COI C210

The boyfriend and Haw were nowhere to be found during the rescue. The reasons were confidential, puppets always leave some loots, and these loots were combined together with the residences’ mana. Able to keep in top condition that dares to put on the hands on these two individuals. Harnessing their light weapons where they can’t lift it especially the overwhelming powers of the boyfriend, and his eyes are stretching his view to look all the loots they have brought inside the room.

The shadowy puppets, their true forms into an alien like body on their armory and weaponry scattered because how difficult it is to pull it out like item drops coming from the man’s inventory. The loud profanity in his mouth is stretching to Haw’s ears, never to understood what it means except the translation of his rune. It was hard to tell and emotions it given and the terms really doesn’t make sense to fit the boyfriend’s expression.

“Scourges! My eyes bleed out of frustration! I’ll stroke your dead souls into the oblivion!”

Haw understands the phrases but saying it to the loots that he can’t wield properly is rather odd.

Meanwhile, the real words meant “Holy Shit! I can’t understand what I’m seeing this bullshit. The sons of bitches are so fucked if I can use their weapons. Fuck!”

In actuality, his blurred profanity is used because of his girlfriend is in control of their shared UI. She messages him instead disturbing his ears with her voice.

“Quit whining and get those things here or just place it near the apartment”

The look of his boyfriend’s face keeps going on arguing about the loots they have. The remnants’ achievement going above in his pinned notification.

The two sets in going to the apartment. It took them all day as night already covers the stairs as they carried it in annoyance. Those loots are hard to stay in place as it changes their texture and weight as it formed into shadow or back to its normal actual weight. Randomly mixing as it tries to get away from their hands.

Haw says to him “Are you sure your UI is explaining what is happening with these spoils”

“Spoils. Loots. What I can see from my notification it says remnants. I say, we should call it loots for now”

They made io the floor and all the things they had collected from the fallen puppets are all here. The receptionist, the girlfriend, Shinji, and Nanami are trying to touch the loots by their bare hands. Nanami is not being her usual self, the quirky girl who is the first to cling to Haw, or maybe they didn’t know the serious side of her because in the guild she was too playful at the time. Now doing something this hard makes her determine and acting careless. The receptionist did what she can do best, to investigate the loots before her.

Shinji, for the first time they look at her using her magic. The abilities she had. They didn’t know she had it. The use of her identifying magic and along with her own spirit that traces back the source from its origin. It stings her spirit and stops the process leaving her feeling no progress at all in her search.

She said to the receptionist. “It’s no good, we need to bring these things to the guild and . . .”

“We can’t” Haw directly answers

Nanami got excited “Haw! You’re ok”

Both Haw and the boyfriend brought the last loots and quickly drop it. The weapon fall down on the floor splashes itself in shadowy smokes and dusts then returned back itself in the same good condition.

Haw continues “They must not know. Either way, they are probably had their own set after taken the siege”

The boyfriend points out “But this one look better and . . . He’s right”

The girlfriend didn’t understand “What are you saying? I know this is not good to let these loots lying if the demons’ army are coming back”

“I know, and what I’m trying to say is not about that. It’s that I don’t know any news about it either. These loots, the bad ones should be already in the city guild’s hand, right?”

The girlfriend shakes her head “It shouldn’t be, they bring them out to the city’s government facility to safe keep it. We don’t know how dangerous it would be”

“That’s why I’m getting suspicious about it. These things are made out of these loots and only it come to life because it requires a soul. A large pile of these inside one place. I’m afraid I couldn’t give them more than we should”

Haw almost agreed with him, but there is one is lacking. He is adding what his caution.

“Other than that, we have a demon inside the city as well. About a place where they stockpile the demons’ army equipment, I don’t know if it will work or not, unless it piled it also with dusts. It will balance itself out”

The women already decided with a big loud fearful rejection “I second thought, we should keep it. Nervously laughing*”

“Yeah, yeah. I can’t say you two men could carry it anyway”

“Haw, sweetie, I think you should take a break”

“Don’t say it any more, Nanami. We will just do what we always do”

Those three quickly teleported to their room leaving the couple and the receptionist. Their decision has it made but they didn’t stop finding out these weapons.

