ã€ŠDuology: Lightã€‹


 Prologue: World of Mana

    Simple halls adorned with white paint created a scene many would never remember in the haze that was their first day of real schooling. Every day would bleed in to the next, but what they would learn about their world would remain with them forever.

    ¡°Around the world there are many different races, many different people, many different cultures. What ties us all together is mana. All living things have it and control it while some non-living things simply contain it.

    What separates us are our elements. Mana comes from a core we can¡¯t really see or grab; we call that the mana essence. The essence begins developing while we¡¯re born but doesn¡¯t truly take shape until a child turns roughly four years of age. Then, we begin to harness one, two, maybe three different elements.

    Most people have two elements. Those with one element are more proficient with that element, but they have few options. Those with three elements have the opposite problem, many options but not much power from each element. Those with only two elements have the best of both worlds.¡±

    Here a teacher would stop their scripted ramble, look out toward the class, and ask a question not meant to be answered but instead meant to be a breather, giving students time to assess the information dump.

    ¡°What elements are there? Can anyone name them? Just one or two per student is fine.¡± The teacher would ask something of this sort, adding and/or detracting as they felt fit to do.

    ¡°Fire, water, ice, electricity, nature, earth, metal, light, dark, wind.¡± Those were all the answers typically given. Some well taught or ¡®lucky¡¯ student would answer with time or space, perhaps having one of those elements themselves.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Teachers would generally go about telling a story of their own elements or those of other users. The following weeks would be discussing the elements, perhaps asking students to share their own elements and stories. After about two months, students were deemed ready for the next concept: subsets.

    ¡°When I say options, you may think someone could use electricity well, but they may need to control the water. In actuality, people develop sets of abilities which we call subsets. While people may develop skills using a single element, their most unique skills are what people treasure. Matthew here has the elements of light and metal, which he used to make light bounce off several metal poles before hitting his father.¡±

    From there, the class would be taught about other miscellaneous facts concerning mana.

    ¡°Are there those who have no mana? No. The body cannot seem to function without it. Even while our essence forms, we are constantly absorbing mana in the air, using it, and then expelling it. That used mana goes to other living creatures or objects that cycle the used mana back into useable mana, like with air.¡±

    ¡°Today we¡¯ll talk about the difference between humans, vulfs, alzals, and devils. As you know from being a human, which I assume you all are, you are able to use two elements and blah blah blah, you know what humans can do. The other races can use an element naturally, but not proficiently unless they are born with that element. Vulfs can produce fire and are capable of withstanding temperatures of over 1500 degrees Celsius. Alzals can use their scales and light to become invisible to the naked eye, and when born with light, can copy appearances; they could look like you or me, perhaps act and speak like one of us. Devils can fly if they are born with wind, but those born without will struggle.¡±

    Students would leave the first year of mana class knowing the basics, while the next two years were spent training their elements, and the next four discovering subsets and what role each person played in society.

 Chapter 1: Family Living

    Hoots and hollers could still be heard, even a great distance away. Today was Matthew¡¯s graduation from his intermediate mana training school. Alongside his friends, Matthew was considered a prodigy, a title he was not too fond of, but accepted regardless. While everyone else looked forward to being able to leave the kingdom for missions, even if briefly, Matthew had his concerns.

    At the age of Fourteen Matthew had few adult worries to concern himself with, instead he was burdened by older brother woes. He had to keep an eye out for his ten-year-old brother Luke who not only lacked any ability to use mana but also had no element. This was unheard of untilnow and it was not looked upon emphatically. The other kids his age, some older, some younger, would mock him, tease him, and once he was even challenged to a fight. This bullying quickly ceased when Matthew stepped in. This would not last forever, and the boy knew his younger brother would need someone else to protect him soon. Luke was also not a fan of being protected despite needing it, both physically and emotionally.

    Matthew had always cheered when Luke excelled, as despite the physical handicap,he was still an ordinary boy. Matt had always tried his best to drown out the disappointment fromtheir father, but that was difficult whenhe would always praise and reward Matthew for his excellence, but rarely seemed to acknowledge Luke. Matt brought it upon himself to give Luke whatever he felt the younger sibling earned. Meanwhile, their mother, when she wasn¡¯t working at the castle, had rarely talked to them or their father.

    Snapping back to the present, Matthew glanced to his left where he could see the castle from atop the hill his home set upon. Matthew had never grown weary of the castle view across from his home. Between his father being a noble knight and his mother working within the castle, Matthew and Luke were always welcome without hesitation. Matthew rarely visited, but Luke had become great friends with the princess, a relationship that their father cherished. Matthew knew he would have to say good bye to his home soon, so he had hoped the princess would be enough to keep Luke company in his absence.

    As Matthew entered his house, he was welcomed to a familiar scene: his mother in the kitchen with an aroma that invited him to take a seat, his father reading a paper quietly too himself, and Luke keeping his head down, also remaining silent. As he seated himself next to his brother, his father had stopped what he was doing. ¡°So, how was the graduation?¡±

    ¡°It went well dad. I can¡¯t wait to start going on missions¡± he feigned excitement for his father¡¯s sake. ¡°Well don¡¯t get too excited or else you might not be able to sleep. Rhat happened to me, made the first few days hell.¡± Matthew didn¡¯t share those sentiments, but he did share the anxiety.

    ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll go out for desert, just you and me?¡± The father looked expectantly at the boy, clearly fishing for a yes. Matthew, however, was used to these treats that were never between anyone except him and his father. The older brother looked to the younger brother, hoping this time could be different. ¡°Uh, perhaps you and Luke could go? I want to remember the kingdom as much as possible before I have to go on a mission.¡± The father had simply nodded his head disapprovingly. ¡°Well, I suppose no treats then. It¡¯s your choice, but I understand wanting to steel yourself against homesickness.¡± It was clear by the man¡¯s words that he had rejected his son¡¯s proposal, but he didn¡¯t want to push the matter further.

    After a typical dinner, involving focusing solely on the food with the only sounds being the ambience of the feast, the family parted to their respective habitats. Down a narrow hall were two bedrooms and a bathroom, one bedroom for each brother. After a brief trip to his room, taking in the sight of his room as it were a new world, Matthew had left the house, making sure to alert his parents.

    As Matthew stood atop the brow of a hill, he took his time viewing the vast outstretch of country before him. His home had sat on one of the tallest hills in the kingdom, lending him vision that stretched from the front of the castle to the kingdom¡¯s wall. This wall had held the city from the outside world, various exits leading to a land many had never seen. From this wall was a long stretch of farming areas and other small, hardworking jobs, from bakeries to plumbers; they lived a rough but survivable life. Further away from the wall lived the middle class, a rather ambiguous status that could mean better than barely surviving to living comfortably. These people were the average warriors, house builders, and the occasional business owner. Finally, around Matthew¡¯s small ring were the nobility, the well known warriors, the business heads, politicians, and personal servants of the monarchy.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    The young man felt a spike of adrenaline thinking about what adventures he would have out in the world. How many monsters would he fight? What kind of people would he meet? Would he get to meet other races? What were the other cities and towns like? What were mountains like? Oceans? Forests? Matthew had lost himself in thought, as he watched the light begin to wane, giving way to beautiful twilight as the sun sunk below the kingdom wall. Although light posts had luminated a guiding path home, the boy didn¡¯t want to stay out too late.

    After some time spent in his room, organizing his decoration of shields and sword, gazing at his map, reminiscing over a terrarium that once housed a chameleon with a peculiar fondness for the boy, and analyzing his book shelf for a story to read to his brother, Matthew departed from his room. As he ventured out into the narrow hall, Matthew caught wind of a rare exchange: his parents having a conversation. Attempting to ease drop, he discovered his father and mother were simply discussing their day. While a mundane conversation, he was at least relieved his parents were still capable of having a relationship, or something resembling it.

    Upon entering Luke¡¯s room, he saw his brother was lost in thought. ¡°What you thinking about?¡± While Matthew had been taught proper conversation and always used it around his father, he knew Luke preferred casual talk. ¡°Just thinking about what to do this summer, when you¡¯re gone and all.¡±

    Tonight the conversation was going to happen, as if Matt¡¯s day wasn¡¯t filled with enough stress and anxiety. He knew it was only a matter of time, but he had been busy (procrastinating) on scripting his response. ¡°Luke, I know you¡¯re scared, but you have the princess. Nobody will mess with you while you¡¯re friends with her.¡± Luke seemed skeptical of his brother¡¯s logic. ¡°Luke look, just wait a few more years and I¡¯ll take you adventuring with me, with or without mana!¡± At this, the younger brother jumped up. ¡°You really mean that?¡± The elder brother nodded, sincere in his statement.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting close to bed time though, so why don¡¯t I tell you a story?¡± The brothers rearranged themselves, Matt pulling up a chair in the bedroom while Luke buried himself under his bed. ¡°How about the boy who cried Vulf?¡± The younger boy shook his head. ¡°Umbro Devil?¡± Again, his brother didn¡¯t seem interested. ¡°Alzal tails?¡± His audience didn¡¯t look please at the book for toddlers. ¡°Hmm, perhaps the story of the legendary city.¡± This got a gasp, the only indication Matt needed to proceed.

    ¡°Long ago, people of every race, humans, Vulf, Devils, Alzal, all gathered from far and wide. Small villages, tiny towns, humble huts, all came to one location seeking bigger, better lives. This large community became a legendary city believed to have dwarfed anything built before and after. Despite their differences, there was peace, trade, and a sense of community. Like all things remarkable, however, the city would not last forever.

    Little is known about the city, and even less about the events that transpired to its fall, but what is known is that there was a war. Our wars today are fought by many people on both sides, but this war was fought between the citizens of the city, and a handful of enemies. Those enemies? Base mana users. They may not sound special, but they were extremely dangerous in combat, so much so that despite there being less than one hundred of them, the city was in danger of falling.

    When it seemed all hope was lost, two gods came from the heavens: Lumina and Umbro. The two fended off the last of the base mana users, saving the few remaining. Those inspired by the god Umbro were instructed to head north, while those who listened to the goddess Lumina were to head south. Only humans were to head north or south, the other races were instructed to move west. And that¡¯s how we got to where we are today.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still not asleep?¡± The boy looked at his younger brother exasperatedly

    ¡°Sorry Matt, I was just so interested in your story. It¡¯s a lot better than homework.¡±

    Matthew scratched his head, unsure of what to do now that he was done telling his story. Luke had always fallen asleep before he finished the story. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re too old for someone else to be reading you stories.¡± Thinking about it, he had also considered that father was going to have his brother train daily now, as he was getting desperate for the day his brother would finally unlock his true potential, assuming whatever ailed Luke was not permanent.

    ¡°I know father¡¯s going to work you to the bone, but he just wants what¡¯s best for you. Besides, it¡¯s going to be more difficult if you don¡¯t get enough sleep.¡± He patted his brother¡¯s head, much to Luke¡¯s chagrin. Luke had let out a yawn, furthering his embarrassment. ¡°See, you¡¯re more tired than you think!¡± Luke finally gave in, pulled the cover over himself, and had tried to mimic the action of falling asleep. Matthew had exchanged goodnights with him, relieved that he found an escape.

    Although he loved his brother, he was not skilled at conversations, especially ending them. Matthew went to his bed, hoping that it would take a couple weeks, perhaps even a month before he was assigned his first mission. Perhaps that mission would be short, as some missions were only a couple of days. Whatever the case, Matthew had let himself fall to sleep, hoping tomorrow offered respite.

 Chapter 2: The Quest

    The sun shone bright on a day like any other. It was a summer day, the first day school was out and kids and teenagers everywhere rejoiced. Matthew, however, had too many things on his mind to frolic like he was six years old. Despite his best efforts, anxiety had crept its way into his sleep, twisting whatever his dream could have been in to a nightmare where Luke had ran away. Another nightmare was him finding his friends had left him behind to fight a horde of countless beast made of shadow, an impossible task that he awoke as the monsters had attempted to somehow crush him with their body mass. How a shadow had mass Matt could only chalk up to being a dumb dream, yet it was thoughts like these that filled his mind. Matthew needed many things: sleep, a serene setting to calm his mind, reassurance from someone reassuring.

    ¡°CRASH!¡± The sound of what Matt assumed was a dense projectile hitting his front yard had awoken him from his stupor. Upon inspecting the object he discovered it was in fact the leading Dragoon and his long time friend Brian Dare. This was not what Matt needed.

    ¡°Yo Matt, you¡¯re not going to believe it!¡± Matt watched as the blonde teenager pulled his head from the ground, wondering if he could pull up weeds or buried treasure while he was at it. ¡°Brian, please tell me you¡¯re here to tell me something stupid this time.¡± As Brian stood up straight, as if to impress Matt despite his head only meeting Matt¡¯s chest, his expression told of unfortunate news. ¡°Wow, when I want to tell you something cool, you say you want to hear something urgent. Now that I want to tell you something urgent, you wanna hear something cool but not urgent! Make up your mind man!

    Matt was becoming increasingly impatient with his obnoxious friend. ¡°Well anyways, I was told to find you straight away. As for why, the others said it was an urgent message from the queen. She said she wanted to deliver it to us personally.¡± Matt tensed up at the idea, as if the queen was punishing him for some misdeed he had forgotten about. Brian motioned his friend along, the two making their way to the castle entrance.

    Matthew was glad to see Jessica, Eric, and Adriana were also getting the news, yet the grim possibility of being sent on a mission seemed guaranteed.

    ¡°Hey Matt, did Brian tell you?¡± He nodded his head at Jessica¡¯s question, ¡°All he told me was that it was urgent. Do you know what we¡¯re actually doing?¡± The mage gave a sigh in response, joined by Eric Telah the team cleric and Adriana Yvet their scout. ¡°The queen is sending on a big mission, one that will inspire the rest of the kingdom. Or at least that¡¯s what she said.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s expected to take two years¡± the short cleric added. Matts eyes widened. ¡°Yes, two years. When you get home, make a list, pack your stuff, check the list, pack the things you forgot, check the list again, pack even more stuff, check your bag, leave out some stuff, and then rip the list up and put a few things back in.¡± There was a moment of silence, a few stares thrown at the yellow cloak. ¡°What? It¡¯s how I always prepare.¡±

    ¡°Thanks Eric, we¡¯ll be sure not to do that.¡± The rogue had pushed Eric aside, knowing the last thing Matt needed was anxiety. ¡°If you have anything you want to tell your brother before the trip, do so tonight. We¡¯re heading out tomorrow, and we won¡¯t be coming back to the kingdom until we¡¯re done.¡± Matt shook his head, his worst nightmare coming to fruition. ¡°Thanks Adriana.¡±

    Upon entering the throne room, the group kneeled before the queen: a slender woman in a white dress, long white hair, with a regal voice to match her fair complexion. ¡°You five are the kingdom¡¯s pride, the brightest and biggest of our future. It is for this reason that I have selected you to inspire many by going on a long, if trivial, task. Not only will you showcase your talent to those below you, you will aid and inspire other countries, spreading our kingdom¡¯s name and rekindling relationships that have gone a fowl. You five will escort a group of archaeologists, hailing from the city of Temperas, from monsters that halt their progress. Once they have acquired what they seek, guide them safely from their excavation site to their city. You will leave on the morrow. Have I made myself clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes my queen,¡± Matthew spoke up. This quest sounded too simple. To inspire many by merely doing his job? It sounded as if there would be more to the task. Besides that, what if he failed? How many people would he let down? No, he had to succeed, he had to inspire, he had to-

    ¡°Matt, buddy.¡± Matthew had snapped out of a trance like state, regaining his peripheral vision and realizing his friend was waving his arm in front of his face. Looking around, he noticed the others were already leaving. As he rushed to keep up, Brian following right behind, his face was burning red as he pieced together what had taken place.

    As the group parted ways and Matthew arrived home, he explained the queen¡¯s mission statement, being careful to leave out the embarrassing incident. Their reactions were as he imagined: his mother and father were happy for him and told him to stay sharp and safe. Luke, on the other hand, was despondent. During Dinner, Matthew noticed his parents had an unusually cheerful demeanor, something he felt was both surreal and oddly scary. He tried to forget the dinner, not being able to accept this change his parent, but also how depressed Luke had become.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Matt knocked on his brother¡¯s room, hoping he could even attempt to reassure Luke one last time. As the door cracked open, he could see Luke holding a book; he was happy Luke hopefully had a hobby. ¡°Hey, little brother, you know¡­¡± Matt paused. He didn¡¯t know what to say or how to say it. ¡°You¡¯re not going to be gone for two whole years, right?¡± Matthew¡¯s heart sank at this. ¡°Brother look-¡± Matthew tried again to gain some ground, but his brother merely closed his door, rejecting any comfort Matthew could offer. Matt knocked, praying to get through, but he garnered no response.

    Matthew had returned to the hall after some time passed, trying again, but to no avail. After packing his stuff, making sure not to use the Eric method of packing, he tried one last attempt; still, no answer. Matthew began to walk away in defeat, but a creaking door had stopped his, as his brother ushered him in.

    The two sat on Luke¡¯s bed, side by side. Awkward silence flooded the room, Matthew figuring out how best to comfort his little brother. ¡°Matthew, I¡¯m gonna miss you.¡±

    ¡°Luke, I know you will, and I¡¯m going to miss you too. You know I¡¯ll be back as soon as I¡¯m done, and I¡¯ll be right by your side the day I¡¯m back!¡± Matthew knew he wouldn¡¯t always be there for his brother, but he tried his best in spite of that fact. Those days where Luke had to fend for himself were the ones Matthew feared most. ¡°You don¡¯t need mana to be a great person Luke. You have Elizabeth, she cares for you and nobody will ever mess with her.¡± Looking down at his brother, Matthew could see his speech was having little effect.

    ¡°Matt, I know everyone is scared of the princess, but she¡¯s not always around. People also make fun of me for needing her. They call me a wimp.¡± Matt shook his brother¡¯s hair before pulling him close. ¡°Luke, don¡¯t worry about what any of them say; even if you never get strong, you will always have the princess, and that¡¯s bigger than what any of them will ever have. Besides, if she has to, she can kick their butts, and being beaten by a girl scares them a lot more than you think.¡±

    ¡°Heh, I guess so,¡± Luke giggled as he imagined his bullies being kicked around by the small princess. ¡°Get some rest Luke, you¡¯ll need it when I¡¯m gone.¡± With that, Matt left Luke to his book.

    ¡°You¡¯ve become quite the big brother, Matthew.¡± The boy practically jumped out of his skin hearing what he swore was a stranger¡¯s voice; he turned to see his mother, standing in the hall. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re learning, you¡¯ll have kids yourself one day, and you¡¯ll be glad you had a brother to show you how stubborn they can be. If all goes well, Luke and the princess will too.¡± He watched his mother leave, perturbed by the last thing she said. As he sat on his bed, Matthew let previous event filter out of his mind as nodded off.

    The morning felt like any other for Matt as he got dressed, ate breakfast, and had made sure everything was packed. Besides spare cloths, his trusty sword and shield, and his antique yet resplendent map, Matt had made sure to bring his wallet, in it enough coins for food and laundry. As Matt confronted Luke in the hall, there were no words exchanged, merely a long hug before the two left the house together, but Luke splintered off towards the castle.

    Matthew headed to the city entrance, practically a journey in itself. He saw all his friends had packed too, though he wondered how prepared Eric was with his patented ¡®method¡¯. They were not alone, however, as Matt took notice of three adults, two males and one female in tan jackets and cargo shorts. While they had looked uniform, the woman¡¯s jacket was decorated with a pendant.

    ¡°So you¡¯re the leader of the archeologist group?¡± Matthew¡¯s question was met with a huff, an agitated look from the woman, and a rude remark. ¡°Perhaps if you weren¡¯t so late, I wouldn¡¯t have to reiterate my monologue for the twelfth time today!¡± The teen stumbled back both apologetic and startled by the woman¡¯s hostility. ¡°And you don¡¯t even start by asking my name? I see this place doesn¡¯t raise any gentlemen!¡± Matt glanced over to his friends who were just as confused as him.

    ¡°Heh, just kidding,¡± The woman laughed to herself. ¡°My name is Anita Wellsprout, and yes, I am head of the archeologist team, or as you call it, the leader. Don¡¯t worry, I waited until everyone was here to explain our mission.¡± Matthew was blinked a few times, still trying to assess what happened and trying to understand the twisted ¡®humor¡¯ this woman had.

    ¡°Ahem, on to business. We will be heading up north. Along the lines of the mountain range until we reach the city of legend. As you may or may not know, the city does in fact exist. We still know little about the city, but a scout has informed us of various artifacts within the ruins; we figure they¡¯ll be key to discovering the city¡¯s history.¡±

    ¡°So why do you need us¡± Brian chimed in, ¡°we¡¯re not treasure hunters, and Jessy is so clumsy she could make a pot fall over by looking at it.¡± Jessica slapped Brian over the head, knowing he was referring to the time she knocked over a vase in an otherwise empty room. Her job was to make sure the vase didn¡¯t fall.

    ¡°The city is home to many different species of monsters that have built their nests there. We are no fighters, and in fact our scout barely survived just surveilling the outskirts of the city. If we could just take what we wanted, we would have done so by now. What¡¯s more, we fear those monsters would attack us hordes if we sent tons of fighters out to brute force the situation. That¡¯s why only five of you will be better than requesting your whole army.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not really assassins,¡± Adriana stepped in, ¡°but we have about four brains among us, and Brian, so we should be able to come up with a plan.¡± The others chuckled, Brian merely taking the insult knowing Adriana could use anything he said against him.

    With introductions out of the way, the group headed out north. As the Matthew and friends passed the gate, they took in the environment stretching before them. Vast lands covered in trees, plains. The group headed out by wagon, Jessica and Eric admiring the horses as they pulled the vehicle, while Matthew, Brian, and Adriana watched the kingdom come in to view, then disappear behind the trees.

    ¡°Take care, Luke.¡±

 Chapter 3: Boarish Encounter

    Anita watched the kids in amusement but was a tad concerned as they eagerly took in the sights that passed the wagon''s vision. ¡°You kids act like you¡¯ve never seen trees before.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve never left the kingdom before,¡± Matthew turned to Anita, ¡°you¡¯re not supposed to leave the kingdom before fourteen, and some people live their whole lives in Lumina.¡±

    ¡°So, you kids have never seen the outside? How did you become monster hunters?¡± Anita was concerned over the experience of her team¡¯s bodyguards, as any adult would if they were being escorted by teenagers.

    ¡°Simple, monster tamers would take them into the city. They would let us fight them, make sure we didn¡¯t get hurt too bad.¡± That answered one question, but did they fight big monsters or chumps?

    ¡°Oh, good, I was worried you kids were all talk. What kind of monsters have you fought any ways?¡±

    ¡°All sorts. Hiboars, Loboars, Emboaronze¡­lot of boars now that I think about it. We¡¯ve fought Fowlcrows, Octoplants, Matthew even stood up against a Hellion!¡± Anita looked puzzled at all the names thrown her way. She needed details to see if what she had seen matched the names of these monsters.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to explain all of these to me. What¡¯s a high boar? And a low boar? Do they share similarities?¡±

    Eric rubbed his hands together in anticipation. ¡°A Hiboar is like the leader of a tribe and loboars are their followers. The Hiboar walks on its hind legs while the Loboar walk on all fours; each has a mark to show they below to the same tribe. Alone they¡¯re harmless, some people having Loboars for pets. Hiboars occasionally try to steal food but even a four year old can beat them up. Together, they cause trouble for villages, from shenanigans like ruined crops to outright destroying villages and even killing people!¡± This shocked the researcher.

    ¡°Oh my, and are Emboaronze part of their ranks?¡± Eric shook his head at this. ¡°No, they¡¯re fire boars that live alone. Emboaronze would tear apart Hiboars and Loboars.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating. What of Fowlcrows and Octoplants?¡±

    ¡°Fowlcrows are big black birds that like to hide in the shadows. Not just in building shadows or tree shadows, but even in the shadows of animals and people. They don¡¯t prey on humans, but they can be pretty mean; some people have used them to gather information or find objects, especially war generals. They like to hunt Octoplants, which are carnivorous plants that like eat just about anything. They¡¯re very cunning, walk on eight roots, and are just as likely to eat monsters as they are animals or people.¡±

    Anita felt scared and excited, recalling when she was a little girl reading horror novels. ¡°How terrifying. What of Hellions? I presume they¡¯re some kind of lion creature.¡±

    ¡°No, scorpion. They live in mountains and are mostly like scorpions, but they don¡¯t like sand and have razors in their claws. Some monster tamer once raised a hellion to travel the mountain range and used his claws to cut metal sheets and bring them back as supplies.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you seemed excited that Matthew fought one, now I see why.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Yeah, Matt once had to fight one all alone. During class, the teacher had a tamer bring one out and chose Matt to fight against it. The Hellion tried to grab him with his right claw, then his left, but Matt jumped back each time, smacking the claws with his sword. This went on a bit before the thing used its tail, but Matt blocked it with his shield and slapped it away. The tamer called the creature back, but not before Matt got to pet it and take a ride on up the school building¡­lucky.¡± At that remark, the boy laughed, ¡°I was scared going up that building. The guy told me to hold on to the carapace, but I was still afraid I¡¯d lose my grip.¡±

    ¡°Wow, I bet you all have exciting feats!¡±

    ¡°Well Jessy once froze a classroom by accident. Also froze a student solid by sneezing.¡± Eric could feel said girl glaring a hole through his head. Before he could continue, he felt a hand messing up his already messy hair, ¡°Tell her about how I once jumped from one end of the city to the other!¡±

    ¡°Well I mean you just told her yourself,¡± Eric sounded annoyed but was secretly grateful for his friend jumping in, ¡°and Adriana-¡° Eric¡¯s mouth was suddenly covered by her hand, ¡°saved him from thugs when he wouldn¡¯t stop running his mouth. As you can see, some things never change.¡±

    ¡°And what do you do exactly?¡± Anita focused her gaze on Eric himself. ¡°You talk about everyone else, but you haven¡¯t mentioned yourself yet.¡± She watched the boy sink back, his eagerness falling away.

    ¡°I¡¯m the cleric, the guy that hangs back in case anyone gets a cut or a bruise. I don¡¯t really do much, I just tag along.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short, a combat medic is possibly the most valuable role any fighter could ask for, heck even that a normal person could ask for. People get hurt all the time, often by no fault of their own.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the confidence boost, but they don¡¯t need me. Maybe one day, but right now I¡¯m happy to just tag along.¡± The woman watched as the boy faking a smile, but was quickly distracted by a large mass of brown ahead of the wagon.

    The wagon stopped, the group exiting to see a tribe of Loboars ahead of them. ¡°Are these the Loboars you were talking about?¡± Anita was surprised at the group of monsters ahead of them. ¡°Yeah. No worries, I can handle them in one fell swoop¡± Jessica exclaimed proudly, preparing a large attack, but Matt and Brian rushed ahead. ¡°Jess, keep Anita company, me and Matt need to stretch!¡± Jessica pouted as the two boys rushed toward the boars, ¡°I never get to have any fun.¡±

    As the first boar rushed into Matt, he picked the creature up with his shield and sent it flying to the side. Brian poked one with his spear, grabbing it by the snout before sending the poor boar flying into the crowd, knocking many back along with the bowling boar. As the two continued to slash and stab, the Loboars began to flee, leaving a tall boar to deal with his foes. The Hiboar raised a club over his head, running at the boys in offensive manner that had them looking at each other in confusion. The two stepped aside, holding their legs out as the tribe leader tripped over and felt face first into the dirt. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re having pork tonight!¡± Brian¡¯s words had caused the Hiboar to pick itself up post-haste as it desperately fled in a fit of panic.

    ¡°What a wonderful display!¡± Anita and the researchers seem over joyed at the victory, but the group of warriors were rather indifferent. ¡°They should be the thankful ones to be honest. It¡¯s been awhile since we last fought anything and those two especially need to stretch their muscles.¡± Jessica turned to the rogue inquisitively, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t make another ¡®Brian is an idiot¡¯ joke.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because, unlike you, I have a sense of humor and know when a joke gets stale.¡± The mage lit up profusely. ¡°Oooooh snap!¡± Brian regretted that reaction, as he could feel his body temperature drop rapidly. ¡°Shut up! Nobody asked you!¡±

    Anita simply giggled at the war one response had sparked. ¡°I see you¡¯re enjoying the fight we have between our friends too,¡± the rogue turned to the researcher, ¡°good, cause there¡¯s going to be a lot more of it.¡± Adriana went to stop Jessica from beating Brian to death with her staff while also making sure not to get beaten herself.

    ¡°Is it always this exciting?¡± One of the men asked Matt. ¡°Yeah, pretty much.¡±

 Chapter 4: Night on the Town

    As the wagon approached a town, Anita had a moment of reflection. She had always read stories of knights with sword, shields, and plate armor, two of which Matt had; his lack of plate armor made sense to the woman though, as the clothes they wore were specifically tailored to allow better mana proficiency, especially for self-defense. No such luck with the cool wind whipping the wagon as it sped along, the kid¡¯s short sleeved shirts and shorts giving them no protection. The men were used to these cold winds, there city being frigid most of the year unlike these tropical and arid regions. ¡®They might have laughed at our lab coats back at home, but we¡¯re getting the last laugh now¡¯ Anita smiled devilishly to herself.

    As the wagon stopped, the groups leapt out, leaving one researcher to take the carriage to a building in the distance. ¡°Believe it or not, we don¡¯t have carriages where we come from. Anthony learned how to drive one pretty quick, one reason I like having him around.¡±

    Looking at the kids, the older woman hadn¡¯t noticed before that the leader of the teens was eye level with her, quite tall for his age, and rather humorous compared to the blonde spear wielder who was on the opposite end of the spectrum; perhaps his short stature made him more aerodynamic?

    As the group looked for an inn, the researchers couldn¡¯t help but note the quaint town¡¯s surreal amount of modern conveniences. There were laundry mats, modern looking restaurants, and the Inn had somewhat resembled a motel. ¡®If it has a dirty pool and a leaky air conditioner, I¡¯m going to start feeling homesick.¡¯

    ¡°No monsters in the bathroom, under the bed, or in the closet¡± Eric reported from inside his room. ¡°Will you kids be fine with one room?¡± Before Eric could respond, Adriana cut him off again, as was her job, ¡°Yes. Me and Jessica take one bed, Matthew and Brian take the other. Eric will sleep on the floor.¡± Eric prayed she was joking, but this wouldn¡¯t be his first night getting acquainted with the ground.

    The group was ready to head out for a relaxing day before the real work began, but Matthew had signaled Anita to stay behind, letting the others know to wait for them.

    ¡°I am curious, what are we facing that only takes the five of us but also takes two years to do? As the leader of the group, I have to know what we¡¯re up against so I know how to prepare.¡±

    ¡°As you know,¡± Anita took in a deep breathe, ¡°we sent out a scout to search the area. That was a lie. In truth, our group wasn¡¯t offered such a luxury, and in fact we were blessed to even be able to leave the city. Unlike your kingdom, which lets you kids run around the continent as soon as you start fighting puberty, our city does not like people leaving or entering the continent.¡±

    ¡°So you searched the area yourself then? I imagine that are more than Hi and Loboars hanging around the area?¡± Matthew was now concerned and more than a little suspicious. How important was this mission actually? These people seemed to not be looked highly upon from their own city, and if that was the case, how much money did they have to be asking for help?

    ¡°The other two men joined me, but I was the only one even capable of peering into the city proper. Do you see this?¡± Anita pulled the left tail of her coat aside to reveal a gun, ¡°I can channel water through this gun, a strong enough blast to kill those boars, but it takes enough time to channel lethal force that killing is a last resort. As you can imagine, we weren¡¯t capable of dealing with the sheer number of monsters hanging around the city.¡±

    ¡°What did you see in the city though? Can you give some kind of estimate of their numbers?¡±

    ¡°All of the things your friend described: the boars, the Fowlcrows, Octoplants, and even a Hellion. If that weren¡¯t enough, we saw several Hiboars, one in particular looked several times larger than what you faced, both in height and weight.¡±

    Matthew was fretting over this new beast, never imagining a ferocious Hiboar. ¡°More than one Hiboar can lead a tribe if it becomes too complexed, but I¡¯ve never heard of a exceptionally strong or mean Hiboar, they always let their minions do the work.¡±

    ¡°Getting through one of the gates was a laborious effort that took hours, and it was only a couple feet. I probably killed an entire tribe, picking off boar after boar that all lived in the abandoned homes that overpopulated the entrance. The city itself was just as packed.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll be sure to tell the others.¡± The boy sighed to himself, his mind trying to process the grim image presented. His mind filled with the scene of his kingdom without any buildings, flooded with the bodies of monsters; that was why this would take two years, that was why the kingdom selected them, the ¡®prodigies¡¯ to help with this task. At the same time, Matt couldn¡¯t help but consider again how independent the archeologist group really was if they could not get a scout and instead had to brave the country by themselves.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    As the two joined their respective groups at a restaurant, Matthew had filled in the group, each one realizing the daunting task ahead. ¡°That¡¯s crazy, but it sounds like crazy fun.¡± Brian expected his chipper attitude would get him chewed out. ¡°You guys can sit out this time, keep the researchers company; let me and Adriana have our fun.¡± Adrianna nodded, ¡°I agree, you two had all the fun, it¡¯s our time to shine.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of ¡®our¡¯ fun, me and Jessica need to do¡­girl things, so you boys go find something to do, alright?¡± Matthew, Eric, and Brian all looked confused at the girls. ¡°Do we want to know?¡± The girls simply nodded their head, leaving the boys to ponder what to do, realizing too late the girls had also left them with the bill. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± one of the men had walked over, ¡°it¡¯s on us.¡± The boys were grateful, especially when they noticed the men were in a similar situation.

    ¡°So, what do you girls plan on doing?¡± The aforementioned party jumped, only to realized it was just the head archeologist behind them, ¡°well, since we¡¯re going to fighting for a while, we may as well shop for certain necessities and maybe something cute while we¡¯re at it.¡±

    As the sun floated from its perch down to the trees, the girls agreed it was time to head back.

    ¡°So that other boy said you once sneezed so hard you froze somebody solid. Is that true?¡± The redhead¡¯s face matched her hair, ¡°Yeah, he was the one I froze. Back before I¡­¡± the girl stopped, sighing to herself, ¡°before I really had any friends, I met Eric one day. He was talking about something, I wasn¡¯t paying attention, and I was about ready to slap him; that¡¯s when I felt a sneeze, probably the biggest I ever had. For a moment, I was just going to sneeze the other way, but right in time, I got the idea to sneeze on him. I was just hoping it would shut him up, I didn¡¯t know it would lose control for a second.¡± Anita crossed her arms, enjoying the story, ¡°I see. So how did you unfreeze him?¡±

    ¡°I started to panic, which caused Matthew and Brian to find us. Brian does more than just blow air, he can blow hot air. Literally, he used his fire to unfreeze him. That¡¯s how I ended up meeting them all. I was the last one.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell her about your little crush on Matthew when you first met him?¡± Adriana gave the red head a sheepish smile, but Jessica was done being the punching bag. ¡°Are you going to tell her about your current crush on Eric?¡± Adriana quickly turned away, Jessica drinking in her revenge, no matter how small and petty.

    ¡°Oh the joys of being married, I don¡¯t have to worry about crushes anymore.¡± The girls stopped their bickering and began egging one another on before Jessica worked up the nerve to ask a question, ¡°Anita, i-if you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­how old are you?¡± The woman huffed, becoming indignant at the question, ¡°You know it¡¯s rude to ask a woman that!¡± The redhead began to feel guilty, but Anita quickly lowered her fa?ade, ¡°I¡¯m a wife, but my husband doesn¡¯t have gray hair yet, so he¡¯s not for sale. And my daughter is only ten, but I know when I get back, I¡¯ll be dealing with my own teenager.¡±

    ¡°Ten? That¡¯s Luke¡¯s age.¡± Adriana blurted out. ¡°Luke?¡± Anita seemed confused at the name, yet it sounded oddly familiar. ¡°Yeah, Matthew¡¯s brother.¡± It hit the woman that the boy had said the name while they left the kingdom. ¡°Oh, well if he¡¯s half as good looking and well mannered as his brother, I¡¯ll definitely see about sending my daughter is way.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of Matthew,¡± The girls stopped outside beside the inn, ¡°where are the guys? I hope they¡¯re not still paying the bill?¡±

    As the sun floated from its perch down to the trees, a ball whizzed high in to the air before being sent down at blistering speeds via an aerodynamic blonde.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice the city has a volleyball court, I was afraid we¡¯d have to shop with the girls.¡± Matthew nodded to Brian¡¯s comment, even if he didn¡¯t mind shopping and had been hoping to plan with the group some more. ¡°I hope we¡¯re not bad competition. It¡¯s been years since I was on junior varsity, and this fat man over there needs his exercise.¡± As the ball was sent up, said fat man was able to send it flying, Matt signaling to Brian to let him have a shot; after further the gap, the group agreed Matt and Brian far out performed to older, out of shape men.

    ¡°So how did you boys get to know each other?¡± Matthew chuckled to himself, recalling his first encounter with Brian was not unlike the one a few days ago. ¡°I met Brian during the first week of school when I was ten. He was training to be a dragoon, but he hadn¡¯t mastered floating with the wind, so he was crashing with the earth. When I asked if he was okay, he just ignored my question and introduced himself, and that was that.¡± Brian simply nodded his head, having no more to add.

    ¡°And what about him,¡± one of the men pointed to Eric, who was enjoying the show from a bench, ¡°how did you three end up meeting?¡± Brian cut in this time, ¡°Me and Matt were rushing to get to class, on the way we notice Eric being held up by some bigger kids, so without stopping, we ran, picked him up, noticed the two jerks on the floored, ran over them to get to class, and we never saw from them since.¡±

    The men looked to the sky, ¡°It¡¯s getting dark, I think the girls are gonna kill us.¡± It was Brian¡¯s turn to huff, ¡°They owe us for that bill, I think they can wait a few minutes. Besides, what are they going to do? Make us sleep on the floor?¡±

    As the Moon began to rise, the separate points of view coalesced, but not without karmic retribution. ¡°Whose idea was it to spend all night at a volleyball court?!¡± Jessica¡¯s fury was met with two fingers pointed at Eric. ¡°Alright, you both can sleep on the floor then while Eric gets the bed.¡± And so, Eric slept comfortably on his bed while the two boys had to keep each other company on the floor.

 Chapter 5: Ancient Beast Battles

    A wagon stops a distance from a massive city, kicking up the desert dust as it did. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re here. I know you kids want your sleep, but I think seeing this will wake you right up!¡±

    As Matt¡¯s group laid their eyes on the city, Anita¡¯s claim came to fruition. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for all the sand, I¡¯d think we were back in Lumina.¡± Eric looked at the wall that formed a ring around the city. ¡°I¡¯m guessing Lumina based its design on this city.¡±

    ¡°Anita, do you know where the entrances are?¡± The mage was met with a shrug. ¡°We arrived from the west, but I have no idea which entrance I found. All I know is that there were tons of those loboars.¡±

    ¡°The hell is that?¡± Brian pointed toward a building rising above the walls of the kingdom, threatening to breach the clear blue sky above. ¡°Not sure. Judging from how big it is and how far away it is, it¡¯s got to be important.¡± Eric moved his eyes from the sky-high structure back down to the wall, ¡°Think we should look for entrances. Brian-¡± Eric turned expectantly toward Brian who understood what signal he was sending, ¡°on it.¡± Brian formed an orb in his, the orb pulling in the air around the groups. As the sphere turned red, Brian threw it toward the ground before jumping on top of it. To the researcher¡¯s surprise, Brian went flying.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he normally jump?¡± Anita looked toward Eric for an explanation, but Matthew jumped in, ¡°It takes less energy and he gets more lift, at least that¡¯s what he¡¯s told me.¡±

    ¡°Eric, wait for Brian, maybe see if there¡¯s an entrance nearby. The rest of us are going to look for other openings.¡± Eric nodded at the knight before watching his means of transportation disappear around the ring of the ruins. ¡°I hope this isn¡¯t the next two years.¡± Eric sighed to himself.

    The boy began searching the area before stumbling upon an elliptical opening, peering inside to see an empty area, no monsters or anything. Summoning all his bravado, he took a couple steps forward before he heard a pounding sound. To his right, a hiboar was using a tool on wooden column. The hiboar stopped, looked toward Eric, then turned back and continued his work. Curiosity had overtaken fear and rational thinking,the cleric stepping forward to watch the creature. The loud pounding had drowned out the large figure approaching him, his vision going dark before he could react to a shadow overtaking his body.

    With a bird¡¯s eye view over the city, Brian began mapping the city. ¡°Caw, caw.¡± The dragoon quickly snapped toward the source of a sound that had filled him with terror. Looking behind him, he caught view of a large fowlcrow chasing behind him. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll get a fight in before lunch.¡± The dragoon dove towards the roof of a building, the fowlcrow keeping pace.

    ¡°Looks like we found an entrance, who should go?¡± Anita looked at the group, but Adriana was already gone, ¡°She seems eager.¡± As the rogue made her way in to the market place, she hid herself inside the shade of some wrecked awnings. The area was inhabited by loboars who had not seen her enter, nor were they immediately aware as she pulled them in to the shadows to be slaughtered.

    ¡°Seems like there¡¯s entrances in all the cardinal directions. You and me Anita.¡± Matthew has stood up straight, prepping himself until he felt a hand on his shoulder, ¡°wait, you want me to join you?¡± Her question was met by a smile, ¡°You know the area better than any of us. Besides, you¡¯ll be safer with me than if Jessica takes all three of you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know the area that well though, I was in constant panic. Now that I think about it, I don¡¯t even remember if the first thing I saw were homes or marketplaces.¡± The woman¡¯s protests were met with indifference, the wagon already long gone before she could get a second opinion. ¡°Well then¡­lead the way.¡±

    ¡°You two, leave the wagon here and stay close.¡± The men shadowed their escort, tripping over each other at the slightest provocation of a beast. ¡°Not that close you two.¡± Jessica simply nodded her head, freezing surrounding loboars before they could attack the men.

    ¡°Caw!¡± echoed mighty call of an eight-foot black bird as itapproached its prey. Pecking at the dragoon, it hit the air sharply where the boy used to be. Thejuke was followed by a strong stab from a spear, the bird flying backward to avoid taking the full impact. Before the fowlcrow could continue, Brian created a strong wind stream in front of, disconbobulating discombobulating the bird. Brian jumped forward into the stream, taking another stab at the bird that was desperately trying to regain control, the combined momentum sending the two crashing onto another roof. ¡°Caaaaw¡± the bird let out one final call, Brian standing proud over the victory. ¡°Well that was fun, better check in with the others.¡±

    He began making his way back toward the entrance, but something caught his eye: what appeared to be the giant hiboar that Matthew talked about. Taking a closer look, Brian saw an unconscious Eric in the creatures left arm. The dragoon was about to pounce the creature, but saw it was surrounded by a slew of minions. ¡°Dang it Eric, first Jess now this thing. How do you always manage to get into trouble?¡± He followed the travelling mob from the rooftops.

    ¡°Phew¡± the rogue wiped sweat from her head, a pile of loboars surround the plaza, ¡°was nice of Anita to kill two or three of these things, too bad there¡¯s a hundred more.¡± Adriana only just caught her breath before her throat was suddenly occupied by her heart. The girl saw she wasn¡¯t the only predator of these pathetic creatures, her eyes darting to an octoplant chowing down on a loboar. The sight was gruesome, but it paled in comparison when the plant creature noticed her, approaching her on its strange appendages. The way the creature walked was surreal, the girl freezing in terror as it closed the distance. Wrapping its roots around the girl, she narrowly jumped back, calming her nerves and preparing to retaliate.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Acting quickly, the girl threw a bolt of electricity at the monster, but the plant was not phased, continuing to approach with its erratic walk cycle. The girl continued to attack, backing away into one of the awnings until she hit a wall. The bud on the creature opened wide, revealing an array of razor sharp teeth; as it cornered the girl it lashed forward to take a massive chomp. The creature chomped down, but it reeled its head back in confusion, the girl disappearing right in front of it. Before the octoplant could assess the situation, it was decapitated by a blade from the shadows. Adriana separated the roots with ease, ending the monster¡¯s reign of terror. The girl hadn¡¯t noticed she was in a different area then when she started; as she tried to find her way back, she took notice a creature passing by. What caught her eye was that it carried an unconscious Eric in its arm, ¡°oh come on!¡±

    ¡°Did people really used to live here?¡± Matthew admired the upkeep of the cloth keeping large areas shaded. Though they were torn in places, they still provided plenty of shade to loboars who seemed content resting instead of attacking the duo. ¡°I may have been mistaken; on second glance, these appear to be marketplaces. It would make sense, letting people come in to buy goods while also adding more room between the outer wall and living areas. These were probably unimportant, immediate places for travelers to shop. The popular stores are likely inward.¡± Before she could continue her spiel, a foreign sound had stopped her cold. Scanning their surroundings, Matthew caught sight of a Hellion approaching from a narrow alley.

    Matthew moved passed Anita, bracing himself for the Hellion¡¯s claws. The Hellion attempted to crush Matt with his left claw, but it was crushed by the boy¡¯s shield, the creature reeling back in pain. As he moved toward the retreating creature, it made a move he hadn¡¯t expected: it began strafing to his right. Matthew immediately raised his shield in case it believed it would catch him off-guard. Once the two had effectively switched places, the Hellion spun around, now facing Anita. The teen¡¯s eyes widened, only now realizing he was no longer the target.

    Before it could reach its target, Matthew channeled his mana into his sword. Stabbing the ground, two metal beams rose in front of the creature, halting its approach before it was punctured. Having bought himself some time, Matthew brought his sword skyward, incasing it with a brilliant light that reflected off the beams with increased intensity, forcing Anita to look away and temporarily blinding the creature. With one final thrust to the ground, one more rod had risen below the creature, penetrating the hellion¡¯s carapace.

    ¡°I hope you can still see after all of that.¡± Anita risked opening her eyes to see her savior offering a hand. Pulling herself up, her response was stopped by a horn being blown from the south. All around the two, the loboars awoke from their slumber, making their way toward the source of the sound, paying no mind to the humans or the corpse of a giant predator. ¡°Let¡¯s follow them.¡± Matthew wanted to question the woman, but she was already wading through the boars, eventually finding a seat on top of one.

    Two men of science began rubbing their arms from the chills being given off by the large chunks of ice surrounding countless loboars. ¡°Sigh, the others are probably beating up all sorts of cool things. Then there¡¯s me, escorting two adult babies around while making boar-cicles¡± the mage nodded to herself. ¡°Clang Clang¡± the sound of metal hitting the rock path had caught the girl¡¯s attention. What looked to be a loboar surrounded in bronze armor with a blazing mohawk and tail had stood between the group and an alleyway. ¡°Ooh, a new challenger has stepped up to the plate.¡±

    The girl attempted to surround the beast in ice, but the blaze emanating off the monster prevented it from being frozen like its brethren. As the emboaronze rushed forward, the girl quickly made an ice slope that caused it to slide over her head, narrowly avoiding the two men who had to jump away from the landing sight. The boar landed with a loud thud, its feet stuck in the ground. Taking advantage of the situation, the girl summoned a large ice pillar with a sharp point. As the pillar came down, it pierced the armor and finished the animal inside.

    Before she could make a witty victory quip, a horn had signaled surrounding boars to its location. ¡°Let¡¯s go boys!¡± The men looked each other, ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± They turned to see the girl was already riding one of the boars down the alley.

    While following the blue beast, the dragoon noticed a figured jumping from boar to boar. Lowering himself to the rooftop, he noticed it was Adriana. Gently floating down on top of one of the herding boars, the creature giving an irritated grunt as he did so, he tapped the girl¡¯s shoulder, ¡°So I beat up an overgrown bird, what about you.¡± Startled, the girl jumped, ¡°Brian! Could you at least bring a flower in case I did from one of the heart attacks you give me? Also, I killed a creepy plant.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Brian began, but was cut off by the massive building at the end of the isle, the entrance of which was surrounded by a sea of boars. As the two closed in on the entrance, they noticed fowlcrows flying overhead, hellions and octoplants crawling up the walls, and hiboars standing on higher ground. ¡°Hey look, it¡¯s Matt!¡± Brian turned to their left, waving his arm at Matthew and Anita. ¡°Over there, it¡¯s Jessy!¡± Adriana waved to the girl, the two men not far behind, one too excited to be riding a slow-moving animal, the other hanging on for dear life.

    As Brian and Adriana rode in to the entranced, they noticed that all the other boars had veered left or right, but their boars were heading straight. Looking back, Matthew and Jessica¡¯s were too. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re getting special treatment. Even the monsters know we¡¯re important.¡± At this, the boar flung Brian off harshly before continuing its path, ¡°Was it something I said?¡±

 Chapter 6: Colosseum Showdown

    At the end of the short hall, light stretched forward. Straining his eyes, Matthew could see a circular platform rising several feet above the ground. Exiting the hall, the group became privy to the crowd around them. bleachers filled with a plethora of creatures. Boars lining the bleachers, octoplants clinging to the walls, fowlcrows perched at the top, all creating a ruckus as the group were escorted to the arena. ¡°You kids got this!¡± Anita and the two men dismounted their boars and stood by in the field.

    It was then that Matthew pointed straight ahead, all eyes had directed toward a specially designed part of the colosseum where the large boar sat atop a luxurious throne. The group watched as the creature lifted Eric with his left arm before tossing him into the ring. Gunning forward, Adriana transformed her body into lightning, zipping across the field in an instant before returning to her natural state, catching and saving Eric from a nasty plummet.

    The others tried to join Adriana but were cut off by a large brown worm that had smashed its way from under the concrete. The creature¡¯s deafening bellow had silenced the ruckus from the stands. The worm had stretched out wings from folds of its flesh, exhaling a stream of fire upwards as it did so. After showing off, the prideful beast focused its sights on the remaining group of Matt, Brian, Jessica, and Anita. The earthwyrm revealed a sharp row of teeth before it lunged at the dragoon. Brian jumped in to the air, believing the safest place from a worm, but he was not prepared emotionally or mentally as his pursuer used its wingspan to swiftly follow the dragoon across the sky.

    ¡°Hey there, sunshine.¡± Adriana looked away from the dragoon juking and jiving mid-air to see the boy in her arms was awake. ¡°Not now Casanova, Brian is fighting for his life.¡± Upon sitting up and inspecting the sky, Eric understood the situation, ¡°So he is. Tell Brian to give you a clear shot at the creature¡¯s wings. When you see the floor is made of ice, that¡¯s your cue.¡± Adriana stood up before engulfing herself in electricity once more, this time rocketing toward the sky and latching on to the worm¡¯s back. Meanwhile, Matthew and Jessica approached Eric, ¡°Jess, I need you cover the middle of this floor in ice. Matt, stand by.¡± Without hesitation, the mage did as he asked, freezing the floor, including the area the hole left by the worm.

    ¡°Brian, keep this thing straight while I clip the wings!¡± Brian managed to hear the girl¡¯s shouts between his predator¡¯s lunges and howling wind, ¡°Easier said then done.¡± Summoning a fire orb, he blasted himself away from the worm; pursuing the dragoon had led the worm to straightening its body. Digging her knives in to the monster¡¯s back, Adriana made her way to the wings, cutting them after seeing the stage below was covered in blue.

    Before long, the giant had come crashing down from the sky, cracking the ice as it landed. The worm struggled to move on the slick ice, but its struggle was in vain. Taking the initiative, Brian focused his mana in to his spear head, encasing it in a blade made of heat far larger than the weapon itself. As he brought the massive weapon down on the worm, the head separated from the body. ¡°Guess that put him on ice.¡± The other four warriors groaned at the cleric¡¯s pun.

