COI C82
The event is over and the party slowly disperse as everyone is taking their time elsewhere. The contestants received the reward for the best fighter and the best rule maker. Even though the candidates were not here but they will send the prize tomorrow or so. They hear that the Agathean people won, a non-demon for once and he is the person not known from the Isekai City. It’s probably the performance that person did during the finale. The other winner is the Rogue’s rule with her cinematic fight play. It was entertaining but stressful to the fighters, but better than Heist’s rule. Mindless and predictable, it is mostly to have advantages against specific fighters. In the end, they give the rewards away.
The Authoritarians are going to the meeting room with as he is surprised how much fun to see that event. Short and quick, but not as intense as long fights. The man sits with them, as they have their last night with an important meeting. The elf leader didn’t join, but the rest are sitting down to have a chat. Total of six leaders, neither Enders nor Purissars seated among them. The guest is not pleased to see not meeting with the Enders. Their private interference made him want to question their actions.
One of the leaders welcome the guest. “It’s been a long time since the Archaic had given your new government with hostility”
The goblin leader speaks to him as if the demon is in their side now, yet their Hordechief still say low things about them. The other leader ceased his intrusive response
“This is not the matter how he is here to be insulted, but the dangers of the Jigeram. Including the access to the old functioning ruins on their west riverbank”
“Not to mention their traitors return to the city, or was there a negotiation that you allow them to come in . . .? Mayor’s Advisor”
The man who housed arrest the previous mayor, now holding into factions that the populous didn’t know. Three factions emerge since the barrier was made, a truce since the beginning. Now thanks to the Jigeram, the reveal that shows that made the situations forcing others to solve it with any means. The Authoritarians already know his plan from the start, these made great work to figure out the continuing crime events. Trying to test everything they can to prepare the unknown villain of this city. The dwarf leader wasn’t pleased by this
“How long will you hide this divide from your own people?”
The advisor can’t say, but this misunderstanding grew big because of how this city are all connected somehow. It wasn’t good guys vs bad guys, but the same people who still hate their own people about staying here. Being a hypocrite who plans to stay it was his and his allies’ idea, he had to share this plan among these ambassadors/authoritarian/leaders in front of him.
“I know my situation won’t be any good, but do you know about the foundation can be used separately?”
“Not anymore, you humiski” The goblin leader didn’t show any proper answer but the obvious is there.
The demon in disguised lit up her presence. “Even though disguising myself as an elf then fight that man cat, I could say about the foundation. It is impossible as of now. The link is shared. Supposed to be the only one who could access it was decided through my Archaic and the other city states leaders. However, its weakness to share among others when the first accessor decided to hand it over”
The advisor hears that point over again through their separate research. They take advantage one of the Enders to study it. Found out that the foundation is as frail but easily controllable. The leaders had repeat what that the researchers told them.
“The link shared whomever is foreigner on this world or anything that they can trace back to their original world through bloodline. The conditions are sensitive to the point that all must follow, however the reality of those people have ludicrous amount of mana within them. They can hide to those who are wanting to trap the people on this world. All of them shared the same mana and consequences held on to those who want to split among themselves. In the end, that was not the case. The only example is the first escapees are the Soulfate of men, but legends told that only one whole stay”
The advisor asks “One whole?”
“It is defined as a hybrid being consist of one body but many souls inside of it. If it decided to spread it, we don’t know how many they are, tens, hundreds, it will surprise you”
“As a demon, I have witnessed it. Take note here Mayor’s advisor, this is only an assumption. They somehow escape but leaving one behind, it is certain that the exodus on that foundation truly open the gate of their original world. One time use, limited time, and unpredictable stability once active. That lone Soulfate of man probably who were left behind, gathered them all into one. I believe those were didn’t make it but forced themselves back into one”
The warnings coming back to the advisor’s head. One time use only, no testing, last chance for how long it lasts. And if it doesn’t maintain to teleport them all of them back home, then they are trap here forever. The mayor kept saying this to the sidelines for how long they are in power. He lost his position to keep it a secret, and the people who are chosen to control the foundation split or passed down to the other. The advisor remembered it well, the only accessor spread to everyone but not enough to open the Foundation. Because of that, that’s when many revolted in the inside as one of them who have the piece of the key to decide a mutiny.
