Fearing that he only came today to gain an advantage by healing the Shogun?


    But at the same time, Nic had vowed to never overlook someone suffering from Irradiation Sickness again.


    And so, he turned back and answered the Shogun truthfully.

 2nd Anniversary: A Party in the Park

    A soft breeze blew over the hill, bringing the scent of newly bloomed spring flowers through the small gathering at the summit. Soft rays of light filtered through the buildings atop the distant mountain, coating the hilltop in an orange glow. Yuuki tucked her purple-tinted black hair behind her ear, keeping it out of her face while is danced in the wind. The cat ears on top of her head were pressed down in order to let the wind glide gently over them. The raccoonkin next to her, Kiara, was in a similar pose.


    ¡°There¡¯s not much left to do before Aria and Nic arrive.¡± Kiara had a checklist on the smartphone in her hands.


    Next to the women was a park table full of foods that each person liked, alongside a specially made cake for the occasion. They had decided on hosting this small party within the park to get away from the light pollution of the city. With Sarman¡¯s small grill next to the table, they wouldn¡¯t have any problem cooking up the food they had brought.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Yuuki was nodding her head when a loud crash came from the two trees directly behind them.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay!¡± Sarman yelled from the ground, lying on his back beneath where he should have been. The banner that Sara and him had been tasked with hanging up was drooping on one side. For her part, Sara was looking down at Sarman, struggling to hold in laughter.


    With the vigor of a healthy young man, Sarman jumped back up and was quickly scaling the tree again, despite the rather large new tear in the sleeve of his t-shirt. While he worked to get his side of the banner fully up. Sara jumped down and joined the other two by the table.


    ¡°I know that this is an anniversary event for the book, but why the hell are Kiara and I here? We barely have any screen time past the first part!¡± Sara said as she straightened out the small wrinkles in her shirt.


    Kiara began to fuss over how her fiance looked, helping her with straightening out the wrinkles and making sure her hair was straight.


    ` ¡°I¡¯m sure the author has bigger plans for you two in the future. Right now, it seems to be focused on Sarman and I.¡± Yuuki made excuses for the Author while fidgeting with the sleeves of her kimono. Watching the couple in front of her, Yuuki¡¯s eyes kept flicking to the man still in the tree.


    As he finished putting the banner up properly, Sarman jumped down and actually landed on his feet this time. He grabbed his flannel off of the table and quickly threw it on before joining the other three at the front of the table.


    ¡°So what¡¯s left to do? Just grilling up the food?¡±


    ¡°And lighting up the tiki torches around us for light once it gets too dark outside. Think you can do that?¡± Kiara looked up from fussing over Sara and gave Sarman one final task.


    Sarman had a sly grin on his face as he pulled out his usual small lighter. ¡°Salamander here and I can get that.¡± As he said the name of the lighter, he flicked it open, revealing a small flame. ¡°Salamander doesn¡¯t get to do small things like this so often in the story, so it¡¯s a nice change of pace.¡±


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Once Sarman had left to light the torches, Yuuki felt her phone buzz with a notification. When she opened it, the phone automatically opened to the Aerial messaging app, where she had one unread notification.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± - Aria T.


    Aria was currently making sure that Nic didn¡¯t get to the park before they were ready. However, there was only so much stalling that she could do.


    ¡°They¡¯re almost here, get ready!¡± Yuuki called out to her companions on the hill, forcing Sarman to light the torches much faster so they could all be together when Nic arrived. Once he was back next to her, Yuuki responded to Aria with a simple ¡°We¡¯re ready¡± text.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the four of them to hear Nic and Aria talking as they walked up the hill towards them. Thanks to the trees just below the hilltop, neither group could see the other until they were practically the same group.


    ¡°Happy Second Anniversary!¡± They yelled as soon as they saw Nic, causing him to stop in his tracks.


    ¡°Is this for Irradiated World¡¯s second anniversary?¡± Nic asked incredulously. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything last year for the first anniversary, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we decided to do something big for this anniversary, like an entire little short story surprise party!¡± Aria responded as her short dress fluttered in the wind.


    ¡°Is there cake at least?¡± Nic asked. His stomach growled from beneath the Irradiated World shirt he was wearing.


    ¡°Sure is!¡± Sara waved Nic and Aria over to the park table, where their special designed cake had the words ¡°2nd Anniversary!¡± on top. But before they could eat it, they were interrupted by more people appearing from within the park.


    Chapman was the first to arrive, patting his son on the back with some serious force, almost causing Sarman to face plant into the cake they were about to eat. ¡°Well done on getting through 2 years!¡±


    ¡°Yes! This is quite the party for 2 years of online publishing.¡± Crystal mused as she walked into the clearing, Noah Verilo¡¯s arm intertwined with hers. The two had a ghostly translucence to them.


    ¡°We¡¯re all quite proud of you for surviving this long.¡± Yuuki¡¯s family appeared behind the two of them. As soon as they saw the table full of food, the eleven-year-old Mirai ran to the table, while the sixteen-year-old Kyouta tried to hold her back. Nobu and Luna Ito simply looked on at their three kids in admiration.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure your Father/Mother would be proud of you.¡± Nic and Aria¡¯s surviving parents said almost the same exact thing simultaneously, causing the two to get teary-eyed.


    ¡°This is a wonderful celebration.¡±


    ¡°It sure is.¡±


    ¡°A beautiful celebration of those who still live, and especially those that were taken too soon.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s wonderful to get to see them again.¡±


    Rust, Cyril, Oz, and Riko were the last four to arrive at the party and say their thoughts.


    Yuuki was tearing up seeing everyone with them. They weren¡¯t sure if everyone would have been able to get there in time, but she¡¯s glad they did. And looking at her five friend''s faces, she was sure that they all felt the same.


    Without saying anything, the six of them knew just what to say.


    ¡°Thank you all for coming on this journey with us!¡±

 Chapter 49: Truths in the Night

    After being fed a lavish dinner by Nobu and Luna Ito, Sarman moved into the center garden and sat down under the night sky. The crisp night air carried the soft smell of greenery and flowers from the garden. There was a hint of salt in the air from the nearby ocean. He could feel the fine dirt shift under his hands as he leaned back and stared up at the sparkling stars throughout the sky. The kimono he had been given was quite effective in blocking the cold of the air.


    There weren¡¯t any visible constellations, but seeing those tiny glittering lights reminded Sarman of just how vast the world was. He knew that if his father was looking at the sky in Sanum, then he would be able to see the same stars. The world was so widely vast that Sarman would never be able to visit every corner and people. He was a single, lone demi-human.


    And the next day would be his last.


    ¡°One week. Betrayal and death await you in one week.¡± Sarman could still hear the ancient dragon M¡¯kara¡¯s words in his mind. It had already been six days.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to talk to the others?¡± A senile old man¡¯s voice whispered into Sarman¡¯s ear as a small lizard made of fire hopped onto his shoulder.


    ¡°No. M¡¯kara made it clear that I shouldn¡¯t try to oppose my future.¡± Sarman quickly shot down any idea of telling his friends about his upcoming death. The dragon had made abundantly clear the dangers of trying to change the future. Sarman had to die for Yuuki to gain the strength she needed to live in the future.


    And if he did somehow live, someone else¡¯s life would be taken instead.


    As much as it pained him to say it, Sarman knew that he ultimately was the most expendable out of the small group of friends he had. He couldn¡¯t risk Aria, Nic or Yuuki dying in his place.


    As he thought of his friends, Sarman found his gaze lingering on the southern building. He watched as Nic and Aria laughed while walking into their room. Once Nic had noticed Sarman¡¯s gaze, he waved at him. Sarman responded in kind with a wave.


    Nic had mysteriously disappeared earlier in the day, and when Sarman and Yuuki had tried to get info out of Aria, she had simply told them to ¡°trust him¡±. When Nic finally returned right as dinner was starting, he came back with Nobu, laughing and talking like the two were old friends. Sarman wasn¡¯t sure what exactly had happened. He simply hoped that whatever it was wouldn¡¯t affect the next day.


    ¡°Salamander?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± The lizard¡¯s tongue flicked out as it spoke.


    ¡°Can you go watch over Nic and Aria? I want to be alone for a bit tonight.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Just remember, I¡¯m always a thought away.¡± The lizard seemed to be sad as it disappeared from Sarman¡¯s shoulder.


    His mind cleared, fear from the burden of hosting another living being''s thoughts. Sarman knew that Salamander wasn¡¯t quite gone. If he thought it, the spirit would be by his side again in an instant.


    It wasn¡¯t often that Sarman asked for full solitude from his contracted spirit, so when he had asked for it that night, the Salamander knew that Sarman was truly grappling with his own death. Salamander had decided to leave the job of fixing Sarman to another Demi-Human instead of the spirit progenitor.


    Tonight¡¯s the last night. Sarman thought as his mind wandered. His heart was longing to talk with Yuuki. He had so many feelings that he wanted to tell her before it was too late. Yet, he still thought that if he walked over to her room, he would end up telling her the truth.


    He wanted to hold her tight one last time.


    To tell her that everything would be fine.


