COI C122
It was not long for the doll to stay with Joanne’s side, with her gauntlet returned to the shield student as it is in a bad condition when exposing from the moonlight nova. The doll disappeared, as it was summoned back to its keeper. Her friends come along cheering for her success of escaping the event. His friends come to his aide and barrage him with a pat, hit, or even piled down from one of his friends. The shield student endures them all and goes to the girl. The girl who is busy having a call with her parents, she was presented with a new monster she could make. She gets excited and hugs him for the help, Joanne comes along and hits him for his trouble. They have a blast.
Tabitha will receive her reward. The tools and equipment were almost complete, they needed to adjust everything they going to get to be fully uniformed as Enders. The Sister’s Hope teachers never imagined to see something that mysterious revealing its true form. Quail was the only survivor left to see the last transformation. The chaos loses them a lot of people from the elven magic causing so much damage. Other students were able to capture most of the footage, and the school teachers are gathered around to review the event. Alche joins in to represent their school.
The organizer listens to their complaints. “I know, we know, we all know this is going to happen. However, no one is involved something dangerous and you all know the faulty prototype we made. The experiment is a colossal failure, and we have shown you the rare specimens of monsters that actual use multi-different magic. Now that the sea can’t be affected by the dust, and we clearly see the realm is not strong enough to contain those creatures . . .”
Joanne is tagging along with the shield student’s group where she sees Spokesman given them information about their equipment being ready. She was a bit naïve if she could have her own gauntlet matching with archscience tech. Spokesman stops her and pointed out someone is waiting for her, three of them to be more exact, familiar, and best likely she would be busy after this. Silfa and her friends, Ruby and Gemina, are waiting for her. Silfa’s doll is acting prematurely as it tries to protect the younger sibling. In actual perspective, the doll is giving all important details inside Silfa’s UI and her connected friends, the biggest reveal that Joanne is replicating and combining their abilities.
The three didn’t hesitate, Ruby sudden flash from her back and pushed her to them. All together in one big mess up, because of one testament of ability that Silfa couldn’t believe was real. She said to her younger sister
“I know you take Puma away from me, and you already know how loyal it is to me to share what you have done in your school trip”
Joanne turns to the doll, and the doll has nothing to say but show off its shamanistic magic to give vision of its adventure under the sea. The damn doll begins singing. Using a prerecorded audio to where how that doll was able to replicate the singing voice, yet the voice is as childish than its mature of voice in spouting the word ‘puma’. Gibberish to what they hear, but soothing enough for them to listen to. It seems like Joanne’s opportunity to tag along ends here.
The shield student is very tired and couldn’t even notice Joanne had left, his balance went off and was caught to his feet with Spokesman’s help. It is the second time he gets tired, and will be exhausted further for the rest of tomorrow. Oh, what a day for the boy and experiencing the secrets of Sanquin’s magic, it won’t hesitate him to carry him on his back. Lilith reacted of how silly he is doing to someone else’s child. For him, there is no one is going to stop him. Even his friends and teachers were surprised
“Uhm Sir? Is this your child?”
They notice his charming fatherly smile as he looks at the boy sleeping expression, they didn’t want to bother them and how soundly feel natural for a father and son on display. Tabitha tries to break it off,
“Spokesman! You shouldn’t be doing this”
“Well, if you see such a hard-working boy. You can’t help give him some comfort after such a rough day”
Lilith looks at the people who is trying to see what’s going on, but they were distracted how nice Spokesman and how gentle his voice is. The only way to settle this misunderstanding is to call his guardian.
“Hello? What is it?”
“Yeah, your nephew is with his guild, but to some circumstances, he is tired from his trip. Would you allow them to take care of him?”
“Is there a problem?”
“Of course, there is one man who use charm or something and many people around them feel something suspicious about them. Those two people said they are from the Taiyou Industries who are picking up their guild members. Their names are Spokesman and Lilith”
. . .
“Sir?”
