COI C67
“We have successfully conquered and defend this place, as long as we have recovered the supplies needed for raw materials, we can go further to the extend through these broken isles”
“My men head back to the spheres. They need rest for the time being”
“Be careful of using it, lads, those spheres may contain a large amount of our men but elven magic won’t last long to contain them all”
“A dwarf truly cares a demonic item, I am amazed”
“Shut it you, sun addict, lucky for us our runes were safe and don’t need those demons”
Two elves are watching them on that moment, multiple times as they visit this sphere, and the man says
“My love, you sure love my performance on this place”
“I may love it, and you were there too . . . Crusader”
He calmly laughs “That time, we need to restore what those monsters did to this world. Domain of the demons is here, but they have the authority to bring their worlds to their success”
“I am still glad our time will always be here in this sphere”
“This is my ancestor’s sphere, my Ehan’Ra”
“A perfected recreation as well, my Ehan’Se”
Two elves enjoy the final scene to end, where they soon left after that moment. The only place it never reverts back to reality and harmonize the world’s sequence. Sanquin sees why this place didn’t set to 20 years ago, but someone who uses it kept this event still. Their memoir, it must be that time where the invasion from the west continued. The elven mana separated the sphere leaving it to its hiatus. Not even coming back to either of those elves. It was the most reasonable choice back then. She wonders if they have the opportunity to see it again.
Sanquin holds the power of the last landmark, it is probably the only exception and also a clue she can detect the previous users’ activities. That incident didn’t make them to reset it, leaving her to think as the people watching them. There are secrets she wants to keep and the privacy to preserve, and luckily, this is the place they must not know but to say as a bug. She still wonders the fifth landmark, where all the users’ archive kept throughout the years. Alongside with the artificial intelligence shared there, this is too much millennia for them to uncover.
Second watched over the fields in the outskirts of Agatheus City, when he already done equipping himself to the most effective equipment available in this time. In his break, he watched his home area doing their daily lives. There he looks at the young boy or toddler, facing a neighborhood pet, the beast blocks his way as he gets scared. The child has many open paths to go to but decided to stay in a straight line. Both of them stared, the child weep and the beast nods and panting, and it was intense for the boy where he response with a yell. The beast did nothing and kept watched.
“Truly is my childhood . . . Sigh* Now I’m getting hard to believe they truly gathered this so much information. Do I think it was a god who created this sphere? This is hard to believe the facts laid so much information. It’s like this god knows time”
Continue to look at his past self, and it is really something to worry about. Someone or something is observing the world, there is no way the previous user had updated this much. Second only thinks only those long-lived elves, in Enders, and couldn’t guess more if he to see the other parts of the world.
First and Thean is going somewhere deep and forbidden, a magical place where realms hidden through the Agatheus city’s door. Using their temporary power to disclose their existence, it is their chance to see the realms of many dangerous demons sealed within.
“We’ve heard censorship about the past, Thean. Now even our private sectors were easily revealed”
“They managed to get the Fictitious Realm to be part of the landmark, I am not surprised by this at all”
“No, I’m telling you that who can know about this place clearly”
“Have you gone here before, First?”
“Through envision from most magic casters’ spell, and without the blurred. I can see clearly that this place is more just an empty room”
They walk through the halls nothing but sealed away beings, crystallize and entomb, no sight of them to be dead but asleep. Thean wonders
“What will Secius say when he sees this?”
“He is a mage, Thean. I might guess he is not joining us because of what he is expecting”
“The man goes to his place. Trying to make sure about this world’s accuracy, and or my take as an excuse”
First sarcastically responds “I get you . . . even though every Agathean knows about it”
Agathean City is a tight realms metropolis, the home of many refugees, and they already see the massive population hidden through the realms. Traditionally remain as the divided or segregated worlds for the specific kind of species. Once you entered those realms, you will never leave. First was raised closely up to the mountains, where the borders between Mountaiwall and Agatheus. It is hard to live where the goblins where keep making fights outside. Second is one of them too but he is in the farmland. First asks him.
“Anyway, where do you live?”
“Huh?”
“I live outside of the realms, and I don’t know about you and those magic you have. Weapons and magic infused together. I rarely have someone had that kind of powers”
“Heh, you start wondering now after we have months being together”
“A good point, but you know how to enter this realm. Back we were kids, we were making trouble to get into the realm. Now we are here. You sure know a lot”
“We got older, and I learn how during my life”
First’s suspicions weren’t last any longer, where Thean opens the realm to a magic organization.
“Getting silence, are you?”