    Feel her ears twitching under his hand.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± A familiar voice shook Sarman out of his small reverie. As he was about to say her name, Sarman didn¡¯t find the purple cat ears in front of him. Instead, there was a pair of brown ears.


    Luna Ito was standing above him, looking down with a quizzical look as she kept her hair from spilling over with her hand.


    ¡°Mrs. Luna!¡± Sarman bolted up right, almost hitting his host on the way up. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Everything is good. Nothing to see here.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? You looked like you were in pain.¡± Her words stopped Sarman in place. Pain? Him? Was it that obvious?


    ¡°Ah hah hah.¡± Sarman let out a pathetic chuckle as he sheepishly scratched the back of his head. ¡°Sorry. I was just thinking about some things I left undone back at home.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Luna murmured before walking up to the large tree in the center of the garden.


    As she glided her hand across its trunk, a line of vivid blue flowers began to sprout. Each one¡¯s petals starting from black and slowly becoming a blue as vivid as the ocean. The scent of Lavender mixed with a hint of lemon tickled Sarman¡¯s nose as he walked closer to the tree.


    ¡°Those flowers will be beautiful once they fully bloom, won¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re called Azure Lilies.¡± Luna smiled as she pulled her hand back.


    ¡°Azure lilies?¡± Sarman tried to reach out his own hand, but found it slapped away by Luna.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch them!¡± Her voice was raised as she admonished Sarman for foolishly acting without asking. ¡°They¡¯re poisonous to the touch until they bloom.¡±


    Sarman recoiled his hand quickly when he heard the truth behind the flowers. ¡°Gotcha. Don¡¯t touch them.¡± Sarman bowed his head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for acting so rashly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fine. You didn¡¯t know.¡± Luna gave him a soft smile as she began to head for the main building. ¡°Oh, one last thing.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Sarman walked alongside her.


    ¡°Some advice, from someone old enough to be your grandma.¡± Luna softly smiled at Sarman. ¡°If you have something left unsaid, or left undone, do it sooner rather than later. Life is unpredictable. You never know when you won¡¯t be able to say or do something in the future.¡±


    Leaving Sarman with some parting words, Luna disappeared into the main building. She had seemingly disappeared with the wind of the night.


    ¡°Say it now, huh?¡± Sarman found himself looking at the northern building. ¡°Fine.¡±


    With a determination in his step, Sarman moved through the garden, coming out in front of the center point of the northern building. There were 2 sets of doors, one on either side of him. On the left side was a bigger door that Sarman had learned earlier led to a dojo that the entire Ito family used to practice sword fighting with Nobu.


    The other door was much simpler and made of a thin wood. With the walls being as thin as they were, it didn¡¯t take much for Sarman to hear the woman and the girl inside talking with each other.


    Yuuki had told him earlier that her room had been attached to the Dojo because she had spent so much time in the latter when she was younger. It was similar to the amount of time she spent in the Ordwell household inner garden practicing her sword skills in Sarman. Because she had often come over to practice in Sanum, Sarman had a pretty easy time imagining her doing something similar when she was younger.


    Sarman walked up to the smaller door and softly knocked on the wood border of it. He could hear the two female voices inside.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it!¡± The much younger voice called out seconds before the door slide to the side.


    Standing in the doorway was Yuuki¡¯s younger sister, Mirai. Her eyes went wide and her cat ears stood on their ends when she saw Sarman. ¡°Sis, it¡¯s one of your friends.¡±


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    With the door open, Sarman was able to look past Mirai and into the room itself. The layout reminded him a lot of the rooms that Yuuki had lived in while in Sanum. Yuuki was sitting at a small table near the center of the room, looking into a small mirror. She was wiping away the makeup she was wearing with a small towel. As she looked up and saw Sarman, Yuuki gave him a soft smile.


    ¡°Sarman, what brings you to my room?¡±


    ¡°I was hoping we could talk a bit. Before tomorrow.¡±


    Yuuki nodded along to his answer. ¡°That¡¯s true. Mirai,¡± She looked at her little sister. ¡°Do you mind heading to your room? My friend and I need to discuss some things privately.¡±


    Both Sarman and Yuuki could hear the small sigh that Mirai let out. Her breath had a gravitas unbecoming of someone so young. ¡°I understand. But tomorrow, I¡¯m sleeping with you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a sleepover, then.¡± Yuuki smiled at her sister.


    With a small ¡°hmpf¡±, Mirai left the room. Sarman watched her run off into the garden in the middle of the night before turning back to Yuuki¡¯s room. After taking a sharp breath, he slowly stepped into her room, closing the door behind him. With shaking legs, he quickly took a seat on the edge of the bed.


    The bed took up a sixth of the room and was tucked into the corner opposite the door. Where Sarman was sitting, he had a clear view of Yuuki from the side. Looking at her, his face was growing warm, and his chest was feeling like it was going to burst.


    Sarman began regulating his breathing, hoping to calm himself down.


    ¡°Uh-¡±


    ¡°Before you say anything, can I say something first?¡± Sarman was cut off by Yuuki. She was frozen, looking at herself in the small mirror in front of her.


    ¡°Sure, uh, go ahead.¡± Sarman was caught off guard and stammered out his response. Had she figured out about his death? The thought of that scared Sarman more than anything else.


    ¡°Since we got here earlier today, really since last night, I¡¯ve had this thought. What if I didn¡¯t feel like I fit in here anymore? What would I do then? Would everything still work out? And then I saw Kyouta and Mirai today when we got here. I was happy. I really was. But as we had dinner and the small time I spent with Mirai after, I realized.¡± Yuuki took a deep breath and got up. Before speaking again, she sat down next to Sarman and rested her head on his shoulder. ¡°Sarman¡­ I don¡¯t feel at home here.¡±


    Her words came as a shock to Sarman. He never expected that this was what she wanted to say. Yet as he felt her touch cooling him down, Sarman wanted to wrap his arms around her. He knew how it felt.


    ¡°Is there something in particular that doesn¡¯t feel right about it?¡± Sarman needed to know more. Was she feeling the exact same way as he did? Would he really be able to help her through this?


    ¡°I¡­ I think it¡¯s because I¡¯ve spent more of my life in Sanum.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I left here originally when I was eight years old. I just turned nineteen, Sarman. I spent ten years of my life in Sanum. That city, and the people there,¡± As she said that, Yuuki interlaced one of her hands with one of Sarman¡¯s, interconnecting their fingers. ¡°They feel more like home to me than this estate or city.¡±


    Sarman found himself slightly smiling when he heard that. A part of him was genuinely happy that Yuuki saw him as family.


    But that happiness would soon turn to sorrow. Sarman knew this. His death would happen the next day, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.


    ¡°You know, I felt something similar recently.¡± His words caused Yuuki to perk her head up. She was staring at his face, and all he could do was smile weakly back at her. ¡°When you disappeared after Jack¡¯s attack on Sanum, I felt like a hole had appeared in my life. But it wasn¡¯t just my life. As we desperately searched for you day after day, it quickly became apparent that the hole wasn¡¯t just in my life. It was in my heart as well. I felt like something precious to me had been ripped from my hands without me even noticing.¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s ears flattened on top of her head as her face was flushed red. Despite that, Sarman couldn¡¯t help but stare at her pristine skin. It was almost glowing in the candlelight. Her violet eyes were cast to the side, trying to look anywhere but Sarman¡¯s face. Her soft lips were trembling slightly, like she was about to say something.


    Sarman didn¡¯t give her the chance as he leaned in. Their lips connected in a kiss and Sarman closed his eyes. He could feel a soft tail wrap around his waist. Yuuki was pulling him closer. The two both wanted the same thing at that moment. An eternity of bliss passed before the two separated from each other.


    As soon as Sarman saw Yuuki¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t help himself and kissed her again, far more aggressively this time. The soft sweetness of her lips was a drug to him that he never wanted to let go of.


    The two only stopped when they needed to breathe. With ragged breaths, Sarman looked down and noticed that Yuuki¡¯s kimono was ajar, and her shoulder was visible. Seeing it, his mind started to blank out.


    ¡°Stay with me tonight.¡± Yuuki¡¯s whisper tickled in Sarman¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Sarman enthusiastically agreed.


    The soft chirping of birds woke Sarman up. As he slowly opened his eyes, memories of the night prior slowly came back to him. He was naked, lying in Yuuki¡¯s bed the next morning. When he looked over at where his partner from the night before should be, she was missing.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Sarman to start hearing her grunts from the dojo next door. She had already started her morning training. Sarman slipped off the bed and grabbed his clothes from the floor, quickly throwing them on.


    He quietly slid the door open and watched as Yuuki thrust a wooden sword through the area. It was a training routine that Sarman had seen many a time within the courtyard at his family¡¯s home in Sanum. Yet on this morning, Sarman felt like he was seeing someone completely different do it. He saw many more details than he ever had before.


    After a while, Yuuki finally noticed Sarman and quickly ran over to him. As she reached him, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down into another kiss. When Sarman finally pulled back, he saw a smile that warmed his heart beaming up at him.


    He desperately wanted to stop time now. To run away with Yuuki and defy his death that afternoon. They could live out their lives in the countryside, peacefully raising kids and creating a family.