“. . . Sorry, one moment”
Lilith rubs her face to see how one childish thing caused them problems. Spokesman clearly has a suspicious aura, as it is a protection made by Lilith herself. The citizens were charmed by it so that they want to stay away from him. Lilith is showing her possessiveness again, and Spokesman keeps it going to his own disadvantage. Tabitha has the same feeling but stops when Archivist reaches her head. Demonic magic that hid well and away from the UI’s detection. This is her first time to meet Lilith face to face, and only heard from Spokesman’s side of the conversation. She remembered
“. . . It’s better you meet her instead. I’d say my love is more a disease than a symptom”
The teachers were reluctantly complied “Ok, his guardian said so. But why my gut kept telling me to stay away from you. You look rather a good man”
“Maybe the trip causes you trouble, then again. Ah, dear, why not bring the car here? My arms are starting to ache”
“Wait? Horsin knows how to drive a car?!”
Spokesman uses his magic to summon the car, but blocked by Lilith and summon her own ‘car’ instead. A portal opens and the car drove itself here. The logo already gives it away as it was made by the Dexter Guild. For no apparent reason why would these two can use teleport or long-distance fast travel, and Spokesman is putting the boy inside.
Archivist went along and hop on, and Tabitha awkwardly getting in to see Spokesman is waving at her to get inside. No matter how fantasy like in this city is, there are these two is acting as if they are in a modern lifestyle. They drove off, as it slowly going through the road. A sudden jolt of the vehicle as Spokesman is trying to figure out using the clutch or accelerator. One teacher recognizes this interaction and said,
“Of all the advanced automatic vehicle. Why are they riding a manual version?”
The car just turned off recently and the engine couldn’t start it up. Spokesman comes out from the car and slamming the hood, then the car is starting again.
The teachers watch him again waving goodbye, and finally left. One random old couple sees the moment of Spokesman’s action as they themselves smiling and enjoying their interaction. They proceed contacting with the teachers
“Do you know that nice young man?”
“He said he is from Enders Bridge”
The old lady responds “Wow, such dangerous people have a person like that. I would love to have the chat with that man. He looks like he really cares for the boy”
Lilith watches the road moving pass on out from the South Shore Bay into the highway. Tabitha was flabbergasted from the beginning. Spokesman knows how to drive and was playing along for the crowd to see. Archivist is taking care of the shield student as both with Tabitha are using their laps as his bed. It was a big day. Tabitha breaks off the silence
“So, what was Haw’s urgent message for our equipment?”
“There is none”
“What?”
Lilith chuckles “We weren’t supposed to be there, actually. I was sensing some old magic provoking my presence. I never thought it was that realm you people are playing at”
“We were not playing. We were testing the prototype for the students to learn. An artificial dungeon what the school is saying, but the flawed was . . .”
Lilith continues “. . . Is it because your powers aren’t absolute?”
“Absolute power?”
Spokesman explains to her “Absolute power, is a term that regards to have the authority to fully control the realm. However, mighty beings are the exclusives to be able to make it without hinderance from the outside world. Containing large amounts of contents, it can form a world itself. Regardless, there is one exception, it’s the sphere. Spheres have combination of different mana, for such a strange result of absolute power, it manages to replicate what the creator can do . . .”
“. . . It possessed such an elaborate system. The frail parts of it all, it contains nothing but a void with endless possibilities for the creator to make. To make it short and different between absolute realms and spheres are; One, realms can’t be destroyed and kept it sealed while the spheres will be destroyed. Second, Spheres can change and able to reset while the realms leave distinct recreation that will revert back to its origin. Third and be last for now, realms connected to other realms involuntarily while spheres are objects made and chose to connect personally”
Tabitha listens Spokesman rabble on the subject. Archivist couldn’t help himself to stay silent as she is not going to stay direct on the topic. Spokesman extends his topics quite a lot when one question answered and stretch it further with examples and other known details correspond to it like branches of studies. He has to ask Spokesman simply
“Then that realm we entered?”
