COI 45
They don’t know what happened, a woman and child came out from the sphere. Not recognized what they saw, the child couldn’t understand what she sees but cries that she made it home. The woman remained silent and sees everyone in the guild scurry about to see a survivor in their guild. Soon after, many more adventurers gathered and along with the crowd are Ruby, Altair and Illtended witness a survivor from east coast. No one didn’t recognize them. They must be from the other part of the city. The public service came and brought them to the hospital.
Without a doubt, their hopes and cheers are celebrating to the man who help them. Haw was under suspicion, but now cheered by them. Silfa comes to hug him, but it was Heist who jump on to him. Swearing to the top his lungs with excitement as there are survivors within the caves of east coast. News spread out freely by the public, but removed Haw’s name about the topic. They didn’t know why he wanted to be anonymous until Silfa talks about him with another name.
“Yeah, they know you. Calling you Rho, a man with twin light hand blades and the other one with a surf board”
His expression is closed to a guilt it seems, the way she described must be them. The fat man with the light blades, the mana converter between neutral to energy and vice versa. He was the one who under experiment to the psyche of many patients after him. Haw can’t express how many ways he had done to test the critical and the permanent mental disorder, and the name code as RH-0 or rho by name. He explains alternatively
“I was a member of that guild, Dexter Guild, and never knew of him involved with the sphere. However, my name is coded for . . . RH means Rehab zero”
“You mean you have been rehabilitated?”
Gemina is connecting everything what is going on, she was part of the research team to find out about the Benedictus. From time and time again, she found out more when she met the Enders. Even Haw told his back story by only few small talks, she realizes that from not wanting him to tell his origin as he was kept in check since then. He was proven to be rehabilitated, and the others were shock while the two staff stay at the side lines worrying about him.
“Enough, we have already saved two people today. I apologized for hastily chant it. I didn’t know how powerful it is. Now I understand why, it meant for you, isn’t it?”
“Not anymore, that was the other option if the procedure failed. Now, I want to know how far did you get from that sphere”
Later, Haw left the city guild with his girlfriends, it is his reward for they have an alternative. Shinji and Nanami googling their eyes to see his newly made bank account only for free coupon meals per week for the entire year. Where there is nothing for him to appeal this city’s luxuries, disappointed by the two, as they rather have a home cook meal made by him.
“Oh dear, you should of ask something else”
“I was involved too much, and coins are plenty in my bag”
“Are you still making business with the shop keeper?”
“I think he still is, man, how many jobs are you involve? The school, stranding island, the shop keeper, and the quest from your guild”
They left the guild as they blissfully enjoyed their entire week. Meanwhile in the city guild, where they learn more about the Enders motivation. One of them have theories about their involvement in such extremes, and it was the operator. He is not here but he is in Enders Bridge busily help the excavation to refining. They call him and talk about them.
“Hello?”
“Hey, this is from the city guild and we were wondering . . .”
“. . . Oh sorry, someone interrupting my call . . . Yeah, great timing, no, sorry . . . Ok, I got word from him that he was with you guys today. Strange story this guy told me laugh*”
The call was interrupted and the receptionist try to contact to the adventurers, they reached out to anyone actually talk to them in the sphere. One of the leaders come in and answered the call.
“Yeah, it’s me. Please give your phone to him”
“Really?! You will give me a free beer and explain to me after this”
“What?”
“My bad, I'm talking someone else here”
A familiar voice, the same voice who confronted the adventurers. The man who is calling to them under a strong frequency to get him in contact. It is a special telecommunication radar to reach to Enders Bridge and bypass the disruption surrounded by the insects. Then somehow, they know who they are trying to call to, the enders are no joke, adding more from Haw’s request really do fits their capabilities.
“How did you know who were calling to?”
“Spyware from the previous eras, my friend”
“Spyware? Was this world advance?”
“The world has change, but not those people who preserve it. Past civilizations never once let go its heritage”
Everything is building up, peacefully, the city keeps improving by the days. Their new skills improving so much to the point of sustaining the resource needed to make. The people are slowly learned the manas being controlled to their abilities. Runes were the first to learn by their own research, shamanism from what happened in the last day of the summer festival, and now archscience under the sphere given by the Enders. The man explained the progression they have to do to improve before the people who are against them have the chance.
“Archscience? Are you telling me that all this to help us indirectly?”