    Brian¡¯s victory was short lived however, as the head began moving again, spewing flames that melted the ice. Before Brian could cut the head in to bite-sized pieces, it leapt for him, ¡°Why can¡¯t this thing leave me alone?!¡± Matthew jumped between the two, his shield expanding with light, keeping the monster¡¯s jaw agape. Jessica was about to solve the problem, but to everyone¡¯s surprise, the head was crushed in a single stroke. The attacker was none other than the boar that was previously sitting on the throne.

    No one had noticed when he descended, but now their attention was fixed on the tall blue swine as it sent the worm¡¯s head out of the arena. Instead of going after the two boys, still shocked from what they had just witnessed, the creature had the courtesy to throw the worm¡¯s body out of the ring too before going back in the direction of its throne. About half-way between the kids and the throne, the beast turned, making a hand gesture toward itself and then to one of the teens. ¡°What? You wanna fight me?!¡± Brian burst out, trying to mask the fear welling inside.

    The beast nodded its head. ¡°No? Then who?¡± The beast pointed again, adjusting the direction toward Matt. ¡°Well Matt, looks like you get to beat the big guy. You got this.¡± Brian was all to eager to push his friend forward after he had been worm bait for so long. ¡°I mean, who else is going to take a hit from that thing?¡± Adriana joined in. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t be a scaredy cat!¡± Jessica¡¯s words tried to cut Matt, now being forcibly pushed toward his opponent. ¡°Even if you aren¡¯t fine, we can just say you died with honor!¡± Eric¡¯s words only made Matthew want to dig his heels in to the dirt, but it was too late, Matt was face to face with the boar.

    Realizing there was no running, Matthew gathered his courage, straightened his posture, and held his weapons sternly. The creature attempted a downward strike, but Matt easily dodged to the side, attempting to get a stab in. Just as Matthew¡¯s blade was about to make contact with the beast, he felt his stance give way to massive shaking; looking back, he saw the creature¡¯s strike must have caused a quake that upset his balance. Quickly giving himself distance from his opponent, Matthew tried to reassess his strategy, but the beast began to strike again, this time a swipe. Believing in his resilience, Matthew shielded against the attack. The resulting swing had made contact, knocking Matt back a few feet, but letting him attempt another counter attack, this time landing a blow to his target¡¯s gut.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    As Matthew pulled his sword from the creature, he hadn¡¯t taken noticed of what his opponent was doing, ¡°Pow!¡± he took a full force blow that sent him reeling backward, reaching a destination next to his friends. ¡°Well that was fun. You¡¯re up Brian.¡± Matt gave his last words before passing out. ¡°Nobody hurts my best friend and gets away with it!¡± Brain was fuming seeing Matt hurt, forgetting about the previous display of power.

    The dragoon flew toward the boar at a breakneck speed, sending his weapon down hard against the enemies¡¯ club. Brian had figured he wasn¡¯t going to do much in a single stroke, but he hadn¡¯t accounted for what happened next: the creature elegantly pushed the teen up in a way that caught him off guard, then proceed to send him flying much further than his friend. ¡°Forget what I said, he¡¯s totally getting away with it,¡± were Brian¡¯s last words before he too passed out.

    ¡°As always, the boys are useless when real danger shows up.¡± It was Jessica¡¯s time to step up, and she was eager. Despite watching two of her friends get sent across the arena, Jessica had confidence her fight would be different. As she stepped forward, she waved her staff and send a small chunk of ice flying at the creature¡¯s face, ¡°here, cool down a little.¡± The boar opened its mouth and ate the chunk of ice, unperturbed by the attempted mockery. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s just get this over with.¡± Jessica summoned a large platform of ice with a sharp bottom pointed at her target. The pillar made its way toward the beast, but it was answered with a club strike hard enough to shatter it. Taken aback by the feat, Jessica didn¡¯t realize the beast was approaching her rapidly, sending her flying to the side with a blow to the stomach. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry anymore.¡±

    ¡°Well Eric, looks like we bit off more than we could chew.¡± Adriana looked distraught at Eric who was healing Matt¡¯s injury the best he could. ¡°Hopefully Matt can finish him after I¡¯m sent flying.¡± Adriana walked up to the beast, ready for her attempted scuffle to meet the same fate against this juggernaut. As it swung, Adriana swiftly dodged and stabbed it on the side, her balance not thrown off like Matt¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m lighter on my feet, your little earthquakes won¡¯t do you much good.¡± Adriana continued with a flurry of stabs as the once fearsome strikes were proving ineffective against the swift rogue. The monster began to get furious as it felt stab after stab, each attempt to knock his assailant away being too slow. Adriana had begun to get a pattern down, but before she knew it, the girl was flung away by a strong elbow.

    Instead of being sent flying, the girl had simply tumbled away. Despite only being an elbow, the creature¡¯s desperation attack was able to daze the rogue long enough for the boar to move in and preform a killing smash. Adriana froze with fear when she saw the beast about to come down with his massive club. Before the creature could finish her off, it was interrupted by water slicing its back. Eric had stepped in, a stream of water between his two palms. ¡°Run!¡± The girl attempted to do just that, as Eric managed to dodge the creature¡¯s swing, he caught up with the girl. Before the pair could reach Matthew, a violent quake had caused the two to stumble over each other.

    Embracing each other, the couple looked toward the cause: the boar, with its many cuts and face clearly bitter compared to earlier, approached with massive stomps. ¡°Eric, thanks.¡± Adriana buried her head in her savior¡¯s chest, Eric closing his eyes, fearing he had only delayed the inevitable. ¡°Clang!¡± The two had looked up at their demise, only to see the boar stumbling back and a shield in the air.

    Matthew rushed forward, collecting his shield before slamming it down furious on the dazed monster¡¯s exposed toes, further throwing off its balance. The creature¡¯s attempt to retaliate was met with a swift cut of the arm, forcing it to drop its weapon in pain. Matthew was about to continue, but he noticed the adult woman coming toward them, ¡°give me a boost,¡± she yelled. Matt kneeled and raised his shield above his head, the woman jumped on top, and after taking a second to line up her shot, sent a stream of water through the air with enough force to penetrate the large boar¡¯s skull, causing it to fall over for good.

    ¡°Sorry about that kids, it took me way too long to grow a backbone.¡± Anita hopped off Matt¡¯s shield, the two picking up Adriana and Eric, Jessica and Brian joining them after finally recovering enough strength to hobble. Remembering they were entertaining a crow, the group watched as the monsters in the stands disbanded, leaving from whence they came. ¡°Looks like the shows over. Thanks Anita.¡± Matt turned his attention from the adult woman to the couple who managed to get out relatively unscathed, ¡°Good job Eric, you really came through for us.¡± Eric blushed at this.

    As the group left the colosseum, the two men had rejoined them. ¡°And where were you two during all of that? Playing with the boars, the birds, and the scorpions?¡± The two men simply looked at each other, trying to excuse their absence to the boss. ¡°I know you don¡¯t fight, don¡¯t worry. Just take us to the wagon.¡± Doing as instructed, the men led the way, Eric and Adriana sticking together while Matt helped both Brian and Jessica.

    The trip to the wagon was unexciting, yet that in-itself was notable. ¡°Where¡¯d all the monsters go?¡± Brian was the one to ask, but it was a question on everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°Guess now that we killed the big guy, the rest splintered.¡± Jessica figured while still clutching her stomach. ¡°You¡¯re not going to leave us, are you?¡± Anita was both curious and concerned at the possibility.

    ¡°Nah, a bird might poop on you guys and heaven forbid we¡¯re not around to clean that mess.¡± Everyone had a chuckle at the response, even the adults.

 Chapter 7: Ruin Story

    ¡°Even though there appears to be no monsters, lets split up just in case. Matthew will join me, Brian and Jessica will join Anthony, and Eric and Adriana will join Sheldon.¡± After Anita¡¯s orders, the groups went their separate ways, the men leading to the left and right, while Anita sauntered down an alleyway leading toward the center.

    ¡°Now that we cleared the city, it looks like a ghost town.¡± Matthew was surprised to see no monsters were still hanging around. ¡°So where are we going?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes glowed at the question. ¡°Remember how I said I hadn¡¯t made it far in? That was another lie.¡± The boy was growing rather agitated with all the lies, ¡°Could you just tell me the whole truth?¡±

    ¡°You see, I didn¡¯t really get far, but I did manage to sneak in to an alleyway from one of these entrances. I then found something incredible, which is why I had to come back. There may be valuable artifacts here, but what I found might change history as we know it. While the others take their time exploring the city and many other important aspects, you and I are going to find this area.¡±

    The woman had hyped up this secret area to the point Matt couldn¡¯t deny the curiosity welling up within, but he had pondered something. ¡°Why me though?¡± The woman turned to Matthew, ¡°After yesterday, I know you¡¯re the most responsible one of your team. I figure you should be the first one I share this discovery with.¡±

    Matthew followed Anita as she entered many buildings, searching for the entrance she had found. After much trial and error, Matthew was beginning to wonder if the archeologist had imagined this area or was purposely lying as she was clearly struggling to remember this secret area. Before his skepticism could reach critical mass, Anita had pushed aside a wall hiding a staircase leading to an underground cavern. ¡°Aha! I knew it was in one of these houses!¡± The boy wasn¡¯t particularly reassured by her statement given that the two could have been at this for many more hours.

    Making their way downward, Matt led the way, luminating the cave with his light. ¡°How convenient, but you don¡¯t have to do that, I brought a flashlight and a lamp.¡± Anita pulled out what the boy assumed was the lamp, as she pushed a button which caused the lamp to explode with light. Outshined by the piece of technology, the teen grumbled to himself.

    ¡°Anything interesting?¡± Matthew looked around, but he had no idea what Anita considered valuable; for all he knew, every inch of these walls was gold to her. ¡°No, just cave, cave, a bit more cave, and rock walls that form what I like to refer to as a cave.¡± Upon reaching a flat surface and turning a corner on the claustrophobic path, Anita gasped. ¡°What is this?!¡±

    Matthew quickly followed the excited researcher as she stopped before a wall with several carvings. As Anita focused her light on the image, Matthew could make out shapes that resembled devils. ¡°It looks like a drawing of devils.¡± As Matthew turned to Anita, he could see his ignorance had not deterred her excitement one bit. ¡°Not just a depiction of devils, but one depicting different races of devils! Look, see this tall one with a tail and horns? They are believed to be shadow sneakers, devils that can hide in a different world that¡¯s linked to ours.¡±

    Matthew was surprised and excited, realizing that he could tell Luke stories about these devil people. He listened intently to the rest of Anita¡¯s explanation, jotting down every detail for later. ¡°This short one with four eyes is referred to as a Seer: they are highly intelligent and can even see into the future. This skinny one with the wings and tail is a Gargoyle, able to turn itself into stone. This giant one with the tortoise shell is called a¡­well, Shell; they were able to protect themselves by hiding in the shell and excreting deadly toxins. This fat one, he must be a Ceaseless Consumer, a devil who could eat anything and everything. This pretty one is probably a succubus, able to control the minds of others against their will. This one here¡­he seems to be a guardian.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t guardians just regular devils?¡± Matthew recalled from his classes that devils were called guardians, though he couldn¡¯t remember why. ¡°No, but they may as well be, being the only remaining race.¡± The boy sighed, slightly ashamed not to have pieced together the obvious. ¡°Why are they the only ones left?¡± Anita¡¯s expression turned melancholy at the inquiry. ¡°Humans. Humans had fought the many races for dominance of this continent. Even when they had dominated the continent, the humans would frequently hunt all but the most hospitable of races. Between Alzal and Vulf moving west, their more combat potent abilities, and humans eventually learning the error of their ways, those races managed to survive. Devils were not so fortunate.¡±

    Matthew regretted his question, feeling miserable by association. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad kid, there¡¯s nothing we can do. It¡¯s not like either of us are responsible for what happened. All we can do is protect those that remain, or at least leave them in peace.¡± The teen nodded in agreement, taking her words to heart. ¡°How had I not seen this earlier? Matthew, look, there is stone pedestal here!¡±

    Following the researcher, he had also noticed the stone pedestal beneath the picture, which had seven round indents. ¡°Do you think someone had put orbs in here?¡± Anita smiled at the boy, ¡°Very astute, that is what I believe that was my hypothesis as well. To what end, I have no idea though. It seems this pedestal has some relation with the image, but¡­¡±

    ¡°But what?¡± He had begun getting into Anita explanation, hoping she would shed light on whatever was going on. ¡°Why does this image depict only seven devil races? We¡¯ve recorded well over ten. It couldn¡¯t be in remembrance of those that went extinct, Guardians remain, and the great exodus predates the extinction of these races. Perhaps it relates to the story of the seven sins?¡±

    Anita had turned toward Matthew, walking back the toward the entrance. ¡°Have you heard of the story, Matthew?¡± He shook his head, hopeful to learn yet another story he could tell Luke. ¡°Long ago, there is said to have been an evil being who attacked this city. Its power was unrivaled, stronger than the strongest warriors. One day, another powerful being got the idea to split the Malevolent force into many pieces, seven of which reflected the Malevolent force¡¯s evil. These seven were the sins: Sloth, Pride, Gluttony, Greed, Wrath, Lust, and Envy. While commonly believed to take the shape of devils, they represent evil behaviors found in all sapient beings.¡±

    ¡°So what happened to them?¡± Matthew had heard of things like greed, pride, lust, and wrath, but the other three were new to him. ¡°The hero that saved the city had left the orbs in the care of the people. He warned them to never release the sins.¡± Matthew shuttered, ¡°It¡¯s just a story, right?¡± Anita giggled, making the teen feel embarrassed for asking a dumb question. ¡°I doubt anything like that had ever happened. Those orbs were probably just decorations made for the story. These ancient people loved telling stories, and some bandit probably just found the place and stole the orbs.¡±

    The woman had begun making her way out, seeing as there was nothing left to search. ¡°Well, I have a bunch of stories to tell my brother when I get home.¡± Anita¡¯s interest was piqued, recalling the teen mentioning someone by the name Luke.

    ¡°Your brother is Luke, right?¡± The boy nodded. ¡°The girls mentioned him a few days ago. He must be so grateful to have someone like you watching out for him.¡±

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to leave him at home, I¡¯m worried he¡¯s getting bullied as we speak. When I come home, he¡¯ll never have to worry about his mana problem ever again.¡± Anita looked confused and concerned at the statement. ¡°Mana problem? Isn¡¯t your brother ten?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s had a problem using mana since he was born.¡± The woman was puzzled at this, the boy had hoped she might be able to find solution to his problem. ¡°Perhaps he was mana locked? When children have too much mana flowing from their essence, seers lock their mana flow so they don¡¯t hurt themselves.¡± Thinking about it, Matt had heard of this before, but he still wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°I thought mana locks only lasted a year at most though. Luke hasn¡¯t ever been able to use mana.¡± Anita¡¯s moment of triumph was flattened. ¡°I have no idea then, I¡¯ve never heard of someone living without mana.¡±

    The two had returned to the joint group, all of whom had brought back various artifacts of different shapes and sizes. ¡°Find anything?¡± Anthony asked. ¡°We¡¯ll tell you all about it on the way home.¡±

 Chapter 8: AM bushes

    ¡°Up and at¡¯em boys, girls, and people I hesitate to call men; we got a long trip ahead of us!¡± After another day of rest at the town, the group began travelling west toward a port town. ¡°How far is the next town?¡± Jessica yawned, her red hair still frizzy from waking up and immediately being kicked from her bed to the wagon. ¡°We won¡¯t get there today, we¡¯ll have to camp out overnight.¡± Anita got a groan from the rest, even the men who knew how long the journey took.

    Matt had convinced Eric to sit on his side of the wagon cart while Adriana had to put up with Jessica and Brian abusing each other. ¡°Hey Eric, I¡¯ve been meaning to talk with you since we first left he kingdom.¡± The boy raised an eyebrow at his friend, suspecting the direction the conversation was heading. ¡°You don¡¯t have to put yourself down. You proved yourself out there the other day, and even before then.¡± Eric nodded his head, declining the reassurance, ¡°Matt, I just did what I had to.¡± Matt put his hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Eric, we all do what we have to; it doesn¡¯t make what you did any less brave or meaningful. Besides,¡± he moved his arm around his friend¡¯s shoulder, giving him a side hug, ¡°even if you don¡¯t do much as a cleric, I¡¯m still glad to have you around as my friend. We all are.¡±

    While the teens had conversed with each other, Anita grew nervous, sweating beginning to form on her head. ¡°What¡¯s sweating ya?¡± Brian¡¯s observational skills made the woman jump. ¡°Stop the wagon!¡± At the woman¡¯s behest, the vehicle came to a stop. ¡°Woah, did I say something really bad? Sorry!¡± Anita had ignored Brian¡¯s overly-apologetic response. The woman took a deep breath, ¡°I need to level with you kids, the monsters are not the only reason we need protection against.¡±

    ¡°Oh great, what else are we going to have to beat up?¡± Jessica¡¯s impatience was reflected among the group, though no one else to the same degree. ¡°Bandits. We encountered them on our first expedition, and though we managed to allude them coming to Lumina, I have no doubt we¡¯ll see them on the trip back to Temperas. They seem to live around the forest, at least that¡¯s where they ambushed us early in the morning.¡± The group shared a sentiment of concern, except for the red head. ¡°So what did they want? These stupid pots and junk?¡±

    ¡°No, they wanted our money. They must have figured we were paid well; sadly, we aren¡¯t. They ¡®offered¡¯ themselves as escorts for the duration of the trip.¡± Eric was about to step in, but Jessica interrupted him, ¡°Then why do you need us? Couldn¡¯t these bandits just kill these monsters?¡± Anita shook her head, ¡°Their service conveniently left out killing monsters. In fact, if another bandit group had tried to actually robbed us, they likely would have turned tail and ran.¡±

    ¡°So you need us to save your a-¡± ¡°Jessica, please¡± Eric jumped in, ¡°Eric I don¡¯t-¡° ¡°Shut up Jess¡±, ¡°Brian no one-¡°, ¡°No seriously Jessy, stop¡± Adriana warned, ¡°I-¡°, ¡°That¡¯s an order.¡± Matthew¡¯s stern voice had sent chills through the air and had gotten the girl to finally give in. ¡°Sorry about that. When do you expect the bandits to strike?¡± Anita, relieved the war was over, took another breath, ¡°Around dawn. If you don¡¯t think you can handle it, or if you don¡¯t want to handle it, we can take a longer path. I¡¯m not going to force you to after what you went through.¡±

    The boy nodded his head, ¡°We¡¯ll be doing this for two years. Better to deal with the problem now than wait it out.¡± The others agreed, Jessica a little reluctant. ¡°Anthony, lets get going.¡± With that, the wagon began moving again, the tension gradually fading away.

    As the Sun reached its apex in the sky, the group stopped for food. ¡°Here ya go Eric, a nice slab of loboar meat!¡± Eric accepted the meat in shock, ¡°Brian, where did you get this?¡± Brian scratched the back of his, ¡°Well you see, yesterday I snuck one of those loboars on to the wagon. Gave it to a chef who not only paid for half of it but let me keep the other half.¡± The cleric was still surprised at the forethought of his friend, ¡°Wow, I¡¯m impressed.¡±

    ¡°Yeah I was too. It¡¯s not every day I come up with something smart, but when I do¡­¡± the dragoon held out a fiery orb, an idea of his he had been proud of for years. ¡°Speaking of, could you hold on to that while I get the water and the pot?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s gotten in to you? I know Brian is the hothead, but you¡¯re the short-fuse, but I¡¯ve never seen you this worked up?¡± In the woods, away from the group, the two girls had agreed to have a private discussion. ¡°I¡¯m just tired of these people, constantly holding info from us. I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be babysitting.¡± Adriana huffed at the privileged girl, ¡°We¡¯ve got two years with them, so unless you want to find another group or fly solo, you¡¯re going to have to put up with it. And I mean, what did you expect? If they really could fend for themselves, we wouldn¡¯t be here. If everyone could defend themselves, what would we do? What would you do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the girl relented, unable to keep eye contact with her peer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about earlier.¡± Adriana nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me. I might have been annoyed, but I don¡¯t think any of us are hurt. Apologize to Anita. Also, Matt¡¯s going to talk with you later.¡± Instantly, the red head at locked her eyes with the rogue again, unnerving her. ¡°Do I really have to talk to Matt? I get it, I shouldn¡¯t haven¡¯t exploded.¡± The girl¡¯s whine was met with a palm to the forehead, ¡°He¡¯s not going to chastise you, just ask what¡¯s up. That will be later today, probably around dinner. On the topic of food, I¡¯m sure the boys are almost done cooking.¡±

    ¡°Hey, where is Matt anyways?¡± Adriana had turned to face her while still heading back, ¡°He said he had to ¡®take care of business.¡¯ I hope I don¡¯t have to explain what that means.¡± The girl was slightly unnerved to see the mage was not disgusted, but instead appeared disappointed. Facing the path ahead, Adriana no longer minded if the other girl got lost in her fantasies.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Meeting back up, Eric had given Brian the food to distribute to all. ¡°I hope the food tastes as good as it looks.¡± Eric personally handed a plate to the lead archeologist, ¡°I hope so too. I studied cooking. I could make a meal out of just about any monster.¡± Taking a bite, Anita was clearly enamored with the meal. ¡°Time well spent I¡¯d say. If you ever get tired of helping people, you could be a famous chef!¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯d be nothing without my grill, Brian¡± the cleric motioned to his friend. ¡°Aw shucks, I just do what Eric tells me too.¡±

    As the group continued on their way, the seating arrangement changed again, Adriana sitting with Matt, Eric and Brian on the other side, and Jessica sitting with Anita. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what I said this morning.¡± The researcher simply smiled at the response, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. As a mother, I¡¯m used to having arguments with a stubborn husband and a crazy daughter. When I get home, my little girl is going to be a teenager; if anything, this is just practice.¡±

    ¡°Hey man, when we get to the next town, I¡¯m going to take you shopping.¡± Eric looked at Brian, confused about what he had in mind. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Brian flashed a brown sack, ¡°Remember I said that guy paid me? We¡¯re going to get you a weapon. I know you¡¯re not big on fighting, but even something for just cutting stuff would be better than using your barehands.¡±

    As the sun began to sink, the group found a place to setup for the night. ¡°No worries kids, we brought sleeping bags!¡±

    The two men dropped supplies on to the ground, setting them around a fire. ¡°So what are we going to do about the bandits?¡± Adriana¡¯s question was met with shrugs from the two boys. ¡°We could use that system where someone stays awake for a couple hours, then has someone else take their place until we see a bandit.¡± Eric¡¯ssuggestion was met withjeers.

    ¡°So, what are we going to do in the dark forest?¡± Jessica¡¯s flirting fell flat toward the unmoving wall that was Matthew Baronia. ¡°Jessy, what¡¯s gotten into you recently? First you explode, now you¡¯re¡­doing this.¡± The girl sighed, looking away, ¡°I apologized earlier. And seriously, do you not get it?¡± Putting his hands on her shoulders, ¡°Look me in the eyes¡± The girl immediately did as ordered. ¡°Jessica, I know the others give you a hard time, but recently you seem especially frustrated.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just-¡° the girl tried to dodge the boy¡¯s gaze, but she realized there was no going back, she had to face him. ¡°I feel like no one wants to be around me. Brian and me just fight, Adriana barely tolerates me, Eric tries to avoid me, and you¡­even you don¡¯t like me.¡± Tears began to trail down the redhead¡¯s face. ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t hate you. Sometimes you¡¯re hard to approach, but we¡¯re friends.¡± The boy tried to wipe away the tears, but she grabbed him by the arm, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. Eric might buy that friend crap, but I¡¯m not that dumb.¡±

    ¡°Jessica, perhaps if you stop insulting others, they might not distance themselves from you.¡± Finally breaking eyesight, the mage began walking back to the camp, ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡± Matt watched her storm off, a pit forming in his stomach. ¡°I hope you do more than consider it¡­¡±

    As the night¡¯s onslaught continued, everyone had fallen asleep after a hearty meal. Each teen had taken their turn keeping watch, with Matthew being the last in line. The chirping of crickets and cawing of fowlcrows formed a symphony of noise that helped Matt stay awake. He couldn¡¯t believe Eric had managed to come up with such a cockamamy idea, and moreover had convinced the others to go along with it. Most of all, despite being the last one to watch for bandits, Matt felt like he had gotten the least amount of sleep. The noise¡¯s ability to keep the teen in the waking world was beginning to fail, forcing him to focus on events that would keep his mind active. ¡°It¡¯s been a little over a week, I wonder how Luke is managing. I should send him a letter; I think Brian had said something about making mone-¡°

    ¡®Matthew opened his eyes to see he was back home. Suddenly he turned his attention to a noise he couldn¡¯t quite recognize. Running toward the noise, he stopped near his home, only to see the castle on fire. ¡°Luke!¡± Matt shouted from the top of his lungs. A shadow emerged from thecastle entrace. The figurezoomed toward Matt who attempted to draw his sword, only to realizehe had no sword. The shadowy figure had stopped in front of the teen,the resulting wind knocking him down. Looking up, thecreature was now recognizable: it looked like him, but it had subtle differences. ¡°Luke?¡± The boy grinned, razor sharp teeth filling his smile. ¡°Yes Matt. I killed the princess, and now I¡¯ll kill you!¡± All Matt could do was scream as the beast lunged at him.¡¯

    Matthew awoke in cold sweat, hyperventilating as he did so. Looking up, he witnessed something that made his already tired heart stop beating: it was a man in strange garbs. Matt froze, his mind trying to think on what to do. His eyes had begun adjusting to the darkness well enough to see the thief had Jessica over his shoulder. At this, Matt picked up his sword, stood up, raised the sword to the sky, illuminating it. The light had stunned the thief and caused the others to wake up immediately, including Jessica, who the thief dropped on her head.

    Realizing he had been caught, the thief fled. ¡°After him!¡±

    Without hesitating, the group followed their leaders command, Adriana leading the way, lighting up the way with her electricity. Before long the group stumbled upon two more bandits sitting by a tent. ¡°Looks like we found your little camp.¡± The three bandits stood up in an attempt to look intimidating. ¡°You kids think you¡¯re real clever; let¡¯s see how you handle this!¡± The bandit in front threw a large rock at Matt, who easily blocked it with his shield. ¡°Alright then¡­attack!¡±

    The front bandit rushed the knight, assuming his bodyweight would overwhelm Matt. The other two bandits tried to flank the group. Matthew sent the middle bandit flying back, Brian swatted the bandit attacking from the left, Jessica sent the bandit on the right reeling back with a large chunk of ice. Gathering back together, the bandits formed a new strategy: ¡°Retreat!¡± Before they could make headway, another flash of light dazed all three of them. ¡°Stop doing that!¡±

    As the bandits regained their sight, they realized they were now surrounded by the teens. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere. It¡¯s time you pay for your crimes.¡± The knight¡¯s words made the bandits recoil.

    Anita yawned, stretching arms as she opened her eyes. Looking toward the woods,she saw the teens bringing in three men. ¡°You¡­you got them?!¡±

    ¡°Yep. It¡¯s a rather short story, but I¡¯m sure these guys can fill you in while we get some shut eye.¡±

 Chapter 9: A Two-Year Routine

    After a feast of pastries that Anita had saved for this leg of the journey, the crew were deciding on what to do with the bandits. ¡°We can¡¯t just leave these guys here, but we don¡¯t have much more room in our wagon. Any suggestions?¡± The question was met with turned heads and unsatisfied looks. ¡°Tie them to the back?¡± Everyone had turned to Eric, his suggestion had spark similar ideas. ¡°Tie them to the roof?¡± After similar suggestions, the bandits spoke out in hopes of getting a less drastic travelling method. ¡°Can¡¯t we just sit on the floor? I¡¯ll take being kicked over being thrown off a wagon at high-speed or being dragged across the ground.¡±

    The man¡¯s suggestion was taken, and all three bandits were tossed in to the wagon. ¡°I hope the extra weight isn¡¯t too much for the horses.¡± Anthony had turned around to face the rogue, ¡°These girls could carry a building! We¡¯ll get to that town today, not a minute later than we¡¯re supposed to. Anita will sit in the extra wagon, along with the artifacts.¡±

    ¡°Why are you guys robing travelers?¡± Matthew was not new to the concept of thieves, but he wanted to know their specific reasons. ¡°What else are we going to do? We¡¯re no fighters as you can clearly see.¡± The man looked over his shoulder at one of the bandits in the corner. ¡°Don¡¯t go looking at us, we told you that woman was going to bring bodyguards next time.¡± The bandits looked as if they were going to start beating each other through the ropes. ¡°Calm down,¡± Jessica kicked the man in the middle, ¡°you guys will have plenty of time to kill each other when we get to town.¡±

    ¡°Where are you guys from?¡± It was Eric¡¯s turn to ask the questions. He knew the lower echelon of Lumina wasn¡¯t a prosperous place to live, but there were no thieves, except those stealing for the kingdom. ¡°Umbro, different cities, the three of us.¡± Eric raised an eyebrow, not shocked but still curious, ¡°The Umbro Kingdom? How is it holding up?¡± The bandit turned to him, confused, ¡°Kingdom? Umbro hasn¡¯t been a kingdom for over twenty years. We were only tots when it became a republic.¡±

    All the teens looked at each other, completely stupefied. ¡°Guessin you kids are from Lumina? They must not be teaching you a lot about the world.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask again, why did you become bandits? Is Umbro that bad now or is it for the money?¡± Matt was hoping to dig further into his own query. ¡°I told you, we ain¡¯t no fighters. We aren¡¯t intellectuals. We don¡¯t got many talents between the three of us, we¡¯re just early risers who look intimidatin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°You have some skills. You built a camp out in the woods, organized a group and a plan, and you had to get this rope from somewhere¡± Eric pointed to the rope that was used on the bandits. ¡°You¡¯re giving us too much credit. Even if we could do something, you¡¯re just gonna throw us in the slammer now.¡±

    The wagon began to slow down, the collective looked outwards to see a town not far from them. The town was large, boasting tons of buildings and a labyrinth of paths. ¡°I¡¯ll take you kids to the prison, the boss can show you around town.¡± The researchers had dumped the kids near a building with an outside barrier of barbwire.

    ¡°Geez, this place looks so big.¡± Brian stated to no one in particular. The group had sat outside the prison building doors, waiting for Matthew and Anita. ¡°Get used to it, we¡¯ll be seeing it for the next two years.¡± Eric exhaled, ¡°Two years. I wonder if it¡¯s going to be this exciting every week onward?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it. If those monsters are gone for good, and there are no more bandits, it¡¯ll probably be really boring. But hey, can¡¯t say we didn¡¯t put in any work.¡± The rest of the group nodded, recalling their bruises and injuries from the other day. ¡°Wonder what¡¯s taking them so long?¡±

    On cue, the doors behind the group flew open, Matt and Anita marching triumphantly toward the group. ¡°Now that that¡¯s done, how about food?¡± A choir of grumbling stomachs had spoken on behalf of their owners. ¡°That¡¯s a yes.¡±

    ¡°What happened earlier?¡± Adriana had convinced Matthew to go along with her, forcing Jessica to join Eric and Brian. ¡°A lot of things. You¡¯re going to have to be more specific.¡± The rogue gave him a look of disdain, a look that told him he was about to be slapped. ¡°Fine. First, what took so long in the prison? Second, what happened between you and Jessica last night?¡±

    ¡°Well you see, getting those guys in to prison was easy. The people running the place said those bandits had a reputation for scamming and stealing, so it was easy to turn them in. The difficult part was¡­I convinced the prison to let them work out their time by doing manual labor.¡± Adriana just nodded her head disapprovingly. ¡°Matt, you¡¯re too good for this world.¡±

    ¡°As for Jessica, I talked with her last night.¡± The boy thought back on what happened the night prior, carefully tip-toeing around insult directed at Eric. ¡°She said she would try to be nicer. I think.¡± The boy had a look of guilt and self-disappointment on his face. ¡°Honestly Matt, that¡¯s more than I expected. I think now we just wait and see if anything changes.¡± Matt was relieved before Adriana got close, making him uncomfortable again. ¡°Did she say anything¡­weird?¡± He nodded, ¡°She did at first, but she dropped it after things got serious.¡± As the two explored the town, Adriana fell behind a distance before whispering under her breath, ¡®I understand why you don¡¯t wanna be with her, but I don¡¯t think you or anyone else realizes how long two years is¡­¡¯

    ¡°How do we look? Brian and Eric had jumped out in front of Jessica, each posing to show off long coats. ¡°Like dorks¡± the girl snorted. ¡°Hey, Anita said Temperas was cold, we have to prepare.¡± Jessica walked away, picking out clothes from another rack, ¡°I know, but maybe you should let me pick stuff out for you.¡± Eric looked over to Brian, ¡°Why didn¡¯t Adriana come again.¡± The girl picked out two coats and shoved one into each boy. ¡°You guys are more fun to shop with; she doesn¡¯t get excited unless we¡¯re looking at weapons. Also, try these.¡±

    ¡°Hey Anita, what are you doing here?¡± Matthew had found the researcher at the town¡¯s delivery station. ¡°Checking for mail from my family; I told my husband to send letters here. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re going to send mail to your brother?¡± He nodded, grabbing a letter and preparing to write. ¡°I¡¯ve got so much to tell him, I don¡¯t know where to start.¡±

    ¡°Maybe tell him about the ruins, then save the rest for later. I doubt the rest of our adventures will be as crazy.¡± Taking her advice, Matt sealed his letter and put it in a box to be delivered.

    The morning after, Anita had the group coalesce in the lobby of their hotel. ¡°We should reach the port town today and Tempera tonight. Before we do, I need to let you know something.¡± The teens had focused their gazes on her, ¡°Do we have to fight something else?!¡± The woman laughed nervously, ¡°No, no! It¡¯s merely a customs thing.¡± The looks of anger and fear were replaced by curiosity. ¡°When our boat reaches the port, there will be an inspection. Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t have to do anything; it¡¯s purely a concern for us adults. The city of Temperas is also home to Alzals. If you see a lizard walking upright, with clothes on, don¡¯t be surprised: it¡¯s just an Alzal.¡±

    ¡°Question, how far are we taking these things when we get to Temperas?¡± Jessica had tried to watch her words this time, but she had still felt nervous. ¡°We¡¯ll be dropping them off before we reach a place to rest. Temperas doesn¡¯t have wagons, we have cars and trucks.¡± The teens look mystified at the mention of the vehicles. ¡°You¡¯ll see when we get there.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°You know, my aunt Shelly lives around here.¡± Matt had spoken out subconsciously, the trip to the port town being uneventful. ¡°How do you know that? I thought this was the first time you¡¯ve been outside the kingdom?¡± Anita¡¯s question had made the boy rub his hair, ¡°My family once took a trip to my Aunt¡¯s home when I was six. It was the only time I¡¯ve ever been out of the kingdom.¡±

    ¡°So they haven¡¯t visited since?¡± Anita had felt a little guilt when Matt had exhaled, ¡°My dad told me she didn¡¯t like the queen. Mom and Dad are friends with her, so¡­yeah.¡± The air around the group grew uncomfortable. ¡°How do you feel about her?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know. Luke is friends with the princess, but I don¡¯t have a strong opinion on either.¡±

    ¡°Hey look, it¡¯s the ocean!¡± Brian shouted. The rest had joined in the acknowledgement, captivated by the serene blue. As the wagon grew closer, the sounds of birds became more apparent, the forestation to their right had begun to thin, and a town housing large vessels had come in to view. ¡°There it is, the port town. Those large things on the water are ships.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen ships before, but never in person. I¡¯ve never seen one made of metal either.¡± Anita smiled at the cleric¡¯s excitement. ¡°I hope you kids like fish, because that¡¯s about all these port towns have to eat.¡± The wagon continued until it reached the edge of town, where the boats were. ¡°That¡¯s our boat.¡± Following the direction Anita pointed at, expectations plummeting when the kids saw their mode of transportation: a small ship that wasn¡¯t much bigger than the wagon. ¡°I know it¡¯s not impressive, but it¡¯ll get us to Temperas and back in a couple hours.¡±

    Upon emptying the extra wagon, the researcher took off. ¡°Anthony is going to find a place for the horses to stay while we¡¯re gone; we won¡¯t have a place for them in Temperas.¡±

    As the boat set sail, the group watched the port town shrink, the other man controlling the ship. ¡°So you said there¡¯s going to be an inspection? Why?¡± Anita tried to ignore Matt¡¯s question, but he persisted. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. In short, they don¡¯t want people leaving if they¡¯re a citizen. Don¡¯t ask why, I don¡¯t know.¡± Satisfied with the answer, he joined the others as they looked toward the open blue.

    ¡°Hey Matt, look what Eric got!¡± Brian had signaled Eric, who pulled out a rapier from his bag. ¡°That¡¯s neat, do you know how to use it?¡± At this, Eric dipped the rapier near the water, bringing up enough water to form a large bubble. ¡°What are you going to do with th-¡° Matt quickly ducked under the water flung at him, instead hitting Jessica. ¡°Oops.¡± The mage was furious, ¡°Hey Eric, try that again; I bet Matt won¡¯t duck this time.¡± She tried to freeze the water, but the water wouldn¡¯t change. ¡°Wait, why can¡¯t I freeze the water?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s filled with salt.¡± The archeologist handed the girl a towel. ¡°The salt in the water prevents it from freezing.¡± The mage sighed in defeat. ¡°I¡¯ll get you back for this, both you and Eric.¡±

    As the sky began to change color, the group had reached the new continent. ¡°There it is, the port of Temperas. This will be your first time setting foot in Pyora, are you excited?¡±

    ¡°Pyora?¡± Anita nodded, ¡°The continent. Temperas is only one of many places in Pyora, just like Lumina is only one area in Araponza.¡±

    Upon stopping at the harbor, the boat shook several times. ¡°Is this the inspection?¡± The teens had froze, unsure of what to do. ¡°Like I said, don¡¯t worry.¡± The teens studied the boat intensely, hoping to spot the people supposedly inspecting them. After a minute, the boat had risen a little, the adults signaling to the teens that the inspection was over. ¡®It¡¯s never easy.¡¯ Anita muttered to herself. ¡°You kids wait here, okay?¡± The group nodded. ¡°Good, those two will bring the truck and car, then we¡¯ll deliver the artifacts to the museum and find a place to sleep.¡±

    The teens gazed at their surroundings, taking in the dizzying heights and noisy sounds, in awe of the towers that rose hundreds of feet above the ground. ¡°It¡¯s bigger than that colosseum place.¡± Brian had considered that there may been heights even he couldn¡¯t reach, at least not yet. ¡°Anita, what was that earlier? I didn¡¯t see anyone inspecting the boat, but I felt it sink a little.¡±

    ¡°Matt, you know about the Alzal right?¡± He nodded, ¡°Yeah, they can turn¡­invisible. That was them just now?¡± The woman nodded back, ¡°Not every Alzal is invisible, but the ones that are can¡¯t be seen unless you¡¯re a light user. Some can hide even from light users. Not only do they conceal themselves, they can also hide their clothes and whatever they¡¯re holding.¡± The thought of what had happened sent chills down his spine.

    The sound of honking had caught the group¡¯s attention. ¡°What¡¯s that thing?¡± Adriana looked at the white box on rubber circles that had was pulling a taller box behind it. ¡°It¡¯s a truck, and the thing behind it is a trailer. We¡¯ll be hauling our finds in the trailer.¡± After the kids loaded the hollow white box with the artifacts, the truck took off. ¡°Whether it¡¯s a wagon or a truck, he always seems in hurry. Anita, are we going to walk there?¡± Anita shook her head at the worried mage. ¡°Nope,¡± the woman pointed to another white box, this one notable for not having an obvious area for putting stuff, nor a trailer behind it, ¡°I have my own car.¡±

    ¡°Seat belts.¡± The teens had followed Anita¡¯s instructions, Matt getting a front seat, watching intently as she operated the vehicle. ¡°Why do we need these things?¡± Eric had pulled at the strap. ¡°Cars go much faster than wagons; I don¡¯t want you getting flung out the window.¡± With a jump, the vehicle chased after the other researchers.

    The teens watched as buildings and stationary objects passed by, a blur in their eye. The excitement of going so fast had just as quickly come to a halt. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Adriana asked from the back. ¡°Traffic.¡± All around them were similar vehicles, all stopped. ¡°What¡¯s that light up ahead?¡± Matt strained to see the light over the many cars ahead of them. ¡°It¡¯s the traffic light. Red means stop, Green means go.¡±

    After many traffic lights, turns, questions, and more, the group finally arrived at the museum. Entering the building, the teens had scanned their environment. To their disappointment, the interior was barren, the artifacts they had brought in standing in stark contrast to the empty walls. ¡°It¡¯s not much, but soon this place we¡¯ll attract all sorts of people.¡±

    ¡°You kids can get some rest tomorrow, we have forms and other boring city-adult junk to fill in.¡± With those words etched in their minds, the group began exploring the city the next day. ¡°This city has a theatre, a mall, a library, restaurants, a zoo, an aquarium, museums of history, science, art, and even banks. I¡¯m not sure what half of those are, but I want to go to them!¡± Although the group snickered at Eric, they were just as curious at what the city had to offer.

    ¡°Kind of wish Anita stuck around to tell us what half this stuff is.¡± Adriana had convinced the group to head to the library to inform themselves on their surroundings. ¡°We got two years though, we¡¯ll have more than enough time to figure out.¡±

    ¡°Two years to figure it out.¡± Those words, paraphrased, echoed through fifteen-year-old Matthew¡¯s head. Had it really been one year already? Going back-and-forth, the group had filled the museum to the point they had to take a month¡¯s break. Supposedly it was due to the museum needing to document the finds. After a year, the teens had gotten used to city life, the cars, the various forms of entertainment, and even the food.

    Throughout the year, most of them had gotten sick at some point, leaving the group short one member or two, resulting in more work to procure the ancient items. Everything had to be taken from the ruins: chairs, tables, pottery, anything they could carry. Still, they couldn¡¯t complain, they were getting food and board.

    Matthew counted the months as they dwindled. He came to realize it was either a matter of time or space, either the museum filled, the ruins ran out of artifacts, or the two-year span was up. When any of those things happened, he and the others would have no choice but to head home. Sadly, no matter how many artifacts were taken or placed, the ruins kept giving and the museum kept taking.

    In the many times the group would stop in the city between the port town and ruins, he eventually learned it was called Branton. During certain weeks, the knight would break from the group to deliver a letter to Luke, detailing his adventures.

    ¡°Hey Luke, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re getting these, I never get anything back, but I just hope you¡¯re doing alright.

    The other day in Temperas, white stuff was all over the city. Anita says it¡¯s frozen water, which they call snow. I hear it snows in Umbro, we¡¯ll have to go see it. Why? Because me and Adriana have a snowball war to settle, and I want your unbiased opinion on who would win.¡±

    Letters like these were sent every couple of weeks, a little event that helped Matt¡¯s mind ease through the two years, even if he never received a single response.

 Chapter 10: Home Panic Home

    The sounds of horses trotting across the country combined with the whisking wind were all that was said inside the wagon. A sixteen-year-old Matthew was fixated on the setting: a vast field giving way to trees. An air of nostalgia had embraced him, a sense of eagerness to return home; yet, he also felt a tinge of regret.

    The group had agreed to simply pass through a town, knowing full-well they would be home soon, the anticipation would be too much to bear. Not long after fields gave way to trees, so too did those trees give way to familiar sight: a wall that stretched left and right as far as the eye could see, yet not as high as the sights the group had taken in from their previous two years. There was something humbling to the teens, being able to compare their home to someone else¡¯s. As they reached the gate, the last stop before they returned to their bastion, the group turned to the archeologists, to the woman who they shared many experiences with over two years.

    ¡°So¡­this is goodbye. It¡¯s been a nice two years, but our families are waiting.¡± Matthew went to shake hands with the woman, but she pulled him in for a hug. ¡°Take care Matthew, you and your brother. If things between him and the princess don¡¯t work out, give me a shout, my daughter could use a real man.¡± The woman winked, the knight chuckled before letting Brian.

    ¡°One day I hope Lumina has skyscrapers.¡± The woman turned her sight to the kingdom, looking up to see nothing above the wall except clouds. ¡°I¡¯m sure one day they will. Maybe you can be the to get it started.¡± Jessica had stepped in front of Brian, ¡°Hey, thanks for introducing me to coffee. And tee. And everything.¡± Without warning, the woman embraced the two of them. Eric and Adriana were next.

    ¡°You two better send me an invitation to your wedding!¡± The cleric blushed, the rogue had smiled, ¡°Count on it.¡± With one last hug, the groups parted ways. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you kids.¡±

    As the teens entered the gate, Matt couldn¡¯t help but look back, watching the wagon disappear in the distance. Making their way down the path to the castle, they took in their surroundings. The streets weren¡¯t filled with merriment like when they left, there weren¡¯t people cheering their names or anything; in fact, the streets were baron. Unease was beginning to set in.

    Reaching the castle entrance, they were confronted by the chancellor, Edward Heyl. ¡°Master Matthew, Master Brian, Mas-¡° Brian grabbed the man, his face red and sweaty, ¡°speak man! Just tell us what happened!¡± Edward collected himself, wiping the sweat that was immediately replaced by more sweat, ¡°The princess has disappeared! We believe she¡¯s been kidnapped. Please, go to the queen, I¡¯ve already informed everyone else!¡±

    The group had hurried to the throne room, before them, a sat sight: the queen¡¯s figure was demoralized, her head down, resting in her hands. The group began to kneel, ¡°Don¡¯t bother¡± the queen stopped them in a somber, yet still commanding tone, ¡°I will make this brief. My daughter is missing, we have no idea who would have taken her, or if she was even kidnapped. I know you¡¯ve just returned from a long mission, but please, I beg you to join the search for Elizabeth. Take time to recuperate, a week at most, then go. After she is rescued, by you or someone else, I will give you whatever you ask for.¡±

    The group looked at one another, all held the same expression of despair and anguish. The princess was gone, their time at home cut short. Taking the queen¡¯s advice, the group planned to take a week off. Matthew knew the news must have devastated Luke.

    Upon entering his house, the grave look of his parents made his heart sink. ¡°Matthew, Luke is gone. He disappeared the same day as the princess.¡± The young man¡¯s head sunk as low as his neck would allow. ¡°Please, rest today, we will begin the search. I know you want to search now, but you won¡¯t be any good if you¡¯re still beaten from your trip.¡± Matt had made his way to his room, dropping his supplied to the floor.

    Laying on his bead, Matt had hoped to calm down and collect his thoughts. ¡®The princess and Luke are gone. Who would do this?¡¯ Many thoughts began to fill his head, forcing him to get and fill his mind with something else.

    After dinner, he worked up enough strength to enter his brother¡¯s room. It was empty, at least devoid of one younger brother. Looking around, he saw his brother had stolen some of his books and kept them in his room.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    The bed was messy, the room was littered with books, yet Matt couldn¡¯t help but feel something was missing. Taking notice of a book left on the desk, he opened it hoping there was some clue to what occurred. Analyzing the contents revealed it to be a journal. As he paged through the book, he noticed Luke had written down events pertaining to himself and the princess, a journey of a progressing relationship between the two. One detail caught his eye,

    ¡°Today Elizabeth showed me a secret passage, a really cool way to get around that nobody else knows about. She says to never use it unless she¡¯s around, and to never get caught.¡± Could this passage way lead from the inside of the castle to the entrance? As he looked around, Matthew had suddenly realized what was missing within the room: a lantern.

    ¡°Did they run away?¡± Matthew wasn¡¯t entirely convinced, but it would add up: after getting bullied, Luke, fed up with his parents, couldn¡¯t stand living in Lumina and convinced the princess to run away with him. Flipping through the journal had revealed no more answers, leaving his mind to create various different scenarios. Yawning, he decided to sleep on this information until tomorrow.

    ¡®The boy opened his eyes to a sense of warmness overtaking him, only to see he was outside. Moreover, he was surrounded by fire. The walls, the city, the castle, all on fire. ¡°Oh Matthew¡± a familiar voice cooed. Turning around, Matthew saw his brother, again looking like his own reflection. Catching a glimpse of something, Matt turned his gaze downward to see Elizabeth, Bloody and unmoving. ¡°I killed her Matt! And now I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± The brother could do nothing as sharp claws had penetrated his stomach.¡¯

    Matt shot up immediately, hyperventilating, sweat dripping down his forehead. He didn¡¯t think, he didn¡¯t move from that spot or position, he simply breathed. ¡°It¡¯s just dream. It was just a dream¡± he repeated over and over, hoping whatever was bringing up this traumatic vision would stop.

    The group had planned not to gather until the third day, leaving Matthew to wander Lumina. He had wandered through all the districts, sometimes looking for answers, other times just taking in the sight of his home. As he wandered the main streets of the middle class, a blonde girl dressed in green had approached him. ¡°Excuse me, are you Matthew Baronia?¡± He nodded, unsure what the girl could possibly want. ¡°My name is Sarah Kavy, I want to help you on your search.¡±

    ¡°Look Sarah, this search is personal to me.¡± The girl gave him a forlorn expression, ¡°It¡¯s personal for me too, I have friends who went missing from the search.¡± Matt¡¯s eyes widened. If people disappeared during this search, what did that mean for Luke and Elizabeth? ¡°Fine, you can join us at the castle entrance tomorrow, we¡¯ll start planning what to do.¡± With that, the girl walked off, leaving the boy to his thoughts.

    The following day, Sarah had joined Matthew as he met with the group. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Jessica spoke, venom flying from her tongue. ¡°Hew name is Sarah; she¡¯ll be joining us for the search.¡±

    ¡°Nice to see a new face!¡± Brian was first to greet her, shaking her hand with enough force to take it off. ¡°Don¡¯t mind Jessica,¡± Adriana stepped up, making sure to give her a light shake, Eric doing the same. ¡°Just don¡¯t get in my way.¡± Instead of shaking hands, the mage simply glared at the newcomer, causing her to sweat. ¡°Ehm,¡± Matt caught the groups attention, ¡°We have four more days, let¡¯s make our plan today so we can rest as long as possible.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s actually convenient you joined us when you did, Sarah,¡± All eyes were on Eric, ¡°Adriana and I decided the best course of action is to split up into pairs. We would check towns in the east, Brian and Jessica would take towns in the west, and you would take towns to the north. I thought it was a little unfair you would go alone, but now you don¡¯t have to. Any objections?¡±

    ¡°Can I go with Matthew instead?¡± Eric was about to consider the mage¡¯s query, but Adriana stepped in, ¡°No! You and Brian will be going together.¡± The dragoon and mage both whined, but Adriana was firm. ¡°Any other objections?¡± Veering left and right, Eric got no one response. ¡°Good, we set out in the morning, at your group member¡¯s convenience. Remember, though this is an emergency, don¡¯t drive each other crazy.¡±

    ¡°Before you guys go, I need to tell you something.¡± All eyes were on their leader. ¡°Luke is also missing. When I checked his room, I found his journal. Considering he was close with the princess, he must have convinced her to leave. If you find him, he might know where the princess his.¡±

    Matthew had disbanded from the group, leaving Sarah with the rest. ¡°Who¡¯s Luke?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s Matthew¡¯s younger brother. He can¡¯t use mana and was friends with the princess. He¡¯s pretty infamous, I¡¯m surprised you don¡¯t him.¡± Sarah stopped rubbing her arm at the last comment, ¡°I wasn¡¯t a prodigy like you guys, I was more concerned with my group.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of, where is your group?¡± Jessica had made Sarah uncomfortable again, ¡°They went missing during the search.¡±

    ¡°Went missing? Sounds like this mission is more dangerous than a simple search-and-rescue.¡± Adriana sighed, ¡°Out of the frying pan and into the fire.¡±

 Chapter 11: The Search for Clues

    Sarah watched Matthew intently, a fact that he was oblivious to. She tilted her head, cleared her throat, and tried various other subtle gestures to catch his attention, but he was completely lost in thought, his body moving subconsciously. ¡°Matthew,¡± The girl could not bear the silence any longer, ¡°what¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    ¡°Just the past week. So much has happened in such a short amount of time. I tried to find clues on where Luke and Elizabeth could have gone, tried to figure out how they even escaped, but there¡¯s just not enough clues. I know there¡¯s a secret passage allowing them to get in and out of the castle, Luke¡¯s journal told me that much, but I don¡¯t how they got out of the kingdom.¡±

    The girl joined in her leader¡¯s pondering, the two getting close enough to their destination to see it across the horizon.

