COI C111
“. . . Alright, let’s call you Tabitha . . .”
“. . . You see that! They did it. We can able to use magic . . .”
“. . . Sob* I thought it will take long for us to leave this world, but everyone in this world is so willing to help us . . .”
“. . . What?! Why is everyone starts wanting to stay here? Hey Tabitha, convince them before they make anything they might regret . . .”
“No, they’re gone. Some of our friends are gone, they . . . the-they took the kids too. What’s wrong with those people? They’re not even their parents . . .”
“Another way? What happened to the Foundation?”
“. . . I request of you to live amongst us until your people must face the reality they are witnessing . . .”
Tabitha sees the old man carrying a body, wrapped around in a bedsheet. She enters the room as there was an incident. No matter what she sees in disbelief, she can’t hold herself from this painful trauma. So many lost through the segment of her life during this world, and she begins to run away from this place. Fuku city had gone mad, and everyone around those people moved here are the worst of the worst. Her friends become defectors, and she alone outside of the forest. The last markings for her hatred on magic
“You can hear me . . .”
“AAH!” Tabitha wakes up and she is inside the train. A nightmare, and with passengers are nowhere to be seen as only few people are going to Isekai City. She looks at her device to see the reflection of herself, worn casual clothes for the first time since she is decided to leave from her home city. Mumbled down her voice as she takes the look at the window. Morning had past, and the day is closely reaching to noon. The train takes its time to get there. Then she looks down and see many debris of roots near the shores. It was definitely stretching throughout the region.
Tabitha looks to the side of the passenger seat. Archivist is at the back lied resting able to hid his face in his dark blank face. It wasn’t his hood that covered it but a weird censored bar blocking in view. She tries to wipe off that censored bar and reveals an LED mask, she grins accidentally, as the mask changes expression. The cute sleepy face appeared as it added dreaming bubbles going into a loop up and down to the upright of his face. The mask then suddenly changed faces to waking up, exclamation mark with eyes raised wide open, then return back to default neutral face.
Archivist pulls himself up to his seat and said “Another nightmare?”
“Yeah”
“Remember I won’t say anything else after you set foot inside this train. The best thing I could do is to use this expression mask made for me”
The mask shows the face of being smug about after he said it. Then it turns to a happy face for no apparent reason. Tabitha knows about this mask being a prototype and an idea from social media. She couldn’t believe that someone from the guild able to make it through indirect connections between the city guild adventurers. Then again, his expression is livelier than his cartoonish expression blank hood. Now the word expression keeps roaming around her head.
The train is starting to float, as the sounds of the moving rails went silent. Archivist looks at the window with his expression was in awe. Tabitha turns to see the outside
“We’re actually here, welcome to Isekai City, Archivist. Look and behold the . . . No . . .”
Slowly quiet down her tone, as they passed through the bridge and the standing district of Fuku City. Looking at Mihayara district and the outskirts after it, they witness that she never thought was possible. No one had shown this in the internet because how exposed and blurry it looks outside. No technology wasn’t able to see it clearly except for the naked eye.
Ruins and craters leaving so much destruction to her city. Across the distance where lightning strikes from above, where the tree is the one that strikes to the sky. Archivist never seen such devastation. Words of them being almighty and powerful swoop away from his head, but for him is too weak to challenge their magic. He is still weak, but his might is strong enough to endure their attacks. Shaken his hands as he has no equipment from Enders, only the clothes given by her to look as normal as he can. His face though, he is too stubborn to hid it out of shame.
The train starts landing to the train tunnel just to return to the tracks. Swoop down like bird or fish, it lands perfectly and the sound of the rails starts rolling. The two looks at the lights inside the tunnel, passing given light as the two tries to remember this experience after the siege. Enders Bridge had shown its impressive defense, and this city had showed theirs for the first time. Archivist hopes that the threats of the sea won’t be worse than being handled here. The train moves out from the tunnel and slowly stops to the station, the end of the tracks.
