COI C265

The Circoston Invaders rose up from the ruin. The nomadic goblins surround it as they stay guard for anyone who had escaped or entered this place. Those are the same people who was caught from the hyper speed. They greet them

“By the gods! You’ve survived!”

“We have great luck that they arrived”

“Arrived!? You mean the defectors”

“It’s been years to call them that. Those preachers placed themselves too deep”

“Are they still trying to rescue them? How many men did they lost?”

“That’s not important. Down below, it behaves what we have suspected. The people they are trying to save have turned”

“Sacrilege!” He says it sarcastically, and the other expected it.

They look down pretending they could see the abyss. Even they turned to the dark walls where the mechanical spiders should be. Their attempts to push and capture this place have brought a stalemate for how many years have drawn out. Near to their city states have proven difficult.

“For vast land in this region, never we would ever see towns or small cities outside their estates”

“Compared to our region, this place should have more population than us”

“The Heroes Faction still have their ancient artifacts”

The sounds of the ocean coming from the ruin echoing upward as it finally made a sound from its clear waterfall. The warriors who were down there pointed it out

“You hear that? That’s another one we want to report”

This is how it fated to be. The citizens have fallen into the influence. 3 cycles have passed and there is no absolutely any innocent left since they arrived here. Everyone knows that in the Horsin world. Yet, Isekai citizens still believe they can bring them home or put to justice for their heinous crimes. Still, these Enders never give up. The Man Catcher’s men were not all from Enders Bridge. He brought the Circoston invaders in his care, slowly bringing them into his cause. The proof of their renouncement is not using their martial arts and rely on the divine weapons. Yet, they never forget their weapon fighting style.

The effects of the hyper speed have drove them into lax phase. No control with their own bodies that only moves of the most common of men. Muscles slow, reflexes dulled by the poor perception, and confidents fell because of their disadvantages. The corrupted citizens know the truth. They were defected from the Circoston Invasion. The anger in their eyes after how much they been through. The thought of them boldly out from the banner’s protection as they slowly moved back where Tabitha and Mina’s team lie down.

The man catcher is the only one still brave enough to face the mob of transgression. The heavy silence on both sides have finally decided. The citizens expect nothing less to have their revenge. While the man catcher seen the vast numbers of them ready to put the end of their pilgrims. The enemies approach them in one big boom. The sound waves push him back as the banner shields it showing the waves moving its protective barrier. His men moved by the strength of their speed pushing them back as the fatigue have finally overwhelmed them. They fell to the ground from their exhausted state.

Every man drops like leaves leaving a fragment of its wilted piece turned to dust. These dusts hidden by chance of their own uses. The banner itself swayed like there like wind inside blowing towards the man catcher. He braced forth their attacks as he been flown away from their unbearable strength. He feels the numerous cuts, punches, and even magic in between filled nothing but the rage within themselves. The unbalanced rage was enough for him to endure it. His divine armor protected him where his marks of war on his body easily endure their endless strength.

Each hit, it becomes the sound of a bell. Inside his bag tucked away as its solid item resist the punishing blows. He continues to push back as they persist to keep going. Hearing their every word in grief.

“What are you trying to do with us?!”

“Every last bastard had easily killed us without hesitation”

“You’re nothing less than anyone of us here. Taking advantages of us just like those other cults”

“Liars back in our world and liars in this world. Nothing even changes”

“After we killed you, we do whatever we can to enjoy this world. Your women, and everyone else you love will nothing but only of use of our personal entertainment”

“DIE! DIE! DIE!”

He heard it clearly, but at the same time pathetic from how they interpret it. Would it be possible to enslave a man to man in this world? In their world there was, but in this world being enslave will be forever. Yet, their grieves are nothing but lies. They brought here because of a powerful source. They are here not for the search of new life but a life that is beyond wealth and superiority. The East Coast becomes the checkpoint that no people of both continent; Kinteinnou and Circoston regions have ever witness before.