    ¡°Sarah, you know why I didn¡¯t object to you coming with me?¡±

    ¡°No, I really don¡¯t. I¡¯m actually surprised you trusted me so quickly.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t.¡± That had caught her off-guard. ¡°You know more than you let on, so I want to make this clear: you need to tell me all you know right now. Where are you from? I know you¡¯re not from Lumina, I could just tell you were lying the other day. Why did you want to join my group? What do you know about the kidnapping?¡±

    The blonde sighed, ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m not from Lumina, I¡¯m from Umbro. My team learned about you and your team when we came to Lumina; you see, being a hunter or a guardian isn¡¯t lucrative in Umbro, it¡¯s too small and connected that we don¡¯t need many people in the profession. We had to come to Lumina to get work, during which we learned about a whole team of prodigies.

    As for the disappearance of the princess and your brother, I only know as much as anyone else. We were only coming back from a mission when we heard the news.¡±

    Looking into her eyes, Matthew believed her story was genuine, but one detail was still amiss. ¡°You said your team disappeared though, what happened?¡±

    ¡°The queen requested everyone to search for her daughter, including us. We split up to look for her, much like you guys, and we agreed to meet back in Lumina after we spent a week investigating. After one week, I came back but no one else was there. After two weeks, I grew worried. After three weeks, I realized they weren¡¯t coming back. Not long after that, you showed up.¡±

    ¡°This has been going on for over three weeks?¡±  Matt closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. ¡°I¡¯m worried that whatever took the princess is dangerous. Luke can¡¯t protect her, and she can¡¯t really protect him. But it doesn¡¯t add up, what do these things have in common?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Hey Matt, can you show me your shield real quick?¡± The knight stopped his headache induced questioning, handing her the shield. Instead of taking it, she pointed to the moon symbol on the front, ¡°You know what this symbol means?¡± He shook his head, wondering what this had to do with the topic at hand. ¡°It¡¯s from the Umbro kingdom, it symbolizes darkness.¡±

    ¡°Why is it on a shield?¡±

    ¡°Because darkness stands for protection.¡± Matt was mystified at the explanation. ¡°How do you know this?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m an elf.¡± That didn¡¯t explain anything for him. ¡°We elves are a tribe of archers, living up in the woods of Umbro,¡± the girl pointed to her bow. ¡°I noticed the bow. But what does have to do with the whole¡­knowing elements thing.¡±

    ¡°You see, some of us elves believe in a character connection with the elements. Basically, each element represents some part of a person.¡±

    ¡°If darkness stands for protection, what does light stand for? And the rest?¡±

    ¡°Light represents sight and guidance. Fire is compassion, water healing, ice reflectivity, electricity rashness, nature liveliness, earth steadfastness, metal is to mold, wind is fluidity. Time and space are said to represent the same idea: to be destined.¡±

    ¡°So as a user of light and metal, I would be someone who¡­guides and molds people?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. You could be someone who sees the differences in metal, spots the change in someone being molded, or even mold how people see things. It could be any combination of physical and mental traits, and it¡¯s not limited to one combination.¡±

    ¡°So why are you telling me all of this?¡±

    The archer turned her gaze toward the ground. ¡°You just looked really tense, and¡­¡± Sarah had stopped, unable to find the right words. Putting his hands on both her shoulders, Sarah looked up, now face to face with the knight. ¡°Thanks. Sometimes I forget to take my mind off things when I¡¯m going nowhere.¡± The girl smiled, a feeling of accomplishment setting in as her partner appeared less burdened.

    Reaching the outskirts of the town, the duo felt uneasy. Matt had never been one to assess fashion, he typically wore muted colors, but even he had noticed the surreal trend around him. Not only were town¡¯s people wearing bright colors, there was an astonishing lack of variety. Women wore bright pink or sky-blue dresses while the men wore black or tan dress clothes. ¡°Sarah, do these people seem strangely dressed to you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not a fashionista, but now that you mention it.¡± The girl pointed to a nearby restaurant, ¡°Look how full that place is. Do people typically eat at this hour?¡± Matthew checked a watch that he had gotten during his time in Temperas, seeing it was three in the afternoon. ¡°I guess there¡¯s never a wrong time to eat, but this does seem¡­off.¡±

    As the two continued, Matthew squinted his eyes, swearing to himself that he saw a figure sneaking around. ¡°Matthew¡± a whisper emanated from his surrounding;  his attempts to gauge its location were futile while among the crowd of people surrounding him. ¡°Matthew¡± the voice continued, the young man giving chase as best he could. Desperately attempting to reach the source, he had barely noticed the crowd disappear, along with his partner. Before he could turn back, he saw something disappear into the foliage outside the town.

    The knight ran through the forest area, even though he lost his target. ¡°Show yourself! Who are you? How do you know my name?!¡± After getting no response, he figured the person was sending him on a wild goose chase, if it was a person and not a mirage. ¡°I must be going crazy.¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t leave yet!¡± As he turned around, the whisperer had made their appearance known.

 Chapter 12: Beat Down

    He had finally gotten a good look at the girl: she wore a black shirt and jeans, short brown hair, but something was familiar about her appearance. ¡°Who are you?¡± Matthew¡¯s question was met with a huff.

    ¡°Oh c¡¯mon Matt, you know who I am.¡± Despite the girl¡¯s accusatory tone, he was struggling to recall who she could have been. She looked too young to be his age, closer to fourteen. ¡°I really don¡¯t. Just tell me!¡±

    Sarah had desperately waded through the crowd of undisguisable men and women, ¡°Have you seen a guy with a sword and shield? He¡¯s super tall, you can¡¯t miss him!¡± No one seemed to want to answer her, they were more interested in her clothes.

    ¡°Howdy.¡±

    Sarah turned around to see two new faces, the first people to stand out since she arrived. Sarah recalled the voice was masculine, so it must have been the obese teen who was dressed in jeans, leather boots, a plaid shirt, and a white hat. Besides the cowboy was a darker young girl draped in a purple dress, heals visible from the slit of her dress, and a crown atop her head.

    ¡°Are you lost?¡± The girl¡¯s question carried an obvious condescending tone, but Sarah was in no position to complain.

    ¡°Yes, you see I lost my friend, he went somewhere. We¡¯re looking for the princess of Lumina, Elizabeth Mortachello.¡± The two had turned to each other, a wicked grin forming across their faces. ¡°Oh, looking for the princess you say?¡± Suddenly the two had become shrouded in darkness.

    Before Sarah¡¯s eyes, the two had changed: as the dispersed, the bigger teen boy had become a large devil, wielding an equally large knife in hand. The girl, who was quite short, had become an even shorter devil, her body mostly hidden by an overcoat, the most notable feature being her four eyes.

    ¡°What the hell are you?!¡±

    The two continued to smile, amused at the terrified archer. ¡°We¡¯re the seven deadly sins. I¡¯m Clyde, but you can call me Gluttony. That there is Hayley, or Pride if you prefer. Now I¡¯ma just say this once: stop looking for the princess. We got her safe and sound, the only thing lookin for her will do is force us to beat ya up.¡±

    Standing her ground, the archer pulled out an arrow and drew back the string on her signature weapon, ¡°If you have the princess, I have to know where she is. Don¡¯t make me shoot!¡± The pair chuckled, Sarah relinquished an arrow, but all it hit was glass, glass that had not been there seconds ago. ¡°Well Clyde, I guess she won¡¯t listen to reason. Why don¡¯t you go for a taste test?¡±

    Sara watched in horror as the stomach of the boy had opened up, sucking her in like a wind tunnel. Thinking quickly, the girl used the power of earth to surround her feet, but even that couldn¡¯t save her from being pulled into the stomach. As she was devoured, her surroundings went dark and wet. The girl felt like she was drifting in an ocean, the ¡®water¡¯ rocking violently as she tried to stay afloat. This went on for what felt like hours, but soon a bright light had forced her eyes shut. In an instant, she found herself hitting solid ground hard.

    ¡°Pleh! Tastes like nature and earth, maybe a hint of wind. I¡¯d give it a 2/5.¡± The girl opened her eyes to see the pair still standing there. Looking down, she saw a trail of water running from the creature¡¯s stomach to where she laid. ¡°You good?¡± The small devil approached, ¡°Or is Clyde going to have to bite?¡± The girl shook her head furiously, never wanting to experience that again. ¡°You be a girl now and don¡¯t look for that princess, ya hear?¡± With that, the two devils vanished, leaving Sarah to collect herself.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Matthew was getting fed up with the girl. ¡°I¡¯m done playing games. Either tell me who you are or leave me alone.¡±

    ¡°Have you forgotten your brother so soon?¡± The knight froze, unsure if he had understood her. ¡°It¡¯s your brother, or rather your sister, Lucy!¡± The brother was stupefied at what he heard. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have a sister, you¡¯re lying. If you¡¯re really Luke, or Lucy, tell me something only ¡®you¡¯ would know.¡±

    ¡°My birthday is March 12<sup>th</sup>, I know the princesses¡¯ name is Mortachello, and our family sucks. I don¡¯t know what else to you Matt, other than I couldn¡¯t use mana.¡± He couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing, this was all accurate information, even the opinionated part.

    ¡°Ok, nevermind that, tell me where the princess is!¡± The sister continued to smirk at him, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you where she is, but you can calm down, she¡¯s fine. She¡¯s being fed, has a place to sleep, even gets to walk around without someone holding her hand.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you tell me where she is?!¡± He roared, growing frustrated and impatient.

    ¡°Just following orders.¡±

    ¡°Orders? Who¡¯s orders? Did you kidnap the princess?!¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯re getting it. I was promised power if I helped steal the princess, and I did. Now all I have to do is make sure she doesn¡¯t leave.¡±

    ¡°Listen, Luke, I can fix this. Bring me the princess, come with me to the kingdom, and we¡¯ll pretend this was all a misunderstand. After that, I¡¯ll take you anywhere, away from Lumina.¡±

    ¡°Will taking me away from Lumina solve my mana issue? You¡¯re not getting it Matt, I have power now, I have friends; I don¡¯t need you, the princess, or Lumina.¡±

    Matthew was shaking, angered to the point of tears, but he managed to hold back. ¡°Luke, I can¡¯t believe you.¡± Having realized there was no convincing her, he drew his sword and shield. ¡°If you won¡¯t tell me where the princess is, I¡¯m going to have to hurt you.¡±

    The girl¡¯s expression had changed to determination, ¡°You want to fight? Good, I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment.¡± Darkness had surrounded the sister, her appearance warping in front of her brother. Matt watched her silhouette stretch, the figure towering over him. As the darkness gave way to a solid form, the knight took in his sibling¡¯s new body: a devil with ram horns and a wiry tail, purple skin that was mostly covered.

    Matt stumbled back as she opened her red eyes, ¡°Heh heh, like it?¡± Remembering what he was doing, the knight pushed himself forward into a more offensive stance. ¡°You think your little sword and shield are intimidating?¡± Out of the air, a spear suddenly appeared in the devil¡¯s right hand, the head decorated with a flower. ¡°This spear grants wishes, that¡¯s how I became a girl. Isn¡¯t that neat?¡± Dropping the determined look, the devil smiled and closed her eyes.

    Matt charged forward, lunging his sword at her. In an instant, she opened her eyes, jumped to the side, leaving the knight wide open for a counter attack. Surprised that she had not taken advantage of the moment, he continued to slash forward, each strike was dodged. After one too many lunged, the girl finally kicked an off-guard Matt into a tree.

    The blow had finally caused the brother to realize the futility of his mindless flurry. Grabbing his sword¡­Matthew realized his sword was not next to him, but instead out on the open forest floor. With Lucy between him and his weapon, he struck the ground with his shield, metal polls rising from the earth. Standing up, he summoned a flash of light which had dazed his opponent.

    Grabbing his sword, the knight faced the devil, ready to strike. To his horror, the demon had disappeared. Before he had time to get a word out, Matt was suddenly jettisoned forward into one of the polls. ¡°Looks like your little trick backfired.¡±

    Rubbing his head, he turned around to see the devil balanced on a poll. ¡°It¡¯s been fun Matt, but I should be going.¡± With that, she leapt further into the forest. Realizing there was no point giving chase, the knight withdrew his sword and shield.

    ¡°Lu-Lucy, why? Why couldn¡¯t you have just waited? Why did you steal the princess?¡± Matthew sighed, taking in the environment. ¡°Where did Sarah go?¡±

 Chapter 13: A Tragic Truth

    ¡°Matthew, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Sarah¡¯s apology was met by nothing, Matthew lost in his own world again. Instead of attempting to reach him again, she simply joined him in letting her legs guide her back home. The once excited and inspiring wind now felt taunting and mean spirited. Getting devoured was a terrifying experience but listening to the knight relay his earlier encounter was heart breaking. Even without knowing their relationship, watching the reserved knight slump into depression was all the explanation needed.

    ¡°Sorry for what?¡± Sarah¡¯s heart skipped a beat, almost forgetting her prior statement in the time it took for him to acknowledge and respond. They had walked more than half way back to the kingdom, the sun beginning to set as the gate became visible. ¡°I feel like I could have done something if I hadn¡¯t lost you.¡±

    The knight suddenly stopped dead, the archer digging her heels in the dirt to avoid crashing into him. ¡°Sarah, there was nothing you could have done. My sister made her choice, I doubt dragging her back would have solved anything. We¡¯ll rest and think of what to do tomorrow.¡± The rest of the trip was silent between the duo, letting the ambience carry the somber tone.

    Passing the front gate, the two had caught sight of the others. Matt had caught a glimpse of their expression, boredom; combined with their unscathed appearances, it seemed they hadn¡¯t encountered the sins.

    ¡°Hey Matt¡¯s back!¡± The excitement on their faces had quickly become concern. ¡°You alright man?¡±

    He explained to them what happened at the town, the strange appearance of the people, and what he had went through. Concern had twisted into outrage and heartache, not unlike what he had just went through.

    ¡°So let me get this straight: your brother kidnapped the princess and is now a devil girl.¡± Eric¡¯s summation was met with a nod. ¡°One that can kick his ass!¡± Brian¡¯s outburst earned him a smack by way of ice rock.

    ¡°He¡¯s right. She was too fast to strike, and she hit me with enough force to send me flying. Worse still, she knows more than what she told me. That¡¯s not all either. Sarah, tell them what happened to you.¡±

    Stepping forward, the elf explained her part, how she lost Matthew, the two people she encountered, and what she experienced.

    ¡°Those two must be related to Luke. I don¡¯t what¡¯s going on, but I have a bad feeling there¡¯s something deep going on, and I think I have figured out.¡± Eric¡¯s words had enraptured his friends as they all learned in to hear his explanation. ¡°Clearly these sins are a decoy met to distract us from the real evil, and they¡¯ve captured the princess to keep us busy while the real villain carries out their scheme. Who is the real villain you ask? None other than the lizard people!¡± And like that, he lost them.

    ¡°Eric, not only is that vaguely racist, it¡¯s one-hundred percent dumb.¡± The mage, as well as the others, were neither impressed or convinced. ¡°Well if you or anyone else has a better idea, let me hear it!¡±

    ¡°I might.¡± All eyes turned to Sarah. ¡°I need to be honest with, entirely honest.¡± There was a collective sigh from the group, a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu filling everyone else¡¯s mind with a certain woman from Temperas.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°My team isn¡¯t lost, they weren¡¯t kidnapped or anything like that.¡± The archer felt a chill, the stares around her becoming more antagonistic by the word. ¡°The truth is¡­they were killed.¡±

    All five teens had taken a step back in shock and horror. ¡°Wait what, you mean these things killed your team?! That might have been good to know before we went out!¡± Brian watched the archer cry, assuming it was the result of his outburst.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that, it¡¯s just-¡° ¡°It¡¯s just what?¡± The mage joined in the outburst. ¡°It¡¯s just, I think there¡¯s a connection between what my team found and these people.¡±

    ¡°If this situation is dangerous, if you even think it¡¯s dangerous, you need to tell us right now.¡± Adriana had stepped out of her natural aloof character to scold the girl. ¡°Yeah seriously, we don¡¯t wanna end up like th-¡° ¡°ENOUGH!¡±

    Matthew¡¯s shout was enough to shake the frenzied teens and to draw attention from nearby residents. ¡°Let her finish, we¡¯ll think on things after she¡¯s done. Go on, Sarah.¡±

    Wiping the tears from her face, she continued. ¡°We were sent by Umbro¡¯s government to investigate a structure that was recently discovered in the Doran Mountain Range. There was no exact directions or specific location to check, we just had to go exploring the mountain range until we found it. When our swordswoman, Vanessa, had sighted it, we approached the tower, hoping to inspect it.¡±

    ¡°Not to interrupt, but why did they want you to search it? Did they no why it was there?¡± Eric¡¯s question was met with a no.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t seem to know anything about it, just that it was not there originally. When we got close, we saw¡­him. A man in a black cloak, with long black hair. He was walking toward us, we had assumed he either had some relation to the structure or was just as confused as us. Vanessa, being our leader, stepped forward to greet him. As the man pulled out a dagger, Vanessa must have assumed he was dangerous and attacked him with her greatsword.¡±

    The archer had paused, taking time to breathe. Despite her best efforts, she was in tears again. ¡°That¡¯s, that¡¯s when it happened. Before our eyes, the man had instantly warped behind her. He stabbed our leader in the back of her neck. Our dragoon, completely losing his mind, had tried to assault the man; the man had done the same thing, warping in front of Thomas and stabbing him in the throat. Realizing there was nothing we could do, we ran. We ran, and we ran, and occasionally we turned our heads back, watching him slowly gain on us. Me and our mage, John, caught a glimpse of our cleric Karren getting slaughtered. My vision was starting to become to blurry to see where I was going, but I kept running, even when I could no longer see John behind me.¡±

    The girl had stopped again, the group hoping for some relief to the tragic events, some light in the dark, miserable recounting of events.

    ¡°Eventually, I tripped. I scrapped my knee, unable to draw enough mana to protect it. Flipping on my back, I checked for any sign of the man, but there was nothing. I continued, hoping I had lost him. I didn¡¯t bother to take note of where I was or where I came from, I simply kept going. After what felt like years, I finally found a town in Umbro.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I doubted you early.¡± The mage embraced Sarah, then Brian, Eric, and Adriana. ¡°If there¡¯s anything we can do for you, let us know. Do you have a place to stay?¡±

    The girl had given the negative, Matthew jumping in to save the day. ¡°You can stay with me then. Now that Lucy is gone, you can take her bed. It¡¯s small, but I¡¯ll have that fixed tomorrow.¡±

    Matthew turned his gaze from the archer to the rest of his team. ¡°We¡¯ll rest today and plan tomorrow. I¡¯ll relay the information her majesty.¡±

    The group disbanded, Sarah shadowing Matthew on his way home. As they stood atop the hill, Sarah gazed at the castle, captivated by the view. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the castle before.¡±

    ¡°Wait, if you¡¯ve never seen the castle before, how did you know about us? And that the princess was missing?¡± Matthew had turned to the girl, still in awe of the royal building.

    ¡°Talk of the princess¡¯ kidnapping was all over town. People had said that your group would be able to find and rescue her.¡± Finally moving her gaze to her companion, her solemn expression became apparent. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me staying.¡±

    ¡°Not at all. Speaking of, let¡¯s go inside, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re as hungry as I am.¡±

    ¡°Matthew¡± The archer embraced the young man, ¡°thank you.¡±

 Chapter 14: The Archer and The Knight

    The sound of a door opening had alerted the residence that their son had returned, but they were surprised to see a stranger joining him, and ill-prepared for the news.

    ¡°Mother, Father, this is Sarah. She¡¯ll be staying with us for¡­awhile.¡±

    ¡°Hello young lady,¡± The man introduced himself, ¡°I am Jonathan Baronia. My wife,¡± he gestured toward the woman in the kitchen,¡± is Catherine. Have a seat, Tell us about yourself.¡±

    ¡°I am Sarah Kavy, an elf.¡± She watched the man raise an eyebrow, unsure if he was confused or piqued.

    ¡°An elf? Quite far from the Umbro kingdom, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I came here after my team was attacked by a man. I was hoping that with Matthew¡¯s team, we could rescue them.¡±

    ¡°That sounds serious, but while I hate to admit it, there are more pressing matters at hand.¡± Johnathan had shifted his piercing gaze toward his son. ¡°Matthew, have you found anything regarding the princess?¡±

    Matthew froze, unsure of how to proceed. Did he tell his father no and try to persuade Lucy again, or would he reveal what happened? As he stared at his father, he could feel his heartbeat, time tick away by the second, and sweat begin to form on his forehead. Shutting his eyes, he could still feel his father watching him, but now it felt as though his mother and Sarah had joined them. Sighing heavily, his tension eased as he made his decision.

    ¡°Yes, I have.¡± Opening his eyes again, he could see the anticipation on his father¡¯s face. His frown had straightened and his eyebrows rose. ¡°The princess is being held captive by a group of devils called the seven sins.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, it figures. Those loathsome creatures would stoop this low. We should have wiped them out when we had them by the throat.¡±

    Matthew had to force himself not to cringe at his father¡¯s comments. ¡°They¡¯re not ordinary devils though. They were people who could transform into devils, ones that had gone extinct.¡±

    The once angry father was now aghast, ¡°Are you saying the legend of the seven sins is real? No, perhaps you were just seeing things.¡±

    The knight had kept his expression stern, ¡°We fought them! Sarah fought two and I fought one. They overpowered us, but they ran. For one reason or another, they don¡¯t want us finding the princess.¡±

    ¡°This is serious Matthew. You may not understand yet, but the queen is not looked upon fondly. If word gets out that her daughter has been kidnapped and the kingdom¡¯s prodigies could not save her, the result¡­well, it¡¯ll be grave.¡±

    Looking down at the table, Matt began to wonder what he meant. Would they be kicked out of the kingdom? Be exiled to the lowest ring? Would it matter at all? Perhaps they would be forced from the country itself. Maybe they would continue to live their lives, but in shame, the denizens constantly mocking and belittling them. Not just his family, but his friend¡¯s family as well. These thoughts began to overwhelm the young man.

    ¡°What of your brother?¡±

    Matthew¡¯s heart stopped, his eyes opening wide. He had hoped and prayed that his father would forget to ask, he had hoped to dodge the question, but now, now he had to face his father. If he simply left or refused to answer, he knew the man would grow suspicious.

    ¡°Luke,¡± he took a deep breath, delaying the inevitable, ¡°Luke became one of them.¡±

    ¡°WHAT?!¡± A loud thump came from his father smashing the table with his fist, leaving a notable crack on the wood. ¡°Ungrateful little sh-¡°

    ¡°He did it so he could become stronger. He also became a girl.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter why he did it Matthew, he betrayed the kingdom, he betrayed his parents, he betrayed you. He is no longer my son, he is a sick, twisted freak!¡±

    Matthew felt himself boiling with rage at his father¡¯s words, his arms shaking in anger. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned to see Sarah¡¯s sorrowful expression, his anger subsiding immediately.

    ¡°Matthew,¡± the knight faced his father once again, ¡°you said he overpowered you? I want you to spend the next few days here, training with me. By the end, you should be able to handle him. When you defeat Luke, I want you drag him back here, so that I can teach him discipline. I was clearly too light on him.¡±

    ¡°Yes father.¡±

    Any further conversation was stifled by dinner plates, food fit for a family of four. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you like fowlcrow Sarah, I hadn¡¯t had much time to prepare anything else.¡± The archer, however, was too bust digging into the cooked bird like a wild animal to hear the woman¡¯s apology. All previous tension had dissipated as both men had their attention fixed on the young woman cleaning her plate record time.

    As Matthew finished his meal, he slid his chair out from under the table, signaling Sarah to join him as he travelled to his room. ¡°This is the bathroom.¡± He pointed inside a well cleaned room composed of tiles, a counter with drawers and a sink, a toilet next to the counter, and a shower at the end of the room.

    ¡°Wow, you guys have bathrooms in Lumina?¡± The boy tilted his head at the question, wondering why she asked such a thing. ¡°Yeah, does Umbro not?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that. Umbro imports many things from Temperas. That watch of yours,¡± she pointed to the watch on his wrist, ¡°is common in Umbro. Since you guys don¡¯t import things from Temperas, I just assumed Lumina didn¡¯t have things like plumbing.¡±

    ¡°Plumbing comes from Temperas? I¡¯ve been there, obviously, we don¡¯t have watches in Lumina, but we¡¯ve had plumbing for decades.¡± Continuing to the end of the hall, the knight directed his escort to his room. ¡°This is my room. I haven¡¯t really had time to redecorate since I was fourteen, so it¡¯s kind of dorky.¡±

    Sarah giggled out loud, ¡°Dorky? I guess Lumina took Temperas¡¯ way of speaking too.¡± The girl explored the room, analyzing the various aspects that composed its personality. ¡°You know, it¡¯s funny how quickly we change our minds on what we think is cool. I would¡¯ve said the same thing about my room.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± Sarah pointed to the empty terrarium.

    ¡°That used to be for my pet chameleon. Brian had found it one day, but for some reason it really liked me.¡± The boy cusped his chin, thinking deeply, ¡°Knowing what I know now about Alzal, I wonder if it¡¯s because he could sense I was a light user.¡±

    ¡°This is a nice map,¡± Matthew¡¯s train of thought was broken as he watched the girl look over the map of Araponza pinned to the wall. ¡°Yeah, I wanted to be an adventurer, going out and seeing the world. I suppose escorting researcher and beating up monsters wasn¡¯t the worst way to go about it.¡±

    The archer had moved on to the book case, scanning the different titles across the various shelves. ¡°Did you used to read a lot?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I used to read it when the whether was terrible or when the others were busy. I used to¡­read to Luke all the time.¡± The knight slumped down, his thoughts going back to those days before he left. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Matt, I didn¡¯t mean to bring up bad memories.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he shook his head, ¡°it¡¯s fine. I need to show you Lucy¡¯s old room anyways.¡± Walking across the hall, Matthew opened the door to reveal his sister¡¯s room, still messy. ¡°This is Lucy¡¯s room, the bed might be small for now, and the room is actually real messy, but we¡¯ll get this cleaned up quick.¡±

    ¡°I love it!¡± The archer exclaimed, much to Matt¡¯s shock. ¡°It reminds me of home. I,¡± the girl hesitated as she looked at the knight, ¡°I¡¯m a bit of a slob, so I don¡¯t mind.¡± The girl sat on the bed before kicking her shoes off to lay down. ¡°The bed isn¡¯t too bad either.¡± She tried to position herself to fit her entire body in the bed but had to compromise between fitting her head comfortably and having feet hang off the end or resting her head on the wall.

    ¡°Matt,¡± the girl sat up-right, the knight sitting on the chair to face her, ¡°your father said Luke was your brother, but you said Lucy was your sister. Which is it? And, why did you get so angry when your father started yelling about him?¡± Sarah watched the young man rub his eyes, ¡°Sorry if it¡¯s personal. You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±

    ¡°Listen, Sarah, I respect my sister. I¡¯ve always respected her decisions, even if I don¡¯t understand or agree with them. She¡¯s my family, even if she¡¯s a nine-foot tall devil girl now.¡± Matthew had rose from his seat to close the door, returning to his seat afterwards. ¡°As for my father, he may not understand it, but he¡¯s the reason this happened.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what do you mean?¡± The girl was hoping he was exaggerating or being figurative.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t turn her into the devil girl or anything, but I know that my father one of the biggest reasons Lucy did what she did. He would work her to the bone, having us fight, only for me to have swat him down. This would happen almost every day during summer. He would have her exercise to the point of hurting her, force her to do things she couldn¡¯t do without mana, and never listened to her.¡±

    ¡°So what will you do if you can stop her?¡± Sarah watch the knight lay back in the chair, contemplating her question.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take her to aunt Shelly. There¡¯s no ifs, ands, or buts. I will not, even if I have to fight him, let Johnathan hurt her anymore.¡± Matthew¡¯s conviction had sent chills down the archer¡¯s back.

    Silence had fogged the room, Sarah not confident enough to pursue the conversation, Matthew unsure of what direction to go. Looking toward the bookshelf, the knight reminisced about the many nights spent reading to his younger sibling. As the elf had yawned uncontrollably, the boy took advantage of the situation, ¡°You sound tired.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been a long day and the dinner making me sleepy.¡± Sarah had followed Matthew¡¯s line of sight, ¡°It might be strange to ask, but would you read me one of those stories. I could use something nice to fall asleep to.¡±

    Doing as she asked, Matthew began reading off book titles. ¡°How about the boy that cried Vulf?¡± The girl shook her head. ¡°Umbro Devil?¡± The boy turned his head to the girl. ¡°Nah.¡± Looking through the books again, ¡°Alzal Tails?¡± The girl laughed out loud. ¡°Picky picky. Alright, how about The Legendary City?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes lit up at the title.

    The Knight opened the book, reading through the stories content. ¡°-and that¡¯s when,¡± Matthew was interrupted by the sawing of giant trees. ¡°Well, maybe another time. Good night L-¡° catching himself, he closed the book and stood up, ¡°Good night, Sarah.¡±

    Waking up, Matthew stretched his limbs. ¡°Surprised I didn¡¯t have that stupid dream again.¡±

    Getting up to inspect the room opposite, he immediately regretted looking inside the door. The knight wasn¡¯t a stranger to see girls in less clothes, Jessica not being very tactful about her infatuation, but he still felt guilty. After a minute, the door had opened from the other side. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Matt, never seen a girl in her underwear?¡±

    Turning around, Matt was relieved to see her fully clothed. ¡°No, Jessica hasn¡¯t exactly respected my boundaries.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the red headed mage, right?¡± Matt nodded at the girl. ¡°Yeah, she gets jealous of other girls when they¡¯re around me. She¡¯s also a hot-head, so be careful about setting her off.¡±

    ¡°Are you heading out of Lumina again?¡± Matthew and Sarah had sat down at the kitchen table, Johnathan being absent. ¡°No mom, we¡¯re going to tell the queen about what we saw and heard. After that, we¡¯ll meet the group, they¡¯ll relax while I train.¡±

    After a hearty serving of pancakes, the two headed out for the castle. ¡°Halt, who is this girl Mr. Baronia?¡± Two guards had crossed their spears, blocking the entrance of the castle. Matthew wasn¡¯t fond of the guards, but he figured they had a right to be weary after the recent incident. ¡°She is a friend of mine. Her name is Sarah Kavy, and she has put her life on the line to bring is valuable information.¡± The two Guards immediately returned their spears to their up-right position, ¡°Any friend of the Baronia family is a friend to the Mortachello family. It is our honor to let you pass.¡±

    As the two passed through the castle, Matthew watched in amusement as his friend vigorously took in the castle surroundings. ¡°This place is incredible. These marble floors, the tall ceiling, it¡¯s just so pretty.¡±

    Before long, the two had made their way to the queen, Matthew signaling Sarah to kneel with him.

    ¡°Rise.¡± The two stood up, the elf taking in the Queen¡¯s draping white hair, her eloquent silver dress, and her amber eyes. ¡°Matthew, I am surprised to see you back so soon. You had left yesterday, had you not? Did you find anything of value?¡±

    Matthew and Sarah relayed all that they knew, including who Sarah was.

    ¡°So my daughter has been kidnapped by a group of Devil¡¯s called the seven sins? I thought it a mere legend, but I guess truth is stranger than fiction. If your theory is true, humble elf, then we ought to send soldiers their way. Unfortunately, if our prodigies are too weak to handle even one of their numbers, I can¡¯t help but feel sending soldiers to them will be like sending sheep to the slaughter.¡±

    The pair had felt a queasiness washed over them, a crushing feeling at the idea of an army being ineffective.

    ¡°We can¡¯t simply send our armies to the devil village, that could cause irreparable damage to our ties with them and the monarchies¡¯ reputation. I know it¡¯s asking you two too much, but can you confirm these devils are in fact occupying that tower.¡±

    The knight nodded, much to his partner¡¯s dismay. ¡°Yes, if we have no choice, then we will do what we can.¡±

    With that, the two were released.

    ¡°What now Matt?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll meet the team and decide on what to do next.¡± As the duo made their way to the center of town, the common meeting place for their friends, they sat alone for many minutes. Eventually, Matt had caught sight of Eric.

    ¡°Eric, where did the others go?¡± The knight was both confused and worried.

    ¡°They wanted to find the other sins. Since the sins don¡¯t seem as dangerous as the man, Brian and Jessica figured they might have a better chance.¡± Eric looked at his leader, analyzing his expression. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried, I told them not to go, but I don¡¯t disagree with them for trying to find out more. Besides, there are four other sins we don¡¯t know about. Even if they get beaten up, they might learn about the other members.¡±

    ¡°I just hope they have better luck than we do.¡±

 Chapter 15: Love and War

    ¡°Brian, are you sure Gnash is northeast of Brisben?¡± Jessica watched the dragoon open his map, inspect it thoroughly, then put it back in his satchel. ¡°Pretty sure, at least if I read the map correctly.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re lost, aren¡¯t we?¡± The mage couldn¡¯t believe she let dragoon take the map.

    ¡°We¡¯re fine. Don¡¯t complain, it was your idea to go looking for people that beat up Matt. I said we should wait and talk, but nooo.¡±

    The mage crossed her arms, stifling any further conversation. He was right, but she had figured finding the city would be easy, or at least easier than this. The pair had walked a long way since the first two villages, long enough for Jessica to realize this was a bad idea.

    As the duo continued to trek the flat plains, they watched carefully for Mox holes.

    ¡±They say moxes have large claws and fluffy ears, and razor sharp teeth. They eat anything that they happen to burrow into. Apparently, they¡¯re also used in coats.¡±

    ¡°Well Brian, why not skin a few for Matt, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d love a coat made from these ugly things.¡±

    ¡°Yeesh Jess, just trying to lighten the mood.¡± Brian regretted bringing conversation back up, cursing himself for even thinking to try while in Jessica¡¯s company.

    Soon the plains began to elevate into hilly terrain. A town became visible in the distance, not far from another forest. As the two entered the town, they noticed it was rather spare near the entrance. Despite the many small shacks that appeared to be the main occupancy of the town, a large noise could be heard at the center.

    A large crowd of people had amassed at the center, so large that there were even people on the outskirts. ¡°She¡¯s mine!¡± A male voice yelled. Brian and Jessica watched as two men beat each other while a woman looked over them. ¡°I think we should come back later.¡± Agreeing with the dragoon, Jessica followed back near the entrance.

    ¡°Did you see how crazy those guys got over that woman while she was making out with another guy?¡± The mage shook her head. ¡°No, I saw two adults doing¡­well, you know.¡±

    ¡°Some of the seven sins must be here.¡± Brian scanned the area, seeing the town curve around the center. ¡°Not sure where they are, but if they¡¯re not in the center, it shouldn¡¯t be hard to find them.¡± Just then, the dragoon felt something poke his back; turning around, he saw it was a brunette woman, smiling at him.

    ¡°You lookin at my woman?!¡± An amber skinned man growled at Brian

    ¡°No, he was probably admiring you.¡± Jessica¡¯s comment had cause the man to completely flip his reaction, posing like an embarrassed teenager whose crush just acknowledged them. Before Brian could object, the woman had pulled the man away. ¡°Mine!¡± she gave Brian the death glare before disappearing around the curve.

    ¡°Jessica, I¡¯m scared.¡±

    ¡°I am too Brian.¡±

    ¡°Why hello there, don¡¯t you look like a lovely couple.¡± A woman¡¯s voice had shifted the pair¡¯s attention toward two teenagers, not

    The man was tall and wide, covered neck to toe in plate armor, leaving only his head exposed. With short brown hair and a pale complexion, the figured looked to be a caveman. The woman was dress in formal wear, a black shirt and pants, a red tie and sleek black loafers, the ensemble completed by her fedora and long, jet black hair. She was classy, her figure average, yet inviting compared to the man next to her.

    ¡°You guys know why the townspeople are acting weird.¡± Brian¡¯s directed his question at the woman.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°Hmm, no, I¡¯m afraid we don¡¯t.¡± The woman was perplexed when a grin formed on the dragoon¡¯s face.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a question. I know you know, because you two are the only ones not acting strange.¡± Brian was satisfied himself, but the woman still seemed confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb, the people here all beating each other up while you two just stand there, and I didn¡¯t see anyone else enter town. I¡¯m guessing you two are part of the seven sins.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, well aren¡¯t you clever? Yes, we are of the seven sins, but it¡¯s still bad manners not introduce yourselves.¡± The woman glared at Brian expectantly, but he would not budge. Turning over to Jessica, she got the same response. ¡°I shall go first then. I am Alexander Sharla, Pride of the seven sins, and my silent companion here is Xander Hart, also known as Wrath.¡±

    ¡°I am pleased to meet your acquaintance.¡± The man finally spoke, his voice booming yet his tone was eloquent. ¡°I shall be your opponent. En garde!¡± The man stepped forward, unleashing a large claymore befitting a man of his stature.

    ¡°Leave him to me Jess, I can take this fool down easy.¡± Brian rushed the paladin head on, rocketing through the air before stabbing at him. In a turn of events that surprised Jessica, the man didn¡¯t seem prepared for this maneuver, Brian¡¯s attack forcing him backward.

    ¡°Looks like I underestimated you, but that strike was still underwhelming.¡± Darkness had surrounded the paladin, his figure growing even larger. The devil sported no wings, no tail, no horns, but his armor was still bulky and intimidating, but now the same charcoal black as his skin. His signature claymore was also made completely black, now with a fancy handle.

    ¡°Hmph, just a bigger target to take down!¡± Pushing himself harder, Brian flew at the devil even faster. The dragoon rushed his target so quickly that he could not stop himself from meeting the broadside of his sword. Brian was sent crashing into a wall of a building still under construction.

    ¡°I apologize for my crude commentary, but I must say that strategy was¡­lacking.¡± The giant had turned his attention to the mage

    ¡°Ah, now this is starting to look familiar.¡± Jessica had turned to see a hole where Brian¡¯s trajectory had been. ¡°But it¡¯s not going to end the same way. Unlike that stupid boar from two years ago, I¡¯m going to take you down and prove I¡¯m not weak.¡± Jessica faced the devil, her staff glowing with anticipation.

    ¡°I have no context for what you¡¯re referring to. That said, I was more interested in clashing with you to begin with. Have at thee!¡± The challenge Xander demanded was met with a large column of ice being flung his way. Slamming his sword into the ground, he rushed the column, stopping its propulsion, before lifting it over his head and putting it down gently to his side.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m done yet!¡± The mage flung smaller icicles at her opponent, decreasing the interval between attacks as he approached. As the devil towered over the redhead, she smiled a devious smile. Before he could attack, the girl turned the ground to ice. Encasing her arms in a block of ice, she jettisoned herself forward by creating an icy slope, sending herself and the giant into the column of ice. The back of the paladin slammed into the ice column, causing part of it to shatter.

    Brian had sat up, rubbing the back of his head. Looking in the direction he was thrown, he saw Jessica was now fighting the large devil. The dragoon attempted to join her, but he was unable to move any part of his body except for his eyes.

    ¡°Now now, two-on-one wouldn¡¯t be fair.¡± The blonde turned his attention to a familiar voice, but not a familiar face: a devil was standing to his side, wearing red heels barely visible through a long red dress, offset by her charcoal skin, leathery wings, and horns on her head. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you company while Xander plays with your friend.¡±

    The mage had looked smug as the paladin began to slump. Her victory was short lived however, as the paladin erupted, stretching his limbs and standing up. Taking advantage of his bulk and close proximity to the mage, he stomped on the ice floor, breaking the ice under him before he delivered a flurry of punches. Left hook, right jab, Jessica had taken punch after punch straight to the face, her mana only able to protect her for so long. With one final slug, the girl was sent sliding across what remained of her own ice floor.

    ¡°Alex, it seems my bout is over. You may gloat if you please.¡± Alex had forced Brian to move against his will, standing up and following her.

    The devil girl walked over to the mage, kneeling so that her face eclipsed the redhead¡¯s vision. ¡°Look at you, so sweet, even with the bloody nose Xander gave you. Since you knew who we were, that means you or someone you know must have met one of us before. Because you didn¡¯t listen or forgot, I¡¯ll repeat the warning: don¡¯t look for the princess or else we¡¯ll beat you up again, okay?¡± Jessica had squinted as the woman pushed her nose. ¡°Take care now, cutie.¡±

    With that, the two walked away casually, leaving Brian to fall next to Jessica before he regained control of his body.

    ¡°Next time Jess, just wait for Matt.¡±

 Chapter 16: Family Time

    ¡°So where¡¯s Adriana?¡± Matthew was hoping that at least the rogue stuck around. ¡°Adri wanted to train with her father. If there¡¯s something you want her to know, you can ask me and I¡¯ll tell her.¡±

    ¡°Ok,¡± the knight raised his eyebrow, ¡°first off, Adri?¡±

    ¡°No good?¡± Eric seemed a bit disconcerted at the question, sweating and rubbing his forehead.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s cute, it just caught me off guard is all.¡± Matthew was less than thrilled with what he needed to say next. ¡°I guess since no one feels like listening to directions, we¡¯ll all just do our own things. I¡¯m going to train with Johnathan. Eric, train with Sarah. Tell ¡®Adri¡¯ to meet back at the center of town by sunset.¡±

    ¡°Uh, Johnathan? And why me and Sarah?¡±

    ¡°My father. I¡¯ve told you before. My father doesn¡¯t understand when he goes too far, I don¡¯t want to subject Sarah to that kind of abuse.¡±

    ¡°Right, it¡¯s just I forgot, since you tend to call him dad or father. And I mean, why would you put yourself through his training if it¡¯s that bad?¡±

    ¡°Because he taught me techniques I wouldn¡¯t know otherwise, and he¡¯s told me he wanted to teach me more. If we want any hope at beating the sins, we need, need to prepare ourselves in any and every way.¡±

    The knight left the duo, heading back in the direction of his home.

    ¡°I guess that leaves you and me.¡± The Cleric nodded at the Archer, leading her in the direction of his home.¡±

    A dark sepia skinned man had leapt to avoid bolts of lightning. The man was lean and fit, but scars on his arms told of many treacherous encounters. Facing the source of the lightning, his back was now against a shady brick wall. Without any warning, lightning had sprung from behind him, his reaction barely fast enough to avoid getting struck. ¡°Not bad kiddo, you¡¯ve got combining down, or at least a subset.¡±

    ¡°Thanks dad. I wish I thought to try this out two years ago.¡± Adriana sheathed her daggers before walking over to her father. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    ¡°Hah, nah. I¡¯ve taken my licks from way worse, at least physically. Can¡¯t say my pride isn¡¯t shot, being outpaced by my daughter.¡± The man let out a hearty, contagious laugh, the rogue following suit. ¡°Glad I can still put a smile on my baby¡¯s face! Why don¡¯t we take a break for now?¡±

    Taking her father up on his suggestion, the two sat down at a restaurant, the rogue able to have her favorite desert: a fudge brownie. Adriana wanted to object, but the inviting aroma and soft texture were unbearable. Indulging in every bite, paradoxically inhaling the desert while trying to preserve the experience as long as possible, she had paid no mind to her father, who seemed preoccupied with his own thoughts.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s an odd time to ask this, but have you thought about, well¡­moving out?¡±

    The girl nearly choked on her brownie, ¡°Not yet dad! When this whole seven sins thing is done, I¡¯ll have the queen fine or make me a new home.¡± The girl had recalled the queen¡¯s promise from a week ago, but she hadn¡¯t thought to hold to that promise.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant honey. You can stay with me as long as you need to. What I¡¯m worried about,¡± the man drew close to his daughter, lowering his voice to a murmur, ¡°is you stayin in Lumina. I don¡¯t got a good feeling about this place recently. When this whole incident is through, I think you should move to Umbro or some other place.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it father.¡± The rogue laid back, focusing on finishing her food. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about leaving before, but I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m ready to leave you yet.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you do, know that I¡¯ll always have your back as best I can.¡± Adriana could feel herself choking again, but she had already finished her brownie. As the two-headed home, the rogue tackled her father, giving her a strong hug.

    Matthew watched Johnathan concentrate, metallic liquid encasing his body. More and more, the metal took form around him, shaping into armor that had covered all but his face. ¡°You see Matthew, this is the power of metal. Like your shield or your sword, this armor will be as powerful as you are. If you are weak, it shall only weight you down. If you are strong, it will never be penetrated.¡±

    At the man¡¯s signal, the knight attempted to recreate his father¡¯s technique, drawing liquid metal from the earth. As the liquid encased his legs, he felt himself grow weak, the metal falling forming a puddle as it hit the ground. ¡°I see that I have overestimated you, but that is fine. We will keep training until you can form the armor. I won¡¯t even concern you with its durability until then.¡±

    Matthew began concentrating again. Forcing his body to generate more mana, the metal had managed to reach his waist. Once the liquid surrounded his torso, he could feel himself losing control again. Shutting his eyes and pushing even harder, the metal was beginning to encase his neck; at the same time, the knight felt as if the world was beginning to spin, his stomach felt weak, and his head felt foggy.

    ¡°Enough!¡±

    His eyes shooting open, the liquid dropped again, this time forming a much larger puddle. ¡°Matthew, I know you want to prove yourself, and you have. When I said I overestimated you, that was a mistake on my part.¡± His hands on the knight¡¯s shoulder, Johnathan gave him a familiar look of pride.

    Matthew was unsure why, but he had noted his father¡¯s facial features, his red eyes and brown hair. He saw his father every day, yet something seemed off. Looking him over again, he realized his eyes must have caught a glimpse of a wrinkle in his father¡¯s face, and gray hair¡¯s sporadically dotted on his head.

    ¡°Son, you¡¯ve proven to me over and over again that you deserve to be¡­no, that you are a prodigy. Often, I forget you can only push yourself so far. I learned this technique when I was your age, but it took me eight more years to work up the concentration and mana necessary to use it. Hell, it took me five years to get where you¡¯re at. We will try again tomorrow; for now, rest.¡±

    ¡°Oof¡± was all Eric could muster after being slammed into a wall of earth. Large vines had secured the cleric to the wall before it launched upwards. The slab managed to life a whole foot off the ground before crashing back down and falling over. ¡°Is this space? Did I land on another planet?¡±

    ¡°Sorry Eric, I just get really excited when I train. It¡¯s not often I get a chance to try using all of my elements.¡± The girl walked to the cleric, helping the dizzy boy off the ground. ¡°As you can see, it worked out better in my head.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a great idea, just needs more lift.¡± Before the cleric could continue, his mother had arrived with a tray of glasses. ¡°You know, I thought you were with that Adriana girl.¡±

    ¡°Mom! I don¡¯t date every girl I meet. She¡¯s just a friend, and we¡¯re busy training.¡± Taking the glass of water, he tried to pay his mother no mind as she handed the archer another glass.

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him dearie, he said that about the other girl, and now they¡¯re soulmates. Before you know he¡¯ll have his own harem.¡± Taking her glass, she watched the woman walk back in the house, all the while Eric¡¯s left eye twitched.

    ¡°Your mom seems fun.¡±

    Eric groaned, unable and unwilling to continue talking about the woman.

    Matthew looked up at the sunset, down at his watch, up at the sunset again, then down at his watch. No matter what method he used to survey time, he drew the same conclusion: he was getting tired of waiting. After what felt like ages, he finally caught sight of the rogue. ¡°How long have you been sitting there?¡±

    ¡°A few minutes. Felt like hours, but I don¡¯t think the sun, or my watch, is lying.¡± The two didn¡¯t have to wait much longer before the cleric and archer showed themselves. ¡°Sorry about the wait, dad made cookies. Hey, what¡¯s that in the distance?¡±

    Eric pointed to a shambling silhouette approaching their general direction. As the figure¡¯s details became apparent, so too did their injuries. Eric ran over to greet them, ¡°Brian, Jessica! Good to see you could make it to this meeting. I¡¯m guessing you met the sins?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re it.¡± The dragoon slapped Eric¡¯s hand, the cleric looking toward Adriana for answers. ¡°You heard the man. We¡¯re going to fight some sins!¡±

    Eric attempted to protest, but Adriana dragged him away from the group.

    ¡°Curse you Brian!¡±

 Chapter 17: Im Sorry

    The group had agreed to meet in the morning, making sure they had all caught up with each other on their encounters, as well as offer additional information or advice.

    ¡°Hey Matt, glad you¡¯re here to see us off. I thought you¡¯d be training with your dad; are you taking a day off?¡± The cleric dropped off a large bag next to the bench Matt was sitting on.

    ¡°Yes and no. Since this training is so draining, I¡¯ll be relaxing for most of the day.¡± The knight began to contemplate yesterday¡¯s events, his mind filling with one particular image. ¡°There is something that¡¯s been bugging me about Jonathan though. Yesterday, I noticed his hair starting to go gray. It bothers me, and I don¡¯t know why.¡±

    ¡°Geez, I didn¡¯t think he was that old!¡± Brian put his hands over his mouth, tensing up for the ire he assumed was coming his way.

    ¡°He¡¯s not, which is why it¡¯s weird. Do you think it¡¯s just an issue he has?¡± Matt hadn¡¯t even considered the dragoon¡¯s comment rude, he was still preoccupied over his concern.

    ¡°Good thing you have a cleric on your team, or else this question might go unanswered! You see, gray hair could be a genetic issue, but given the whole princess debacle, it could also be related to stress.¡±

    ¡°Stress? Hmm, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just the princesses¡¯ kidnapping that¡¯s got him stressed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about Luke, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adriana had already figured out what must have occurred. ¡°I¡¯m more surprised he has any hair left.¡±

    ¡°I remember how he exploded when you told him what happened. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s really worried about Luke.¡± Sarah noticed the knight was clenching his fist, much like the night prior.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t care about Lucy, he just doesn¡¯t want people to think about him. I¡¯ll talk with him tonight, but I¡¯m sure the only thing he cares about is his reputation.¡±

    ¡°Ehm, speaking of our parents,¡± the dragoon had finally worked up the nerve to interrupt again, ¡°My parents are going to be out today. They¡¯ve been joining the search for the sins, though they¡¯ve been checking towns to the east and west.¡±

    ¡°My dad left to go check some towns to the south.¡± Adriana sighed to herself, ¡°Matt, I want to talk to you when we return. Don¡¯t worry about it until I get back though.¡±

    ¡°Alright, and I want to tell you something.¡± The knight turned his attention to the group. ¡°I want to tell you all something. I relayed Sarah¡¯s information to the queen, and she told me this: all search parties are to remain as far away from Doran Mountains until we can confirm the princess is there. She won¡¯t risk losing anyone on a rumor; also, we¡¯re the only ones allowed to check any towns north of here. Speaking of, are you heading out now Eric?¡±

    ¡°Almost, but I wanted to tell you guys something, about the mysterious man. I forgot to ask Sarah more about him, but I don¡¯t think it matters. The way I see it, when Sarah said he ¡®warped¡¯, that leaves only two possibilities: he can use space or time, and I believe it¡¯s the latter. Unfortunately, we would need another time user to counteract his ability, and I don¡¯t know anyone who can use time and fight.¡±

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, if the man finds us, we¡¯re as good as dead. Thanks for brightening up the mood Eric.¡±

    ¡°No problem Jess.¡± The cleric picked up his bag, steeling himself for the journey ahead. ¡°Well, we got our bags and we¡¯ve done some training. We¡¯re probably not going to beat the sins if we find them, but we¡¯ll relay what happened. Now remind me, which sins have you guys fought?¡±

    ¡°I remember a small, brown skin girl in a royal dress who turned into a four-eyed devil who could summon glass. I think. And a rotund guy that turned into an even more rotund demon that swallowed me with his stomach and spat me out. Those were Pride and Gluttony, or Hayley and Clyde.¡±

    ¡°Brown skin? Not very descript there.¡± The rogue¡¯s comment made Sarah visibly nervous, perspiring as she tried to apologize. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not very good with colors, and I was swallowed, and I-I¡­¡±

    ¡°Relax,¡± Adriana patted the archer on the head, ¡°I¡¯m just messing with ya. I doubt there are many people running around dressed like royalty, especially in random towns. I¡¯m more worried about the fat guy. Lot of those around. Guess if he sticks out like the girl, he shouldn¡¯t be too hard to spot. Jess, Brian?¡±

    ¡°Well there was a large, quiet man in silver armor. The woman with him called the guy Xander, or Wrath. He turned into a bigger demon without any horns, tail, or anything. His sword got bigger, though he barely used it.¡± The mage¡¯s eyes directed to her nose, cringing as if she could feel the devil punching her square in the face even now.