“That’s what they are trying to do, however, you will be meeting people in the sphere who actually hated you. The one who came before you can call them security. The actual guildmembers were resting after a recent scavenging. It will soon stop when the shipment can’t be sent”
“I have saw the shipment before. It’s a good amount”
“Not from what we brought. I’ll tell him to send a picture”
The call ends and he received a message, and more than just picture, it is a video as it overlayed in the air seeing the massive chunks of metals magnetize all together. It is too soon for them to realize how much they brought to them. More mysteries of them to show their Lords and Ladies the progression they make under their rules. It is making him wonder what will the government do after this discovery. A text from the operator mentioning about the detail.
“I heard about the conversation, and yes, we need to learn archscience just in case. Do it individually”
A man from Isekai Ciity, stayed inside an inn. A most common hybrid of inns that has rooms to sleep and a pub or bar on the ground floor for rest and relaxing. This is a special exception than the rest of his city and from Agatheus city, a post-apocalyptic bar theme with actual gadgets functioning funny. It is a nice glance for him to rest inside a junk ship where more and more people coming in. Where you have to go down deeper for a drink, and magic rooms bounded to specify each guild. He heard it is noting but magic portal to their guild or homes instead. Now ending a call from a man, who coincidentally allow him to have a chat.
His phone returned and giving him a suspicious look.
“Did you wire tap my phone?”
“The term for me is spyware, and kudos for your translator”
“Huh, I’ve never let someone call me to have someone else talk to instead”
A pint of different alcoholic beverages is floating from the hovering plate, one of them pick one and continue its merry way.
“Gulp* You know about the sphere sending to your city”
“Those kids, are they really have to be this way?”
“Saving them is a good thing . . .”
“But they band aiding their own mistakes, I don’t care how they freely choose, this is not their world to goof around”
The man who organized for the city’s process of ores for shipment, and with the resources sent by the maximum capacity of the caravans. He is not that type of person to think this world to be safe. The man who is with him can be familiarize someone as a fat man, just overweight, and managed to control a power armor that has light energy weapons.
“You’re starting to learn more about our ways”
“There’s one thing I agree with your city, yes, we need to leave. As of now, someone didn’t complete the foundation. I wish we could have a different one”
“That won’t do, because something summoned you from the beginning, it would be a chance for others will summon your people again”
“Groan* If only we could . . . hey! Wait a minute are you one of us?”
“. . . Ah, huh?”
A woman comes up to them wearing in Enders clothing, she wore a plain robe matching between black and white, with a bit grey to hide the filth, but looks appealing by many people. Along with herself is another woman. Both of them show up just to have a good time, the woman comes to them as they overheard something. The fat man says to them.
“Look at that, It’s Raker Mawn’s newish member. That woman is a researcher about the foundation you are talking about”
The man sees her and the way she looks is as normal as the every day people from his city, and the attitude of her being shy is a give away from his scowl look. It is most common reaction to people being nervous around them. The fat man sees him nothing but interest of suspicion, the other woman with her had no reaction, but for her, it’s definitely one of them.
“Sigh* Since when you become a member, why working here where the entire city is overrun from time to time”
They introduce themselves, “Sorry, I may don’t have my friend reacting this way, but I’m Kiege and this is Tabitha”
“Code name X2L and this man just call him the operator”
“Just call me Mister instead, I don’t do named after my profession”
They took their seats as the two let them talk about something they interest them. The topic about them indirectly meets the other guild, the city guild, and talk about their dedication to rescue their friends trapped form the east coast. Tabitha and the operator start to bond about the topic, as soon they criticize the defection of those people.
“They’re crazy bunch of people”
“I know right? I have no clue why they go there in the first place”
“It’s probably from those close minded sticking close to their fantasies”
Kiege and X2L listened them as they rambled about the past events that cause the separation between their people. Hearing them squander about is nothing have change as they are, and X2L begins to continue back to their own topic.
“Ehem, anyway about the sphere”
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“Oh sorry”
“Don’t be young lady, finally I have some time to blow off some steam”
They continue to distract themselves on and on until the operator finally left.
Tabitha was caught off from the mood as she shows the side of her. A little ditsy from the drinks, and how deceptively the taste was with the sweets alongside with it.
“Hic*”
“I hope you can listen clearly? this guy can still talk”
“Laugh* Is she the one who wants to know about the rumors?”
