Part 1 –

The streets of the Capital moved differently than it did 3 months ago. The chimes of gemstones and the clinks of gold were quickly replaced by the clambers of metal boots and suits of armour.

Guards and grey-armoured soldiers patrolled the bustling streets more than ever, alongside adventurers who worked as additional eyes and protection for their beloved Kingdom.

Most of the Captial’s functions remained untouched and unhindered by the threat of war. More often than not – many stores and stalls offered free supplies to the patrolling parties. The bands of soldiers tasked to depart far into the Minor Plains to provide protection for the smaller towns and villages were treated especially well by the stores.

However, despite the light-heartedness that seemed to envelope the Capital –

– A deadly undertone frothed within its depths.

There was something sinister occurring in the Major Plains of Colight that no one truly understood. It was rumoured that towns were wiped away in a single night along Di-Lock’s bordering territories without any explanation.

Of course, the citizens and soldiers only knew this as a rumour. But this spread like wildfire to the minds of the worried and anxious, quickly becoming a topic for many to speculate.

And then, it became apparent what the threat was on this very day.

The Undead.

The Guild issued a major warning for the times to come, and quickly began moving their efforts into familiarising adventurers with the Undead and their weaknesses.

Thankfully, they were not alone in this effort. The Institute of Magic made it their mission to teach [Holy] magic to every student in the event of a worst-case scenario, in addition to amassing a powerful group of mages who would man the esteemed Airship, which neared it completion.

Di-Lock were no longer their biggest threat. If things continued as they did, then all three Kingdoms would eventually be destroyed by the Undead menace, which was already gnawing away at Di-lock.

To what extent, however, was unknown even to the Kings themselves.

Daring adventurers that sought to act as scouts were never heard from again, presumably dead, or worse, were added to the collection of the Undead.

As a result – patrols moved around with [Amplification] crystals to relay this vital information across the entirety of the Capital. One major precaution that needed to be carried out was the cremation of the newly dead.

Necromancers and higher Undead were able to resurrect corpses, regardless of how damaged they were. Cremation was their greatest ward against the Undead, as there would be nothing for them to create Undead from, let alone sap mana from to create them in the first place.

The situation suddenly became more dire than it had only a few months ago.

Immaculately, the Capital remained uncannily calm.

Such news would undoubtably send citizen spiralling into hysteria, however, the return of a certain blue-haired figure who was clad in the palest of robes hushed their worries as she passed through the streets, easing their worries for it was the Gods who assured their victory.

This was Talia Balance. Beside her was the main priestess of the Chapel of Balance – Inkshard Balance.

Surrounding their carriage was a small army of Greater White and Black Knights, each ridding on a horse donned in a similar armour. To mere citizens and soldiers alike, seeing them all in such a formation was akin to watching a band of angels descend into their mortal plane.

It was a sight that inspired scripture and hope alike, their presence drawing the eyes and emotions of all, for they knew the true strength of these legendary men and women.

Alone, the mere sight of the Priestesses was always a good sign. But today was an especially beautiful and much needed one. Hoisted above the carriage was a coloured flag, which was only used to express the contents of the message they carried. Hope and despair were identified through only two colours – Black and white.

This flag was white.

Whatever message it was, they were at least certain of one thing.

The Gods willed for their victory.

Eventually, the carriage entered the inner gates of the Capital, and at once, the Greater Knights broke off and allowed the Priestesses to disembark. A formal round of heartfelt thanks and prayers left their sealed visors in a choir that could only be described as ‘holy’.

These prayers were dedicated to the other being that joined the Priestess, and it grew louder as they descended onto their garden which was obviously unworthy of being stepped on by such a pristine being.

This was the Spirt of Balance – Phase.

Only those in the highest echelons of the Kingdoms were aware of her existence. To the outsiders, who were blocked any view of the inside, wondered what this strange ritual was.

But they tamed their curiosity and refused to question it, seeing as that those were the Greater Knights. Furthermore, getting close was impossible without succumbing to the pressure they naturally exhibited.

Phase ignored the prayers of the Knights but kept a face that spoke otherwise as she gently stroked the orb in her hands. Then, without any warning, she fizzled into thin air, just like how she was portrayed in the legends.

What remained was the light-blue orb, which fell into the safe hands of Inkshard. Along it, she also felt the warmth of Phase’s little paws.

Talia raised a hand, instantly silencing the Knights.

“My, thank you for escorting us. His majesty will be pleased by our early arrival. Please, find some rest. Many of you have been with for months now at the Chapel.” Talia’s wonderful motherly voice instantly caused them to melt.

“No act of ours is worthy of thanks, priestess Talia. The pleasure is ours.” One said as they escorted the priestesses into the mouth of the castle.

A pair of guards were shaken by the oncoming mass of legendary soldiers and instantly gave way.

“Has the situation changed along the Major Plains, Knights of Pathfist?” She inquired once they entered the castle, her voice echoing thoroughly along its pristine marble walls.

“Fundamentally it remains the same. The Undead are our only threat. But we’re unsure of what stage they’ve reached.”

“My, hasn’t it only been 3 months?”

“It is as you say.” Another answered, this one being feminine. “But the hallmarks of a higher undead, or dare I say, a Necromancer are apparent. A plague of thousands, potentially hundreds of thousands don’t just vanish from a city over night.”

A higher Undead. This was the term used to describe Undead that were capable of issuing commands and articulating strategies – albeit basic – among their Undead underlings. These were, as the name implied, high-ranking Undead in their diabolical hierarchy.

It was also terrifying to think that a higher Undead was, fundamentally, the lowest rank of the intelligent Undead.

Without an intelligent commander of some kind, the Undead – at least in its initial stages – weren’t so much of a threat as they usually remained where they turned until they were either slain, or if they followed the scent of potential prey nearby.

In any case, Colight’s knowledge of the Undead was severely limited. They were only aware of 3 stages of the Undead, and nothing else regarding the ranks within their hierarchy.

This was the first time an Undead appeared after countless centuries, after all.

“Not by stage on Undead, at the very least.” A Greater Knight stated.