The suspicion was the citizens themselves. The Heroes Faction have not ended their reign. Still dragging what left of them hiding within Agatheus City. The pain bears from their attacks, lost control, and left with a will that deliberately show great effort to hurt him. It wasn’t enough. The uncontrollable rage what made him certain to endure the pain. Their powers are negating as soon as they discovered who they are. The man catcher is not one of the Circoston Invaders, more rather, he is also once part of the Heroes Faction. Converted by the guild he is in, there is nothing would harm him by the children right in front of him.

Suddenly someone hits the man catcher’s face. A staggering punch with the effort to blacken his eye. It wasn’t the same force as knocking back. It was specially concentrated that finally use brute force instead of poorly using their magic. A good punch, an actual force by the corrupted citizens’ strength. The concussion he got leans back then to his knees. This unusual pain is not induced by the demonic power but a personal intention. The lies have finally convinced them. He has to bear it, and his enemies bringing the final blow. His will is determined as one of them raises down by his own fists, he counters them cleanly as he grips him as a shield.

Still, they have no control of their mana. He directs the mana flow through his man catcher. Revealing to be as a staff enhance by a powerful grip. That alone absorbs the mana they carried. As it absorbs and form into a ball, the sudden force of magic pushing them aside only a little. There, a figment of a being coming out. An apparition shines like the sun, numbers grow as the mana they lost converted into the man catcher’s spell. They broke out the attack and directly focusing on the spell.

“Stealing our magic to summon these overpowered guardians. Damn it! Even you’re tired you can still summon these ghosts”

Ghosts, in a form of armored angelic beings. On the middle harnessing the large amount of mana from them as they sense who is belonged too. Raising their weapons only the use of spears and shields and others with simple-made crossbows, the one speaks out in digress

“Again”

Reluctantly and effortlessly on the apparition’s voice. Disappointment tone gives the corrupted the citizens a sudden flick of rage. Without any chance for them to be ready, they charge in full force.

“FORMATION!”

The apparitions call out in each of the others as they turtle themselves from the surrounding enemies. The turtle is form then the spears raise up in all sides. The spear being lined up as there is a bright line quickly cutting the spear heads. The blunt head hits the perpetrator who cuts it off as mana stolen from their unstable mana flow, recreating the spear head. It got improved and a blade edge hit one of them like a sting injecting inside their veins. The burst of light surging into them forcing out the mana inside popping them like a balloon.

The ground splits as the platform raging in half at the spot they stand. They scattered as they fire all direction giving them space to escape. The bolts hit them giving the same effects flowing inside their mana as they explode. Torn apart as they are rebuilt, and the bodies they are using are the old stone statues of this ruin. Manipulating it at their limits, while the others who are disappearing are the real ones fleeing back down to the sea bed. After the ghosts’ few moments of advantage, it is now the corrupted citizens’ turn to fight back.

The formation is broken, every advantage squeezed in to keep them bringing them back into their ranks. Magic and weapons from the lost tidal city of Del’Montra Esteval. The legends of how it sealed the mechanical spiders into the crystal wall were able to pushed back the ghosts. The appearance in the ghosts’ armor is nothing but a frail exoskeleton of an insect. Fall down only the single strike and their apparition sun glow turned murky waters as its color light mend into the flow of dripping water. This very fight is now changing the tides realizing they are at equal footings to the Benedictus’ powerful spells.

The corrupted citizen charges at them. One of the spearmen raises his shield as it quickly broke and turns to water. It dodges the citizens’ attacks as it broke through and one of the corrupted citizens flew himself into one of the spears before he could react. Impaled deep as both stones and mana burst out, trying to bring the ghosts with him, but his powers are absorbed before he could take the chance. He disappears and fled.

“Don’t get cocky, just don’t let them regroup. We’ll get back at the bottom. So, don’t get yourself killed or else you all going to climb up here”

The corrupted citizens respond with a roar as they persist.

