Part 5 –

A wasteland of smouldering ruins surrounded them from every direction. The sound of crackling and sizzling remains rung from the blackened structures, many sunken into themselves as others spilled onto the streets like their guts had been ripped open.

Haiyoto could not believe the level of devastation no matter how hard he tried. He was entirely lucid yet felt like he was trapped inside of inescapable dream. They walked along the ruins of the easternmost street city, tramping over ash and debris as the burnt scent of death filled their lungs with sooty deposit.

He walked like a lost deer that had found itself within the streets of civilisation. Every sense was honed to the maximum as a result of his uncertainty. His head twitched to the faintest crackling, with eyes studying every possible movement as they navigated through mounds of smouldering material.

Four others walked alongside him, all following the lead of a young woman. She was around the same age as Haiyoto, wearing a mix-match of light, leather armour and a simple visor to aid with the still-falling embers. The girl was an inhabitant of Palvel from what he knew from her brief introduction. This was before they embarked on their perilous task.

She was a relatively normal girl by human standards, boasting an average mana capacity but was unable to use magic due to Palvel’s lack of magical education. Her hair was long and black, messy, and filled with unkempt cowlicks. Peering through the long bangs were a pair of blue eyes, both sharper than the hunting knife they carried by their waist. Her height was surprisingly high for her age as she stood just as tall as Haiyoto.

This girl’s name was Alice.

“It’s… terrible. Yer can’t even breathe without chokin’ on the heat.” She complained in a strange dialect, nothing Haiyoto was remotely familiar of even from his own world. It was reminiscent of how the Dwarves heavily emphasised their words, making them sound rugged yet bold. “At least the streets are empty now. But that ain’t a good thing at all. By the way miss Elf – are yer doin’ alright?”

“I-I’m fine. I’m just not that accustomed to heat like this.” A shorter woman who walked beside Haiyoto said as they cupped their mouth and nose with both palms, filtering the air through her fingers. “Fires are rare in my country. We usually have them under control in minutes, so I’ve never seen anything like this. L-luckily I have my cooling cloak! Thank you for worrying about me… um… Alice, was it?”

“Hey, don’t go forgetin’ the name of someone you just met – Vevi.”

“M-my apologies!” The woman, who was obviously specialised in magic by the way she dressed, bowed deeply in respect. “On behalf of the Elven branch of – A-hya!?”

“Watch your step –!” Haiyoto exclaimed, reacting almost instantly as she almost tripped on a protruding piece of charcoaled wood. He snatched her hand with surprising strength, dragging her back to her feet with extraordinary strength. “You scared me for a second there. Please be careful next time.” He deeply sighed, relieved it wasn’t anything serious.

“A-ah. I’m sorry. I-It’s a bit hard to see where I’m going through… um…” Vevi, the green-haired Elf with… monstrous proportions, looked down at her chest and wryly smiled. “Eh… you see what I mean?”

Her large, heavy cloak made from magical, blue silk – known as mana weave – did little to hide her bosom. At best they only served to emphasise them. Elves were a strange race in terms of their physiology and how it affected one’s mana capacity. The larger one’s chest, hips or other parts of an Elf were, the greater their mana capacity became. In contrast, the much more elegant and slender Elves were far more suitable for physical combat.

That naturally made perfect sense, even to a man like Haiyoto. But there was more to this than what met the eye. Elves, despite being one of the humanoid races, were technically a magical race. Like the Demons, their mana capacities weren’t completely restricted. But unlike them, they were restricted by the size of certain parts of their bodies, as dictated by the Goddess of Love and Beauty, Velix from Vevillen’s High Council of Gods.

As once could already imagine – the Gods of Vevillen were historically interested in far more important topics than the measly prospect of ruling over Corozin.

That aside –

Haiyoto instantly averted his eyes from the woman and looked on straight ahead, catching the gaze of the Alice ahead who smiled innocently grinned back.

“Can’t blame ya for bein’ on edge. Undead could pounce out at any moment. Makes you realise that we look like a bunch of idiots walkin’ round ‘ere. Ah. Watch yer footin’. Yer’ head too. Place looks like it could fall at any moment.”

Before them was a blockage made of crumbling buildings, which had collapsed sideways like felled trees. Their guts spilled all over, creating a ramp that led into a large fissure that formed along a line of empty windows.

“We’re painful aware. By the way, is it wise to continue following the main street?” Gruggur said, manoeuvring his large body through the fissure, his chest piece carving its mark into a jagged brick. “If we’re heading further east then it would be wise to cut into an alleyway.”

“Yer forgettin’ I’m a resident ‘ere. My young self roamed these streets since I was five. Yer’ lookin’ at a decent dip into the canals. We’re at a section where the main street ain’t connecting to anything but water. And you know what lives in our waters?”

“The Undead. I suppose this is our only way. But they’re all dried up by the firestorm.” Khalis said.

“Doesn’t mean it connects anywhere worthwhile. Good luck getting’ out of the canals ‘ere.”

