Wow, who knew watching the past can drain your energy of happiness (or mental health, as Dad and Wind call it)? I don't know how much I want to stop after seeing Origia's troubles with her mission. Yet, I want to not only finish my [Hidden Quest], but for two additional reasons.
1. To see if what I guessed about the creation of [Signs] is true.
2. To see if Origia conquers everyone's beliefs that the gods would never come back.
It feels a little nerdy of me to practically react to some scenes that only happened in the game's lore, but I'm not ashamed of it and I'm not letting anyone say otherwise. Origia reminds me of myself and if it wasn't for Wind and his friends, I wouldn't have a reason to move forward and be myself.
Right now, the scene is now showing some sort of a montage where Origia is experimenting with the theory that she (and I) theorized. Not only am I watching it so I might find some details, but it gives me time to calm down from witnessing that tear-jerking scene. Honestly, I don't know if it might work in practice. But thinking about it, it makes kind of sense. One rune, one character. It's no different from what I know in real life. Either way, it's only a matter of time until I witness that event very soon.
And it only takes one time skip to let me see all of it to reality.
----------------------------------------
I'm now standing on a cliff where the largest church is perched. According to Origia, this place doubled as a border between the messengers and the then-dangerous world of
Either way, I watch her walk near the edge with her staff in hand. I’m expecting her to wear something fancy for the occasion. But instead, she is only wearing her usual white dress. Except she is also wearing some kind of a belt with a small pouch, white and gray boots, and a white headband. I'm surprised since I'm expecting her to wear something daring as a sign of plot or character development. Although, I feel like it sounds a bit biased and unnecessary if I think about it. I’ve read some fantasy novels outside Sereph (including some of Hayate and Zac's) and I’ve seen so many of them to the point that I'm kind of bored with them. So this looks good enough, I guess.
Fantasy story tropes aside, I watch Origia staring into the sky as her father approaches behind her.
[Are you sure about this, Origia? You said this spell may cost you a lot of Mana you have within you,] her father asks with worry in his voice.
[True. But in exchange, I can send it while minimizing the cost at the same time,] Origia answers. [I know it may exhaust all of my Mana, but it's a risk I can take if we want to end this era of suffering.] She looks down on the cliff and when I do the same, we see monsters roaming in some sort of a canyon. I see several warriors trying to defeat a monster that appears to look like a [Wild Bear] or a [Terror Werewolf]. [It's time for the gods to open their eyes. I'm not going to do so by force. But I want them to finally see the current state of the world so they can finally own up and end this punishment that has been lingering for many years.]
[But you also invited most of the messengers here. If your Master hears about this...]
Origia sighs. [I know. Master Protegio will not approve of my methods and my friends will hate me if this goes all wrong. But I want to give them hope. Ignoring the situation is only hurting them more and I want to show them that it is possible to keep praying.]
She then places her hands on her father's and gazes into his blue eyes. [If anything happens to me, please don't blame anyone or yourself. If it's my fate to fail for my transgressions, then I will bear that responsibility.]
Before I know it, I turn around and see the messengers arrive with them staring at Origia and her father. From the looks on their faces, some of them are angry, some are frowning at what she was about to do, and some including her friends were worried about her.
[I should get started, father.] Origia slowly backs away from him. [It is time.]
Her father nods and silently walks away from his daughter to join the crowd. I gulp, knowing this is the scene I've been waiting for.
[Origia! What is the meaning of this?! Calling us into the grand church just to see your attempts to pray for the gods despite our warnings! Don't you know the grave situation we're in right now?!]
Yikes. I haven’t seen Protegio mad ever since this flashback started. Though it makes sense since I see the monsters about to climb the border wall. Yet, I notice her take a deep breath as Origia turns to her audience.
[I'm aware, Master. But before you can call my actions heresy, I need you to watch. No, I need you all to watch my prayer! 90 years have passed since the gods abandoned us for the punishment of the inhabitants' sins of creating the great war that ravaged these lands! And now, it's time we end this era of suffering and despair!] Origia declares.
