COI C155
The Phantom watches the sky, flying spirits coming through the breeze as leaves. The archscientist is rushing with her troops going to the place where the plant reawakens. It was never supposed to act that way, and she thought it won’t go wrong because she sees Silfa’s Puma. Her ignorant pride didn’t know any of Puma’s humble power. The ceremonial plant is stronger than the doll made by Isekai City. The archscientist almost gets out from the city barrier but pulled from Lilith’s reach. Lilith is disappointed.
“You expect too much from them”
“It is a sign progress”
“Then why are you running?”
“The plant is in the beginning of the Jigeram, the goblins may be stupid but why did the spirits are doing this?”
Lilith stops and wonders it too. She slowly losing her grip as she has nothing to say, the archscientist phasing through the city barrier along with her men coming to escort her. Spokesman arrived and caresses her shoulder
“I wouldn’t dare to stop someone in this kind of situation. What the adventurers did was a blunder. Let’s go save them, this is getting the other Enders Guild wasting their time. Right, the new moon keeper?”
Lilith turns around and see the Phantom watching them together. He bows and respects to her without anyone saw them under the new moon’s light.
“It is an honor to see you here. By the way, from your acting, it seems you found a connection in this city”
Lilith couldn’t respond and Spokesman shakes his hand out of respect.
“It’s good to see a young descendant from our most trusted allies”
“Even this long, our lands didn’t expand”
“Of course, this world is still had its hopes. We shouldn’t forget the deeds from our ancestors have done”
“Then become one, your wife still needs to get what she truly deserves”
The phantom left, leaving an expression to Lilith’s imagination. She didn’t say after except
“I have promised that boy he could have a playmate”
“Now, now. Don’t frown on the past, maybe our future child will see many of his great grandchildren”
Lilith hits him on the gut, the strength she had is strong and painful. Yet, Spokesman shrug it off life like it is normal. They turn to see the ruins from afar, with their magic vision seeking through the returning light bluish fog. The plant has been grown, a sentinel like creature begins moving as it tries to escape. The leaves sheds like spore searching for new lands to grow. It won’t last long, thankfully. Under the Jigeram’s particles falling down from the sky, it won’t grow long, and even underground is nothing left that needs Alga’s light.
The adventurers didn’t know the spirits could switch identities. They beat up Puma, with little to its rituals. Silfa is both glad and troubled by it. Puma is strong and have rituals to really can make scar out of them if it wanted too, and the other is the plant have grown into a tree using the duck as the host for its massive rituals. Carved soils turned to leaves as it spread all around the air. They are in awe to see such a thing grow using only rituals. The branches begin to grow and produces weird fruits that glows brown red, the brown red cloud. This time, the controls it.
The plant begins to move on its own as it grows a body, leaves lying on it starts shift and turn to form ritual as it grows. The dusts limit its strength and still able to hold the neutral mana. It tries to run slowly as the adventurers tried to stop it. The rituals are holding nothing but the fruit of the brown red cloud. It raises its branches to mix with the dust, forming a cyclone picking up the rest of the dusts from the sky. One fell swoop with the fruits bombarding to the adventurers. They were striking down between clouds and densely dusts.
They pulled out in their inventory with the stashes of clean water. It wasn’t that long they run out. They tried to fight the tree, but it keeps raining down the dust as easily as it gathers with the brown red fruits. The bombardment keeps coming leaving the trails of their magic crystallized. It was too much for them, as the dusts continue to fully dense enough experiencing the horrid of the fourth moon cycle. The Enders man shout out to everyone while the birds trying to dodge the moving tree’s attacks.
“This is not going to work. The tree is possessing a large quantity of mana”
Silfa couldn’t see any way to fight against it. The spirits are turning against them, and what Puma warned her about is true. She asks him
“What will happened to the city?”