They step out from the train and witness what lies inside. Coming here sooner and without preparation for the others to welcome them, barely so, and no one knows about since they were not given any letters or message to any of them. For Tabitha, it doesn’t matter for her. She wields the ID and the card on her hands, and the one who comes first was other than Emerald herself. Surprising her without realizing that she wasn’t him
“Dr. Myrrkei, thank god. You . . . you . . . Oh, sorry”
Emerald let’s her go and look at the man wears the mask, showing a surprised expression then switch to question mark expression.
Emerald continues “Sorry, sorry, the radar shows Myrrkei’s location. That ID, it should be belonged to him”
Tabitha was both shock and confused to see someone is happy to find him. Makes her think what friends he had in the government. “Myrrkei said he let me have it, because I was not here during the new updates. I need to go to city hall for help”
“Oh, since when did you left the city?”
“A few days back when the city states leaders are coming to the city”
“That long! Are you definitely not one of those defectors!”
“No! I mean, you know what happened back then. The riot”
The silent after that answer made the two nervous. Archivist takes his step and separates the two. “Anyway, I am here to support Tabitha on her journey. If you persist on suspecting her, then I’ll be her witness and the rest of the Enders here”
After he said that, there were no Enders going out from the train, they are mostly city guild adventurers and Agatheans who travel to Isekai City for safe passage. He intentionally looks around as if they don’t know anyone like that, then he pointed out the empty facility. Tabitha sees it as it has nothing there, but for Emerald, she is dying to see it.
Emerald gets excited “You mean you know who is that person hiding inside that facility?”
“Well, uh. I said Enders and he is there where I . . .”
When he touched the barrier, he got sucked in, and then gets out when moves back.
“. . . Nevermind, I think I bothered him something important”
Emerald runs to him and tries to touch the barrier. It didn’t allow her to get inside and she gets mental about it. Saying random words that the two didn’t know how she is related to an Enders facility.
“The city guild adventurers able to get inside last weekends and even you. I just want to understand the last post-modern technology being used here”
Tabitha comes to her and pat her at the back “I know why Myrrkei keeps mentioning about you. Do you still have your visor?”
Emerald without a word, she hands it over to her without any suspicion. Archivist teased her to see how he got inside the facility while Tabitha shuts him without a single word. Tabitha checks on her visor and see what’s going on.
“Uhm, Archivist. My guidebook”
“Sure, don’t make it too open for the public”
“I won’t, it’s my journal after all”
She checks the visor and read the note given by Myrrkei. The difference between her visor and Myrrkei’s recommendation that it lacks energy. Magic items are vulnerable to the dusts.
Tabitha gives it back to her “I have done enough looking at it. Won’t you mind to bring us to City Hall. I need to be properly understood the new regulations happened here”
Emerald cools herself and summons a magic portal. “I don’t mind at all, and most of all. You are that girl what the adventurers told me about. The Enders girl who is first joined the guild. I want to know about the progress you have. I know people started to dissuade of join them because of the power gap. Only those higher ups can able to handle us”
Archivist replied “It’s because we have better problems, and your city was almost become the example of it”
Tabitha hits him “Why you! Sorry about that, he is a little bit too honest”
“Yeah, just like what Myrrkei said. But he is more rational for being too curious, and daring”
Archivist returns the favor by saying “I guess we understand why he is the rat he is”
Both of them shakes hands, they understand each other right away. Archivist shows a motivated smile with scheming eyes, while Emerald got distracted by his mask and said
“Is that emoji mask?”