“There’s no need to, I have never sense so much magic in here”
“I can tell you though, this is where I learn magic before I went adventuring”
They venture deep to the organization, where many other races passed by and doing their tasks. The atmosphere is immense and nothing to compare the Isekai citizens’ presence of power. One robe being passed them as First felt strong authority through their auras.
First took his first missteps, and his footings moves away from the unknown being’s way.
“Is this what neutral mana capable of?”
“You’ve never been close to someone that strong, have you?”
“I never met those so called the hierarchs, and you might say that they are stronger than I sensing now”
“Smart as always, let’s check first the catalogues and mix max the settings we have. You know why we are not going to be fair”
They head out deeper where everything around them are oblivious, manipulating the requirements needed to use these spells as their opportunity.
First got distracted, how Thean is been doing this far. He knows something they can’t and his involvement with Isekai City grew so much fame to the city guild. Contributing so much to help the city guild just for his own personal goal, he already shown what he can do against them like he fought them before. The challenge when they fought those dolls, no one can prepare themselves against the random spirits of the goblin. It was exciting, he admitted without showing but the other Agatheans were skeptic about that moment. Thean must be from the inner realms.
On this time, they are collecting what they need for their magic. That exceed requirements of their magic potential, with these exploits, they can use it without any problems except how far they can control. The elves won’t be controlling their mana as they use their own. Thean found more where the archives kept incompatible spells that only used by specific race. Those spells he wanted to find, Thean believed it would be effective against anyone even their own.
In Enders Bridge, Haw trained himself through the guidance of Lady Briannca. Sanquin looks at the items being worn out, and these items are made more than 100 or so years ago. Before the Fall era, these weapons and armory are functional. Haw described his preferred utilities, Sanquin made a proposal to him
“You can abuse the controls to able to master everything you wield”
He denies “I am sure you like that, and I like mine to have something to my taste. I choose to honor them”
“I know you would, make sure you entertain me because these are no longer exist in our time”
Sanquin summons a creature and send the message to them. The plans changed where they got lucky to have something better. While they prepared for the reschedule to come, a message replied in reverse. Sanquin sees the message where they ask for more time now, she thought so, and the opportunity to have found the secrets of the demonic realms in Agatheus City is too tempting to take with no consequence. She remembered clearly the time of how many refugees entered those realms.
“I may have underestimated my expectation on those three. But I like Haw’s better”
The schedule remained, and under those four days or hours in the real world, it is time for them to go back. They gathered back to the mountains of the southern region where everybody hid their special items within their magic bags, except for Haw as Sanquin held it firm on her arms. Thean reacts
“Oh, you let a woman to carry your stuff”
Sanquin defended him “This! . . . I can say something to be memorable for me. I recommend that you ask again, alright?”
Thean sees her eyes looking serious what she was carrying, and an item that is 20 years ago. It made the other two wondering what is inside.
First readies them as they will be going back to the landmark.
“Let’s get ready, I hope Haw will suit up quicker than us, because our magic bags can equip our things once we get there”
Sanquin heard them with such silly remarks, they don’t know what she is carrying and more so it might endanger them because of its unique weaponry. Haw replies
“Go for it, I am ready”
Second honestly said “I’m still ask you though. Sanquin, why won’t you be joining us? Fighting old memories will be good for your antics”
Sanquin don’t like that, hiding her true expression on Second’s remarks. She apologetically declines
“I may, and will not. I am here for the inspection and those elves are still alive, I don’t fight inexperience people”
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Thean reacted “Oof* I guess demons have some attitude on the elves”
“I won’t comment it, and . . . I would like to see how you are going to do against an Enders . . . Oh my, I can sense something foreign in your bags”
Thean and First held firm the bags they are holding, something precious or dangerous. They don’t want her to spoil what they have gotten.
Second is also too was curious “Yeah, me too. But they are going around saying wait and see. I don’t know what am I going to do against the elves”
First replied “That would simple if you are willing to join us”
“You can at least bring that would fit my skills”
During their talk, they reached the landmark back to the past. The apocalyptic world turned back to its glorious days and unknown when they are now. The elves are there and Quill is sitting on the higher platform from the upper stair, sitting elegantly with her appearance in darken droves.
Sanquin sees her for the first time, and Quill in returned knows her. The demon teleported next to her and have the seat hidden her dark aura. Sanquin deliberately removes the secrets in dark sight revealed silver lighting where the landmark already on the table. The monument is nothing, but the item is the landmark. It wasn’t built from this world but was brought into. The team sees her casually sits next to her as the two seems to be friendly. The Agatheans start to understand why she is inspecting the sphere. She must be involved with the last update.