Meanwhile the man catcher sees no chance to get out at this rate. All of his men are out. The aids from Sarah Mae have already used up. Whereas the surroundings are already telling him that she is in a fight with all of her powers against the demon. The platform keeps crumbling while at the same time being restored. This is no doubt that the demon is trying to pull all the surviving citizens down to get its prize. While Sarah Mae is not letting it have them. He looks around

“Lord preserved us! Saved us from this doom”

The battle is over, no light blinding their eyes. Only the sounds of flowing water falling down. The gem rolled back close to his feet. The banner’s barrier phased through it without a problem. Then a handful of the corrupted citizens came in reaching out their hands while their bodies can’t get in. The leader sees the effort has finally been fruitful. So many cycles as they lost their powers and confidence from the goblins’ counter attack. Cowering who are left as they watch survivors caught in primitive cages as they once broke free. Today, they have succeeded to defeat the ghosts. When he hears the cheer that actually means victory. He gathers his mana want to test the banner’s protection.

One of the corrupted citizens turns around and punches it. Vibrating the barrier trying to hold on the impenetrable shield. The vibrations are getting stronger as the barrier starts to shift and molding in the ripples destroying itself. It went slow for a moment, then bounces back from the force of the man’s hand not letting a single motion make him react to his attack. Keeping it still, narrowing the exaggeration of his strength. Unleashing his power only to destroy the barrier. The bells begin to ring uncontrollably. The noise abrupted the man catcher’s weapon as he readies for the worse.

The banner’s shield shatters. All the force of magic from the corrupted citizens finally got through. The sounds of cheers grow wildly as the waters on their side rushing down at their enemies. The man catcher takes his weapon and caught the large amount of mana directing their attack everyone around him. Collecting it all like a magnet. Then he throws it out away from them as it falls down to the watery abyss. It exploded hitting the platforms trying to coming up. The corrupted who are coming as reinforcements were falling as their platforms broke by its excessive force. While others fling upward and right passed them.

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The corrupted citizen claps sarcastically from his effort.

“Bravo, after all we have the advantage. You still fight back like a warrior. Heh, we almost lose our cool because your men are actually from Circoston”

He maniacally laughs

“You’re a good old man. Can’t even save many of us except for a couple of people”

The man catcher stood silent, he continues

“I’m not surprised you’re going to shut up because we don’t want to listen anything after you’ve said before. Hmm, I can’t even remember at all”

They laugh, they are joking about the influence keeping their memories out of order every single day. How many times did he was able to save him before? People from the back, gifted and at the same time great people before as they changed in specific moment of their lives. Forgotten and repeat the same depressing mood once they wake up. So many have happened endlessly repeat but the challenges were soon lost so many times. The obstacles they once have, was gone. Certain people, certain time, or certain event were lost because of this. At the end, they fought a meaningless grind to somedays would eventually save them.

At the end, it was all a lie. These men and women are the true bastards that the people always ignored. Ironic, how they were convinced at first or was it because of a mystery they couldn’t found out yet because they don’t understand them. It is not that simple at the end. Fortunately, there are still hope. People are not fallen yet is under their care, and even they are being influenced it is enough to resist the madness altogether. Also, even when they begin to turn against the world like the others, this guild has secrets that no living ever found the lost souls.

“Hey?! There is something coming down”

“What do you mean? We brought the scouts up there. They shouldn’t be coming back down . . . Wait”

A platform crashes down where they stand. They back away giving themselves time to escape. The man catcher reacts quickly and uses the last drop of his magic into his weapon then throws at the banner. The banner unleashes its defenses one last time as the platform collided down. After the smokes and rubbles are cleared, the corrupted citizens found the rest of Benedictus’ men including the man in power armor.

They reacted!

“Look at that piece of armory over there. It’s that the soldier guy we heard about”

“Sheesh, he is real. But what about the others? Did they managed to bring him here?”