    ¡°That woman Jess is referring to wore fancy clothes, like those rich guys in Temperas, and she turned into a devil with wings and a red dress. I think she prevents you from moving your body. I¡¯m not sure though. I wasn¡¯t able to check, you know, not being able to move my body and all. She called herself Lust, or Alex.¡±

    ¡°Matt, didn¡¯t you say you met Luke, er Lucy?¡± The knight sighed, struggle to recall his little bout. ¡°I did, but I don¡¯t remember what she did. She didn¡¯t say what sin she was, and I don¡¯t remember seeing any unique power. If it helps, she¡¯s tall and has horns and a tail.¡±

    ¡°How tall are we speaking?¡± Matthew raised an eyebrow at Brian¡¯s comment, a knowing grin forming on his face. ¡°She towered over me. So probably eight or nine feet.¡± The dragoon began pouting, the rest eating up his frustration.

    The group gave their goodbyes to the rogue and cleric as they parted. The group of four had split, Sarah following Brian and Jessica as Matthew returned to his training.

    ¡°So, I guess Jess and I will continue to train. What are you two going to do?¡±

    Matt had simply exhaled, ¡°Honestly, I haven¡¯t thought about it. I know you guys are used to me thinking of everything, but¡­I¡¯ve kinda been as stressed as my dad.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you can show me more of Lumina?¡± Sarah¡¯s question had gotten his attention. ¡°I really wouldn¡¯t mind taking time to explore the city without stressing out about stuff.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°Sure.¡± The knight turned to his other friends. ¡°Well, you two have fun. Try not to kill each other.¡±

    ¡°Easier said than done.¡±

    Taking Sarah¡¯s hand, the knight led her away from the pair, not wanting the innocent girl to witness the ensuing bloodshed.

    ¡°So, did you have any place in mind?¡± Matthew was eager to hear the girl¡¯s suggestion, but as she dwelled on the question, it was quickly becoming clear she hadn¡¯t thought it through. ¡°I have no idea. I would be fine going anywhere.¡±

    Deciding to go to the southside of Lumina, the two were surrounded by a more marine-based market place. ¡°This place seems rather, fishy.¡± The knight groaned at the pun, but inside he knew he was the one to blame. It was his idea, now he paid the price. ¡°I see Eric is growing on you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re all growing on me. I¡¯m glad I got to meet you guys, cause¡­well, I¡¯m sorry about yesterday.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡± The teen tilted his head.

    ¡°I know I was really laying it on thick yesterday, it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve wanted to get back at that man, but then I realized that I could be getting you guys hurt, and-¡°

    ¡°You worry too much,¡± the knight patted her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to be in your situation, but I know I won¡¯t let it happen to my friends.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± The archer embraced the knight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I get emotional.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I could use a hug after all this crap.¡± The knight began chuckling to himself, ¡°If you keep hugging me, people will think we¡¯re a couple.¡± The archer relented, though not flustered like the knight expected.

    ¡°Why did you take me here anyways?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I barely ever go here. Given the smell, that¡¯s not changing any time soon, but I thought it¡¯d be cool for us both to explore.¡± The archer smiled at the knight before yanking him along to the west. ¡°Let¡¯s get going then!¡±

    ¡°Did we really have to run all the way to your stupid house?¡± Jessica was panting and sweating, feeling the bandage threaten to escape from her nose.

    ¡°Sorry Jess, I thought you could use the exercise, maybe put all that caffeine to good use.¡± The dragoon wasn¡¯t really sorry, rather he was eager to take revenge on Eric¡¯s behalf for the mage¡¯s earlier dismissal.

    ¡°What are we practicing? Raining fireballs while I shoot ice at a moving target? Blowing we around while I slip and fall on my own ice?¡±

    ¡°I was thinking, team work?¡± Brian was regretting being stuck with the mage, but he had no desire to make her Sarah or Matthew¡¯s problem. ¡°Maybe we could make cold wind? Steam?¡±

    ¡°Look, this is a waste of time and you know it. Brian, do you really believe that girl?¡±

    ¡°If Matt trusts her, I trust her. Why? Do you think she¡¯s working for that man?¡±

    ¡°Brain, Matt might see the truth, but that doesn¡¯t mean she isn¡¯t a crazy person. She might believe what she¡¯s saying, but it sounds completely unrelated and stupid. I bet Sarah is just some person who really wanted to fight, but no one would let her, then she got chased by some weirdo, and then she found her way to our town.¡±

    ¡°What about her team? If they were just a lie, Matt would know. Just admit Jess, you don¡¯t like her cause Matt does.¡±

    Ice formed in the mage¡¯s hand, fire burning in her eyes. ¡°Brian, I¡¯m being serious, that girl is full of it. It¡¯s not jealousy, I really don¡¯t believe her!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± Fire formed in the dragoon¡¯s hand, ¡°You seemed to trust her yesterday, now you hate her? And why did you act like a jerk to Eric?¡±

    The mage launched a blanket of icy powder where the dragoon stood, Brian jumping up to avoid the ground that froze solid. Retaliating with a rain of fireballs, Jessica shielded herself with an ice barrier as she ran from the dragoon, stopping at a certain distance.

    ¡°Matthew believes this random girl instead of using his head! I bet he didn¡¯t even check if she was lying, and now we¡¯ll go to the mountains and find nothing!¡±

    Ice shards had launched in the dragoon¡¯s direction. Strafing through the air, the dragoon created burst of fire from his hands to propel him forward quicker. As he came within melee distance, the dragoon used a burst of fire to bounce himself upward before hitting the ground, predicting the mage¡¯s ice wall. Smacking her on the head with a halberd, Brian returned to the earth, kneeling so his eyes easily met his opponent¡¯s.

    ¡°It¡¯s not fair,¡± she whined, ¡°he trusts a total stranger. I don¡¯t want Matt to get hurt, but everyone doesn¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true, Jessy. We all care, but we just don¡¯t see her as a threat or a liar. Maybe instead of complaining to us, you should talk to her yourself.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to do,¡± the dragoon pulled the mage to her feet, ¡°but she got Matt to go with her today.¡± The redhead hadn¡¯t made eye contact with the blonde, instead she faced the ground. ¡°Maybe I am over reacting, maybe she¡¯s not a liar, maybe I-¡°

    ¡°Not to interrupt Jess, but my parent¡¯s lawn is currently on fire. You think you could help?¡± Her head shooting up, the girl watched as flames began to spread across the grass in front of her friend¡¯s abode. ¡°Hold on, I got it!¡±

    Matthew concentrated, the metal liquid moving over his face. He was beginning to tire, but he pushed onwards, hoping to reach the top of his head. Matthew had felt the liquid metal crawl its way up his face; the entire experience was surreal, unnerving, and not helped by the oncoming fatigue he was experiencing at an increasingly rapid rate. As the ooze had reach over his head, finally encasing his entire body, he let it fall to the ground.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, you¡¯ve already gotten the metal to encase your body.¡± The man had brushed the liquid off his son while acting as a weight to keep him standing. ¡°I could¡¯ve kept it up, John, but I didn¡¯t want to be dead tired today.¡±

    ¡°Understandable, and in a real situation, highly strategic. Take a rest, tomorrow we begin the most important part: molding the armor. Once you achieve this step, you will have finished the technique. Whether you can master the caveats of the ability is up to you, I cannot teach you any further.¡±

    As Matthew began to gain his bearing, he could merely feel his father waiting and wanting to ask a question. ¡°Is something bothering you?¡±

    ¡°Why do you continue to disrespect me? I¡¯m not angry, I¡¯m just confused.¡± The knight knew what he meant, what ailed him.

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t respect you anymore. Not after last night, not after what you said about my sister.¡± The knight prepared himself for another explosion, another round of yelling; instead, he watched his father grow pale, distinguishably so even under the moon beams.

    ¡°Is that so? I understand you care deeply for your brother. As a father, I know I shouldn¡¯t ask this, but what have I done that has caused such a rupture in my family?¡±

    Matthew couldn¡¯t understand why, but he was now angrier then last night. ¡°You could have encouraged her, you could have said she had done a good job when she got a good grade. Lucy left because you pushed her away, because you wanted another me, but Lucy wasn¡¯t me. And I won¡¯t let her become you, or mom, or any of the people who hurt her. When I rescue the princess, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to bring my sister to aunt Shelly.¡±

    ¡°Do as you may, son.¡± Again, his tone was quiet, regretful. The father had turned away, ¡°You are becoming an adult, and so you¡¯ll be making important decisions. I will still train you tomorrow, but I will have nothing to teach you afterwards. Use what I teach so that you can do as you propose. If you think you know what¡¯s best, then do it, I will not stop you.¡±

    The teen watched his father as entered the house, but Matthew had chosen to sit outside. Taking in the sight of the moon and the chirping of the crickets, he meditated on what he said in relation to his sister. ¡®Lucy, why? I still want to know why you did it. I still want to know what exactly made you think it was a good idea. Please tell me you have some remorse, or that you secretly have some plan.¡¯

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Matthew¡¯s head shot toward the voice, having been too engrained in his thoughts to realize Sarah was standing by him. The archer took a seat next to the knight, ¡°Your dad came inside, but you hadn¡¯t come in, so I got a little worried.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I had something to tell him, but it¡¯s okay now. I was just thinking about my sister, hoping that she¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°Despite all the terrible things she must have gone through, I bet even now your sister is thankful she had you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to think you¡¯re right.¡±

 Chapter 18: Dream Money

    The knight rose from his bed, waking to the feeling of a weight crushing down on him. Inspecting himself, there was no outward sign of a culprit, no person or thing sitting on top of him, yet he still felt crushed. ¡®I hope I finish this training today, even my body is getting fed up with it.¡¯

    As the knight left the room, having dressed and prepared himself for breakfast, he stumbled on his neighbor leaving her room. ¡°Her Sarah, sorry about the head pat yesterday. I didn¡¯t think about it till now, but it was probably really condescending. The only reason I did it was because Adriana did it, and I was really trying to get you to calm do-¡°

    ¡°You worry too much.¡± The girl patted the knight¡¯s head, stretching her arm just to reach his hair. ¡°Vanessa used to put her finger against my lips to shut me up. She learned it from my mom.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, I wanted to ask you that! Do you plan to go back to your parents, or do you want to stay here?¡±

    ¡°My parents have gotten used to me living with Vanessa and the others, so I think it¡¯s better if I stay here. Besides, I like living with you; it¡¯s usually quiet and no kids screaming, not like back in Elvenbur.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s where you lived. Can I ask, you mention Vanessa a lot, what was she like? If you don¡¯t mind me asking that is.¡± Matt had felt guilty for asking, recalling how the archer reacted while recounting the events that transpired.

    ¡°Vanessa was like you and Jessica combined, she could be hot-headed but also a good leader. She and I were, um¡­actually never mind that, she was a good leader, and we had good times. She was a swordswoman like you, though she was all offense, using fire and earth along with a greatsword.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing the fire element is what made her compassionate. Am I getting that element theory thing, right?¡±

    ¡°Um, well, nobody uses that idea anymore. It was popular for a while, but too many people let it control their lives, so it was abandoned. Even though I still like using it, I don¡¯t let it decide how I see others, or what I expect from them. I like to think people¡¯s personalities are what decides their elements, not the other way around.¡±

    ¡°Oh, alright then. I suppose that makes sense.¡± The knight was a little disappointed, he still wanted to believe he could shape his destiny.

    As the two sat down at the table, Matt surveyed the house. ¡°Where did John go?¡±

    ¡°Your father left to begin training kids for the summer. Perhaps when you meet him tonight, you should consider apologizing for last night.¡± Making eye contact with the woman, the knight could feel her cold gaze penetrate his heart.

    ¡°No,¡± He remained defiant, ¡°I meant every word of what I said last night.¡±

    ¡°You know as well as I do that your father had nothing to do with your brother turning traitor. He left on his own accord.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sort of right, father wasn¡¯t the only one to send her away. If you were there for her, even if John wasn¡¯t, Lucy might not have left.¡±

    ¡°Young man, Luke is your brother, he is my son, no matter what he calls himself.¡± The woman turned around, Matt relieved to no longer be a victim of her stare. ¡°Just, try to keep this family together until this incident is over. I know the queen said you could have anything you and your friends wanted, so ask for a house and leave us alone.¡±

    The knight watched the woman return to the kitchen, feeling the venom from her last words. He didn¡¯t feel guilty for what he said, for his accusation against her, or how he upset her. Rather, he felt bad for subjecting the archer to the scene. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to see that Sarah.¡±

    ¡°Well Brisben was a bust, I hope we find something at Hulli.¡± The cleric had followed behind the rogue, wishing Matthew had taught him how to read a map as well. ¡°You¡¯d think they teach us how to read a map in school.¡±

    ¡°Nah, too busy teaching us useless garbage like the history of the monarchy.¡± Pulling down the map, the rogue took in the vast expanse of trees to their left, and the desert to their right and ahead of them. ¡°If they¡¯re not in Hulli, we might have to check Branton, and without Brian, that could take forever.¡±

    ¡°Hey Adri, do you think Sarah and Matt are gonna, ya know?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll all be hopeful, for both their sakes. Wouldn¡¯t mind taking Sarah to the shooting gallery when we get home.¡± Adriana¡¯s thoughts wandered to the archer, hoping that if she wasn¡¯t clinging to their leader today, she would instead stick with the dragoon, if he was still alive.

    ¡°What did you want to ask Matt?¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°It¡¯s something about Lucy. I don¡¯t want to talk about.¡± Not wanting to press the matter further, Eric left her to continue contemplating.

    The two continued to journey, taking time to rest on the side of the dirt road. ¡°Ya think there¡¯s going to be any carriages or wagons? Kind of miss Anita whenever I think about wagons.¡±

    ¡°Well to answer your question, no. Matt said no search teams have been sent north. If no search teams are being sent out, that means no worries, and that means no travelers.¡± The rogue took a deep, longing breath after answering the cleric. ¡°I miss her too. I could really use her weird humor right about now.¡±

    ¡°I think we all could, especially Jess. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s up with her, but she seems meaner than ever.¡±

    ¡°I think Sarah has made her pent up, for obvious reasons. She needs to just except Matt only sees her as a friend. If her nose wasn¡¯t broken, I would¡¯ve broken it after what she said to you yesterday.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine Adri, I was more concerned than hurt by it.¡±

    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t take crap from her.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me though. I know what you mean, it¡¯s just I¡¯d rather not bother.¡±

    A small town had rose from the sandy region, stealing the team¡¯s attention. ¡°Looks like a smaller version of Branton. Hopefully a much, much smaller version.¡±

    At the town¡¯s entrance, there was a guard next to a gate that blocked the way. Closing the distance, the two could see the guard was very busy sleeping. ¡°Knock knock, could you wake up and do your job?¡± Adriana¡¯s remark fell on deaf ears, the man too far gone to hear her complaints. Grabbing Eric, Adriana sunk in to the shadows, taking the two through the fence. ¡°I will never not enjoy your way of getting around.¡±

    Scanning the surroundings, the rogue and cleric could see the guard wasn¡¯t protecting much. The roads were empty, quiet. ¡°I asked for a mini Branton, not an empty Branton.¡± Proceeding down the road to the left, the eerie shell of a living area became more and more unsettling.

    ¡°What the heck? Adriana, check this out!¡± The rogue did as he asked, tilting her head at the find. In front of the two was a store, the display glass shattered and the store filled with space. ¡°Something tells me the sins were he-¡°

    ¡°HEEELLO THERE!¡± A rambunctious voice alerted the pair to two teens standing on a roof. ¡°What do we have here?! A lovely couple? Haha, an audience if I ever saw one. Don¡¯t you agree, Dustin?¡± An umber skinned man in a sparkly gold suit and top hat had turned to an albino, lanky teen with long blonde hair. Compared to the average built, flashy looking teen, the lanky teen was in a modest green t-shirt and blue trunks. ¡°Westin, they don¡¯t look like they¡¯re from around here¡± Dustin yawned loudly.

    ¡°Well it looks like we found the last of the seven sins.¡± Adriana¡¯s deadpan delivery had killed the showman¡¯s chipper smile.

    ¡°Tough crowd. I suppose you know our names, but I will introduce us properly. I am, Westin, Greed of the Seven Deadly Sins. My lanky, sleepy, dowzy, and all around spacey assistance is Dustin, or Sloth. But talk is cheap.¡± Darkness had surrounded Westin, his form changing to that of a stringy, stone-gray devil. ¡°Young lady, prepare yourself for a show!¡±

    Stretching his legs and flapping his wings violently, the devil flew at Adriana. The rogue had transformed into lightning as she rushed the devil, taking them both away from the other two. Returning to her normal form, she watched the devil regain his footing. ¡°Fancy. You¡¯d make a better assistance than Dusty, but that¡¯s a pretty low bar. Show me some more!¡±

    The rogue did as he asked, rushing her foe again, but this time he held his ground, only moving a couple feet as he dragged some dirt with him. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to think of something new if you want to beat me.¡± The devil came at Adriana this time, faster than before. Using the shadows of the building, the rogue barely avoided a slice by her foe¡¯s knives.

    ¡°Yo, I¡¯m Dustin, and I can do this.¡± As darkness surrounded the teen, Eric was taken aback as he watched the silhouette grow. He figured the devil¡¯s shapes were in-line with their human selves, but this lanky boy had turned into something massive. As the form finalized, the once skin-and-bones teen now had thick limbs and a giant shell on his back. ¡°Sorry bro, gotta take you out.¡±

    The devil proceeded to form a ball, rolling in Eric¡¯s direction. Jumping away, the cleric watched the ball stop. ¡°Guess that was predictable. Oh well, I¡¯ll just smash you.¡± As the devil casually made his way over, Eric tensed up, anticipating a strike on par with the boar his friends faced two years ago. As the devil raised his arm, the cleric dodged easily, surprising even himself. Taking time to retaliated, he quickly summoned a stream of water and slashed Dustin¡¯s arm. ¡°Ow, that wasn¡¯t cool man.¡±

    ¡°Could you do more than dodge?¡± Westin continued to slash at Adriana, the latter of whom would disappear into the shadows at every attempted stab or slash. ¡°Since you like shows so much, have a nice light show!¡± Before Westin could catch sight of what the rogue planned, he was enveloped by electricity. ¡°Yowza! Talk about a shocking personality, but you¡¯ll need more than that.¡±

    As the electric current died down, the devil stood up, only to be knocked down again by a force he couldn¡¯t see. Westin continue trying to stand, but every time he would be knocked over. ¡°What is this?¡± As Westin was slammed into a building, he finally caught sight of the rogue, holding him by the neck. ¡°I¡¯d say that¡¯s an exciting finale, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Westin gargled in response.

    ¡°Yo Westin, can ya help me out?!¡± The rogue and devil turned to see the blonde boy running toward them, Eric keeping pace. ¡°Oh, seems you¡¯re in a pickle too. Crap.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the princess?! If she¡¯s hurt, so help me-¡°

    ¡°The princess? She¡¯s fine! I wouldn¡¯t a hair on her pretty pink scalp. We feed her, entertain her, keep her company. She¡¯s better off with us than at home!¡±

    ¡°Where is she?¡± Adriana tightened her grip on the teen.

    ¡°Doran Mountain Range. Good luck finding the tower.¡± The words of the archer had begun to fill the Rogue¡¯s mind.

    Adriana released her grip on Westin, letting him fall to the ground gasping. ¡°Tell you what, you bring the princess to Gnash in three days, and we fight to see who¡¯s better. If we win, we take the princess. If you win, you keep her.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like an event to remember. Deal!¡± With that, the two sins returned to their devil forms, Westin jumping on Dustin¡¯s back, riding him like a ball as they left town.

    ¡°Looks like we got a fight.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we better get a home soon.¡±

 Chapter 19: Trust?

    ¡°Uh, Jessy, are you okay?¡± The pair didn¡¯t want to stare, but their eyes refused to look away from the welt adorning the mage¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just ignore the giant bruise where Brian whacked me with his stupid halberd. Actually, Matt, why don¡¯t you and Brian talk about,¡± Jessica paused, ¡°stuff.¡± As Matt fixed his sight on the dragoon who hadn¡¯t said a word since the teens regrouped, Jessica yanked Sarah away. ¡°I¡¯ll take Sarah. Bye!¡± The mage fled with the archer as her captive.

    ¡°Well then, I guess it¡¯s just you and me Brian.¡± The knight wanted to interject, but the two girls were already around a corner. ¡°So, what happened yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Okay, just hear me out.¡±

    ¡°All ears.¡± The knight wanted to believe his friend had a good reason for knocking out the mage, more so than just revenge for the arguing and frustration she gave him.

    ¡°So me and Jessy get to my house, since they were away and I figured it¡¯d be a good opportunity for me and her to train. Turns out, she really doesn¡¯t trust Sarah and got mad at me for doubting her. She started shooting ice at me and we just started fighting from there.¡±

    ¡°And you whacked her on the head to make her stop?¡±

    ¡°Man, she was the angriest I¡¯ve ever seen her, and you know I¡¯ve seen her get upset enough to freeze a building. I didn¡¯t hit her hard enough to knock her out, just a weak smack. Also I accidently set my yard on fire, and she helped put it out.¡±

    ¡°She said doesn¡¯t trust Sarah?¡± The knight¡¯s eyes widen, realizing why the mage had stolen the archer. ¡°Oh no¡­¡±

    ¡°Alright Sarah, now it¡¯s just me¡± the redhead pointed to herself, ¡°and you¡± she poked the girls nose as she pointed at her. Jessica had taken the two down an alley full of people, people used to hearing two or more girls argue and scream.

    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s this about?¡± Sarah had laughed nervously, hoping she hadn¡¯t done anything to elicit a fight.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hurt you. I don¡¯t need another bruise. I just want you to know something: I don¡¯t trust you, I don¡¯t buy your stupid, fake story, and I don¡¯t like you around Matt, or anyone else.¡±

    ¡°Why? I¡¯m telling the truth!¡±

    The archer became uncomfortable as the redhead continued to breach her personal space. ¡°Are you though? I know Matt, Brian, Eric, and even Adriana would buy some cheesy story about how you ¡®lost a team¡¯ which you clearly aren¡¯t good enough to be on; I¡¯m smarter than that though, and I¡¯ll be watching to make sure you aren¡¯t lying.¡±

    ¡°What would it take for you to believe me?¡±

    ¡°Prove any part of your story. That you were on a team, or that that tower is really connected to the sins and that man. Prove literally any of it, and I¡¯ll believe you.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I will!¡± The girl began to march off into the crowded alley, hoping her show of confidence would last long enough to get away from the mage.

    ¡°You think they¡¯re okay?¡± The knight questioned his friend¡¯s decision to let the girls figure things out. The dragoon shrugged his shoulders, taking a bottle of water from his fridge.

    ¡°Mom and Dad went out to get stuff, they should be back soon. You wanna take a ride to the top of the wall before they get back?¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    It didn¡¯t take a second for Matthew to say yes. Leaving the house, the dragoon handed the knight the water bottle before letting the larger teen piggyback him. Despite the weight, the dragoon leapt on top of the house, then jumped to adjacent buildings, making his way to the ring wall.

    ¡°Hold on, it¡¯s a long way up!¡± Matt had braced himself, recalling his first experience where he only barely hung on. Brian shot upwards, forming his signature fireball, throwing it down as his ascent began to slow. The heat generated from the orb allowed him to easily pass the wall¡¯s peak. As the two landed, they looked out toward the expanse east of Lumina.

    ¡°That¡¯s where my parents went yesterday¡± Brian pointed toward a town in the distance. ¡°They didn¡¯t find anything, but maybe that¡¯s for the best.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going to live when this is all over?¡± The dragoon doubled back in his mind, ¡°I never really thought about leaving Lumina. I guess maybe I¡¯d go to Temperas, or maybe wherever you went. Have you gotten sick of Lumina?¡±

    ¡°Mom doesn¡¯t want me living at home anymore. She told me to have the queen make a home for me to live. I would have left anyways, there¡¯s just nothing interesting here.¡± Matthew continued to look outward, exploring left, right, and center. ¡°Temperas has so much more than Lumina, and so does Umbro apparently. There are towns in Lumina we¡¯ve never gone to, Brian. I would do anything to leave.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure those places have great views too¡­¡±

    The knight made his way home after having his fill of the scenery. Arriving in from of his domain, he noticed Sarah was also taking in scenery, this time of the castle. ¡°How long have you been out here?¡±

    The archer jumped out of her skin, ¡°Not long, I-I, Jessica and I didn¡¯t have a long conversation.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just happy you came back at all. Guess Jessy wasn¡¯t that angry.¡± The knight turned his attention back toward the house. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m going to finish training with John. Hopefully Eric and Adriana get back soon.¡±

    ¡°I see you¡¯re home early. Are you ready?¡± Matthew nodded at the question, his heart beginning to pace as he felt the finality in his father¡¯s words.

    The two had stepped outside, Sarah watching from a distance as the son began concentrating, once again bringing up the metal sludge from the ground. The process of encasing himself was quicker than before, requiring significantly less effort as he encased his full body except for his face.

    ¡°Now concentrate on solidifying the metal around you. Think of a suit of armor, it¡¯s details, it¡¯s durability. Engrave the image in your mind and make it your own.¡±

    The metal around the knight began to smoothen out, looking less and less like water and more like a sheet of iron. The metal formed a protective suit around his legs, bottom, top, and head. Matt could feel the weight of the armor bearing down on him, making it impossible to even budge.

    ¡°Matthew, you have now learned how to create an armor. I can tell the weight is too heavy, and the bottom of your shoes are not covered. Practice this technique daily and tailor a suit to your needs, perhaps several depending on the situation. Remember that the suit is only as durable as your mana. Now, dismiss the metal.¡±

    The knight did as instructed, reversing the process until the metal was liquid on the ground. The knight then returned the liquid to where it once belonged. ¡°With that, I have nothing more to teach you. May your search for the princess be successful.¡± The father bowed, returning to his home.

    ¡°You did it!¡± The archer grappled the knight, almost bringing him to the ground. ¡°Mostly, gotta work out some kinks.¡± The knight had hugged the archer, embracing the warmth washing over him.

    ¡°Uh, I hope I¡¯m not interrupting something.¡± The pair had separated, turning their attention to the dragoon that had snuck up on them. ¡°Brian and Adriana are back, and they¡¯ve got big news apparently.¡±

    Rushing toward the center of town, Matthew and Sarah were elated to see neither of their friends were hurt. On closer inspection, however, the two could see Adriana was exhausted, sweat raining from her head.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Three-Three days¡± was the last thing the rogue uttered, collapsing in the mage¡¯s arms. ¡°I¡¯ll take her home.¡±

    The rest had fixed their attention on Eric, whose focus was on his girlfriend. ¡°We fought back the sins and managed to convince them to bring the princess to Gnash.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± The group was shocked at the news, a sly smiled formed on Eric¡¯s face. ¡°The princess is in that tower in the Doran Mountains. Sarah was right to link the two.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but they¡¯re bringing the princess to Gnash, so it doesn¡¯t matter, does it?¡±

    ¡°We made a deal with one of the sins: if our team can beat the sins, we take the princess. We met the last two sins, so we just need to come up with a strategy and train.¡± The cleric watched the others turn their heads, looking at one another with a mix of concern and eagerness.

    ¡°Adri turned herself into lightning to get us here as fast as possible, let¡¯s make sure to use all three days to our advantage.¡±

 Chapter 20: Three Days

    ¡°Ugh¡± was the only comment the groggy teenage boy could make as he awoke to sunshine hitting in the face. Opening his eyes, he spotted an intruder in his room. ¡°Hey Sarah, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, you usually wake up by now.¡± The knight turned toward his aching side to see the archer¡¯s knees digging into him, a necessity given the window was at the top of the wall next to the bed. Attempting to return to the ground, Sarah lost her balance, landing on the sleepy teen. Propping herself up, she let her blonde hair droop to the side of Matt¡¯s head. ¡°You know, where I¡¯m from, parents tell their daughters stories of a prince who kisses a maiden to wake her up from eternal sleep. I wonder if it works the other way around?¡±

    ¡°You want to find out?¡± Matt had hoped he played his cards right, despite not knowing he was playing cards this morning.

    ¡°Mmm, nope.¡± The girl got off the bed.

    ¡°Dang, guess I can go back to sleep then.¡± He turned to face the wall before immediately spinning around to see the girl departing. ¡°Sarah, could you tell the others to take a break today?¡±

    ¡°Sure¡± she turned her head, ¡°you feeling alright?¡±

    ¡°I feel like I got a human shaped anchor on me. Besides, we got three days, and I¡¯d rather Adriana be fighting fit. I don¡¯t think Jessy will be ready to fight either. Eric probably got roughed up by the sins, and Brian fought Jessy one day and carried me the next, so he¡¯s probably warn down.¡±

    ¡°Guess it¡¯s another day off for me too. Well,¡± Sarah wandered back to the bed knight, ¡°you take it easy.¡± The archer pecked him on the cheek, leaving him a fond farewell as she headed out to deliver the news.

    ¡°Is Matthew doing okay?¡± Before Sarah could leave the house, she heard Matt¡¯s father speak. ¡°He¡¯s feeling weak, so he told me that it¡¯s a rest day for everyone.¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s probably the armor training. I have long forgotten what it can do to the body the day after. Well then, carry on.¡±

    The archer made her way down to the town center, waiting for the others to show. ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe how well I¡¯ve gotten to know this place¡± the girl stated to herself. Looking around there were only strangers. ¡°I hope Jessy believes me now.¡±

    ¡°So where¡¯s Matt?¡± The cleric had spooked the girl, causing her to jump out of her seat.

    ¡°He¡¯s resting today. He said we should all rest today. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± The girl began to calm down, catching sight of the rogue as she approached.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Matthew? Did he catch a bug? I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m still hurting after yesterday, but we got a big fight soon.¡±

    ¡°Woah woah woah, a day off?¡± From the sky, the dragoon descended to Sarah¡¯s right.

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s this now?¡± The mage had completed the semi-circle of people crowding around the poor archer.

    ¡°Guys, Matthew has been laying in bed since I left. He usually gets up before breakfast, but now he just wants to sleep. His father says its because of the training, so I guess today we¡­uh¡± Sarah nervously paused, watching everyone as they reacted to the news, ¡°guess we-¡°

    ¡°Staycation time!¡± The dragoon exploded.

    ¡°Stay¡­cation?¡± The archer didn¡¯t want to draw attention back to herself, but she didn¡¯t want to get into another awkward situation.

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll have our own vacation right at home. How about it, guys?¡±

    The redhead walked away silently, Eric helped Adriana as they hobbled away.

    ¡°Guess it¡¯s just you and me today. What¡¯s the plan?¡±

    Sarah was surprised to see anyone hang around. She had secretly hoped she could have a day alone or talk with Jessica. ¡°What did you and Matt do yesterday?¡±

    ¡°We went to the top of the east wall, why?¡±

    ¡°Mind showing me as well? Maybe the north this time?¡±

    ¡°Heh, sure I guess. I could make a business out of this.¡± The dragoon signaled the girl onto his back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I carry Matt even though he weighs as much as a building now. You¡¯d weight a feather by comparison!¡±

    The knight got out of his bed, still feeling the pressure threatening to crush him. Standing up, he began to woozily make his way to the door, grabbing the wall for leverage. Making his way down the hall, he began to gain his bearings. ¡°Hope tomorrow isn¡¯t this bad.¡± As he entered the living room, a different pressure added to his pain.

    ¡°Hey, dad, can you take me down to the warrior¡¯s hall?¡±

    Agreeing to do so, the two made their way to the memorial building, a large, open structure with statues commemorating the deeds of brave warriors.

    ¡°Why did you wish to come here?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to talk to you about, what I said. I don¡¯t know how to put this, but I feel I was kind of harsh about what I said. I still mean most of it, but¡­¡±

    ¡°I understand son. The way I treated your brother is inexcusable, and I haven¡¯t been a much better father to you.¡± The man looked away from his son, toward one of the statues in front of them. ¡°The truth is, I never intended to have children. Your mother and I, we were young and na?ve; we didn¡¯t know nor fear the consequences of our actions. The worse part is, we regarded you as an accident, and Luke as a mistake.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Matt could feel anger inside, though he instantly regretted it as pain joined suit.

    ¡°There exist happy accidents. We never intended to have a child, but we couldn¡¯t have asked for a better one. We had another, still ignorant of how events would unfold.¡± The knight watched as his father looked longingly toward the floor. ¡°Matt, when you love a woman, you¡¯ll eventually have kids. What no one tells you is that women go through excruciating pain when giving birth. When she gave birth to Luke, she nearly died; that incident had caused her to retreat emotionally for years.¡±

    The knight felt a chill run down his spine. He knew where babies came from, his classes made it quite clear. For reasons unbeknownst to him, his mind went to Sarah when he thought of dying in childbirth.

    ¡°When we took you to the Seer, he was shocked at how powerful you were. It helped that that was after your brother was born, as it was the first thing that helped your mother recover. I had taken us all to see my sister, your aunt, who also helped her.¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s why she¡¯s so distant. She seems better.¡±

    The man shook his head, ¡°She¡¯s become less distant, but the carefree Catherine I married died on that day. Where you get with that elf, or that girl Jessica, or whoever, be careful about having children. As for your brother, well¡­¡±

    ¡°Go on.¡± The knight had shrugged off the suggestions of his future partners, he was more interested in his father¡¯s justification for his parenting.

    ¡°All I remember is the Seer fearing for his life, taking him to the queen to see if there was anything that could be done. They said they tried everything, that he would die soon. He didn¡¯t however. It¡¯s both a miracle and an anomaly. Seeing how strong you were, I couldn¡¯t understand why your brother was this way. I blamed him, unable to accept the reality that he wouldn¡¯t live up to you, or me, or your mother. Your rant the other day was not out-of-line, and you shouldn¡¯t feel about it.¡±

    The anger from earlier was replaced by a hollow feeling. It took a knight a moment, but he realized that he could differentiate between what he felt now and a feeling of emptiness. He felt a peace of mind, a more modest, small victory.

    ¡°Still, please take your brother to live with Shelly. She can raise him better than I ever could, especially here in Lumina.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, people here bullied him, and even me and my friends want to leave this place.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just that. The adults who¡¯ve lived here for a long time have begun to sense something vile in the air. No one can put their finger on it, but Matthew, I fear something bad is afoot, and I hope you and your friends can leave soon.¡±

    Those words left ice in the boy¡¯s veins. Though he was distant from the man, he still trusted his father when it came to such a serious matter. The two left, Matthew able to walk by himself, though slowly as to remain stable.

    ¡°Nice view, huh? Usually I go to the east because it¡¯s closer, but the north is cool too.¡±

    Sarah ate up the view exuberantly, amazed at how a simple structure could turn a mundane setting into something majestic. From just below, she could see the trees as they threatened to devour a town. Beyond the trees were plains that gave way to desert, with rising to obstruct the rest of the continent.

    ¡°I live over there¡± the archer pointed outward, the dragoon having to imagine a location beyond the mountains. ¡°It¡¯s past the mountains of course. Umbro is pretty different place, ya know.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so different about it? I¡¯ve been to Temperas, so I can imagine.¡±

    ¡°Well, unlike Lumina, the biggest city has no walls, and it¡¯s not much bigger than the other cities.¡± Breaking away from the scene, Sarah looked to her companion. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind taking me here.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°It¡¯s no biggie. I¡¯m happy doing what others ask.¡±

    ¡°You planning to move out of Lumina?¡±

    ¡°You and Matt think a lot alike. He asked me that same question yesterday, and I¡¯ll tell you the same thing I told him: wherever he goes, I¡¯ll go, if he doesn¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t really thought about going somewhere on your own.¡±

    The dragoon sighed, ¡°Not gonna lie, I just do what others tell me to do. I don¡¯t do well thinking for myself, so I just listen to Matt, or Eric, Adriana, or even Jessica. Heck, I did what you asked. Sometimes you need that guy that speaks out against the consensus, and other times you need that guy that¡¯ll take orders without giving you trouble. I¡¯m the latter.¡±

    ¡°That seems, kind of sad.¡± Sarah hadn¡¯t considered someone like Brian existed, and she had hoped she could change his mind.

    ¡°Not really. It makes life easier when you have people that do things. Sure, you can question everything, but I find that just wastes time. Besides, a lot of times I just don¡¯t really care one way or the other. I just go where the wind takes me, and I don¡¯t worry where I end up.¡±

    ~??~??~??~??~

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re up and at¡¯em! I guess that day of sleep did you well.¡± Sarah hadn¡¯t talked to Matt the previous day, given he was in his room most of the time.

    ¡°It helps my father and I are on¡­I guess ¡®better¡¯ terms now. Not great, but I don¡¯t feel guilty anymore. Probably only going to get one day of training if I use this armor technique, which I need to. Let¡¯s give it our all today!¡± With that rousing speech, the two ate their breakfast post-haste and left to meet the others.

    ¡°Matt! You ready for this?!¡± The dragoon¡¯s chipper attitude was contagious as the knight was now eager to get started.

    ¡°Yes. Today will be THE training day. Given how bad the armor technique hits, I¡¯ll only get one, so I¡¯ve made a plan: we¡¯ll fight in a free-for-all. Now, I want you all to both fight and help one another. Since we¡¯re expecting to fight seven powerful enemies, the battlefield will be chaotic, so expect to have to jump between hurting and helping. Having each other¡¯s back will be key.¡±

    The group followed their leader, Jessica lagging back to meet Sarah. ¡°So I guess you were right about the tower. Sorry about not trusting you.¡±

    ¡°I understand why. I felt I was jumping to conclusions, but I had never felt so sure about something before.¡± The mage attempted to keep pace with the knight, but she felt the archer grab her shoulder. ¡°Oh, and today I¡¯m going to prove I deserve to be on a team.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±

    As the group entered a sparring court, they had spread out, leaving an even room between the six. ¡°Face the person opposite of you, and don¡¯t gang up on anyone. Ready?¡± The other teens felt their bodies freeze with tension, their eyes locking with their rival¡¯s. ¡°Go!¡±

    At Matt¡¯s signal, Adriana shot forward as a streak of lightning, targeting the dragoon. Brian had managed to leap up, but his victory was short lived as the rogue flew at him. Jessica slid toward the Knight, forcing him to hop to the side. Forming a pad, the Mage launched herself toward Matthew with claws made of ice. Sarah fired arrows at Eric, the cleric stopping them dead with a wall of water.

    The dragoon had regretted going skyward, as anytime he tried to rain down fire, the rogue would bolt past the flames and closer to him. Descending to the ground quickly, the dragoon was saved by a platform of ice that the rogue ended up crashing into. Turning his attention to the person who just helped him, he attempted to whack her with his halberd, but only smashed an icy figure that mirrored her appearance. ¡°Was that an ice clo-¡°

    Before the dragoon could finished, he was whacked away by the knight¡¯s shield, then flung upward by the archer, bringing up the ground he was just on. The archer turned her attention to Matthew, who was dealing with an onslaught of attacks by the rogue. Blowing a gust of wind, she managed to throw the rogue off her balanced, giving the knight a free strike.

    Suddenly, the knight was struck from behind. Turning around, he saw Eric, who continued to whip him with water. Unfortunately for the cleric, he hadn¡¯t watched his step, as he began to slide across an ice path before being kicked to the ground by the rogue. ¡°Sorry honey!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    The chaos had stopped, the dragoon descending to the ground, the archer bringing the cleric to his feet. Looking around, Matthew could see all eyes were centered on him. ¡°Oh no.¡±

    ¡°Well Matt, let¡¯s see what that armor of yours can do!¡± Adriana¡¯s announcement cued the others to prepare their weapons for an all-out assault.

    Pulling liquid metal from the ground, the knight formed a light armor than the one from yesterday, faster and feeling less drained once the armor solidified. ¡°Alright then, come at me!¡±

    Before Matt could brace himself, he felt impact from various locations. All he could do was watch helplessly as arrows pelted the metal, bolts shocked the armor, and various clangs came from behind. Eric had gotten in close, whipping at the armor with the water. As the onslaught continued, Matt hadn¡¯t felt a bit of pain, but he had felt himself grow weary.

    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough!¡± To his relief, his friends had let up quickly after he finished. Hastily, he let the armor fall apart, Sarah grabbing him to keep him steady. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°No, that armor does its job. Only problem is that it eats mana fast. I trust you guys won¡¯t let me get attacked from five or more places.¡±

    ¡°Guess that¡¯s it for today?¡± Everyone nodded, the group disbanding as their day was done.

    ¡°Are you feeling okay? You don¡¯t seem as tired as the other couple days.¡± The archer and knight sat on their bench besides the house. ¡°Father forgot what the armor technique does to the body, which probably means I¡¯ll adjust eventually. Even so, I think I¡¯ll just work on making a better armor. The one from earlier felt too flimsy.¡±

    ¡°By the way, what did you mean from this morning when you said you and your father were on better terms?¡±

    ¡°I mean what I said. We talked about what he did, and now I know a bit more about how they felt about me and Lucy. He said I was an accident, a happy accident.¡± The knight¡¯s previous smile had melted away, replaced by a controlled anger. ¡°He said Lucy was a mistake. He didn¡¯t expect me to be so strong, and he couldn¡¯t handle Lucy being weak.¡±

    ¡°I know that feeling. My parents couldn¡¯t accept that I was a fighter. Our village trains us in archery for self-defense, but my parents always saw fighting as being for idiots and poor people.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s funny, it¡¯s the opposite here. If you¡¯re a fighter, the kingdom loves you. If you¡¯re a worker, you¡¯re lucky to be here. If the queen really will give us anything, I think that proves being a fighter is for rich people.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I want to see the queen.¡± Matthew rose from his seat, heading to the castle. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell her about what¡¯s going on, I think she should know.¡±

    The archer had sat inside, reading a book she had recently gotten. Sarah was fifty pages in, before she began to nod off. ¡°Kreeen¡± the sound of a door opening had awoken the girl. Putting the book on the desk, she got up to find Matthew walking in. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the queen was very talkative. Tried to leave about five? Fifty? Five hundred times? Lost count after sixty-seven, but I told her everything.¡±

    ¡°Matt, would you mind helping with something?¡± Sarah led the knight into her room, stopping in the middle. Turning around, she had surprised the knight as she leaned in close. The knight, taking the hint, closed the gap.

    ¡°Tomorrow night, let¡¯s go out somewhere nice, just you and me.¡±

    ¡°Anywhere special?¡± The knight tried to retain his cool, but inwardly his mind was on fire and his heart was racing.

    ¡°Surprise me.¡±

    ~??~??~??~??~

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you two are going a little, fast?¡± Eric and Adriana had decided to spend time with Matt.

    ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯m not complaining.¡± The knight held out his legs, letting metal boots form over his normal shoes.

    ¡°I mean we had years to figure it out. But I guess some people know sooner.¡±

    ¡°What you two do, we¡¯ll wish ya well.¡± Adriana watched the knight intently, remembering what she wanted to tell him. ¡°Eric, would you mind getting me ehem while I talk to Matt?¡±

    ¡°Oh, those. I mean, the clerk is probably going to look at me weird, but alrighty.¡± The cleric departed, his girlfriend rolling her eyes as she sat next to the knight.

    ¡°Matthew, it¡¯s time we talked about¡­Lucy and you.¡± Sighing, she prepared herself for Matt¡¯s obstinance. ¡°I know you care about her, but don¡¯t you think she should face some kind of punishment for doing all this? Maybe have her father and mother raise her?¡±

    ¡°Adriana,¡± the teen put the metal in a jar, his attention on the rogue, ¡°yesterday me and John worked out this issue. Even he said that she should be raised by her aunt. Besides that, what more could I do to punish her? I could throw her in a jail to rot, but what good would that do? I didn¡¯t let those thieves just sit in jail because I didn¡¯t think that was right.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well your definition of ¡®right¡¯ isn¡¯t objective.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but how would you punish someone who couldn¡¯t do anything previously? We can¡¯t just take her abilities. Besides, she a twelve-year-old who practically raised herself.¡±

    ¡°I knew you would make excuses.¡± The rogue put her head in her hands. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t stop you, I¡¯m just worried she¡¯ll go and do something else terrible.¡±

    ¡°If she does, I¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s punished.¡± Matt put his hand on the girl¡¯s shoulder. As she faced him, she saw into his eyes. ¡°I promise.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that promise, I swear it.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got to get going, got to find a nice place to eat.¡± The knight stood up and began to walk off before he was stopped by the rogue grabbing his attention the same way he got hers.

    ¡°Good luck, Matt.¡± The knight continued, his confidence refreshed. ¡°Rock her world!¡± And then the boy felt both excited and a bit embarrassed she had shouted that next to his house.

    The two teens stood outside a clean looking establishment, the building adorned with singular colors. The overall was modest.

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s nothing fancy, but I know it serves fowlcrow and rainbow salmon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, I actually don¡¯t care for fancy, you wait too long and the food isn¡¯t worth the hype or the price. I¡¯m surprised you remembered my off-hand comment about rainbow salmon the other day, but do you know what my favorite fowlcrow is?¡±

    ¡°Uh, a cooked one?¡±

    Giggling, the girl waved her arm, ¡°I mean, sorta. I like the spicy sauce some places have. I¡¯m a real fire eater.¡±

    ¡°You and Brian. Not sure what it is with blondes and spicy food. Also curly haired girls and being weird. First Jessica then Anita.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah! I bought a book the other day by Anita Wellsprout, it had your names in it.¡±

    ¡°Huh, so she put our names in a book. I¡¯ll have to take you to Temperas, whether we meet Anita or not, just seeing the place would be worth the trip.¡±

    ¡°In the book, you guys were said to have fought some kind giant, blue boar.¡±

    ¡°Oh man, that was not fun. He was giant, mean, and I think Eric said he only used earth. He was at least courteous enough to throw the earthwyrm¡¯s body away.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I hadn¡¯t heard about an ¡®earthwyrm¡¯. What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Heh, I think I¡¯ll leave you to find out that bit. Spoilers, we won in the end.¡±

    ¡°Matt! Why do you got to be so mean?¡±

    As two large plates were put in front of the couple, Matthew watched disturbed yet endeared by how the girl dug into the roasted bird. With speed and ferocity, the archer tore apart her meal like a wild animal that hadn¡¯t had a meal in days.

    The knight had risen from his seat, after the two finished their meals.

    ¡°You missed a spot¡± Matt had the archer wiping her mouth in attempt to clean the spot, taking her by surprise when he kissed her. ¡°Oh Matt, you¡¯re so cheesy!¡± Sarah embraced him, the two leaving for home.

    ~??~??~??~??~

    ¡°We¡¯ve gotten our lovely dovey things done, right?¡± The two couples had nodded, relieving the dragoon. ¡°And me and Jessica managed to deal with our crippling loneliness, so we¡¯re prepared. Matt, take it away.¡±

    ¡°Today we head out to Gnash, the final battle awaits. As a recap: Greed turns into a gargoyle, Sloth becomes a shell, Lust is a succubus, Gluttony is a ceaseless consumer, Pride is a seer, Envy is a shadow sneaker, and Wrath is a guardian, I think. Got all that?¡±

    ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t know what any of that means, besides the guardian thing.¡±

    The group sighed, nodded their heads, and looked at Jessica. ¡°C¡¯mon Jess, pay attention. You don¡¯t want to end up with another bloody nose, do you?¡±

    ¡°Do you want a bloody nose Brian?¡±

    ¡°Cool it you two!¡± The two stopped, sitting down and forgetting the strife.

    ¡°Nice Sarah, good to know I don¡¯t always have to raise my voice. Let¡¯s go over it again.¡±

    As the knight recapped the information the team had gathered, the group began to move to the city gate, heading out for the final battle.

    ¡°To think, we left this gate over two years ago for the biggest quest of our lives. Now we¡¯re doing it again. Feels a little nostalgic.¡±

    ¡°Yeah Eric, it¡¯s pretty incredible to think how far we¡¯ve come. Let¡¯s hope its enough to take down the sins.¡± Matt¡¯s words had caused doubt to spread.

    ¡°It will definitely be enough!¡± The archer¡¯s reassurance had the others recalled their training, both in the arena and before.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get this show on the road.¡±

 Chapter 21: Team Skirmish

    Arriving at Gnash, the group watched the citizens, hoping to see some sign of abnormality.

    ¡°Wow, maybe they¡¯re not here yet?¡± The dragoon had hoped he wasn¡¯t too hasty in assuming the town people were acting normal.

    ¡°Are you talking about lil ol us?¡± The group moved their attention to the voice, their gaze resting on a large teen in jeans, a plaid shirt, and a hat. ¡°Uh, these oafs actually had the moxie, the nerve to bare their faces to our presence?¡± Beside him was the short girl, this time decked out in pink and white.

    ¡°They¡¯ve come for their little rematch. Let¡¯s be nice and comply, shall we?¡± Alex had appeared, dressed in formal as usual, this time with a tuxedo and a red bowtie. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet all of your acquaintances! I look forward to seeing what you all can do.¡± Xander still had his same silver armor, this time he boasted an excited smile.

    ¡°I told you guys this would be a show to remember.¡± Westin had rolled in on his partner, jumping off and letting him stretch. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with¡± Dustin yawned.

    ¡°Before we do, where¡¯s the princess?¡±

    Right on cue, Elizabeth had slipped passed the sins, reaching Matthew¡¯s group.

    ¡°Elizabeth! Go stand over there.¡± The knight pointed to a nearby building. ¡°You could get hurt standing too close.¡± Without a word, she did as instructed, the sins watching her intently.

    Matthew¡¯s group turned their attention back to the sins, who had finished transforming.

    ¡°You!¡± Xander pointed at Matthew. ¡°You are the leader of your team? I suspect you¡¯re quite powerful. Face me!¡±

    ¡°I want the cute brunette with the cloak.¡± Alex had moved toward the cleric, pulling back as the rogue lunged at her. ¡°Like hell you will! If you want him, you¡¯ll go through me first.¡± Adriana chased the succubus away from the rest.

    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll take you on.¡± Dustin began rolling, chasing Eric as they broke off from the rest. ¡°Looks like my assistant took off. No matter. Blondie, let¡¯s take our display to the skies above!¡± The gargoyle rose far into the air, the dragoon giving chase.