Quill and Sanquin sit side by side as they are going to watch them perform. Quill whispers to her
“How many times that you will always checking on me, sister of the Ascend?”
“You are the likeness of the ‘Shadow’, If only your kind remained here”
“You still can go to Abls. The ascension is waiting for you”
“Not now, it is not time for me to sacrifice my immortality. Remember what I said before”
Quill said more quietly “Shssh* I know, your patience really will lose your attachments to this world”
“To the humans, yes, but my vengeance is still not picked and served to me”
The team looks at Haw as he is not yet worn his equipment. The three already ready themselves where he gets encircled around him asking the question. First said
“You never told us that she was involved on this sphere. It would be faster we could have someone to deal those unnecessary things”
“If you try saying that to her, will she listen to you?”
“No, but I like you to try something faster instead having the extra time we have to go to waste”
Second argued “For once Haw, I agreed on Woni’es on this. This would be a lot faster or even having the school to have it sooner than later, and won’t been needing to hire us”
Thean agreed them both “After all the things I did, I’m surprised that I’m not mad, and more of a line . . . I got what I’m coming to it. The pay is still big and we learn something from the city”
First responds “I am grateful for the payments, but the lockdown really made me stay in the library on my free time and . . .”
Second stops him “We shouldn’t argue over this, we have experience other spheres we had messed with. That massive world experience really damned us off. This is the landmark we must take and nothing else but to update it to the end”
They turn to the elves where all of them are waiting, all eight are waiting and see how they worn with their ominous power. They have something the elves have already seen, but never once being used against them. The magic from the two, Thean and First, interests one of the elves as he walks forward. The elves start picking themselves off one by one, until they decide the numbers who are willing to face them. Five versus four, it is still unfair and more so the other three moves away from the back creating the barrier. Limiting the chance for them to use the environment outside, or even try to hide by their elven magic.
Truly unfair to them, but Thean thought they already know. The three elves disappeared and leaved the five facing them. Thean, First, Second, and Haw are facing five elf warriors hiding their powers within their magical items. The elf, who gained interest of them, already picks something from his satchel, and the item is just a simple wooden mask. Hid only his eyes, where his weapons appeared in faded wind as it is waiting for his master to use it. Others start showing their magic items one after the other to easily to decipher which of them can do.
The second elf brings out a ring, once worn, he begins emit demonic presence, as he transformed identical to the Soulfate legends. The third elf summons wisps, looking identical to theirs, and the expression of this elf made it rather a reflection to their magic. The fourth elf simply didn’t show his items and waits, First’s new item found something hidden, an elven weapon but no . . . he senses nothing as if there is no magic exist. Only First describes this elf is an assassin.
Finally, the last elf, stay quiet with nothing on hand like the fourth but no strange weapon they could sense from him. Has nothing on hand and patiently waiting for the others to prepare, making this last elf as the most suspicious than the rest. The Agatheans were hoping there are information about them. Through Haw’s knowledge with Sanquin, they doubtfully said.
“I’m guessing Sanquin didn’t mention about them”
“You already know that she won’t let me asked about them”
Thean just smug it off “I was hoping you would say that”
Haw pointed one of them as he got only rumors from Enders Bridge. He said,
“These elves must have known with Elrond, the most obvious thing I could tell they were involved closely to one of the founder’s guilds” First responds “Enough of the trivia, we should plan out our tactics or else indignation breaks loose, alright?”
Thean raises both of his hands on their shoulders “. . . fine, if we managed to go through all this. I am expecting to all of you to fight as long as you can. Defeating an elf is a myth that most men had ever face, unless one of you have more than two mana”
Second looks confident as he already accepted it from the beginning, as both Thean and First are sweating down their heads. It can’t be that easy, and the elves are letting them have a chance. It made them having more disadvantages than they ever trying to get the opportunity. Then they have to set up a plan. The elves are waiting as the three elves have already setting up the barrier. With the elves last warning of their improper stance
“Ready or not, once the barrier is formed, we will start the fight. May your gods, witness your progress and success”
The barrier is closing up where the team is trying to talk faster than they should.
“. . . Alright, this elf from first to the fifth; We’re, so, dead, fourth, and fifth . . .”
Rushing in to set their plans up, they didn’t bother using telepathy magic. Second thought about to have one but he forgot about it. Thean and First are thinking about it too, but Thean convinced him otherwise. Anyhow hey continue to speed up
“. . . I’m thinking, I’m thinking”
“There are close and this place won’t be good for our other magic”
The rumble starts to ramble.