They look up and only see the rest unconscious. They shake their heads with doubts

“I guess this big guy took the scouts out. They’re probably getting beat handed to him and probably lost at the very end”

“Although, they lost. We should take a peek what that armor can do”

“Are you trying to take a risk here?”

While they are discussing, the leader checks any signs of consciousness. There he found the man catcher, lost conscious as well. Only left is the banner stood still.

He orders them

“We still have a quest to do. Bring those people down to the bottom. These three chicks will sure have nice time down there”

“Or why not we should celebrate to push these goody two shoes off the platform. We can finally have peace after all they had done to us”

“Hmm?”

“Yeah, we’re been losing to them for a while. We really need a well-deserved payback”

“There is also that gate. We can intimidate them by torturing them a bit. Beating them at this rate is sure we can win this”

Excitement blocks his orders in a whim. There is no doubt how they have finally achieved after so much have happened.

Without a single word, they acted out first at the Benedictus and the other Enders men. The leader sees how their egos returned when they are winning. They can only listen as they desperately want to win. A never-ending attitude,

“This won’t go well, if that gate opens !!!”

He said it as a bolt land down at his throat. The man quickly drops down as the weight of the bolt shines and burns his flesh. Blood pours down as they saw him getting shot. They watch his body torn itself apart trying to escape the magic of the bolt. As it not cleans off leaving the upper body and head hanged down by the bolt shining black.

“He’s back”

One of them whispered. Shock at the sight of the bolt, some of them who knew about the bolt dives down out of fear. While the clueless watch them escape.

“A bolt? Is this the same bolt Youta said?”

He quickly dodges as another bolt comes down. They look up as they hear a sound. Clang* It echoes down as they see the magic being curved away from the direction of the bolt. It moves circling in a spiral as it is being absorbed. They look down at their leader’s body and sees being absorbed. Stories about him who are the exemptions of fighting enemies. Weapons possessed nightmarish tools to go against the demonic power.

The body being squeezed on itself into the bolt releasing its runewords cleansing the abominating flesh. Bones crackling into dust, blood sips in, and flesh as fresh as it is shrinking into nothing. Another sound of the clanging as more bolts keeps shooting down. They rushed forward leaving their enemies behind. They jump to another platform as they climb and follow the spiral source. Waters collide each other beginning to wave in from the influence. While Sara Mae’s are forcing back up. Weakening the corrupted citizens as they washed away their demonic aid.

Bolt after bolt, it rains down more than they can see multiple spiral clouds. They use their magic to shoot back at him. They are hitting at the top blindly where the sounds of explosion after it reaches to the unknown. As something falls down, many platforms falling in debris. In shock, whereas platforms are falling into pieces. Ceasing itself to float down and actually falling down in high speed. Until they found one platform left descending.

“Remember! We can’t die. Learn everything we have to know what happened here and don’t you dare forget it!”

“AA!”

The loud scream over there as the soul rips out instantaneously. The moment the soul supposed to descend, the lines are entangled the soul pulling in to the platform.

“No! They said death will never be touch for anything”

Spoken it at loud as someone dives down striking them with a large weapon. The skull pierced and the soul siphon into the blade. An elongated weapon as it absorbs the soul in the gem reaches at the very end of the wooden pole. Where they see a hand then shifts the light into the gem dangling on his wrist.

They begin to waver “This is not possible. I thought it was that dwarf”

“It’s him! The hunter!”

“Together? Impossible. Youta said they were enemies”

The man hits by a bolt and the dwarf appears diving down as well knocking him down to the ground and pulls out the bolt. His gloves engraved by runes, didn’t shine but reflects the same writings on the bolts. Refracted closely to the runes and to his enemies. Splitting the souls in half by the two alternate runewords, the corrupted citizens being teared can’t be heard among the living. The twisted crack where the soul torn apart can hear by the two tides battling out.