    Jessica narrowly dodged glass that flew by her head. Looking at the culprit giggling to herself, the mage ran for her, the seer keeping her distance. As Clyde took one look at Sarah, she knew what was about to happen. Running off, Matthew attempted to intervene, but was immediately drawn back to his fight with wrath, locking swords just to keep him from striking. ¡°Your fight is with me, Baronia!¡±

    ¡°Alright. Would you give me a second? I¡¯ll make it worth your time, trust me.¡± Backing off, Xander watched the boy drag liquid metal from the earth, forming a suit of armor around his body, legs, feet, and head. ¡°Hmph, a suit of armor? Well, let¡¯s put it to test, see which is better: my offense or your defense.¡±

    The two rushed at each other, Matthew letting the man¡¯s blade hit the armor while the knight struck at his exposed body. The blade that would have cut into Matt¡¯s shoulder had instead bounced off, the devil staggered back from the blow and the push back. Continuing forward, Matt slashed over and over, the devil¡¯s attempts to retaliate futile as he continued to take damage from the knight. Xander fell forward, keeping himself kneeling by plunging his sword in the ground; Matt rescinded the armor, breathing heavily as he braced himself for the oncoming wooziness.

    The rogue cursed herself, having lost the succubus around some buildings. Her eyes scanning her surroundings, scrutinizing any trace of movement as possibly being her target, she felt herself sweat. ¡°Come out you coward!¡± Adriana heard the succubus giggle, but she couldn¡¯t identify the location. Suddenly, against her will, she dropped her weapons and her legs moved on their own. Passing two buildings before making a right, the succubus casually walked up to her from the dark alley. ¡°You know, I didn¡¯t actually want that boy. I prefer feisty girls like yourself, even if you are predictable.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, predictable, am I?¡± Alex could only watch in horror as the Rogue turned into lightning, instantly striking the succubus, pinning her to a wall. Taking advantage of the situation, Adriana grabbed her daggers from the ground and held them to the devil¡¯s throat. ¡°Nice try with the mind control, but unfortunately for you, I¡¯ve got darkness on my side.¡± Just as she began to drink in her victory, the succubus jumped up and kissed on the lips, the rogue shocked enough to let the girl fly above the ally.

    Sinking into the shadows, the rogue watched from darkness as the succubus floated above. Alex was not coming down, knowing the rogue would go for a back attack. Feeling comfortable in the air, she waited for her target to make the next move. Her patience was rewarded with more lightning, streaks flying from the shadows, bringing the succubus down, taking her original form as she landed. ¡°The dark is my ally, you really should¡¯ve flown away when you had the chance.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    The cleric jumped to the left, and then he jumped to the right. Every time, the massive ball would turn around sharply and fly at him again. Eric¡¯s eyes began to wander, noting holes on the ground and the sounds of cawing in the air. ¡°Guess there¡¯s no better time to try this out.¡± Whistling loud enough to catch the bird¡¯s attention, a green glow emitted from the cleric¡¯s hand. As fowlcrows began circling above, a rumbling had began causing quakes from below, causing Dustin to stop his roll. ¡°What the heck is this man?¡±

    As moxes began to pop out of the earth, Eric had pointed his glowing at the shell. The moxes raced toward him, the fowlcrow divebombed him; soon, the devil began reeling back. ¡°Gett¡¯em off, gett¡¯em off!¡± The gasping voice of the teen had caused the cleric to relent, dismissing the animal as Dustin returned to normal. ¡°I call it, nature¡¯s fury. Not original, but it sounds cool, right?¡± Peeking his head up, the teen nodded.

    The dragoon was relieved as the gargoyle stopped ascending. ¡°You want to fight or are we just going to fly around like idiots?¡± Westin unleashed his weapon, a cane. ¡°What are you gonna do with that? Poke me to death?¡± Brian quickly regretted his words, as soon his attempts to strike the approaching devil were halted as his hands were poked and prodded by the cane. The speed, force, and precisions of the strikes had made it impossible for Brian to stab back with his spear.

    Backing off, the dragoon used his fireball to ascend higher. ¡°I¡¯ve seen that trick before. You¡¯re not going anywhere if you can¡¯t evolve.¡± Brian looked down at the gargoyle fresh on heels, readying his cane to strike. ¡°You want to see a new trick? Well try this on!¡± Brian had pulled out another fireball, lobbing it at the devil. Attempting to use the heat to gain lift, Westin how found himself perplexed as the distance between the two began to widen. Looking at his wings, he could see ice beginning to form on the top. ¡°You know the neat thing about controlling heat? You can give and take!¡± The dragoon smiled as he watched the devil fall to the ground.

    The Archer had braved her foe who had once overwhelmed her with a brand-new strategy: run away! Running behind buildings, Sarah knew it was a matter of time before she would be forced to face the ceaseless consumer. Continuing to run through the narrow corridors that the various homes created, she lost track of her opponent, only to smack into his stomach without looking. ¡°Looks like I got ya right where I want ya. Gonna season you good this time!¡± Pulling out a spatula, the rotund devil was ready for elf.

    ¡°Funny thing about that, I was about to say the same thing.¡± Jumping up, the archer kicked off Clyde hard enough to knocked him down flat. Before he could get up, vines had surrounded him, the earth under his back rose up, and then he launched into an open area of the town. To his shock and horror, the earth wall under his back flipped around, causing the devil to bounce hard on his stomach several times. Eventually coming to a stop, Clyde rolled over before reverting to his human self. ¡°I hope you enjoyed your flight.¡±

    ¡°Giggle giggle giggle, that¡¯s all you do!¡± Jessica dodged yet another shard, losing the seer among the buildings. Mirrors had popped out of the ground, surrounding the mage. All the girl could see was her own reflection and little openings that revealed even more mirrors outside of the ring. ¡°Can you see beyond yourself?¡± Losing her patience, the mage froze the ring, shattering the nearby mirrors, able to see more mirrors, but no Hayley.

    Looking down out of habit, her heart stopped as she saw the seer launch at her from a ceiling of mirrors. With a hammer in hand, the Seer brought her instrument of destruction down on the mage¡¯s head. Looking up at the result, she noticed she had broken an ice statue that resembled the mage. ¡°Is that an ice-¡° before she finished her sentence, the seer was launched against a wall of mirrors in the back. As the girl turned back into a human, the mirrors had disappeared. ¡°Yes, that was an ice clone.¡±

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve lost Baronia. I figured my power was stronger than your armor, but I was wrong. However, it doesn¡¯t matter, because my stamina is greater than yours.¡± Xander began approaching the knight, ready to deliver the final blow. ¡°I¡¯m not out of stamina, I just don¡¯t need to waste anymore on you. Let me show you another cool trick.¡± Before the devil¡¯s eyes, the boy began fading until he fully vanished. Striking the area Matt used to occupy, the only thing Xander hit was dirt.

    ¡°Urk¡± the devil felt a slash to his side, but his retaliation caused him to lash out at air. Again and again, he was struck and his attempted retribution failed. ¡°When? Where? How?!¡±

    ¡°I learned a long time ago about Alzal. Recently I decided to put their technique to use. Never thought I¡¯d use it for good, but here we are.¡± Matt had reappeared in front of Xander, who was again the man in silver armor.

    Before he could try to fight the knight as is, his teammates began to converge. ¡°Xander, it was horrible! The mean redheaded lady used an ice clone on me.¡± Before he knew it, the other five began complaining to the man. To make matters worse, his opponents team also regrouped, looking almost unblemished, unlike his team.

    ¡°Fine, Baronia, we shall admit defeat. You can have the princess, we shall return from whence we came.¡± The group watched the sins as they turned and walked away.

    ¡°Is it, is it over?¡±

    The knight nodded, the group turning back toward the castle, the direction where the princess had hidden. Revealing herself, the princess hugged Matthew. ¡°Elizabeth, you¡¯re finally free, you can finally go home!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad to be going home. You wouldn¡¯t believe how terrible that place was.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us about it on the way back?¡±

 Chapter 22: Sneaky Sister

    ¡°¡­And then the big guy asks if my hair tastes like strawberries, so I take his spatula and throw it at his face!¡± The princess had been recounting experiences since the group had began travelling back from Gnash, the various members taking in her humorous tales and incidents.

    ¡°I hope he didn¡¯t end up eating you like he did me.¡± The archer was a tad disappointed to see the princess ignore her, but she figured she was too fixated on returning home.

    ¡°Well there it is,¡± Eric pointed to the gate, ¡°home at last. Maybe now we can get some peace around here.¡± The group entered the gate, but Matthew stayed behind when he felt a tug on his shirt.

    ¡°Matthew, could I talk with you?¡±

    ¡°What do you need, Elizabeth?¡± The knight was hoping whatever she had to tell him was short, but he knew it didn¡¯t matter. They were home and nothing was going to stop him from taking a ¡°staycation¡± as Brain called it.

    ¡°I just wanted to thank you again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, but you don¡¯t have to keep thanking us. Stopping and preventing this from happening is our job.¡±

    ¡°Well, still, I thank you for rescuing me, for keeping the peace,¡± the girl turned around, her back facing the knight. The princess began to laugh in a rather peculiar way, one that made the teen uncomfortable. ¡°And, for being a massive sucker!¡±

    The boy watched as the princess began changing shape, now appearing as his sister. ¡°You didn¡¯t think it would be that easy, did you?¡± Turning back around to face Matthew, the smug grin on the girl¡¯s face made him sick to his stomach.

    ¡°Lucy?! What did you do with the princess?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Lu-¡° The girl stopped herself, ¡°Er, never mind. She¡¯s fine; she¡¯s still in the tower. Speaking of, I have a proposition for you, brother.¡±

    ¡°What could you possibly want?¡± The knight was quickly running out of patience, hardly able to bear this slap in the face, but he listened none-the-less.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the tower, no tricks, no surprises, and you can take your friends too! You just have to promise that you¡¯ll fight me one-on-one.¡±

    ¡°What if I said no?¡± The knight could see his sister¡¯s smug grin grow wider. ¡°Then we¡¯ll take her far, far away. Some place you¡¯ll never find.¡±

    Figuring he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, he humored her. ¡°If I win, will you give us the princess?

    ¡°I¡¯ll hand you her if you fight me. Win or lose. When we fight, we¡¯ll finally see who¡¯s better.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care! I just want to bring the princess back.¡± Matthew sighed, not in the mood for charades. ¡°Fine, whatever, we¡¯ll follow you. When and where are we meeting?¡±

    The knight watched as his sister¡¯s smug demeanor melted into a nervous laugh. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that far ahead actually. So, I¡¯ll just stick with you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you cause trouble.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t, I promise. It¡¯s not like my envy power is always on.¡±

    ¡°Okay fine. But if I win that battle, you have to promise to stop causing trouble, okay?¡±

    ¡°Hmph fine. Will you force me to live with father again?¡±

    ¡°No, like I¡¯ve told you, I wouldn¡¯t let father do anything more to you. If I win, you¡¯ll live with aunt Shelly.¡±

    ¡°Oh great, so she can yell and be disappointed in me instead. Let¡¯s just go.¡±

    The two walked in town, Lucy transforming back into Elizabeth behind her brother¡¯s back. As the pair met with the rest of the group, Matt¡¯s grimace had killed the brief excitement on the other faces.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Matt? We¡¯re home, we got the princess, we won!¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the princess.¡± Before the dragoon or anyone else could question him, the girl transformed from a pink haired princess to a tall, lanky girl in a hoody.

    ¡°Surprise! It¡¯s your girl, Lucy.¡±

    ¡°You. You! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± In a blinding, homicidal rage, the mage rushed at the young girl, only to get slapped to the ground by her leader. ¡°What the hell Matt?! She tricked us! I don¡¯t care if she¡¯s your sister, she deserves to get beaten.¡±

    ¡°I mean I don¡¯t think she deserves death, but she should pay for her crimes somehow.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Matt could see Eric¡¯s statement was the consensus among the group, but the knight remained steadfast. ¡°She¡¯s told me she¡¯d guide us to the tower. If we don¡¯t follow her, the sins plan to take Elizabeth somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°And you believe her?! She¡¯s clearly pulling the wool over your eyes again!¡±

    ¡°Jess, I can tell when someone¡¯s lying.¡±

    ¡°Can you? I seriously doubt that if you believe her.¡±

    The mage and knight stared at each other, each furious over their own belief and each other. From the side, the other four simply watched, unsure how to intervene and not wanting to be in their crossfire.

    ¡°You know, he¡¯s right.¡± Lucy had gotten the two to brake the stare, everyone¡¯s attention now on her. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to follow me, I¡¯ll just leave. I¡¯ll tell the sins and we¡¯ll head off for who knows where.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get this straight: you want us to fight you guys, and if we win, we get the princess?¡±

    ¡°As long as you fight us, win or lose, you get the princess.¡±

    ¡°That sounds too easy. What¡¯s the catch?¡±

    ¡°There is no catch. Truth be told, we don¡¯t really know why the princess is with us or what we¡¯re supposed to do with her.¡±

    ¡°Then why kidnap her?¡±

    ¡°Because Jade told me to. Jade is that shady guy I met. Recently he just disappeared on us, so I guess it doesn¡¯t matter what we do now.¡±

    ¡°If all we have to do is fight, then fine, we¡¯ll do it. Just tell us when.¡±

    ¡°No, you tell me when you¡¯re ready. The sins want a fair rematch, we don¡¯t want you guys being in bad shape. That¡¯s one reason I¡¯m still around. Don¡¯t worry about the princess either, she really is being fed well and entertained daily.¡±

    Leaving the girl to herself, the six huddled into a circle. ¡°What do you think about tomorrow?¡± ¡°Tomorrow?! Really Matt? Way too early man! Let¡¯s make it the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°I agree with Brian.¡± ¡°I agree with Eric.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re an idiot for trusting her, but I guess I have no say in matter, so I agree with Adriana.¡±

    Breaking the circle, the knight relayed the agreement, with the others parting ways.

    ¡°Who is she, and why is she following us home?¡± Lucy had pointed at the archer, who looked at the knight. The couple laughed at the question.

    ¡°That¡¯s Sarah, she¡¯s my girlfriend.¡± The archer waved, the sister simply tilted her head. ¡°And here I thought you didn¡¯t like women.¡±

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t tell Jessica I said this, but, she¡¯s kind of crazy. And Adriana has claimed Eric since before I knew either of them, but even then, I¡¯m glad I met Sarah.¡±

    ¡°Wait, where are you going to go? Your father was really angry when he learned about what you did!¡±

    Lucy waved off the archer¡¯s concern, transforming into her tall devil form. Before her witnesses, she melted into the ground, becoming a shadow that snuck through the crease in the front door of the house. Matthew and Sarah simply looked at each other, both trying to collect themselves and act as if nothing happened.

    ¡°Dad, Mom, we¡¯re home. I¡¯ve got good news and bad news.¡± The knight was relieved to see a familiar scene, his father reading the paper, his mother making food in the kitchen. Unusual was his father putting the paper down, standing up, and walking over to the two.

    ¡°Do tell. I assume the bad news is that you were fooled, as I doubt any bad news would be worth mentioning otherwise. Still, tell me the bad news first, I would like to hear it in full.¡±

    Matt was a little unsettled by how well his father could assess the situation on a hunch, yet he was also a tad envious. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re absolutely on the bad news. We didn¡¯t get the princess, but what we did get is directions to the tower. We¡¯ll head out in two days, directly for that tower. Even better, the sins agreed to hand over the princess as long as we fight them. If we win, I¡¯ll get my sister to stop this nonsense once-and-for-all.¡±

    The father reached his arms around his son, the latter embracing his father¡¯s praise. ¡°Son, if what you say is the truth, and I have no doubt that it is, you have done better than words can express. I had feared you were still woefully unprepared to face adversaries that had pushed your team back so easily, yet now you have them on the ropes, and everything seems to be going your way. You are no longer a prodigy, you are a hero. As for your brother Luke, I know your aunt can raise him well. I have one question for, however.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Matthew tilted his head, genuinely unsure where the conversation could be heading.

    ¡°What do you plan on doing afterwards? Not just in the short-term, but in the long-term?¡± The man say down, the teens joining him.

    ¡°I was thinking of moving to Umbro, maybe.¡±

    ¡°But Umbro is worse for being a fighter, remember?¡±

    Matt felt like an idiot when he remembered her words.

    ¡°Well, maybe I won¡¯t be a warrior forever. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do, but I do think all this fighting has burned me out. Sorry if that bothers you, dad.¡±

    The man closed his eyes, but he smiled wide. ¡°It is no trouble at all. It¡¯s your life, you do with it what you will. Whether in Lumina, Umbro, Pyora, Kelluse, or some other continent and country, the world needs more and more metal crafters. What of you, Sarah?¡±

    Sarah let out a tiny gasp, having lost herself in the conversation. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about a life beyond fighting.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, you¡¯ve still got your whole life ahead of you. I¡¯ve found that even later in life, there are still many different things I¡¯d like to do.¡±

    As plates filled the table, the conversation came to an end. Instead of shifting his gaze toward the archer eating everything on the plate, including the plate, his mind drifted to what his sister would be eating.

    ¡®How has she survived out there? She mentioned food. Maybe one of them is a cook? Has to be the case. But where do they get the food?¡¯

    Putting away his plate, Matthew went to the hall, a feeling of intuition taking over. Checking the room on the right, there appeared to be nothing, but the teen proceeded inward, closing the door behind him.

    ¡°Phew, thanks Matt¡± Lucy rose from the floor, a half-eaten apple in her hand, ¡°I thought it¡¯d be suspicious if I closed the door. By the way, you did a fantastic job cleaning my room.¡±

    ¡°Where did you get that apple? Please don¡¯t tell me you stole it.¡± One look at the girl¡¯s face told the truth. ¡°Lucy¡­¡±

    ¡°What? Do you know how much food gets throw away? It was gonna go to waste anyways, so why not?¡±

    The knight sighed, ¡°Look, never mind that, just stay out of sight.¡±

    Matt watched as the girl sank back into the ground, the door opening behind him not a second later. ¡°Matt, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Lucy was just here. Don¡¯t be surprised if she suddenly pops up again.¡±

    ¡°I mean if she startles me, I don¡¯t think I can help being surprised. Please tell me she¡¯s not sleeping in my room.¡±

    ¡°Well technically it was her room, so¡­¡±

    Matt regretted many things about himself. Tonight, it was his honesty, as it earned him a spot on the floor while his girlfriend slept snug in his bed.

 Chapter 23: Map of Envy

    ¡°You regret agreeing to your sister¡¯s ultimatum yet?¡±

    The knight exhaled, giving a long, hard stare at the cleric. ¡°The other night I slept on the floor, tonight Sarah agreed that we share the bed. I still ended up on the floor at some point; not sure when, I just woke up there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s rough buddy, but just know this is almost over.¡± The dragoon¡¯s reminder sent out a wave of relief.

    ¡°If Lucy is to be believed, we¡¯ll be bringing the princess back, whether we¡¯re in perfect condition or we¡¯re all limping and crawling.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll crawl back to Lumina if it means getting this over! But so help me, if your turd of a sister so much as cracks a joke about me, I will wring her neck.¡±

    ¡°Someone say my name?¡±

    Everyone had jumped hearing the voice, only to see Lucy popping out of the ground in human form, though with a new surprise.

    ¡°Is that a devil tail?¡±

    ¡°Yes Mr. Dragoon, it is. Anyways,¡± the girl cleared her throat, preparing for a speech, ¡°I will be taking you to the tower of Zanki. No I don¡¯t why it¡¯s called that, don¡¯t ask. It takes two days to get there, so we¡¯ll arrive tomorrow, early in the afternoon if we get up early. When I get within sight of the tower, I will run ahead. I¡¯m just doing this to let the others know that my brother is good to go on in. You guys will fight outside.¡±

    Having no objections, the group went on their way, only stopping to eat.

    Looking overhead, the sky was cloudy, as if were about to rain. Summoning up a metal bench, with Sarah bringing out paper plates, the group began chowing down, hoping to beat the rain. To Matt¡¯s horror, he watched as a wiry tail wrapped around Jessica¡¯s eyes. The mage simply swatted the tail away, returning to her sandwich, only for the tail to come back. The knight locked eyes with his sister, the girl retreating in defeat.

    Or at least, that is what he wished happened. After some time had passed, the group mostly finished with their food, the young girl returned to her mischievous trick, this time getting a less patient reaction.

    ¡°Alright you little twerp, I¡¯m going to rip that tail off!¡± Shooting ice at the girl, the knight got up off the table immediately to stop her, getting his legs and waist frozen in the process.

    ¡°Jess, stop! If you send her away, we might never get to the princess.¡±

    Pretending not to hear him, she continued to look for signs of the girl, her target popping right in front of her face. ¡°Sorry, it was just a jo-¡° she disappeared into the ground before finishing that sentence, narrowly avoiding the ice sent her way. ¡°I won¡¯t do it again, I pro-¡° Again disappearing, she tried to apologize a couple more times, but all attempts were met with more and more frozen plains.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    The mage turned around when she felt a familiar hand on her shoulder. ¡°Matt, I¡¯m not dealing with this crap. Either she leaves, or I leave!¡±

    ¡°Then leave.¡±

    Distance explosions could be heard in the cloudy fields, harsh winds blowing grass every which way. Taking a step back and looking at her companions, the mage could see they all held a solemn expression. Even turning to her aggravator, she saw remorse.

    ¡°Matt, I¡­¡± the mage couldn¡¯t keep eye contact with her leader, instead facing the ground.

    ¡°If you change your mind, then you can come back. But no one is forcing you to do this. Whether you come with us or head back now, that¡¯s up to you.¡±

    With those words, the group marched onward, leaving the mage to ponder. As she stood there, her only company was the ambience. She could feel the cool wind grow cold, the harsh wind turn cruel. ¡°Fine, I guess I¡¯ll go and put up with her. Might as well not be a complete screw up.¡±

    Trailing far behind, the mage¡¯s mind and sight wandered across the plain. Through her eyes, she could see herself, younger, happier, laughing and smiling with Matthew, Brian, Eric, and Adriana. As a single stream of water made its way down her eye, the mage turned her head to the sky. ¡°I better get going.¡±

    The mage walked, a single droplet landing on her head, then another, and then more after that. Picking up the pace, her vision fixed on the path ahead, an arc of ground rising above the rest, withered in various places, but still kempt. As the dam of clouds gave way, the girl began running as best she could. Trudging through the mud, the weight of her backpack and the uneven earth pulling her down with every step, her knees quickly grew weak. Just as she could catch a glimpse of her friends, her foot gave in, hitting the ground and causing her to fall into the mud.

    Wiping the mud off her face, she cursed herself. ¡°Can¡¯t I do anything right?¡± When she was sure her eyes were safe, she opened them, the first thing in her vision was the arm of her leader. Grabbing it, she felt herself being lifted up by him, the archer joining the knight in supporting the mud riddled girl.

    ¡°You decided to stick with us. I¡¯d say that¡¯s a pretty good decision.¡±

    Jessica, Brian, Eric, and Sarah huddled around the fire in the lobby of a hotel, the other three having a discussion in private.

    ¡°Alright you two, let¡¯s set this straight: Matt, you should know better than to berate Jess like that. She could be seriously ill because of you.¡±

    The knight closed his eyes, sulking. ¡°Yes, I know. I should have tried to say something.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just got tired of Jessica being so confrontational. I know it¡¯s not what a leader should do, but I wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with her. I¡¯ll remember to be more patient from now on.¡±

    ¡°And you!¡± The rogue snapped toward the girl taking her hoodie off. ¡°No more causing trouble!¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± The girl begrudgingly put her coat away. ¡°Can I have some privacy, I need to change.¡±

    ¡°You can join Matt and the rest at the fireplace.¡±

    ¡°No, you join him. I can just change clothes and be fine.¡±

    The rogue wanted to remain steadfast, but the air away from the fire was growing nippy, her obstinance falling away. ¡°Suite yourself.¡±

    Joining the others, the group remained silent, letting the crackling fire talk for them. As the minutes ticked on, their numbers dwindled, one by one heading off to their individual rooms. Soon, Matthew and Eric were the only ones remaining.

    ¡°Adriana probably told you, but that was kind of a bone-headed move earlier.¡±

    ¡°Yes she did, you don¡¯t have to remind me.¡± The sighed forcefully, once again losing his cool. ¡°What¡¯s next, is Brian going to tell me I screwed up?¡±

    ¡°You know he¡¯d never tell you that. He might think it, but he¡¯ll always follow you. Sarah too.¡±

    ¡°Look, let¡¯s try not to lose it until we get home, okay? You can yell and scream at me, hit me, whatever I deserve. When this is over, I¡¯ll do whatever I can to fix whatever is going on.¡±

    Eric laid back in his seat, rubbing his eyes.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know Matt, I don¡¯t think resting or hurting you will make everything better.¡¯

 Chapter 24: Sibling Clash, Sin Bash

    ¡°Alright, no more shenanigans! Today we¡¯ll make it to the tower. I can¡¯t wait.¡± Lucy giddily shook her clenched fists, until she saw the rest were taken aback. ¡°Ahem, I will lead the way. Remember, don¡¯t panic when I run ahead.¡±

    Leaving their items behind, the group followed their young leader out of the hotel, out of Branton, and into the forest. Transforming into the devil, she barreled through bushes and branches, swiping away occasional threats using her spear.

    ¡°Oh, so you use a spear too?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but this one grants wishes.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Then why didn¡¯t you wish us there.¡±

    ¡°Well, it grants a wish. It¡¯s supposed to grant wishes when the flower is in bloom,¡± the towering figure pointed to the dark green neck around the spear head, a single; the teens could see a tiny flower, alone in a vast green expanse. ¡°Ever since I made a wish a couple months ago, it hasn¡¯t bloomed.¡±

    Once the forest cleared, giving way to a path shooting toward the sky, the devil put away her spear, putting her hands on the grounds and running on all fours. Sprinting up the mountain trail, the group tried their best to keep up, all but Brian and Adriana gasping for breath once they reached the peak

    ¡°That way¡± Lucy pointed northwest, the group¡¯s eyes meeting a cliff that stretched wide. ¡°Beyond that cliff is the tower.¡±

    As the devil ran off again, the dragoon and rogue flew after her, the rest doing their best to keep up. Through more trees and a hard-fought battle with a steep hill, the four joined Brian and Adriana at the top of the cliff, looking down to see a tower in the pit.

    Stepping back, the group gave room for Alex and Westin to land from their flight, Lucy appearing between them. With the combined fliers, the group made their way in front of the tower entrance, where the others waited.

    ¡°Good luck Matt¡± everyone cheered the knight as he entered the tower, his heart racing as he followed his sister. The knight made his way up many sets of stairs; with each staircase, anxiety stacked itself in on top of the teen¡¯s heart, matching the height of the structure until they reached the top. The walls of the building rose up high, but the ceiling was open. On both the right and left, there were bleacher, the princess sitting on the left.

    ¡°Elizabeth!¡±

    ¡°Hello Matthew. Are you guys going to take me home now?¡± Had his heart not been threatening to break out of his chest, he would have laughed at how calm she was.

    ¡°Not just yet. First we have to fight.¡± The sister once again summoned the spear, this time leaning into a battle stance. ¡°You better give it your all.¡±

    Unsheathing his sword and shield, the brother charged at his sister, who jumped to the side before attempting to kick him. Blocking the kick with his shield, he leapt back, preventing any follow up. Melting into the ground, Matt watched as his sister¡¯s shadow jumped around erratically. Before she could attack him, he summoned light from his sword. Figuring her ability mimicked Adriana¡¯s ability to hide in shadows, he believed she would pop out at any second; to his horror, she did not. As the light faded, Matt felt himself fly forward, but this time he landed on his feet.

    Flipping back around, he saw his sister smugly drinking in her small victory. Charging at her again, the girl hid in the shadows. This time, the knight used surrounding metal to encase himself in a heavy suit of armor. Feeling a thud behind his back, the knight sent the pieces of the armor flying, faced his attacker, and struck her leg with his shield.

    Recoiling in a limp fashion while rubbing her face, Matt could see his plan had worked better than expected. ¡°Guess we¡¯ve both learned that one strategy doesn¡¯t last forever.¡± Taking advantage of the situation, Matt swung at his sister, but she dodged, clinging to the wall above, out of Matt¡¯s reach. ¡°Did you think it was going to be that easy?¡±

    ¡°So, I take it we¡¯re having a five on six?¡±

    ¡°No man, I¡¯m sitting this one out.¡± The cleric looked at Dustin, the only sin not in their devil form. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking a nap.¡±

    ¡°Well then, shall we start?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s.¡±

    Right out of the gate, Adriana attempted to shock the succubus, but her bolt was absorbed by a wall of glass. As the glass broke and shards launched at the group, an ice wall protected the group. Clyde launched himself at the wall, shattering it. The group scattered, Adriana and Jessica heading for Xander and Alex while Brian and Sarah went for Westin and Hayley.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving you the chance!¡± Adriana struck at the succubus, her knives meeting steel claws. Jessica had launched ice shards at the giant, but he shrugged them off and slammed her with the broadside of his sword. Upon realizing he had hit an ice replica instead of his target, Xander immediately booked it toward his partner, who was being harassed by both the mage and rogue. Picking up the unsuspecting rogue, he launched her to the other side of the battlefield, but he was too late to save the succubus from being knocked out.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to make you even shorter, you little squirt.¡± The dragoon flew at the seer, smashing the mirror she used to shield herself. Sending the fragments flying at the dragoon, he simply used the wind to send them away. Repeating the strategy, Brian found his wind lacking; looking back, he saw the Gargoyle sucking in the wind. Narrowly avoiding most of the fragments, Brian found himself surrounded by mirrors. Smashing them, he again used the wind, this time sending them at the seer. The gargoyle attempted to stop him again, but he was pelted by arrows and shocked by electricity, giving the dragoon the opening needed. Being pelted by shards and a strong gust, the seer landed next to the succubus.

    In front of the cleric, the rotund monster loomed over him. ¡°You ready for this?¡± Eric shook his head, trying all he could to plant his feet on to the ground. As the glutton pulled the cleric toward his stomach, Eric covered the mouth with water, the suction coming to a stop. His victory was cut short, however, as a blast of air how sent the water and the cleric flying. Regretfully, Eric watched as the sin had sent himself flying toward his team.

    Ducking and dodging, juking and jiving, the mage avoided swipe after slice of her opponent¡¯s onslaught. Just as confidence began to well up inside, the mage tripped backward, leaving her vulnerable. Before he could bring down the sword, vines had wrapped the devil down, Jessica looking back to see Sarah creating and controlling the vines. Standing up, the mage focused every bit of her power into creating an ice hammer half the size of the tower. Swinging it horizontally, she hit her target into the pile of knocked out sins, his body landing on top of the tiny girl.

    Clyde had attempted to eat the rogue, the latter too exhausted to flee. As he began consuming, the rogue was lifted up, but had not gotten any closer to him. Enraged, he could see the dragoon was canceling out his wind tunnel. Before he could bounce over, he was sent flying by a bit of earth, bouncing on his stomach before landing on the three unfortunate bodies below him.

    Realizing he was the last one, Westin flew up, the dragoon following him. Dodging fireballs, the gargoyle hadn¡¯t noticed the giant fowlcrow being controlled by Eric. As the bird pecked his back and destroyed his concentration, the gargoyle took a flurry of fireballs, falling back to the earth, right on top of the other sins.

    The group gathered around the pile of bodies, standing proud, knowing their teamwork finally paid off.

    ¡°Hey Sarah, you did a good job.¡± The mage patted her friend on the back. ¡°Worth being on the team?¡± The mage hugged her. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Pardon me for interrupting such a sickeningly saccharine moment, but¡­could you get these oafs off me?!¡± The group laughed as the tiny girl flailed, attempting to pulled herself from under the others.

    Matthew analyzed his sister¡¯s movements, tension building in his legs as he prepared to jump backward at any moment. Every second the combatants stared at one another, Matt could feel his heart beat. As the devil lunged at him, he jumped back, almost lulled into a false sense of security.

    ¡°Alright brother,¡± a purpled orb began to form in the girl¡¯s hand, ¡°let¡¯s see how your armor fairs against this.¡±

    Matthew pulled the metal from the bleachers, allowing it to surround him completely. From his head to his toes, he was surrounded by a metal barrier, praying it would be enough.

    BOOM

    A cataclysm explosion rocked the barrier, the knight felt a ringing in his ears. Relinquishing control over the barrier, he could see there wasn¡¯t much left. To his relief, the princess was unharmed, but the ground under him was scorched. Looking around, he spotted his sister, back in human form.

    ¡°Looks like that plan went up in flames. Oh well, now things can get interesting.¡±

    The knight raised an eyebrow. As the girl charged him, he readied his shield, only for the girl to turn into lighting, shocking him and sending him flying back.

    ¡°Hmph, learned that trick from Adriana.¡±

    ¡°You¡­you what?¡± Matt couldn¡¯t believe what he witnessed, what he heard. Reflexively, he narrowly dodged a fireball, which sent him forward via a gust of wind. ¡°Learned that one from Brian.¡± Landing close to his sister, the knight came to a realization.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you hid as the princess. Let¡¯s see if you can mimic this.¡± Surrounded himself, he formed a light suit of armor. He watched as his sister did the same, not as refined, but still it confirmed his theory.

    The two clashed, Matthew slicing and Lucy stabbing, neither taking damage. In this war of attrition, Matt hoped his sister was tiring faster than he was. With every stab, he could feel his hold over the armor loosen just a bit more, and with every slash he hoped his sister was under the same stress.

    Both had stopped, jumping back as their armor gave way.

    ¡°One last chance brother. I come at you with everything I got left, you do the same. Let¡¯s see who is stronger, once and for all.¡±

    The girl charged forward, Matthew holding his ground. Sheathing his sword, the brother side-stepped the girl, bashing her into the ground with his shield. Looking down at the defeated sister, he began to worry he struck her too hard, in a soft spot, or both

    ¡°You okay Lucy?¡± The girl stood up, walking away from the knight. ¡°It¡¯s not fair, you always win. I hate you!¡± Before he could stop her, the girl disappeared into the floor, leaving Matthew with the princess.

 Chapter 25: Going Home

    Matthew and Elizabeth made their way out of the tower, turning side to side to see the sins sitting around the entrance. It didn¡¯t take long for the others to pounce the knight.

    ¡°Yo Matt, you look like a winner. Was it easy, hard, medium?¡±

    ¡°Brian, I need you guys to take the princess back to the kingdom.¡±

    ¡°You sure that¡¯s the princess and not just Lucy in disguise again?¡±

    ¡°Unless she can duplicate herself, this is the real Elizabeth.¡± The girl waved, walking over to the dragoon. ¡°It¡¯s me alright. Both me and Matthew saw Luke run off crying.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Just go.¡±

    The dragoon wanted to argue, but the rogue pulled him away. Signaling the princess forward, the knight watched the group ascend the hill with the help of the winged sins. As they disappeared from view, Matthew shifted his attention to the other sins. ¡°I hate to ask this of you, but I need your help.¡±

    ¡°What do you want, Baronia?¡± The large man approached him, his expression stoic.

    ¡°I need to find Lucy.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, and beat her up even more? As if!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my sister, and I want to help her. I¡¯m going to take her back to our aunt, someone who can raise her.¡±

    The knight felt the anxiety return as he watched the sins gather together, discussing quietly. Gluing his eyes to his watch, he felt every second as if it were a minute, every minute an hour. In reality, they had only talked for two minutes, the haughty Hayley approaching him.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll look for her.¡± Transforming back into the seer, the girl closed her eyes, a fifth eye opening in the middle of her forehead. ¡°Looks like she¡¯s on top of the tower, alone.¡±

    The knight sighed, thanking the girl before entering the tower and walking back up the many flights of stairs. On one of the bleachers, his sister sat, her legs crossed and head in her lap.

    ¡°Lucy, it¡¯s time to go. C¡¯mon, aunt Shelly is gonna take care of you.¡±

    ¡°I can take care of myself!¡± she shouted through a breathy voice. Bringing her head up, the knight could see her tears. ¡°It¡¯s going to be the same anyways, she¡¯s going to yell at me and beat me.¡±

    ¡°Aunt Shelly won¡¯t yell at you and she won¡¯t hurt you. She¡¯s the nicest woman ever, you¡¯ll see.¡± The girl did not budge.

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving until you come with me.¡± Still, the girl remained obstinate. ¡°You know, your friend helped me find you. They saw you crying. If you don¡¯t come with me, I¡¯ll make sure they all know about it.¡±

    Drying her face, the sister picked herself up and shambled over to her brother, following him out of the tower. Once they reached the entrance, Lucy ran toward the sins, the other two having returned from helping Matt¡¯s friends.

    The knight sigh, kicking the dirt as he waited yet again for the sins to talk amongst one another, only capturing useless snippets of information. ¡®Is this what people see when we talk?¡¯ he pondered briefly, Lucy walking back to him with a more straight-laced expression.

    ¡°Do you need help getting back up dearie?¡±

    Matt nodded at the succubus, ¡°We¡¯re taking the long way.¡±

    Grabbing his sister¡¯s hand, the two headed off into the forest, the brother looking behind him to see Lucy waving her friends goodbye. As he navigated, the knight felt his grow calm, the sounds of tree branches dancing in the wind filled his heart. The shady trees, the cool breeze, and the beautiful colors of nature were hypnotizing to the boy. Shaking his head violently proved futile, almost detrimental, as his consciousness began to fade.

    ¡®¡±Matthew? Matthew! HELP!¡±¡¯

    With a jump, Matt woke up still standing, cold sweat beading his forehead. Panicking when he realized he was holding on to his sister, he spun around to see she was shadowing him. The girl simply tilted her head at her brother¡¯s worried reaction, ¡°What? I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Carrying on, the two could see the forest parting, giving way to open sky and a mountain trail, the sun setting. Racing the clock, the two made their way around the trail to see familiar hills, occasionally dotted with a tree. Arriving at a town, the two stopped in front of a small house, the brother knocking on the door.

    The door creaked open, a tall, older blonde woman peeking through. ¡°Matthew!¡± The woman threw the door open, hugging the young man, squeezing him like a grape. ¡°Hey aunt Shelly. It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±

    ¡°Who is this?¡± Shelly released the poor boy and looked at the small girl sinking behind her brother.

    ¡°It¡¯s Luke, or Lucy now. You know, your niece. She needs a place to live, her ¡®father¡¯ won¡¯t take her back after what she¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°What has she done?¡± Shelly raised an eyebrow at her nephew.

    ¡°Well she stole the princess of Lumina, stole some food, caused chaos, and beat up my friends.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, I¡¯ll whip her into an upstanding citizen, don¡¯t you worry.¡± The woman peaked out, seeing the darkness overtake the town. ¡°Come in, come in. I have a place the both of you can sleep for the night.¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t stay. My friends are probably waiting for me back in-¡° Matthew cut himself off when he felt his sister cling to his arm. ¡°Okay, I can stay one night. I hope it¡¯s no trouble.¡±

    Stepping inside of the house, the two could smell a refreshing odor, akin to oranges. ¡°No no, it¡¯s fine. For my Nephew and niece, I¡¯d sleep outside.¡± The woman went over to her couch, pulling off the cushions to reveal a bed underneath. ¡°But, I have a guest bed, so that won¡¯t be necessary. Are you hungry?¡±

    The two nodded, the aunt rushing to the kitchen. ¡°You two make yourselves at home.¡±

    Matt went upstairs, Lucy following, seeing a bathroom and a bedroom. Besides the stairs, there was much the same, though a smaller bedroom. ¡°Take a good look, this will be your home until you¡¯re ready to move out.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s nice? She sounded like she¡¯s going to be just like dad.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just an expression Lucy, and an exaggeration at that. She won¡¯t hurt you, I promise.¡± He could see doubt written across her face.

    ¡°Dinner is ready!¡± Before he could get another word in, the girl walked off.

    Starlight beamed in slices that breached the curtains of the house, visible in every bedroom. Using the little bit of light to guide her way, and the darkness to shroud her presence, Lucy made her way to the knight still awake.

    ¡°Matt, can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°Sure, what is it?¡±

    ¡°I want to tell everyone something.¡± The brother looked at her, taking his attention away from the reading material strewn across the living room. ¡°Tell the princess I¡¯m sorry. Tell everyone I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault all this happened. I shouldn¡¯t have let Jade persuade me.¡±

    ¡°Tell me exactly what happened on the day you kidnapped the princess.¡±

    ¡°You see, it was a normal day. I was coming home from school, when this man wearing black, with long silver hair, calls me by name. He knew my whole name, he knew about me, and he knew I didn¡¯t have mana. He told me that if I help him kidnap the princess, he¡¯d make me stronger than you. Later that night, I convinced Elizabeth to follow me through the secret passage, and before I turned around to make sure she was there, Jade had already made her go unconscious. We then escaped by going through the sewers.¡±

    ¡°The sewers?!¡± Everything Lucy had said sounded insane, but this last revelation had Matt forget it was late and that their aunt was sleeping nearby. Quieting himself, praying Shelly hadn¡¯t heard his outburst, ¡°how did you get out?¡±

    ¡°We made several turns until we reached a wall. Jade took off a panel, and through it was a tunnel that went outside. There, we met a man named Monty. He¡¯s fat and had a really crazy moustache and beard. And well, I fell asleep after that. The next thing I knew, I was in a bed in the tower. After a while, I found Jade and Monty, Jade offered me an orb that gave me these envy powers. When Jade told me about Wish Granter, the spear, he gave me ideas on how to use it. I thought about pranking the princess by pretending to be someone else, so I wished to be a girl. She didn¡¯t fall for it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite a story.¡± The knight was floored, unsure how to react to all this information. ¡°Are you going to wish yourself back to normal?¡±

    ¡°Normal? If you mean a¡­no!¡± Matt tried to reach out to the girl as she ran back to her room. Putting his head in his hands, the knight sighed, letting exhaustion take him.

    Matthew awoke to the aroma of eggs and bacon, the delicacy motivating the knight through the sore feeling welling in his sides.

    ¡°Good morning Matthew.¡± Shelly was making food, Lucy was already eating. ¡°I thought I¡¯d make you breakfast before you go.¡±

    At first, the teen vacuumed up his meal, but a thought crossed his mind, forcing himself to slow his consumption. Taking in the house, he burned the structure and patterns in his mind. Glancing over at his sister, he could see she hadn¡¯t slept well.

    ¡°Sorry about last night. I realize I step on egg shells a lot.¡± He got no response, the girl simply continued eating her breakfast.

    Putting away his plate, the knight picked up his weapons, heading out the door. Looking back, Matt could start to see the entire town. The door to the house opened, his sister sprinting out, leaping at her brother.

    ¡°Matthew! I¡¯m sorry about what I said yesterday, I don¡¯t hate you.¡± She hugged him tightly, burying her head in his neck.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you Lucy.¡± The brother wrapped his arms around her. ¡°Take care of aunt Shelly, and please don¡¯t cause any more trouble.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too Matt.¡± The two broke the embrace.

    ¡°I¡¯ll come around every now and again, to make sure you don¡¯t get into any trouble.¡± Ruffling her hair, the knight laughed as she headbutted his neckline.

    Turning toward Branton, the knight began his triumphant march home, hoping his friends weren¡¯t already there.

    ¡®Good luck aunt Shelly, you¡¯re going to need it.¡¯

 Chapter 26: Rejoice, Your Work is Done

    ¡°Hey Matt! Where¡¯d you go last night? Did you decide to live with your aunt too?¡±

    The knight was surprised when he arrived at Branton, seeing his friends had prepared to leave, but were waiting for him. Less surprising was the rogue¡¯s sarcastic greeting. ¡®It¡¯s like I was never even gone.¡¯

    ¡°No, but she let me stay the night. Also free dinner and breakfast. And I had to say goodbye to my sister. Believe me when I say this: Lucy was a wealth of information.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah? What did she have to tell you?¡±

    The knight relayed the information to the group, secretly enjoying his friend¡¯s reactions, which were equal parts floored and amazed.

    ¡°That¡¯s insane. He must have planned this out. But¡­who is Monty? And how did this Jade know so much about Lucy?¡±

    The knight shrugged, not able nor willing to think about it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯ve got the princess, the sins are taken care of, let¡¯s head home.¡±

    The group headed out of town and on to the risen path, every member glowing with pride. Even the weather seemed to be in their favor, the wind blowing softly, the sky without a single cloud in sight.

    The leader looked back at his team, watching Eric and Adriana rest their heads on one-another, Brian and Jessica arguing over something, and Sarah talking with the princess, the latter was enamored with the elf¡¯s bow. As time pressed on and the grouped passed Gnash, the mage and cleric were talking to the princess, Adriana was talking with the dragoon, and the archer stole the couple¡¯s idea from earlier.

    Matt inhaled, eying the northern gate of Lumina. Exhaling, he turned to the group, in one moment remembering them as they were two years ago, and in the next, seeing them now. As they entered the city, the citizens gathered around them, a large crowd forming as they reached the middle ring. With fanfare blasting in their ears, the group eventually reached the castle, meeting the queen in the garden.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Elizabeth ran over to her mom, squeezing her tightly before running off. The queen signaled the group to follow her into the throne room.

    ¡°No words can fully express my gratitude, the kingdoms gratitude! You kids, no, you adults are no longer prodigies. You are legends. As promised, anything you desire shall be granted.¡±

    Standing up, Matthew looked into the queen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your highness, could we request homes elsewhere?¡±

    The queen lowered her head, her stoic expression drooping. ¡°I must apologize, but I need you in Lumina to prevent this incident from reoccurring. If you wish for a home here, that can be granted in a heartbeat.¡±

    ¡°Then we shall take new homes in Lumina. One for Sarah and I, one for Adriana and Eric, one for Brian, and one for Jessica.¡±

    ¡°As you wish.¡± The queen walked back to her throne. ¡°Know that I will hear future requests as well. You are always welcome to ask something of me, you have earned more than can be paid in gold, silver, and bronze.¡±

    Walking back to the square, the group saw that they were not alone. Their parents had surrounded the square, each one congratulation their child.

    ¡°Oh baby, you¡¯ve made this old dog proud!¡± The rogue¡¯s father laughed heartily.

    ¡°Son, you¡¯ve officially become a man today.¡± Eric blushed at his parent¡¯s remark, giving his dad a weak punch.

    ¡°Look at our little man! He¡¯s the best dragoon in Lumina!¡± The blonde was snickering at Eric¡¯s parent until he heard that.

    ¡°Jessica, warrior or not, you¡¯ve made us so proud.¡± The mage took her compliment with pride.

    ¡°Matthew, I knew you were special since the day you were born, but I could never comprehend this happening. Today, you are no longer a boy or a teen, you are a man, a man that will be remembered forever.¡± Matt and John exchanged a long embrace, the knight wanting this feeling of joy to last forever.

    Turning to his girlfriend, he had no time to prepare himself for what happened next. Sarah kissed him, a long kiss that took away his breath. Instead of shambling back in surprised, he pulled her in close, letting his mind go blank.

 Chapter 27: What Suits You

    Matthew closed his eyes, letting the wind brush against his arms and legs, sweep his short, chestnut hair. Looking upon the city around him, the leaves turning orange and red, the grass turning brown and tan, and the heat waning, nature was signaling the entrance of Autumn.

    After breathing in the fall air, the knight began his morning work: a bevor with spaulders. Sitting on a workbench was a leather skeleton, the leather courtesy of Adriana. Pulling metal from a pot nearby, the metal began to pad over the leather.

    ¡°Ahem, I hope I¡¯m not interrupting.¡±

    Jostled, Matt quickly recovered the metal goop before it hit the ground, returning it to its place of origin. Turning around, he saw Edward standing behind him.

    ¡°Chancellor, nice to see you again. What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Master Matthew, I¡¯ve been hearing about your recent interest in crafting armors. I know it may have been assuming, but I thought to call on a man who would be very interested in what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    Behind the chancellor was another man, this one in a dapper black suit, long black pants, and loafers.

    ¡°I presume you¡¯re Mr. Baronia? I am Thomas Leopard.¡± The man shook hands with Matthew, his jolly tone keeping the young man in good spirit after being interrupted.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble, would you mind demonstrating your skill?¡±

    Without hesitation, he took Leopard¡¯s order, spinning around to resume his session. Covering the leather, spreading the metal thin, but not too thin, fitting the spaulders properly, the teen felt sweat that threatened to encase his entire head.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t look too bad. I¡¯m not used to having an audience.¡± Making eye contact with the strange new man, Matthew could tell he was quite the expressive type. Earning a large smile and beaming eyes, the knight could feel his heart rise.

    ¡°Rough around the edges, but for how quick you produced it, I must say I¡¯m impressed. However, the chancellor hinted that your armor has special properties; is he a big fat fibber or did I read him wrong?¡±

    ¡°When worn, it uses your mana to protect from blows. It¡¯s not like clothes which sort of enhance your defensive mana, this armor goes the whole way!¡±

    Clasping his hands together, Thomas was giddy as though he stepped into a treasury. ¡°If this armor does as you say, we could revolutionize travel around Araponza. All I would need for you to do is move to Coalago.¡±

    Suddenly, Matt had regretted that rising feeling in his heart, as meant it fell further when the eventual bad news hit. ¡°Would it just be me and my girlfriend?¡±

    ¡°Unless your friends are also metal workers, then unfortunately, yes.¡±

    The knight began tapping his fingers against the wooden bench, his mind now brawling with itself. He had made a big stink about abandoning Lumina months ago, yet he would stay when given an out?

    ¡°Can I have time to think on this?¡±

    ¡°No and yes. Yes and no. I am a busy man, but I always keep a list of names to go back to. While I can¡¯t stick around all day, I will come back if you¡¯re interested at a later date.¡±

    The knight thought, he pondered, he considered, he slaved, and he came to a conclusion. But then he regressed, and began rethinking again; all the while, he began to worry again, not wanting to make the man impatient. Finally, after much debilitation, Matthew reached a consensus with the many arguments in his brain.

    ¡°What?!¡± Sarah¡¯s eyes widened like the dinner plates she had laid down. ¡°How could you?¡±

    ¡°Sarah, it wasn¡¯t an easy decision. I struggled, and I was put on the spot. I did what I did because of my friends.¡±

    Walking over to the sulking young man, she hugged him, burying his head in her chest. ¡°Matt, I don¡¯t mind that much. It¡¯s ultimately your decision and I understand why. I¡¯m not mad at you, I¡¯m just surprised is all.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I made the right decision to stay?¡±

    ¡°Time will tell honey. Time will tell¡­¡±

 Chapter 28: Investigation

    Knock knock knock

    Sarah was growing anxious as she awaited a response. Matthew wasn¡¯t around, but she knew she would have to be on her best behavior around his sister.

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Peering through the door, the girl tilted her head at the visitor. ¡°You¡¯re my brother¡¯s girlfriend, right?¡±

    ¡°My name is Sarah.¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah yeah, what do you want?¡± Lucy had opened the door wide enough to lean on its side, forcing the hardest annoyed expression she could muster.

    ¡°I would like to search the tower in hopes of finding some clues pertaining to Jade.¡±

    ¡°Knock yourself out. I don¡¯t own the tower or anything, you can go there without my permission.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well, I was hoping you could help me search.¡±

    ¡°And why would I do that?¡± The girl jutted her head toward the blonde.

    ¡°Because if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll tell your brother you hurt me.¡±

    Lucy reeled back, Sarah inwardly cheering at her gambit¡¯s success.

    ¡°Hmph, fine.¡± The girl slammed the door, retreating back into the house.