Tabitha answered “They called it art expression mask. Let’s just say they look at my device and thought it would be a great idea to hide his face with it”
Emerald looks at him, the curious of her eyes why would that man wants to hide his face. Tabitha is all experience of that questions everyday when she is with him. She said to her
“You better not know. He has ways to hide his face like he has a dick for a face”
Archivist turns to her “And she still can’t able to see it, like a pervert she is”
Emerald laughs as she pulled them to the portal. “Hurry up, you guys need to go there and I’ll be on my way. Call me when Myrrkei is back, because we have something to do before the next moon cycle”
It took a whole day for them to finish their business. Entire Horsin population were there being lined up, except for the elves. Tabitha was surprised that she saw actual demons being joined to be part of helping the city. Rumors spread that some of the men from the Stranding Island are actual demons, they have proven themselves to help fight against the siege. Also, there was a convention she heard where there is a special help brought by Lady Hivites from Agathean City. It is a temporary help until the next moon cycle. Three months left to help weakening the tree.
Tabitha checks the calendar from her device. “3 months for each moon cycles. Total of 5 moon cycles, which leads to 15 months a year. I don’t know anything about that. Hey, Archivist, what do you call those months?”
“Early, Mid, and Late during the moon cycles. But we shared the same days, except the one called February. All 30 exactly days, I for one got myself learning through you beside reading your city’s language”
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
For the first time they walk out from city hall, and now set foot on the city, the home of Tabitha. Archivist cherished his view with the mask shines in awe, then changes to a bored face.
Tabitha starts to get annoyed from the emoji expression, she had to resort to see the settings. The icons appeared on her device, to see the expression that are bit
“Why all of these won’t fit your personality?”
Archivist turns to see her device, a list, better than nothing to hide his face or worse to annoy her. The mask turned off by itself and he gives her a nice pleasant tone.
“Finally, you know my pain”
She turns around and looks at his blank screen mask. From the beginning until now, the emptiness of his face shows apparently what she was thinking for a while.
“What are you expressing now?”
“Sadness . . . ow”
“. . .”
“. . . I mean, Horsin art style on my mask. If only, they have time”
Back in Enders Bridge, they were plotting. Yui was acting mischievous during Tabitha’s call, who kept messing with Kiege about the details. Archivist takes the bait because of Yui’s professionalism in regards of craftsmanship, a designer than a maker, he couldn’t ignore her vast intellect regards of putting something strong in it. His mask was designed by her and made by his available guild member inside the tower. Such opportunity, lost by time, but sincere to her. She needs to mature. Tabitha . . . Tabitha needs to enlighten for whatever she is trying to hide.
Tabitha is a bit tempted to try out Archivist to have match with the adventurers. She is wondering from what her friends told her that she has no improvement to show them beside coordinating each other. She needs to have proof in regards to fighting as well, because ordering people around can be useful for her vast leadership but it doesn’t mean her skills flourish by shouting at people. Sanquin keeps saying to her
“What will a leader do when their subordinates can’t reach her. Your skills are link with Kiege and Archivist, soon more so since Archivist gives you the Circoston ritual”
In regards for Tabitha to Kiege, she too endured her mistakes. Archivist was the first and never the last to fill the wrong incantation from their ritual together. Kiege is a tough woman and able to get it impartially. While for Juela, she won’t do it. Pain is unnecessary for the ritual, and Tabitha keeps bringing the pain until Archivist managed her to complete it after 20 times. A stubborn fool, but she was glad she could be able to share his skills with her. The problem is that she can’t share hers with him, her trauma is delaying their potential.
They stop at the city guild, putting Archivist in wonders along with the creature floating at the entrance. The city guild’s front has some nice view as it added a lot of the premise regards for this flying creature alone. The sea serpent continues to swim above them like an aquarium, even alongside with the fishes and magic float along with it. Evening is here and the lights made spectacle view for the sea serpent to bathe in its nightly glow. Tabitha watches the pedestrian keeps taken pictures and the children look at it in awe. They walk inside, sees some nice interior design.