“Yeah, but stage one starts all normally with Undead dogs, humans, birds – all that stuff. Of course that’s not going to cut it. Stage two is just a larger clump of them. Not really a limit on how big they can be, but so long as they’re all just the lowest of the low then it’s not something a Kingdom of our size needs to worry about. Unless of course… they number in the millions.” One explained, albeit rashly. Realising this, they cleared their throat. “We currently think it’s on the second stage but…”

“With the strange disappearances it’s hard to say. We can’t tell if they’re being directed or are just chasing running prey… but still – no town or city falls in a single night and has its inhabitants stripped away.” Another finished, creating food for the priestess’s thoughts as she tried to digest this.

“Stage three would have to involve some sort of command.” Talia stated, seemingly convinced that this was the case. “Has Pathfist sent someone to speak with the Kingdoms of the Boric Region?”

“Yes, as soon as the Undead appeared. But they have yet to return, unfortunately. We fear that they’ve already succumbed to the worst. The Boric Region is a as close to a Forsaken Region than any. Only adventures seeking the brightest coin tread there, second to the Katho Region.”

“My condolences.”

“Please, your existence is enough for us to stay strong. Death is natural.”

“My, but I don’t believe in a natural death against the Undead.”

Talia’s tone caused chills to run down each and every one of the Greater Knight’s spines as the entire room froze deathly silent.

They eventually reached the vertic-port and made an unexpected stop at the Heroes home. Wondering why this was the case, Inkshard turned to her mother who gave her nothing but an elated smile.

“Dear, please – leave the rest to me and go meet with your friends. I’m sure you’ve dearly missed them.” She kissed her daughter on the forehead.

“M-mother? Doesn’t his majesty need to hear our message?”

“My, don’t worry about the small things dear. If it’s his majesty, then he’ll want everyone to hear it together at the meeting tonight.”

Uncertain on how to act, Inkshard inadvertently froze as wondered if she was even allowed embrace this offer. But that all seemingly faded away once her mother’s assuring voice graced her ears once again.

“My – how about I reword it a tiny bit better. Please wait for the Heroes. They’ll be needed at tonight’s meeting on the 11th floor. Go~ Phase, please watch over her while I’m away.”

Phase nodded with her invisible head. Somehow, Talia was able to sense this, causing the Spirit to smile.

“Don’t worry yourself about our topic of the Undead, dear. I wouldn’t dare to burden you with something so cold, so – please wait here.”

A warm smile formed on Inkshard’s face. There was no point in trying to deny her mother’s offer, or her yearning to see her friends for that matter.

With a small skip towards the light at the end of the hallway, Inkshard firmly nodded and waved just as her mother and the Greater Knights vanished.

“Understood~!”

* * *

An hour later –

“I don’t even want to ask what happened.”

The heroes of Truebirth were greeted by a vexed Inkshard when they returned to their home in the castle. From their clothes to their skin, there was not a single spot that wasn’t smeared with soot or stained with dried blood.

Inkshard’s eyes moved and narrowed when they saw the stains left on the golden carpets by their footwear, causing veins to suddenly appear on her forehead.

“We er… kind of got into a scuffle.” Amy said in an annoying voice, knocking on her head in a manner that said ‘oopsie, silly me~’.

Needless to say, Inkshard was not convinced. Rather, it only further added fuel to the unscratchable irritation that these heroes were.

“So stupid. Can you believe this girl? Wanna know what she did?” Haiyoto pointed at her with a thumb as Inkshard’s eyes further shut, almost to the point where she was wincing.

Then, an iron hand grabbed each of their collars from behind.

“Sorry about these two, Phase. There was trouble with friendly fire earlier, no thanks to a certain Otherworlder.” Lizen explained in front of the person they had thought was Inkshard, instantly causing the two to straighten themselves.

Indeed. This was Phase. Not Inkshard. It was not uncommon for the two to be mistaken given how similar they looked. However, there were some certain nuances that easily separated them.

One being her manner of speech. Inkshard wasn’t so much of a formal person, particularly with people close to her. This person’s speech was far too refined and authoritative than hers.

“Whose fault do you think that is?” Amy exclaimed, pouting childishly with the intent to stir Haiyoto up. “What kind of a tank are you if you can’t even shrug off my magic?”

“Shut up. Please shut up.” He buried his face into his palms in an attempt to repress the memories of recent.

Phase’s eyes looked at something beyond them. In fact, she did not even register that they were physically present. Her mind acted as if they had suddenly disappeared, and without a care in the world, she returned to stroking the strange orb she had always kept close to her heart.

Suddenly, a familiar voice cried.

“… what’s that noise – ahhh!? What happened to you all – wait – Lizen, what happened to them!?” The real Inkshard made a sudden appearance from the kitchen, shocked to find the Heroes in such a state.

But the very moment she saw that only Haiyoto and Amy were covered with filth and injuries, she immediately knew they two had clashed heads again, hence why she asked Lizen directly.

“It’s a long story. Sorry, but I’ll keep it as simple as possible. One of them thought it was a good idea to turn themselves into a living bomb.”

“… Amy…” Inkshard sighed, unsurprised to hear this.

“That’s me~!”

“My god she doesn’t shut up.” Haiyoto reared his head.

As Lizen said, Amy had turned herself into a living bomb. The reason she did this was not out of spite against Haiyoto or because of her unhinged nature.

The truth could not be further from this.

More specifically, it was an extremely cunning and dangerous way to directly inflict damage onto their mentor, Khalis. Every day that they weren’t hunting for monsters along the Foot of the Shallows, which was located directly south west of the mountains, they’d be training with him.

They had fought countless Ents, countless living plants and other dangerous creatures in that place. But even so – they could not even lift a single finger against their mentor.

He was the son of a legendary Hero – Mildly Taniawort – after all.

Injuring him was too tall of a task for all but a select few.

But that changed today when Amy revealed her newfound ace in the hole – [Ihre-Destruct]; a magic which created a fiery explosion that originated from its caster.

In a way it could be seen an ‘all or nothing’ attack by the unintuitive. However, the fact that both Haiyoto and herself barely sustained any real injuries brought forth the true nature of this magic…

… It was weak. Pathetically weak.

This ‘ace in the hole’ was actually still in development.