The demon leader, former demon elf, is already reading his mind as she is sent this thought to Lady Hivites. Lurking and hearing the thoughts of the man tries to separate her and the mayor, the ploy put her into a concerning manner. The lady thinks
“This would take longer than I thought, the idea spread the mana to power up the foundation is one thing but to those who are chosen are the other. Deep breathe* I only wish it would be simple”
She remembers the foundation when she touched it, someone is interfering them from leaving. It surely dies out as they try to force it and the risk for only one time made it complicated.
They need to find right people to be the last people to enter and not quickly suck into the foundation by accident. The lady says to her subordinate
“Ask him about the people who are to gate keep the foundation”
The demon leader speaks out “About the foundation, how many of them steal the keys or rights to control it?”
The advisor had already known about it, but it was reverse. He is looking for the people who can escape first instead of them as their last plan. The fix key to leave this world first, the most trusted, the person who will start it up while the others will hold the gateway if the first chosen caught into it.
The research found out that those chosen people are still alive and the first key is the starter to open it. If his group managed to get the hold of the first key, it will be their last choice of options if the world is against them. The man responds
“Far too many . . .”
The dwarf leader slams his hand on the table “Far too many, the gods already see through the foundation”
The other leaders also comment about it. “Yes, we already know it is can be use right now but it won’t last long as what we expected”
“The reason why it was too many because none of you at the start had the control your mana, it will cause problem when the one opens it suddenly returned home”
“And all it ended when everyone lost their mana. It will be difficult, but a hundred of thousands of you people cannot hold that gateway open”
The demon leader hears her lady once more. ““Far too many” I heard enough. Proceed to summarize what problems that the city had now, the man is holding those people as hostage or tribute to us”
“My lady!? That’s too much of an accusation”
“Believed me, you will never know how much everyone will become a villain once their opportunity is up. Unlike us, we are all enemies in the very beginning, they let us do our thing until their turn is next”
The demon leader let this unresolved topic to wait.
The advisor had brought up the topics are needed of help. The realm incident was the cause of these leaders to help them, using this situation as a negotiating tool for the upcoming trade in the near future. The elf leader knows about the trade and the Enders are already setting business with them. Those leaders from Mountaiwall and Agatheus City are setting up their business while the other leaders have more something to fix other than economy.
Beneath the surface where the underground vacant house lies, Sanquin carries Heist to his room as the other adventurers watch them ironically ending their date tonight. Heist was defeated and the potion affecting him from Sanquin’s request. Heist has little to no energy left, leaving only for him to speak. It was hard for the both of them, but she shows her expression to his friends. Ruby picks up to her what left off
“Hey! Did you talk out of it?”
“He has his mistakes, but at least both of us are having fun”
“Yeah, well we want something to ask from you”
“Hmm? Ok . . .”
Heist lies down on his bed with the other adventurers, he keeps looking at her as he is at lost. One date and he get himself down to the point of drama on one single night. He said,
“I know I can’t find anyone who is mature as you”
“I know (she rubs his head) Our culture is too different and customs won’t fit this lively city”
As she left, one of the adventurers brutally said to him “Falling in love with a demon, if you got some nerve to make her happy when she outlived you”
Heist softly laughs “You didn’t know, anything this world is possible, you have to sacrifice yourself to . . . on second thought, you’re right”
Heist looks up to the ceiling with nothing for his tired expression to show his sadness, not from her rejection, but envy to see a woman is genuinely trying to show both of them having a good time. He continues
“I am going to sleep, let’s talk about it tomorrow”
“Sure, but you miss the architecture of this place”
“Don’t care, I am happy that I have come to his island”
His eyes closed and quickly snores, the adventurer looks at him as he brought the video of him during the rumble.