He is hoping to see those adventurers who visit the sphere. Thus, his expectation is minimal as this is not his goal. Meanwhile the adventurers notice them and confused of their appearance for only wearing casual clothes, in this guild, they must wear like any fantasy theme costumes or anything of the other that looks like actual adventurers. But them, it looks gimmicky and no mana within their clothes. The man who wore techno-mask shows expression out of an emoji. They thought there is something special about, they guess not. Tabitha reaches to the receptionist and asks some questions.
“Would this guild allow testing or training for non-members?”
“Well, uhm . . . we did let special guests to come to the guild for coordinating the adventurer’s activities. Can you state your reasons for training instead of joining this guild? Are you part of a different guild?”
“I . . .”
Archivist joins at the receptionist’s desk and said “We are from Enders Bridge, and we are curious to do some sparring . . .”
The receptionist makes a call to her superior then replied “Ok, please fill up this form and I’ll bring you to the training ring. Ignore the rest of the procedures because it all meant for the citizens. I hope it will satisfy your interest here”
After filling up, and give it to the receptionist. Under the short period of time, massive magic activities happened inside the guild. Archivist hesitate his steps and Tabitha notice him almost tripping himself.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s magic, a lot magic after we-I feel something will be difficult for us”
“Are you sure? Then lay it on me, Archivist”
“Soon, my worries will be probably inside that ring”
The training ring, were most adventurers test their skills and identify each one of them in ranks. Masters of neutral mana, runes, shamanism, or even elven magic is being tested here. Tabitha wants to know how far she is now.
A mass groups of adventurers trying to get in and many different ranks across their memberships. They turn around and see those two. Enders, their curious get through in their head as they almost burst out in excitement, but at their backs feel the gaze of some strong adventurers. They want those two in. Archivist’s mask turns its expression into a confused cat. Once they get in, their test request is more dire than he had feared. Myrrkei’s rumors are coming true. Myrrkei said to him before leaving from Enders Bridge
“You won’t be entertained by their commons of men, but their champions”
S ranks are here before them. Tabitha is oblivious of their powers until Archivist linked together. Slowly, her expression changes in confusion
“Um, what’s going on? I am requesting for testing, not having high ranks . . .”
“You could say that, but paperwork said otherwise. A fighter that able to use magic outside without using his own mana. A potential mana control expert. Those are rare skills for this guild and . . .”
A blast from the door where two famous adventurers are coming through. Cat ears curve lowly and the girl carries him by force. Famous by receiving the rewards from Stranding Island for their contribution among the duels.
The Rogue throws Heist to the ground and said “If any of you want to test those two will be either me and this cat man”
The adventurers don’t want such ruckus and Tabitha is already feeling the regret. She felt Archivist’s hands gripping her arm. The intense presence of high ranks is enough for both of them to fear. They let them handle their own situation as Archivist whispers to her
“This is our beginning, Tabitha. We will be facing dangers once we reach your place. That’s your ultimate goal of your enlightenment, right?”
She nervously nods with a smile and uses her telepathy
“AAH! Why are the adventurers like this? (Sobs mentally)”
Everything put into consideration, the adventurers took their time under 5 minutes flat and take the most efficient adventurers. Heist and the Rogue, they have abilities are good enough for a show. One of the S ranks acting pity for the two Enders.
“I heard they want to test their skills. You rogues know that their stats are nearly as empty as them wearing casual clothes”
The thieves and other mischievous roles kept for the themselves. The other adventurers throw a fit.
“Fucking douchebags, all of you”
The rogue won every right to get into the training with them, she brings Heist along out of her advantages. Her copycat skill had brought attention as she was able to use it against the monsters ineffectively, but no knowledge how it works. This time, it is an Enders. What skills she could learn from them. Heist on the other hand, he has to do it for that young girl’s substitute companion. This evening should be many adventurers going home. Tabitha and Archivist still wants to do it, the ring won’t hurt them than they needed be. For Archivist though, he had nothing on him and Tabitha brings out her old staff. A basic default staff, leading many adventurers believe to be a beginner. Yet, they don’t care.