“I see then. Lead the way. Haiyoto. Vevi. Stay close to us. Alice, don’t wander too far ahead.” Khalis nodded.

“Ain’t you bein’ too kind to a person from the nation yer’ at war at?” She said, standing on what appeared to be wooden handrails. Behind her, once a small [Flare] illuminated the dark, was an inn quite literally flipped onto its side.

They appeared to be on the second floor of the massive building. A minor drop greeted them, but underneath was a sea of tables, chairs, bottles, and all sorts of rubble. Dropping down there was asking to be skewered.

Thankfully, the handrails they stood on were supported by layers of collapsed material. There was no risk of falling through as far as they could tell.

“War does not include the civilians. It never has, and it never will.”

“I was jokin’. Yer don’t look like bad people. The grumpy one ain’t half bad either. Watch yer’ step ‘ere’. Once we’re though we can start headin’ through the alleyways.”

“Is there a reason we should follow you to begin with?” Gruggur asked as both he and Khalis began to heave a wooden beam into the cavity where they all stood and watched.

“Yer’ only askin’ now? Truth be told – No one is alive on the main streets anymore. You’ve already seen what went down everywhere.” Alice’s tone fell suddenly, her voice echoing softly in the heart of the broken inn as they listened. “I couldn’t believe it either. In a single day everything went heads up and before I knew it – I was in the tower wakin’ up to a black sun. Imagine my shock when it wasn’t a dream. Aren’t we livin’ in strange times?”

“Strange times isn’t the best way to put it…” Haiyoto murmured solemly. “It a nightmare.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” She sighed. “Walkin’ up to a nightmare from a nightmare ends up makin’ it look like a dream.”

“O-oh!” Vevi suddenly exclaimed, startling Haiyoto again. “S-sorry. Um… those dreams – those were from the Overlord of Desire, weren’t they? I’ve studied a bit about them.”

She said as she tapped a branch-covered book that hung by her waist.

“Can’t say I’ve heard of ‘em. Desire sounds about right though… yeah. A bit cruel of her now that I think about it.”

“D-did you see something? Like a vision?” Vevi seemed eager to know, pressing her face closer towards the girl with each passing word.

“A dream more like it. But – Well… we’ll see for sure.”

“I assume you’re looking for something then.” Gruggur suddenly concluded as the wooden beam was dropped below. He and Khalis moved it like a sweeping broom, pushing aside the protruding rubble with their combined strength.

“Obviously. Yer’ didn’t think I was leadin’ you to secret passages or a vault, right? There’s no such thing ‘ere. Our homes are made of wood. Look at how sturdy they are.” She said jokingly, a pain expression quickly forming on her face as she kicked one of the grills of the safety rail cleanly off. “Ain’t no one surviving. Not in the number yer’ guys are expectin’ anyway. Not a trace of ‘em is left.”

“But you want to see if someone –”

“Sayin’ it out loud sounds dumb. C’mon. I want to see it with my own eyes before I get all soggy.”

“Soggy?” Vevi blankly blinked, right as the intense rummaging ceased. With the [Flare] lowered and illuminating the clear space beneath, Khalis dropped down 2 metres with a thunderous landing. It was so violent that the wall underneath his feet cracked like it was made from wood.

“Gruggur. You’re next!” Khalis exclaimed. “It’s sturdy enough to catch your fall!”

“I can see that! It’s not quite a long drop, but it’s troublesome, nevertheless. My balance isn’t exactly perfect anymore.” He motioned his head to his missing arm.

“Very well. I’ll pave way towards the window across!” Khalis relayed, moving through the darkness as another one of his [Flares] illuminated the path before him.

“Is it fine to be moving so quickly?” Haiyoto asked with concern.

“I have yet to be attacked in this darkness. The Undead are not opportunistic hunters, so they will not wait for the rest of us to descent before an attack. Regardless, I do not sense any movement down here.”

“Neither. It’s safe. Hero Haiyoto – don’t slow us down. You’ve chosen to fight so move.” Gruggur said before he also dropped, disappearing before Haiyoto as the young man looked over the edge with narrowed eyes.

“Yeah. You’re right.” He whispered to himself before taking the miniature leap of faith. A 2-metre drop was nothing special, but given the equipment they adorned, it could easily shatter the knees of an ordinary human.

Additionally, the surface was far from even. One wrong foot and it could spell the end for one’s ankle, either spraining it or worse, having it completely broken.

This was why Haiyoto waited at the bottom.

“You don’t need to jump. If you can slowly lower yourself down from the ledge, then I’ll be able to help you down.” He offered, holding his arms wide in anticipation.

“T-that’s helpful of you. Ah. Um… one second.” Vevi muttered to herself, sliding down to her hips as she twisted herself around. With her legs hoisted over the side, she slowly began to lower herself with quivering hands. She was not physically adept to say the least, only barely able to support her own weight. Furthermore, her chest made it difficult to lower herself cleanly without scraping it against the jagged edges.