Two currents being pushed aside where the man’s body being rip entirely by the short man’s strength. Tearing it quickly as he finds another target with his other weaponized tools. They tried to flee, but the runes of scattered bolts formed a line blocking them to get out. Ripping themselves as they hurry to escape and their souls being absorbed and trapped from within the runewords. The remains were left cracking and the other absorbed into the weapon absorbed to the gem on his wrist. It was a shock counter attack. The corrupted citizens were forced to die right in front of them leaving none of them who tried to fight back escaped.

The two Enders have succeeded as they finally arrived. Equipped with better armory and weaponry, the two sees the Enders fallen by the corrupted citizens. They look down and sees flashes of lights and loud whistles coming up. Only to see the platforms are dropping instead of elevating up like the rest of the platforms.

“It is not the time to play dead, soldier! Lady Coheld have brought the supply cache”

The man throws a box, colored in green out lines and black bold within. It reaches on McS4’s view as his armor auto detect the box.

“Scanning . . . Self-automation online”

“Ah the sounds of a defiled soulfate slave, U’ecin”

“We don’t even know that armor is a living golem”

Voldemyr sighs at the three women “And also ours have a little mistake as well. Juela wasn’t supposed to be here. She should’ve leave when they got to the entrance”

“Haw wasn’t wearing those masks. I still can’t believe he have to trust her”

“We are all different here. If Haw trusts a leader, Tabitha should earn that title”

“A title may be, but she knows too little about the Dexter’s guild squad”

They gathered them all. The banner is ringing its bells wildly shows its desperate protection.

“Either way, we have a problem once all of us get inside their hidden camp. You on the other hand have the younglings on your side”

Voldemyr looks at Mina’s team, all pale except for one young boy.

“Perhaps, from what I see. They might remember you”

“Then I’ll be waiting for my spear back”

U’ecin looks at Mina. The dead stare to all of them as they almost lost a single life. Yet, that what they thought from the beginning. The McS4’s power armor begins to operate no words coming out from him as it only voice out in robotic tone.

“Job received”

Meanwhile, back at the other hidden camp. It was not long as the woman is waiting for two hours now. The small stash of food supplies was open by the kids. She holds both of her hands praying for their safe journey. As the water fall begins to glow a portal opens instead what Juela made to teleport them to. She turns around and see that she had never expected to see them again. The sounds of hymns echoing inside as the kids were cheering to hear their angelic voice.

“. . . To have lost, but found. Like me! Righteously search and brave, he’s here in arms and saved”

From the 4th hidden camp with banners where the survivors still remained there. It lights up as they look at it in awe. The survivors gathered around and calling to everyone.

“Call back the others, they finally come for us . . .”

Soon the rest of the survivors being gathered once again as they were scattered from afar. The Benedictus has finally rally them all. The citizens gathered where the Benedictus appears before them. Quiet and nervous as they look around to this unknown place. Others have never camped so close where the influence is. One more breached, then they are at the entrance of their abductor.

“Citizens of Isekai City, we finally reunite again. It’s been this long we have gathered you all to escape this place”

“. . .”

No one cheered as everyone is eyeing at each other. The countless betrayals have gone them too paranoid and they don’t know who are the culprits because of the influence. These countless incidents are impossible to figure who betrayed who. Repeating the same speech, the speaker has added someone to give out a speech.

“Give a welcoming applaud. The men you were waiting for. The hunter, your avenger. The dwarf, your rescuer”

The citizens slowly turned their worriedness into a slight of surprised. They see U’ecin carries the gem projecting the souls who had betrayed them. The madness upholds among them as they cheer out of their frustration of those traitors. The cheers turned aggressive as the soul being locked up is cursed inside the gem. The crowd had turned rampant as the others who are not involved backs away to the other camps. As this gathering is becoming the site of revenge, pulling into the crowd showing new targets for him to search.