Tabitha sees their equipment, well prepared, this is not what she had in mind of testing. They have nothing on their backs with only her old default staff. Archivist shared her mind of thinking with only
“Testing . . . Testing . . . I am just one crazy naked fanatic here”
Naked comes popping on her mind, not in lewd way but more an obvious insight. He wears casual clothes and the mask is for his cosmetic. She expects that his mask will be only thing that is not broken.
“Indeed” He reads her mind as they shared their telepathy. She still can’t read his mind beside his ringing thoughts “Testing . . . Testing”
They ready themselves on the ring. Curious and motivated against the testament of their will, it goes around their heads as the audience care to see the match. This is meant for testing, and this is how they are being tested. Heist and the Rogue are planning who to deal first. The temporary announcer stands between them questioning himself that this request meant for testing. He raised his hand without any introduction or special mentions. This is supposed to be a training ring. He drops his hand down and disappears, those two quickly charges at the Enders without hesitation.
The first in contact was at the back, Tabitha sees the Rogue already trying to hit her neck. Bind together with Archivist rituals, her body reacted smoothly and her heart steady as the threat is coming to her. The pointy edge of her dagger reaches her face, as she leans away the same pace as the Rogue’s swings. The Rogue throws the dagger when Tabitha is out from her striking distance. Tabitha spins her body like a ballerina dancer and steady continue moving the flow.
Tabitha feels her feet and her surroundings as magic is surrounding her. The felt her mind with tension as the Rogue’s hidden traps are coming out. The Rogue tries maneuver around and keep spreading her daggers on the ground, secretly tied with wires to her traps. Tabitha’s footing gets acting lively as she raises her legs up as she is walking over from the invisible lines, the Rogue’s trap line. She didn’t expect for her to know that and quickly activates her trap. Smokes appeared first and magic bombs released, the Rogue appeared in multiple directions as she strikes. Tabitha sees her tricks and lied down on the ground. The ground was raised and pulled to Archivist.
The ground tilts up and she gets back on her feet. Tabitha sees Archivist is in the middle of a fight with Heist. Multiple images of him and trying to gang up on Archivist, he is able to take down the images. Whereas Heist appears quickly and uses power strikes, as Archivist being occupied by his images. That sudden moment, Archivist barely countered his strikes by hitting his arm. A powerful blow heard through Heist’s armor, and runes protect it being disoriented. Yet, Heist’s hands tremble from the shock. Heist stumbles to the floor while Archivist sliding away from Heist’s blows.
Heist feels his hands continue to shake further as his mana control is almost in breaking point. Archivist however,
“AAH!”
The pain goes through his head and his arms trying to redirect the pain. Tabitha hears his pain and impulsively sends her mana to him. Overbearing mana fueled him without proper mana transfer, the Rogue sees this opportunity and attacked him. Archivist let her hits him, but not fully, he did the best he could to kick her off her daggers but she switches her throwing daggers to a knife kick.
The Rogue lands a hit and unleash hell with rains of daggers behind her. Archivist receives Tabitha’s mana so much as he had to breakthrough her barrage. He kept it all and focus on his hands to wipe of all the incoming daggers, deflecting it all with his own bare hands. The Rogue watches as the motion of their fight slows down. Her rains of daggers hit each other with only a few moves of him deflecting it. The edges swift to the side and only hit the smooth heel, spine, and handles altogether. No cuts, she was moved by it but not enough to copy it.
Then her instinct kicks in, rogues’ common survival instinct spot a secret skill from him. She looks at him revealing something inside, mana, through a careful look it aligns with the color red. She continues the attack then Archivist retaliates with a powerful aura punches her gut, her armor shields the damage and she copies the move for the first time, then she hits him with it. She feels the concentration of her magic being molded through her hand, comparing to hers and his. This is a threatening strength through her fingers alone.