“I don’t how many girls you’ll get after that performance you made earlier. Say you guys, do you think making our own duels”
“I preferred in game fighting like Tekken or Street fighter, both entertaining and easy for the eyes . . .”
Sanquin sits around with the girls, a room that is suited for the elves. Ruby sees Gemina walks into them as she kept herself looking around this indoor garden.
“You guys, you’ve got to see the interiors. There’s an artificial sun and moon inside of this place”
“Not now, I have something to talk about with Sanquin”
Sanquin looks to her surrounding, nothing but female adventurers around her. They are here with their home clothes, Gemina was the only one still wearing her adventurer’s clothing until she uses her UI. Quickly changing her clothes like the others.
Their wondering eyes stared on her as the silence swept in the motion of the immersive garden. Ruby says to her
“When will U’ecin coming back?”
“Pardon?”
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“Sorry, I wasn’t mentioning about your date. Girls were side track on the mood but seriously . . . When will he be coming back?”
Sanquin didn’t get it what they said and then she saw Ironno comes to their group.
“Personally, we have someone like him helping us in the city. Other than that, there is a specific someone who can hunt down people we mostly hated”
They turn to Ruby “Our friend here has information of certain suspects and . . .”
Sanquin quickly realizes it “You mean the bastards”
“Bastards . . .?”
“Sorry, the people you wanted to take them down”
“I don’t think I’m getting at what you said”
Sanquin already know. U’ecin is known for as an old huntsman, in his forties but one good one, she didn’t know when they were collaborated, but there are certain crimes she sensed around the city was full humiliation and flat out creepy. She wants to ask how those people become that way, to lesser for the demon commit and be arrogant for little things. They quickly straight back to the topic.
“. . . I see, then that certain someone help you find the target. Care to share to me how did you guys managed to have contact with them”
Ironno shows her the item, a dark green dot and nothing else.
“Connections to some sort, but better not know who they are”
“Come on mister, do you think she would understand with that piece of cloth?”
“It’s fine, the less I know would be better for me. Most proof always given an item to show something big”
“Yeah, anyway about U’ecin”
“Sure, honestly. He wasn’t supposed to stay here because of his opinion on you people”
“But he looks rather fine when ask him to do stuff”
“You mean it concludes harming a specific person. He won’t be coming back after his quest”
They felt down as they were feeling safe when he was there. Ruby and Gemina are starting to have some progress during this selfish question. Silfa comes in with her younger sister and a friend
“Enough of that hitman crap, I am just glad the police are making progress to apprehend them instead of the going through the manhunt”
“You have to handle to him though, he made a good impression to those gangs when going near innocent people”
The conversation ends as they hear what they wanted, but murmurs through as if they have something in mind.
Only people are left now are Sanquin, Ironno, Ruby, Gemina, Silfa, Joanne, and Joanne’s friend. Ironno had met him before
“Is your defensive magic dome improved?”
“Wait, you still remember me?”
“Haw did his best to help you, but I did watch all of you tried to hunt those . . . elks”
“Yeah, nervous laughing*, I was hoping you forgotten about it”
Joanne bumps the shield student. “Don’t acted you didn’t know? Have you already asking them for help?”
“I did”
Sanquin heard it and Ironno hears it from Haw “We know, for this boy in the middle of situation that the rumors spread quickly”
Joanne gets worried “I know too, the people he knows are one of the defectors. They are trying to frame him and his uncle”
Sanquin turns to Ironno “Where’s Haw?”
“He went back to Mihayara district”
The adventurers were flustered “Did he just left knowing that he has problem? In a single night”
The complaints riled up as soon as Sanquin silenced them. The look of her eyes stood dead straight serious as their mana boils within them. They feel it, then the doll appeared and doused off the heat. Silfa reacts
“Puma, great timing”
“Puma?”