[Don't be foolish, child!] One of the elder messengers interrupts. [We have spent almost a millennia trying to call out the gods. At this point, they have already abandoned this world and we’ve already accepted the facts. All you are doing is humiliating yourself in this farce. Why don't you stop it before you do something that would ruin the image of the messengers?]
Yikes. It seems that not all of the messengers were happy and carefree. That has to be the most painful callout I ever heard before. And I don't think Origia is happy about it, too.
[Image?! Do you think the image we want to be is to give up our original mission and let ourselves participate in this senseless violence we tried to avoid after the gods gave the punishment to the inhabitants?!] She screams. [If I know any better, all of you gave yourselves despair by giving up the only thing we have to communicate with the gods! My mother died from [Mana Exhaustion] and yet, she never gave up praying! She knew it would kill her in the end, but she did so not only for me but also for the sake of this world we cherished! You may everything we do to bring the gods back was hopeless in the end, but I believe otherwise. The gods will listen to us! I believe prayers aren't enough. I believe that we missed something. Something that shows that the world of our blessed creator needs to heal!]
[And how do you suppose to do so, child?! A mere letter containing little Mana won't gain the gods' attention back to us!]
Origia takes a deep breath and says, [I know. But a single rune will.]
I was expecting her to explain more about it. But it seems like she's going to show instead of telling them. She looks like she was riding on her theory to make it work. I think I know how history would happen, but seeing it through this flashback would be more nerve-wracking to see than reading it.
She raises her staff in the air as I watch Mana gather around the white gemstone on its tip. Looking closely, it resembles a fountain pen with its tip being the gem. And it seemed like she was trying to write in the air rather than waving her staff around. I can feel butterflies in my stomach as I watch this event unfold. A rune-like character is written in the sky. Then it starts to expand. Strokes, lines, and shapes are drawn into it, resembling a Japanese Kanji or a Chinese character. My jaw drops as I watch this and it looks like everyone else is also stunned at this performance. I'm worried that the elders might interrupt it following their complaints. Yet, they slowly become shocked at what they saw just like me and the messengers.
Eventually, she finished writing (or drawing, I think?) the strange rune in the air. It looked like a paper or a stone tablet from its rectangular shape, but the inside of the rune seemed to be resembling an eight-pointed star with four circles on each corner, and two split antenna-like ends sticking on top and bottom of the rune.
[What in
[It resembles a rune character for "call". But it doesn't look like one.]
Then she starts writing another kind of rune, this time, a star combined with a cross of some sort. After she does, she tosses it right next to the first rune as they float toward the sky. Honestly, I don't know what both of them mean, but they seem to glow very brightly, and knowing they were made from Origia's Mana, they seem to possess some kind of power. But just as she is about to write another one, me and the other messengers gasp as we watch her suddenly collapse on the ground. This causes her father and some of her friends to run to her side to help her.
[Origia!] Her father calls out as he caught her in his arms.
[Just how much Mana are you pumping into those strange Runes, Origia?!] Calamum asks. [There's no way you're going to run out over a few of them.]
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
[A-Actually, I made them with an amount on par with an offensive spell,] Origia answers, causing Calamum and the messengers to gasp again. [I-Is it too much?]
[Too much?! You're using offensive-level Mana for a bunch of scribbles you call "runes"! Stop this instant before you exhaust yourself!] Protegio orders. [That's an order!]
[Not only did you waste our time with this unnecessary performance, but you have gone too far with your useless glyphs!] The same elder who criticized her shouts. [You have done a disservice to the g-]
[Do you expect the gods to punish me even if they are not here anymore?!] Origia screams, causing everyone around me to grow silent. [I know this will kill me, but I'm doing what my mother has started! You kept the traditions our ancestors started, but that's only because of our blessed
Everyone gasps again. I didn't expect her to make that declaration. She really is serious about her lifelong mission to save everyone.