The only reason it did any damage to Khalis – and themselves – was solely due to how unexpected it was, because who in their right mind would try to take everything down with them, including themselves?

Thankfully, she was well aware of its weakness, hence why she used it in the first place.

It was just unfortunate that Haiyoto ended up getting caught in the middle of it… as always.

And that’s how they ended up here.

“Amy already got an earful so you can spare yourself the trouble.” Lizen stated as Inkshard promptly began using [Healing] magic on their wounds. “And welcome back, Inkshard. I hope it wasn’t too hard at Farshard.”

“Mm. I’m glad to be back again! Looks like nothing’s changed since I left. Ah… That’s a relief.”

She giggled, instantly causing the two to settle down as their hearts melted just from seeing her smile.

“I hope Khalis and his majesty have been treating you right. You’re not being pushed too hard, are you? Khalis tends to do that.”

“Well… at the start maybe that was true, but we’ve gotten used to it by now. Conditioning is an awesome thing.” Haiyoto gave her the thumbs up, walking straight past her with a welcoming smile. “And – welcome back, Inkshard. We’ve been lonely without you.”

“Yep!” Amy quickly pounced on the priestess and ensnared her with a bear hug. “You’re like our team mascot! Our moral support! We’ve missed yooooou~”

“Ah- G-get off me you –!”

“Enough, Amy. Inkshard is just as tired as we are.” Lizen sighed, grabbing the girl by the collar as she dragged her deeper into the room. “Isn’t it unfortunate that nothing’s changed mentally with this girl for the last few months?”

Inkshard, recovering from Amy’s attack, let loose of a long sigh before reluctantly answering with:

“It’s fine. Sort of. At least it’s something to laugh about.” She shortly giggled afterwards before collapsing into the couch beside Phase, who happily accepted her. “This kind of thing is exactly what I’ve been missing~”

Inkshard’s childish voice was simultaneously strained and enthusiastic.

In response, Lizen walked behind the couch, tossed her gauntlets aside and began to play with the girl’s hair as Phase squished herself against the blissful priestess.

Why was Inkshard so tired?

That was because she had just arrived at the Capital only an hour ago after being away at the Chapel of Balance for the last 3 months. Being a priestess was already demanding work and, like her mother, she had developed a short fuse to adventurers asking for passage through the barrier to meet with their Gods.

Basically, she wanted to break some legs whenever that question arose.

Furthermore, it did not help that she was also the main priestess of the Chapel in a highly volatile wartime climate. In addition to her obligations, she was tasked with directly communicating with the Children of Balance and reviewing important policies which must fall in line with the will of the Gods.

There was rarely a time where she didn’t feel suffocated by it all as a result.

It was all unbearable for a girl of her age to handle alone…

However, whether at the warmth of her mother’s touch, the hopeful encouragement of Phase, or the sounds of her closest friends – it was enough to make her forget all about it and fall into bliss.

Although –

“Break some legs…” Inkshard muttered something dangerous, catching Lizen by surprise.

She ignored it for the most part, choosing to believe that she heard nothing.

* * *

Hours had soon elapsed, and dusk was already upon them. The blue glare of the rising moon painted the golden living room in a beautiful blue hue.

The group sat around with the likes of carefree spirits during this time, playing board games, cooking, and exchanging stories during the 3 long months.

Then, a long lapse of silence rose and lingered for a while, with only the clanks of dishes playing as the ambience as a chilly breeze swept through the open windows.

Before long – everything fell to complete silence, and then, an array of footsteps retreated along the golden hallway, abruptly ceasing in the darkness of the vertic-port’s chamber.

It glowed and the group disappeared and reappeared at the 11th floor. Into the hallways they went without single word shared. Only the sound of their footsteps and beating hearts, along with the husky chatters at the end of the dark hallway played.

With clenched fists and steeled hearts, they entered the blinding light of the 11th floor and were greeted by many familiar faces around the massive war table in the centre.

“Oh. Just in time. Please, come join us. We’ve only just begun. A pleasure to see you are all in good condition. Priestess Inkshard, please be ready to relay the insight of our benevolent Gods soon.”

King Inclark welcomed with opened arms as all faces turned to greet them.

“Of course your majesty.” Inkshard deeply bowed.

“Aye, yer Heroes might want to come ‘ere quickly before the cold sets ‘n.”

Eldor the Dwarf motioned them to come stand with him.

With a nod, all but Inkshard and Phase joined him. They had their own positions elsewhere on the table in between the royal families of Truebirth and Pathfist, right beside Talia.

This was the first time the table was filled to the brim in centuries. Its use months ago regarding the inevitable war with Di-Lock was vastly out shadowed by tonight’s meet, for this meeting was most dire.

The room which had previously been in a state of disrepair was as presence as the throne room itself, glistening beneath many gemstones that banished even the faintest shadow.

A hundred black and white statues lined the walls. But if one were to look closely, they would realise that these statues were actually soldiers donned in their respective kingdom’s most prestigious armour.

These were the Greater White Knights and the Greater Black Knights.

“Finally, I ‘ave myself some people of my height… maybe if yer lads crouch a little more I won’t feel so out of place with all yer giants!” The Eldor puffed his chest, revealing why he wanted them to stand with him in the first place.

They could only wryly smile.

“Yea – but back to what I was sayin’ – Stan ere’s done yer God’s work us. The Airship’s flies like a beauty! Hit like a beast. Finishin’ touches are being made by Cardinal’s lackeys. Just needs a good crew ‘n it’ll be the best to ever sail the skies since those devil Commanders.”

“Ahem. By lackeys I presume you mean my students.” Cardinal said, clearing his hoarse throat as he proudly stroked his long beard. “As Eldor said – We’re missing a crew to man it. But worry not! I’ve already begun to pick out a splendid crew to take good care of our state-of-the-art Airship. Myself included.”

A confused and shocked voices came from around the table.

“You’ll be joining this war? Interesting.” Anoma seemed mused by this. “Your spirit mismatches your age. Anyway, we’ve already confirmed Palvel is the target.”

She pulled a long broomstick and tapped where the city of Palvel was located on the table-map.

“But maybe you’ve come to realise that it’s already in ripe state to occupy. The Undead’s been cleaving Di-Lock’s citizens and their soldiers left and right across all territories. Right down to the point where entire towns and some cities are completely abandoned.”