    But he couldn¡¯t.


    If they ran, Yuuki would never reach her full potential.


    Nic and Aria would likely die.


    He couldn¡¯t do that to them.


    His life with Yuuki wasn¡¯t worth risking the fate of the world.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yuuki¡¯s voice was tinged with worry.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re in pain.¡±


    Sarman instinctively reached up to feel his own face. Did he really look that pained to her?


    ¡°I guess I was just worried about what your dad would do if he saw us.¡± Sarman quickly said something that he hoped would get him out of the situation quickly. He flashed a fake smile, hoping that it would calm her down.


    ¡°Hmmmm.¡± Yuuki looked like she was about to say something when the two heard knocking at Yuuki¡¯s door and froze.


    ¡°Yuuki? Are you awake?¡±


    Speak of the devil, and you shall see them. Sarman felt sweat bead down his forehead as Nobu¡¯s voice echoed through the dojo.


    Yuuki quickly swapped places with Sarman and went to shut the door between her room and the dojo, but Sarman put his hand in the way and leaned in to whisper in her ear. ¡°No matter what happens today, know that your smile is the most important thing to me.¡± Yuuki blushed as she finally closed the door, blocking Sarman from being seen in the room, before responding to her father.


    ¡°I¡¯m awake!¡± Sarman could hear her footsteps as she walked to the door and opened it. Sarman copied her on the other side, waiting at the door to open it once Nobu had left.


    ¡°Before the meeting today, there was something I wanted to talk to you about.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Come in then.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Sarman listened intently to their conversation. A part of him wanted to know what Nobu was going to say, but he had to leave.


    As Yuuki began to close her door, Sarman quickly opened the dojo door and slipped out.


    Darting into the garden, Sarman didn¡¯t stop moving till he was once again in front of the big tree in the middle. Flashes of his talk with Yuuki¡¯s mother the night before intruded on Sarman¡¯s thoughts. The Azure flower should¡¯ve bloomed that night.


    ¡°Finally out of there, huh?¡± Before Sarman could look, a familiar voice filled his head.


    ¡°Anything eventful happen last night, Salamander?¡±


    ¡°Besides you becoming a man? I just met with Aerial and Sterling and had a small chat with them. I got them to agree to not interfere, no matter what happens today.¡±


    ¡°Sterling? The Steel progenitor? They¡¯re here in Kyoku?¡± Sarman hadn¡¯t realized that another spirit king was so close. Had they already met? Was it someone in the palace?


    ¡°Not just here. The Shogun is their contractor.¡±


    Sarman was dumbfounded, hearing the truth. There were rumors that the Shogun was tied to a spirit king, but Sarman didn¡¯t think that the Shogun was the spirit king.


    ¡°So, what were you doing at this tree?¡±


    ¡°Yuuki¡¯s mother was growing a flower I had never heard of before last night. I wasn¡¯t allowed to go near it at the time because it¡¯s apparently poisonous before it blooms.¡± As he was explaining the Azure Lily to Salamander, he was looking for the flowers but couldn¡¯t find them.


    ¡°Azure Lilies? Never heard of them. Which flowers are they?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re¡­ not here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Salamander looked once again to make sure he wasn¡¯t seeing things. The vine of flowers was truly gone. There wasn¡¯t even a mark to show that it had once been there.


    A maid was walking by so Sarman flagged her down.


    ¡°Mrs. Luna was growing some flowers here last night, do you know where they went?¡±


    ¡°Flowers? No. Mrs. Luna did leave very early this morning, though. It was unusual how early she left. The sun had barely started to rise. I think she was carrying a bag of something with her. Maybe it was those flowers.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you very much.¡± Sarman said.


    ¡°Mysterious poisonous flowers, eh? Sounds like a recipe for a fun time.¡± Salamander was making attempts at jokes, but Sarman couldn¡¯t shake a horrendous feeling in his gut.


    ¡°Salamander, you have never heard of Blue Lilies, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yup. I said that earlier, did I not?¡±


    ¡°And I had the feeling last night that I shouldn¡¯t touch them till they bloomed. Even if Mrs. Luna was the one who said it, it was like I instinctively knew as well.¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Salamander¡¯s voice was growing concerned.


    ¡°I think I just found out who the ¡®betrayer¡¯ is.¡±


    Sarman looked at the door to Yuuki¡¯s room and desperately hoped that he was wrong.

 Chapter 50: Capital, Day Two

    Nic reached up and messed with collar of his shirt. It felt unusually stiff that morning. Nic knew why. How could he not? That day was the most important day that they have been through in a while.


    Aria reached around from behind Nic and pulled him into a soft hug before whispering into his ear. ¡°It''s going to be okay. You can relax a bit.¡±


    ¡°I want to. I really do. But I can''t help but feel like something is going to go terribly wrong today.¡± Nic whispered back without moving his head.


    His gut was telling him that something was off.


    Something was going to happen.


    And Nic wouldn''t be able to do anything about it.


    ¡°If something goes wrong, we''ll deal with it, together. All of us.¡± Aria moved her hands down to Nic''s as she spoke. She twirled him around, forcing him to look away from the mirror in their room.


    The two of them were in their room in the Ito estate where they had slept the night before. Sarman was supposed to sleep in the room with them, but he had been absent all night, resulting in an unused third futon sitting in the corner of the room.


    Aria was wearing a brilliant emerald green dress that Nic''s mother had given to her the past time they had passed through Aric. This was Nic''s first time seeing her in it, and also her first time wearing it in general. His hands found their way to Aria''s bare shoulders.


    ¡°Are you sure that you''ll be fine like this? You sure you don''t want to wear something that will keep you a bit warmer?¡± And safer? Nic didn''t say the last part out loud, though he didn''t need to.


    ¡°I''ll be fine. I''ll wear a cloak till we get to the senate chambers. From then on, this is all I''ll wear. As the main delegate of Aric, I have to dress for the part. And if fighting does break out, I have Aerial to keep me safe.¡±


    Nic was originally supposed to be Aria''s co-delegate for Aric, but after speaking with Yuuki''s father, Nobu, and the Shogun, it was decided that Nic should enter the senate chamber not as a delegate, but instead as Aria''s guard.


    There was some political strategizing involved, but Nic simpthaagreed to this as it would allow him to bring both swords that Yuuki had gifted Nic into the room. He would he the only outside delegate allowed this opportunity. The only problem was that he couldn¡¯t have the swords on his waist like he would have preferred. Instead, they were both strapped to his back in an x form.


    The other thing that this planned allowed Nic was to not dress up as much as Aria, Sarman, or Yuuki. Nic was instead wearing a somewhat nice coat over his normal light plate armor pieces covering key points on his upper body.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m the one that brought this plan up, but I still don¡¯t feel comfortable letting you look so defenseless in there.¡± Nic couldn¡¯t stop himself from worrying.


    Aria smiled softly at him. Her hand cupped his face before bringing it close to hers. She pulled him in till their foreheads were touching, till their eyes were locked together. Nic stared into Aria¡¯s brilliant blue eyes. He could always find comfort in them.


    ¡°I believe in you. I know you¡¯ll keep me safe.¡±


    Before Nic could respond, the door to their room burst open with a loud bang. Sarman, slightly frazzled, stepped into the room and closed the door.


    ¡°I! I need to talk with both of you! Right. Now.¡±


    ¡°What, did you have a really good night?¡± Nic laughed as he watched Sarman look at him puzzled, before shaking his head.


    ¡°No, well, yes, but that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Sarman walked up to the two of them and pulled them both in close. ¡°Aria, last night Aerial met with Salamander, correct?¡±


    Aria paused for a moment, clearly conversing with the spirit to confirm what Sarman had said, before speaking up. ¡°Aerial says they did. But he won¡¯t tell me what they talked about. Just that they won¡¯t let me interfere in your plans.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I¡¯ll explain those plans later if I get the chance to. Right now I have more news. Remember the poison that killed Crystal and my mother?¡±


    Nic felt his stomach tighten at the mention of the poison. He still remembered seeing Crystal¡¯s face twisted in agony as she lay dying in front of him. He wanted to learn more about his ancestor from her. He wanted to learn more about the curse that his family had been stuck with. He wanted to learn more about her.


    But it had all been cut short by that poison.


    Of course, he remembered it.


    Seeing through their faces that they both knew what he was talking about, Sarman continued. ¡°That poison will show up again today. The person who created it is here, in Kyoku. They will most likely try to break into the meeting. You both need to be prepared to protect yourselves. And, if possible, protect Yuuki as well.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± Aria asked, voicing a concern that Nic also had after hearing what Sarman had said.


    ¡°I have Salamander. The flames of my armor should be able to burn the poison before it can reach me. Aerial¡¯s coating around you, Aria, should be able to deflect it as well. But Nic, you and Yuuki don¡¯t have that protection. You have to be on guard to protect both yourself, and her.¡±


    He was the guard going in for the delegates.


    Nic was no longer just Aria¡¯s protector.


    He had become Yuuki¡¯s as well.