“We already heard about it, and many people won’t shut up about testing the newcomers”
“Then you mean she needs an approval from us”
“I thought that Haw would recommend her, but he is at Isekai City”
“Yeah, somehow, he was involved about the sphere”
“That’s odd, he should be finding recruits”
“Still wanting to join us? Your partner resting on her head on the table prove otherwise, she is here to find a way to leave this world, gulp*”
“Then again, many people are doing side jobs quite a lot lately”
“Ignore that, it’s him collaborating”
“Then let’s ignored him too, sorry for mentioning him”
“Let’s begin then”
The two negotiate through Tabitha’s premade plan and help from the guild. She heard numerous times about Dexter Guild would help her in some point, and more people spreading rumors about her about to. X2L thought the same, it is applicable to a woman who knows about tech like her device. It would be easier for her to examine better for her next goal.
Tabitha and Kiege had rented a room, besides going back to the tower. Where everyone is sleeping together on the steps of the staircase, Kiege don’t know what to do with Tabitha as she doses off in bliss. They entered the room, a strange mix of hospitality between men and elves, where it furnished together to look appealing. The lights are from the potted glowing trees, with small blink of light frolicking in the air. Kiege carried her to one of the beds as she lies on the other one.
Kiege finally feels relax and drunk, and hopes she could remember their conversation from the Dexter Guild Member. Tabitha was lost in the conversation with her fellow citizens, surprising to see her being that engage other than her research. Slowly closing her eyes, she sees her using her device again. Taking care of her from the blood lurker, shows her frequent use of her device, and now healthy, she continues to use it further. It must be their culture, guessing as she lied rest. Kiege sleeps soundly through the elven atmosphere.
As for Tabitha, she reads through the forums from her city. Reading news about the sphere in the city guild, one sided within their views as treating Enders as enemies. Comments and Articles joined from side to side, demonizing the Enders of its recent response but except the people who contribute inside the city. It was Haw, Ironno, U’ecin?!, Myrrkei, and Rusic, they were the ones who raided vital realms of the gangs in her city. More incredible news about Myrrkei sharing knowledge of analogy between this world and their existence.
Searching further as memes come and go, it was so much to the point that she can’t relate many of it because of how new and improving the city is. A good chuckle from her tiring expression as she saw one of the adventurers defeated by a spirit bird. Both looking cute and at the same time threatening of its chubby size claiming its prey. Different quotes pop up and also memes about it too, it is kind of funny how they are having a good time inside the protection of the city. She kept scrolling until she fell asleep, tomorrow will be longer as she prepares.
The next morning, Daygen and Lady Constantine are already at the place of the sphere, waiting for someone to come. Tabitha appeared before them with her side, Archivist, formally greet them. Silently responding to him,
Daygen speaks “Learning about our city is fine for your life experience, and you must also train your body to adapt. It would a be a matter of time that something might happen to you. Your guardian can’t protect you from own kind”
“I understand, and I’m also have difficulty to learn as this place exposed such hazardous environment”
“There are facilities that will help you to face the Enders at any time, the worries that this lady besides me is facing your own”
Tabitha was busy ever since the raiding incident from her city, while she was sick, she is buying her time to get better and watch complete reruns. It is kind of fascinating for her to have a break throughout her days in this world. Then the incident happened. The incident where actual crime scenes were the gangs killed or missing, one of the police deputies was in critical condition and ignored any healing applied on him.
The news thought it will be permanently disabled, until a doctor who is researching the mana block using alternative mana. It was archscience, the doctors removed the mana block through their experimental procedure. They succeeded and restore the police’s limbs, and it was a big success from the city. As the city grows, more problems will be popping out. Tabitha, the first time she entered Daygen’s office just to tell Daygen about the news. He is only worried about U’ecin, her employer’s companion, and he won’t mention why.
She remembered what he said to her “If you continue beyond from the card of society, they will not allow it without a proper permission from the Enders”
Now she needs permission from the Dexter Guild for only accessing the sphere, there should be more guilds to allow her in. It is easy for her to have a group of people to have a common social status, and probably understood her after. Lady Constantine commented of her decisions.
“When your training is done, the best quests you have to do for now is from Kinteinnou region. Make sure it fitted by your skills”
Both Daygen and Lady Constantine give her one equipment each, a small notepad and a relic. Place on her hands as she is head into the sphere, Archivist joins her as she must train herself adapt to this world and against her own people. Tabitha thought of it long and hard about this, as she must live among them to survive and preserve her humanity once she left this world. Setting foot into a golden building, an elf is waiting for her as requested from the other guild masters.