The broom tapped on various cities from the south all the way up to the north.

“It’s a shame. Our war is more in line with exterminating the Undead than fighting with Di-Lock.” Ectarod deeply said. “My men and I had yet to see one of their men alive on the battlefield. Whether it’s blessing or a curse – it has reduced Di-Lock’s pressure. But this may be a worse outcome.”

For the last 3 months King Ectarod had been battling endlessly with the undead menace. Strangely though, their numbers were never significant or overwhelming. Even in larger towns along Di-Lock’s territory there was rarely more than a hundred Undead clustered at the same time.

It was as if the rest of the citizens and soldiers vanished into thin air.

The fear of what exactly this anomaly was essentially the basis of this meet.

There was an unknown threat related to the Undead that was capable of wiping out cities and leaving little to nothing of the living behind.

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“In any case – that still does not change our plans to occupy Palvel.” Anoma firmly stated. “We’re in desperate need of an outpost. If that anomaly hits Palvel, then we’ll be able to prepare for it before it ends up reaching the Capital. In the best case, it’ll serve as a station for our soldiers to occupy more territory.”

“I pray that your plan goes well. Our attempts at capturing outposts have all failed. Not one person has been able to return. I apologise, Anoma, for wasting the precious lives of your brave adventurers.” Ectarod nearly bowed but was stopped by the woman who gripped his shoulder with a grip of iron.

“They’re not wasted. We’ve all suffered casualties on both sides, more so on yours because of our lacking military.” Anoma pinched between her eyes, deeply embarrassed by this. “Palvel will work. The Gods will it. Priestess Inkshard, please confirm this.”

Inkshard nodded, her eyes suddenly glowing a vibrant blue.

“In five days. The Goddess Despair declared the best course of action is to hit Palvel in five days with a sizeable force to take down the Undead infestation. From there, an outpost will be created by the will of the Gods.”

She revealed with absolute assurance, her tone and manner of speech matching that of the Goddess who bestowed her with this instrumental wisdom.

“Five days… is that enough time to prepare our men?” Clark wondered aloud.

“It should be enough. If the Gods will it, then all our fruits are in the basket of fate.” Inclark assured. “Cardinal. Is this enough time?”

“For my students, a day at most. For an old fella like me? Precisely five days!” He laughed.

“Splendid. Anoma –”

“Don’t worry about the adventurers. Most won’t fight in this battle except for a valuable bunch I’ve gathered. These guys will fight to the bitter end. Naturally, I’ll be leading them as their captain.” Anoma sternly stated. “In the case that fate decides to turn against us, I’ll be there to stop it. Unlike some… ‘Exrenity’ I know of.”

There was spite in her words, her fist gripping onto the table with enough force to cause its edge to slightly distort.

“Your majesty, Goddess Despair deemed the Exrenity won’t be necessary for our success.” Inkshard added, albeit with a shred of reluctance.

“Then that settles it.” She slammed a heavy fist onto the table. “Our Greater knights will suffice!”

Anoma held bitter resentment against Exrite for the sole reason that he had not yet returned to aid them. Even if he were no stronger than she was, his presence alone would act as a major morale boost for the soldiers of both Kingdoms.

Instead, he had disappeared with the Commanders – Pathfist’s most powerful asset to somewhere for the last few months.

How could someone abandon their friends so easily?

She could even begin to fathom it.

If it was not abandonment – the mere fact that he was not here to aid them in the eleventh hour was enough to cause her blood to reach a boiling point.

In any case – the meet continued late into the night, with Anoma’s tongue permanently sharpened throughout its entirety.

There was movement between the Heroes who could not help but to make saddened faces when they heard this, Haiyoto clutching his fists and grinding his teeth.

But this was not just sadness. It was fear. Anxiety. Terror. The sensation of one’s heart being plunged into an unknown darkness spread through them like a deadly plague as Lizen’s gulp thoroughly rung in their ears.

“Our Heroes – you’re going to act as a secondary scouting group outside of Palvel. Fighting the Undead isn’t necessary. You just have to relay information to us if you see any movement across the Great Plains.”

Anoma ordered, placing an object just outside of Pavel, somewhere to the north east.

“We only know that we’re facing the Undead. We don’t need any other surprises, like whatever that anomaly is.”

“Is it wise to underuse our treasured Heroes?” Cardinal inquired, knowing well of their capabilities.

Lizen was a first-rate Paladin, who could cast [Strengthening] magic and deploy [Barriers] with the lift of a finger. Furthermore, her usage of the spear and shield allowed her to easily take on multiple Black and White knights in her training.

Amy was a mage with a plethora of [Sixth Tiered] magic under her belt, all of which being her own original magic that she developed using Ecloman and two Otherworldly languages: German, and English.

With the knowledge she carried from Earth, Amy was currently the third strongest mage in both the kingdom of Truebirth and Pathfist.

Finally, Haiyoto was completely unparalleled in his swordsmanship, speed, and dexterity. In addition, he was one of the few warriors who were able to fluently cast magic whilst retaining a vastly powerful physical body – a tribute to the knowledge he also retained from Earth.

Even compared to the Greater Knights he could not be challenged in a game of whom can strike whom first.

However – their strength meant nothing if they could not kill another person. Even if they were Undead, it did not change this fact. It was enough to cause their hearts to quiver.

They could not even begin to imagine themselves driving a blade into an Undead comrade.

Anoma shook her head to Cardinal’s question.

“Underused? Don’t make me laugh. They’re strong. Not as strong as a parade of our Greater Knights, but they’re strong, nevertheless. A mobile group with their level of strength will be necessary for our success. I just hope when the time comes you three will be able to stand your ground. Khalis didn’t teach you how to kill another human yet. So – he’ll be there in case your resolve wavers.”

She sighed.

“You just need to relay information. If there’s an attack coming, you let us know. Don’t fight unless you absolutely need to.” She commanded. “We don’t need to waste lives as precious as yours. You’re all still very young. It’d be waste to lose such bright talents so early on.”

“It’d be a waste to lose any one of our men.” Ectarod corrected. “The Great Plains have been silent for the time being. But let’s not use this as a basis for the enemy’s complacency. Our Gods informed us that a large force was required. Expect a bloody battle.”