“It’s fine, the tree is interfering the demons’ powers. Also, there is no Alga’s light to maintain itself. It drains this mana as a substitute”
“That’s even worse”
“With its rituals, I think it won’t hurt us. There is nothing else to say it wants to become weeds in this ruin”
They look at the tree is able to escape. The adventurers who fought did too recklessly as they are down on the ground leaving themselves buried in the dusts. Many tries to break them free, but it seems their powers still being consumed. The man inside is slowly dying, other start panicking as they are losing consciousness. The bombardment is fully utilized the dusts and the neutral mana altogether. It gives lethal effects as they are trapped inside where the interior is fully solid while the exterior still absorbing outside.
After this event, they left defeated by the sudden betrayal. The S rank guilds never seen this coming. The advantage they have to quell the feral are done. Only left are what are left from the demons’ puppets. Others trying to help each other to break them free. The brown red cloud trapped inside with the adventurers in their dust imprisonment. They have their equipment protect them against cloud, others managed to break free with their runes. The leaves left behind grew so weakly because of dusts. Its dying roots persist until reaches the cloud. They able to live a bit as powerful mana attract the spirits once again.
Soon, they all break free. The S ranks adventurers regroup and saw more of them coming this way. The A to C rank adventurers is here to clean off the remaining surviving threats, including Emerald with her team of researchers to study the new biome. The archscientist sees what happened here as the plant is grown and leaving with its rituals. The adventurers watch her examine the situation while her troops are already going after the tree. She looks rather impressed than they have expected her being disappointed.
Silfa and her teams come to her and apologized “We’re sorry, we didn’t successfully clear out the threats . . .”
She stops her “There is no need, we are all people here having to deal the many interactions of this world. I’d say you people did well surviving the horrendous horde of feral spirits. Look at the lone Enders over there”
They turned around look at the man, hiding the curses and rituals affecting his body in secrets. The man is surrounded by birds as it slowly picking off what lies inside his skin. The ritual leaks out as it left from the feral spirits. The archscientist explains
“Will you like to see what happened if you don’t have the resistance against the millions?”
Gemina steps in and wanted to see while the others are backing away from their eyes off him. Silfa looks at Puma as Puma is nodding and how impressed it is that the man is still standing. They dare and they were shocked as he removed his helmet and his claws. By the very flesh as he is being corrupted, both neutral and shamanism magic. He is looks like a ghoul on his face and his hands shape shift into a beast. His hands broke and bled because of his growing mutated hands wouldn’t fit his claws, a stunning reminder of the horror of shamanism and demon’s magic.
The archscientist said to the lower ranks “Let’s be thankful to the people who perform this operation quite well. The city guild had put their professional to use and us to provide a worthy tool. We will be heading first, find all the survivors and them, all of them, to the base. The guild master will take care of them”
She disappears as the magic circle raises from her feet and above her head, elevating up and down as she finally teleported away. The ray of light transcends up to the sky and even see it descends to where the tree goes.
The guild master watches the adventurers brought everyone here. The feral spirits’ curse is over and the people who were the first getting it are already cleanse off, including their own mana. It was a relief and a surprise to see the Agatheans survive. The magic they have kept them live, and the new moon’s help rays on them to slow down their deaths. They should be dead, yet, the citizens prevail. He takes to look to his one of his subordinates. Removing all of his equipment and seeing his body had become. No magic can stop these relentless rituals going through him. It will take weeks for him to recover as his very flesh being deformed and hard to restore to his proper body.
The sky hovers through the new moon, and the time shows are in the night. His guilds and his allies’ guilds are preparing for the last day ahead. This incident is not enough for them to postpone. However, he alone never would see such a light of the new moon to see so many high ranked adventurers returned with loots in their hidden stash. That event attracts the remains, the neutral mana’s stash, and the locations of said treasures are revealed. The ruins have opened the secret realms where the feral took. Giving to them a new take when adventuring their own ruined city.