Ironno looks at Sanquin how serious her eyes are, she said to them in response
“If you know about him and his past. I don’t care if you ill words about him. Be sure to understand neither of us all have the same lawful terms you expect us to act”
The shield student realized “You mean he has to muffle*”
Sanquin controls his mouth using his own mana. The twisted sudden reaction of her eyes put them a critical feeling of forced.
“I honestly hate Haw for being that way too. To other side of the story, I have never seen him angry”
She lets him speak “Angry? Is he angry for me?”
Ironno explains to him “Think of it as personal, kid. I was wondering too if his past life is coming back to him”
Back to the topic, the shield student finally admitted to be part of the Raker Mawn Guild but remain residing the place he lived as of now. Silfa and Joanne broke off their calm posture.
“Ok that’s not what we agreed, he becomes a member not a gang member”
“Yeah, what my sister just said”
“It’s fine you guys. At least I have option when everything hits the fan”
Sanquin calmly replied “It would be fine. You’ll be surprised for tomorrow. Your weekends will be having busy days when you are a recruit. I hope your school would not having troubles with you”
The new member, the shield student, stared at her with her strict gaze as the other adventurers watch them. Ironno sets himself aside as this is must be what Sanquin expected to do. A sweep of her feet while she sits down and a tap of her footings, the shield student who lacks mana control feel the strong presence of her power as he kneels down. Joanne reacted
“Whoa, what happened to you?”
“She puts me down out of nowhere, guys, do you feel her magic coursing through me?”
Gemina tries to grab him by the shoulder but one magic jolt link between them, she too kneels down.
Gemina feels Sanquin’s power already merging with the shield student. Speaking aloud as she complaints
“What are you doing?! Your magic is spreading to this kid”
Sanquin responds “He is our new recruit. This is my way how to make this meeting personal for him”
“Ugh, personal . . . Hey kid, you should complain too . . .?”
The shield bows down as he was kneeling. Everyone looks to him as he accepts this kind of interaction. The adventurers’ eyes gaze in shock. Silfa can’t bear to see him acting that way, when she is about to say something, the ground erupted with strong mana being uplifted.
The shield student places his hand on the ground to descend the mana from Sanquin’s to flow through the garden, the garden starts to react from her mana mix with his. It grows and changes colors, the blooms, the stems, and the leaves grew into different plants as it went on. Sanquin sees his response as she let the magic flow through the garden. The adventurers can’t believe their eyes as everything around them changes where Sanquin’s mana surging through the shield student. Now words to respond to it but kept them to themselves as Gemina broke free from the control.
The shield student stands up and see how he breaks away from her control and said,
“I can’t believe I did that”
Joanne asks “What did you do?”
“I can feel her mana for a minute ago. I can’t say much but she let it go once I was able to control it”
“!!! Controlling a demon’s mana”
“Well, she let me . . . Cough* Damn that immense power I can’t seem to control what it can do”
Sanquin answers him “It’s because you can’t control what it already made to do. This garden around you become healthy and filled with different aspects of plants thrived. It harms you because you are no plant”
They look at the garden one more time as she controls it once again, the garden blooms dim as it gets dark, changes colors once more. The look of its theatric visionary leaving them in awe, meanwhile Ironno sweats as the sight of the garden is now full control by this heavenly demon. Sanquin said to him
“As a new recruit, I need something of you to recognize first about our guild. I know it is late but I’ll be leaving soon enough. Sit where you stand as I need to finish this quick”
The shield student looks around as he is nothing to sit on, her strict gaze put him down. The ground pulls out a chair as he immediately sits, he was surprised.