He did not even attempt to hide the reality of the situation, causing all to nod and whisper amongst themselves before nothing but an unbreakable resolve settled in their hearts.

“Ectarod is right.” Inclark began. “This is our country. Our Kingdom. Our future. For the many smiles that flourish in our Kingdoms both near and far, we will fight to the end to preserve it.” He concluded with a kingly voice, the Greater Knights beating a fist against their chest plates.

“Yer lads can say some upliftin’ thing, aye. Got me fired up now!” Eldor cracked his neck before slapping the backs of the Heroes, effectively snapping them out of their dreaded trance. “Don’t think too hard. Only think after what’s been done or else yer won’t be able to move a bloody foot out there.”

“T-thanks…” Amy said, rubbing her back as she softly smiled at the Dwarf’s reassurance. “Alright. Alright! Let’s do our best then!”

“That’s the spirit lad!”

Haiyoto and Lizen soon found their arms locked with Amy’s, her newfound cheeriness infecting them as they could not help but heavily exhale.

Then, they finally broke into a soft smile.

“So long as I don’t get set on fire, I think we’ll be fine.” Haiyoto said.

“For the most part. Please leave the scouting to us, your majesty.” Lizen placed a hand on her heart and bowed deeply, honoured to be relied on by her queen.

Whatever the case may be in the next five days – the Heroes, the Kings, the soldiers, and all those involved would have to prepare extensively for that very day.

The night – despite how late it was – was still young under the eyes of the meet.

It was going to be a long night.

However, Phase was not questioned once.

Nor did she offer any input.

Her role here was simply to oversee this meet and the events until the time came.

Even if she were to speak, she would not reveal anything or would lie straight through her teeth, knowing that they’d lap it up like the loyal worshipers they were.

There was actually second part to Inkshard’s message. But this only belonged to Phase’s ears. The contents were simple – and they were the commands of Hope herself.

Although –

“Dispel the webs of despair in the Catacombs. You will find the black sun. Chase it with the moon and unravel the eternal eclipse. Do not stare, for you will miss the future, and remain in the past.”

– It read like a cryptic riddle.

* * *

Part 2 –

Elsewhere, in a city far away to the west – the night did not look so drab. Beneath the countless stars and the moon that was impossibly close to the world was a city of gold, bustling with countless festive Demi-humans.

Tonight, the city celebrated the resurrection of an ancient legend – the Exrenity.

Inns flung their doors wide open for all as celebratory music played in every street, as the hiss of fireworks sung at the harbour where the Airships were docked.

Beautiful lanterns were hung around the balconies and roofs of each building, some floating into the air like balloons. They were all destined to join the stars far above as children pointed up a tthem with fluffy candy and skewers of piping meat with childish excitement.

The surface of the star-filled lake carried hundreds of reflected faces along the edges, and the tears that fell from their cheeks. Far away in the centre of the lake gathered countless floating lanterns, each one burning with a gentle flame and carrying the memories of lost loved ones.

This was an annual tradition to honour the recently deceased. By sunrise, the flames and the lanterns would be reduced to tiny ashes which would be carried away by the wind.

Although the tradition was normally held annually, tonight was an exception.

A truly special night.

And a night where their bleak future would finally change for the better.

After all – the Exrenity of the past were hailed as Heroes of Cryo; the ones who protected them from the dangers of the Shallows and the humans of Endo.

Many generations had spanned since the last time this name had reached the ears of the masses. The fabled tale was known by many, believed by all, and was a source of hope for the Demi-humans who despaired.

However, what many did not know was that they were in fact a group of individuals rather than a lone Hero.

Their hope only strengthened once they realised that the Commanders who had been rescuing their kind had become the Exrenity, as if by the work of fate.

Another splendid display of colourful fireworks exploded above the harbour as the Commanders stood at the decks of their ship, relishing the moment. Not a single word was shared between them or to anyone for that matter.

They idly stood among their crew who were honoured beyond words to be serving under them, as Pale – the Biomech child they ‘adopted’ – ran around admiring every little thing. Chasing, or rather – trying to tame the child – was a certain one-eared bunny girl.

Further into the city Khaos could be found in an inn downing plates of meat in droves as countless smiles and cheers surrounded him from each table, whilst Frosty spent time in the hot springs at the royal castle, albeit reluctantly as the women would not allow her to leave until they scrubbed every inch of her body clean.

As a Reaper, she wasn’t used to direct skin-ship, hence why she preferred wearing long drabs of clothing and thick leather gloves, and only sticking with the people she knew she could trust… excluding Black, to a certain extent.

Also, a certain succubus was there as well. Whether the women were compelled to crowd and clean her was due to her lustful magic, or because she was the Exrenity was unknown.

Suffice to say, Uru also got into the action, claiming handfuls of the bounty which was Frosty’s flesh. As a bonus, she also claimed a face-full of slaps.

As for Nav – they ventured elsewhere in the outskirts of the city, exploring the new world it had awoken to after eons of being left alone in the dark.

And finally –

At the top of the royal castle stared a pair of mismatched eyes which happily devoured the scene outside. The celebration was unexpected, and he didn’t think the entire city would easily believe the princess, Kati Goruden, of the Exrenity

He was obviously wrong given the current circumstance, but even so, it still felt like something out of a fever dream.

A soft smile crept on his face as he stood out on the long balcony, the gentle breeze carrying sounds of heartfelt emotions from all over the city to his ears.

He didn’t know how to exactly feel about this. On one hand it was nice to see so many people smile at the mention of his name. On the other, the recognition was too much for someone who barely did anything for them.

If anything, the honour should have fell solely onto the Commanders.

A small sigh slipped his lips as he moved his gaze up to the night sky.

“So this is where you are, friend. I thought you would be joining your companions elsewhere to celebrate the night.”

The angelic voice of a certain princess spoke from behind, as her elegant footsteps approached him. It sounded like she was looking all over the place for him, apparent by her gentle pants.

“Please go enjoy yourself.”

“I’m fine, thank you. Everyone else is doing their own things right now. And besides, I’m waiting for Milkazako to finish his translations. A servant came just before you arrived to tell me that he’s expected to be coming soon.” Exrite politely spoke.