“Splitting up would be the best we could do”
. . . The barrier is now curving up to the top . . .
“Both of you really think that dishonoring . . .”
“Second, this is not the time”
“Haw, get yourself suit up. We might leave you if you stand there and watch”
. . . The barrier is fully covered . . .
“It’s time, First get ready with your magic”
“But where to aim”
. . . The elves are readying themselves . . .
“There!”
“At the edge!? Thean you know I don’t have flying magic”
“It’s fine, they might catch you”
“Who?”
“Them!”
. . . Pointing at the elves, as they take aim . . .
Second looks at both of the elves and them, moving his eyes rapidly as he starts to worry. Haw is waiting for Sanquin to gives him the equipment he needed. She looks distracted as she is having a chat, seriously, but feels like they are having fun. Thean and First continue to argue like they never plan this way, and Second doubted that they will let them get away from this attack. Heads turning as he moves like a machine to see every moment of it, he breathes nervously but maintain calm.
“. . . We have no choice . . .”
The mask elf charges first, the wisps followed him, and the ring bearer followed after. Thean quickly summoned his twin swords dash and out from the talking circle, and blades clash with the mask elf. Magic appeared from both sides as fast as they could. The team is positioning themselves to their absolute best. The mask elf miraculously and mysteriously uses the wind. Phasing through the strong torrent of air where their magic starts forging his weapon in mid fight. First casts his spell directly at the mask elf, then the ring bearer shatters it like it was just glass.
The two elves are now at front with Thean. While their blades hold, the mask elf released an image then rushed down on the backline. Second’s barrier appeared and pushed the image back. The wisps enter the fight and blow the barrier away. Second reinforces the barrier where the wisps already surrounding them. Thean gets grabbed by the ring bearer as its ring casts its soulfate magic through his body. Intense flow of magic enduring for both sides, the glow from both mana collided like trail of burns trying to reach either side. The elves show no difficulty as for Thean blinded by the magic flashing by the ring.
First breaks off the engagement, he quickly uses the new magic they have from the inner realm. Casts it down to the ground and emits violet light turning the ground purple as it spreads. Reached to the barrier where it begins to melt upward, and strengthen Second’s barrier even more with First’s unknown magic unleashes and harming the elves’ wisps. The violet magic is bursting through the elf at the front. The wisps elf guides his wisp to save them and pulled them out.
The Fourth and Fifth elf remained stationary as the fight is just begun. The elf’s barrier is gone and the team left the area. Only half of them flee down to the edge of the monument, where Haw and Second are left behind. The elves quickly move pass them to go after who are fleeing while Fourth and Fifth facing those two, without hesitation, they know.
“You think splitting us apart that would be easy for you. Enders, you should have told them about this . . .”
Fifth casts his magic around Second, then teleported.
“. . . I don’t know which guild you are from, and you don’t know where we get that trick”
Thean and First fall down from the monument as they are getting away, Second appeared before them as the timing wasn’t right
“What just happened? First, did you use the gem too soon?”
“No . . . scourges . . . the elves already know. Get Haw now!”
Thean pulls out his gem and the gem look dim. It was too late. The man is trapped up there. Wisps coming down along with them as they rain itself as it attacks. They quickly teleported away to the walls of the monument and breached inside. The elves followed down as they chase them.
The fifth elf breaks the gem that connects Haw with his team. Alone with those two, Sanquin and Quill watch him being cornered. The artificial woman pulled her masquerade mask stick and sees what Haw is capable of. The demon waits for the timing as she is going to enjoy this introduction. The fourth elf pulled out his weapon, the fifth backs out as the presence of that weapon weakens him, and Haw is wary as he has no weapon on hand. Haw turns his eyes on Sanquin as he needed badly.
Through Quill’s mask, she will see the presentation of Sanquin’s thoughts through it. The imagination of her thoughts colorfully plays well and might be displeased those elves soon. The fourth elf said to Haw
“I can see that you are not ready Enders, mostly men already brought out their weapons if they have no magic. Are you here to talk or become the example of that demon’s play?”
“I already accepted it, but I never know that she was a lady of a guild she shouldn’t be a part of”
“Then you must be born after her legacy then. I can ask her to bring your stuff, or I have to play along”
The fourth elf looks at him seriously as this fight is meant to honor their agreement. Haw has no words for this fight and has to show his sincerity to accept the first blow. The fifth elf watches them where the fourth clearly hits him to his upper shoulder, only using a hilt, then he slams it down on him in sheer force. Haw kneels down quickly where he felt his upper torso being jolted down along with his body’s weight. That power was immense, and something inside of Haw breaks.