    Three loud knocks on the door broke the small group apart. The door slowly opened to reveal Nobu, with Yuuki in a colorful Kimono not far behind.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for us to head to the Senate building. Are you all ready?¡±


    While both Nic and Aria were clearly ready, the question seemed to be aimed at Sarman who was still wearing what he had worn last night.


    Nic and Aria quietly stepped out of the room while Sarman quickly changed his clothes. In just a few minutes, the last member of the delegate joined them at the estate entrance, wearing a suit similar to the ones that every member of Sanum¡¯s government wore.


    It was a look that Nic couldn¡¯t help but think suited Sarman perfectly.


    ¡°Good luck, you guys.¡± Kiara said as she stood away from the group. It had ultimately been decided that only one delegate from each city state would go, with Nic accompanying them both as a separate external force, and as their sole guard. Because of this decision, both Kiara and Sara were being forced to stay at the Ito estate.


    ¡°We¡¯ll come back with good news.¡± Aria was the one who responded, hoping to sway any doubts that their companions had in mind.


    ¡°I know. Still, I want to say it.¡± Kiara smiled and went around hugging each of them. When she got to Nic, she whispered into his ear. ¡°Make sure to keep everyone safe if something goes wrong¡±


    Nic silently nodded, letting her know that he had heard her.


    Nobu silently led the group through the streets, up towards the Shogun¡¯s palace in the heart of the city. The Senate building was alongside the palace, snuggles safely into the center of the city.


    The city was silent.


    They met no one on their way up, despite it being close to midday already.


    There were dark clouds coming in from the ocean as well. It would rain by nightfall.


    Nic¡¯s gut was screaming that something horrible was going to happen. The day had felt off since that morning, and then Sarman had told them of the poison, and now the skies were darkening.


    The group soon found themselves in the entrance to the Senate chambers. Nobu stopped them all from entering. ¡°Wait until you are called in. It shouldn¡¯t be too long.¡±


    The room they were in was a side room to the main room. Only two doors interrupted the blankness of the walls. One led to the hallway they had come in through, and the other led to the Senate chambers that they were going to.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the door to open again.


    They were being called into the Senate room.


    Yuuki went first, followed by Sarman, then Aria, and finally Nic.


    The senate room was massive. It was circular, but far smaller than Nic had originally thought. The only things in front of them were the Shogun sitting on a throne, with Nobu standing just behind him to the right. In front of the Shogun were two tables. The one to the right of the Shogun, and closest to Nic, had four empty chairs. One for each delegate. The other table, on the Shogun¡¯s left, only had two empty seats.


    After looking at everything in front of him, Nic¡¯s eyes drifted to the ceiling. It was there that Nic saw the expansive room that he had first thought of. The surrounding walls went up about 3 mer, before becoming pillars between which the entire Senate sat. There were a bunch of politicians slowly watching the group walk to their table. 50? 75? Maybe even a hundred. Nic wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°Have a seat.¡± The Shogun was the first one to speak to the group as they slowly shuffled into the room. Hearing him, Nic focused back on the table, where Yuuki was already taking a seat. The rest of them quickly took their seats next to her.


    As they did, the Shogun began to speak again. ¡°These four have come from the Irradiated Forest Region, acting as delegates for a number of different City-States in the region. However, we have another visitor today as well. Please let her in.¡±


    As the Shogun finished his sentence, the door opposite on the left side of the Shogun opened, letting in two more visitors. Their appearance created a stir among the Senators above them. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Nic¡¯s fist clenched under the table.


    If he hadn¡¯t already known about her, Nic was sure he would be having the same reaction as those above.


    She wore her face.


    She looked around with her eyes.


    She styled her clothes in much the same fashion as her.


    But the woman in front of them wasn¡¯t Crystal.


    Crystal was dead.


    No, this woman was her clone.


    A clone that had originally been created to help him.


    This helper now stood as his greatest obstacle.


    She sat down at the table across from him.


    When she saw his gaze, she gave him the smallest of winks.


    ¡°Ruby¡­¡± Nic whispered her true name.


    A hand covered his. Its warmth calmed him down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Aria whispered a warning to Nic from besides him. Her hand had calmed him down, but Nic could feel it shaking as well. He was sure that Sarman and Yuuki were in a similar position.


    They all hated the woman in front of them.


    ¡°Mother!?¡±


    ¡°Luna!?¡±


    It was Yuuki and Nobu¡¯s sudden outburst that forced Nic to look away from Ruby and finally look at who was accompanying her. He was just as shocked as the others to see Yuuki¡¯s mother sitting next to Ruby. Not only that, she had the sword that Yuuki had so often used attached to her back.


    Just as Nic was the guard of their side, Yuuki¡¯s mother was Ruby¡¯s guard.


    ¡°Mrs. Ito, I hope you understand what it means for you to sit there.¡± The Shogun softly spoke, yet his words carried a gravitas that let them resound through the room.


    ¡°I do.¡± Luna Ito responded without opening her eyes to look at any of them. ¡°This is my decision and mine alone. My family have had nothing to do with it.¡±


    ¡°I see. In that case, I shall allow this.¡± The Shogun took a second to compose himself before speaking much louder, his words echoing throughout the entire room. ¡°Since the Blood Queen was the first to arrive here in Kyoku, she shall be given the time to talk first.¡± With a simple wave of his hand, the spotlight in the room was given to Ruby.


    ¡°Thank you, Shogun, and may I just say, you look to be in much better health than I was led to believe. Congratulations on your speedy recovery.¡± Ruby slightly bowed to the man on the throne, who slightly bowed back, honoring the woman¡¯s title.


    ¡°Senators. Governing body of Kyoku. I come to you today to ask for your help. I am like many of you, a Demi-human created by the first Irradiated Winter oh so many years ago. We have spent these long, many years living alongside those unfortunate enough to continue to be human. But I say, ¡°No More!¡± No more should we act like humans are equal to us!¡±


    Hearing her speech, and the murmurs around the room that were coming from it, Nic felt that same sickness in his gut. It was getting worse.


    This is what his senses had been trying to warn him about.


    ¡°I lived through that first Irradiated Winter! When I didn¡¯t know better, I helped humans got on their feet. Since then, they have always treated us like second-rate citizens! In City-States where humans are in charge, they put us down! They-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Sarman cut Ruby off. ¡°There are many City-States where Demi-Humans and Humans are treated equally. Even Kyoku, as a nation, values both, despite being a Demi-Human majority.¡±


    ¡°You are?¡±


    ¡°Sarman Chapman. My father is the Head Minister of Sanum.¡±


    ¡°Ah. See, you get to live in one of those Utopia¡¯s you get to spout about, but the rest of the world isn¡¯t like that.¡±


    ¡°But it isn¡¯t like what you said. You haven¡¯t traveled nearly enough to say that.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s a good one!¡± Ruby burst out laughing. ¡°I have travelled more than you will ever hope to travel. I¡¯ve been across every inch of this planet multiple times over. I knew the original Verilo who caused the first Irradiated Winter. And I know that if he were to see the world today, he would despise it. He would create a second Irradiated Winter! One to wipe out humanity once and for all, replacing them all with Demi-Humans! And that¡¯s what I have come to ask for. Join me, Kyoku! Join me in spreading the glory of Demi-Humans!¡±


    Nic saw red. His hand pounded on the table, shutting Ruby up. He slowly stood up, shaking as he barely controlled his anger from overflowing.


    ¡°I was going to stay quiet. I was going to let you finish. But you have gone too far, Ruby.¡± Nic didn¡¯t care about keeping up her pretense. He knew who she was, and he was going to say it clearly. ¡°You can lie about how far you have travelled. You can lie about who you are. But you do not get to lie and twist Noah Verilo¡¯s feelings! He regretted the first Irradiated Winter from the day he caused it. He lived his entire life wishing that he could go back and undo that singular wish that caused it in the first place!¡±


    Nic wasn¡¯t going to allow anyone to desecrate his ancestor¡¯s legacy for their own gain. Especially if that gain involved creating a second Irradiated Winter.


    ¡°And you are?¡± Ruby¡¯s voice asked a single question.


    Nic realized the trap he had walked into.


    It wasn¡¯t just Ruby who was asking that question. Every single senator above them was asking the same question.


    ¡®Who is this kid speaking like he knows Noah Verilo?¡¯


    Nic would have to reveal his identity.


    He looked at his companions, all of which nodded in approval of Nic speaking the truth.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Nic decided to stand up straight. He looked at the senators, all looking down on him from above. He looked at Nobu, and the Shogun, who silently nodded their own approval.