The audience saw the clear appearance of the first skill used. Magic flows out and immensely flowing through his fist, and the Rogue copies it. Both of them hit each other after the other, but Archivist wasn’t that easy to give in his attack. He pushes with all his might. Sadly, he can only push her off lightly. The runes written with great physical resistance that he had no items to remove that blasted protection. It is enough, the Rouge punches him back as he redirects her attacks to the ground. Tumbling down to the ground with all his might, to flow the damage down. The ground crumbles and shakes, distracting the Rogue.
Tabitha swiftly going pass through the debris picking up the traps left behind. She uses it on the Rogue and hits her out of balance. Tabitha then tries to hit her with her staff, but the Rogue runes protected her. The Referee had enough and called for a stop. The test was over and the adventurers had put applause for the two, it wasn’t much for them to test but to survive the well-equipped opponents. Tabitha sees the scenario for the both of them, not allowed to get their Enders gear and they need the equipment to stand against the threats like them. It was a bad experience, but this makes her ever so determine.
The city guild left stunned for the performance of Archivist. The forms were not wrong for him to be a fighter, and the abilities to break and weaken his opponent. Thankfully, they were not equipped. For the Rogue, she has one ability copied. She is glad she is able to copy it, the problem for her in her UI shows the requirements needed. She kept to herself and reads it through her own eyes. Secretly, it said
“Unstable Inner Ki, when mana flow is not fully goes through the body correctly or overflowed, it will block the inside causing no magic to flow out. Worse than silence, no mana users able to feel it except being examined”
Surprisingly to her, he just overfills her mana. To him, nothing flows in him.
Tabitha and Archivist still have one place to go, after that experience, they need a nice meal to where Myrrkei being stayed. Both of them shared their conversation telepathically, no one knows what they are saying but they seem to get along. Archivist’s shows his mask with a default expression while she looks at his limbs bruised during the fight. Archivist needs her mana, mana control, as she overwhelms him again. Little by little, the two needs to continue testing their abilities whereas she herself build up her body and able to master some physique and skills for her to able to dodge those attacks. As for him, he patiently waits her mana to be shared to him.
Her steps become soft and slowed. They finally reach a place that she wishes to visit. A cemetery inside a city, newly founded for those who transfer this world. This city didn’t have it and made Chojima district park as their cemetery. People passed away during their stay in this world. Tabitha sees the special banners in memory of all those people who helped the city thrive. One of the banners says ‘Here lies the first expedition to Enders Bridge, we will never forget your dreams of contents before going home’
“Home, before they changed their mind”
Tabitha looks around the gravestone to the people she knew lost. She finds them, all stacked together in death row lists in one tombstone or slab. The time during the announcement, a riot came out and many others leaving after the incident. Quietly says her prayers as she brought her incense, Tabitha places it with a tear drops from her eyes. She reads the name, until something is missing. She looks around to every grave stone available, he wasn’t there. His name was not here, his true name and not even his nickname. Looking all around the cemetery, she stops and look at the map. There are still more cemeteries around the city, luckily none of them were in ruins during the siege.
Archivist is behind her and said “We need to move on, tonight will be dangerous according to them”
“Yeah, I know. By the way, why didn’t you ask anything why we are here?”
“This cemetery reminds me back inside the sphere. Those grave-like stones, the literature here is different . . . I mean the language. Either way, condolence to your love ones”
“Thank you, but those are not my relatives. They are my friends. They save me from a depressing life here and back in my home world. Sob* Almost all the names I know are here”
“. . .”
Archivist can’t say anything but hear her mourns through their telepathy. Such tragedy, and she must move on and survive.
As there is still someone alive in her home world, and could be her last. She cried mentally “Dad, don’t make your daughter left alone in this world. I am so alone”
Archivist sees her vision, and her father was already passed away. He can’t understand why that’s her motive to live, but he knows that parents always tell their child to live on their legacy. Carefully finding the someone who is truly alive back home, he stops and respectfully not to go through her mind. He reminds himself with his own parents, he doesn’t need to pry people’s business until they told him.