“A case of bad timing, I see. We all have our things to worry about and prioritise, even in times like these. But are you sure you wouldn’t rather be elsewhere?” Kati was strangely persistent, although this was quite like her.

The princess was a person who deeply cared about the people around her, no matter who they were.

But it was more than that in his case. There was a tinge of worry in her voice, and when he turned around to see her golden eyes shimmering with genuine concern, he could not help but to thank her from the bottom of his heart.

Exrite knew exactly why she felt this way.

For the past week he had been working non-stop creating weaponry and equipment under the guidance of Black, as well as fine-tuning his control over the [Gears] and his Biomechanical arm.

A week did not sound like much. In fact, it was a miniscule amount of time.

However, the sheer workload was on an entirely different realm. Even the Dwarven blacksmiths of Plunnerdell were not subjected to the intensity that these two seemingly thrived in for a week straight.

Yes. A week straight. Exrite, who was a human, did not rest for a single second, let alone eat or drink. While she could not confirm this was true, she did not doubt that this was not the case.

It was hard to say that he wasn’t fatigued by it all, considering his immortality was now gone along with the glow of his Eye of Despair. But that was being generous. Even now Exrite could barely feel the effects of fatigue, a testament of the strength he was granted by devouring the Geared.

Unfortunately, the only thing he had to show for his efforts were thousands of [Biomechanical] waste; all in the forms of blood, metal, and other toxic substances such as an acid so potent that a single droplet was able to instantly melt inches of stone.

Alongside the waste were various weapons created through the [Biomechanical] process, all of which being failures. Even attempts of transforming his arm into a weapon, or at least turning a part of it, had failed.

However – Nav claimed that this was entirely possible, so at least their efforts were bound to lead them somewhere special in the future.

But as for now, they were stuck with a mound of waste that White appropriately called a ‘biological hazard’.

“Yeah. I’m sure. I’ve been looking forward seeing what Milkazako managed to figure out from the letter.” He assured, giving her a small nod. “Plus, I’ll probably end up getting smothered once I leave the castle. It’s a lot better up here, looking up at the fireworks and enjoying the moment.”

He added, turning back to the skies as he leaned over the polished wooden railings.

“Then I hope you won’t mind my company while we wait.” Kati said, joining him at the balcony. It sounded like she was pleased by this outcome. “It’s a splendid night, isn’t it? A night to remember for the rest of our lives. Our kind hasn’t seen many celebrations over the last few centuries because of the wars at our borders. For many this is the first time they’ve seen a firework.”

“My first time too. Well, ones this colourful that is.” Exrite hummed. “Kati Goruden – we haven’t spoken much since we first arrived, have we? I still remember from our first meet that you had many things to talk to me about… Er – when I was the only Exrenity, that is.”

The woman didn’t respond immediately, only smiling softly as she rhythmically tapped on the railing.

“A mountain’s worth more now that you’re not just the Exrenity.” She gently spoke, eyes wandering off into the distance. “The Maiden of Time… really, what a strange time we live in. The legend of the Exrenity returns just as how history depicted them, and the Maiden of Time comes from the shadows with her next of kin. We’re too blessed for a Godless region.”

She faintly laughed.

“We’re both partly at fault for failing to speak like this. I left most of the talking on behalf of Yellow, but you should know by now that she’s not much of a negotiator. Most of my time was spent trying to coordinate this night. Sometimes it is worth putting something above you aside for the sake of your people. They desperately needed hope.”

“That’s fine then, isn’t it? Well, even if you personally came, I don’t think I would’ve been able to speak anyway.” Exrite admitted with an apological tone. “I’m too busy desperately trying to hone parts of my body that I can’t even begin to understand.”

He brought his left, metallic hand to his face and gently touched each finger.

“And – by the way – I’ve heard the contents of the negotiation; in case you were wondering.”

Somehow, Exrite was able to sense this question that was welling in the throat of the princess. Unsurprised by this, Kati took in a deep breath of the warm air and looked down at her hands on the railing.

And after a brief moment of silence, she asked:

“And your answer is?”

“You’re offering the missing [Gear] that fell from the sky in return for our help. If you were a good princess, you would’ve held the translations from Milkazako as ransom.” Exrite warmly said, nearly laughing. “Well – Aren’t Black and White already helping the Demi-humans? From what I’ve heard, their crew has been protecting many villages in the outskirts while we were gone.”

“That’s true but… I’m more so afraid that it all won’t last. They’re strong. I won’t deny that, but they’re not invincible. Demi-humans have only begun to grasp magic, and we’re despised on so many fronts that there’ll always be someone else stronger than a thousand of our strongest combined. I want… no, I need your help. Demi-humans alone are weak enough. But… but…”

“You’re afraid of losing Black and White.”

“That’s…!”

She could not deny this. They were truly the only way that the Demi-humans stood a chance at survival and for a brighter future. But she deeply understood that they could not stay here forever. Not with who they were.

But even so, she needed to ask. There was nothing more she could do.

Exrite’s eyes moved off into the distance as the tapping disappeared, leaving them in a silence that choked the desperate princess. It seemed that this was exactly the reason she was looking for him.

She needed this confirmation as early as possible, else this hope would be nothing but false hope.

However – A hand then fell onto the princess’ head.

It was a strange feeling. Not even her parents or siblings, or even those closest to her had even touched her so intimately before. In an instant, her golden fox-like ears folded as she succumbed to the strange calming pleasure of a certain ‘ticking’.

“You’re clearly underestimating the Commander’s resolve to save your kind. Especially Black’s.”

“… Black…?”

This was news to her ears. She didn’t expect to hear that Black was committed to any sense of the word. While she was always grateful beyond words for their help, she always felt like Black, at any moment, would disappear one day with the force they amassed.

A strange feeling welled in her chest.

“Help? Yeah. That’s a given. I’m not the kind of person who likes to stand around doing nothing when our friends are in danger. But directly? No. I think it’s more important that you are able to take a foothold on your own. It’ll be hard. It won’t be painless, but at least you won’t be alone on that endeavour. Put some more trust on them, Kati. They won’t abandon you so easily.”