The boyfriend said to them “It’s already night time. You should be tired of waiting and . . .”

The girlfriend kisses him “I’ll be fine. This thing we are worried about”

The receptionist hated to see them being affectionate in front of her. She smacks the girlfriend

“You’re right, we have both of you and Haw in close life and death”

“Hey, girls (snapping his fingers) back to the topic”

They returned back on figuring out the materials around them. After the incident where many puppets are mysteriously running around the district forces other undefended areas to suspend. It spread so quickly, forcing the people who are temporarily residing in the island from getting back to their respected evacuation areas. The argument among the Horsin reaches to the ears of the students’ friends and families. Joanne and Miyusuki were happy to hear it secretly.

“Wow, did we just finally hear that school is being cancelled?” Joanne is smiling as her interest is taking in to go around the island.

“Yeah, and I got a call from my uncle’s friend. They are calling them to go to the island. I can’t believe it was Faye who brought the idea” Miyusuki was dumbfounded then got punch by the shoulder from Joanne.

She smiles back at her being excited to see that everyone they loved are going to stay here. “You see, that’s what you earned being the Enders guild member”

“I don’t think so, maybe . . .”

“Hello there, you two!”

“SIS!”

Silfa wrapped around her arms to their shoulders. Joanne becomes embarrassed trying to get rid of her older sister’s arm. Too strong to get rid of her arm or can’t able to use her magic to teleport away. Puma comes to their aid, only just to force out Fae-chan and continue their wresting together. Silfa can’t get enough to see the silliness they go through. They hear someone across the distance and it was their mother.

“Girls! Dinner is ready. You too, Miyusuki. I’ve invited your uncle to join us”

The three of them decided to walk instead using their magic to teleport at dinner table. They enjoy the scenery that they could see this world’s modern structure. At first, it looks like medieval. Unless it fills the island with all the magic types they heard and saw: Neutral Mana, Runes, Shamanism, Elven Magic, and finally Archscience are all together from side to side causing a havoc that they never thought it can’t correlate together. Like the sky, sea, and earth, different world that they can’t coordinate and let have its own biome.

That’s what they thought. The goblins have the most people present in this island. Making jungle like camps on the walls, and treating like they are tribes living in huts. Meanwhile the environment they control gives theme as it surrounds themselves with rituals with all the strange colors going through. There is not what they are heading, they go through the stone build passage where the overpass will lead them into the elves’ quarters. Wide and large like they are in the large greenhouse, keeping inside are the trees made by elven magic.

Biome of itself formed by the elven gods, and where the Enders reside who are elves and members of the Enders Bridge. There are no other residences left for the Enders except for the embassy. In truth, they have no interest to join the migration whereas they have their history in Kinteinnou region, and the others who reside close to it are their people who are not ready to face the horrors, and the bridge has always sieged which is already one of the reasons. In the end, they still won’t go near the other city states except from Purissarwell, the elven city state.

After their sightseeing, they didn’t notice that there is one of the guild masters on the table. Joanne’s mother was ecstatic to have a conversation with her.

“Oh, Miss Faye. I don’t know such a young woman like you become the owner of your own guild”

Faye laughs pleasantly “No, no. Your translation is wrong. It is what you I can say I inherit my family’s business”

“Oh, and you’re acting like a fine lady. Please eat. There are more to talk about . . . Oh girls, I didn’t notice you come late. Have a chat with Miss Faye here. She is like your friend here”

The mother laughs. Miyusuki sees his uncle and his friend quietly eating as their eyes are away from guild mistress Faye. They look like they have worked together before, Miyusuki knows his uncle attitude when it comes to not get the boss angry. He tries to follow them, but they look at him sternly and gives him the message. Sadly, he was pushed away and have to sit close to Faye. Faye secretly takes a wink at them, and two were relief. Sniper didn’t hesitate to whisper to Kombat.