    ¡°My name is Nic Verilo!¡± His declaration caused the senators to stir in their seats. ¡°I am the descendant of the one who created the first Irradiated Winter. The true Blood Queen, Crystal, bore Noah Verilo¡¯s child. I know how they both felt. I know what they both wished.¡± Nic extravagantly motioned towards Ruby. ¡°And I know that this woman is lying to all of you. She is not the Blood Queen. She is not the Blood Elf. Ruby is a clone, created by Crystal to help me. But she didn¡¯t believe in the same things as Crystal. Ruby wants to create a second Irradiated Winter, while I carry on the legacy of the true Blood Queen: I want to rid this world of Irradiation entirely!¡±


    ¡°That is why we have come today!¡± Aria stood up next to Nic and took over speaking for him. ¡°My friends and I all are delegates sent here by three City-States; Sanum, Aric, and Crysallia.¡±


    ¡°Crystallia was the last city that Crystal created.¡± Yuuki spoke up this time. ¡°It was named in her honor after Ruby ordered the death of Crystal. They succeeded in killing the Blood Queen, but not before she passed to me the job of leading the people of Crystallia.¡±


    ¡°Together,¡± Sarman spoke up last. ¡°Sanum, Aric, and Crystallia have formed an alliance. The Alliance of Free City-States. Our goal is, with the help of Nic, to rid the world of Irradiation, once and for all. We will fight any who want to create a second Irradiated Winter.¡±


    The combined words of all of them had created chaos within the senators. They were torn on who to believe. Ruby smiled as she watched the chaos.


    ¡°Order!¡± The Shogun stood up as he shouted, forcing the senate to quiet down.


    ¡°How do they plan on riding the world of Irradiation?¡± One senator called out the most important question.


    Nic motioned for the Shogun to wait as he turned to look at the Senator who had yelled the question. ¡°I understand your skepticism. To answer your question, I have the ability to absorb Irradiation and purify it within my own body.¡±


    ¡°Can you show us?¡±


    Before Nic could respond, the Shogun spoke up instead. ¡°He has already shown you. How do you all think I was able to be here today? I was almost dead from Irradiation Sickness when Nic came to meet me privately. He only wanted to inform me that he was within my countries borders, but when he saw how sick I was, he absorbed the Irradiation within me and purified it before my very eyes.¡± The Shogun held up a bare arm, showing no signs of Irradiation were left on it. ¡°If you believe me to be your leader, then believe me in saying that this young man is telling the truth.¡±


    With the Shogun¡¯s support for them, Nic felt like they had gained Kyoku¡¯s government¡¯s backing.


    They had beaten Ruby at her own game.


    So why did it feel wrong?


    ¡°So it comes to this, then.¡± Ruby spoke up from her side. ¡°If this is the case, then I formally announce that I am going to war with Kyoku. And the war shall end here and now with the deaths of everyone in this room. Luna.¡±


    Speaking her guardian¡¯s name, Ruby smiled a devil''s smile.


    Nic reached for one of the swords on his back, only to have his hand stopped by a vine. His legs were similarly caught.


    Everyone¡¯s were.


    Luna was sitting in her chair, one hand on the hilt of the Katana strapped to her back, while the other was full of vines. Vines that crawled along every surface, trapping every person where they were,


    Everyone except for Yuuki.


    ¡°Yuuki, join us. You can still be saved.¡± Luna spoke softly to her daughter, only to be met with a scorned stare.


    ¡°You were always with her, weren¡¯t you?¡± Yuuki spat at her mother in disgust.


    ¡°You were always headstrong, just like your father. There is something keeping you over there. Maybe someone.¡± Luna looked at Sarman, a glint in her eyes. ¡°If I had to hazard a guess, it would be you, young man. So tell me, what are you to my daughter?¡±


    Sarman stayed quiet. It was his form of defiance against the woman holding him hostage.


    Nic squirmed against the vines, trying to break free, only to find them getting tighter and tighter.


    ¡°Aria, can¡¯t you use Aerial to free us?¡± Nic whispered to the woman next to him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Her voice was stricken with grief.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Aerial won¡¯t let me. They¡¯re saying that this is the agreement made with Salamander last night. We can¡¯t get involved.¡±


    Every warning bell was going off in Nic¡¯s head.


    Why couldn¡¯t they get involved?


    What did Sarman know about this moment?


    Had he learned something from M¡¯kara?


    Had Salamander?


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t want to say anything. I know it¡¯s you.¡± Luna¡¯s words snapped Nic¡¯s attention back to what was going on. ¡°I guess this is goodbye.¡±


    A vine snaked out in an instant.


    Nic only heard a soft grunt.


    Then came the sound of something dripping onto the floor.


    Nic looked over at his friend.


    The vine had stabbed itself through Sarman¡¯s abdomen.


    ¡°Sarman!¡±


    Nic wasn¡¯t the only one to shout his friend¡¯s name. Aria, Yuuki, and Nobu all did as well.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯ll be dead soon. That vine was coated in the poison of Azure Lilies. A rare poison with no cure in the entire world.¡±


    Sarman¡¯s warning from earlier that day echoed in Nic¡¯s head. The poison that had killed Crystal. The poison that had killed Sarman¡¯s mother. This was it.


    Azure Lilies.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡±


    A scream of agony was the last thing that Nic heard before the world froze.

 Chapter 51: Royal Ice (Part One)

    Seeing her mother opposite her filled Yuuki with a rage she never knew she could hold, especially against someone so precious to her. Her own mother! Working with Ruby. The vile taste in her mouth caused some discomfort, and took her attention away from what was being said.


    Since she was only paying attention to her mother, Yuuki was the first to notice her mother¡¯s hand reaching for the hilt of the sword on her back. Yuuki stood up, only to find that she was just a second too late. Vines had coiled around everyone at the table.


    Everyone except for one person.


    Her.


    ¡°Yuuki, join us. You can still be saved.¡± Her mother spoke sweetly.


    It was sickening.


    Join them? Join the person who killed Crystal?


    A sick joke if nothing else.


    ¡°You were always with her, weren¡¯t you?¡± Yuuki was a bit shocked by the extreme malice in her own voice. Not surprised that she was aiming malice at her own mother, more so the sheer magnitude of it. Yuuki couldn¡¯t think of a single time that she had exhibited such pure emotion at once.


    ¡°You were always headstrong, just like your father.¡± Her mother shook her head. Yuuki¡¯s ears twitched atop her head. Had she heard regret in her mother¡¯s voice? ¡°There is something keeping you over there. Maybe someone.¡±


    As her mother looked at Sarman next to her, Yuuki unconsciously moved an inch closer to him. Their time the night before was racing through her mind. Just thinking of her mother hurting Sarman was making the rage inside her grow.


    Yuuki¡¯s knuckles were turning white from the pressure of making a fist.


    She didn¡¯t have anything else to fight with.


    No swords.


    No magic.


    Only her bare hands.


    But she would make sure to protect Sarman until he could get out of the vines, no matter what.


    ¡°-mber¡­¡±


    A familiar voice echoed in the back of Yuuki¡¯s mind, but she pushed it away. This wasn¡¯t the time to be getting distracted by something else.


    ¡°If I had to hazard a guess, it would be you, young man. So tell me, what are you to my daughter?¡±


    Sarman stayed quiet.


    He wasn¡¯t going to reveal anything.


    But if he did that, Yuuki knew that her mother wasn¡¯t one to lightly threaten another person. Every hair on her tail was standing on edge, waiting to see what her mother would throw at them.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t want to say anything, I know it¡¯s you. I guess this is goodbye.¡±


    Yuuki stood at the ready. She would defend Sarman, no matter what her mother threw at her.


    At least, that was her plan.


    She wasn¡¯t fast enough to see the vine whip past her face. She wasn¡¯t fast enough to catch it.


    Yuuki wasn¡¯t fast enough to save him.


    She heard it.


    It was loud.


    It rang in her ears.


    That sickening sound of a body being punctured.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Yuuki whispered as she turned around.


    There he was.


    Still standing, a soft smile on his lips as he looked at her.


    His hand reached out.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°-member!¡±


    The voice in her head came back.


    Yuuki didn¡¯t care.


    She reached out and grabbed Sarman¡¯s body as he fell.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine. You¡¯re fine. Salamander can heal you. Your phoenix feathers! They should activate any moment now!¡± Yuuki rapid fired off whatever she could think of as she cradled the silent Sarman. He never responded to her. He only smiled.


    ¡°Remember!¡±


    Sarman couldn¡¯t die. This couldn¡¯t be happening.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Yuuki looked back at her mother as she started talking again. She was stroking the vine, still covered in Sarman¡¯s blood. ¡°He¡¯ll be dead soon.¡± The vine shrunk until there was nothing left of it. ¡°That vine was coated in the poison of the Azure Lilies. A rare poison with no cure in the entire world.¡±


    A cough from Sarman brought Yuuki¡¯s attention back to him. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same as Crystal¡­ and my mother¡­¡± His voice was weak, yet his words shook her to her core.


    The same as Crystal?


    And his mother?


    Her mother was responsible for both.


    Yuuki began to shake.


    Her nails cut into the skin of her palm.


    ¡°Remember!¡± That same voice called out to Yuuki. It was familiar. She had just heard it. Why was it calling out to her?


    ¡°Remember!¡± She felt a hand wrap around her.


    ¡°Crystal¡­?¡± Yuuki whispered the dead queen¡¯s name.


    ¡°Remember, the gift I gave you. Let your emotions out.¡± Crystal¡¯s voice called out to her. It was instructions.


    Yuuki looked back down at Sarman. His smile. His eyes, pained as they were, the gaping hole in his chest. Yuuki couldn¡¯t bear it.