Voldemyr too wouldn’t partake it and brings his speech to the other place. The survivors are gathered to him waiting for his plan to escape again. Many flocks around him as he brings out materials for them to make.

“. . . I’ve come back as promise. This is going to be our last chance to escape this realm and return to you all back to the city!”

The crowd cheer in hopeful and determination. The trust they have as they shout out the people who betrayed them.

“Oust Youta! Oust Youta!”

The cheer turns to anger whereas the first attempt because of him. Voldemyr hears the man’s name as he distributes the materials to begin their evacuation.

The Benedictus listen to the citizens who are left behind almost reaching to their limits. The citizens want to escape this hellish realm and willing to go through all the unnecessary things to get out from the East Coast. The guild had tried so much to help them out through the sphere. Failure after failure have already see that the enemies already know. The traitors are hard to find thanks to the influence. These two Enders from Raker Mawn guild were brought here because of their secrets and elitism.

U’ecin, the man who has the descended bloodline of Sarah Mae. She favored him because of her tenacity over the years of suffering and lost of her beloved city, Del’Montra Esteval. All the Benedictus knew that he possessed mysterious powers to go against anything what the demon had stolen from her. Only to please her wicked whims as her sanity can only be heard by other descendants of her children like the woman among the group of Benedictus. No one knows that the citizens themselves will pull into U’ecin’s trap to eradicate them too. If they fail to escape, the fate of these citizens is the only hope to escape is death and souls trap inside the gem.

Voldemyr, from the beginning such as the Benedictus have thoroughly search for the citizens. This short man has received the seal both from Ehan’Ra and Ehan’Se. Both from the hierarchy of the elven race, the Eldesunes. Carrying the runes on him is any less from the dwarves, they have recorded many historical relics about the elves before. At the beginning, he carries tested elven arsenal. And now, he carries the weapons to banish all demons. To hear from the people, he is going to free them like before, but what he carries are he supposed to do something else.

They turned to the third one, in power armor, who is their rival. Alone as it is not applicable from the Military Corps standard of Dexter Guild. They know more and preparing to their next operations. Not even giving a chance to understand why they are here. They can only let them do their own way as they focus what they found out about the people who are trying to rescue their people. This news about them wasn’t even received by Lady Constantine herself about sending aids. All of the guild members know that Enders have no interest of saving. Until the man catcher took action.

“Mi’lady, they are in a deep slumber. It will take time for them to recover”

“Place them into a dream state. Let their mind envision to the reality. It is nothing to be burden more than hopelessly sleeps in a coma”

The woman entered the infirmary and see more than those three adults. There are also the young teens who happened to aid them before. The apothecary reports to her

“They are exposed for only a month or so, from out to here. They possessed a hefty amount of protection from the aid of Sarah Mae, hand crafted by her traditional descendants”

“Then it must mean my relatives in high status dared to bring them here carrying our family heirlooms”

“Including mine, Mi’lady giggles*”

She hears someone who is next to Tabitha, picking up a piece of paper drawn by a child.

“The poor child is worried about her friend. Both of us ladies have something to take it seriously”

The two stares the rest of them as they finally reached their destination. All the people both Tabitha and Silfa want to meet as they sleep. Their quest finally begins. The fate of their people, the chance to meet the legends of the Benedictus, and the loose secrets of the curse are all put together in this infirmary.

Time is running out, where the two of the Raker Mawn guild members are rallying their cause as they know nothing about. The last chance has arrived putting the hands and risks of two citizens searching their people to escape from East Coast. Tabitha’s teammates; Haw, R-cord, and McS4 are separated and needed to be together to succeed their critical operations. Her cards for Haw are useless leaving only a half deck for Silfa. Struggle to fight because of her cards rely on them and herself are limited to her own strength. A leader, it feels like she is nothing but a support. She is a mage.

“Mi’lady, the preparation is complete”

“Thank you, bring their minds into the old memories of Delilah. I need them to know more about this place”

One and a half month left before the cycle ends.