“Crazy bitch”

As time flies, dinner was over. Faye sees the bond of the citizens, nothing too different showing their affections with all family members together. Joanne’s mother was the most active talker towards her, but Miyusuki’s side was invited intentionally from her request. It is done and they took their leave. Her purpose is setting her eyes with Miyusuki and his uncle, Kombat. Kombat and Sniper approached to her along with Miyusuki on her side.

“I’m not going to lie. The dinner was actually pretty good. If it wasn’t for your invite adding a little threat”

Faye carries Fae-chan to her arms. The familiar is looking at them feeling threaten then looks up to her even more egregious of her past deeds. It didn’t say a thing but shares the same expression with Sniper’s. Miyusuki asks again since the start of their dinner.

“Uhm, Faye? What is this all about?”

Faye plays along with the familiar as past joy filled into her memories. The obliviousness persisted. Kombat looks around that there are still people hearing their conversation. Silfa and Joanne remained as they are curious about their meeting. Their mother called to them, leaving them fruitless. Without even to notice them, they were off from the dinner table and follow their mother.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

They finally start talking. Faye casts her magic and with Fae-chan guiding her spell around them giving off the illusion to hide their real topic. The three feels the room is becoming cautious, making them sure to know that this conversation is important and must not leave from this dinner table. Kombat and Sniper feel a big gap fading inside of them. Their mana they barely used and the UI that kept them in check disappear. Their heads start turning and twisting as Faye took away from them. While Miyusuki himself has no strong mana with him to feel the nausea.

Sniper breaks the immersion “Ok, why are we here? I never thought a guild leader like you to have interest either of us”

Faye summons a cup on her hand and takes a sip. She takes a breather and blows out mana that matches the mana flow from them. Faye eats their mana as if they are her mana potions. They feel the drops of their mana being left out from their bodies and fill it into her cup. Faye secretly using leach spell showing to them the threats they mentioned.

Faye answers “I called you out here, you three already know the conditions happened to your city. And . . . I am surprised that you people didn’t question how the demons are still lingering through the city without a problem”

Sniper was sure of it too “See, Kombat. I knew something is out of place. You people told us they can’t continue in this kind of moon cycle but why is it still continue like this?”

“It is also mine to question the brigands who entered your city too. About your concerns are affecting my people too”

Kombat and Miyusuki didn’t understand what’s going on, but they have seen it outside of Taiyou Industries. So, they kept their mouth shut to wait what they really confused of. For now, they let Sniper trying to figure it out what’s going on.

“. . . You mean to tell me, that our people have influence by the demons too? After what happened before, they still try to contact those demons again”

“Lady Hivites is indeed a secretive demoness. But it wasn’t her fault that your people decide to stay. I’m starting to think they are taking hostage the Foundation to ever be fully of use”

“Then tell us, what do you want from us?” Sniper directs to the point.

Unfortunately, Faye couldn’t say a thing about it. All baseless rumors, and those rumors are about the demon making it more troublesome than she had to enclose herself. Not this time, her beloved cousin, Oue, is getting use to with the young boy. Fae-chan says to her. A nephew, what a nice word to say for a non-blood related individual. She has to find a way to convince him at the same time taking the advantage of Archscientist Coheld’s plan.

Sniper is had enough of her slow responds “That does it, if you can’t give us the full detail, we are taking our leave. Let’s go everyone”

When he turns around, he sees Miyusuki approaching to her and talks about what he had seen so far. “I want to say something. If you’re really Oue’s cousin, I want to send her a message about what I found so far”

Faye responds “What about your guild?”