“Ain’t you a feast for the eyes. The Undead too if they ever get their hands on ya.” Alice joked.

“E-eh?”

Thankfully, Haiytoto was able to take hold of her legs and begin to lower her until both her feet touched down. Given her relatively short stature, Haiyoto was taken aback by how… heavy she was. Not that he would ever mention it, but it seemed rather odd.

His eyes fell onto the book by her hip as curiosity got the better of him.

“This? Ah, did it hit you? I-I’m sorry. It’s heavier in the hands of someone that isn’t of Elven blood. A-a tome. That’s what it’s called. Mmh. It’s not very useful here.”

“So it was the book.” Haiyoto inadvertently said, causing the woman to tilt her head slightly, genuinely confused by his words.

“Hmm?”

“N-nothing.” He passed it off, thankful that the woman was a natural airhead.

Of all the Elves he had come to know, it was the first time he had met one so timid. Elves were known to boast their beauty and for a splendid reason as well. There weren’t many races capable of capturing the hearts of men and women alike as they did. Even the most mundane Elf rivalled a pampered human princess.

Nevertheless –

“Hey. There ain’t no need to help me. I should be fine gettin’ down on my own.” Alice assured, easily slipping down from the ledge. Once she touched ground, she spun around and greeted them with a sudden grin. “Watcha waitin’ for, sunset or somethin’? Let’s go!”

* * *

The blackened sunlight assaulted them as soon as they squeezed through the cracked window frame. The blistering heat returned suddenly, snatching their breaths for only a second before it was mercifully returned.

Haiyoto was the last to leave, a thought dragging him down as he followed with Vevi by his side once again. The source of his mental agony was the girl that led them towards what they knew was her home. No person would be able to retrace the complicated avenues she took them through unless they had been doing it for years. About 20 minutes had passed since they strayed from the major street, weaving between alleyways, staircases, and boundless amounts of rubble.

Haiyoto was silent for a long while as he dabbled in his thoughts, unable to comprehend the girl that was Alice. She was strong. Stronger than he ever wished to see himself as. The situation was confronting to all, but Alice’s demeanour hadn’t soured once. He wondered why but lacked the confidence to ask. Perhaps she was like this only because she wasn’t actively reminded of the reality around her… even though it was as clear as day.

“This layout of twists and turns is bound to get us lost. Did Palvel lack city planners?” Gruggur complained in a loud groan as they passed under a surprisingly untouched bridge.

A dried-up canal ran through, completely starved of both water and aquatic life. Alice didn’t answer immediately. She was fondly gazing at the canal, reminiscing of the times she had spent here as a child. Once the canal met with a ramp, she stretched her arms out above her and grinned.

“Palvel was a city lackin’ people with brains. Ys got a living specimen right in front of ya. Probably why the Undead didn’t bother with the rest of us… but ya see, this city was supposed to be a big ol’ fortress. The canals were meant to be bigger. See the walkways were on? It was meant to be a murder zone for invaders. Dunno what happened, or why it was scrapped, but the king wasn’t exactly in the right state of mind.”

“There was a movement regarding the promise of paradise after death. The same story with most beliefs, including our own – but it seemed more fanatic than normal.” Khalis said as both her and Haiyoto recalled the envoy of Di-Lock who took his own life before them.

Haiyoto’s face contorted in disgust as hairs rose across his body.

“Fanatic is a good way to put it. Pestilence and famine hit Di-Lock a while ago, but we were doin’ just fine ‘ere. That was until… well, this happened. Or, actually, I think things really went downhill after that blue beam shot into the sky. You guys must’ve seen it too, right? It was like the first one that hit almost a year ago.” Alice stated, causing Vevi to rapidly nod as the others confirmed that they too saw the light.

“They say that the Maiden of Time disappeared when the first beam of light struck our world. And that the second was the arrival of her replacement but… ya see, I don’t believe in the Maiden of Time. No offense to you, Vevi. And yer guys if you also believe in her.”

“It’s fine. I actually enjoy hearing the other side of the story. The Maiden of Time doesn’t exist in your belief, huh…” Vevi said.

“Never did. It was always five Maidens from what I’ve learnt. Doesn’t matter the slightest to me anyhow. I just thought it was interesting that the blue beam is when things started to change. Nothin’ happened when the green beams hit across our world except for the Otherworlders.” Alice shrugged. “Apparently Otherworlders are just like us! Wasn’t that red-haired girl one?”

“You mean… Amy?” Haiyoto asked.

“Amy! That’s the one! She was awfully cute, wasn’t she!” She exclaimed with unexpected enthusiasm. “She had a cute sleeping face. Makes you wanna pinch her cheeks, huh?”

“Uh… um, Haiyoto – you’re also an Otherworlder, aren’t you?” Vevi brought up, causing Alice’s eyes to further glisten with insurmountable glee.