“Ah yes, it is because monsters want to escape. They are smart creatures when they start being threaten or uncomfortable to the least. The one who create that realm didn’t know that was not created on their own, it link to a realm that matches it. I don’t know who is the original that made the realm”
After that topic got away, Spokesman mention to them about Taiyou Industries. “I have news from the Dexter Guild, tomorrow will be the day to recapture parts of the district”
“The entire city?”
“I love to see they could do that, but think easier, Tabitha. We still need the fourth moon cycle to fully clear the demonic magic. They are collecting only like light pile of Jigeram’s light here. The plan is mainly secure only their industries and the barrier rely more power when the dust hails through like snow. Fully rebuilding their factories again, means more power for the city’s protection”
“Then how will we going to be a part of it?”
“That’s the tricky part, you don’t”
“Uh, Spokesman, what do you really want to tell us?”
Spokesman gives her the papers, Haw’s completed craft items listed and guides about it. There is also an agreement note between him and Spokesman. The first page is nothing but an introduction of their agreement. Giving less care to read the first page, she looks at the rest. There is also an added conversation being noted, word by word. Tabitha can’t believe someone is recording it by writing
“Are you guys really record it word by word?”
“With signatures, every quote in signatures”
What’s wrong with him, doing such a long conversation. The easiest way for to read it all is to check the ending conversation. Haw has experience of doing business in this city, and most business conversation is end with a summary with inventory purchases. Yet, it is longer than she had expected. She looks at him dumbfounded and figure it out what is written through their dialogues.
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“You keep interrupting him to every word he is about to say. He even repeated what he just said, because how annoying you are trying to tell him”
“Don’t be like that, I am trying to make it better. Besides, those are bonuses if you’d like to go in the evening”
“Evening? Why in the evening?”
Lilith sighs knowing too well of how well detailed is documented. Too well, where the conversation led them to filler to hide something special from her and Archivist. She gazed his eyes tempted in Spokesman’s expression, smiling happily to the point in a breathtaking awe.
“Enders agreed to form adventure parties with you”
The shield student wakes up and hits Archivist chin with his head, the two groan out of pain. He gritted his teeth
“Forming a party, you mean I can go with Enders too”
“Precisely, they rather to do it at early at night since that schedule were assigned exceptional guild members. I heard people from Stranding Island will join along”
As the road is still not reach to Taiyou Industries, Tabitha eyes looking at the speedometer is slow as she had never seen. 40Kph is slow as they are in the empty highway, there are other cars and they all passed him by with numerous over taking. The slow drive wasn’t the reason of him being new at it. It was him keep on talking since the beginning. This extra time should’ve let them do other things beside joy riding. Thanks to the car made by Dexter guild, there are runes that prevent them going out of the car or even into the car. Strangely, the shield student is asking questions brought back her interest. It is about their sphere at school, where Haw gives it to them.
Spokesman was very surprised to hear. Archivist has no idea what the two is talking about, leaving the conversation fit only those two. Tabitha tries to send the message Kiege, but she wasn’t available, leaving herself questions about the sphere out of the open. The shield student continues
“. . . Yeah, the world is identical to this world. And, and, and we intentionally entered your city by the way”
“Really how does it look like?”
“It’s a massive bridge here beneath the bridge is filled with shipwreck ships welded together as floating under the bridge settlement or some kind”
“Then, you have ventured through Rune Isles now, am I right?”
“No, actually the administrator won’t let us through and I think there is some guilds come and get us, and forced us out from the sphere when we violate the rules”
“Those guild members, what are they look like? I might know who they are if you can tell me”
The shield student gets too excited and brought out his device to show him. The Spokesman almost drove off to the traffic barrier while Lilith panics and holds the steering wheel.
“Thank you dear”
Lilith smacks him on the shoulder, showing the couple their vibe together as they quarrel.