“This is urgent, because I did something I forgot to tell my guild about. And now the news about another quarantine. It would be better I tell you sooner before it is too late”

He whispers to her ears. It is about the glow he had gone back to the realm that had strange ruins filled with both corruption and other magic rituals. Faye knows about it. Oue don’t know what Miyusuki described to her. It is clear it is involved the Enders demons. This makes her feel out of place for the young boy to do. Gathering the glows are probably the mourning or lost souls wandering around, fully protect itself from the grasps of other demons. Surely, those souls belong to someone else. Miyusuki separate his lips from her ear and said

“Do you know about it?”

Faye looks concerned rather knowledgeable about the situation.

Miyusuki continues to ask “Faye?”

“Sigh* I guess that would be your own journey. Actually, your primary journey of your training”

“What!?”

Faye whispers back to him “You’re involved what our version of demons trying to do to you. An errand boy, If I guessed it right but to let you go on a journey. Surrounded by looters and bandits into the Jigeram’s light. My advice to you, is to continue in that horrible condition. Take your guild and not your friends. They must know about those glowing lights not by words but by witness, ok?”

“Uhm”

Her voice turns strict “OK!”

Her magic speaks through like a banshee screeching deep into Miyusuki’s head. Kombat and Sniper reach out to him, but he seems not bother by it. His head releases a black mist around his aura, already indicating what Faye suspect. One of the demon’s techniques or so she thinks. She looks at the two and gives a slight nod

“Like I said Miyusuki, you need your guild for this one. Capable ones, and please don’t bring someone who can’t teach other than throw you out to the open. Except your previous days, someone train you got the basics for you to mature”

Miyusuki backs off, and quickly reacted what she had meant. He nods and takes his leave. Kombat and Sniper see him going, and they followed him. Once they reached the hidden barrier they can’t leave. Faye wasn’t finished yet.

“I still have words for you. Your question put me on hold, and now I finally understand what you mean. I need you one special favor after we all agreed”

The two sees what she was proposing.

Sniper gives a sigh of relief “It’s about fucking time. Now we have something in common now”

What they are looking at is the Foundation’s last condition before the lockdown.

Kombat understands it too. “It connects the mana battery smuggling case”

At the Foundation, it’s been through many cycles. Survived even today in the Jigeram’s light. It is the most outstanding structure ever built given by Lady Hivites herself. The citizens are still kept it in stagnant forever in the seal as it didn’t need to be. Constantly used before to travel from one place to another and also through the Enders Bridge. It did a lot of things to fast travel many people before. Even today, they still used it to bring the resources they produce to the Enders Bridge.

Emerald is here had already figure it out. Alone with her research partner, together they finally study on their own without any help from their city. It is finally their own personal research had brought here without anyone eyeing on them. The researcher’s suspicion finally got out from his head after last batch of equipment sent to Enders Bridge.

“Emerald, you got yourself good to have your friend in Enders Bridge to give you the data on their side of the region”

“I know right, we both knew but it is difficult to study it with these guards around”

The guards are looking at them, ever since it is completed with many Horsin complained during the visits of the city states leaders. There they can finally see why the Foundation is not fully registered to find their home world. They see it, and couldn’t touch it. If they do, the people hiding behind the scene will surely apprehend them when they get out of here. Those two pretend to wait, whereas they could be safely leave as if it is their turn to conduct their research.

“Hey, it’s you two again” The other research team come with their own equipment.

“Are you guys done with your part? You’ve been here since the day when the city barrier fell”

Emerald felt frustrated, and she professionally replied “Of course, we kept repeating because of the dusts”

After their short talk, they go on their routines and proceed to move like usual. Emerald’s partner pulled out his visor and wear it. Letting Emerald knows to pull hers. They turn around and examined what they are carrying.

Another different set of equipment, this time is one of the loots brought from the battle of the siege. There they see the cleansing method to clear the corruption it possessed. Wipe away from the influence of the demons. It continues to lowering the mana capacity of the Foundation. Emerald can’t stop it, neither would be her research partner.

The researcher said to her “How long will Myrrkei come back to the city?”