“From the same world as her, like almost every ‘Otherworlder’ I know.” He admitted, smiling a bit at Alice’s surprise.

“Whaaat? Yer kiddin’ me, aren’t ya? That’s crazy! But I guess I should’ve known better. Haiyoto ain’t a name you’d hear unless you were a Demi-human from Cryo.”

“Cryo? Isn’t that where…?” Haiyoto suddenly trailed off.

“Hm?” Alice hummed.

“Nothing. I was just talking to myself. As you were saying?”

“Well, can’t blame ya for never hearing of Cryo either. They have weird triangle houses, giant archways, and floating paper lanterns! It’s like a whole other world from what I’ve heard!”

“Why does that all sound so familiar?” Haiyoto nearly said aloud, laughing quietly to himself.

“Aha!”

“““What?””” Everyone unanimously questioned Alice’s sudden yell.

“Yer finally wearing something nice on your face for once. And aren’t ya a bit quiet for a people person? Yer a Hero, right?” Alice beamed as she led them over a small bridge, skipping until the stopped to wait for them at the end.

“I guess I am.” He answered.

“Whadaya mean you guess?” Alice waved her hands about, her hair somehow becoming messier.

“Guess? H-Haiyoto, a-aren’t we potentially in the presence of your G-Goddesses?” Vevi suddenly grappled Haiyoto’s arm, shaking him in genuine fear of retribution. “Amends – make amends!”

“Y-yeah, I’m the Hero. Not a very good one, I’m afraid.” Haiyoto easily admitted with a long sigh.

“A good one or not doesn’t change that yer’ a Hero. Chosen by the Children of Balance no less. They’re considered evil Gods almost everywhere. Can see why now. But ya don’t look to happy ‘bout bein’ a Hero. Is this why?”

“No. It’s just… well… I’m not used to this. Any of this. Death. Destruction… everything.” Haiyoto expressed as they finally met with Alice. She stood there, gazing into Haiyoto’s hazy eyes through her thick bangs. It felt like she was scrutinising him, judging him with those sharp eyes with irises and pupils that were much shrunken than ordinary humans.

Then she smiled. She didn’t grin this time, but smiled heartfully before she spun on her heals, her hands held behind her back before she took a single step forward.

“No one is. Believe me, no one is. The big fellas aren’t either, no matter how clad in iron ya hearts are. Yer probably think I got a few loose screws somewhere up ‘ere but the truth is, I try to live in the moment than to get lost in it. I ain’t blind to see what’s happened to my homeland… and probably what’s happened up ahead. I have to accept it because I’m living in it. No amount of grief will change that so – what’s there to be afraid of other than a few tears here and there?”

Haiyoto was unable to find the words to reply. The others only silently listened, understanding that the young, reluctant Hero needed a few moments to allow this to settle deep within his heart.

“But that doesn’t mean I’m not afraid. Like you, I hate this. I hate knowin’ people died here. But I won’t know for sure till I see them with my own two, scrawny eyes… Say… what do ya think lays ahead?”

His heart sunk as his blood froze all over. Alice took another step, turning back to face him with a reminiscing smile as his eyes widened by tenfold. It wasn’t him who also realised what was likely ahead, as Khalis lowered his gaze, with Gruggur seeming silent for the first time since they left the tower, and Vevi clutching onto her heart with moist eyes.

“Welcome to my home. Or… aha, what’s left of it.”

* * *

The shallow stone road they’ve been following across the bridge eventually blended with a gravel footpath. Broken ceramics littered the blackened grass that flanked either side. The skeletal remains of a large hedge ran along the righthand side, separating the small clearing from the dried-up canal.

The hedge must’ve been beautiful. Haiyoto couldn’t help but to think as such as his eyes wandered from the crispy gravel that gave way to their weight of their boots to the cracked, carved stone that lined across the entire left side. Seeing the withered remains of small roots, petals – and the little mounds that formed just by the head of these stones – Haiyoto lowered his head out of respect for the dead, a Vevi offered silent words in an Elven tongue.

It was a graveyard. A relatively small one, and cheaply made judging by the inconstant quality of the headstones, most exhibiting wear well beyond the firestorm’s doing. He counted 15 in total.

“Just a little more. The gravel path meets with another stone one ahead. Really, I have no clue what the planner was thinkin’ when they decided to build this place. Yer should start to see it soon over the gates.” Alice said as she led them through a charcoaled grove. Brilliant oak trees stood around them, their branches overlapping into a beautiful canopy overhead.

“Wah-wah-wah…” Vevi murmured a strange sound as her face suddenly lit up. She parted from the group and placed a hand onto one of the trees, feeling its crude bark with tender fondness. “These are the happiest bunch of trees I’ve seen. Even… in death they won’t stop smiling. I-I can tell they were looked after well.”

As an Elf, Vevi had the ability to communicate with the nature itself. This included plants, animals, and certain species of fungi. Where an Elven magical capacity was not restricted by birth, it was one’s attunement to nature itself that was dictated instead. Vevi was by no means special. She was painfully average in that regard, but even so, she was able to sense the happiness emanating from the burnt trees.