    The archer began tapping her foot, eyeing the rest of the village, hoping she wasn¡¯t making a scene. Though it felt like hours, Sarah¡¯s faith was reward, the door opening again to reveal the girl in different clothes: a sporty t-shirt and shorts. Without even being asked, she turned into her envy form and put her hand on the elf¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±

    Sinking into the shadows, Sarah¡¯s mind evaporated at the surreal sight occurring before her. Around her was a black and purple haze, seemingly solid as Lucy quickly jolted across a floor of some sort, all the while keeping a tight grip on the elf on her back. Her attention spanning upward, the archer could just interpret the colors and blurs going by as the forests and mountains being passed along. Despite the inclines of the mountains, the path forward always seemed flat.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re here.¡± Rising up from the shadows, Sarah stumbled dizzily across the ground. ¡°First time? Mine wasn¡¯t much better.¡±

    Regaining her senses, Sarah could see the tower in front of them, but it wasn¡¯t the same tower. This tower stood alongside a cliff, the roof appearing to be at level with the summit of the cliff. ¡°This isn¡¯t the tower? The tower of Zan¡­zan something, was surrounded by trees and stuff.¡±

    ¡°That tower is just for fighting, you won¡¯t find anything important there. This tower is where we used to live.¡±

    Stepping through the front door, the creak filling the older girl with dread, the two stepped into the darkness.

    FlipThe narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Without warning, the elf went blind. Seconds after a flash assaulted her eyes, Sarah managed to adjust to the new setting, scanning the surroundings.

    ¡°To your left is a bunch of boxes, to the right is a dressing room, and in front of us is a staircase. Floor two has a room for weapons and another room for training. Floor three has the bedrooms and kitchen, floor four has a cell, and the roof has a garden. Not sure what you¡¯re looking for, but it should be here.¡±

    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll start with the boxes.¡± The archer took the lead, making a left into an empty room. ¡°I thought you said there were boxes?¡±

    ¡°Well, there was boxes last time I was here. But that was like, a month ago, and Westin might have taken them. What¡¯s so important about boxes anyways?¡±

    ¡°They might have provided some trace back to where they were sent, and then from there I might find out more about Jade.¡±

    Walking across the hall, Sarah took in the massive dressing room, pipes sticking out of a wall, changing rooms that seemed to be empty, and racks that longed for hangers with clothes drooping off them.

    ¡°Used to be a lot of different clothes here¡± the devil snuck up behind her, ¡°guess Hayley took them all.¡±

    Making their way up the stairs, the second floor bore equivalent results. The armory was empty, save for bare racks. The archer once again scrutinized what she could, but the wood gave no hint to its origins.

    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me he somehow thought to cover his trail¡¯ Sarah cringed to herself as the duo made their way to the third floor. Again, the same thing, yet somehow more disturbing. The beds were gone, not even the frames left behind. The bedroom itself was just a square now.

    ¡°This was the bedroom, right?¡± Looking back at the devil, Sarah could see was preoccupied with the room. ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    Leaving the devil to her own devices, the archer continued down the narrow hall of the third floor, a unique property compared to the spacious floors below. Reaching the end, there was a massive, grandiose door to her left.

    ¡°Crreeek¡± the archer jumped back when she heard the door open, only to find her partner had caught up to her. ¡°Ladies first.¡±

    Through the large doors stood a round table, more doors behind them. ¡°This is the dinner table. Behind it is the kitchen.¡±

    Walking across to the kitchen, Sarah began inspecting the cabinets, opening drawers, and scouting the tables, fridge, and gaps between for clues; or rather, anything. Squinting her eyes, there was not a scrap, crumb, or marking left. ¡°Mind helping me pull this fridge out?¡±

    Pulling the fridge from its cozy hole and laying the white behemoth on its side, Lucy watched curiously as her company analyzed the bottom. ¡°Find anything?¡±

    ¡°No. I thought a refrigerator would narrow things down, but this thing could have come from anywhere.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised this place is empty. Clyde is a real neat-freak, at least when it comes to his kitchen.¡±

    Sarah sighed to herself, leaving the kitchen and heading up to the fifth floor. Greenery had surrounded the borders of the tower wall, a square of flower beds forming around the center, only broken at the corners by miniscule bridges that rose over moats surrounding the area. Letting the gentle breeze carry her blonde hair, she loosed her hair from its ponytail before making her way to center, sitting on the floor and crossing her legs, and looking toward the open blue.

    ¡°Not going to see the jail cells?¡±

    ¡°No point, Jade obviously knew someone would come looking for him, so he covered his trail.¡± Sarah had not taken her eyes off the sky, only moving her gaze toward the various clouds to not be blinded by the blue expanse.

    ¡°Why do you care about Jade anyways? I know he organized the seven sins, but it¡¯s not like anyone got hurt.¡±

    The archer unfurled her legs, forcing her body up. Turning around, she stared into the young girl¡¯s soul, a ferocious stare that unnerved the girl. ¡°Jade killed my friends. I won¡¯t rest until he¡¯s paid for what he¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°He k-killed them?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± her volume and malice continued to grow, ¡°he took his knife and jabbed it into my best friend¡¯s throat. He killed my team. The only reason I¡¯m alive is because he wanted to toy with me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± Lucy stepped backward, barely keeping her balance while maintaining eye contact.

    ¡°Just go. I need time to think.¡±

    Sarah watched the girl flee down the stairs, her anger dissolving into regret. As her target disappeared, she resumed her view of the sky, letting the serenity wash over her.

 Chapter 29: New Heights

    ¡®Today I¡¯m going to do it, I¡¯m going to travel higher than ever before.¡¯

    Brian had never been as excited about any one thing in his life until today. For as long as he could remember, he had been using his fireball to continuously boost into the air, but always to a diminishing return. Now, however, he had finally managed to find a method of achieving virtually infinite height.

    ¡°That¡¯s all well and good Brian, but what exactly do you hope to achieve now? You know you can only go so high before you¡¯d choke, right?¡±

    The umber rogue was the only one invited to this grand celebration, though more so because she was the only other person in their friend circle to appreciate the idea.

    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that, during the cold part of the year, a kingdom in the sky floats by in the clouds. I heard that rumor even before I knew had to gain lift, and with the cold weather being able to amplify my ability, I¡¯ll finally see that kingdom with my own eyes!¡±

    ¡°Okay, but that¡¯s just a rumor Brian. I doubt there¡¯s some ¡®sky kingdom¡¯ up there. If there was, we would have seen someone fall to the ground or someone come down to greet us.¡±

    The dragoon would not be dissuaded by his friend¡¯s skepticism. ¡°They can probably all glide. Or maybe they¡¯re stuck in their kingdom somehow! Or maybe there are no people there at all. Or maybe-¡°

    Adriana had begun to tune Brian out, instead glancing up at the winter clouds, a reminder that this weather, a slightly harsh breeze that was a little too much for summer wear, was the coldest the temperature got in Lumina.

    ¡°So what do you say?¡±

    The rogue snapped out of her trance a little too late to play off the fact she was ignoring him. ¡°What do I say to what?¡±

    ¡°Want to come find the kingdom with me?¡± The dragoon managed to remain excited, though he groaned inwardly.

    ¡°Eh, actually I¡¯ll just sit here and wait for your report. I¡¯ll be with you in spirit though!¡± She gave him a thumb up and a fake smile.

    Shaking his head, Brian prepared himself for lift off. Crouching down, the dragoon soon rocketed off the ground. Once he was able to see over the walls, he felt his ascent begin to slow, his cue to begin. Forming two fireballs, he launched one under himself, returning to his natural velocity. He repeated this in rhythmic fashion, launching a fireball with his right hand while forming a new one with his left.

    After a couple of rotations, Brian could see across all of Lumina, but the shapes of most buildings began to blur into the ground, becoming indistinguishable.

    Another couple of rotations had the dragoon pass the cloud barrier. ¡®Ugh, I hope that cloud kingdom is real, otherwise my arms are gonna fall off.¡¯

    Without thinking, Brian boosted off of a solid service, resting his arms and letting his legs do work. The condensation of the white blanket had made it impossible to see, leaving him to trust that he was flying head first into some ceiling or creature.

    Water was quickly overwhelming the dragoon, his breath being stifled by a constant influx. Panicking, he began to wonder if he would find an escape. Would he risk the continued climb and hope for a break? Would he go back down and give up? Did he even have enough time to make it back? All of these questions were only augmenting the situation, but in an instant, they were dispelled.

    Brian inhaled deeply, his eyelids springing up so that he could see what was happening. He had made it: in front of him was a vast field of soft white, the sun shining above him. He gently made his way to the surface, but to his surprise the surface was solid and stable. Growing content, he jumped, instantly regretting his decision until he landed, his body not sinking an inch below where it was the moment prior.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I knew it! I knew this kingdom had to be r-¡° he stopped, grabbing his head in pain. Feeling dizzy and lightheaded, he took deep breaths while letting himself adjust to the new altitude. It wasn¡¯t unusual for high altitudes to put a damper on his excitement, but it was disconcerting as he knew not how high he ascended.

    Regaining his senses, he could see the path ahead was white as could be. Walking on the clouds was surprisingly natural, until he faceplanted from a sudden drop. The fall didn¡¯t hurt, the surface being what it was and fall being fairly small for the dragoon, but he had landed on something.

    Pulling himself up, the blonde could see that under his chest was a bug, a white grasshopper, almost blending in with the cloud under it. Analyzing the bug, Brian jumped back in shock when it leapt straight up. Stretching its legs, the grasshopper bounced onward, leaving its assaulter to gaze in splendor.

    ¡°Wow, cloud grasshoppers? Hmm,¡± putting his brain to work, he had come up with a ¡®brilliant¡¯ name, ¡°Cloudhoppers! Adriana will get a kick out of that. Or she might just kick me.¡±

    A roar in the distance had knocked him out of his daze. Attempting to find the source, Brian¡¯s eyes rested on a white, fluffy animal inflated like a balloon. As he drew closer, he could identify features belonging to a bear, yet this bear had a wide stomach and levitated above the clouds. ¡°Hmm, how about air bear?¡±

    Catching a glimpse of something in the corner of his eye, Brian spun around to see a grey lumpy log imitating a cloud. Able to distinguish the log from the clouds, he knew it must have been some time of alligator or crocodile. ¡°Ah, an airigator! I¡¯m becoming a real biologist. Er, maybe a taxonomist actually.¡±

    Leaving the animals to their own devices, the dragoon felt the altitude get to him again. Returning to the hole he made, now far smaller and shrinking ever still, he began to consider leaving the exploration for another day.

    ¡°BWWWAAH¡± A roar erupted through the clouds, air bears and airigators began rising from their places of residence. It would be a sight to behold for the dragoon, but his vision was fading, and so too was his conscious, his body falling through the hole before it sealed.

    ¡°Uh, what was that?¡± Opening his eyes groggily, Brian was still on the cusp of consciousness as he realized he was free-falling, already having passed the bottom of the cloud collective. Fighting to remain awake, he summoned wind to slow his descent, but he could barely stop his acceleration toward the earth.

    Summoning all the energy he could muster, he used both fire and wind to slow his descent even more. This idea worked briefly, long enough for the ground to become more recognizable. Without any warning, the fire and wind under him gave way.

    ¡®Adriana, please help¡¯ were his last thoughts before his mind faded back into the dark.

    ¡°Brian?! Brian!¡±

    Slowly, but more energized than before, the blonde opened his eyes to see Adriana standing before him, in his home no less. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°You fell from the sky is what happened! Did you try to go to space?!¡±

    ¡°I saw it!¡± The dragoon sprang from his bed, ignoring his headache. ¡°There were air bears, and airigators, and cloudhoppers!¡±

    Adriana simply tilted her head, unable and unwilling to humor the amount of crazy leaving her friends mouth hole. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°The clou-ow!¡± No longer willing to be ignore, the headache had finally gotten the dragoon to reel back in agony and quiet down. ¡°The cloud kingdom. I managed to get there. There were white bears and grasshoppers, and grey alligators in the clouds. Oh yeah, and the clouds were solid enough to walk and jump on.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you weren¡¯t just hallucinating? Even if what you saw is real, why did you go unconscious?¡±

    ¡°High altitude.¡± He wasn¡¯t embarrassed to admit he had fallen from natural causes, but something in his memory irked him, making him want to retract that statement. ¡°There was also a large roar!¡±

    ¡°A large roar? Like, what kind? Bears are pretty loud.¡±

    ¡°No, this thing must have been some kind of dragon or something. The roar was deafening, and the animals went berserk.¡±

    ¡°A cloud dragon?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I simply heard it before I passed out. I don¡¯t even know where it was, just that I heard it.¡±

    ¡°Well, unfortunately, this weather only comes once a year, so the cloud kingdom is probably bye bye for another 365 days. I guess we got a year before we fight a dragon.¡±

    ¡°Be honest Adriana, do you believe me?¡±

    ¡°Brian, we¡¯ve fought giant boars, a ground worm-wyvern thing, killer plants, giant birds, giant scorpions, incompetent thieves, and kids who could turn into extinct devil species. A cloud kingdom is probably the most logical thing we¡¯ve encountered.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. Thanks for saving me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. But next time you think about doing something dangerous,¡± she paused to give him a stern glare, ¡°take someone with you. I promise, no matter how ridiculous, I¡¯ll go if it means you stay safe.¡±

 Chapter 30: Slime Hunt

    ¡°Hey Sarah, how was the parent-boyfriend meeting?¡± Adriana decided today would be a good day to visit the archer at her house, ask questions she hadn¡¯t thought to ask prior.

    ¡°Oh, swell surprisingly. Hey, weren¡¯t you supposed to be doing something with Eric today?¡±

    ¡°Nah, he said he wanted to prove he could single-handedly capture a slime; they¡¯re more common during spring, so now would be a good time to hunt for them.¡±

    Setting his sights on the target, the cleric wiped his head reluctantly; there was no sweat, he simply felt obligated to fulfill the gesture. Relieved to have finally stumbled on this elusive beat, he watched the blue ball slink its away across the ground. He couldn¡¯t tell if the thing had purpose or if it was wandering aimlessly, but it didn¡¯t matter, soon it would be under his control.

    ¡°Controlling a slime? Why would you want to do that?¡±

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re very versatile. They can slip through just about any surface.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha!¡± Eric had jumped the blue goo, but it oozed through his fingers, his elbows, and any other opening, reforming and running away as fast it could; unfortunately for the slime, having to spread itself into a long and skinny form, hunching its back up, and then pushing its head forward was rather methodical when its prey could simply walk faster.

    ¡°That would make it hard to capture though. I¡¯ve never really fought or even seen a slime, what would use one for?¡±

    ¡°Well, they can stick to just about any surface.¡±

    Getting up, the cleric brushed off the dirt on his coat before walking up to the slim. Squatting before the slime, he pounced! And missed, sending him flying into the dirt again, while the slimed jumped on to a nearby tree, making its way to safety.

    ¡°They¡¯re good jumpers, but not very fast. They also don¡¯t really have to worry about heights.¡±

    Eric has tried to command a nearby creature, but there didn¡¯t seem to be any around. Realizing there was no other way, he braced himself against the tree, making his way up as best he could. Before he could regret not learning how to climb trees, the slime jumped off, landing on the ground with a splat. Blue slime now covered a small section of the forest, but only briefly as the goo collected itself, reforming back into its original shape before scurrying away.

    ¡°That sounds neat. Are they dangerous?¡±

    ¡°Pfft, no!¡± The rogue laughed.

    The cleric had ran for the slime, now burning rubber as he could barely keep track of it. In an instance, Eric put his breaks on, slamming his feet to the ground to stop himself so that he wouldn¡¯t run over the parked slime. The courage and tenacity the cleric held prior was now gone, his prey realizing it could be the predator instead. Leaping on to him, the blue slime¡¯s weight forced the teen on to the ground.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°They¡¯re harmless. They couldn¡¯t hurt a fly.¡±

    ¡°Oh my goddess, help me! Somebody help!¡± Flailing his arms and body, the cleric made a desperate attempt to wiggle free of the monster¡¯s body, but the slime had locked him in. Slowly but surely, the slime covered his arms, making its way to the boy¡¯s face.

    ¡°I mean, they could potentially suffocate you if they covered your head.¡±

    ¡°If anyone is out there, tell my girlfriend I love her! I mean she already knows that, but tell her anyways!¡± The slime oozed over the clerics neck, now inching ever closer to his mouth and nostrils. Eric could only watch in horror as the slime was about to cut off his sources of oxygen; a humiliating death was imminent.

    ¡°But really, any one can throw them away. Even a toddler wouldn¡¯t usually have trouble getting rid of a slime.¡±

    ¡°Aha!¡± The cleric arose from his death bed, pulling the slime up from the dirt. Like a scared kitten, the slime attempted to cling to the dirt, but its slimy tendrils were not much help in this department.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got you right where I want you, ya little trouble maker.¡± Holding the slime out in front of him, he joyously watched the surface vibrate. Once his hands began glowing green, he dropped the slime to the ground, sat on it, and had it take him out of the woods.

    ¡°Huh, interesting. Aren¡¯t slimes considered a delicacy?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but they¡¯re illegal to eat. Supposedly they make literally any food tastes better, and even eaten alone they taste amazing. People also say they are extremely healthy, like the healthiest food ever.¡±

    ¡®Hmm¡¯ the cleric looked down toward his riding animal, the creature making great pace back to Lumina, ¡®I wonder¡­¡¯. Looking at the blue slime, thoughts of eating it crossed his mind, but he shoved those thoughts to the darkest corner of his mind, where other random morbid thoughts were left to rot.

    ¡°Sarah, do you know what slimes are made of? Or where they come from?¡±

    The elf shook her head, chills beginning to spread across her body.

    ¡°Again, this is only rumor, but after the great war, the one that involved the ancient city, slimes started popping up everywhere, and nobody knew why. It wasn¡¯t until someone studied the battlefield that the reason became clear: they were the bodies of those killed by base mana users.¡±

    Sarah gasped, her eyes opened wide like dinner plates, and she took a step back. ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡±

    ¡°I mean,¡± the rogue scratched her head, ¡°it¡¯s only a rumor, and slimes can reproduce by spliting apart. But if you ever have a chance to eat a slime¡­don¡¯t.¡±

    The cleric could see the gate of Lumina approaching fast, his slime reaching speeds of Mach 1 by this point. Despite his best effort, this slime had no breaks, Eric simply bracing himself for the impact of his life. Speeding through a crowd of people, he managed to duck and dive around, make his way up the stairs, but just when he thought he was home-free, the slime began to fly.

    For a moment, the cleric felt as though he were weightless, his heart pounding wildly as he was helplessly hurdled through the air as if he were launched from a catapult. In the next moment, he hit the ground hard, feeling as though his shoulder would pop off. The drag from the dirt had stopped his remaining inertia, his head swinging to see his mount had painted the ground.

    ¡°You alright honey?¡±

    He smiled, a warm, familiar face greeting him with an outstretched arm.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± Grabbing her hand and pulling himself up, he whistled to the slime. Collecting itself, the slime jumped into his arm, the cleric patting it on what he assumed was the head.

    ¡°Fun day? Hard day? Tell me how it went.¡±

    ¡°Oh it was fun, but I didn¡¯t get hurt or anything. Capturing and taming a slime was pretty easy, didn¡¯t give me any trouble at all, right blue?¡± Eyeing the slime, it wiggled in response. ¡°Exactly. Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    ¡°You know, one day we¡¯re going to do something about these puns.¡±

 Chapter 31: Sewer Search

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan today, Adri?¡±

    The knight knew exactly what she had planned, yet he needed a reminder because he refused to believe she had come up with this idea. Matt had always seen Adriana as the most logical of his friends, yet here she was, suggesting they go roaming the sewer for clues about the kidnapping last year.

    ¡°Ah Matthias, my stalwart sidekick, we will be investigating the labyrinth of pipes, aka the sewer!¡±

    Having recently been asked to scout for clues regarding a recent attack, the rogue found herself enjoying the more brain taxing activity. It was not only enjoyable, but addictive. Figuring she could get a similar buzz off answering a year long question that many had forgotten about, she decided to drag the knight along.

    ¡°Matthias?¡±

    ¡°Should I stick with Matt?¡±

    ¡°No, I like it actually. What I don¡¯t particularly care for is searching the sewers. Why do we need to do this?¡±

    ¡°We must figure out how the kidnappers stole the princess so as to make sure they can never do it again. We¡¯ve been lucky so far, the sins have held their word that they wouldn¡¯t kidnap Elizabeth, but perhaps the forces at work will reclaim her, and we need to make they are stopped in their tracks.¡±

    ¡°Why did you need me? And why do I need my sword?¡±

    ¡°Simple,¡± she folded her arms, ¡°your light can guide the way, and we may encounter unwanted visitors. It¡¯s unlikely, but you should always be prepared. Also, Eric has been busy with Blue, Brian has disappearing a lot recently, and I wouldn¡¯t want his fire in the sewers, and Jessica is too ¡®busy¡¯ counting down the days until she can hit the bottle.¡±

    The knight shook his head in disbelief, ¡°That¡¯s not how my powers work, but alright, fine. Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡±

    Trailing behind the Rogue, Matthew paid no mind to his surroundings, concentrating solely on what to do when he got back home. ¡®Wonder if I should make dinner tonight, since Sarah is going to be late and all. Still can¡¯t believe Eric has a pet slime, but I guess he needed something to do. Sarah can¡¯t believe someone would own a slime, I don¡¯t blame her. Hmm, Matthias is a cool na-¡®

    The knight¡¯s stream of conscious came to a jolting halt as so he didn¡¯t run into his friend. Though she was fast and steady on her feet, she wasn¡¯t able to push the six-foot teen around.

    ¡°Alright Mattias, you lead the way. This could be a long and smelly journey, so I hope you ate light.¡±

    The umber skinned girl had stopped in front of a small building, one that was too small to be mistaken for a house in the city. Taking in a deep breath of the rich, spring air, Matthew burned his surroundings into his mind; this would be his happy place while he traversed the dank sewer.

    Heading into the small building and down the ladder, the knight had great difficulty pushing against the blasts of horrendous odors. Making their way down to the basement floor and through an imposing door, the pair looked onward at the vast expanse of pipes.

    ¡°So do you have a map? Because I can¡¯t just see ahead with my light.¡±

    The rogue sheepishly pulled out a sheet of paper, handing it to the knight who was astonished by its contents. ¡°Adriana, this is a blank sheet of paper.¡± Or rather, its lack thereof.

    ¡°Yeah about that,¡± she broke out into a sweat, ¡°I though you could draw a map.¡±

    ¡°You could just ask the queen or a maintenance worker for a map.¡±

    ¡°Right, I wanted to ask for a map of the sewer, but I didn¡¯t want to make the queen aware of what we¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡± The knight cocked an eyebrow.

    ¡°Well ya see, you know how I told you my dad had a bad feeling about Lumina and your dad said the same? Well I¡¯ve been getting that same feeling recently, both around the sewer and around the castle.¡±

    ¡°You think the queen is related to the feeling?¡± Matthew was piecing together the presentment, wondering if he was reaching the same conclusion.

    ¡°Yes, and I think that feeling is Jade¡¯s doing. I¡¯ve been keeping an eye and an ear out for any going-ons around the castle, making sure the princess doesn¡¯t disappear again. Thankfully there hasn¡¯t been a whimper, but I can¡¯t help but wonder.¡±

    ¡°It hardly matters¡± folding his arms, ¡°what are we going to do if the queen and this Jade guy are in cahoots? If something were to happen to her, we¡¯d probably be on the streets. Anyhow, lets get going, the stink is starting to get to me.¡±

    Walking down the hall of pipes, the fluorescent lights bouncing off the orange cylinders that traveled every which way, the two continued until they reached a dead end.

    Skritch. Matt drew a line from the only marking on the paper that read ¡®Entrance.¡¯ The knight headed left, the rogue shadowing him. The continued left, passing many forks in the road until the hit a dead end. Skritch skritch. The knight made more markings, noting the dead-end and the forks.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°This is going to be an all-day affair.¡± The knight sighed as the two backtracked. ¡°You take this fork and tell me what you find, I¡¯ll take the next one. If we split up, we might be able to map out a tiny section before I puke my brains out.¡±

    The rogue split from her partner, inspecting the section, looking for anything noteworthy, but only finding more orange pipes. ¡®The more I look at this place, the more obvious it seems Jade must have gotten some help navigating. There¡¯s no way an outsider could have known this area well enough to escape undetected.¡¯

    Meeting up with her leader, the two reported having found nothing, checking out the two forks, this time Matthew was first to depart. Their prior find was the same thing: a hall that turned left with the pipes retreated further underground, Matthew¡¯s path taking a wider turn.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Adriana curiosity caused her to speak out loud as she rubbed eyes to make sure she wasn¡¯t hallucinating from the rancid odors. The rogue continued down the hall, the orange pipes quickly gave way to a sickly green that oddly entrancing. The girl was enjoying the new green over the tyrannical orange, but more then that, she breathed in deep, a breath of clean, fresh air.

    Kush. The sound had the rogue retract her foot in an instant. The calm raven-haired girl was now in high alert, sharp eyes scrutinizing any movement through the hazy green in front of her, but nothing appeared. After a couple of seconds, she turned her eyes to the ground, putting her foot down on the greenery, hearing that it was simply her footstep. Relieving, she marched on, feeling confident that she was on to something.

    ¡®Grass? Why is there grass in the sewer? How is there grass in the sewer? This must be Jade¡¯s doing. Is this some way to mark where he needs to go? Or is it-¡® another sound in the distance immediately cut off her thoughts, sending her back in to high alert. Instead of going into a battle stance, however, the girl merely stood straight, frozen in place. Listening again, she could hear some kind of growl, as if a beast was down the corridor. ¡®Did it hear me? What even is ¡°it¡±? I can¡¯t see through this fog. Can it see through the fog?!¡¯

    Before her thoughts could go on, Adriana narrowly dodged an object flying her way at high speed. Turning her head briefly, she could see it was a giant seed. More seeds came her way, seeds roughly the size of her torso, and as wide as one of her legs, with a sharp point on either end. After about six seeds, the barrage stopped, but now a new sound emerged, as if something were slapping the pipes. This sound grew louder and louder, the rogue retreating.

    As she ran back to hopefully find her leader, she looked toward the haze, hoping her attackers would be identifiable, and soon enough, they were. The girl could see two octoplants exiting the green mist, but these octoplants were quite unusual: instead of the normal orange head that looked like an acorn, these were green all around, with a much harder to describe head, much bigger too. Adriana stopped herself when she realized her attackers had refused to progress.

    Turning around, she stared at the two plants, one opening its maw to reveal rows of sharp teeth on each petal, a mouth that somehow led to a leaf thin digestive system. That¡¯s when the girl noticed these monsters had a sack not present on normal octoplants, one of which was moving. The plant on the left shot another seed, easily avoided now that the girl could see it being telegraphed.

    ¡°Guess you guys don¡¯t like traveling out of your little jungle. I can see why.¡± Before she gloat longer, Adriana noticed the seeds from behind the plants open. She watched in horror as the seeds spewed out the green haze that decorated the sewer hall ahead.

    Thinking quickly, the rogue placed her palm on the sewer pipe to her right, sending as many volts of electricity through it as she could muster. She expected the octoplant to be cunning and unhook itself, crawling after her and fighting her up close. Instead, the scene played out like she would¡¯ve hoped if she were a na?ve warrior: the plant was electrocuted, its entire body decoloring into an ugly brown as its head bent over and it presumably died. Without hesitating, she did the same to the pipe on her left, frying the other plant.

    The seeds around her finished their spread, but there was hardly any green on the pipes, and the haze was absent entirely. When she felt it was safe to presume the plants died, the rogue analyzed their corpses, discovering interesting bits of information.

    ¡°Seems these things have spikes on the tips of their roots.¡±

    ¡°Woah, what happened here?¡±

    Matt¡¯s voice made Adriana hop forward, stumbling on to the grassy terrain in front of her. ¡°Could you not sneak up on me?!¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡± The knight picked up his friend, the remorse on his face made it impossible for her to stay mad at him.

    ¡°Seems Jade might have been aware that someone would trail him. These things are some weird octoplant that shoots seeds and clings to walls using these spikes on their roots. Their seeds create this grass like material, which they stir around to spread this grassy terraian as far as possible while also creating a haze to make them near invisible.¡±

    ¡°Geez, sorry you had to go it alone.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I dragged you here, not the other way around. Let¡¯s keep going, this may be the way.¡±

    The knight took the lead again, the rogue eying the plant cadavers just in case. Once they were out of sight, she let her guard down, focusing on her leader. ¡°Matt, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you something.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± He turned his head to face her.

    ¡°Sarah told me awhile ago that you were given a change to work for some guy. You¡¯d go to work in a big city in Pyora. Why didn¡¯t you go?¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t tell you? Well, it¡¯s because I didn¡¯t want to leave you guys. I know after the princess debacle everything seems better, but I feel like if I left you guys, things¡­would fall apart.¡± As he finished, Matthew stopped and looked to the ground.

    ¡°Matthew,¡± the girl leaned on him, determination in her eyes, ¡°you¡¯re the leader. Not just on missions, but in general. If you want to leave, leave. We¡¯ll visit you no matter what, especially because we all want to leave at some point. We¡¯re all just waiting for a sign, which I think really just means we¡¯re waiting for when you and Sarah blow this popsicle stand.¡±

    ¡°I guess I feel like an idiot for saying no and never telling you guys. I¡¯m glad Sarah at least had the courage to push me out.¡± The knight scratched his forehead in embarrassment.

    ¡°By the way, Eric wanted me to ask you if you could maybe not use your light power to tell if we¡¯re lying or not. He says it¡¯s kind of creepy.¡±

    ¡°Creepy? I mean, I guess.¡± Matthew was taken aback by the request, trying to process the cleric¡¯s fear of his ability. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t then. I trust you guys won¡¯t hold need-to-know information from me.¡±

    ¡°You have our word¡± the rogue smiled at him.

    The pair made their way to a right turn, which led to a split path. Recalling what his sister said, Matthew knocked on the panel, able to finagle it off the wall. Behind the panel: dirt, dirt, and more dirt.

    ¡°No! This has to be the panel, but there¡¯s no cave. I doubt there are any other loose panels, so Jade must have filled the hole.¡± Adriana turned to the knight in defeat, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Matt, this whole thing was a waste.¡±

    ¡°Nah, we know for sure this was Jade¡¯s doing, or someone related to him. This loose panel matches Lucy¡¯s story, and those plants must have been someone¡¯s doing. Besides, we accomplished some personal stuff. Let¡¯s get the hell out of this stink dungeon.¡±

 Chapter 32: Birthday Drinks

    ¡°Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy Birthday to Jessica!¡± The mage took a swig. ¡°Happy birthday to me.¡±

    Sitting alone, solemn in her home, the redhead enjoyed the summer night air as it rushed through her window and brushed her long, sweeping hair. Scooting on the stool, facing out the window into the night sky, she could see a blanket of royal blue embroidered with gleaming balls of light.

    ¡°Seventeen and drinking. What I wouldn¡¯t give to be one of those stars. What I wouldn¡¯t give to be Brian or Adriana and fly up to the clouds, reach out and touch those stars. What I wouldn¡¯t give to be Matthew and be one of those stars or be Sarah and live with someone like that. I can¡¯t think of anything for Eric.¡±

    Just as she ended her tirade, the girl heard a thump on her door. Putting down her bottle, she shuffled over, not out inebriation, but just an unwillingness to care. Without hesitation, the mage yanked open the door to see her friend standing outside, looking down on her. She hated being the second shortest in their group, the runt in the litter, even if she was only inches shorter than the rogue.

    ¡°What do you want Adriana?¡± In the moonlight, she could see her friend¡¯s trademark sarcastic face, eyebrows raised, eyes half open, a half smile.

    ¡°Well I wanted to wish you happy a birthday before you blacked out.¡±

    ¡°Ha ha, very funny.¡± The mage broke eye contact, unable to bear the smug face any longer. ¡°I just started before you rudely interrupted me.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t really come here to chastise you; if you wouldn¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to have a drink myself.¡±

    Taking a step back, Jessica ushered the girl in, closing the door and making her way over to the counter. ¡°You¡¯re in luck, I¡¯ve had several drinks prepared for such an occasion. Honestly, I don¡¯t mind sharing, just ask for whatever.¡±

    Adriana pointed to a red, thick glass bottle on the second row of a shelf that seemed to rise way too high for a girl as short as Jessica, at least without a step ladder which she seemed bereft of. Uncorking the bottle, pouring it in the glass, and putting it aside, the two toasted, ¡°To the queen.¡±

    After a clink the two took their shots, Adriana regretting her choice. It was only a month since she investigated the sewer, yet this drink brought the memory hurtling back. ¡°Oof, maybe the drunk life isn¡¯t for me. Didn¡¯t need to know what the sewer tasted like, I already got a long whiff last month.¡±

    ¡°Hey I just got a bunch of drinks, some might be good, some are going to horrible. It¡¯s luck of the draw, and I guess for a rogue, you¡¯re not that lucky.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking of thieves. They need the luck to steal stuff, I just scout.¡±

    ¡°Ya need the luck to not get caught if you¡¯re in danger. Speaking of, why¡¯d you hesitate to toast? I doubt you¡¯d break the glass with your ¡®meaty¡¯ arms.¡±

    Adriana gazed at her glass, then the bottle. She didn¡¯t want to drink the sewer water again, but it might be better than admitting her reason for hesitating. ¡°Well¡± she took a breath, ¡°I guess it¡¯s instinctual. I don¡¯t trust the queen, I think she¡¯s the reason behind the kidnapping.¡±

    ¡°Why would she have her own daughter kidnapped?¡±

    ¡°Matthew thinks it¡¯s to bring back faith in the whole prodigy thing. People were not happy with the queen, so she had her daughter kidnapped and had us bring her back. Now everyone thinks we¡¯re heroes.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Seems like a simple plan, but I guess it worked. Where does Jade and the seven sins fit into all that? Have you guys told the others? And what are we going to do about it?¡±

    Adriana began tapping the table with her index finger, recalling her many theories and plans. ¡°In order: I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve told Eric and Brian but I don¡¯t think Matthew has told Sarah, and I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so one out of three. Not good. Sarah said Jade killed her team for getting too close to the tower. I don¡¯t know why, but that sounds too extreme. Maybe it¡¯s the alcohol talking, but I think something darker is going on.¡±

    ¡°Everyone has been uneasy. I had a funny feeling a week or so before I convinced Matt to explore the sewers with me. Found a bunch of killer plants and the panel Lucy talked about, but there was only dirt in front of it. I didn¡¯t tell Matthew this, but I went back alone -terrible idea, I know, but I had to check that there was no other loose panel- and I found nothing.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, creepy.¡± Jessica rubbed her forehead, playing with her bangs. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about something else. How¡¯s Eric doing? And that slime of his?¡±

    ¡°Eh, fine. Eric called the slime blue, and he¡¯s been studying it here and there. He thinks he might find something, and if he doesn¡¯t, it¡¯ll still make a nice pet. I¡¯ve actually enjoyed it, it knows how to play fetch¡± the rogue giggled to herself.

    ¡°Huh, never thought a smile would sound cute.¡± The mage took another shot, blowing off some steam as she tilted backwards. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always wondered how you do it.¡±

    ¡°How I do what?¡± The tension easing up, the rogue followed suit and sat upright instead of leaning over the counter.

    ¡°You and Sarah can, well, get guys. You¡¯d think some guy would want me, but no. I tried the good-looking ones, the hot ones, and the attractive ones, and nothing.¡±

    ¡°Are we really talking about this? And Jess, good-looking, hot, and attractive are all the same thing. Generally speaking.¡±

    ¡°Uh, not for me. But anyways, I lowered my standard to the average-looking ones, the okay ones, and the sort of attractive ones.¡±

    ¡°Again, all the same thing. Maybe you should try to-¡°

    ¡°Let me finish.¡± The rogue was losing patience with her friend, but Jessica pressed on, seemingly unaware. ¡°Finally I lowered my standards to the ugly ones, the desperate ones, and the unattractive ones.¡±

    ¡°I have a hard time believing that.¡±

    ¡°Well I did! And you know what?¡± Adriana shook her head, wondering if it was time to leave the girl to sulk. ¡°Not a single one wanted to date me. Am I that ugly?¡±

    ¡°Physically no, but when you get crazy like this, I can¡¯t help but feel sorry for the idiot that sticks around.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying I should be goody-two-shoes Sarah?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± the rogue sighed, ¡°not being a witch would be a start. I know that¡¯s a foreign concept, but if you gave it a try, you might find it helps.¡±

    Adriana bared herself for the yelling or screaming to ensue, but Jessica simply sat up, closed her eyes and waved her hand nonchalantly.

    ¡°Yeah yeah, I guess I should.¡± The mage leaned close, signaling the rogue to do the same. With a one hand embrace, she whispered into Adriana¡¯s ear, ¡°Thanks for coming over for my birthday. I know I¡¯m a pain in the butt, so I really appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°Take it easy birthday girl. I¡¯m going to go and take this bottle, see if Eric likes it. Maybe Blue might like it, I don¡¯t know.¡± When the mage finally released her friend from the hug, Adriana took the red bottle and left, making sure to close the window on her way out. ¡°You should probably keep your windows closed, in case you do something a little crazy while drunk. Just saying.¡±

    Sitting on her wooden stool, alone again, the mage took another swig. And another. And another, but now the bottle was empty. Getting down from the stool felt like jumping off a building to Jessica, her legs threatening to collapse. ¡®C¡¯mon Jess, don¡¯t be a lightweight, stand up¡¯ her thoughts beat on her until her temporary vision distortion had corrected itself and she had control over her legs again, if just barely.

    ¡®What¡¯s Adri know anyways? It¡¯s just one night of drinking, just to celebrate my birthday. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be hitting the bottle every day.¡¯ Stumbling over to the couch, the redhead plopped herself down on her back, stretched herself out, and let her thoughts drift. ¡®I¡¯m too tired to do anything insane anyways. Not that I¡¯ve done anything, but I still get tired. She probably thinks I¡¯m lazy, or dumb, or weird. Well okay, everyone thinks -no, everyone knows I¡¯m weird, but she probably¡­eh hell with it.¡¯ The mage nodded off in a haze of chaotic thoughts.

 Chapter 33: Roaring Skies

    ¡°You ready for this?¡±

    ¡°Been training since last year. You¡¯re not telling me you forgot all those times I carried you up to the clouds, right?¡±

    The dragoon and rogue were preparing themselves, physically and emotionally, for the journey to the clouds. The two were on the roof of the dragoon¡¯s humble abode, a two-story house, rare among the nobility circle. The pair had made sure to dress appropriately, not for the dangerously low temperature that forced them into long sleeve shirts and pants, but for the clouds which boast a genuinely chilling climate.

    ¡°We¡¯re a year older. Hopefully whatever we face hasn¡¯t been training for a whole year too.¡±

    The rogue laughed to herself, the thought of some large bear doing jumps and running miles in order to be ready to fight them had filled her mind. She recalled the dragoon¡¯s assumption the beast could be a dragon, but she dismissed the idea as the lower pressure getting to him.

    ¡°You ready? Hop on my back and we¡¯ll take off!¡±

    With a little hesitation in order to avoid stepping on his hands or arms, she piggy-backed the short blonde who then raised himself up before squatting. ¡°And a one, and a two, and-¡° Brian lifted off, able to far surpass the horizon of the city ring, his momentum able to carry the two more than half-way to their destination.

    As their acceleration began to slow, Brian began his rhythmic fire blasts, now far stronger and without taking considerably more energy. Once the pair were within arm¡¯s reach of the cloud barrier, it was the rogue¡¯s time to shine, transforming them both into a bolt of lightning that tore through the thick blanket of clouds. In a second, the duo had reached their destination: a field of clouds that were solid enough to walk on.

    ¡°It¡¯s gorgeous.¡± Adriana was enamored with the vast expanse of white, varying shades of grey, and infinite sea of blue sky.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty cool. Don¡¯t let your guard down though, that whatever it was could be anywhere.¡±

    When Brian turned to his partner, he could see his words were only for the clouds. The rogue had flown over to the large white bear, its stomach inflated to let it gently float across the sky. Feeling a sudden weight on her shoulder, she turned to see a bug had leapt on it, a bright white grasshopper that left as quickly as it came. Following the bug, she was surprised, horrified, yet above all else, fascinated when she saw it was caught in a web. The creator of this web had greeted its unfortunately guest, wrapping it up in a fluffy blanket.

    ¡°Hey Adriana, what did you find?¡±

    ¡°Some kind of cloud spider¡± the rogue pointed to the web composed out of the same condensation and fluff they were standing on. ¡°Cloudweaver.¡±

    ¡°What now?¡± The dragoon tilted his head.

    ¡°The spider, I¡¯m calling it a Cloudweaver.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well while you were enjoying the creepy crawly show, I¡­well I found nothing. I was hoping to maybe find people.¡±

    Adriana stood up, taking her attention off the Cloudweaver to assess the horizon ahead. ¡°Wonder if there even are any people around here. I kind of doubt it, but let¡¯s go and see.¡±

    The two walked down the bumpy plains, miniature hills decorating the white-gray field. The wind was erratic, sometimes harsh, cruel, and cold. Other times the wind was calm, gentle, and warm. The only constant was the whipping of the breeze that never stopped, where it came from was always a mystery.

    Brian led the way, feeling like a veteran that had lived in the area for years, despite only briefly touring once. He hadn¡¯t remembered seeing clouds that rose above their current height, nor could he recall how far outward he ventured. In truth, beyond the small stretch of land the two previously explored, the dragoon was just as lost as the rogue.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Still, despite the unfamiliarity of it all, he felt safe with the open sky and plains. That safety quickly melted when he no longer heard the air whip. ¡®Okay, that¡¯s weird. Actually, it¡¯s probably normal, I shouldn¡¯t worry since last time I was only here five minutes.¡¯

    Brian¡¯s rationalization was beginning to help him calm down, but a sudden change had his nerves flair up again. He hadn¡¯t immediately identified what changed, instead he instinctively spun around to his partner, her face one of confusion rather than fear. ¡°Did it suddenly get dark?¡±

    Looking up, the dragoon could indeed confirm the darkening of the sky, the gray-black ceiling above sealing off the sun. ¡°I don¡¯t like this Adri, I think we should head back.¡±

    ¡°Are you scared? Brian! I thought you were a brave dragoon, the bravest dragoon who saved the princess.¡±

    Her mockery had the dragoon at an impasse: was he to run and fear, possibly saving both their lives, or face what might be coming? He didn¡¯t have time to answer, his choice was made for him when a violent, erupting roar echoed through the plains. The beast that had found Brian before was back, its roar unmistakable.

    The beast in the distance was a large, wiggling dragon, thin as a snake with no wings in sight, at least none visible from far away. The beast¡¯s most defining feature, however, was its two heads, one breathing fire, the other a stream of lightning.

    ¡°I told you it was dragon!¡± The dragoon could not muster another though in his head as he was frozen stiff by the oncoming threat.

    ¡°Quick, split up!¡± The rogue ran away from her partner, figuring that even with two heads, it was still a single body animal, and thus it would be forced to chase one of them. To her despair, the two-headed dragon chose Adriana, leaving Brian to stand stiff as a board.

    The rogue screamed for her friend to do something, but he was lost to a fear induced coma, leaving her to face the dragon alone. Dodging lightning strikes and fireballs, the girl couldn¡¯t focus on a plan of action, instead her undivided attention was just on surviving the barrage.

    Shaking his head, Brian finally came to his senses, his attention set on the beast attempting to fry his friend by electrocution or burning. Rushing forward with a bounce, the blonde felt his fear dissipate as he harpooned his spear at the dragon. The projectile bounced off harmlessly, the dragoon recalling it while still chasing his target, this time launching his own fire at the monster.

    The monster had turned its left head to face human assaulting its back, shooting a stream of lighting that was easily avoided. Brian answered back with several fire blasts, avoiding every attempt to shake him off until the reptile swerved its body and focused both heads on the smaller human.

    ¡°That¡¯s right you overgrown mutant lizard, look at me! I¡¯m the one that¡¯s going to kick your tail.¡± Using the wind, he began pushing himself so that he kept a consistent distance from his predator, making sure not to discourage it from the chase. When the right head attempted to burn him, he returned fire with his own flame breath. When the left head tried to shock him, he pushed himself to the side. Looking down, he could see the rogue looking up at him; with a knowing nod, he outfitted his spear with a solid head of pure energy, tossing it down toward the rogue who disappeared shortly after.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how you fair against this.¡± Brian rose straight up, his pursuers following right behind him. As he reached his apex, he raised his hands up to the sky, summoning all of the fire he could muster into a microscopic sun, which was still roughly the size of his house. Bringing down the great sphere of fire, the two heads of the reptile attacked it with all their might, unable to prevent the brunt of its fury.

    Despite his success, Brian could see his foe was still floating, even if reeled back from being burnt up. The scales now blow, the monster¡¯s anger was off the chart as it lunged for the dragoon who narrowly avoided a chomp from the right head. Having not forgotten about the other head, he turned to see it dangling on the body, its pupils unfocused and jaw flapping in the wind.

    In his shock and horror at the dead head, he had forgotten about the other head that was now lined up for a perfect strike. Just as his hearted stopped, the beast yanked its head up in agony, a girl letting loose a battle cry as her spear sliced through the upper half of the remaining dragon head. The rogue hopped off the body as it plummeted from the sky, the dragoon following suit.

    ¡°Phew, thanks for the save there. I almost began a Yvern meal.¡±

    ¡°A whyvern? Like, why is a wyvern here?¡± Adriana was still trying to catch her breath, this was not the conversation she was expecting.

    ¡°No, like the letter y, because there¡¯s what the shape of its body and heads remind me of.¡±

    ¡°We just killed a dragon, not really a wyvern, and this is what we¡¯re talking about?!¡±

    ¡°Well I think we should save the not-stupid discussion for when we see the others again.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough. Hopefully that¡¯s the only one, though being a dragon slayer for a living would be a hell of a job.¡±

    The dragoon let out a laughing exhale, ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a rest on the ¡®ground¡¯ then? After all, we can only get here once a year, and I¡¯d rather not have it be wasted by a Yvern.¡±

    ¡°Much like the ¡®Yvern¡¯, I should have cut the head off these puns before they got out of hand.¡±

 Chapter 34: Knightly Visitation

    Knock knock knock

    Outside the little cottage, the knight measured the area, his mind wandering and wondering what the goings-on were between when he left and now. It was two years since he left his sister to the custody of his aunt, his parents some mix of understanding and thankful. Were he more capable, he would raise her himself, especially since he feared she saw this as abandonment rather than help.

    The furious pondering came to a halt with the creek of the door. Through the crack, Matthew could see his sister inspecting him before slamming the door shut. Before he could utter an ¡°uh¡± the door swung open, the girl delivering a deathly flying hug that pushed the titan back. When the evil doer relinquished her victim, he could see some unexpected changes took place.

    The brother knew his family were abnormal in the height category, but his sister¡¯s eye line was at his neck, and he was a freakish six foot two. ¡°Well I guess we know you inherited the family growth. How¡¯s it going Lucy?¡±

    ¡°I could ask you the same.¡± The girl smiled, a surreal look to her brother given he couldn¡¯t picture her smiling, no matter how hard he tried. Now, he tried to emblaze the image in his heart. ¡°I¡¯m doing fine Matt, aunt Shelly is super nice. I guess I should have trusted you.¡±

    Lucy had walked over to the couch, letting gravity decide her fate as she landed on the soft cushions. Matt had walked over to the nearby stool, turning the back around so he could sit and face his sister across the living room.

    ¡°Hey, no harm no foul. I¡¯m just glad to see you¡¯re happy. You are happy, aren¡¯t you?¡± He raised his eyebrows at her, a glare that pierced her nerves.

    ¡°You can tell when people are lying. Why do you even need to ask?¡±

    ¡°Well, Eric told me to stop using that ability on my friends because its creepy. Well, Eric told Adriana who told me, but all the same, it made me realize how disturbing it could be.¡±

    ¡°So if I lied to your face, you wouldn¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Depends on how good of a liar you are. I don¡¯t need magical truth powers to discern a terrible lie.¡±

    ¡°Ah well. I¡¯m happy, I have friends, and I, uh¡­¡± she stumbled, her voice trembling, ¡°got a crush.¡±

    ¡°Yeah that sounds about right. You¡¯re a teenager, that stuff is normal.¡± The knight reminisced about the two-year long trip, the awkward split ups where each member of his team would have their personal time. ¡°Least you aren¡¯t out in the woods with some strange adults. If it¡¯s not too personal, who are your friends?¡±

    ¡°Oh, the sins.¡±

    ¡°Woah woah woah, back up. The sins? I thought you were going to be a better person.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, Matt!¡± The girl whined, ¡°They¡¯re not bad people. We might cause some trouble, but no one gets hurt.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± The brother could see the regret on his sibling¡¯s face, her heart sinking as she wanted to take back her confession. ¡°As long as its harmless pranks, I guess its fine. I¡¯m not rushing out here to take on a petty theft or someone getting drenched with bucket water. Long as you don¡¯t kidnap another princess.¡±

    ¡°Oh for goddess sake Matt, I¡¯m never doing that again. It wasn¡¯t even my idea!¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I know, I¡¯m just teasing.¡± Having thoroughly embarrassed his sister, the knight considered what she had said. ¡°Well, at least you have friends, trouble makers or not. What are they like anyways?¡±

    ¡°Well, most of them live nearby. We like to get together to cause trouble some nights, and other nights we just hang out. Actually, we hang out either way, but I guess the latter times we¡¯re chill.¡±

    ¡°And what about that ¡®crush¡¯? Has my little sister found a guy?¡± The young man watched as little sister squirmed, sweat bullets, and her face flare up as if she were about to breathe fire.

    ¡°Look, Matt, I can¡¯t tell you who it is.¡± The girl buried her head in cupped hands.

    ¡°Why not? There¡¯s no chance I¡¯d know the guy, so I can already tell it¡¯s because of something controversial.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to keep asking until I tell you, aren¡¯t you?¡± The girl didn¡¯t remove her head, instead trying in vain to hide her embarrassment and the oncoming truth.

    ¡°Yep. Besides, if you can¡¯t tell your brother something, who can you trust with such vital information?¡±

    ¡°My aunt, my friends, the person themself.¡±

    ¡°Touche. Still, I should still be on that list somewhere. You can make room for your brother and tell him, right?¡±

    At this point, a house could ram Lucy and she wouldn¡¯t be able to feel it over the burning discomfort of the situation. ¡°Fine! It¡¯s not who you think.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s descriptive. The most conservative guess is that they¡¯re not from Lumina, but that¡¯s so stupid I don¡¯t know why I asked.¡± The knight knew why he brought it up: to make his sister laugh, or at least less pained with the situation, but it was for naught. ¡°Is it one of the sins?¡±

    The girl refused to answer, via words or by shaking her head to confirm or deny.

    ¡°Going to go with no then. Is he a human?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Matthew was shook, not necessarily by the answer, but that his sister had braved the ocean of awkwardness and swam to the shore of being able to answer.

    ¡°Is he a devil?¡±

    ¡°Maaaatt!¡± The girl chimed in with another whine.

    ¡°Alright I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± The knight was forming an image of the man in his head, based on what he recalled a guardian looking like. ¡°So, you have a crush on a devil bo- wait! Is it a boy?¡±

    The girl groaned harshly, covering her face with a nearby pillow that still couldn¡¯t completely hide her entirely scarlet face.

    ¡°Ah, devil girl then. Interesting choice, can¡¯t say I blame you. I can¡¯t wait to tell my friends about this.¡±

    In an instant, the girl removed the pillow from her still red head and rushed up to brother¡¯s face, her nose pressing against his. ¡°I swear if you tell anyone about this, I will choke you with this pillow!¡±

    ¡°I promise, but can I ask what that bracelet around your wrist is?¡±

    Pulling her head away, Lucy threw the pillow back on to its home, taking in a breath while raising her wrist to eye level. The band around her arm was metallic, a tight fit with a clear line on where it released and clamped together. ¡°It¡¯s an inhibitor, it¡¯s for suppressing mana. I have one on my other wrist too.¡±

    ¡°Why would-you don¡¯t use mana though. Why would you wear that and who gave it to you?¡±

    ¡°Aunt Shelly gave it to me. She said that since I can¡¯t seem to gather much mana on my own, the best hope I could have would be to use these inhibitors to build enough to do at least feel what it¡¯s like.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Lucy.¡± Her brother kept his sight on the bracelet, looking at solemnly.