“I can’t say, what about you? Have you gain access to the area 51 laboratory”

“Pfft!”

“Stop that, you told me call it like that. Anyway, let’s head back and . . .”

Emerald casts her spell and forced teleport them to one of Ironno’s saferooms. They stumbled down to the ground as it was too sudden and the dusts covered their protective suits are affecting the magic portal to get here. They look at their body covered in shards crystallized further. They broke free. They then turn to their computers hidden in this room. A secret compartment was meant for Myrrkei and given it to Emerald for better use. They open it saw their surveillance systems are still active.

The researcher pulls out a candy bar and takes a bite. The sounds of shards munching down on his teeth, he blows it out and sees his mouth is bleeding. He pulls out his water bottle to clean it all out even the blood with it, then heals it before it gets worse. Emerald watches all that and said

“You got yourself hurt again with your snacks. Clean it before it got stuck in your mouth”

“I’m really going to stop hurting myself when every time I got angry spits*”

Emerald angrily rolls her eyes from his dumb answers.

Both of them have starting this personal research after what went down to this city. Thanks to the train to continue sending letters after letters, Myrrkei had provided them their own set of tools to conduct what they both are interested in. The city’s interest to stay. The city did everything it can to stop everyone from leaving, as if they are here to produce something behind their backs. Her partner suspects about the Taiyou Industries, Myrrkei suspects about their change of leaderships, and Emerald suspects about the outside world wanting their people to leave.

They look into the screens and found someone hostile coming from Taiyou Industries heading to Mihayara district. Emerald starts calling out among the nearest Evacuation area. The researcher sees a group of shadowy figures are moving with another person as their leader. A female figure and it is walking as if the dusts didn’t hurt her. He switches the effects of the screen to detect where they are heading to. There he sees they go to the secret facility.

“Hey, I think we can go to area 51 laboratory after all”

“. . . Yes, hostiles are forming in group heading to Mihayara district. Alright, goodbye. What are you saying again?”

The group of puppets broke through the secret passage and start going down to the secret facility. Emerald sees the researcher eyes dared to go there where the facility is being breached. She looks at him not wanting to go there.

“I will not be going down with those monsters”

“I never ask you to go. I can go by myself”

“What!? You can’t!!!”

The researcher left in a hurry, leaving her alone in the saferoom. She hesitated a bit and feels her body forced to go with him. Her body is regretting, trembling itself to fall down, but she can’t. Her guilt rushing inside her head to lose a friend. Emerald must go.

Beneath the secret lab. Acurse imprisoned along with the sorcerer in power armor. It was not long for this demon imprisonment to end this soon. He counts the days he is been. It is too impossible for them to come for revenge. The room raises the alarm letting the staff to leave the facility. Acurse tries to move, the shackles move, the runes are fading, the containment cracked, then he stops. The sorcerer feels the fade of Acurse’s presence quickly fades before he began. A long sigh heard from Acurse’s side. His patience is boundless. Even the shakes from above are coming for him.

The demon who is coming for him, in the form of a mortal body. The puppets didn’t hesitate calling out to her fake name. “Yayoi, we tracked him down. Motionlessly imprisoned”

Yayoi devilishly grins and transformed again into a demon. “I am starting get bored looking human. Finally, this boring infiltration is over and I can finally get my cult”

She gently smirks and humming with a soft laughter. Waves of the remnants of the demons’ army are set loose down to the facility to free Acurse.

The news reached the Advisor “The monsters are stop attacking the citizens are now heading to the private facility? We can’t fight them back without the help of the islanders nor the Victory Rooks. Damnit! Take all the staff and head to the emergency escape portals. We get the data in scratches for now. I don’t need to let everyone die something so little have research”

The personnel start working and used with every energy they produced from the remaining power grid available.