“Let’s begin, you are the second member from your city to join Raker Mawn Guild and Enders Bridge altogether. Training is near impossible to do without experience the dangers happened in this world. You will learn the impossibility that your city had never experience before and someday wield the items of archscience equipment, bear in mind that the people may accept you but not personally likes you. You will soon learn when the first member will see you if both of you see each other between your city and ours. Any questions or I’ll proceed”
They didn’t respond, the garden is becoming a threat after she finished, Sanquin casts a spell project the people who ventured through the west coast to this city, it is when the day the rumors about staying, also the invitation of the city sates leaders, and lastly weeks after the incident. Remnants of the disaster where Haw stands before the caravan in ruins, remains never recovered except the bodies. The adventurers try to interfere of her graphic imagery but the others stop them. Ruby said to them
“What do you expect that kid to join them? There is no way Enders Bridge is safe from what I heard”
They hesitated and continue to watch.
Sanquin and the other female guildmembers move pass it and place the camp near the road. Meanwhile Myrrkei and guildmember observed the incident, the adventurers recognized almost half of them. Haw, Ironno, Sanquin, Myrrkei (the rat), and a special surprised as they spoke out his name.
“Voldemyr!?”
Sanquin smiles a bit to hear that lone veteran, she said, “I guess you meet him outside of the city”
Silfa responds “One of the rare occurrences that he had taken the defectors and brought them here, they are now imprisoned in the police jailhouse, alive”
Voldemyr, a man with experience and thus easily defeat the citizen’s overpowered gifts. U’ecin should be his equal but he judged them according to his own. For him to be actually reconsidered among these women to be eyeing on him with different purpose or was it because Voldemyr wasn’t here, it would lead to different results. She pondered long enough as she directs the projection on Voldemyr’s point of view. Where they stand is the place of mystery, where they sense ominous power. Other guildmembers look at the other ruined remains, and Daygen instructs the idlers to watch out for any strays.
Voldemyr is with three other magic users, Sanquin and two unknown people. The adventurers look among the two as they recognized them as the Alga’s light shift away from the clouds. The dark green light brightens a bit by the reflection of the ocean, a strange phenomenon that they can’t comprehend but they clearly see them. It’s the woman with long magic scroll sash, the rat’s partner, both Ruby and Gemina feel the feeling of lost because of her multitude of magic in a single tiniest piece of scroll used. Then there is a new one they can’t recognize. She is short but amazingly has the same height as Voldemyr.
Sanquin said to the two magic casters “Curiosity will bolden the dangers, you two. Juela, Yui . . .”
“It’s Oue”
“. . . I don’t care, almost all of us failed pronouncing your Lady’s name. Are you really going to check, and see? The report already describe that it is indeed from demonic sources”
“I know, but I’m curious how did it managed to destroy an entire caravan worth of strong individuals. I’m lacking Myrrkei’s hypotheses and went straight to experimentation”
Juela stretches her scroll sashes “Was it because you surrounded with a strong team?”
Oue looks adorable of her lady like expression of not being amused, her looks are indeed given a youthful young girl. As the viewers shared the same reaction ‘cute’, Oue answered
“Haw was there, is he that strong?”
Voldemyr whistles along where Sanquin and Juela stared down at the two, they respond in insult than reason. Oue takes the bait as she looks up to them
“You guys . . .”
Sanquin didn’t say anything and Juela too, Oue’s self-esteem got bad because of her height. However, Sanquin murmured to each other
“They look like father and daughter”
As Voldemyr comforted her with his strict tone. “FOCUS, Yui! We need to finish this”
“Ok” She responds like his little girl.
Out of a blue, a sudden magic channel through Oue’s hands already capture the reminiscence of magic used. A portal opened link somewhere hidden through the region. She identifies it
“Hybrid magic, same as you Sanquin . . . Wait a minute, incoming familiars are responding in our way. EVERYONE . . . everyone?”
Oue looks at Juela and Sanquin already reacted and made a magic circle. Juela’s sashes cut into small pieces and the scrolls severed activated and expand into a long line around the magic circle. The monsters appeared, the same monsters that attack the caravan before. A large wave invertedly swallowed the mana around them.