    ¡°For what?¡± She tilted her head to try and see his face as he angled it down.

    ¡°That you have to do something like that.¡± Matthew sighed. ¡°The rest of the world has it is easy, never having to wonder what¡¯s it like not being able to use mana in any capacity. In that way, you¡¯re stronger than anyone I know, because you live with something the rest of us fear and can¡¯t comprehend.¡±

    ¡°I suppose. I just don¡¯t think about it anymore, no one bothers me about it and I can still transform into Envy anyways.¡±

    ¡°Envy? That devil form? That uses mana, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°No, because Wish Granter consumes mana, but it never bothers me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s strange. I never thought about it, but I guess whatever is affecting you has no control over that form. Maybe I can use that to find an answer.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we get ice cream?¡±

    Lucy¡¯s suggestion had knocked her brother back, unsure where it came from. He wanted to talk more about the strange ability, question how it worked, but he figured she must have gotten tired of all this.

    ¡°Sure, but what about Shelly?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll probably think I left with my friends. I stay out late all the time. Besides, Umbro isn¡¯t that far, we¡¯ll be back before sunset.¡±

    ¡°By the way Matt,¡± Lucy turned to face her brother as the two began their journey to Umbro¡¯s main city, Davark, ¡°Did Sarah tell you what happened when she came by?¡±

    ¡°Sarah visited you? She never told me that.¡±

    ¡°Heh, well, it was interesting to say the least.¡±

 Chapter 35: The Fallen Prince

    ¡°What was so important that it needed to interrupt my happy hour?¡± The mage was the first to blurt out anything in the circle of adults, all standing at their familiar gathering place.

    ¡°Well Sarah hadn¡¯t told me she visited my sister awhile back, so when I asked about it, she told me about what happened. Basically found out the tower the sins used to live in is now empty.¡±

    The elf laughed nervously as she could feel the various gazes scrutinize her action. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not the reason I wanted to call you all out here. You see, since that time and since what Adriana told me about what she found in the sewers, I remembered something I think we all overlooked, though it¡¯s something only an Umbro native would know anything about.¡±

    ¡°Well, out with it, what is it?¡± The redhead was the only one brave enough to cajole the elf into speaking, although this bravery may have been the buzz of alcohol fueling her inability to gauge her peer¡¯s reactions to what she said.

    ¡°Well, you see, Lucy apparently said that Jade was aided by another man named Monty. Since I don¡¯t his last name, I can¡¯t confirm this, but I believe he may be the long-lost prince of Umbro.¡±

    ¡°What would a prince be doing helping a thug like Jade?¡± The cleric decided to give Jessica a break and ask something in a less condemning fashion.

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing, he was lost for a reason. Umbro got rid of the monarchy, so I guess he found work wherever he could, doing whatever was available.¡±

    ¡°So this Monty guy, is he someone of interest?¡± The dragoon wondered what a ¡®lost prince¡¯ would look like. All he could imagine was him wearing the queen¡¯s dress, but it was all dirty.

    ¡°I suppose I should tell you guys the whole story. It¡¯s the reason I asked you to come here anyhow. It¡¯s also a long story, which is why I asked Jessica to bring a few drinks.¡±

    ¡°Oh, if it¡¯s going to be longer than five minutes, you should have asked me to bring a couple of fridges worth.¡± The redhead received a prompt slap upside the head for her remark.

    ¡°Go on Sarah.¡± The rogue made sure no one else would interrupt.

    ¡°Not long ago, Umbro used to be ruled by a monarchy. The king was a calm and understanding man, the queen a passive and caring woman, and the child a playful but surprisingly mature boy. They were, by all accounts, a golden family; at least that¡¯s the side most people want to remember.

    Many generations prior, Umbro started trading with Pyora, primarily Coalago. Not only did Umbro receive many important goods and develop a healthier economy, the ideas of the city were implemented post-haste. Coalago is responsible for a lot of the inventions we have today, like bathrooms and a sewer system. The most important thing Coalago sent over, however, were ideas: new ideas for inventions, life styles, and most importantly, politics.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Before the last king was born, people wanted something else, they wanted a democracy, believing monarchy was holding them back. This belief pressured the king throughout his whole life, growing worse and worse until he warped from a kind and considerate man to a tyrant with an iron fist. From what I¡¯ve been told, if his father or grandfather had done this, it may have worked; unfortunately, the people had grown too relentless to control. The last king¡¯s actions would be the final straw.

    The king would initially do most of what was asked of him, but he would not relinquish the monarchy. The people wanted more houses, more wild animals taken care of, more imports. The king would deliver, though at a rate no one was pleased with.

    The people began using Pyora¡¯s currency over Umbro¡¯s money as form of protest, so the king initiated an embargo on Pyora, which resulted in more protests. The king was angered at this, so he had his guards arrest the peaceful protesters. When peaceful approach is met by violence, violence sure to follow.

    The citizens revolted in anger, a bloody battle ensuing between them and king¡¯s men. Legend has it that only his most loyal of guards tried to fight the mob, the rest having joined the revolution after poor treatment.

    When the battle was over, the king was torn asunder, his wife was buried in her own private garden, but the people took pity on the boy. Even though by this point he was now an adult, he never once acted against the people, his mother having at least had the guards burn houses of people she scorned.

    When the new form of government took over, they kept the prince as a figurehead, his decision making always influenced by the majority. The citizens came to call him the puppet prince, taking pity on the man, even though he was still richer than the vast majority of citizens.¡±

    ¡°So, what happened to him? Sounds like he had a good life.¡±

    ¡°No one knows. While the family¡¯s own personal matters aren¡¯t well documented due to the dying interest for the monarchy, Monty was highly documented¡­well, until he disappeared one day. When he was around twenty-four, Monty vanished without a trace. No one really knew him personally, but those who documented him and asked him questions were clueless on where he went. Some think he¡¯s now just a homeless person that nobody can recognize, others think he died somehow, and still others think he found a new home.¡±

    The other five simply looked at one another, unsure how to react to the story. Matthew felt shivers up his arms and back trying to relate this story to Elizabeth and her mother. Brian was still wondering what the man looked like. Eric felt cold thinking about the king and queen¡¯s fate. Adriana felt pity for the poor prince. Even Jessica was enamored with the story, the whole time looking at her first drink, unopened, in contemplation.

    ¡°It¡¯s a lot to take in, I know, but I can¡¯t imagine any other Monty working with him. Especially since this story took place twenty years ago. From what Lucy said about him, the brief description she did give, that she could give, he sounded middle aged. There¡¯s just one thing bothering me about it though.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± The knight asked softly, hugging his girlfriend who was shaking despite being the storyteller.

    ¡°Why?¡±

 Chapter 36: The Bright Queens Dark Request

    Groggy, a man rolls out of bed and on to the floor. Picking himself up off the carpet, his will to lift himself gives way, his arms following suit and he ends up back on the floor, back to step one. ¡®Matt, you need to get up. But then I want sleep. But I also want to finish today.¡¯

    Rolling on his back, he scrunched his legs and pushed his torso off the ground, before finally standing up. When he looked at empty bed, he sighed. ¡®She¡¯s already at it. Guess I should too.¡¯

    After lazily pulling off the nearest clothes from his closet and drawer, he wandered into the kitchen, grabbed an apple, and walked outside. Drinking in the same monotonous view, Matthew Baronia felt a force hit him like a house, a force named realization. It had been four years since Thomas had inspected the knight, and through those years he had maintained his hobby, improving and perfecting his craft as best he could without any outside scrutiny. He had promised his girlfriend that if it came to this, he would meet the chancellor. After he finished the armor he was crafting, that is.

    ¡°Phew, finally done with you¡± the knight spoke to the armor propped up on a rack. With the flick of his wrist, his watch read eleven. ¡®Time flies when you¡¯re making armor.¡¯

    ¡°Hey Matt!¡± The dragoon landed next to the bench, a masterful landing, his feet touching the ground softly, yet he didn¡¯t seem to struggle to reacquaint himself with the earth. ¡°Hope I¡¯m not interrupting.¡±

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine man. What do you want?¡±

    ¡°The queen wants us. She says it¡¯s urgent!¡±

    ¡®An urgent matter from the queen? The hell? Hope it¡¯s nothing too serious.¡¯

    The knight followed his friend, a dreadful sense of familiarity washing over him. Though he was situated far from his parents, the road to the castle was nondifferentiable from his childhood. Perhaps it was because from traveling with the only the dragoon again, or maybe it was the urgency to head to the castle. Regardless, seeing his friends gathered by the castle entrance only raised the tension in his blood.

    ¡°Matt!¡± Without hesitation, the elf flung herself on to the towering man. ¡°Sorry about ditching you this morning, I was hoping to surprise you with a special lunch. Guess that¡¯s not happening.¡± Despite her sad demeanor, the knight embraced her tightly, a relief in the storm of terrible recollecting.

    As the group entered the castle, there was an undeniable unease about the interior.

    ¡°How Has everyone been?¡± Eric tried to break the ice formed by the sheer cold nature of the meeting, but is voice was too shaky to mask his own nervousness.

    ¡°Little woozy lately. Getting yanked to the castle didn¡¯t help.¡± The redhead had decided against drinking, a decision she was cursing herself for.Stolen story; please report.

    Entering the throne room, the six kneeled in front of the queen, her face grave and her eyes filled with ominous news.

    ¡°You may stand.¡± She paused, walking over to them as they stood up. ¡°The news hasn¡¯t reach the general public yet, so I figure you six may not have heard what happened recently. Have you not?¡±

    Matt shook his head, the others following his lead.

    ¡°There¡¯s been an explosion in Branton. Many have died, many more were injured. Those who survived recall seeing a devil performing the blast. We believe the sevens sins are at fault for this.¡±

    The group looked at their leader, the knight felt his stomach drop, taking his heart along with it.

    ¡°We can¡¯t take this action sitting down. That is why I have brought you here. I want you six to kill the seven sins. I was a fool to let them live after the kidnapping, but I won¡¯t let them get away with taking lives. Only when they perish will the kingdom know peace.¡±

    ¡°I will not kill my sister¡± the knight spoke out.

    ¡°Your sister is one of the sins? Yes, I believe you told me as much. Matthew,¡± the older woman walked within arms reach of the knight, ¡°if you do this mission for me, I will ask nothing more of you. If you do this for me, I will grant anything, anything you desire. Literally nothing will be beyond me to fulfill. Moving to Umbro or Pyora? It can be done. Retiring for the rest of your lives? It can be done. Your lineage having to never lift a finger for as long as they live? It can be done.¡±

    ¡°I still refuse.¡± Matthew could see the others question his defiance with their reactions, but he shrugged off their objection.

    ¡°Sibling love, how quaint. I suspect you know your sister better than anyone, and I suppose there¡¯s no convincing you otherwise. Fine,¡± the monarch sighed in relent, ¡°kill the other six then, I can compromise, as long as you can confirm your sister¡¯s innocence.¡±

    ¡°We will agree to that.¡± Adriana spoke over Matthew, though Matt nodded in agreement with her. ¡°Yes, that will be fine then.¡±

    ¡°While I can only request of you, it may behoove you to pursue your targets post-haste. There has been suspect activity in Jerule and Hammington, the neighboring cities east and west of Lumina. Please do take care of the sins as soon as you are able, lest we have more casualties.¡±

    Both parties had parted ways, the queen returning to her throne while the warriors exited the castle, deciding that an action plan would be formed the day after. The knight and archer departed from the group, the rest sticking around to discuss.

    ¡°You think we can trust Matt that Lucy wasn¡¯t the one to blow up a city?¡± The group was spooked to hear this come from Brian, who looked confused at their reactions.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re the one to question him.¡± The rogue was the one speak out, but she merely echoed the sentiment of the cleric and mage.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I trust Matt to make decisions based on actions or whatever, but I wonder how well he knows people.¡±

    ¡°Ehem¡± a new voice had grabbed the four¡¯s attention, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to interrupt, but I couldn¡¯t help but overhear your conversation.¡± Turning to the source, the group could saw the queen standing before them.

    ¡°Your majesty, I¡¯ve never seen you outside of the castle before.¡± The dragoon was scrambling to figure out what to say.

    ¡°It¡¯s a rare occasion, unfortunately, but desperate times call for desperate measures.¡± The queen¡¯s turned her head to analyze each member of her audience. ¡°As I was saying, you kids were questioning Baronia. I too question him, his bias for his sister may be clouding his judgement, and I don¡¯t want his bias possibly leading to more death. That is why I must ask you all to fulfill my whole request.¡±

    ¡°Yes my queen. We will take care of it.¡± The cleric was the one to answer this time, kneeling as he did so, the others joining in.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry Matthew, it¡¯s for your own good.¡¯

 Chapter 37: Hunted

    ¡°Are we really doing this? Are we really going to kill those poor kids?¡± The cleric¡¯s concerns earned him a few disinterested looks.

    ¡°Look, Eric, one of them blew up a chunk of a large city. Maybe some of them are innocent, but we can¡¯t know for sure until we coax them into admitting it. Even then, they might lie to us. I know you might not like it, but we have to do this.¡± Everyone else agreed with the mage, nodding their heads in approval.

    ¡°What are we doing anyways? Since we know that two of them are in opposite directions, me and Adri thought we would split up.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the knight bellowed, ¡°they may be young still, but they¡¯re deadly. Even if we could defeat them as a team, even as pairs, they might have a last resort up their sleeves. We need to stick together, make sure we all stay safe. Even if its overkill, I¡¯m not going to be responsible for anyone¡¯s death. First, we¡¯ll head out east for Jerule.¡±

    With their bags at the ready, the group was already prepared to leave, they just needed to decide on a direction. Heading east, the group took the raised road that led through a jungle. Hot and humid, the group could feel themselves work up a sweat, the girls gathering around Brian as concentrated on fanning everyone.

    Matthew began to slow his walk, letting the others lead as he walked alongside the cleric. ¡°So, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you about that whole telling the truth thing for years. Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it personally?¡±

    ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d get angry with me. I know it was a dumb thing to think, but it was what I thought at the time.¡±

    The knight stroked his stubble, ¡°Eric, if there¡¯s anything you guys need to tell me, tell me. I will always consider what you have to say, even if I don¡¯t like it. After Adriana told me about what you said, I started reconsidering what I was doing, and I think it made me a better person, so just be front with me from now on, okay?¡±

    The cleric nodded and smiled, the relief helping to take his mind off the relentless humidity emanating from the jungle in the middle of the summer.

    ¡°Curious Matt, are you really going to give up being a warrior? I imagine you want to go into crafting, but I know you¡¯ve been doing side-missions here and there.¡±

    ¡°When I told my father that I was thinking about quitting, I feared a lot of things, that I would need to uphold my word no matter what, that I was overreacting and I would return to being a warrior after the incident, and that this new hobby would grow boring for me. None of those were wholly true, but I have gone back to helping people occasionally, if only to keep in shape. At the same time, I doubt I¡¯ll ever truly enjoy these long excursions.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, everyone enjoys something different. I¡¯ve gone into monster researching while Adri likes investigating. I guess most of us used our warrior schtick to fuel our other hobbies. Apparently, that¡¯s pretty normal from what my parents told me.¡±

    The cleric stopped dead in his tracks, ¡°Did you hear that?!¡±

    Matt had come to a screeching halt, the others turning around when they noticed the two had stopped. ¡°What is it Eric?¡±

    ¡°I heard a rustling nearby. I have a feeling we¡¯re being watched.¡± Holding his palm above his head, he began pointing it to the surrounding thick layers of jungle. He had made a full circle before stopping, though he remained alert has he continued to hear the noise. ¡°It¡¯s not just a feral beast, it must be sapient. We may have just found our target.¡±

    The group unsheathed their weapons as they gathered back-to-back in a circle of six, their eyes locked on their surroundings, not letting the slightest movement slip by.

    ¡°There!¡± After what felt like minutes, the cleric had broken the circle, rushing into the foliage and leaving the others to catch up.

    In front of him, Eric could see a large shadow rushing along the treetops above, all while the cleric was getting beaten harshly and repeatedly by various branches of trees and bushes. Through the pain, the man pursued his target, never losing track until the two eventually reached a clearing.

    In the light, Eric could see his target was tall, round, sporting a shell on his back. ¡°Sloth of the seven sins, I presume.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Dustin, man. I was just trying to catch some z¡¯s, why you stalking me?¡±

    The cleric raised an eyebrow at his calm demeanor, mentally questioning why he would be running away if he was just looking to take a nap. ¡°Dustin, on behalf of Queen Vanilla of Lumina, I have been sent to slay you.¡±

    ¡°Slay me? Like, tell me jokes?¡±

    ¡°No, as in kill you.¡± As the cleric finished his explanation, he watched the realization slam the shell in his face, his eyes bulging and face moving erratically before he suddenly stopped.

    ¡°Oh. Well about that.¡± The devil had landed on his stomach, the cleric backpedaling to avoid being squished. Dustin then proceeded to pull all his limbs inside of his shell.

    ¡°Yo Eric, what are you-¡° Brian had stopped and stared at the cleric and the large shell in front of him, the others following suit.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Guys, this is Dustin, aka sloth. I think we¡¯re going to have to crack him open if we want to get rid of him.¡±

    Without warning, the dragoon slammed his halberd down on the hard shell, a purple mist was expelled from the shell¡¯s openings. The group began hacking and wheezing horribly upon intaking the horrid substance.

    ¡°This gas is toxic, don¡¯t attack him.¡± The cleric waved the others to distance themselves, doing so himself to avoid breathing in any more of the fumes.

    Once they could breathe normal air again, the heroes began to figure out a plan of attack, until they were alerted by a new sound. This new sound was the shell spinning toward them, attempting to run over them as it dashed in their direction. With a slam of a mighty ice mallet, the shell stopped in front of the mage, expelling considerably more gas.

    ¡°Jessica, move! He¡¯s trying to suffocate us!¡±

    Using an icy path, the mage rushed away, but falling over as the toxic made it hard for to keep her balance. The shell began spinning again, it¡¯s sights set on the mage. With lightning bolts and fireballs, the dragoon and rogue pelted the shell maddeningly, only for their projectiles to bounce off harmlessly.

    Before the mage could be squished, the knight slammed his sword down and had a poll rise between the shell and them, the beast slamming into it and spewing fumes. Matt quickly scooped up Jessica and ran, retreating to the group while Sarah joined the other two in pelting the beast with ranged attacks.

    ¡°Adri,¡± Eric had grabbed his girlfriend¡¯s shoulder, taking her attention off the enemy, ¡°I need you three to do your best in keeping it distracted. Sarah should get its attention first, then Brian, and last I need you to get Dustin to stand up.¡± Nodding, the rogue relayed the plan to the others, letting Sarah run up to the beast.

    The elf could see the shell was revving up for another dash, so she gathered her mana into the best earth attack she could muster, pushing it up with a single spiral of ground. Unable to balance on the spike, the shell tumbled over and landed on his back. Acting quickly, Brian encased the head of his halberd with energy, slicing into the monster¡¯s lower torso. In retaliation, the creature expunged his clouds at an accelerated rate, but the two attackers were already too far for it to reach.

    Realizing he had no options, Dustin finally poked his limbs out, standing up straight on hind legs before moving back down on all fours. Before he could retreat again, Adriana assaulted his head with bolts from above.

    Dustin could see she was too high to attack while in his shell, but she was within reach if he stood up. Getting back on his hind legs, he clumsily attempted to grab the rogue, who jumped off the branch and toward the cleric. Facing Eric, the monsters face showed the realization that he had a mistake he wouldn¡¯t live to regret.

    Eric shot a thin stream of water through his chest, where he predicted the heart was. If he was right, the shot would be fatal; if he was wrong, the devil¡¯s rampage could turn even worse.

    In a moment, Eric could feel his heartbeat, his headache, and his stomach drop as he looked at Dustin, and Dustin stared back still standing on his hindlegs. No one said a word, merely joining in the staring contest.

    Darkness began to encapsulate the beast, his form shrinking as it began departing from his figure. Soon, there stood only a tall, stick-thin blonde teenager with long hair and baggy clothes. This teen carried the remnants of his devil-self, a gash on his stomach and a small hole in his chest. His legs gave way, causing Dustin to fall backward into a sitting position, before falling on his back and moaning in agony.

    Kneeling in front of the boy, the cleric looked at his victim. ¡°Do you have any final words, Dustin?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to sleep in peace, dream of a better life, ya know? I never wanted to work hard. Will I be able to dream when I die?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have the rest of eternity to dream¡± the cleric formed a knowing smile on his face, watching the teen contently drift off into the abyss. ¡°And hopefully, you¡¯ll dream of the best life.¡±

    The smile on Eric¡¯s face vanished almost instantly when he felt the teen go limp. Tears began welling up uncontrollably, his heart ached worse than before.

    ¡°Eric, it¡¯s going to be okay¡± the rogue tried to comfort him, but he shrugged her off.

    ¡°I need to bury the body, it¡¯s the least I can do for him.¡±

    ¡°Here.¡± The knight handed his friend a hastily made shovel recycled from an extra sword and shield he carried.

    ¡°Thank you. You guys can go.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll meet you in Jerule.¡± With that, the five departed from the cleric, Eric digging a hole while he contemplated what had happened, and why he felt this way.

    ¡®They¡¯re right, I don¡¯t know him, but I can¡¯t help but wonder: what if it was me? This poor kid did nothing wrong, he probably has no idea what happened. At least he looks somewhat at peace now. Still, is this what it¡¯s like to kill another human being¡­¡¯

    A fire crackled as six young adults sat around it in silence, five falling asleep, one wide awake. Eric had rejoined the team only to learn that they had all wanted to retire. It was a difficult fight to be sure, but they could surely make it back to town before nightfall and even after nightfall if need be. The cleric couldn¡¯t understand their need to sleep since it was still mid-day and he was energized.

    ¡°Well, you guys can head to bed if you want. I¡¯m going to talk to the townspeople, see if I can gather info about any other sins that might be around.¡±

    Eric was happy to depart from the group but talking to the townspeople was a mistake.

    ¡°Have you seen any strange activity around town?¡± He had asked this of many residents, all of them giving answers that led him nowhere and brought down his refreshed vitality.

    ¡°I saw a strange creature in the jungle. It seemed scary at first, but it never bothered me or anyone else.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, there was a strange monster in the jungle. Mostly minded its own business; seemed rather shy actually.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, I remember seeing some dark, shadowy beast come from the trees. Weirdly, around the time I started seeing it, I stopped feeling as tired as I used, but now I¡¯m back to wanting to sleep all day. I hope that doesn¡¯t mean something bad happened to the creature.¡±

    That last villager he spoke to made Eric feel sick. Deciding he was done, he retreated back to his friends, restless is his sleep.

    ¡°You¡­why¡¯d you do it man?¡±

    Eric awoke to leafy trees surrounding him, alongside a certain blonde teenager who looked battered and bruised.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you kill me man? I just wanted to sleep!¡±

    The cleric watched in horror as Dustin shambled slowly over to him, pain smeared across his face with every step he took.

    ¡°I¡¯m-I¡¯m sorry! I was just following orders. I didn¡¯t mean for this happen.¡± Eric cowered with his hands over his head until he could feel himself shake.

    His eyelids shooting open, Eric sat up straight before he could see Adriana grabbing his arm.

    ¡°Are you okay? You were whimpering pretty bad. Nightmare?¡±

    ¡°More like night terror. I was face to face with that kid.¡±

    ¡°Eric, if for any reason this gets to be too much for you, you can leave. We can leave.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll see this through to the end.¡±

 Chapter 38: Shattered

    ¡°You know Eric, if you want to leave, you should leave. We¡¯ve got six,¡± Jessica stopped herself, looking at the knight who hadn¡¯t seemed to have overheard their conversation, ¡°¡¯five¡¯ more sins to kill. If you¡¯re already acting like this, I can¡¯t bear to see you after we¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°Jessica, I told Adriana that I wouldn¡¯t run off, and I¡¯m sticking to it.¡±

    ¡°I got to admit Eric, that¡¯s pretty bold of you. Can¡¯t say I would feel the same if I were in your shoes.¡±

    Jessica had picked up her pace, switching places with Adriana who was leading the pack alongside Matthew. After having slept nearly eighteen hours prior, the group had finally recovered their energy and returned home briefly before departing again, taking only enough to restock on food and miscellaneous supplies. They had decided that the queen could wait to hear the news until after two sins had perished, especially given that these sins were so close to Lumina.

    The road to Hammington was a lot less exciting, the path leading through a well-kept marsh with docile creatures that would be interesting if they weren¡¯t all hiding. Every pond had a bridge, the path had barriers to further guide travelers and protect them from any unruly animals.

    ¡°Hey, you weren¡¯t listening to our conversation, were you?¡± The mage¡¯s accusation was lost on the knight who was lost in his own world of thoughts.

    ¡°Sorry Jess, I was just thinking about who we might be facing next. Considering we know where Lucy is, that means there are still five possibilities.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s our leader,¡± she gave the man a pat on the back, ¡°always thinking ahead. I hadn¡¯t even considered who¡¯d we be facing next.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t think too hard while drunk.¡±

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not drunk. I¡¯m not even buzzed¡­yet.¡± The redhead¡¯s smug face had caused the knight to regress back into his own little world, no longer able to stand this one.

    ¡°So what¡¯s Hammington like anyhow?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s small, unremarkable, but it had nice beef. It¡¯s also where my dad was born.¡± The mage turned her attention to the rogue, Adriana focusing on the ground in front of her. ¡°I haven¡¯t been there much, even dad wasn¡¯t big on the town, but the people are nice.¡±

    ¡°Guessing the town was named after it¡¯s ham. It¡¯s making me hungry just thinking about it.¡±

    ¡°Yes but, originally it was for how terrible the food was. It was the first town where no matter what diner you went too, you would end up sick. If you were lucky you¡¯d get food poisoning. Eventually the mayor of the town cracked down on the food crisis, resulting in the Hammington we know today.¡±

    The redhead was surprised to find herself enamored by the small facts, so much so that she couldn¡¯t bring herself to wisecrack. Even when she thought about it, her attention shifted toward the town ahead and the clouds overhead.

    ¡°Oh great, as if finding a needle in a haystack wasn¡¯t bad enough, we get to do it while getting drenched.¡±

    As they entered the village, they came to a crossroads that led left, right, and straight.

    ¡°Alright, we need to search for any possible clues. Any odd behaviors could be a tipoff; we also remember what the sins look like in human form, yes?¡± Matt was relieved when everyone nodded. ¡°Good. Me and Sarah will take the left road, Adriana and Brian will take right, Jessica and Eric will take the middle. If you find a sin, alert everyone before taking action. We¡¯ve seen what they can do when their life is on the line.¡±

    Adriana and Brian nodded, quickly heading out on their path. ¡°Good luck you two.¡± Matthew waved to the mage and cleric before he left with Sarah.

    ¡°So Eric,¡± the mage took the lead, walking by various box shaped houses, ¡°are you looking forward to fighting another sin? And if so, which one?¡±

    The cleric shook his head furiously, ¡°No, I really hope Brian and Adri find whoever might be hiding. I¡¯ll be honest though, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d feel confident fighting any of the other sins, especially one-on-one. I at least had the advantage of having fought Dustin before, but the rest would still be new to me.¡±

    ¡°Personally, I¡¯d be okay with beating that bratty little shrimp. May sound hypocritical, but I like knocking arrogant people down a peg.¡±

    ¡°I think the word you¡¯re looking for is obvious, not hypocritical¡± the cleric rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Wait, do you see that?!¡± The mage grabbed Eric by the stomach, holding him back while using her free hand to point toward a small girl in a lavish, white and pink dress. Jessica grinned wide as she thanked whatever god or goddess at granted her wish. ¡°Speak of that devil¡­¡±

    ¡°Jess, we have to tell the others first. Don¡¯t go gung-ho until we¡¯re all ready!¡±

    ¡°Eric, listen to me: you can go warn the others while I take down the small fry single-handedly. You guys can clean up if I somehow get unconvenienced, how does that sound?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± The cleric gave up reasoning with Jessica a long time ago, at least so he thought, ¡°it¡¯s your funeral I suppose. I¡¯ll warn Adriana and Brian first. They can reach Matt and Sarah. Good luck Jessy¡± Eric had began making his way to the right side of town, ¡°try not to get knocked down yourself.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    The redhead made her way toward the town clearing, a circle with a fountain in the middle, no doubt the center of Hammington. Sauntering over, Jessica was wrapped up in ideas of how to handle the girl, neither knowing or caring if the girl could hear her or would turn around and spot her. Reluctantly for the mage, her target remained focused on the area in front of her long enough for her soon-to-be assailant to sneak up on her back.

    As the small princess impersonator turned around, she seemed confused. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s you. Long time no see. What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Oh you know, taking in the sights, enjoying the food; oh, and I¡¯ve been sent to kill you.¡±

    ¡°K-kill me?!¡± The woman drank in the horror that etched itself across her face. ¡°Why would you want to do that?¡±

    ¡°One of you little jerks blew up a big town, ended a lot of people¡¯s lives. In retaliation, and as a precautionary measure, we¡¯re going to kill you right back.¡±

    ¡°What?! I didn¡¯t blow up anyone. I¡¯m innocent!¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. We can¡¯t let you live knowing that you could possibly do that to Lumina, especially when you¡¯re so close.¡±

    The tiny teen began to backpedal until she hit walked into something solid and cold. Turning her head, she could see it was a wall of ice that spanned across the entire gap between two buildings.

    ¡°There¡¯s no escape. I can make this quick or I can make this painful, your choice.¡±

    Darkness surrounded the teen, her figure transforming into the seer, her majestic coat and eloquent skirt contracting into a simple black overcoat with a collar that covered her mouth.

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re a fan of pain. Oh well, I was looking forward to this.¡±

    In a moment, the seer jumped out of the way of an oncoming ice pillar that shattered the wall behind her, leaving a massive mess of icy shards in its wake. The seer had no time to rest as ice spears began to form under her feet, forcing her to keep moving or be skewered. Running around the fountain, she looped back to the mage, sending glass shards at her.

    Jumping away from each other¡¯s attacks, Hayley was relieved when she stood up and opened the eye on her forehead. ¡°Now that I can see your next attack coming, I¡¯ve got you right where I want you.¡±

    ¡°Oh? As a season veteran, I can tell you that seeing something doesn¡¯t mean you can dodge it.¡± With that ominous message, When Hayley could see what the mage had planned, she ran as far away as her legs could physically take her; in the end it was futile as she was caught by a large glacier that ate her body, leaving only her head free.

    ¡°Any last words?¡± Hayley could see the mage in front of her face, icicles in the air, their pointed ends aimed in her direction.

    Jessica had taken her silence as a no, readying her aim until the seer was incased by a furious white light. When the light dimmed enough for the mage to see her target, she saw the seer was now having over the place her body previously imprisoned, wings of light protruding from her back. The angel sent a blast of light heading for her foe. Jessica attempted to block with an icy wall, but the light blasted through it effortlessly and sent the mage flying.

    Picking herself up off the ground, the redhead narrowly avoided another light blasting, running away from the oncoming angel to gain some distance and reassess the situation. Her escape was quickly thwarted when she slammed face first into a large glass mirror, her attempts to get around it fruitless as more mirrors joined it to form a wall. Another light blast came her way, Jessica proudly sidestepped it, her pride shattering like glass when the light bounced off the glass and sent her flying into yet another mirror.

    Jessica, through the pain emanating from both her chest and back, opened her eyes to see the angel charging another blast of light in her hand. With a quick flick of her arm, a small spear of ice penetrated the angel¡¯s back, breaking her concentration and causing her to ascend further into the air.

    Forcing herself up, the mage began running, dodging a rapid onset of glass walls summoned from the earth. Anger and frustration had filled the trapped girl¡¯s mind, as she took a small ice mallet and slammed it into the walls around her, causing the glass to crack, but not shatter. She continued to do this, running around the circle while the angel remained high above the fountain. After what seemed like eternity, she could hear another blast of light bouncing around, realizing a second after what was happening. Surrounding herself with ice, the mage braced herself for thousands of small light blasts to puncture her body.

    Once the lightshow had ended, Hayley descended from the sky, the puncture wound beginning to take its toll, her vision growing faint. Straining her eyes as best she could, she used all four pupils to examine as much field as possible.

    ¡°Kuk!¡± All four of the angel¡¯s eyes slid to the area her body was facing. Right in front of her was the mage, ice spear in hand, most of which was obscured as it penetrated Hayley¡¯s chest. Returning to her human form, the small girl fell into the mage¡¯s arms, her already deteriorating lifeforce now at nil.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again, do you have any last words?¡± Jessica¡¯s voice was somber and warm, her face serious.

    ¡°I just wanted to make mommy and daddy proud. Are they¡­are they proud?¡±

    ¡°They would be very proud if they could see their little angel right now.¡±

    With one last smile, the girl¡¯s eyes closed for the last time, her head sinking back as her body fell limp.

    ¡°Jess! You alright?!¡±

    The redhead broke from her stupor to see the cavalry had finally arrived. ¡°It¡¯s over guys.¡± She could see the others analyzing the surroundings and the two people standing amid the chaos that had ensued, the mirrors from earlier having shattered into glass all around. The mage hadn¡¯t even noticed the glass, but it was of no matter to her. ¡°I¡¯ll take Eric¡¯s lead and bury her. Like he said, it¡¯s the least I could do.¡±

    That was the last thing she had told her friends for hours, her mind unable to forget the image of the girl being buried. She had taken a shot of liquor. Another shot. A swig. Several more.

    ¡°Jeez Jess, we¡¯re going to have to buried you too at the rate you¡¯re going.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Anything to forget Adri.¡±

    ¡°You sounded so high and mighty earlier. Everyone else is happy you managed to take on a sin all your own, so why are you so gloomy?¡±

    ¡°Adri, tell Eric I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t,¡± she paused, taking another shot, ¡°Killing is not seeing someone else kill. There¡¯s a responsibility that I, me, I was the one to bury that girl. I¡¯m the reason she¡¯s in a hole in the ground. I saw her scared earlier, I smiled but I didn¡¯t mean it. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure I was going to make it, I was lucky to get that stab in the back, I think that¡¯s what did her in.¡±

    Adriana patted her friend on the back, herself feeling hungover just hearing the mage ramble. ¡°Take it easy girl. Tomorrow we¡¯ll go home and take a break. Just promise me this will be your last drink, okay?¡±

    Shoving aside her bottle only half empty, she just barely managed off her seat before hanging on to the rogue. ¡°Take me home now Adri, I can¡¯t be in this place anymore. I don¡¯t deserve to be in this place anymore.¡±

 Chapter 39: Starved

    ¡°Did she have any family?¡±

    The archer and rogue stood outside Jessica¡¯s house.

    ¡°No, not that I could find. She and Dustin were runaways I suppose. Still, the people were not happy to learn about what happened. They started out angry about the mess, got angrier when I told them of Hayley¡¯s death, and they looked furious when I told it was the queen¡¯s orders.¡±

    Sarah turned her attention to the house.

    ¡°How¡¯s she doing?¡±

    It had been two days since the group returned from Hammington, Jessica was dealing with the aftermath of her worst hangover, Eric was spending time with Blue to cope. Just thinking about it made the archer shake and feel ill.

    ¡°She¡¯s living. The hangover yesterday nearly killed her, thought she might throw up an organ at least. She and Eric are doing their best to heal, but I think it¡¯s going to just be us four for the next sin. Not going to lie Sarah, you look like you should be staying put too.¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯re in this together.¡±

    ¡°You know, Eric said something similar to Jessy while we were on the road to Hammington. I don¡¯t know if I can trust those words anymore.¡±

    ¡°Where are we going anyways?¡± Sarah had tried to change the direction of the conversation but was also sincere in her curiosity.

    ¡°Gnash. Again, surprisingly close. I have heard talk of a devil this time, so maybe it¡¯s the same one from Branton, but I somehow doubt it. I guess it doesn¡¯t matter, the queen wants us to kill them. Go get Matthew, I¡¯m ready to go and I¡¯ll drag Brian with us whether he¡¯s ready or not.¡±

    The archer and rogue departed, Adriana gathering her things and checking on Brian while Sarah checked to see if Matt was ready.

    When the four gathered in the south center, various glances had communicated their concern moving forward. There were no words, however, but each one could feel the regret of the other three.

    Exiting the south gate, the old dirt road looked the same but felt so foreign. A simple, innocent road now seemed ugly and daunting, an unfortunate encounter reaching a despicable conclusion awaited them at their destination. Even trudging along, the sun hadn¡¯t budged in the time elapsed during their travel.

    In one short inspection of the town, nothing could be gathered. Just like before, no one acted strange, odd, funny, off, or peculiar. The group would have to snoop around, hope that the devil wasn¡¯t masquerading in their human form, even if the sins stood out just as much as humans as they did devils.

    Upon inspecting the weapons shop, nothing was out-of-place and no one was familiar. Any place of valuables was not mysteriously bereft of any inventory. No one was seeking special services. That left only one option as far as Matt was concerned.

    The group had entered the largest restaurant they could find, three of them keeping the waiters entertained while Matthew inspected the kitchen. Among the white coats and black pants of the cooks, one young man stood out with his blue jeans and western shirt under his apron. Tapping his shoulder, the knight had dragged him out of the kitchen.

    ¡°Consarn it, what in the heck is the meaning of this? I¡¯m trying to cook.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Clyde, are you not?¡± The other three had turned their attention to the chef standing next to their leader, analyzing his outfit.

    ¡°Why yes, and you look kinda familiar. Do I know y¡¯all?¡±

    ¡°I am Matthew Baronia, and my friends and I have been sent to kill you on Queen Vanilla¡¯s behest after one of you sins killed over one hundred innocent people in Branton.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, that¡¯s unfortunate.¡± The rotund man breathed through his teeth. ¡°I hadn¡¯t heard hide nor whisper of that, but I reckon you lot didn¡¯t come all this way to hear me say I didn¡¯t do it, so if you could give me a minute to finish my work, I¡¯ll be right with ya.¡±

    ¡°Fine, but we¡¯ll keep in eye on all exits.¡±

    The knight relayed his plan to the others, quickly making his way to the back exit of the restaurant while the others watched the front. It wasn¡¯t long before the back door opened, the man walking out to greet Matthew.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Well, looks like my only means of escape failed me.¡± Matt had raised an eyebrow in suspicion, which Clyde had obviously noticed. ¡°I know you might not believe me, but I¡¯m a man of my word, ninety nine percent of the time. I just like to be an optimist as well.¡±

    Making their way the entrance of town, the others stood back, Sarah taking the lead of execution.

    ¡°Clyde, I¡¯ll be the one to ask you this: do you have anything to say before we fight?¡±

    ¡°Well, first I¡¯d like to say I¡¯m rather grateful y¡¯all were considerate enough to let me finish my last meal. Second, I¡¯m curious if you killed any of my friends before now, and how difficult it was.¡±

    ¡°We killed two, the big slow one and the tiny one. Only needed one friend to kill the latter, and we¡¯re all still alive.¡± Brian was impatient with the man, wanting to end this charade and move on.

    ¡°Shoot, Dustin and Hayley? Poor kids died too young. Thought they were pretty tough, but I guess if they didn¡¯t take any of you down permanently, I don¡¯t got much chance. I guess for my third statement, I¡¯d like to ask you something: How do you all feel about pain? You in the mood for that dish? Because it¡¯s the only thing I can and am willing to serve.¡±

    Transforming into a round devil, Clyde pulled out a giant spatula. ¡°Dustin and Hayley may have left their weapons at home, but I make sure to always carry this baby. I won¡¯t let you get away with taking my friend¡¯s lives.¡±

    The ceaseless consumer did what he did best: his stomach had opened and created a large wind tunnel that pulled the four toward him. To his surprise, a fireball smacked him in the face, stopping the wind tunnel and letting the others continue to beat on the helpless creature. Bouncing back further and further, Clyde felt hopelessness settling in until he could stand up again.

    ¡°Oof, I ain¡¯t cut out for this fighting business, but I can¡¯t let you all get to the others. I guess I¡¯ma die anyways, so¡­¡±

    Clyde began consuming again, the large wind tunnel fiercer then before. Brian attempted another fireball, but it couldn¡¯t escape the winds. The four had done everything they could to ground themselves, but the wind force was too much for Sarah; the elf was having flashbacks as she came within inches of being eaten, only to suddenly fall onto the ground.

    Looking up at the beast in front of her, she could only see his charcoal black skin until she stepped back to see just how much be ballooned. The already large devil was now massive, torso completely sphere-shaped. With a leap, the devil bounced toward the elf, Sarah running and barely escaping the earth cracking impact.

    Continuing to run and gain distance, the elf pelted the balloon with arrows, Brian and Adriana joining in with their own projectiles while attempted to turn the tables by creating a metal pole where the devil would land. The lightning bolts and fireballs bounced off harmlessly and the metal pole bent over, but the arrows managed to lodge themselves into Clyde¡¯s stomach.

    As he landed, the rotund devil realized that continuing like this was fruitless, he was simply too slow to reach them. Releasing the air trapped inside, he began deflating, the wind force now pushing the others away with too much force for them to approach. Continuing to expel air, Clyde could feel liquid also being expelled, a sign to stop if he were in a normal situation, but he kept going, his body continuing to wane beyond its normal size.

    Finally, the wind had stopped, the group could see again. Behind them, a couple of trees had been uprooted, and in front of them stood a completely new looking person. The devil was now stick-thin, flaps of skin hanging off in strange places; in a second, said devil was rushing toward them, glowing red spatula in his hand.

    Matthew jumped ahead of the group, ready to parry whatever move his opponent had in mind. Once he approached, the spatula had hit the knight¡¯s arm, burning it and causing the him to retract the sword hand while trying to retaliate with his shield. Just as he though one of his weapons would work, the devil¡¯s stomach suddenly expanded, sending the swordsman flying behind the rest.

    Seeing her chance, the rogue jumped in to strike at the expanded stomach, but her effort was rewarded with another whirlwind, sending her soaring twice as far as her leader. The dragoon sent a fire blast his way, which he promptly ate with his stomach, launching it back at triple the speed. Narrowly avoiding it, the dragoon got within melee distance, but any actual melee attempts were stopped just like with the knight. Clyde attempted to repeat the process, exhaling air, only for the dragoon to stand his ground using own wind.

    Clyde was about to speak before a sharp pain exploded from his knee. Looking away from the dragoon for a split second, he could see an arrow embedded where he would no longer be able to bend his left leg. When he saw the dragoon¡¯s smug, he attempted to inhale air, only for Brian to stop him. Persistent, more holes had opened around his body and even on his arms, too many sources for Brian to plug. This time, he exhaled a hurricane which overpowered the dragoon.

    Huffing and puffing, Clyde realized he had used up too much energy. Even the simple act of breathing hurt, but at least he had won. Or so he thought, before another arrow pierced his chest. In his anger, the anorexic devil forgot about the archer. Looking her over, he could she her feet wrapped in vines attached firmly to the ground, now beginning to relinquish her.

    Sarah approached her target cautiously, willing to strike him at any moment. Her nerves relaxed when she saw him return to his ¡®normal¡¯ self, his body still grotesquely thin especially compared to before the fight. Falling to his knees, the elf quickly caught him.

    ¡°Do you have anything left to say?¡±

    ¡°I got to live my dream as a cook, even if only for a couple weeks. Least you could do is tell my friends before you off¡¯em too.¡±

    The elf could feel the already light body grow featherweight. For a moment, she believed that watching her friends die would numb her to the pain, but something deep down began to stir. Those thoughts of her friends resurfaced, the suffering had refreshed itself, and now when she thought of those lost by Jade¡¯s means, the images of the dead sins had melded with those of her team.

 Chapter 40: Showstopper

    The knight, the dragoon, and the rogue sat in silence, having just finished their five plates, they had finally filled the holes in their stomachs. It was a small restaurant they sat in, they couldn¡¯t return to the largest one and face the staff that might have known Clyde. Queen¡¯s duty or not, they didn¡¯t a repeat of the Hayley incident. His disappearance might raise suspicion, especially all the ruckus and the downed trees, but it was unavoidable as far the group was concerned.

    Sarah had left for Lumina, her mind filled with what her boyfriend told her. ¡°I really wish you didn¡¯t have to do this. I know you don¡¯t want to do, but we have to finish what we started, and if things get tougher than that, that thing we just fought, then we¡¯ll need all six of us. There¡¯s been talk of a man named Westin around here; he¡¯s one of the sins, and he¡¯s within walking distance. The three of us will take care of him while you bring the others to Branton starting tomorrow.¡±

    Their eyes bouncing around, looking at one another, Matt, Brian, and Adriana were all preparing themselves for tonight.

    ¡°Westin is the circus assistant. After they¡¯re done performing, we¡¯ll swoop in when he¡¯s alone and face him. All three of us can light up the sky, which will help us see him, but it might attract attention, especially late at night. If it comes down to it, this might be a battle between just you three since I can¡¯t fly.¡±

    Matthew departed, his friends unsure if he was going to rest or build on his plan.

    ¡°Brian, I need to ask you something personal.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s about whether I¡¯m going or staying, I don¡¯t have a choice in the matter.¡±

    ¡°You do have a choice. We¡¯re not going to tie you down and force you.¡±

    ¡°First off, I¡¯m not giving myself the choice, that would make me a terrible friend. Second, you and Matthew have your fights laid out for you. Let¡¯s remember who the remaining sins are: a guy who can hit really hard, someone only Matthew can really stand up to, and a woman who can mind control everyone but you. That leaves me to fight the only remaining guy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily going to be that straight-forward.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. You and Matt shouldn¡¯t waste all your energy on this guy, because even if we contribute to the next fights, you two will be the stars.¡±

    ¡°Brian, you guys are the best.¡± The rogue looked into Brian¡¯s eyes. ¡°Every time I wonder if you guys are going to leave, you don¡¯t. You really should, especially after killing someone. But, you remain adamant; not just you, Eric, Jessica, and even Sarah is only leaving to pick the other two up. I¡¯m just afraid that, even if no one breaks now, what¡¯s going to happen when we eventually have to¡­¡±

    ¡°Have to what? Kill his sister?¡± The dragoon could Adriana nod before she lowered her head.

    ¡°Killing these kids has put our friends on the edge. I¡¯m afraid whoever ends up taking care of you-know-who is going to have to deal with Matt, and poor Matt is going to be devastated.¡±

    ¡°Do you really think this is a good idea? We could simply not kill Lucy, pretend we did, and no one would be the wiser for it.¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling the queen has her ways of finding out. I doubt she came to us just because she trusts us. Even still, this is for his own good; he let his sister get away with a lot, it¡¯s time there was retribution.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound thrilled Adri. But whatever, I guess we¡¯ll do it. I don¡¯t want to be the one to deliver the killing blow though. Can you promise that won¡¯t happen?¡±

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    The rogue and dragoon laid about, letting their food digest. Once hunger had given way to satiation, fulness gave way to pain, pain gave way to regret, but they knew now it couldn¡¯t be helped, it was an aftereffect of killing a sin. Once night had fallen, Matthew brought them from their hotels to a large tent out in the plains.

    ¡°We going in?¡± Brian didn¡¯t get his hopes up. He wanted the time to pass faster but he had a sinking feeling Matt would decline.

    ¡°No. Let¡¯s try to conceal ourselves as best as possible. We may be public figures around Lumina, but that can quickly change even if we people accepted our justification.¡±

    The tent had a bright golden glow escape its opening, illuminating the nearby ticket taker who seemed to be spacing out now that his job was done. From the tent itself, fits of laughter, excitement, and the boisterous sounds of speakers blurted out, viciously reminding Brian and even Adriana what they were doing.

    Heading around the side, the three waited to see the crowd disappear. ¡°So, when do we pounce?¡±

    ¡°If what the villagers said is to be believed, the show should end soon actually. Westin, being the ringmaster¡¯s apprentice, will be leaving second to last. How long it will take for the staff to leave is up in the air, but they plan to stick around a few days.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Matthew looked out to the stars, slowly panning his gaze from left to right, a sweep of the heavens above. Shifting downward, he turned his attention to Branton, or at least the direction it was in. ¡°Do you guys think any of the sins actually did it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to wonder myself. They all seem like nice kids now, makes me wonder what they¡¯d be doing if they were never part of the sins.¡±

    ¡°Adriana, Brian, what are you guys going to do once this is all over?¡±

    ¡°Me and Eric are moving far away from this hell hole. After everything the queen has made us do, moving to the other side of the planet won¡¯t put enough distance between us.¡±

    ¡°And you Brian?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know man, I once thought about sticking with you, but I guess that sounds like a loser thing to say. I guess I¡¯ll move where ever. Still a little scared by the thought of just going anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Hey, if you wanna join me and Sarah when we leave for Pyora, go ahead. Like Adriana, I just want to put as many miles between me and Lumina as I can. If we all lived together, that¡¯d be great. If they didn¡¯t mind, I¡¯d bring Lucy and Shelly too.¡±

    The trio fell silent again, Matt viewing the time on his watch impatiently, Brian playing with his wind power, and Adriana day dreaming. After nearly falling asleep, they could hear people leaving. A large mass of barely recognizable shapes spewed out onto the path, an occasional shape heading out the back.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost showtime guys.¡± The rogue laughed inwardly, unable to hate herself for the pun.

    After a few more people left out the back, Adriana went into the shadows to try and spy on who was left. It wasn¡¯t even a minute for she signaled the boys to join her, the three running into their target.

    ¡°Oh, fans of mine? Ha ha! I kid, being an apprentice, I assume you¡¯ve only come to me to the meet the ringmaster.¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯ve come to meet you, and we¡¯d like to ask you to come with us. Right now.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, well that¡¯s new, but hey if it earns me some fans, by all means.¡±

    Adriana led the way, the three followed her for what seemed like the entire night, the moon having walked a brief distance to mirror their own movement. Suddenly, she stopped, spun around, and the other two mirrored her. All three facing the boy, they used their respective elements to light up their faces.

    ¡°Westin, after over one-hundred people died in Branton, queen Vanilla of Lumina has sent us to eliminate you. Before we attack, do you have any words?¡±

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re those guys from four years ago. I knew you weren¡¯t fans, but I wouldn¡¯t have guessed this is how things would play out. I figured that a night like tonight would be coming, I just thought it would¡¯ve come sooner.¡±

    In the middle of the night it was impossible to see Westin transform until his shaped changed. Creating a ball of light and throwing it into the air, the group could see the scrawny gargoyle fully.

    ¡°Three on one isn¡¯t exactly fair, why not even this up?¡± Westin flapped his wings, eventually soaring upwards, Brian and Adriana pursuing him as best they could. Adriana intended to strike him when traveling as lightning, but he was somehow too quick to hit. When Brian followed up with a strong gust of wind, the devil was tossed around helplessly like a piece of paper. Taking advantage of his lapse in control, she landed a strike on his wings, causing him to plummet.