    It was her mother¡¯s fault.


    She hated her mother.


    Hate. Hate. Hate. Hate.


    Yuuki¡¯s fury grew.


    Rage. Rage filled her chest. Yuuki felt the rage threaten to overtake her.


    ¡°Let it out!¡± Crystal¡¯s words echoed again.


    Yuuki slowly put Sarman on the grown before sitting back on her knees.


    She looked up.


    She closed her eyes.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡±


    Yuuki let out the most ferocious, guttural, cry that she could. Everything she was feeling was put behind it. As she screamed out, Yuuki could feel the rage inside of her trying to break out of her body.


    It wasn¡¯t coming out through her scream.


    It wanted to leave through her hands.


    It wanted to leave through her feet.


    The rage was consuming all of her flesh.


    Yuuki let it out.


    She heard the cracking.


    She felt the ground beneath her feet grow slick.


    Yet she didn¡¯t open her eyes.


    Not until the room was quiet for some time.


    Yuuki opened her eyes and was met with a crystal room.


    No, that wasn¡¯t right.


    She could see her own breath.


    The room had been frozen.


    Every person in the room was frozen.


    Sarman beneath her.


    Nic and Aria nearby.


    Her father and uncle behind her.


    And her mother and Ruby across from her.


    Even the senators in the seats above.


    She was the only person unfrozen, though she had some ice crystals covering parts of her hands.


    Yuuki reached up to her face and found more small ice crystals there.


    Had her rage created the ice?


    Had the magic in her blood that had been locked for so long been granted to her?


    Yuuki stared at her hands, partially amazed, and partially in fear of her own strength.


    She could feel the ice all around her. It was an extension of her own body. Everything the ice touched, she felt. The faint heartbeats of those within the ice, getting ever slower as they continued to become slower.


    What would happen if she tried to take back the ice from just one person?


    Yuuki touched the frozen body beneath her. She focused just on the ice around her hands. She imagined the ice being absorbed back into her own hands.


    Closing her eyes, she tried harder.


    Nothing happened.


    ¡°Damn it, is there nothing I can do now?¡± Yuuki cursed at her own stupidity. She didn¡¯t even know if the ice truly came from her, why would she be able to absorb it?


    ¡°It did come from you.¡±


    Standing in front of Yuuki was the ghostly apparition of Crystal. Her hair and dress were swaying in an invisible wind. All of Yuuki¡¯s problems seemed to disappear just seeing her again. All she wanted to do was scream out Crystal¡¯s name, to talk with her about everything, and gain her wisdom.


    But she knew that Crystal wasn¡¯t actually here.


    This was her heart and her brain playing a cruel joke on her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not just a figment of your imagination.¡±


    ¡°Sure you aren¡¯t. Crystal died. The dead don¡¯t come back.¡± Yuuki scoffed at the apparition of Crystal that her mind was showing her.


    ¡°Well, she is dead, that much is true. But I am truly here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Yuuki looked at the apparition, confusion plaguing her mind.


    ¡°When the real me was dying, I gave you a gift, didn¡¯t I?¡± Crystal''s apparition reached out and grabbed Yuuki by the chin, holding her face up. ¡°That gift was this power of yours. I unlocked the magic hidden within your blood. That past me left a portion of her consciousness within you. That consciousness is me.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re Crystal? Really?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I was left behind to help you understand this gift once it fully manifested.¡±


    Yuuki looked down at her hands again. The apparition in front of her was here to help her understand. Was this gift something that she would come to be used to in the coming days?


    ¡°Sadly, my time is almost up. There isn¡¯t much left for me to say.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Yuuki snapped her head to look at the apparition again. ¡°But I barely know anything about this magic! What am I supposed to do now?¡±


    ¡°Hear.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Hear what the ice is telling you.¡±


    Hear the ice? Had the apparition gone mad? How could Yuuki possibly ¡®hear¡¯ ice?


    ¡°Feel what the ice wants.¡±


    The apparition continued on, not caring about Yuuki¡¯s confusion at its words.


    ¡°Think about why it appeared now. And then you will understand your own strength.¡±


    Yuuki was about to call out to the apparition again, but it was already gone, leaving only the cold, still, air in its place.


    Hear, feel, think, and understand. Yuuki boiled down the insane strategy to those four simple concepts. She closed her eyes and focused on the ice again.


    She had been told to hear the ice so she could learn to feel what it wanted.


    Yuuki could feel the ice, just like before. It was like an extension of her own body. With her eyes closed, she paused. She stopped breathing as her cat ears twitched. She was listening as hard as she could to her surroundings, listening for anything in the quiet senate chambers.


    There was a slight hum around her.


    Was that music?


    Was the low hum she was hearing the ice talking to her?


    Was the ice trying to get her attention?


    The hum grew higher pitched as she was thinking, as if responding to her own thoughts.


    Yuuki was happy that she had learned how to listen to the ice. Now she had to figure out how to interpret what was being said to her.


    She could feel her heart starting to beat faster in anticipation.


    As it did, the ice¡¯s hum become lower in pitch.


    Was that bad?


    The ice raised its pitch in agreement.


    Yuuki took a deep breath. She had to calm herself down. She believed that to be what the ice was telling her to do. If Yuuki wanted to be able to control the ice, she had to do what it wanted as well.


    As she calmed down, she could feel the ice becoming more responsive to her.


    It had originally been unleashed by her anger and fury, but in the end, the ice within her wanted Yuuki to stay calm while using it. The ice seemed sentient enough to know that it could be deadly if used by the wrong person.


    Yuuki reached down and put a hand on Sarman¡¯s encased body. She tried to take back the ice again, only to find it refusing to listen to her.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you listen to me? Unless¡­¡± A thought creeped into Yuuki¡¯s head. What if they were warning her? What if the ice was telling her that Sarman would die as soon as she took away the ice?


    ¡°Is that what you are trying to tell me?¡± Yuuki whispered to no one in particular.


    ¡°Hm? Have I been talking to you?¡± A familiar, gentle yet old, voice appeared from beneath her. Yuuki opened her purple eyes to find a flaming lizard sitting atop her hand.


    It was a coincidence far greater than should have been possible.


    And yet, the spirit was the only one who could give her a concrete answer.


    ¡°Salamander, if I free Sarman from the ice, will he die?¡±


    The flaming lizard looked up at her.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s breath stopped.

 Chapter 52: Royal Ice (Part 2)

    ¡°No!¡± Yuuki¡¯s voice forcefully left her body.


    Her hands reached out shakily.


    As she put both of them on the ice coffin that covered Sarman, she resolutely repeated what she had said.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No?¡± Salamander questioned her. ¡°You can¡¯t say no. You don¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    ¡°Says who?¡± Yuuki would never let anyone tell her that she couldn¡¯t save Sarman.


    She would never give up on him.


    Her life would be meaningless without him.


    He was everything to her.


    ¡°Says me.¡± The flaming lizard spat back at her. ¡°And Sarman himself. You can¡¯t save him. That is just the way that fate works.¡±


    Salamanders¡¯ final two words shook something within Yuuki.


    ¡°Fate?¡±


    Sarman had said she couldn¡¯t save him because of fate? He wasn¡¯t so callous as to deceive her like that. What did that mean about the night before? About the time they shared together.


    Sarman could never have known fate. There was no possible way.


    The only way that he could have learned his own fate was from the dragon M¡¯kara, but they had agreed as a group to not ask her for info on any of their futures. It was a tacet understanding between their entire group.


    But it had only been made once Yuuki, Nic, and the rest had made it up the mountain.


    Sarman and Aria had been grabbed earlier.


    What if he had heard his own future the night before they got there.


    Was that why he had suggested their agreement in the first place?


    Yuuki narrowed her eyes at the lizard.


    ¡°Did you two learn the future from M¡¯kara?¡±


    The lizard shrunk back slightly. It was as if it didn¡¯t want to answer initially, which was all that Yuuki needed to see to know the truth. Yet, despite that, Salamander did speak up.


    ¡°Yes. We did.¡±


    Verbal confirmation.


    Sarman knew.


    He knew the entire time.


    ¡°Yuuki¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Yuuki could feel her eyes starting to water. Her vision was growing blurry. Her heart beating a million times a second. There was a pressure in her chest. It was growing.


    ¡°Yuuki, calm down!¡± Salamander was trying to calm her down.


    The spirit king knew that her emotions were in a fragile state currently. Even the tiniest of provocations could cause another outburst of the ice magic she had in her blood. If she let go fully, the damage to Kyoku could be irreparable.


    ¡°How can I be calm?!¡± Instead of calming down, Yuuki grew more hysterical as she yelled at the lizard. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that the man I love is letting himself die! That I can¡¯t do anything? I just have to sit here and accept this? Screw that!¡±


    Yuuki shut her eyes. The pressure in her chest wanted to escape. It wanted to run wild and free. It was looking for any avenue out of her body.


    Her hands clenched into fists.


    They were the most obvious spot for the magic to leave her body.


    How could she let Sarman die for nothing?


    How could Salamander allow their contractor to die without doing anything?


    If there was nothing else that could be done, shouldn¡¯t she just let everything end?