Kati understood what he meant and warmly smiled. Frankly speaking, it’d be impossible for the Exrenity to linger around forever and save them. So, in that vein, they themselves needed to get stronger.

‘How’ was all a question waiting to be answered by the Commanders, who had already shown that this was entirely possible by the crew of one hundred they had formed.

Although they were not the strongest; their wits, knowledge and equipment was what set them apart from their enemies. But above all – it was their emotions that truly drove them to become the formidable force they were now.

“… therefore, my negotiations were entirely unnecessary.” She wanted to laugh. “I see. I’ve been worried for nothing… Then that should we do about the [Gear]? Will you take it?”

“No thanks. I wouldn’t even know what to do with it in the first place. And besides –” Exrite retraced his hand lightly sighed. “It’s not like I can imbue it with magic or anything. It’s actually useless to me. Something that big and lumbering… I can’t even imagine carrying that around.”

“Useless? A [Gear] is useless to you…? How is that possible?”

“Noting. It’s nothing. Just some Maiden of Time knowledge.” He tapped his head.

“More secrets.”

“Yeah, but don’t we all have some?” He hummed.

“Yes, I suppose we do.” She chuckled. “I’m sure you’ve heard this many times but thank you.”

“You should be thanking Black and White. Just… don’t tell them I said anything. Actually, maybe wait for them to do something first. It’d be strange to thank them from out of nowhere. Way too strange. They’ll easily trace it back to me, and knowing Black… well, we’ll leave it at that.”

“I shall keep my mouth shut~”

* * *

Not too long later, Milkazako appeared from the staircase with an open letter in hand. With him was Yellow who was closely escorted by a half-dozen servants of the Goruden family, carrying silver trays filled with assorted sweets and drinks steaming away in beautiful teacups.

The sound of clinking and clambers filled the warm air. Each servant carrying a tray went around the floor seeking for the nearest servant, maid, or guard as Yellow announced for everyone to indulge to their heart’s content.

Many eyes fell onto Kati in an instant. Sensing this by instinct, as every hair on her body slightly rose, she turned around and gave them all an affirmative nod.

“Please – enjoy yourselves.”

The floor lit abuzz with life, many hands instantly reaching for the bountiful sweets which were made from the delicacy of their homeland – the amai; a golden fruit that only grew on similarly coloured trees at the summit of the surrounding mountains.

It was said to be so sweet and delicious that if one had too many, then they would enter a state of uncontrollable hyperactivity. The fruit was similar in shape to a peach but grew to the size of a watermelon.

Exrite, staring at the very fruit on a tray that required two servants to carry, nearly mistook it as a giant ball of pure gold.

“… so that’s what they look like up close.” He muttered, genuinely surprised by it.

“They taste even better~!” Yellow cried, approaching them with a cup of a warm liquid in each hand. “Here! Take! Drink up! I’ve heard you’re parched as ever!”

“Aha? Who told you that?”

“Blackheart~! C’mon, drink! It’s delicious!”

“Please, Yellow. Let’s wait for it to cool down first.” Kati humorously spoke, enjoying the elated atmosphere. “Milkazako. You’ve been keeping our Exrenity waiting.”

“Greetings, Kati! It was all for the good reasons, I assure you. Also – please call me Milk, for the thousandth time! Exrite! Greetings! I’ve deciphered the letter word by word.” Milkazako appeared, handing back the letter with elegance befitting a person of his character. “It’s Frostbitten. Hm. An ancient format of it, from what I understand. A broken one perhaps. The person writing it was not in a particularly right state of mind.”

“… that’s understandable, yeah.” Exrite slowly spoke, remembering the despair the Trial had inflicted into those that descended.

“It’s an intriguing piece of history. It speaks of the Trial and the Maiden of Time. Explaining it to you here would be like opening a can of worms to the world with this amount of open ears, so let’s take this elsewhere. Hm. It appears as though you’ve been on quite the journey out there. How fascinating!”

“Fascinating is one way to describe it.” Exrite sighed, following Milk’s lead alongside the princess and an erratic Yellow. “I guess Khaos didn’t tell you anything, did he?”

Until they were further into the floor, and had passed a myriad of doors, did Milk finally open his mouth.

“Hm. I never asked. I assumed it was all a secret. Frostbitten aren’t particularly nosy on things like this. Normally we’re well informed… hm. The elder Frostbittens are, at the very least. But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little interested. It is not often you find something pertaining to a time that predated the concept of time itself! Imagine my surprise when I found out that it was a Demi-human who wrote that letter!”

“That’s another thing that confused me. Why did a Demi-human know the language of the Frostbitten?”

“It’s difficult to say. It’s like asking if the chicken came before the egg.” Milk hummed as they entered a lavish chamber.

“Uh-huh…” Exrite wondered what he meant by that.

The room they entered was a formal meeting room for guests of the highest status and of utmost importance. It was decorated with masterfully crafted furniture, all carved from a light-coloured wood.

In the centre of the room were four couches arranged in a square, all facing inwards as a single square-shaped table separated them all. Each of them took a couch for themselves and resumed their conversation.

“Saicry has a long history of the Frostbitten. My generation has been watching over the Goruden dynasty ever since Saicry was founded. It is possible that some Demi-humans may have learnt Frostbitten that way. For what reason? That is unfortunately out of my scope of knowledge.”

Yeah… that makes sense.

Exrite gently rubbed a thumb against the coarse letter.

“But interestingly, this Demi-human was also an Exrenity. There were two of them, in fact.”

“… two?” Exrite’s eyes slowly moved from the letter to Milk, his voice carrying immense confusion. “There were two Exrenities in there?”

“Two Demi-human Exrenities. This letter was written for a friend.”

Exrite’s heart sunk.

But the pictures only showed one person didn’t it!? … no, the other one was always scribbled out. I thought it was just a drawing mistake, not because there was another person in there as well… but why did they scribble it out then? Was it because they died? That can’t be.

If they wrote that letter, and left it there sealed perfectly, then they must’ve been waiting for that person to find it.

What happened then? What happened to both of them?

“… the contents. Please… tell me the contents.” Exrite slowly said, returning the letter to Milk’s hand. “I want to know exactly what happened to them, because I couldn’t find a single thing that resembled either of them.”