[Are you mad?! Are you planning to abandon the gods over your heresy?!]
[Yes,] Origia bluntly answers. [I now know all of you are not willing to continue over your self-preservation. But if it means following my mother's path, I will call out to the gods again even if it takes all of my Mana...]
[No, Origia.]
Just when I think the surprises will end there, Calamum suddenly stands up and walks up to Origia's side. [We are going to use all of our Mana to finish it.]
Judging from the shocked expression on her face, it looks like Origia wasn't expecting that twist as well.
[Y-Young Calamum!] The elder messenger exclaims in shock. [What is the meaning of this?!]
[Y-Yeah...!] Origia adds. [This is my responsibility, Calamum. You shouldn't...]
[I should, Origia! I honestly don't want to make it our problem for your sake. But with how you try to risk everything just to call out the gods by exhausting most of your Mana, I don't want to see you die like this!] Calamum quickly grabs Origia's hand. [Look, I'm sorry I didn't support your cause. But knowing how much you’ve dedicated yourself to the point of exhausting yourself over a letter, I would regret my inactions, if not for your father!]
I watch her eyes widened as I also realize what Calamum sai. [You...knew about that incident?]
Her father then steps up and says, [I'm sorry, dear. But I know you won't give up if you continue doing this on your own, so I divulged the incident to your friends and let them know of the strange theory you came up with.]
[Dad...] This time, Origia's jaw drops before she turns to see the rest of her friends approaching her. [I-I'm trying not to be a burden to you all with my theories being labeled as heresy and nonsensical. I-I just... I don't...]
[Enough, Origia. We're already here now and we're not letting our friend die of [Mana Exhaustion] over a strange prayer you made,] another one of her friends calls out. [Now that we know everything you're about to do, we want to be in it so you won't hurt yourself.] My eyes widen to see them taking out their own pen-like staffs from out of nowhere. [Just tell us what to do. We'll be with you no matter what they say.]
[Guys... Calamum...] She sniffles as she looks at her friends. [Thank you...]
[You better owe us for this, Origia. If you're willing to fall, then we're falling together,] Calamum declared as he raised his staff. [It's your call, Origia.]
Origia nods and smiles at her friends. Looking at this now, they remind me of Zac and Damon. They’ve had their doubts about me, but they support me along with Wind no matter what kind of craziness I'm in.
[Great Elder, Master Protegio. Please let her continue the ritual. This time, we're going to help her and even if you say otherwise, we're joining her decision to exile.]
The elders gasp at their declaration. I'm guessing they didn't expect the power of friendship to power their decision. [Do you dare go against...]
[Enough!]
What the?! I was expecting someone like Origia's father to stop them. But I didn't expect Protegio of all messengers would speak up in their defense.
[I have heard enough. I'm aware of our decisions of stagnation and I know we're prioritizing our safety for the sake of the messengers,] Protegio says. [However, as I see my pupil's eyes, they remind me of her mother's. She cared about our kind, yet she is willing to expand it to the whole world itself. Her dedication to them led them to hope rather than salvation in this trying time and it's because of her that the messengers still have a purpose.]
[B-But, Master Protegio...!]
[No more excuses! I now see banning our right to pray for the gods makes us no different than cowards. I think it's time we let the new generation decide the fate of this world.]
I can see Protegio turning and looking at Origia. I guess he came around after he learned of her reasons and determination to stop the despair plaguing the lands.
[Thank you, Master. I won't let you down.] Origia then faces her friends and then the cliffside. [Follow my lead, everyone.]
To my surprise, her friends join in drawing the same runes Origia made while everyone else watches the world-changing event happening in front of them. Unlike with Origia alone, the elders remain silent while watching with the rest of the messengers. Everything else is silent except for the hums from their staves and the voices of children somehow enjoying drawing runes in the sky.
[Is this okay, Origia?] One of her friends asks.