Tabitha wakes up in the Enders camp, along with Illtended remain sleeping soundly as his body still not recover. Along with the two Enders women stop giving treatment and let the rituals annoying engraved their sense of pain. Archivist’s bed hid under the curtains as the Enderrs are bringing medical equipment. She tries to use her bind, and he is left unconscious. Alone in her mind as she worries them so dearly. The only left she is worrying next is Altair.
Altair walks outside of the tent and sees her awake. “Thank goodness, you’re alright”
“Altair, did you see anything after the fight?”
Her trembling body, tired from the fight and still reaching out to him with worries that he can’t imagined from her fatigue. It is the same goes that happened to Faye as she watches the fight. He was glad that they didn’t continue, from what they witness earlier was goblin’s behavior.
“The fight?! Well, regards to loot. The violet spirit took it all. We are all almost dead, and I don’t think fighting it back would be not a great idea.
Tabitha starts to tear up. Altair asks “Hey, what’s wrong?!”
“It’s nothing, as long as everyone is safe. I am just tearing up here on this bed”
Altair steps away from the topic as other Enders are hearing their conversation. They look at them in the eyes to tell them to be quiet. Another patient goes by with a hospital bed, taken from the nearest hospital. The guild master is there with him go through. Covered with special bed sheets not to leak the stench coming from the patient. Altair’s trait identifies the source as he left speechless.
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The people inside the new moon were put to rest for the rest of the days. Under nearly four days of rest and curing off the rituals they have been put through. They will recover in no time. While during that day being hospitalized within the camp; Tabitha, Archivist and Illtended were transferred elsewhere to the nearest hospital. It was the night after lying outside of the camp. Emerald provides them the help as they need to rest comfortably, and Illtended was brought under the expense of the city guild. Tabitha sees Haw entered the room with Miyusuki, the shield student. She is alone while her partner is in the ICU room.
Miyusuki brings some snacks and place it on the table. “Long time no see, I have also something for you”
He gives her deck and the wand “Some guy gave it to me and it belongs to you”
Tabitha meekly smiles “Thank you, is there any news about Archivist?”
Haw takes a sit “Still remain unconscious, I bet Sanquin keeps him from being awake”
“She did?! Is she is using one of her abilities?”
“Yeah, but I don’t know much about her. Oue is the only person knows her intentions. I expect something personal is going to happen”
Miyusuki places her things on the cabinet and brings out his gauntlet holding a magic item. He shows it to her
“Say, I made this from school. Teacher Alche says it is a special item that can contact people who is close to. I don’t know what is supposed to do because my UI is gone. My friends told me is like the chat app for UI. I’ll just use my device”
Haw takes it off his hands and look at the structure of the item. To test he uses it in a whim, the item requires mana. He gives it back to him and said,
“Could you fill this up with your mana or anything with that gauntlet of yours?”
“Sure”
The magic item fills up with energy and turns into a large mirror. Haw picks it up and place it front of the tv screen. Two of them watch Haw install it and use the item to the best of his knowledge to contact her. The mirror is reacting and only a sound coming from it.
“Hey Haw! What’s with the over excess mana you’re using?”
“Juela, I’m in what we call an apothecary building”
“You mean the hospital, Tabitha told me that. No, wait . . .”
Juela forces her magic on the mirror as the rift open to be seen. She sees Tabitha on the bed with her face surprisingly with worries.
“Tabitha! How in the world did you get beaten down in your own city?”
Tabitha gets embarrassed how she is acting right now. It is still morning, but more and more of Raker Mawn guild members checked on Juela as the mirror expanded with their own magic infused together. Miyusuki starts grinning to see more of his guild members are using the item he made. Then someone appeared, Tabitha’s eyes would not let her moves away. Her presence of magic proceeds her, and a little sincere since she sees a young boy. Still, Tabitha is in the worse condition.
A magic item suddenly reinforces with unbelievable amount of mana. The human size illusion of her appeared as it phases through the mirror. She doesn’t care how the limits of that item can be used, and her item enforce it greater to its limits. Miyusuki keeps himself amazed with a strong expression.