While they were dead, their final moments were recorded into their bark like a final transcription. It would be something akin to a ‘Black Box’ in another world, save this did not exactly transcribe the last moments before death. Rather, it only conveyed their strongest memories, their deepest emotions, whether fond or terrible.

“Ya can thank my mother for that.” Alice placed both hands on her hips, speaking proudly of that person. “They’re about 300 years old! They say they’ve stood ‘round there since before the city was built!”

“Incredible… but for all this history to crumble to cinders.” Gruggur could hardly hide his disappointment, which equally rivalled his awe.

“Smoke? A fire just days ago? Did something happened nearby?” Vevi wondered as she read a further into the tree’s memories.

“Naw! That was probably me cookin’. I ain’t a good cook. But we all gotta start from somewhere.” Alice said.

“This place… Alice, this was you home, I’m assuming?” Khalis spoke as the grove eventually parted cleanly with a stone road, leading towards a crooked gate.

Behind it was a house. A large, wooden house – burnt down with parts of the roof complete caved in. Beside it were two giant wings that embraced a small, dusty field in the centre. A well sat in the middle, the winch in a state of disrepair.

“It was our home. I’m sorry I brought ya guys out ‘ere for somethin’ selfish but… if there were people I wanted to see alive then it’d be them. It doesn’t look too different even after the firestorm!” She exclaimed, grinning back at the others, seconds before her eyes nearly closed and her grin mellowed down to a longing smile.

“But it’s quiet now. Normally all the kids would be out ‘ere chasin’ the dog. Our mother would be yellin’, screamin’ her head off like it was the end of the world… it’s strange. Lookin’ at this place almost feels surreal. It was only yesterday when everyone was…” Her words fell off, disappearing as she froze in place.

Haiyoto could not imagine what was going to the girl’s heart. At any moment he felt as though she would break down and there would be nothing they could do to help.

However, Alice didn’t cry.

She took in a deep breath and coughed loudly, the soot in the air scalding her lungs as she hugged her chest.

“A-are you ok!?” Haiyoto yelled, rushing up past Khalis and Gruggur to her side.

“Ya don’t need to worry. Just breathed more than I can handle. This air is really troublesome, huh.”

“Is it really fine? Alice, you’re not injured, are you?” He reflexively asked, hovering a hand by her back as she continued to cough like a barking dog.

“I-I’m still alive so yeah, I’m fine. Just need to take in the scenery… I was just here a day ago. Cookin’. Sleepin’. Runnin’ errands for our mother…”

“… I’m so sorry.” Was all Haiyoto could utter for her sake.

“Ya didn’t do nothin’. The Undead would’ve hit this place before the flames did. Knowin’ what it’s like to die to one I can only hope that the firestorm swept them up first.” She said, shaking her head as she investigated Haiyoto’s moist eyes. “Really… don’t feel so bad for me. Aha. You’re more in shambles than I am. What sorta Hero cries?”

She punched his chest with the soft part of her fist, grinning softly before staring back at her home with solemn eyes.

“At least cry after the fact. That way people can rely on ya. But I guess it’s not so bad havin’ a person cry for me.”

“How can you easily accept this? This is hell… so how can you still accept living in it? Didn’t you just lose everything? So why…?” Haiyoto wanted to ask as he wiped his eyes with the back of his metal gauntlet, feeling the warmth of the girl disappear as she walked towards the dilapidated entrance.

“Our condolences, Alice. We would not have razed your city if we had known people were still here. As a survivor, Truebirth will do everything in its power to grant whatever you need to live a normal life again.” Khalis deeply bowed, visibly pained by Alice’s loss.

While it was not the first time he had seen such a sight, the very fact that he had done this with his own two hands was not something he could ever forgive himself for.

Gruggur didn’t say a word. Instead, the man roamed the perimeter in search for both signs of life and the Undead. At the same time, Vevi sluggishly walked past Khalis and stopped right beside the kneeling Haiyoto as Alice walked off on her own.

“C’mon… let’s go. M-maybe we’ll find something inside. Like… like…” Vevi spoke with a bright smile, which quickly dissolved as the words refused to form.

She must have realised it as well. No one else was alive. Not here. And perhaps not anywhere. They had been traveling for an hour already through the nooks and crannies, the alleyways and the dried-up canals but had only witnessed destruction in its most raw form.

Vevi saw Haiyoto in his miserable state and couldn’t help but to be infected by his disheartenment. Somehow Haiyoto appeared in a worse state than Amy was just hours ago, but despite this, Vevi could feel the beating of his heart as clear as day through her leather gloves.

“… Vevi. Yeah. Let’s go. Alice, that door doesn’t look like it’ll budge.”

“Yer wanna destroy my home even more?” She chuckled, slapping the jammed oak door.

“I was going to suggest using a window.”