Sanquin smiles at Haw to see what he never thought he received from her. The Fourth elf explains
“Lady Briannca gives you the redemption, now you have two lives left. Make it count as I only have one. Haw dodges his attack as he rolled to the opposite direction of the fourth elf’s swing. He turns around and sees the weapon he is holding. A claymore, a normal blade with no magic infused, and took him out by one blow on his shoulder. His redemption, three lives to survive a fatal blow, and he must defeat this elf with just brute force. His emotion is sealed but his determine weaken. Puppet body is without any emotional reaction to is having a highest exaggeration in mind.
Haw stands up and still continues on, showing a warrior of his eyes. Quill sees it clearly and shown a lowly sad expression, her saddening look rarely seen on her eyes with a slight frown. Sanquin had already missed of that identical expression. The sight of Quill remembers the absurdity of the recreation of the Triune Humanesques. The example is front of her. Quill said to her in disbelief
“Was it accidental?”
“No, he is objective base but his carnal desire is still there. I can’t explain much”
“Quite strange indeed, there might be other chances that resembling other human characteristics. Like you”
Haw moves around trying to dodge his attacks, the elf took one slashes at the time as he only follows him. The coping of their footwork is immense while Haw is quite dexterous when he moves around. The elf soon to follow along and look at his feet first, back then back, side then forth, and even curving then leaning. He looks at Haw as if he is dancing. Then he begins to step on his feet, with his weapon in his right shoulder stance. He will swing to the left if he moves there. Haw sees the elf trying to step his footings.
Step by step trying to lean to his left, but he turns faster where the man took a side step. Circling around as it orchestrates to their duet. The elf changed his stance to lunge at him, as he dodges it as he leans his torso to the side. Leaning back and let his legs remained at front. The elf keeps moving forward and sweeps his leg on Haw’s legs. He fell down as he sees the elf raised his sword up. The elf slams it on the ground as Haw rolls out of the way. The sword nearly cuts his torso in quick succession. The elf didn’t imagine of him to trip that quickly, Haw’s stance is strong, but he guessed it wrong.
Haw’s redemption shows the clear combo that the elf had done. The lunge supposed to be him retracted the blade then grabbed his sword pointing downward pounding the point of his claymore to his gut. That elf is more aggressive than he was about to do, when it comes to be the warrior of the Enders, this elf, Haw will respect him. Sanquin claps for Haw that he managed to escape, seeing already getting the adrenaline in him. She decides to use it now, Quill watches her slowly setting it up and keep an eye every piece of equipment she brings. Quill turns her eyes on Haw as he looks at Sanquin desperately trying to fight an armed elf.
The elf drops his weapon quickly grabs Haw down, distracted by how much he focuses on them. The elf pulled him up and slam him on the ground, bring him up again as he squeezed his throat. He pulled up his sword with one hand as his strength grew strain where as he sliding it on to Haw’s chest. Magic appeared from the ground as it bursts up withstanding the negating mana. An eruption occurred where the ground starts to crumble. The magic can’t be negated closely to the elf’s presence. Without hesitation while the magic covers around them, he slashes up to Haw’s limbs.
A polarity occurred where he slowly only raising his sword. The same sensation he had that what the Enders did to fight against anti magic. An entity appeared behind his shoulder trying to pull him away, while Haw sees the entity and quickly grabs its hand. An electrical current shock the elf’s hand, he lets go and entity did as well, the willpower of the elf’s claymore dropped and pierced through the ground as Haw barely made it free. The entity comes to him gives him the equipment he needed.
“Finally!”
A shout of relief coming from his voice, the Fourth elf pulls out his sword off the ground and sees an old Enders relic coming in bear arms. The fifth elf has seen enough and leave them be. It wasn’t Haw’s time to lose, for now. Haw revealed what he is carrying under such magic items, but the elf thinks differently. Magic or not, these materials are processed to its highest quality and even used to fight against the soulfates themselves.
Haw carries the war tools of the past, nothing will ever justify what is meant to use. Sanquin surprises Quill, to her own eyes as she forgot about the last update. Haw wears a gas mask and everything on his suit that only protects himself and the weapon he carries as it brings only ever ending decay. Haw steps forth adding more dangerous chemicals at hand, breaking the comparable distinguish between it from magic. The elf says the name with regret as the world reached this weapon to the advanced civilization.
“The Plague Thief”