“WOW!”
A childish response, but she is amused to youths like this. Especially Tabitha being newbie before. She introduces herself.
“The names Oue’Jhnr Demyr’Ankr. You must be the new guild member I heard about”
Miyusuki looks at the young woman, white long hair and charming for her short stature. He can’t identify her but he sure does feel that she is strong when she is interacting with his magic item. It wasn’t supposed to be a mirror, it will change when the user used so are the one who to design it. He walks near the illusion as he bows slightly.
“Greetings, I am what people called me the shield student. Haw called me that, and y-y-eah. I am the new member. Please take care of me”
“Please take care of you? So, you are one with Tabitha’s people”
Miyusuki continues “Well, I uh? You can call me Miyusuki, it is my last name so it won’t . . .”
Haw pulls him off the conversation as he explains to her “Oue, please care to understand that this is their dialogue. Don’t think of any formal ideas”
“What?!”
Miyusuki shakes his head out of misunderstanding. Oue didn’t do a thing a let the kid reacting to all of this. She turns her gaze as she walks to Tabitha’s bed. Her eyes are beaming through the illusion of her magic, matching what she had learn the culture of this city. Tabitha expects for the worse and hope she is not going to scold her. She looks at her and mispronounced her name again
“Yui, I”
“I take it as an insult”
“Tch*”
Miyusuki sees the situation is getting uncomfortable, he tries to reach out but Haw keeps him firm at the back. The two watches them talk.
“I must say, you are going to the limits to use my magic items against a powerful entity”
“How do you know . . .”
“Archivist is been unconscious for too . . . sigh* . . . I nearly swore. I am older than you, and I should be behaving like it. Anyway, He is been with Sanquin while he was passed out. More like the moment the fight is over, he was pulled into the heavenly pfft* demon’s care”
She smiles out of mockery, yet she remained adequate.
“There are no worries about him. We are worry about you”
She fades away without completing her conversation. The mirror is showing her friends and acquaintances. Oue is not the type of woman to hog the conversation for herself. There are people who care for her and the intensive presence is not for the sickly to face right now. Then they slowly change their gazes on the young boy. Not giving the time of explaining to him, as they are giving to speak it out here and now.
“The apprentice of Sanquin, I already breaking the visitation vibe with you in front of us for the first time”
“You guys, we are here because of his magic item”
“Juela, this boy joined our guild. I want to know all the details”
Tabitha was kept busy where Kiege appeared from the side of the mirror. Two groups were formed, one for Tabitha and one for Miyusuki. The first order of their conversation as Tabitha listens to Juela and Kiege relief to see her fine. Kiege says to her
“So how far you use your cards correctly?”
“I don’t know, I’m just glad something happened to me with the gifts given to me”
“You mean the notepad given to you by our guild master?”
“No, the other one”
Juela sees Tabitha shows to them the relic. It is the same item that saves her. It is difficult to see what powers lies as it is concealed rather strongly for anyone to see it.
Juela asks Haw “Were you involved in her team?”
“I’m not, I was part somewhere else in the ruins. It wasn’t that long when the feral spirits are coming at us randomly then stopped at the border”
“Ah, I guess it is still a mystery”
Tabitha continues to engage on the topic of her adventures. The way they did made a lot of critique from Kiege’s case, meanwhile Juela looks at her being depressed to hear other Enders limiting to share the resources. That incident shouldn’t have happened. Both of them turned their eyes on Haw, he looks at them back with no answers ignoring their pressures on him.
Meanwhile Miyusuki was supposed to talk about himself with his guild members, but they giving out their stories to him as he uses his device to record it all.
“. . . No way, it can’t be true, can it?”
