"Met any luck with deciphering the text?" A male voice asked through a [Thought Transfer Orb], the latter used to communicate over any distance while bound by the same mana wind current.
"None, the letters aside, how it's written is nearly impossible to understand." A man, his face hidden by a cowl, dressed in a black robe without any embellishments, said with a hint of anger, his right hand, one covered in a scale-covered gauntlet throwing away a scroll he had been holding in it.
"I see, so not even you found anything. There have been talks about it being anything, even some attempt to communicate with us from the other side. What do you, the only remaining Grand Wizard of the Darkness, have to say?" The voice from the orb asked.
"Without the original, I can only say what I didn't find. Maybe with the one that fell from the [Portal], you will get some better answers." The cloaked man responded. Then, as his armored hand landed on the orb, he half-growled, "And now, don't bother me anymore."
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The scroll unfurled on the ground, and anyone could see the strange letters on it. Strange ones for anyone on [Lieade], but for someone who knows English?
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Before anything, I should probably introduce myself to the ones to read this. My real name is Luke, Luke Greenwood. And while I can't say I am the worst parasite of all, it is probably that no one knows that name. On the other hand, my journalist handle, aero, which changed to Luft after some shit, should be more known to the ear (or eye, in this case).
Born in the countryside to a pretty affluent family, I wasn't anything special when compared to some of the people from my generation and surroundings. My grades were decent, and being likable enough, I met no trouble until high school, or should I say, until calling orientation.
To the question - "What do you plan to do in the future?" - I could hardly manage anything but a blank stare.
In all truth, I never thought about my future, not until that day. With my family owning a decently-sized car shop, I expected to finish the obligatory schooling and live it easy until I inherited the business. But when asked, I started thinking, was it really what I wanted to do for all my remaining days, months, and years?
I will not say that I quickly found my calling, as it wasn't so. It was a long search. And it took me to six colleges, varying majors each time. Yet, in the end, I seemingly found it, journalism. Better said, the part of it that is called investigative journalism.
While writing about other people may appear boring to some, it was more like (for me) learning about their lives and deeds, all while uncovering the truth that happened and was concealed. To spend one's time establishing something in a foolproof way.
All that stuff ended up being far more interesting than I expected.
Relating my ups and downs will probably take more than the few pages I have planned for my first entry in this [Record], so I will merely mention how it ended.
Two years ago, I ended up in the OMG (Online Media Group), leading one of their most-read publications, Investigations. From dispelling fears of aliens to finding out what really happened in some coup of some country that half the readers didn't place on the map, I dedicated myself to each possible topic.
And while I never believed in stuff like being spirited away, a sudden string of disappearances (later verified to be related to illegal affairs) put me in contact with Mr. Shiro, Shiro Asahi. This latter was a half-scholar, half-detective, one who using his keen mind and good connections, was renowned not only in Japan but nearly all of the east for solving different cases concerning missing people.
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Shiro Asahi was a grounded person, who didn't really believe in the legends of his homeland, yet he ended up examining some strange, with no leads, cases. And for one of this latter, he ended up asking me to publish his findings, to try and find any leads outside his scope of influence.
Ioann Voors. A 26 years old male from Europe who ended up disappearing while taking a commuter train to Fukuoka, Japan. The subject was a bit special, though, as a journal had appeared just three days after his disappearance, starting what I called the saga of Lindar, a supposed case of being transported to a different world.
I am unsure how many people who read this will be aware of the story I published and the one I own my firing from OMG. But in short, the young man was abducted from the world, from Earth, by no one else than a real Goddess. By the moment I stopped writing, the reasons for such I will reveal after, Lindar (as he chose to call himself) was taking his first steps as the Apostle of a Goddess named Sepyre on a fantasy-like world called [Lieade].
Even now, I can't say what pushed me to believe all I learned from Lindar's notes. But the result is easy to state, I ended up believing in the Goddess that abducted him - Sepyre.
***
On my last day on Earth, despairing from losing my credibility, even if I never lied when posting the "outlandish" story about Lindar, I did the same as I had for the last week - I prayed to the unknown, nearly-imagined Goddess. After that, I went to sleep, fast asleep thanks to the half-bottle of whisky I drowned.
I went to sleep on Earth but opened my eyes somewhere else, of that I was obvious, as there was no way for my loft to suddenly change sizes and get a bedroom the size of a decently-sized house. The bed I was on also changed, as the one I was on when I awoke was probably the size of three king-size ones!
"I welcome you to My space, a human who wished to leave the confines of Earth." A young female voice entered my ears, even if there was no one but me in the enormous, luxurious room.
"Am I dreaming? Or has my fantasy come true?" I remember asking no one before rolling out of bed and kneeling on the marble-like floor, "If it is you, Goddess, then I thank you for accepting my desire."
"At least you do know about manners." That was the answer I got. Then I felt my mind as if touched by unseen, ethereal hands.
***
Since I first appeared in that strange room, and until I left it, sent to gym-like, arena-like, library-like spaces, days passed. I never counted them. For me, my life only started once again as I saw the Goddess I had decided to pray to, with no real reason.
She looked as Lindar had described her, almost. The beautiful face, long hair, and light tan of her skin were present, but neither her dress nor her expressions were the same as I had read.
A black, leathery attire more akin to a demon from fantasy than to some benevolent Goddess covered her figure from head to toe. Plus, a light smirk (not a smile!) as the Goddess observed my attempt at a pious bow. Nothing like the image I had formed from the descriptions.
Then... she talked to me. And presented me with several options for how I could serve her. There was no asking and good-natured prodding as Lindar described, only the offer to accept or decline. But there was a reason for it. After all, didn't she already state that there would be only one Apostle of hers?
"I will accept the one that serves you more, all in exchange for what I desire." Such was my decision, and I still stand by it. Even now, when I understand that with a different choice, I could have ended somewhere better.
"I see, then it will be so. Live, complete your task, die, and be reborn as the one you desire." Sepyre sealed our deal with a nod, and a moment later, I felt how my body began to float.
"Go forth, obtain the strength, and give both my Apostle and that world what they require." She continued as I felt my mind going blank...