Back to the video, the students were sneaking through the forest. They found the underground passage made by the goblins. Where they were discovered a group of Enders hiding their face with masks and in uniform. It was so fast and unclear how his classmates can’t fight back. It was the runes and guerilla tactics. A familiar person in disguised, Spokesman, a demon on some sort. He kept himself from reacting the old version of him, Lilith saw it, it was just a formal costume worn with the other old cultured customs. Seems like the sphere is not updated well during its hibernation.
The fight was brutal, no students were able to fight in a drag on attacks. Tabitha remembers that the Enders did this tactic. The best tanks test their abilities, the flanks are looking for weak points, and the saboteurs will delay their advance. It is remarkedly identical, except how they wore. Leaving no trace of survivor, where the lucky ones reach deep to the Bridge. The end of the bridge waits for them to come closer. The Rune Isles show its terrible display of the apocalypse, the great long horizon seen through from the blurred clouds with its hazing walls, and where much of Kinteinnou region they can’t see.
The shield student explains their last adventure “You see here, I made it this far with the same team who is with me in the forest. Like my presence mean something for them . . .”
Archivist scuffs quietly. The boy didn’t know his blessings was known. He continues
“. . . Back then, this happened when I become a recruit in your guild. Is something that important for the Enders to notice?”
Spokesman laughs calmly to hear such an enthusiastic child “After all that, why won’t those kids want to join as well?”
“Oh, it’s because Sanquin scared them at Stranding Island”
So quick to answer that made Lilith laughs, Spokesman joins her joy as their rhythm of giggles and chuckles set in the mood of a happy couple. The shield student turns to the two at the back
“Wow, these two are an actual couple. Am I bothering them?”
Tabitha honestly smiles “I don’t know, this is the first time I’ve seen them together. I think they are a good couple”
Archivist hears the two thinking the same thing, the runes are acting up inside the car. Knowing so well, that she would react like this. The demon, Lilith, losing all control from such joy. Lilith remained graceful, yet her aura is being suppressed secretly with the runes. What was she going to do with such magic coming out from her?
Lilith sees the road looks safe enough to turn her head. When she about to slowly turning towards them at the back, her eyes are closed, hiding her true eye sight possessing an uncontrollable magic because of her emotion.
“Will you let us see the video at the end? I want to see the last minute of how you people handle them. I think I might know them if they use their abilities”
“Really? All of them are muted, and their abilities never show the special effects of their magic. It looks invisible compared from the beginning”
Tabitha wants to see too “Then let’s try it, I might know them. If they are from Raker Mawn Guild”
The video starts again for the last time. Where the three are watching, the shield student was about reaching forward to let those two see. Her eyes open, showing her innocence to Spokesman. Spokesman was busy looking at the road, and Lilith continues on being overwhelmed with her own feelings. The students were already getting caught by the hands of the Enders guarding the edge of the bridge. The students were not experience enough to face against people with mastery in runes and elven magic.
One of the students is shouting with excitement “We are in the inevitable. Keep trying to fight here, boys! This is our last push”
Only one Enders steps in summoned his wisps. Elven magic already scourging through the ground. Flowing the magic up to the sky, the mask man reveals his ears as the magic removing all illusions around them. The rest of them, disappeared by its roaring pillar of light. The students raised their weapons and spells as the aura is burning them, ignoring their resistance altogether. The student speaks out loud
“Why is everyone here is a boss? Where’s the mobs in this simulation?”
The elf dashes forward to the slowly burned students. They tried to retaliate, but they were easily taken down one by one without any effort. They can see the light but not the visual of its magic. A tremendous powerful skills and techniques used by the elf, giving no mercy, yet they don’t see it. Hitting the most vital points in their bodies with ease without even trying to protect themselves, they were mercifully beaten. It shook the students back from the sphere, safely and not exaggerated to throw them out literally. The video ends there, making Tabitha to try to think harder since everything is invisible during that fight.
Tabitha comments on it “I can see wisps, then disappeared when it acts. Archivist, do you know someone who controls wisps?”