“I’m kiddin’. Kick it down if ya need. C’mon. If there’s a chance that someone’s in ‘ere then we may as well make ourselves known. And if someone’s an Undead… Haiyoto…”

“Yeah… leave it to me.” He answered, already knowing what her vanishing voice yearned from him. “I’ll send them off. It’s the least I can do.”

“Leavin’ it to ya then. See, ya can be reliable when yer want.”

* * *

It was dark inside. The stagnant dust in the air was so thick that it prevented the light from the following [Flares] from reaching every corner of the entrance. Haiyoto promptly summoned more, leaving them along the narrow walls like lit candles.

The room itself was a vast living room of some sort, almost like a miniature ballroom with rows of sunken tables, chairs, toys and a grand piano half-buried into the floor. The building groaned in their presence, quivering as if it could collapse at any second. Dust unsettled from the gouges above them, sifting into the air almost like a thick syrup.

“Do the big guys not wanna come in?” Alice asked, her voice nearly drowned by the creaking of the wooden floorboards.

“I don’t think Khalis can bring himself to enter.” Haiyoto answered with a soft-spoken voice.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“That so? Can’t say I don’t understand what’s goin’ through their minds. Ya feel the same way, don’t ya? Yer faces are all the same. Vevi. Ya ain’t cute when yer lookin’ at me like that.”

“I-I can’t help it. It’s all too s-sad to ignore. In the thousands of years I’ve been alive… I have never seen something like this.” Vevi whispered, slowly drawing a finger to the infested branch cover of her tome. “G-granted I’ve been… Er, secluded from the world for a while.”

A mesmerising strand of green string followed her finger as she pulled away from the tome, drawing a tiny magical circle that flowed a vibrant green. The magical circle bared an astounding resemblance to plant fibres arranged into a flower-shaped magical circle.

“Alice… I didn’t expect it to house so many people. There’s… not a trace of life left. I can’t sense anything.” Vevi apologised when the strange magical construct failed to locate any signs of mana. It pointed only at Haiyoto and Alice, never breaking its gaze away from the two.

This was a [Mana Locator] of the Elven variant, capable of accurately locating sources of mana within a 20-metre radius. It was especially helpful in rescue operations where victims were suspected to be trapped beneath mounds of soil, rocks or here, rubble. But this magic was unnecessary for Vevi, for she possessed a natural ability to detect mana within a similar radius. Furthermore, it was vastly more accurate than the magic she casted.

Needless to say, the magical races were a gifted existence.

Then there was no reason for her to summon the [Mana Locator]. Yet she did. The reason why she did fell into the hands of doubt. She doubted the clarity of her abilities, and in order to confirm that what she saw was true, she summoned the [Mana Locator].

But thankfully her worries were all for naught…

… though the outcome did not change.

“Sounds ‘bout right. They could’ve all found themselves in a different place like me. That’s the the only hope I got left. Thanks for checkin’. Say… yer wouldn’t mind if I stick ‘round for a bit, would ya? An hour was already spent out ‘ere in the blister in’ heat. I feel sorry for –“

“Take your time.” Haiyoto sudden cut her off with a resounding voice. “Vevi. You don’t mind either, right?”

“N-not at all! U-um- now that you mention the heat-!” Vevi rummaged somewhere inside her cloak, struggling to weave her hands around the bulging mountains that would make any succubus blush. “Take this. It’s not much but it’s better than not giving it to you at all. I-if you please.”

What she revealed was a small, palm-sized leaf containing water. It was clear and brimmed with utmost purity. In fact, Haiyoto needed to shift the angle of his gaze just to realise that there was indeed something pooled inside of those leaves.

“Water…? Yer one of a kind, ya know that? ‘Course I’ll take it. Aren’t you parched too, Haiyoto?”

“I don’t think so. Vevi, how many do you have?” He asked instead of downing it in an instant like how Alice did.

“F-five! Only five. I’m sorry I couldn’t satisfy you –!”

“It’s fine. I haven’t gotten hit with thirst yet, so I’ll hold onto it for a little while.” He said, tilting the leaf just enough for the water to trickle off the edge.

But the water didn’t move. The water was certainly a liquid, else Alice would not have been able to drink it, yet it remained as still as ice and as clear as glass.

“Vevi, yer gonna offer Khalis and the grumpy guy, right?”

“Y-yes! I-I was just about to! P-pardon me!” With a deep bow, she departed through the front entrance with a bombardment of thuds.

Silence returned to the two almost immediately. They could only faintly hear her voice beyond the entrance, where the crimson light shone and cast long shadows of themselves into the empty room.

It was an unsettling silence. Eerie. Cold… lonely. This was a place where dozens of voices once filled, whether through joyful days or tearful nights. Vevi whether she meant it or not, amended the void of this precious place for only a moment, allowing Alice to reminisce of the lively days she lived just yesterday.

She could almost hear their voices around her, their shadows hidden in the darkness surrounding theirs. Haiyoto wanted to say something, but before he could open his mouth, Alice quietly began walking again as she spoke.