Sensing the urgency, he quickly began to explain.

“I can only explain the side of the writer behind this letter. From my understanding, they were losing their sense of self amid the despair and the changes that occurred in all those that fell with them in the Trial. Apparently, the Maiden of Time is involved in their descent. Hm. Their hearts were unlike the creatures around them, but they changed just like them.”

He then placed it back into Exrite’s hands, making him cup it like it was something precious.

“They wrote this letter in the case that they themselves could no longer communicate with their friend. It was a guarantee. A piece of themselves that was slipping away as they wrote. They promised to wait in a place called the <76th Floor> until the day they arrived.”

Suddenly, Exrite realised just what the creature in the chamber of the <76th Floor> was.

It was the Demi-human. Not the one who was drawn immaculately in the papers… but the one who had been scribbled out.

Realising this, Exrite eventually linked the pristine drawings of the other Demi-human to the amalgamation of tentacles and flesh in the flooded chasm of the <66th Floor>.

Suddenly, he remembered the way the giant creature of the <76th Floor> longingly touched it’s [Gear] heart…

… and a silent tear ran down his cheek.

Eto… A gesture of thanks…

Exrite recalled the message the creature wrote before it plucked its heart out in what he now realised was content.

It thanked him for it no longer had to wait for its friend anymore –

– because Exrite had already brought them to it.

* * *

Melancholy.

A strange emotion.

One that Exrite couldn’t ever dream to escape. Looking back at many things beneath the night sky felt so strange and mystical, as he sat among the overgrown leaves and trees atop a faraway mountain.

In the distance the roar of fireworks rippled through the warm air, each one filled with the warmth of hundred smiles that cleansed the sadness of a thousand more.

That was hope.

But still the melancholy remained deep in his heart, a vicious twist of happiness and sadness. A fragment of the bigger piece was the state of Saicry itself. It was disheartening to see an entire race’s survival hang by on single thread, but similarly uplifting to watch them at least try to climb that thread out of the pit of despair.

Like Black, Exrite saw a bit of himself in them for just a moment.

Other fragments of melancholy were scattered thoroughly in the recesses of his mind, piecing into libraries of memories as he reminisced for a while.

There was no sense of urgency.

No need to descend.

Nothing to fight for.

Just for this moment, Exrite thought he found respite as he overlooked the Golden City of Saicry with a certain pale ball hovering beside him.

He exhaled, looking down at the cup of tea in his hands where he saw the reflection of a content man staring back amongst a sea of stars. The golden liquid swished as he took a small sip from it.

Still tastes like nothing.

Exrite slowly shut his eyes as his head drooped slightly.

“Is something bothering you, Exrite? You’ve been making strange faces lately.” Nav asked.

“Nothing. I just feel like I’ve lost something important to me again.” He said, lightly chewing his tongue.

He didn’t known when the issue began, or why it did for that matter. By chance he found out that he could not taste anything at the first sip of Yellow’s amai tea.

All around him were the cores of a few dozen giant amai fruits, left there to be buried later to populate this mountain top. For a fruit famous for its taste and sweetness, Exrite could only wryly smile as he remembered each tasteless bite.

“Funny how I vowed that I wouldn’t let the world take anything away from me ever again, and then this happens.”

He wanted to laugh. He truly did. But he couldn’t bring himself to find any meaningful silver lining.

“Was this a sacrifice? Is it necessary? Does it mean anything?” Exrite listed whatever question came to mind in hopes of miraculously being answered by the world itself.

“There is no true way to understand it other than in the context of our gears. We adapt. We evolve. We become. Sometimes, we eliminate.” Nav spoke.

“Eliminate, you say. But I don’t think that’s just limited to the Geared. I’ve had this happen to me before a… long, long time ago.”

“You have? Can normal beings undergo such a thing?”

“In a way, yes we can. Given enough time… a person can break and lose a precious part of themselves.” Exrite spoke from experience, his voice sombre but not saddening by any means.

The cruel agony of his decade of suffering was but a thing of the past now, for Gaia’s trial had not only superseded it, but also redefined the very meaning of pain and suffering.

He no longer feared that segment of his past.

“Looking at it now, it feels like this is the second trial I’ve had to endure. I lost my sense of lust in the first one. And now taste. You’d think they’re not important by any means but…”

He trailed off, looking up at the stars with moist eyes.

“If this goes on, then won’t I eventually lose more of myself? I guess this is what they mean by descending into madness. At least that’s what I think. Sounds like a slippery slope, I know, but these little things are the hardest to see or understand. Especially when the Eye of Despair manifests.”

“That is an undeniable possibility. But I think it is important to remember that you were the only one who made it down without losing ‘yourself’. It’s too late to be showing fear, although…”

Nav also trailed off, seeing nothing but the glistening stars in Exrite’s indomitable eyes.

“I have a feeling that you are not one to be fazed so easily. I find it hard to imagine that the first being to successfully descend would be intimidated by the notion of losing oneself… especially when you have people so close to you who know exactly who you are, never mind your admirable grasp of your own sense of self.”

Nav said before suddenly exhaling heavily.

“You are Exrite. A human. An Exrenity. The Maiden of Time. But those titles mean nothing to you as far as I understand. Therefore, you are just Exrite, and the rest are all encompassed in your name alone. That is just the surface, because beneath it all, you are my saviour.”

Exrite smiled and brought a hand to pat Nav’s shell.

“Yeah. You’ve got everything right. The future isn’t set in stone. I’m fated to fall into insanity, but – as you said – I have people who’ll help me when things get rough. Like you Nav.”

“I appreciate your trust.”

“You don’t need to. It’s a given.”

Exrite took another sip of the cold tea and melted.

He could only imagine how sweet it must have tasted.

“Alright – let’s begin then!”

“You’ll resume creating the weapons? Your arm? This early – or late into the night, for that matter?”

“Yeah. I’m itching to finish it! But this body’s overdue for a reset – Ah – you… probably don’t want to look at me right now.”

“Hmm? May I ask why?”

“Let’s just say that transforming into the Maiden of Time is gruesome process.”

“Very well then. Please allow me to witness it.”