“No, they must be the elders or those elite I heard from my parents and guild members”
The shield student relaxes himself back to his seat, feeling a bit bump out from the experience. “They, said they updated it, but those closed areas are cheating to extent. Why can’t they let us travel the entire world?”
Archivist gets the idea “It is a school. They need first let you learn more the harsh world in Kinteinnou region. Then again, I have interest in going to Circoston. The hostility of Rune Isles is beyond hopeless to venture deep into the ruins of all things”
The shield student agrees “Well yeah, and also they should simulate the threats of those rebellions attacking us inside the region. I managed to see one of them inside the realm where they abduct my friends. By the way, how come they’re your enemies?”
Spokesman sighs deeply “Old rues remained blues, because the power of the demons have already proven the reality of this world’s state. Care to listen to a long story?”
As the shield student was about to say something. Archivist cuts them and said,
“Short, like you tell the elder lady’s children a bed time story”
“Whoa there, were almost at the station. You think I would go slow for such an amazing tale?”
Tabitha thought so, he is going to deliberately going to do that. Lilith didn’t comply “No dear, just a simple introduction. We already passing through Mihayara district”
“Certainly, now where to start”
He explains not very so brief when he told his tales, and timely match the travel time with his story. During the Heroes and Demons Era, the heroes discovered the reality that the demons are the absolute gods in this world. Then they found out they can ascend to become gods, so they did secretly as they age slowly vanished. The first hero ascended, and the demons were not please.
To escape from imprisonment, the first god hero suicides himself as his spirit escapes from their clutches. Others who followed him, he takes their souls to a safe realm to return again to be reincarnated or merged with golems or sentinels for the upcoming fate. A war that never ends, eternally fighting from one war to another, generations of mortals lost or left this world. Leaving only to those who never know their home worlds were, cursed into this new form of hell. Horsin is turning into an endless loop, where the Heroes are providing the powers of the gods while the Demons kept it as they are the owners of this world.
Sides divide where the Demons remained close to their citadel at Circoston border region or Coston as it was. The Heroes monopolizes the lavish region in Kinteinnou or Kinnou named before. Sealing off the supplies of uprising sea creatures to the surface in the fifth moon cycle. The ecosystem shatters where the west receiving less and less abundance of herds and packs from the migration from the east region. The war drew desperate when the Heroes managed to control one of the moons. Koiich, the stationary moon lying only in Rune Isles. Many rumors that it is the single weapon that ends the region whole. No one believes it, and it never will as the world turned into an apocalyptic disaster.
The last records show after the Era, a new era is formed, and it was called the Fall Era. The short years of both powers struggled have meet after all those years. The god hero finally fell, outnumbered by numerous Primarchs or what the citizens call them as demon lords or ladies. The fate of Kinteinnou region is drawing near as the end of the Fall Era is coming to an end. Demons, humans, and goblins were the only race they have left in their faction. While the Heroes Faction had the last known races; Humans, Goblins, Elves, Dwarves, and the lesser Demons; Mustering what had left, they kept so much survivors inside the Agatheus City’s inner realms.
Thanks to their numbers secretly hidden, they gather enough men to vanquish the poorly numbered army. They won, for now. Years go by, the people from Circoston region are developing back to its original glory. Scarce of food but abundance of natural resources, they become stronger with their recovered modern weaponries. Today, they conquered the northern parts of the Kinteinnou region then slowly to the east, only in coasts, with their superior weapons while the people Kinteinnou’s defenses aged leaving no resources to develop new forms of technology.
Spokesman ends his story leaving a special reminder to them. “Don’t forget, demons can’t die. They forever return to this world where their neutral mana will never give out. Sealing them is their deaths for a long while. To think that you three was able to listen this long . . .”
He stops the car as the remaining time for his story is finished, and he’s parking on the vast wide empty parking lot to the very edge of it. The timing was too good for him to talk this long, the drama added to the story about him telling those people in such a cinematic narration. Tabitha recorded it all as she dozed off because of his tone suddenly changed for a bed time story.