“Ain’t she lively? A few thousand years old, hey? Elves are really somethin’ else. I almost forgot we’re walkin’ along a nightmare… almost. Say… can ya hear me out? Even if I start talkin’ nonsense, can ya at least pretend to listen?”

“I’d be more than happy to.” Haiyoto surrendered to her wish, mellowing his gaze as he followed the girl into another maimed room.

“Yer don’t need to be so formal either… damn. Ya sound just like our mother. Haiyoto. I’m afraid. Lookin’ at all of this hurts. One by one memories are comin’ back at full force. I’ve been livin’ ‘ere for so long I’ve memorised everyone’s names.” Alice picked up a black object.

She brushed her thumb against its crusty surface, peeling away the burnt wood as faded colours unravelled underneath. The object was nothing special, after all… it was no more than a toy block of wood.

“Truth be told… I wanna explode into tears. But I can’t. Because I’m afraid of somethin’ else. Yer see, I’m like all the others that stayed behind. We’re afraid of the Undead more than losin’ people close to us. We just wanna live.”

“But you came, didn’t you?” Haiyoto said.

“I did but… yeah. Why did I come in the first place? I had a stupid dream. A dream where all of us were older, standin’ ‘round this table. But I don’t think those figures were them in the first place.” She softly spoke, losing herself as she gazed to the ceiling, as if staring off to the light that had broken through a blanket of dark clouds. “I came because I thought it had a special meanin’. Like everyone would be ‘ere. None of us had families in the first place. But I always felt like we were all one big family.”

“Alice…”

“That’s why I think yer a bit special. Same as everyone else that offered their hand to save people out ‘ere. The Undead are terrifyin’. Loss doesn’t compare to the fear of dyin’ yourself. Ain’t we selfish, huh? But even if it’s just a little, the loss of everythin’ hurts a bit more when the Undead ain’t loomin’ over yer head. That’s why I think yer’ guys are kind. Putting the fear of the Undead aside and carin’ more about the lives of others isn’t somethin’ you see every day. Not to mention for people you’ve never met before… yer not afraid of these things as much as watchin’ the world crumble.” Her voice grew strained, tired, and equally breathless.

The toy was brought close to her heart before she settled it along with the ashes beneath their feet. Haiyoto could have sworn he saw something fall from her face. A crystal bead of some sort, but he could never tell since Alice never turned to show him her face… even though it was obvious that she was crying out her heart with an internal sob, unable to express her deepest griefs no matter how hard she tried.

“You came here to see if anyone was still alive. But no one’s here… there’s not a single soul. Alice, maybe like you, they awoke somewhere safe.”

“That’s… that’s what I want to believe in.” Alice croaked as a hand fell onto the edge of the frail table before her. It was the only living piece of furniture in the entire room. If one looked closely, they’d realise that this place was closer to a functions room than anything ordinary; a room built solely for the purpose of housing precious moments. “I have hope because I ain’t seen their bodies yet. But when everythin’ settles and it’s all rested deep in my soul then… maybe I can lose myself for just a bit. That’s why I wanna ask you why you aren’t… deceiving yourself after watchin’ your friend die. Sorry if I lack any tact. But… it should be fine for people like us in this strange, strange world, right?”

Haiyoto froze. The memory of Lizen’s death was freshly carved into the forefront of his mind, leaving him drowned in thought for longer than he realised. He eventually plucked an answer from the sea of thoughts, finding himself staring down into an open palm.

“I think she would’ve wanted us to live instead of dwelling ourselves over her death. But I can’t do that. I can’t just move on. Amy’s so distraught it hurts just to look at her. It hurts me even more knowing that it’ll just be the two of us from now on. You asked why I can’t deceive myself… isn’t the answer obvious? Look around us. If you asked me a day earlier I would’ve told you that there’s bound to be people waiting to be rescued. But now all we can hope for is proof that they were alive at one point… and I’m ashamed of that.”

His fist closed, the gauntlet faintly creaking as his hand trembled under his immense strength.

“‘Strange times’ doesn’t hold a single candle to what’s happening around us. If it’s a calamity to you all, then what do you think it’s like in the eyes of someone from another world? I’m exhausted… but…”

Haiyoto, after his long speech, looked up and locked eyes with the teary Alice. Her eyes fell off his, then bounced back almost timidly before she broke into a weird, faint grin, as if already knowing what he was going to say.

“When I think that I’m not the only one suffering, then I realise that believing in some ridiculous impossibilities really isn’t all that bad. My exhaustion is nothing compared to the others suffering. I have the strength to back it up, but not the courage to push on. That’s why – I want to help. So that no one has to suffer ever again. Neither you, me, Amy… Lizen.”

Haiyoto cried. He finally cried. His tears fell onto the closed fist, the crystal beads pooling between his fingers as he stood there unblinking, never allowing him to turn away to what was around him even if it meant destroying his mind in the process.