    ¡°What if I die as well?¡± The words escaped her mouth, barely a whisper, just loud enough for Salamander to hear her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that! That would be tantamount to spitting on his final wish. Sarman is letting himself die so that you can become the woman you are meant to be, Yuuki! If he doesn¡¯t die like this, you would never unlock your Royal Ice magic! And without that magic, this world will be doomed to a second irradiated winter.¡±


    That single truth nearly broke Yuuki. The person she cared for most in this world was willing to let himself die for her. He was dying for her.


    How could she accept that truth?


    Yuuki couldn¡¯t.


    A tear made its way down her face.


    It reached her lips. A salty taste. A taste that made her remember something.


    Yuuki thought back to a dream she had just a few nights prior. On the ship heading here. In the dream, Sarman had stayed back on the shore. Had that been a premonition to this very moment?


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure of yourself, miss.¡± Yuuki¡¯s thoughts were intercut with the words of the boat¡¯s captain. ¡°They get cold, and the blood in them starts to slow. Eventually it will be too slow to keep you livin¡¯.¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s eyes snapped open. That was it. If she made Sarman¡¯s body cold enough, his blood would slow even more. She looked back at Salamander. If there was anyone who could help her, it would be them.


    ¡°Salamander, have you been analyzing the poison this entire time?¡±


    The lizard cocked his head at her. ¡°Of course I have, but unlike the rest of the people in this room, because I¡¯m attached to Sarman, his natural body temperature is higher, so the ice hasn¡¯t cooled his blood enough for there to be enough time to create a counter for the poison.¡±


    ¡°How much longer would you theoretically need?¡±


    ¡°5 minutes? Maybe longer?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make sure you have that time.¡±


    Yuuki wasn¡¯t making a promise she couldn¡¯t keep. Her magic may be new to her, but Yuuki had an implicit understanding of what it did. She could harden the ice, she could soften it, and she could even make it colder. If Salamander is making Sarman¡¯s body warmer than normal, then she would just make the ice colder to counter that.


    ¡°What?¡± Salamander cried out in confusion. ¡°You can¡¯t! It won¡¯t work. Sarman is meant to die here.¡±


    Nic and Aria were standing next to Sarman. The latter had been a long time friend of hers, and Nic had quickly become someone she was fond of. Anyone who asked her now if they were friends would get the same answer; absolutely. Yuuki knew what the two of them had been forced to sacrifice to change Nic¡¯s fate.


    Yuuki knew her father was behind her. Their family had been cursed by his father, to never be able to use the very magic she was now using. But because of Crystal¡¯s sacrifice, Yuuki was able to use it.


    There was no telling who would be sacrificed to change Sarman¡¯s fate. For all Yuuki knew, it could be Nic or Aria, or her mother standing with Ruby. But she couldn¡¯t care less about the odds. She was playing this game to win, and she would leave with nothing less than Sarman at her side.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    Her voice carried the weight of her desires.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! And I can¡¯t believe that you would willingly let your contractor die without fighting back.¡±


    Salamander hissed in response to the accusation that Yuuki was throwing at them.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I want him to live? To hell with that! I want Sarman to live more than anyone else! I made an agreement with his mother to make sure he stays safe after she died, and now I¡¯ve made a similar agreement with him to protect you! How can I protect you if he lives?¡±


    Salamander spoke rapidly. Yuuki had pushed a button that neither realized would be there. The spirit progenitor had made two almost identical deals with their two most recent contractors. When Lily Ordwell was on her deathbed, she had made Salamander promise to protect her baby boy. It was why they had contracted with Sarman at such a young age. And now, a deal had been struck so that Salamander would protect Yuuki once Sarman passed.


    The truth was that the spirit didn¡¯t want to abandon Sarman. It would be a betrayal of their original promise to Lily. Yet, they felt the conviction in Sarman¡¯s belief that Yuuki was needed for the world. Salamander couldn¡¯t go against Sarman¡¯s wish.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t go against his wishes¡­¡± Salamander¡¯s voice faltered.


    ¡°Why not? We have a chance to save him! He doesn¡¯t have to die.¡±


    ¡°But what if you do instead?¡± Salamander shot back. ¡°Time won¡¯t forgive someone being saved. It doesn¡¯t accept the future being changed. If you save someone, time will fight back and take someone else!¡±


    Yuuki knew that.


    She understood the consequences.


    But¡­


    ¡°I will fight time if I have to. I won¡¯t let myself be taken. And I won¡¯t let Sarman die either.¡±


    Salamander was quiet.


    The flaming lizard let out a small sigh.


    It knew that there was nothing it could possibly say that would change Yuuki¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Fine. But freeze him fast. He¡¯s running out of time.¡±


    Yuuki nodded and put her hands above the already entombed Sarman. She felt for the ice covering the room and slowly began to absorb it back into her. The walls slowly de-crystalized. Then the floor. Finally, all that remained were the people. Yuuki felt out for those she cared for. Nic, Aria, her Father, and her Uncle. She unfroze them, but kept the vines wrapping around them frozen.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Using the ice she had already reabsorbed, Yuuki thickened the ice around Sarman, cooling it even more until Salamander finally gave her an approving nod. As the lizard disappeared within the ice tomb, Yuuki¡¯s chosen few woke up with quite the start.


    The first to say something wasn¡¯t one of her friends, or even her father. It was her Uncle.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± He was staring at Ruby and Yuuki¡¯s mother¡¯s current frozen bodies, as well as the frozen vines wrapped around his body.


    ¡°Magic Ice. Some pressure on the vines should snap them in two. I froze them completely since they were also made through magic.¡± Yuuki responded while continuing to focus on Sarman¡¯s icy tomb. She was continuing to reinforce it with more ice, making it thicker and thicker to keep the cold in for longer.


    ¡°You did this?¡± Yuuki¡¯s father spoke up as she heard countless ice vines snap and crumble as those she had unfrozen began to escape their restraints.


    ¡°I did. This was the last gift that the real Crystal gave me as she was dying.¡± Yuuki felt the ice tomb in front of her stop growing. Without unfreezing Ruby or her mother, Yuuki wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything else. She had to believe that this was enough for Salamander to purge the poison from Sarman¡¯s blood.


    ¡°Yuuki, is Sarman¡­?¡± Aria knelt down on the other side of the ice. As she reached her hand out, she reflexively pulled back as the coldness bit into her skin.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡± Yuuki knew what the other was worried about.


    ¡°But Aerial said¡­¡± Yuuki sighed as Aria¡¯s words drifted off. Sarman had told the other Spirit Progenitors not to let anyone interfere. While Yuuki did feel a tinge of anger at the spirit for doing that, she understood why they did it.


    ¡°Forget what the spirits told you. Salamander has been convinced to give it another go. With my ice cooling Sarman¡¯s body down and slowing his blood, Salamander has more time to work on curing the poison in his body.¡±


    Yuuki stood up and looked at the four people around her. At this point in time, they were the only four that she was willing to put her trust into. Nic was handing Aria one of the two swords he carried around, but instead of taking it to use, Aria tried to hand it to Yuuki instead.


    ¡°You take this. Your mother has your sword and I don¡¯t need it to fight.¡±


    Yuuki stared down at the sword being offered to her. She knew exactly how it¡¯s magic worked. It was the blade that Aerial infused some of their magic into. It wouldn¡¯t be hard for her to use it skillfully.


    But using it wouldn¡¯t feel right. She couldn¡¯t.


    Yuuki gently placed her hand over Aria¡¯s and pushed it back towards her, declining the offer.


    ¡°With my Ice magic, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Yuuki knew that her magic could allow her to create swords made of ice. She didn¡¯t know how strong they would be in the beginning, but she had no better time to start getting used to them than now.


    Aria seemed to see the determination in Yuuki¡¯s eyes as she quickly took the sword back and gave her friend a stern nod in understanding.


    Yuuki turned around to her father and the Shogun. ¡°Uncle, I hope you see now what this fake Crystal wants from Kyoku. We must not give in to her demands or let her take this nation. Not without fighting back at least.¡±


    The Shogun, Yuuki¡¯s uncle in all but blood, heaved a heavy sigh as he looked upon Ruby and Yuuki¡¯s mother enclosed in ice. It was clear that he had wanted to come through these talks peacefully, and yet now there would be no chance for that future. Here and now, a decision had to be made. ¡°I agree with you. Her idea, to bring about a second Irradiated Winter, is a grotesque one. Just hearing it almost made me vomit. The pain that the first Irradiated Winter inflicted upon this world has yet to heal. There are many connections between peoples that have been destroyed. There are still area¡¯s of this world we can no longer go to thanks to the increased amounts of Irradiation, such as the Dragonsung Wastes. To think that she wants to create yet another event of such destruction,¡± The Shogun shook his head. ¡°The thought is impossible.¡±


    They were all in agreement.


    All they had to do was to subdue Ruby and Luna Ito.


    Yuuki felt the ice encasing the two of them. She reached out and grabbed it. She pulled back the coldness into her hand.


    ¡°What?!¡± The two women opposite her cried out in surprise when they found themselves facing a united group of six opposite them.