“You can’t even understand the entire of it. The reason why you were being rained down by gifts because of Sanquin herself. Comparing to her and you, you are given more than what that explorer gives her the card of society”
“The gauntlet of Dexter Guild, the blessings of Sanquin, and Lilith’s guidance. Those are no normal people you are with. The only thing we are proud of you that you made your own magic item. It is better you can make with it rather than be provided”
Miyusuki laughs “That’s what my uncle told me. Sure, some gifts are great for my beginning. While Sanquin did something to my special trait. I never been feeling alone for a while”
The Raker Mawn guild members were a bit worried, but hearing him alone stood their sigh in relief. Miyusuki notices it
“What’s with all the sighs”
“Something that you should be careful. For Sanquin to remove something on you, I’m guessing it’s a tool of your dependency”
“Only thing you need to do now is become stronger. I hope this school of yours taught you more than just neutral mana”
The mirror is starting to react again. The interference is greater than it should be. The Raker Mawn guild is sending something important as the magic item is starting to break. The new form of mana is infused once again. The last detail added to the magic mirror is the logo. Marked on the image of the Raker Mawn guild, the oval exterior is formed into hands holding each other is such a small and high detail. The known familiar symbol of the simple open palm hand, the difference is the fingers as it represents the numbers of guilds to each of them formerly from. The palm is where the Raker Mawn is. The symbol of the dodecagram, the signs of the founding guilds.
The figure is appearing with the presence that is familiar with Haw’s sight. He brings Miyusuki to one of the sits and begins his leave the room. Once he is outside, he said to one of the nurses.
“Don’t disturb this room, something important is coming up”
In the meantime, Miyusuki was confused at the moment of how Haw reacting differently. Tabitha doesn’t know either as the room is starting to change. The man in mirror finally appeared on screen with his head leaning on his fist as he taps his other hands on the table. Somewhere in the undergrown, he is contacting them with stronger reach beneath the surface.
Guild master Daygen is at their presence, leaving the surprised face left by Tabitha’s shock.
“Guild master!”
Miyusuki gets excited as looks at the man himself. Daygen sees the young boy is with her, and impressed that this magic item made by him. It is simple but over use with the resources he had. He calls out the boy
“The shield student, Haw reports mention about you”
“Ah, thank you. I am so excited to see you here visiting her”
“. . .” Tabitha remained shocked.
“Your training is improving, young boy. I am asking this personally. Is there a difference in power during your time in school? You’re sparring with your colleagues or ‘classmates’, does it improve your skills?”
“Well, I was using the gauntlet and made my way better than I should. If I don’t use it, they will eventually beat me up to no end”
“You are the boy with the shield, what else you do against without range”
“Exactly my thought, I have throwing knives but that kind of tier weapon is basic”
“Then you must be using it as a diversion”
Miyusuki leans to Tabitha’s ears getting him full of surprises “So, this is the Raker Mawn guild master, I would never imagine to see him like this”
“He is a kind leader, but you need to finish your school. Is there anything else you have?”
“I told you before, Sanquin sealed it off”
“Why not asks him about it?”
“Good idea, Ah Sir, would you mind me asking a few questions?”
“There is no need. You were recruited under the name Sanquin Briannca. She will be responsible for you in the near future. Follow what your guild members there to gain the basic needs for your body, you’ll going to need it soon”
Miyusuki can’t wait. Then he stands up and heads to bathroom. “Excuse, but I am going to the bathroom”
He closes the door leaving her with the guild master. Daygen looks at her in a sorry state. The rituals still taint her body and soul. It was a miracle for her and Lady Constanstine’s relic unleashed her powers. Meaning, she had witness death. He wasn’t so sure about it at first, but he can feel the light coming from her inventory. It may hide from everyone’s senses, but the neutral mana can’t hide the blessed item.
“Well, he is gone, let’s discuss about the Lady’s gift. What do you feel about the relic finally acting up?”
Tabitha tries to remember as she begins to tear up, a ghost she knew appeared and saved her then pulled to the monster’s mouth. It was too much as she opens her eyes, waiting, he is not giving pity or any expression. He waits for her to answer without any comfort. He already given her much help than she had been through.