The shield student is getting carried once again from Spokesman’s back. As if he was planning it since the beginning. No matter, his uncle waits for them as he spotted his nephew being carried.
“Miyusuki?! Did he really use his power during his trip?”
Archivist explains “Yes, he is exhausted from mana fatigue. He is fine before, but our driver puts him back to sleep”
Tabitha steps out from the car with Lilith’s help, the two watches two men carefully exchanging the boy like a baby who finally sleeps after their hardest effort.
The two men jokes “Don’t wake him up, it took me a long drive to put him to sleep. He is a rascal with much effort”
“I pfft* see, I recommend to give him warm milk. He’ll shut up when the moment he sees it”
Both determine to keep him sleeping as his uncle brings them to their quarters. Tabitha, never understood men who is not even a father was able to continue to use dad jokes. She doesn’t even know there is physical dad jokes like this. They brought to one of the warehouses where they made into an inn. Both workers and Enders side by side having their hard day’s work with a drink, Agathean drinks.
The inside looked makeshift as it was made temporary. There they see Haw and his group; Rusic, Ironno, and Maser together where the stage is play jazz. It is such a weird immersion when having a modern fantasy setting, while the jazz music keeps playing with the tunes of the dwarven instruments. Horns and bells were the theme used, it is soothing and familiar that she remembers a video game truly plays like that. They took the table that is closer to them. What a rough day, it is sad though that the shield student won’t be able to get inside here.
Back-to-back, where their seats are away from view. Tabitha wants to turn her seat around to face them. She sees the dwarf raising his weapons then she quickly turns back. Haw sees Rusic is drunken up, then he lies down completely with a strong belch.
“Burp* Hey! You two, someone here wants to talk with you”
Rusic collapses under the table, the early dwarf already been drinking from the start. Ironno taps him beneath the table with his boots. Tabitha turns around again and Haw is moving to their table.
Haw takes the seat and sided close to Spokesman. “Did you talk about the equipment they have?”
He brings out the bag containing the items they ordered. Archivist catches it and gives it to Tabitha. Spokesman replies
“I did, but they didn’t read my special offers to them”
“You mean that long pages you have me to sign in every quote for replying your statements”
“That’s the one, I’m glad it was done few days ago. I wouldn’t completed it all, but I did, and it was early in the morning”
Haw slides himself closer to Archivist’s side. Where the two is checking their tool sets. Tabitha read every detail that match from Yui’s instructions.
Tabitha was unbelievably surprised. Everything is in order and shows all the empty slots and cards inside her new deck. Cards and the deck holder designed based on her preference. A small chibi like characters filled with nothing but cheery and joy. The empty slots are there with a few default coins install for visuals. She interacts with it and her deck holder reacts showing different visuals with every slot she is on contact with. Tabitha shriek with glee until someone places a gauntlet on the table. It was the shield student’s gauntlet. His uncle is with them as he joins along.
Before dinner starts or earlier than that, they are talking about personal quests. No rewards, and opportunities contribute to those who know about the ruins. Haw explains the reason why Spokesman want to upgrade their equipment further from what he discovered.
“. . . Since I’ll be busy again to fix the new recruit’s gauntlet for tomorrow night’s travelling through the ruins, let’s be wary for how many secrets lie inside the territories”
Tabitha asks “Territories?”
“Places were suspect to be hideouts from the news back when the city decides to stay. Those early version of mana batteries”
Haw reaches out to Ironno, and he returns to him with loads of maps to his hands. He shows them the details of every loot, location, and monster hid inside those forgotten realms. The materials he shows to them can be the properties of demonic magic. The two sees the potential characteristics for their equipment to upgrade to its final craftsmanship. In other word for her, she says it
“It will become a Mythic, better than legendary items. The most powerful one type mana will be made to perfect from what Yui’s designed for”
Other Enders heard their discussion, none of them shows no interest for its quality of pure neutral mana. Yet they are eyeing for other things . . . It’s the city’s conspiracies.