[Yeah. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just try to copy the strokes and image I made and don't inject too much Mana that is unnecessary for the rune.]
I smile as I watch her coached her friends. She really is like me. Origia was willing to take risks to create an idea into a reality and she never gave up despite everyone going against her dreams. I'm guessing that I might run into some trouble after the [Hidden Quest], but that's the fun of [Isekai Online]. You discover something new, you create something new, and you will show something new to the world. I want to be like her and I want to decide for myself without relying on Wind too many times. This is what I want for my future and when I turn thirteen for my birthday.
But just as I can declare this, I notice that all of the runes are done and they are now floating in the sky alongside Origia's.
[Is that all we need, Origia?] Calamum asks.
[Not yet. I may need to write one more rune.] Origia raises her staff and starts drawing a new one between the tablet and the star-cross rune. [The first one represents our call to the gods. The more runes we write, the more they will notice. And the star one represents our plea to them. To come back to us in our time of need.]
My eyes widen as I see what she drew last. It is a rune shaped like a five-pointed star with four strange strokes on four indents between the points.
[The last one represents the end and the beginning. Most of the world has already atoned for their sins and it's time we end this world of suffering. And we can't do it until we have the presence of the gods to help us create a new beginning.] Once she finishes them, Origia waves her staff and all of the runes, including the one she drew last, fly up in the sky until they become twinkling stars. [This is the true prayer we need. The sign of the new hope.]
I can see everyone was too speechless to witness the runes flying off. I don't know how they will reach their recipients. But at least there was no one to doubt her. I think.
[Is that enough to make them listen?] Calamum asks. [What if they don't understand those strange runes we made?]
Origia hummed as she placed her hands together on her chest. [I know they will. I researched the ancient runes and tried combining them based on the meanings and representations of the elements around us. Those very same runes were the ones the banished gods created alongside
Now I understand why she read those books during the montage. It seems like knowing some existing runes might be one of the requirements needed for what I'm searching for. Before I can guess more about it, I quickly witness Origia gasping before she collapses. However, her father quickly caught her before she hit the ground. [D-Dad...]
[Don't speak further, Origia,] her father says. [You have done enough for us today.]
[He's right, Ori. You need a lot of rest,] Calamum adds. [We can't let you exhaust your mana any longer.]
[Dad... Calamum...] She sighs as she looks around to see the messengers gathered around them. [Thanks for helping me. And thank you for believing in me.]
Protegio slowly approaches behind them. [Either way, I'm just glad you didn't exhaust yourself. I couldn't imagine losing my pupil's daughter to the same fate as her own mother.]
Origia chuckles and says, [You know me. I got her reckless determination after all.]
Huh... I guess all's well that ends well. I'm glad that they got along after everything. I was hoping that things would end well, but then...
[Hey, look! I saw some stars coming towards us!] One of the messengers called out. [And... They bear the same colors as the Gods of Light and Darkness!]
Seriously?! I look up along with the messengers and see white and purple stars coming toward us. Everyone gasps and chatters at the sudden appearances of what we presumed to be gods.
[Oh my...] Protegio mutters. [I can't believe my eyes. After 90 years, the stars of the light and darkness return to our world.]
[Yeah...] Origia looks up as the stars get closer to us. [I can't believe it either, but they are here.]
Me neither. I'm expecting this flashback is going to end right here, but it seems like it isn't over as the stars quickly stop near the cliffside. Just before I can say something, I hear voices coming out from them.
[We have heard your prayers,] a woman's voice echoes from the white star. [Although we're amazed to see several runes created from ones we made in the past.]
[Who is responsible for those runes?] a male's voice echoes from the purple star. [We must know the messenger who has broken the rules of the runes to create their own!]
...Rules? Wait, there are rules to using runes in this world?!
[It's me, your graces.]
And Origia simply admits it?! Why do I have a bad feeling about this?!
Before I can figure it out, another white light suddenly blinds me as everything seems to disappear.