“The relic activates when it reacts to one of my people I know passed away. Tell me, is it true the friend I know is been taken away by the demon?”
He answers immediately “People who died in this world will never find their way to their original world in heaven or hell. Lost souls to Horsin, and still a mystery how life carries out like this. To you though, and to your people who passed away is indeed in trouble. You might probably saw someone out there under the name of the Lady’s guild”
Tabitha remembers him “You mean, Azin?”
“So, that’s his name. Then where do you meet him?”
“At my north west part of the city, called Fuku City”
“Then you must know the tragedy is conflicted there. This Azin must found something dangerous out there”
Tabitha starts to try to figure out how things had happened yesterday. Magneto’s soul appeared to her rescue nearly in the brink of death. His tenacious of saving others is still keep moving on, even after his suicide. She almost forgot that he didn’t want to be alone.
“I think I understand”
“Oh yeah, there is one more thing. After facing something dangerous in your life. I should recommend to begin your self-reflection or whatever you call it. You can now use your relic and it will attract dangers more than ever. So, my notepad should’ve marked it while you fight”
Miyusuki walks out from the bathroom as the guild master calls out to him.
“The shield student! Come over here, there is something I need a word with you”
He gets excited yet again and goes to the mirror immediately. Tabitha hides her tears and picks out her notepad. Without her knowing as her writing is next to the ritual writings, the note pad is being filled with messages from the violet spirit.
“This woman has the relic of the redeemers. Then you might understand me . . . Well, she is gone out from using her powers. I bet the boyz don’t know you have it. I’m sure Puma and the rest who are going along with your people sure love to use our tribal spells . . .”
She turns the next page and see two ritual symbols, and simple diagram how to install it into her deck of cards. Haw will be able make it. Tabitha continues reading the message as violet spirit is saying stuff to itself
“. . . Just in case, if those traitors managed to break free the Alga’s light sprout. Something magical will get her to receive the message. Ahem* It’s fine for your people to keep losing. It will not eventually last long and will be hibernating when the dusts overwhelmed it. The circle of life will always keep it alive. The tribal canyons will never die, as life returns, the cycle continues”
This is Daygen’s gift to her, it makes her more curious to use it more than she had imagine. Miyusuki returns to her after the discussion with the guild master. The magic item turned off and returned just an ordinary object.
“Did you hear that, Tabitha?”
“About what?”
“Later a few months, they will pick you up after doing your business in the city. You know what day it will be when they come”
“. . .”
“You don’t know? I guess you were in Enders Bridge for so long. Its conventional week. We can invite them to see what is going in this city”
After the visit, Miyusuki left as he will be meeting with his friends later. Haw comes in to take care of her. Tabitha picks out her notepad and shows it to him
“Can you make more cards with this?”
Haw sees the two ritual symbols. He backs off for a moment and carefully reads it. With his own paper and smudges on her notepad to quickly trace with the ink he had. After it is done, he says to her
“I don’t know how you have this kind of magic – I mean ritual symbols. I will see what I can do”
“Thanks”
Few days have passed, as they fully recovered. Tabitha meets with her team only Illtended and Altair, the two Enders left as their time here is done. Archivist comes along feeling better than they had expected. Altair hears her explanation
“I see, you’ll be heading back to Fuku City. I won’t be asking why, but please be careful. That place is very suspicious”
Illtended agreed “So, this dinner is going be our farewell then. It’s fine by me. Let’s share the bill, right Altair?”
“Oh, your humors went bad after that fight”
Tabitha got her new two cards, letting Archivist to see it. “Did Haw test it for you? This is nothing like any tribal ritual”
“It’s fine, I owe him big time after that. I never heard the materials required the plant we’ve been using against the feral”
The two is preparing for their return to Fuku City. As they are coming back to the ruins as the new phenomenon did much worse but better when the monsters are gone from the bomb effects. There are still more out there. The brown red cloud wasn’t dense enough for the more dangerous ones to appear. Especially the monsters hiding near the undergrown.