It causes the facility to lose power to focus on the escape route. One room to the other starts to get dark, easily for the puppets to blend in. The staff were safe when the moment the monsters breach in. All safe and sound, and let the defense system to test itself against the demons’ army. Traps pop out in the halls, ceilings, and the floors causing havoc for the puppets to get through. All of their remains fell into scraps, the souls pick the parts up like they are machine rebuilding itself.

More and more fell just to collect themselves into a bigger recreation than they could fit inside the hallway. The defense systems are trying their best to use all ammunition from mana to runes, they able to fend off but the souls creeping in the destruction to build themselves a new body. The shadow limbs reaching the remains, gathered them back in such quick succession. It keeps rebuilding until the puppets able to overwhelm the defense breaking through the runes’ powerful magic.

The next room, the large puppets merged together by the tens of shadowy formed puppets. The defense stood their ground to keep shooting at it. Its souls moving from limb to limb to where they could grow its heads. The flames, the projectiles, and even the lights trying to push it back. The body is in mass able to resist what is coming to them. It tears itself apart to one limb to another, their forms mingled back and forth to no end to be destroyed. The defense system founds the core tried to shoot it down. It almost collapsed as more of the cores are injected from the back.

The room darkens where the lights can’t shed because of the darkness. Swallowed into the black light with nothing to spare but the sounds of battle storm inside. It went silent, the room fell into the demons’ army blob of broken body parts. Its empty husks of old bodies throughout the years of Horsin tragic wars. One of them surfaces from the piles of blob. Fully emerged as the perfect image of a shadow warriors. Along it brought the light weapons they hold, the arm blade and its iconic scythe, returned into the night’s glow. Slowly more of them come out. The dusts didn’t reach this part of the facility within the deepest underground floor.

Yayoi sees the old memories of the demons’ army. Consuming the mana, they caught among the residences and the people in this city. Enough for a handful to be able to go through against the runes. There are seven of them marching down. Phasing through like ghost, neither used by air nor by darkness, they forged their iron body into the facility mending together to the environment. Spreading their essence with countless more souls without a host. Possessing what devices they could find, corrupting like any demon would.

Acurse sees the door opened, not from moving but by possessing it into a creature, With the remaining door still won’t fit them to go through. Their light weapons cuts through it and begin to melt dripping down to the floor. Others pushes through showing their fully restored limbs. Out of ancient woods mix together by dried flesh of the formidable creatures. They ripped the steel door like it is made out wood. He was waiting too long for them to enter, and the door is still breaking down like there is in need to be cleaned rather rushing through to destroy this place.

The light flickers and the sorcerer disappeared momentarily then quickly reappeared turning into an object to fit Acurse’s hidden robe pockets. In his robes, the sorcerer able to hide inside before the door cleanly opened. Someone entered the door and sees the one who breached for just to see him. He annoyingly said to her calmy

“You escaped and yet you chose to bring me back. What excuses are you trying to pull this time?”

She laughs calmy then slowly turning nervously. Without a single word, she frees him and gives him all the power to control the last remnants of the demons’ army.

Possessed deeply inside of him, injecting into his mana flow. It won’t let out even he wanted to. The rest of the powerful puppets with the remaining of its finest items restored. Now surges through him along with the souls. He sees a vision where there were two Enders are taken the souls. The demons’ army souls as well. His old allies’ collections have been stolen. His grouchy spirit broke and forced himself go up without the use of his powers. He kneels down to see the chains she put on him. All the remnants are becoming a curse. He reluctantly follows what she had desired in order not letting her do it again.

Acurse hears a noise by the door. He gazes on it with the powers of the remnants. It was gulf into flames on sight. They start running back up and make some noise. He goes to the door and sees the exit is closed. Irritated, and at the same time annoyed of it all.

“I was her voice to listen to, and still use me as a fool. Hmph, yet she knows how to use them against me. Meaning . . .”

He sees his body piled with items. She left him after freeing him and expecting what he must do. Acurse blows from his mouth releasing the dark mana, corrupted and gathered from the citizens.

“. . . Lady Hivites, your domain is losing”