    ¡°What did you do?!¡± Yuuki¡¯s mother was yelling at her. She had already locked onto Yuuki being the culprit of the ice encasing the vines coming out from her sword.


    ¡°So the curse has been removed already? That''s fine.¡± Ruby, on the other hand, had already dismissed the actions that had been taken. She didn¡¯t seem to care at all that Kyoku was standing against her as well.


    Yuuki felt a chill go down her spine.


    Why was Ruby so calm?


    What was her plan now?


    ¡°You all have made your decision.¡± Ruby spoke loudly, addressing everyone else in the room. ¡°So know this: The death and destruction to come is on your hands.¡±


    Ruby raised her hand.


    A single snap.


    It happened at the same time as the roof above crashing in. Yuuki¡¯s eyes were drawn up to the destruction. There was a man in the middle. The shadow of a man.


    He was coming down too fast.


    He was going to land on top of her.


    Was she his target?


    Yuuki didn¡¯t have enough time to finish forming the icy sword growing in her hands.


    CLANG!


    The falling man had been dragging a rather large sword behind him in the air. With a great force, he had brought it down in front of him, only to be met by two blades in an x shape.


    Yuuki recognized the hands holding the hilts.


    She could feel some tears forming.


    ¡°Tou¡­¡± Yuuki whispered the nickname for her father she had used in private since she was a baby.


    Nobu, her father, used his strength to fling the man to the side.


    ¡°Tsk. So this is where you fled to, Alec.¡±


    ¡°I was ¡®fraid that I would never get to get revenge for that match we had. I¡¯m glad I get to. And I get to kill him today as well.¡± The man called Alec pointed his sword at the Shogun.


    The three had an obvious history. One that Yuuki had never heard about before. She had never heard her father talk of an ¡®Alec¡¯ before.


    ¡°To- Father, do you know that man?¡±


    Her father¡¯s muscles tensed when he heard the question. ¡°I do. Alec, the One-Armed Tyrant. One of the strongest fighters on this entire planet. Leave him to your Uncle and I. Knock some sense into your mother for me.¡± Nobu gave his daughter a knowing wink before swinging at the man named Alec again. ¡°Asumasa! This looks like our opponent, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, Nobu! Sterling!¡±


    Yuuki watched her father and Uncle begin to fight. Swords clashed against sword. There was nothing that she could do from here.


    ¡°Hey! Where do you think you¡¯re going!?¡± Nic shouting out from her other side forced Yuuki to pay attention to the other combatants in the room.


    Ruby was leaving.


    ¡°Yuuki, cover us!¡± Nic shouted at Yuuki as he ran forward.


    It was clear what he wanted her to do.


    Yuuki had to distract her mother, letting Nic and Aria run past to run after Ruby.


    She had to do it.


    The blade in her hand formed.


    It wasn¡¯t truly a blade yet. Jagged ice crystals covered the entire length of the ¡°blade¡± and Yuuki was sure that it would only last a hit or two before breaking and needing to be reformed.


    Even so, Yuuki had to try.


    And so she kicked off the ground with her foot. She lept over the table in front of her as her mother got ready to stab the katana that Yuuki had used for a decade into the ground again. She was going to create more tentacles.


    Yuuki barely had any more ice that she could use.


    But it wasn¡¯t zero.


    With the tiny bit of power she could control, Yuuki froze the spot directly below the katana, blocking it from penetrating the floor.


    As long as she could keep it in the air, Yuuki could stop her mother.


    ¡°Yuuukiiiii!¡± Her mother screamed her name in anger.


    Why was she siding with Ruby? Why was she standing against her? Was Yuuki some horrible daughter? Was there no love left within her mother for her?


    Yuuki¡¯s mind raced with questions as she brought her sword down on her mother. Predictably, the blade shattered to pieces as soon as it came into contact with the katana brought up to deflect it.


    Yuuki couldn¡¯t afford to waste time.


    She thought of the image of a sword again in her head.


    The katana that had been her partner for so long.


    Yuuki thought of the hilt, wrapped in cotton and adorned with gold in its kashira and habaki. In her mind, she thought of the curved blade.


    As she took a step back anticipating an attack from her mother, Yuuki was already holding a new, fully formed, blade of ice. There were less jagged edges and problems with the blade as a whole.


    Every attack, whether Yuuki defended or attacked, caused the blade to be destroyed.


    And every time, Yuuki created a better replica of ice.


    Until finally, when Yuuki¡¯s icy blade was the spitting image of the sword in her mother¡¯s hand, Yuuki found her blade locked against her mother¡¯s without it snapping into a million pieces.


    ¡°You are a disgrace to me.¡± Yuuki¡¯s mother spat words in her face as they both pushed against the other¡¯s blade with all of their might.


    ¡°You¡¯re the disgrace. Why would you align with her anyway?¡± Yuuki tried to fish for info, but was instead answered by a surge of strength from her mother, forcing her to disengage and jump back.


    Luna thrust the Katana out, a move that Yuuki would never expect. Luna knew this.


    Two vines whipped out from the hilt of the blade, shocking Yuuki.


    Was this her mother¡¯s feedback loop with the sword?


    Yuuki had learned a long time past that when a magic weapon is used by someone with a matching magic to the weapon, they would create a feedback loop that would increase both¡¯s magic by an unknowable amount.


    When she had used the blade, Yuuki always had to stab it into the ground to create vines. But it seemed her mother was different.


    Thanks to the feedback, her mother could create tentacles at any time.


    How was Yuuki going to deflect these?


    She could easily deflect one with her icy katana, but not both, And the rest of her power was used up containing Sarman.


    There was nothing she could do.


    Yuuki watched as the vines came closer.


    Time seemed to drag out to a crawl.


    ¡°YUUKI, USE IT! I¡¯M DONE!¡± Salamander¡¯s voice cut through everything.


    He was done?


    Was it true?


    If she took the ice away now, she could save herself, but what if that meant that Sarman was going to die?


    She couldn¡¯t take that risk.


    She had to find another way to survive.


    ¡°Yuuki, I swear to my father right now, but I am done. It¡¯s been over five minutes.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t even realized that it had been over five minutes. She had lost track of time, fighting her mother.


    Yuuki swallowed her breath.


    She was going to trust the spirit.


    If Salamander was lying, she was going to destroy the entire world.


    Yuuki grabbed the mass of Ice she felt behind her and quickly split it into two slabs before throwing themselves in front of her. The vines hit the slabs with a loud thunk.


    ¡°I swear, if you are lying Salamander-¡± Yuuki was caught off guard as the two vines slammed into the slab again, this time hard enough to shatter the slabs.


    Flames shot up in front of Yuuki. A tornado of fire that burned the vines to a crisp. A hand grabbed Yuuki¡¯s shoulder as he spoke.


    ¡°Salamander wasn¡¯t lying.¡±


    Sarman stood in between Yuuki and her mother. There was a giant hole in his shirt that Yuuki could see the raw skin beneath. He was barely put back together. But barely was good enough for now. At least for Yuuki it was.


    ¡°Sarman!¡± Her voice cracked as she said his name.


    ¡°HOW?!¡± Luna yelled at him. ¡°I poisoned you with an incurable poison! How are you standing there?¡±


    To her, the poison used was incurable. And certainly, before that moment, it had been. Yuuki would later learn that, to an extent, it still was. The only reason that Sarman was standing there was because Salamander had given up on analyzing the poison and had instead used the slowness of the blood¡¯s movement to burn the poison straight out of the Demi-Human¡¯s blood stream.


    Sarman living had clearly messed with Luna, as she was shakily backing up. ¡°Solus!¡±


    Before anyone could react to her shout, a blinding light stopped them all.


    When Yuuki could see again, her mother, as well as the man named ¡®Alec¡¯, had disappeared.


    ¡°Did she just yell Solus?¡± Yuuki¡¯s uncle was the one who asked the question.


    ¡°I believe she did. Nic said that he ran into them in Crystallia, so it makes sense that Solus is working with Ruby.¡± Sarman sighed as he explained what he had heard from their friend.


    Yuuki didn¡¯t care about any of that and quickly hugged Sarman. She laid her head against his chest.


    Thump. Thump.


    She could hear his heartbeat. It made her smile. But it didn¡¯t douse her fury at all.


    Once she had confirmed that he was alive and well, Yuuki slammed her fist on her chest.


    ¡°How dare you try to die like that! You aren¡¯t allowed to leave after telling me that you love me! It isn¡¯t fair!¡± Yuuki yelled at Sarman, who awkwardly looked between her and her father, the latter of which was glaring at him.


    ¡°Yuuki, can we discuss this later? I don¡¯t see Nic or Aria around.¡±


    Yuuki¡¯s eyes widened. She had almost forgotten that they had run after Ruby.


    ¡°They went after Ruby.¡±


    ¡°By themselves? We need to go after them!¡± Sarman grabbed her hand and rushed towards the door that Ruby had left through, with Nic and Aria following her. Yuuki wasn¡¯t going to let go of the discussion, but she knew she had to hold it till they had gotten through everything.


    Squeezing Sarman¡¯s hand, Yuuki picked up her pace until she was running alongside him.