Tabitha sees him with his arms open to introduce himself,
“You may not know why am I here, and I’ll be supervising your training here”
Thoroughly observing from his appearance, the seal shows that he is one of the guild masters, and he greets her with a friendly smile. Tabitha took time to understand what’s going on, and the elf continues
“Being wary, I see. Then you should talk to Lady Constantine, she asks for this”
Tabitha got tilted for some reason and Archivist held her firm, both of them don’t know why she acted like this. Tabitha had a chat with her before, in Daygen’s office.
“Alright, I understand it was her. Why would she bring you to watch over me?”
“I have my history with this people’s ancestry, I observed many identical traits from them with your people”
“You mean other people summoned here”
“That’s the claim, but it seems hundreds of years didn’t change much between them. It’s more like slowly improving . . . Let’s talk about it later, let it pass as of now need to prepare for the future”
“We need to get going Tabitha, there is nothing we could do remembering the past”
“You’re right Archivist. Ok . . . your name?”
“Call me Elrond”
They venture forth inside the landmarks, looking around the place has collections of different structures. Sealed in every gate among the temples, except for one building, it is a church, a plain simple wooden church. Tabitha sees a slight open and bring them inside out of curiosity. Once inside, portrait of people in the wording she had familiar with. Old and preserve throughout the years, the relics inside written in English under the phrase as she said it
“Here lies . . . In the memory of . . . 2003?! Why is it written in English?”
“You’re right, Elrond, care to share about this”
“Awe* From all the collections of landmarks gathered together, this is the only place stands out. Many thought it is nothing but sore eyes among the other worlders, this landmark is built to preserve their faith. Back then, it was stolen but not destroyed. You see the people who passed away during that time”
Hundreds of years from this world to over a decade from Tabitha’s world. This is a discovery she can’t believe in. Someone entered the church, Lady Constantine herself. Already know she is going to be here with its familiar look. Calming and appealing of her took interest of this place, Tabitha backs away out of feeling from being close to her.
“Let’s leave, ok? Or do you want to be part of this church too”
Either she is threatening her or bring her to her faith, it’s Tabitha’s paled reaction as the cold aura from here intentionally frightened her. Tabitha left first while the two followed through, Lady Constantine lowers her head in front of the altar and says her prayer. The people who passed away, giving thanks to them as they brought this world to become like this. Not from ruins, but the warnings they fought for to the end. Foolishly did so, and the remnants move on as a reminder to leave.
Regrets flows through Tabitha’s head, she found proof that they have to leave. People who did actually come to this world, and become part of the catastrophe. It is too soon to conclude it, the elf who is next to her after her escape. Archivist still can tract her with his skills, shaking hands gripping on her device. Almost dropping it with fear from that woman’s presence. She will not be going to remember what happened in that office. The elf gives her water, shaken and splattered a bit after she drinks, and she gives her thanks.
“Gulp* inhale* Thank you, what’s going on? Those people, 2003!? But its 2016 from my world . . .”
“Slow down, let’s go somewhere else. Tabitha, you need to relax”
Archivist helps her the way he was told to do. Forcing her to be carried her like a princess, but she kept questioning about this world. Keep asking questions to the elf who witnessed it all. Tabitha lies resting in his arms from the moment she entered the church. Like most churches’ interior as it meant for mass, but that one is cramp with collections of people’s belongings. No doubt in her mind by looking at them, they are all from the 2000s.
All originated somewhere in the US, all in English, she didn’t know when they were transfer to this world nor how they got here. The elf might know, but he only remembers the Christian side of it. They were the most active wanting to leave this called Demonic World, and ironically the elf smiles out of nowhere remembering that part. Archivist, hidden his expression with his hood, sees it and only his voice shows about his expression.
“That some sick look on your face, Elrond, is there something happy about your past?”
“Yeah, what are you thinking about?”
“The people who once live in that church were right, they have to leave”
“You mean, they are also the one who made the foundation”
“One of them, yet they are uniting many people to leave as many being summoned during their time. Persecuted until the end of their lives, grasping so much faith to leave. Cursing to the point of their own bodies to rot, and the end, they are free when they die”
“Stop adding story to her question, just say yes and explained why it all happened”
“Archivist”
Tabitha sees him acting directly to the elf. His cartoon expression from his hood moving like a mouth, was taken away from the silliness through his words.
“Alright, forgive me young lady, they are the founders of the foundation. It took them hundreds of years to complete it, that was finished during the Fall Era. Thankfully, their ancestor managed to conceal it by me. Truly”
The elf shows his intention to Tabitha, the one who wish to leave. Learning about someone who know how they left but no proof in his words. The warnings he must say to her is vital to kept that foundation to its last use.