    Westin landed with a thud, the rogue¡¯s follow-up strike with her dagger bouncing off him harmlessly, however the dragoon¡¯s heat lance penetrated the rocky shell of the gargoyle. With a yelp, he reeled back in pain. ¡°Dang, seems no matter which trick I use, you guys got the upper hand. Guess I got no choice.¡±

    The gargoyle summoned a cane from the air, pointed the long side at the knight, and in an instant, a gold coined launched out, hitting him in the face. In the next second, Matthew solidified into solid gold, Westin turning to Adriana and repeating his action. All the remained was Brian, only just realizing what was happening.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry pal, your friends are only gold status for as long as I can maintain them that way. It¡¯s not hard, but it will be draining eventually. Really, I just want a fair fight, even if it kills me. I do have a question though, have you laid a hand on the others?¡±

    Brian relayed the death of the three sins prior, noting he was only partially responsible for two.

    ¡°Looks like if I screw this up, Xander, Alex, and Lucy are going to bite it. If ever there was a time to screw up under pressure, this wasn¡¯t it.¡±

    Westin flipped a gold coin, Brian had prepared and launched a fire blast at him. As the coin landed, the gargoyle sidestepped the blast in one instant and was face-to-face with the dragoon the next. With a hard punch, the dragoon was sent flying; opening one eye as he managed to land, he could see the devil was now bulkier, alongside being faster.

    Jumping up high, Brian watched in horror as Westin pursued him, quickly catching up. Using both his hands, the dragoon unleashed all the fire he could muster, ascending the sky as quickly as he could. Watching his adversary, he couldn¡¯t tell if the gargoyle was gaining on him, losing ground, or maintaining distance. After nearly reaching the clouds, Westin¡¯s hand catching Brian by the leg and tossing into the ground had answered that thought.

    Letting gravity and wind resistance do their work, the dragoon blasted countless fireballs at the gargoyle, each one missing. Blasting himself up, he surprised his foe long enough to slip by him and make his way more controllably toward the ground. The dragoon landed and turned to see he had actually outpaced his pursuer, but he knew why.

    When the gargoyle landed, Brian began swinging the energy head of his halberd at the beast, his impressive dodging ability now diminished enough to barely avoid being graved, and even that was rapidly deteriorating. As the number of hits landing increased, so too had their severity, all the while Westin¡¯s breath continued to weigh down.

    With one last lunge, Brian impaled the gargoyle, his form changing immediately, barely giving the dragoon time to withdraw his weapon. As the teen fell on his back, Brian kneeled down, lighting a fire in one hand before asking him the question.

    ¡°Westin, I¡¯m sorry this had to happen, but if you have any last words, I would be honored to hear them and share them.¡±

    ¡°If you could tell the ringmaster I won¡¯t be making it to anymore shows, that¡¯d be great. Also tell my still-living friends that my act is cancelled. And one last thing¡± when he began hacking, Westin realized how short his time was, ¡°don¡¯t beat yourself up. Our acts will all end someday. I¡¯d rather go out making people smile, even my enemies.¡±

    Brian let the fire in his hand extinguish, his focus bolting to his friends who he just remembered were gold status. Except when he turned to where they used to be, they were normal again and just waking up.

    ¡°You¡¯re right Westin. One day all our acts will end, I just wish we didn¡¯t have to end yours so abruptly.¡±

 Chapter 41: Quieted

    ¡°I never imagined it would be this huge. It¡¯s like the east side of town is gone.¡± The archer, cleric, and mage were all astounded to see a wide hole stretched for several rows and columns of buildings, having half-way destroy buildings as if reminding the citizens what happened.

    Once the group reunited in Branton, Sarah, Jessica, and Eric were brought up to speed on what happened two nights prior. After relaying the last day, the four wandered around town, gathering information on the explosion as well as getting lunch.

    ¡°You okay bud?¡± Jessica immediately sought to comfort Brian when she learned about what happened.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine Jess, thanks for asking.¡± He wasn¡¯t lying, at least so he thought. Brian could still hear Westin utter those last words, words that made him wince in pain. Still, he didn¡¯t dare compare his experience with his friends.

    ¡°If you ever feel the need to talk to us about it, we¡¯ll listen. We¡¯ve all been through this.¡± Eric wondered if his words were really getting through. It was easy to gauge his effectiveness with Jessica or Matthew as they were so reactive, but Brian often kept to himself and unless he made a joke, his face was stone cold stoic.

    ¡°Whether we like it or not, we¡¯re all in this to the end now. Matthew and Adriana are going to need us, we can¡¯t leave them to face possibly the two most dangerous sins alone.¡± When Sarah had returned to Lumina, she was grateful that Jessica and Eric had stabilized themselves because the elf ended up wrecked far beyond what she imagined at the time. Without their quick recovery, she would still be home.

    A cuckoo-clock pierced the blanket of silence that threatened to suffocate the room, alerting the group to the paramount information that was the day.

    ¡°It¡¯s three o¡¯clock.¡± The dragoon figured stating the obvious might have defused the situation a little bit, but he wasn¡¯t sure that ¡®diffusing¡¯ was required in the first place. ¡°Do you guys think we could just tell the queen we got the sins? I mean, what¡¯s the worst she¡¯s going to do if we stop right here?¡±

    ¡°Simple Brian, she has us exiled for treason, if not hunted down and assassinated.¡± Eric¡¯s words had him shiver harshly when he realized what he said.

    ¡°Do you really think she could send someone else to do this job?¡±

    ¡°Tons of people. We¡¯re not the only warriors in Araponza, much less Lumina. She¡¯s sent us to kill the sins because everyone thinks highly of us. It¡¯s that high that¡¯s saved people from rebelling against us or the queen. If we were just some random warriors off the street doing some assassination mission, we¡¯d be in jail by now.¡±

    Before Brian could retort or respond, the knight and rogue arrived and greeted their friends.

    ¡°Supposedly, we know where the last two sins are. At least in a general sense.¡±

    The others titled their head at the rogue, those words not assuring them.

    ¡°What Adriana means is that Xander has been spotted in the mountains. I managed to ask Lucy where Alex could be, and she said way up in Umbro, in Elvenbur.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell her what we were doing, did you?¡± Eric prayed the knight had some tact.

    ¡°I had to lie to her. It was a quick visit, but that quick visit could be saving lives, or at least lots of time and energy.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯re just supposed to head out to the mountains and hope we find him? I guess we¡¯ve been getting too lucky with finding who we¡¯re looking for. If I could make a suggestion, let¡¯s not split up, okay?¡±

    Despite how hypocritical her suggestion was, no one wanted to object to Jessica¡¯s proposal.

    ¡°Alright then, lets head out to the mountains now. It¡¯s summer, so we got a couple more hours before the sun goes down.¡±

    The road to the mountains was lengthy, but morbidly nostalgic. Matthew could feel vivid memories flood his sight and hearing, a recording of the time Lucy guided them to the tower. Try as he might, the knight couldn¡¯t recall what she named it; not that it mattered, but the issue would bother the man until something came along and yanked his conscious back into the real world.

    Brian and Adriana had taken the lead once the group reached the mountains, splitting up briefly to scout as far as possible. After finding nothing, they would return to their party and wait for their leader¡¯s next instruction, reminding themselves what Jessica requested. After what must have been an hour gone and over five searches across various mile-long stretches of mountain range, both scouts noticed a figure in the distance.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Once the information was relayed, the knight took charge, fast-walking to his destination. When he began to sweat, Matt slowed down as to not expend energy though he couldn¡¯t tell why he was perspiring. When he continued to perspire, he glanced back at his friends to see that they looked natural.

    Before Matthew could get lost in his subconscious again, he was face-to-face with a familiar giant, though without his signature armor. ¡°Hello, I am Matthew Baronia. Who are you and why are you in the Doran Mountain Range?¡±

    ¡°Ah, Baronia. Has it been that long that you¡¯ve forgotten me? Am I simply forgettable? Is it my lack of armor? Or is your memory terrible? Regardless, it is me, Xanderith, Wrath of the Seven Deadly Sins. I had come here to sharpen my skill and my mind, but I feared that simply breaking some rocks would do neither.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to be sure that it was you. Xander, after the explosion in Branton that killed over one-hundred people, Queen Vanilla of Lumina has sent us to eliminate the seven sins. You may speak, you may defend yourself, but know that you can only make this more difficult for yourself.¡±

    The giant stared down at the messenger, his expression remaining void. ¡°I had nothing to do with the explosion in Branton. It is not my nature to kill, I could not live if I were to murder innocents. However,¡± he paused to transform, ¡°if it means battling my rival, even if it¡¯s the last, I shall accept, though I will only fight you, Baronia.¡±

    Turning his attention to his team, the knight shooed them away with a wave. He could sense the power emanating from the devil, knowing it was far too strong for any of the others to handle, at least directly. But there was something else, something about what he proposed, something that he¡­

    Matthew rubbed his eyes, the sweat from his forehead breaching the dams that were his eyebrows, derailing his train of thought. Forming a suit of armor around his entire body, save his head, he readied his stance.

    When the devil swung his claymore, the force was powerful enough to lift his opponent off his feet and backwards a short distance, though the knight remained standing. In retaliation, the knight charged at the towering behemoth, able to duck under his wide arc and stab him in the gut. Before Xander could return blows, the smaller swordsman retrieved his sword and sidestepped, diving under the two-handed weapon that came within inches of hair despite Matthew sandwiching himself.

    Striking the earth to shove himself backward and on to his feet, the knight knew true fear when he witnessed the fearsome devil trample the earth in an attempt to rush forward and lunge, Matthew swaying and striking back.

    With another blow, the beast stumbled backwards, seeming to relent. Xander saw the knight lower his guard and sent a jumping slash down onto to the knight, his weight and power baring down on his opponent¡¯s shield and smaller body. Once he stepped back to investigate the damage, he could see his target shrug off the attack.

    ¡°You really are something, Baronia; any other opponent would have been crushed, legs, arms, or both broken. You? You act as if I were just some piece of furniture, a featherweight perhaps. This is why I made you my rival, because you¡¯re the only one to want to and be able to push me further. It¡¯s unfortunate our reunion is under such circumstances. I can¡¯t let you live for Lucille and Alexandria¡¯s fates, nor would I die beforehand and deface the lives of my fallen friends.¡±

    With a mighty roar that echoed throughout the mountains, the devil¡¯s terrifying power was now sickening, as if it held a physical presence that threatened to choke or flatten Matthew. Xander proceeded to slam the broad end of his weapon onto the ground, shattering it like glass. When he held the lonely hilt aloft, metal began to circulate his hand until a spear shaped itself.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen might, Matthew, but now you¡¯ll see experience. My weapon can be whatever I desire, whatever I believe the situation calls for. I don¡¯t know it will take to defeat you, but I will find out.¡±

    Guarding from an incoming lunge, the knight watched the spear shatter on impact. Next came a massive ¡°THUD¡±, followed by another, and another, Matthew just able to see a hammer flying with another force to cut down a tree the size of a mountain. As if reading his mind, Xander used an axe next, then gauntlets, a flail, and a few weapons the swordsman wasn¡¯t aware of. Each swing he could feel himself slipping, his mana draining, his defense howling for release.

    ¡®Is that it?¡¯ Matthew had closed his eyes during the assault, opening them when the devil had paused. Xander was now standing them, the hilt bereft of shape again, but now on the ground and on second glance, Matt could see the large man panting.

    ¡°Baronia, it seems your defense truly is impenetrable. At least by normal means. I will use all my energy on one last attack: an explosion strong to decimate a town, much less that armor of yours.¡±

    It was only after those words that the swordsman remembered he hadn¡¯t covered his head. Pulling in more metal around his body, Matthew closed his eyes and braced his body for what made of been the only thing to ever break his defense. It was then he could feel the sweat pouring down again. ¡®Sweat? It¡¯s not from exhaustion, it¡¯s not from heat, it¡¯s from fear. Please, if there is a god or goddess out there, let my armor be sturdy.¡¯

    The knight¡¯s concentration was rocked by a planet shaking explosion, at least that¡¯s what it felt like to him. Having covered himself in a tent of metal, Matt couldn¡¯t see what had occurred until he rid himself of the shell.

    Once his vision was no longer obscured, he caught sight of the man, now human again. Xander was sitting on his knees, head pointed straight down. ¡°Xander!¡± He ran over to the fallen sin.

    ¡°Matthew, it was an honor to fight you. I can rest easy knowing that, while I never defeated you, I gave it my all. Fret not for my death Baronia, for I thank you for giving me the only thing I ever wanted: a fair fight.¡±

    With his final words spoken, the man collapsed on his face, Matthew bending down to find his pulse flat.

    ¡°It was an honor, Xander, one that I won¡¯t take for granted.¡±

 Chapter 42: Heart Break

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about earlier Matt. You know why we started insulting you screaming at you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m well aware Adri, that¡¯s not why I¡¯m out here.¡±

    After the death of Xander, the heavens seemed to be weeping. A rainstorm ambushed the group as they returned from the mountains, adding to the unprovoked rage building within all but the knight. In the cold, heartless rain Matthew became their target all the way back to town until they could sit inside and dry off.

    ¡®Hey Matt, good job killing Xander on your own. Why not just do everything yourself?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m sad you survived that explosion. He should have taken you with him.¡¯

    ¡®Sometimes I wonder if you love your sister more than me. Maybe you should marry her.¡¯

    The downpour, the booming thunder, and the flashes of lightning that threatened to electrocute the man were infinitely preferable to the abuse inside the inn, at least in his opinion. Sitting down on a round, metal table under an awning, he was dry until the wind lashed water at his face, but it was refreshing. No matter what, he was determined to stay calm.

    ¡°You¡¯re taking this a lot better than anyone has.¡±

    To Matthew¡¯s relief, the rogue seemed to have simmered down as she sat across from him on the table. He used his light to illuminate the area, to see her face in the otherwise pitch black rainy night.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve thought about what it must be like. It helps that he accepted his death as a possibility, maybe even inevitability. That¡¯s what I tell myself at least.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s just one more sin left to kill, and I guess since everyone else has taken their turn¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to, Adriana. Don¡¯t feel obligated just because everyone else has a kill.¡±

    ¡°No, I have to and I will. Everyone else is about to break down, I couldn¡¯t live with myself knowing a friend sacrificed their sanity for my sake. Besides, I¡¯m the only one who can withstand her mind control.¡±

    Matthew figured there was no use arguing; the rogue was not only headstrong, but unfortunately right on the matter.

    ¡°Um, guys,¡± the two turned their heads to see the elf had decided to join them, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to alert anyone yesterday, but Elvenbur is my home. We elves know one another, like one big family.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what are you saying? You think Alex is from your home?¡±

    ¡°What other business would she have there? People don¡¯t visit elves or devils unless they have a reason to, but then again, I don¡¯t remember an Alex.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right, elves are pretty family-centric, they¡¯re not keen on strangers but will do anything for elves or their relatives.¡±

    ¡°So killing her is going to be complicated?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. We¡¯ll have to see. I should tell you that elves might not look kindly on me because I left on a rather¡­sour note. My parents didn¡¯t like Vanessa, but they respect Matt, so maybe things are better.¡±

    ¡°Seems a little a wishy-washy. Guess we¡¯ll see when we get there.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve taken enough punishment from the weather, I¡¯m heading back in.¡± The knight stood up, but not before a hug from the elf.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what I said earlier, I still love you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He turned around and returned the hug before heading inside.

    ¡°You and Matt seem to be holding together.¡± Adriana looked at Sarah, her face obscured by the returning darkness.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m hoping after all this¡­this stuff, we can get engaged. You think it¡¯s too soon?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the girl to ask about too soon, you know that.¡± The rogue sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you guys.¡±

    ¡°How so? I mean we¡¯re almost done, surely we can handle one more sin.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just, Matt and Brian are acting tough about this, like it doesn¡¯t affect them, but I know inside they¡¯re dying. I used to think Jessica was to proud to let this get to her, but watching he break down and become more mellow, it¡¯s like she¡¯s a different person. Eric, well I was so worried he would do something drastic, but he¡¯s managed. Then there¡¯s you, I didn¡¯t know what would happen, but I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re okay. But, I worry that sooner or later, someone is going to collapse, and I feel like it¡¯s my fault.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? We¡¯re all in this together, we all agreed to this.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯ve been the one pushing it more than anyone. I feel like I¡¯m the one responsible if anyone dies or gets permanently injured.¡± Concentrating the electricity in her hands, Adriana created a new light source to look into her friend¡¯s eyes. ¡°I want to say this, I¡¯m so proud of you, and the others, for sticking around. You really didn¡¯t have to, but you did.¡±

    Dispersing the electricity, the rogue stood up and made her way through the darkness, embracing the elf. ¡°Thank you, Sarah, you really did a lot for us, and for Matt. Good night.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Welcome to Cantabelle!¡± A long, skinny man greeted the six as they entered the southmost town of the Umbro kingdom. The sun was already working its way down once the group had passed the mountain range.

    ¡°Shoo you¡± the elf waved her wrists at the man who departed into the city.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± The dragoon felt a little bewildered by the sight of someone hanging around the entrance of town.

    ¡°Umbro has ¡®town greeters¡¯ who greet people and give them a tour of the city or town. If we had the time, I would tour you guys a lot faster, but since we don¡¯t, I¡¯ll just take us where we need to go. Does anyone know how to drive a carriage or a wagon?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a little rusty, but I think I¡¯m the only one here who could.¡± The cleric was elated to know that his experience six years prior was coming to play. ¡°Good thing that Anthony guy showed me how to take care of horses. Guess that two-year mission did come in handy after all.¡±

    The group had rented a wagon, making a break for the east side of Umbro, crossing flat and hilly plains that seemed to stretch onward. From the wagon, the unending grass looked like an ocean of green, not helped by the blurring speed they traveled.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised Umbro doesn¡¯t have cars yet.¡±

    ¡°Well Jessica, Umbro sadly hasn¡¯t gotten many new imports from Pyora recently. No one knows why, but they believe it¡¯s because Coalago has a new mayor.¡± The elf thought back to her one of trips to see her parents, stopping by Cantabelle to chat with the locals. ¡°There¡¯s also been talk of the steel-coalition branching out into Umbro.¡±

    ¡°Woah what, a steel coalition? You never told me about that, Sarah.¡±

    ¡°Uh, about that,¡± her face went red, ¡°I was going to tell you at some point, but I figured it wouldn¡¯t be relevant until we moved to Pyora. I guess I should explain what they do.¡± Taking a deep breath, Sarah¡¯s face returned to normal as she looked at Matt. ¡°The steel-coalition makes all sorts of things, from buildings to trains to whatever people request.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Not to interrupt, but are we going to get to make it to Elvenbur before nightfall?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Jessy, almost every monster in Umbro is docile, at least to humans. Up here it gets too cold for octoplants or hellions. Just be thankful it¡¯s summer, because it¡¯s been known to snow as early as August around Elvenbur and especially even further north.¡±

    ¡°Oh I love the cold! I can¡¯t wait to move here or Coalago and get away from that crappy heat.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡± the dragoon barked out, ¡°I hate the cold. I¡¯d take the hottest day in Lumina over a mildly cold one anywhere else.¡±

    ¡°I prefer a cool day, nice breeze, not too hot, not too cold,¡± the rogue threw her hat in the ring, the knight, archer, and even cleric nodding in agreement.

    The sun began to sink into the earth, boundless grass had only just give way to tan sand that formed a desert further eastward. Just north of where they stopped was a forest, the wagon slowing down to a crawl to navigate the dense foliage and tightly packed trees. With only inches between them, the gaps between the large brown pillars was too narrow for a human to squeeze through, leaving the path the wagon traveled as the only method of entry from the south.

    Not long into the path, large buildings sat atop the trees, some circular, some rectangular. The further they traveled, the wider the path became, opening up to reveal a wide swath of homes of far more intricate design and size, with some now sitting on the forest floor. People walking along the road stared at the visitors as they continued down the path until it stopped short of a large building made of stone sitting in front of giant tree that shot up through the sky of tree leaves that shaded the forest. The Archer urged the cleric to stop in front of the building.

    ¡°This is the memorial hall. When the war between Lumina and Umbro was still be waged, Lumina tried to attack our village, but the environment forced them to funnel down a path that they couldn¡¯t hope to attack from. This left only the sky as a viable means of attack, which is why we specially train in the ways of archery, to remember those who gave their lives to protect our village and in case we¡¯re ever attacked again.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty neat¡± the dragoon¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°So uh, they were dragoons weren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Sarah felt guilt bubble in her chest. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry Brain, nobody will try to attack you or think badly of you; I doubt anyone will know you¡¯re a dragoon just looking at you.¡±

    ¡°I more feel bad thinking about it. Just the death and carnage on both sides.¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re going to head inside. If you want to sit out, be our guest.¡±

    ¡°No way, I should come out of respect, and if you find that girl, I¡¯m sure as hell not going to miss a chance to do something.¡±

    As the wagon was parked alongside the building, the cleric was abandoned to deal with the man assigned with taking care of wagons. The others entered the memorial building.

    The floor was a sleek white with various colors dotting it at random. The walls to the left and right of the entrance were a clean white, the walls ahead sporting a pattern of pillar, glass column, pillar, glass, and so forth. Between the path down the center, indicated by a red rug, and the walls were wooden life-size statues of figures unrecognizable to the group.

    ¡°Sarah, do you know who these people are?¡± Eric had made the group jump, not realizing he would catch up so soon.

    The elf shook her head, ¡°not really. Some people can remember, but I rarely came here when I was younger.¡±

    Further in front of them were three paths, to the left, to the right, and in front of them were doors that led outside to the tree.

    ¡°To the left are the men who fought in the ground invasion. To the right are those who fought the aerial assault. In the middle is the tree that was said to have once provided eternal life. The tree existed before the war and is thought to be the reason we were attacked. Instead of using it to never age, it was hallowed out and used as a shelter during the aerial siege.¡±

    ¡°Me, Brian, and Eric will take the left.¡± Matt figured splitting up would be ideal if they were search for the girl.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll go to the right. It just feels like I should.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Me, Eric, and Jessica will go left. You, Sarah, and Adriana take right.¡±

    On the right side, the dragoon felt drawn to the figures who killed his forefathers. Looking upon their wooden replicas, he felt a mix of respect and sadness.

    ¡°The loss of life is tragic, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    With a jolt, all three adults spun around to see a girl inspecting the statues. Wearing a black vest and pants that matched her hair, a plaid undershirt underneath, the trio wondered if she recognized them.

    ¡°Alex?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sarah?¡± The archer felt herself go numb at the woman¡¯s casual tone.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°You just said my name, surely you should know. I know you for being that highly-regarded archer who wanted to go out and see the world. Me? I was the girl exiled for being a freak.¡±

    ¡°A-a freak?¡±

    ¡°Yes. My father and mother always told me to use my abilities as best I could, so I did.¡± The girl transformed her right arm into a python, the others stared in disbelief. ¡°But when I did, everyone got scared. Dad got angry and hit me, mom got mad and yelled at me, but when I snapped and scared someone with my ability, the village elders told me to get lost.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to break up this little pity-party, but Alex, we¡¯re going to have to end you.¡±

    The girl looked at Adriana, a smile creeping along her face, her arm transforming back into normal. ¡°Do you really think you stand a chance against the seven sins?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think, I know. We killed five of your friends before you, you¡¯re the last one.¡±

    The smug smirk was wiped clean off Alex¡¯s face, dread quickly filling its place. ¡°Five? Who have you left alive?¡±

    ¡°Lucy.¡± The dread on Alex¡¯s face was not despair.

    ¡°I see. So you killed¡­you¡­monsters.¡± Darkness surrounded the distraught woman, her shape contracting into the dainty succubus. ¡°I won¡¯t let you kill Lucy.¡±

    Flying away from the group, Adriana pursued her, looking back to see the others were in a running stance, but had not budged an inch. Turning back around, the rogue could no longer find the devil. Stepping carefully forward, she stopped cold when she heard footsteps echo around the corner. Looking below, she melted into the shadows across the floor, hoping she could find the devil undetected.

    Moving through the world of darkness proved of little help, as trying to walk forward a couple of feet had spat her out into the normal world again. In the corner of her eyes, Adriana could swear to herself she saw something through the glass wall. Shattering it, she turned into electricity and made her way into the hollowed tree.

    The great dead giant was massive, not only in height, but in width too. She hadn¡¯t realized while running, but the tree was the size of a mini-arena, stretching over two-hundred feet. At the other end was her target.

    ¡°You¡¯re persistent, but it¡¯s just you and me now.¡± From her right hand, she created a sparrow made of green energy that bulleted towards the rogue. Turning into lightning, she bolted passed it and in front of the succubus, stabbing her in the gut.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to make this quick. Do you have any last words?¡±

    Looking at the rogue, Adriana could see her eyes were filled with rage. ¡°Just seven: you will not live to regret that.¡±

    Before the rogue could see what was happening, she was sent soaring backwards through the air, some blinding orange object having slammed into her with the force of a building. When she could open her eyes again, she regretted it: the succubus was transforming her body again. The devil¡¯s torso sat atop a two-story tall, bright orange scorpion that took up half the tree¡¯s area. The torso was still that of the succubus, seemingly unarmed and in an area that looked defenseless.

    Slowly working her way to a standing position, Adriana turned into lightning once again, landing on top of the creature¡¯s body and lunging for the devil¡¯s body. Mid-way through the lunge, she stopped, unable to control her body any longer.

    ¡°Not this time. I¡¯ve made sure to focus on you and only you, with all my might.¡± Unable to move or dodge, the rogue was picked up by one of the pincers before it tossed her helpless into the air and swatted her back into the wall of the tree.

    Adriana opened her eyes to watch as the carnival of horrors approached her. Watching its legs move was mesmerizing, almost hypnotic if not for how fast it paced. In a half-second, the rogue figured her opponent must have traveled over eighty feet. It didn¡¯t matter, however, as she felt her body give way, her mind submit to fear, and her heart relent to hopelessness. Just when all seemed bad enough, the scorpion-girl picked up the rogue again, bringing her weak body to the torso.

    ¡°Tell me why I shouldn¡¯t kill you right now?¡±

    Adriana¡¯s mind was racing, trying to find the words that could help her in any way. ¡®I won¡¯t let you kill Lucy.¡¯ The rogue¡¯s eyes lit up when she remembered those words.

    ¡°Because if I die, the others have a backup plan.¡±

    ¡°What? What backup plan?!¡± The rogue could feel the claw of the scorpion grow jerky, but she had to press her luck.

    ¡°If you kill me, they¡¯ll kill Lucy.¡±

    ¡°You¡­YOU! You¡¯re lying.¡± Alex¡¯s lip was trembling, as was her voice.

    ¡°Am I? Are you really going to take that chance?¡±

    ¡°One of your friends is Lucy¡¯s brother, he would never kill her.¡±

    ¡°He will if he has to, but he won¡¯t have to as long you die.¡±

    ¡°What if I kill you and him?¡±

    ¡°The others will scatter and kill Lucy. There are six of us and one of you, and the others are great at making their way around. You decide what happens: you die or she dies.¡±

    The succubus scowled at the rogue, looking like she had settled on the latter. Adriana could feel her heart stop beating as Alex was in deep thought over what to do. Her heart began racing again when she felt herself move, only to land hard on her hip. Trying her best to stand, she could see the body of the scorpion disappearing, the girl returning to just the succubus form before returning to her human form. The rogue teetered over to the woman, brandishing her dagger.

    ¡°Promise¡± Alex¡¯s face was no longer angry, but now desperate, ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll spare her.¡±

    ¡°You have my word, she will live.¡± With another lunge, Adriana landed her strike this time, the dagger plunged into the woman¡¯s chest.

    ¡°I wish I could have apologized to my family, even though I only did what they asked. I wish I could take back what I did, but it¡¯s too late. I wish I could tell¡­I wish¡­¡±

    Trailing off, the woman¡¯s head tilted down before her legs folded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡¯m truly sorry you couldn¡¯t live long to see your last wish come true. Maybe in another life, it will.¡±

 Chapter 43: Cut Short

    ¡°Adri! Adri! Adriana!¡± The girl awoke to a familiar voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake! I was so worried when you collapsed and didn¡¯t wake up.¡± Eric hugged the girl, her mind only now catching up to what happened. She remembered standing triumphantly over her opponent¡¯s body, then everything went black. Now everything was blistering white.

    ¡°Eric? Where am I?¡±

    ¡°In the hospital in Elvenbur. The doctor said you didn¡¯t have anything major busted, you just needed to rest for a few days.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to rest for a couple years, but I don¡¯t have that luxury.¡± The rogue wiggled on a bed attempting to move, only to receive intense shocks of pain that forced out a yelp. ¡°Don¡¯t think the queen will wanna hear about this.¡±

    ¡°Pssh, I don¡¯t care what the queen wants or needs, you¡¯re resting for at least a week. You¡¯re lucky nothing is actually broken, just a couple sprains.¡±

    ¡°Really? Feels like I¡¯m pretty broken.¡± Analyzing her body, she could see her legs were in order and she could even twists her body. Moving are arms wasn¡¯t too bad, but anything below her waist was torture to budge.

    ¡°Brian and Sarah said you found that girl and you ran after her while they couldn¡¯t move. By the time they could get to you, you were lying on the tree floor unconscious and she was dead. What the hell happened?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, you don¡¯t want to know beyond I got her to trust me long enough to take her out.¡±

    ¡°How did you get her to trust you?¡±

    ¡°I told her we wouldn¡¯t kill Lucy if we killed her.¡±

    Eric froze, his expression growing grim, his eyes just staring her way while he failed to find his words. ¡°Are you going to hold to that promise?¡±

    ¡°Eric, we¡¯ve come too far to turn back now. I know it¡¯s going to devastate Matt, I really do, but¡± she paused, turning her head away from her boyfriend while trying fight back tears, ¡°we have to.¡±

    ¡°Adri, I trust you. Get some rest and tomorrow I¡¯ll get the others in here and we¡¯ll talk about what we need to do.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s she holding up?¡± Just as Eric exited the building, Jessica and Brian were already eager to assault him with questions.

    ¡°Not good. Physically she can¡¯t move -just trying to do anything causes her pain- and emotionally she seems pretty broken up about what happened yesterday, or about what we¡¯re going to do.¡±

    ¡°Are we seriously going to do this? Matt is going to kill us if he finds out, and he¡¯s going to find out.¡± The dragoon was in total panic, but he knew what the others would say.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have a choice. The queen came to us for this and she¡¯s not taking no for an answer.¡±

    ¡°So what Eric? Maybe we should just leave the queen. I don¡¯t know about you but being able to live anywhere is not worth all this killing. We really should just cut out losses.¡±

    ¡°Brian, it¡¯s too late to feel remorseful. We¡¯ve killed six people, six innocent kids. What would stopping now accomplish? We¡¯ve already gone too far to turn back.¡±

    Brian sighed, knowing there was no point arguing with the mage. ¡°You¡¯re right, but there¡¯s one thing you guys might be forgetting. I¡¯ll say what it is when we meet up with Adriana. In the meantime, I¡¯ll be writing my apology letter to Matt. Cya¡­¡±

    The dragoon walked off, slumping his shoulders and keeping his eyes to the ground. The mage looked at Eric to find some relief or reassurance, but he had none. ¡°Eric, I just want you to know I stopped drinking. At this rate, I¡¯m going to relapse soon.¡±

    ¡°Jess, this is no time to be funny.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not being funny, I¡¯m being sincere. I wish you guys would stop acting like I¡¯m trying to dumb or non-serious all the time.¡±

    ¡°Jess, I wish this wasn¡¯t the time to be serious.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Where are you two heading off to?¡± An older blonde woman asked the knight and archer.

    Matthew was relieved to spend a whole week with Sarah¡¯s mother, a woman who seemed quite fond of him and made cookies with astonishing regularity, two things he could happily get used to. Unfortunately her father was spent months at a time commuting, he was also a good cook and a funny man, at least the knight thought.

    ¡°We¡¯re making our way back to Lumina, we¡¯ve got to tell the queen that our job is done. When we do that, we¡¯ll come see you again before we move. Love you mom!¡± With one last embrace, Sarah and her mother departed, Matthew getting a hug too.

    ¡°Your mom is so nice.¡±

    ¡°She really mellowed out since I left with Vanessa. I guess she realized that dealing with my decisions is better than never seeing me again.¡±

    The couple made their way to the hospital, meeting up with the other four.

    ¡°Hey Adriana!¡± Running up and grappling her, the archer had the poor rogue fearing she would break something else.

    ¡°Sarah, calm down girl. I just got out of the hospital, don¡¯t put me back in!¡±

    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll head to Branton now. We¡¯ll spend the night in Cantabelle. Now that our mission is done, you guys take your time and enjoy yourselves. I genuinely can¡¯t wait for Sarah to show me around.¡±

    Matthew sounded different, almost rejuvenated. That pep in his voice had sent a jolt of energy to his entire team, all equally eager to get going. Once the group was on the wagon again, Eric leaned forward while having the horses trot as fast as possibly could while carrying the group¡¯s weight.

    On the way back to Cantabelle, no words were exchanged, everyone was too enthralled at having finished the mission. The sky was cloudy and the whirling wind was cool and rowdy, a strange combination of dark yet pleasant. Aside from the clopping of hooves, the ambience of swaying grass sang.

    ¡°Hello and welcome to,¡± the greeter of Cantabelle paused when he could make out the group arriving, ¡°oh it¡¯s you.¡± His cheerful demeanor ungracefully shifted to an irritable one.

    Without hesitation, Matthew and Sarah parted from the group, leaving the four to plot amongst themselves.

    ¡°So what was that thing you said we¡¯re not accounting for, Brian?¡± The cleric¡¯s words were accusatory, but Brian remained unperturbed.

    ¡°You know Matt and Lucy have an aunt, right? And that¡¯s she¡¯s an adult warrior, right? And that if we try to hurt Lucy while she¡¯s around, we¡¯ll all die, right?!¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    The three looked at him, then each other, realizing that the dragoon was right about them forgetting. To approach unprepared would be entering a beast¡¯s den naked and staving.

    ¡°What the hell are we going to do then? Giving up isn¡¯t an option.¡± The mage panicked, a contagious that spread to the others.

    ¡°Simple. We coax her out.¡± Those cold words turned the heads of the dragoon, cleric, and mage. ¡°All we have to do is trick her into following us and kill her.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but with what Adri?¡±

    ¡°Simple, Brian: I¡¯ll ask Matt. I won¡¯t let him know what we¡¯re going to do and when I figure a way to draw her out, we¡¯ll discuss it in Branton.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll need to fast, the plan will need to be simple, and it will need to work. If anything goes wrong, we¡¯re dead.¡±

    ¡°Thank you honey, that¡¯s very reassuring.¡±

    ¡°Sorry dear.¡± Eric cowered back at the venom in her voice before she scooped up in an embrace. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just let me talk to Matthew and don¡¯t worry about it until we get to Branton.¡±

    <hr>

    The rogue sat outside a small bakery, the intoxicating aroma of brown sugar tempting her to buy one of the delicious sweets. Adriana glared at the showcase of deserts like a starving animal looks at a free meal. She tapped her fingers forcibly on the wooden table to keep her mind clear, but she felt her stomach getting the best of her, until Matt finally showed up and sat next to her, his attention fixated on the warm sunset.

    ¡°Hey Matthew, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you something: you said you saw Lucy recently?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± The knight didn¡¯t even turn his head an inch.

    ¡°Does she have any friends?¡±

    ¡°Well, she didn¡¯t want me to say this, but she has a crush on a devil girl.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡± the rogue was instantly grateful she wasn¡¯t eating now, or she knew she¡¯d have begun choking, ¡°a devil girl?! Well that¡¯s interesting. Do you know her name?¡±

    ¡°Angela. It sounds weird, but I wouldn¡¯t blame her. I actually think those devil girls are pretty hot myself. Guess it runs in the family. That and being really tall.¡±

    ¡°How tall are we talking? 5 foot 5? 5 foot 8?¡±

    ¡°6 feet and 1 inch. She was eye-to-eye with me when I saw her the other day.¡±

    ¡°What did your aunt feed her?! A house?!¡± Adriana calmed down as best she could, but her mind was too focused on turning a twelve-year-old girl into an ogre. ¡°Well, I¡¯m just going to have me a dessert now. Anything you want?¡±

    ¡°Uh, no thanks. I¡¯m actually still full and I think I better head back to Sarah now. She¡¯s already getting home sick¡± the knight laughed nervously.

    <hr>

    The sun shone brightly over the town of Branton. On the edge of town, the dragoon, cleric, and mage met with the rogue, hoping she had a reasonable plan of action.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Brian voice and body quivered.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to like this.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not a single thing about this plan I like already Adri, nothing you can tell me could make it any worse.¡± The dragoon felt he would regret those words as he watched the rogue.

    ¡°I need you three to go to the devil village and kidnap one of the devil girls while I get Lucy to follow me into the woods.¡±

    ¡°I was wrong. What the hell Adri?!¡±

    ¡°Seriously, did that Alex girl break your brain?!¡± The mage was now just as angry as the dragoon.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry honey, I can¡¯t even defend this.¡± The cleric could see his girlfriend sink back at his disapproval.

    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t like the plan, but it¡¯s either this or risk getting chopped into pieces. Besides, the devils won¡¯t do anything to you guys; their village is small and they know that attacking humans is a good way to start a war, and they would be crushed if they tried that. No one would come to their aid.¡±

    ¡°I suppose, but it still seems inhumane. I guess if we don¡¯t hurt the devil girl, it won¡¯t be that bad.¡± Eric¡¯s opposition withered, Jessica agreeing with his sentiment.

    ¡°I still think this is a terrible idea that I want no part of.¡±

    ¡°Okay Brian,¡± the rogue walked up to him, ¡°you can tell Matt how you did nothing while his sister died. Your decision.¡±

    The dragoon backed up a few steps, his expression becoming distraught. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll go.¡± In defeat, he joined the cleric and mage as they left for the devil village at the shore.

    <hr>

    As the sun began to set, the three arrived at the village of devils. Stone pillars signified the end of rough, rocky walls that stretched far south and east across the coasts before jutting eastwards. Walking into the village, the three took in the neighborhoods of hastily crafted wooden houses, all one-story and shabby looking. There were no lawns or gardens, all houses looked too small to have more than a single room or two, and there were no windows as far as the eye could see.

    The residents had all eyed the humans, creating an equal sense of nervousness between the two groups. The devils were roughly the same, average build, sporting leathery wings, curvy horns, a tail with a spade shaped tip, and their clothes were tattered. Travelling past dozens of houses, the group was finally approached by a woman whose appearance was more kempt then the rest. Her clothes were like that of an official, her posture haughty, her expression that of impatience rather than fear.

    ¡°What are humans doing in our village?¡± The woman¡¯s voice was regal and clear.

    ¡°We¡¯ve come for one of your people, Angela.¡± The mage spoke out after the two men hesitated.

    ¡°If we give her to you, do you promise to do us no harm?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and we¡¯ll return her unscathed as well.¡± This time Eric spoke, wanting to deescalate the situation as much as possible.

    ¡°Fine.¡± The woman signaled another official looking devil her way, the man appeared to be her assistant. ¡°Fetch me Angela.¡± With her words, the man scurried, forcing the human¡¯s attention back onto her. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a human we need to take care of.¡± Brian figured it was his turn, though he didn¡¯t know what to add.

    ¡°I have a feeling I know what human you¡¯re referring to.¡± The devil put her index finger to her temple, shut her eyes, and sighed. ¡°I knew nothing good would come of that girl befriending a human.¡±

    <hr>

    The rogue began her journey towards the last sin, her mind drifting along the way.

    ¡®Okay Adriana, keep calm, you have this. Forget about the fact that you were almost killed and focus on not dying now. Is this even a good idea? What if the others are right? This is terrible, this is inhumane, but we have to do it. Don¡¯t we? Don¡¯t we? Do we?! DO WE HAVE TO?!¡¯

    Adriana shook her head violently, letting her long raven hair fly around.

    ¡®Just focus, just get this done. This is for our own good. Jessica, Brian, Eric, Sarah¡¯ her thoughts paused, ¡®oh goddess Sarah might get blamed for this. I don¡¯t know how I forgot¡­no, we¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t.¡¯

    Her chaotic thoughts continued to spin around frantically as she approached the small town, her anxiety blasting out her eardrums. To her surprise, Lucy was sitting outside her house, head in her lap.

    ¡°Lucy, I need to speak with you.¡± The rogue watched as the teen raised herself, hoping her aunt wasn¡¯t around.

    ¡°You¡¯re Adriana, right? Is it time?¡±

    ¡°Time?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve come to kill me, right?¡±

    ¡°How did you-¡°

    ¡°Rumor spread around Umbro that a woman was killed in Elvenbur. Matthew visited recently to ask where my friends were. I just put two and two together.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s your aunt?¡±

    ¡°Away.¡±

    ¡°Well, we have your devil friend, so if you want her to stay alive, you better come with me.¡±

    ¡°I knew you would go after her. I tried to tell her to run, but she wouldn¡¯t.¡± Lucy stood up from her seat, head still facing the ground. ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    Adriana did as requested, leading the girl toward the woods. Every now and again, she would look at the teen, the girl who was four years younger yet towered over the rogue. No matter how many times she checked, anticipating her escort to make a break, she never did. Entering the woods, the two could here shouts and cries of someone struggling; upon reaching a clearing, the rogue could see the three accomplished their mission.

    ¡°Step into the clearing, we¡¯ll let your friend go when you take her place.¡±

    Lucy walked in front of the devil girl, now relinquished from the people holding her down. The two said their goodbyes, the devil flying off and leaving the teen to her execution.

    ¡°Lucy, do you have any last words?¡±

    ¡°Just get it over with.¡±

    The rogue stood in silence, waiting for darkness to surround the teen and transform her into the last sin. She stood there and waited. Her gazed shifted to the others, none of them daring to move. To her left was the mage, right the cleric, and behind the girl was the dragoon. They all stared at her, anticipating the moment she would attack.

    ¡°Go ahead and transform. We won¡¯t kill you without a fair fight.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Summoning her spear, Lucy lazily lunged at the rogue, who dodged by merely walking backwards. She sliced at the cleric and mage who followed the rogue¡¯s actions. Realizing they still weren¡¯t attacking, she finally relented and transformed, her shape beginning to change.

    But before her form could solidify, a spear impaled her, the girl reverting to her human form. Falling to her knees, the girl used her own spear to keep herself propped up. As her eyes met the rogue¡¯s, her expression only said one thing: why?

    As she fell to the ground, blood pouring from her mouth and wound, the dragoon pulled out his spear before breaking it in half and slamming the pieces on the ground. The other three watched as he stomped off, the mage and cleric following shortly after, the rogue saying her peace before catching up.

    ¡°LUCY!¡± A shrill scream echoed through the forest, a sign for the four to start running as fast as they could.

    As the group arrived in Branton, the city peaceful under the gleaming stars, they all felt uneasy as they approached the inn. Walking inside, they could see an angry Matthew standing in wait.

    ¡°Where were you guys?¡±

 Chapter 44: Regret (finale)

    As uncomfortable silence pervaded the room, Matthew kept his eyes on his friends as they stood frozen in fear. Tapping his foot, the knight knowingly added to the tension permeating the air, hoping to force one of them to break.

    ¡°Well, what were you doing?¡±

    ¡°We were just taking time to enjoy the city before heading back.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me! You¡¯ve been asking suspicious questions lately Adri, and now you¡¯re forcing me to use my lie detection. Tell me you were really doing.¡±

    Shutting her eyes, Adriana stepped forward, fearing becoming miserable acceptance. ¡°Do you need to ask?¡±

    ¡°Yes, because some part of me wants to assume the best. Please, tell me you didn¡¯t¡­¡± Matthew stopped, looking at Adriana as if he were about to cry.

    ¡°We did¡­¡±

    ¡°You killed her, didn¡¯t you?!¡±

    The rogue nodded, tears breaking through the dam that was her closed eyelids. ¡°It was for your own good.¡±

    ¡°My own good?! What good would come from killing my sister?! The only good thing that came from this is that it made me realize that I can¡¯t trust my ¡®friends¡¯. Brian, Jessica, Eric, Sarah, you were all in on it, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No, not Sarah. We made sure not to tell her.¡±

    ¡°Man, if you¡¯re going to kill anyone for this, kill me. I¡¯m the one who stabbed your sister.¡± The dragoon stepped between the two.

    ¡°I helped Adri, I won¡¯t let her die alone.¡± Eric joined Brian.

    ¡°I deserve as much as anyone else.¡± Jessica joined the two, the trio now shielding the rogue.

    ¡°I won¡¯t kill any of you. I just¡­I¡­I need time. I don¡¯t want to talk to any of you until we get home. If anyone dies, it¡¯ll be the queen, even if I die trying.¡±

    The knight retreated to his room, where he stayed all night. Sarah was forced to take Brian¡¯s bed, the dragoon agreeing to sleep on the inn¡¯s couch.

    The knight woke up first among the group, his sleep cut short by shear chaotic yelling outside of the inn. Dressing and exiting the inn as quickly as humanly possible, he could still see the source: a bunch of people were fighting, hitting each other with wooden planks, purses, metal pipes, and various weapons including their own two fists.

    Plunging his sword into the ground, the knight focused on creating iron poles all around the mob, pulled his sword up after doing so, and slammed it against the nearest pole with all his might. To his astonishment, the people reacted to the sound, pausing briefly but picking up the fight once they recovered.

    Making his way into the fray, he bashed various people with his shield in an attempt to knock them back while causing minimum damage, but every person he knocked back simply dove back into the angry fight pile. Holding his sword skyward, Matt unleashed a blinding light, causing the entire crowd to reel back. Once they could see again, the fight resumed.

    It was at this point the knight decided to cut his loss, assume the people of Branton had all gone crazy from some disease or this was a Branton tradition, and get his former friends out of here if they weren¡¯t all crazy as well.

    Clang clang clang

    The knight smacked his sword and shield together, a random thought in his head had him realize this was the one time he combined his weapons together for a single purpose.

    ¡°You rang?¡± The dragoon jumped out, the others rushing out to join him.

    ¡°We need to get the hell out of here NOW! The people outside are trying to kill each other, let¡¯s not give them the chance to kill us.¡±

    ¡°Have you tried hitting them?¡±

    ¡°Jessica, I¡¯ve tried hitting them with my shield, blinding them with my light, deafening them, and even reasoning with them. I don¡¯t even know what they¡¯re fighting about, there voices are all muddled together.¡±

    Without any further questioning the group fled, making a break passed the mob that had expanded further since Matthew managed to escape. As they traveled back to Gnash, a dark and terrible sensation welled up in the stomachs of the group, each one feeling queasy and anxious.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Do you guys feel that?¡± The elf shivered, rubbing her arms while the others nodded.

    ¡°My hands are standing up and I feel like I¡¯m gonna throw up.¡± Brian began to wobble, the mage catching him and helping him stand while using him to help herself stand.

    As the group entered Gnash, the same scenario played out, an angry mob of people spouting incomprehensible nonsense circled around a small part of the town. Inspecting the buildings, some of the stores were broken into, the display glass broken and only a couple items remain to rule out the possibility of an empty building. Needless to say, the group spent no time in Gnash and quickly trotted toward Lumina.

    Passing the gates of Lumina was the ominous wind the six had ever felt in their life. Walking down that same old road, approaching their typical meeting place, and walking toward the castle, one unmistakable aspect was omnipresent: the city was empty. There was no speck of life, no person, no animal, even nature itself seemed to have abandoned the city as the wind stood still and not a single leaf loosened its grip. Only the echo and the buildings were around to greet the group. Even the castle seemed void of life, not uncommon given its size and lack of staff.

    Reaching the queen¡¯s throne, something seemed amiss, something Matt and friend¡¯s weren¡¯t immediately privy too. Looking at the throne, it hit him: her throne now sat in the middle of the room, jutting out from the wall it once laid against. The queen herself was present, behind her was Matthew¡¯s mother. The monarch initially seemed bored, but as she noticed the group¡¯s presence, her expression became a sly grin.

    ¡°We¡¯ve returned, all of the sins are dead.¡± The knight¡¯s tone reflected the cadavers he referenced.

    ¡°I am well aware.¡±

    This news shook Matthew.

    ¡®How does she know? They hadn¡¯t spent but a few weeks killing the sins, and the sins were rather unknown now that they stopped causing chaos.¡¯

    ¡°There¡¯s just one problem: you missed one. Well, maybe not missed, but somehow that sin managed to slip away.¡±

    Matthew was unsure of how to process the information. ¡®Did they not actually kill Lucy? Were they simply lying to ¡­actually why would, so how would it be possible? ¡°What do you mean, slipped away?¡±

    The queen stood from her throne and stepped forward, stopping just in front of Matthew.

    ¡°I wanted ALL of the sins dead so that I could continue with my plan. One of them didn¡¯t die, or perhaps didn¡¯t stay dead. Unfortunately, this puts a damper on what I intended, but I have found a solution between then and when you arrived.¡±

    Matthew was still confused at what she was talking about and now was beginning to grow impatient. ¡°So did my sister have to die or not?!¡±

    The queen gave a simple giggle at the young man.

    ¡°She did, but her death was in vain. Don¡¯t worry, your effort was not. Now that all the sins are dead, I can restore Lumina to its former glory.¡±

    Before the group¡¯s very eyes, shadows started to race toward the queen. The six couldn¡¯t even react in the time it took for these shadows to crawl all over the Queen, enveloping her in a black silhouette. The group reeled back in horror as the shadow started to gain shape.

    Upon gaining shape, the Queen¡¯s body was now a pale, pronounced white. Eyes with glowing red sclera dotted her body, all nine feet of it. Her clothes, now tattered, clung to her body as best they could. Her head was filled with long, flowing raven hair. Up top of her head were six horn¡¯s that curved to form a crown, two thick tails slithered from her back, six draping wings extended from her upper back, and on her exposed stomach was a mouth full of razor sharp teeth.

    ¡°You¡­you had us kill those innocent kids just so you could become one of them?!¡±

    ¡°No Baronia, not one of them¡­all of them! I have gained all their abilities, all of their powers, and even all of their consciousness. I can hear them right now, SCREAMING for release.¡±

    Gathering more rage than he had ever known in his entire life, Matthew leaped forward to strike the monster. However, as he came within inches of the creatures, he stopped dead. Suddenly, the knight could no control his body, his body holstering his sword and shield against his will.

    ¡°Silly boy, did you really think you could just slice me up like some animal? You, your friends, your family, your countrymen: from this day on they will all be under my control whether they like it or not.¡±

    The woman leaned close to Matthew, pushing her tongue less than an inch away from his face before pulling it back.

    ¡°You know Baronia, so many people question my rule. They think they deserve ¡®better¡¯, but they don¡¯t realize that better doesn¡¯t exist. Do you think Pyora is better? Because I¡¯ll tell you this, we have everything within our grasps. For now, just sit pretty you cutie pies.¡±

    Matthew wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, he wanted to say or do anything, but his body wouldn¡¯t budge. All he could do was think. As he watched the world spin around, he saw his friends, clearly under the same control.

    ¡°Matthew, I love.¡± Was the last thing Sarah could utter before her lip were sealed shut. ¡°Sorry Matt.¡± Eric had briefly defied the mind control for he too was silenced. Brian merely trembled assuming before his body stood unerring. Jessica had begun to cry but had halted immediately. Adriana merely lowered her head in shame before having it raised back up.

    Just as things seemed bleak, the knight watched in pure hellish anguish as his girlfriend, the woman he loved for four years, was covered in black sludge. Her silhouette was completely devoured and transformed by the tar before it dispersed and revealed an abomination of a devil creature. It¡¯s arms, legs, torso, waist, and everything else were misshapen and oddly proportioned. The arms were long and thick, the legs tinny and thin, the waist slim and the torso fat, the head thinning out and looking too small for the broad shoulders it sat on.

    As Matthew marched forward to be next, his mind filled with a few thoughts before his world went dark.

    Father, Aunt Shelly...Lucille¡­I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m failed you all. I was the queen¡¯s pawn. I should have listened to you all and left. Now everyone¡¯s going to be a mindless puppet and it¡¯s all my fault.