Sanquin steps inside the circle and unleashed only a little bit of her own mana. It expanded indefinitely from Juela’s magic scrolls, she took her breath and blows slightly. An exquisite display as the magic circle erupts outward releasing the mana that it taken around them. The monsters consumed the mana as it breathes, their bodies quickly melted as they drawn out to the poison. Fell to the ground as another creature stepping on the ground invisible. Voldemyr takes his turn and brings out his ball and chain, and his hooks. Alone, without help, he throws it at the invisible monsters and pulled them closer to him.
Dragging them after few pulls. Oue turns away as he pulled out his crossbow with big clang sounds as it quickly reloaded, fires the damn thing and the screech of the invisible monster burst to the air. The monster is a ghost in its hideous form. Everyone else look among the guildmembers didn’t bat an eye what happened. They trust them so well that they look at it as their chores. The monsters’ remains, it still lurking and moving. Juela comes closer bring out some incenses, uses her magic to burn it with her finger tips then poke it on its bodies.
The body remains slowly faded into smoke as the incenses cleansed them off. Oue opens her eyes and see that it already been done. Sanquin look at the remnants of the magic used from the incident and said the same thing
“It’s still from demonic sources, have you have enough to see it for yourself?”
Oue looks around that she didn’t even need to use her powers, those two respond quickly and Voldemyr finishes off its secrets. She said to Sanquin
“Specters . . . that’s new”
Sanquin looks at her trying to make excuses and replies “This is not the old era where ghosts are a thing. All of us learn it when set foot on Rune Isles . . .”
Sanquin stops there and said to the Shield student. “You can see here, that defeating such creatures you are going to face someday will be your job too”
The adventurers didn’t know about it and ask her, especially Silfa “There are more than just living monsters, the monster died, a spirit appeared after it was killed, then its remained start twitching”
The others remembered their adventuring that there are no monsters are capable to do that, and Sanquin said to them
“They are from Rune Isles, and remember that caravan case that they are not from this region. Be aware that there are creatures are like that and you, our new recruit will be useful for them when you learn our methods”
The Horsin people sees the demon is finally finished what she is doing. They don’t bother asking as they watch a glimpse of the fighting against Rune Isles monsters. Soon they turn to the adventurers as they found new threats, another day of their surprises. As long as they are fine, it would be easier for them to know about it. Irresponsible from their take, this place is as safe as the adventurers wouldn’t believe. Sanquin reaches out to the student.
“Now, let’s finish this”
The student, with his legs shaken and his mana controlled by her again.
The adventurers hear the Horsin people who are behind them.
“So that’s the vixen eastern warrior. I don’t know why she was called eastern”
“A very old name from her home world, all of us still want to ask her why she is still staying in this world for so long”
“A world traveler . . . heavenly demon, is there more of them in this world?”
“No one knows, and I probably won’t be the last person to ask her countless of time”
Gemina said to them “A heavenly demon . . .”
The Horsin people only knew through the gossips “Her attitude is sweet as a lady, but her warrior personality is something she ignores herself”
The shield student pops up his UI showing the information when joining the Enders Bridge, then he slowly realized that his personal UI is under control by Sanquin herself. A warning set inside in his personal system and read it carefully as she sends a message to him.
“Don’t rely something that you can’t control, if I can reach you like this, something like that will happen to you when someone is able to misguide your utilities into a trap”
He is given an entire library of information about the skills he needed to do, only given that fits his role by his name ‘shield student’ and added more information regarding the use of archscience.
This blows his mind with excitement, then immediately startled to the sight of guidance regarding the monsters he saw from her projection. The locations are not far as he gazes closely where there are more of them in this region than he had never learned before. There are monsters somewhere in the east hidden below the ground, and a special reminder for him to visit this island again as a new recruit,
“Visit here when you’re not here to learn but to survive”