The elf’s name as the reminder, those two kept calling him again and again to know more. It’s a nostalgic to hear from another world. But it is too soon, the time will come they must complete it. Bearing this name, made him need to finish it. Everyone must leave and those who stay will accept their fate. Nothing else for him to remember the great achievement of those people. They gave him a reminder and a promise, hoping their fates are the last one who to end this tragedy. They continue meddling him as they reach the gate where it almost breach.
“Sorry for the wait, would you like the hear my reason?”
“But first, will they let me go in to that church again?”
“I recommend you not to, young lady and to you too”
“Is your choice Tabitha. You will decide to go there and show them proof. I would listen to him for what he is about to say. He sees your people before and something did happen during that time. It is unbelievable how this world, the summoning world, won’t let you leave. Coming from you, elves, I see one of the landmarks that has elven magic portal within its scriptures”
“Ok, I trust Archivist, I hope you explain it briefly”
Elrond bows to her in relief and uses his elven magic to let them see what happened before. The past shows grief and tragedy throughout the years, nearly never give a chance of each live to search a way to leave. Between their own kind to leave, and other influence agendas put them in such a breaking point. The people who made the foundation were giving everything in such low quality to poorly help by their own race. The Horsin civilization grew immensely as their project kept failing through intervene. Treating further as crazy people in many years, demonizing them as they did in her recent world.
Those people didn’t give up, but killed or forced out of civilization. Calling them Satanists to the point of delusion, that’s when the corruptible days occurred. It was not the people who wished to leave this world causing their civilization to fall, but the descendants of other worlders to grow their nihilism regards to magic. Morales of their own frails itself to fix it through magic, the values are easily filled through magic, everything put their own will into magic. The same neutral magic those people dependent on, where that time comes of their jealousy to the demon race.
War began, many lives put into control to the most powerful magic user. Many descendants work tirelessly and reunited again to build the foundation. To the point to the end of this world existence, many terrible events come and go. When the foundation finally completed, there is one lack of information they never thought realizing. They didn’t have the coordinates to which world they are from. That tragic moment as they left separately to live this tragic world. Until one from other race of humans, they succeeded and they were never summoned again.
On that same moment, there is one human who stay. Turning around alone to live the different forms of ruins, he watches over the foundation until more come to wish to leave. One use only, as that man’s race show the effectiveness of the foundation. Flash forward to the present, seeing many people summoned along with the city. Elrond stops his magic and told them about it from what he learned. Tabitha, saw the man before the end. He is twice as big in height and his limb merging with magical crystals. The same man was seen throughout the years.
“That man, who . . . I mean what was that?”
“A man from his home world, soulfate, I heard that he is still alive. Their world is as accursed as they are meant to be. You even see the war they are took part in. We are so glad they used it to stop that war”
Archivist thought it much from history, those who built it were ridiculed. At the same time their own people had caused it as well. The gap of time is big here, but from her world, it’s smaller. It would be fine to be more patient by her actions. Tabitha understands it too, the people back then for hundreds of years are the people in the 2000s. She listens to him convincingly.
“It’s nice to see her convinced to all this. I am sincere for my action to preserve those people who wish to leave. Even my own people returned before the war. Tabitha, your name reached to me by your guild master, Daygen, and other masters drew suspicion of you being part of his guild, I request of you to live amongst us until your people must face the reality they are witnessing. Indirectly and effectively, even hated by your own people. At the same time dependent on this city’s ores. They can’t remain true of their hypocrisy, and we did all that to hasten the realization before none of you all can’t return like them”
“You see them, the people who were summoned. I sense your familiarity among their appearance like any other before. I hope staying here longer won’t waste your time from your time in your home world. Now I see, it is a great fortunate of the previous people to save you as they failed themselves. You know them, reminiscence by blood inside our city. Gain the abilities you need to survive as many unknowns will come to test your people. In return, I’ll be helping you to become successful in order to recuperate back to your world”
Elrond, it held the information from the previous people. They had talents and skills to build a better alternative to civilizations, neither of them used mana nor this world’s law of nature, and they using it to their modern design. It works through the basics, and what made the first electronic and digital discovery. He still has it, and the most complicated project he had seen. As of now, Tabitha is in both in the dilemma. She has to keep it a secret in order for them to grow. Like a prophecy, will they change drastically. No, there people who are wanting to leave. But how many lives will it take away just for that or more if they failed completely from what Elrond’s show.