This was his resolve. It wasn’t unbreakable by any means. He was still considered a kid in his old world. A dumb teen at the verge of adulthood with the experience of a newborn in this world. But he was prepared to bear his burden even at the cost of his own life, just like how Lizen had lived in her final moments.

The reality around him was unacceptable.

Unlike Alice who accepted it, Haiyoto wished to change it.

“Yer really thinkin’ beyond the now, huh. I’m envious. So ya people live in the now to seek for a better future. That’s a Hero by definition. How do you feel now, Haiyoto? Think ya reached catharsis yet?” She tapped his shoulder, grinning widely.

Haiyoto’s eyes suddenly broadened.

“You… did you –”

“Yer lookin’ too deep into it. I brought ya here by chance. Chance, ok? But… yer see, the dream I had was a weird one. It was somethin’ like a vision. Cause I didn’t see faces I knew ‘round ‘ere at all… But… I saw you, Amy – and I think yer friend Lizen standin’ right ‘ere as well. Waddaya think?”

“… really. I don’t even understand half of what’s going on in this world. Hell if I know.” Haiyoto laughed.

“Aha. Gotcha makin’ a good face again.” Alice poked him in the chest. “Raised yer spirits, huh? Good. I think I’m also in a better mood now. Give it a day and yer gonna see an ugly scene.”

“That makes us both, then. Alice. Is there more you wanted to see?”

“Naw. I’ve seen enough to know I ain’t gettin’ this place back… but if that really was a vision, then maybe it’s worth puttin’ some faith in the future. Yer Goddesses are an evil duo. The Overlords are just as harsh. Showin’ me somethin’ like that is just too cruel –”

“S-sorry I took a while!” Vevi suddenly barged in with an array of thuds. “U-um… a-about that dream – I mean… sorry! I was listening to you b-both. I overheard everything. Mm. Everything. I’m sorry –!”

“What’s the matter with ya? Yer don’t have to keep apologisin’.”

“N-no, I thought it was rude of me to overhear you two. But what you said was strange. A-Alice. If you don’t mind… can you tell me more about your ‘vision’?”

“Eh? Yer curious about some dumb dream?”

“P-please don’t call it that. I-I’m curious, that’s all.” Vevi said, sounding almost offended that Alice regarded it as such.

“What to say. For starters, yer were ‘ere as well –”

“I was!?” She exclaimed all of a sudden, her eyes broadening as if in utter shock as she clutched onto the tome by her side.

“S-shh. Yer gonna wake up the Undead with that kind of voice. Geez… why would I lie to ya?”

“No, it’s just… nothing. Sorry.” A bead of sweat ran down her cheek as she regained her composure, her brows furrowing with disbelief. “That’s… impossible. You’ve never even seen me before… I-I’m sorry. I must sound strange.”

“Yer must know somethin’ ‘bout it then, being a few thousand years old yourself.”

Vevi refused to respond. Her demeanour shifted almost entirely, her stature straightening as her eyes steadily washed away all fragments of her timidness. A completely person stood in her place, illuminated by only the light from the previous room as her shadow consumed theirs both.

A chill ran down Haiyoto’s spine as he wondered if this woman was dangerous all of a sudden, his body instinctively reacting to the overpowering aura she suddenly emitted.

“Alice. Who are you exactly?” Vevi finally spoke, her voice almost commanding her to answer.

V-Vevi? Don’t tell me you’re an enemy – No, Alice? Wait, what’s going on here all of a sudden!? Haiytoto tried to piece together the sudden development, his head twisting back and forth like the hand of a broken clock.

“Huh!? What, are you seriously askin’ me that for a stupid dream of mine!?” Alice yelled, instantly causing both Haiyoto and Vevi to blankly blink. “Ain’t that our line since you know somethin’!?”

“E-eh? You don’t know yourself? A-am I mistaken?” Vevi instantly dissolved to her normal self, making an awkward face as she slouched forward with both hands out, as if desperately asking Alice to stop yelling at her.

“Yer got some nerve accusin’ me of something’ I ain’t got a clue about! Vevi, tell me why yer so curious.” Alice stomped till she was about an inch away from the Elf’s face.

Vevi defeatedly sigh. Her hands fell back to her side, a hand gently placed on the surface of her tome, drawing strength to speak back to the furious girl.

“W-would you believe me if I said that what you saw was fate?”

“Fate?” Haiyoto wondered. “Vevi, if you know something then please tell us.”

“Huh? Yer think I can actually see the future?”

Vevi savoured the silence, staring up into the girl’s eyes until they sparkled with absolute certainty.

“I-I don’t believe it. If you saw me of all people in that ‘dream’ then you’re –!”

Before she could finish uttering her words – the world quaked.

* * *

A black beast dragged itself along the eastern main street. A pair of trunks lumbered the beast forward, its two feet carving its mark into the stone path. Trails of steaming flesh were scraped from the soles of its feet, sticking to the ground like glue. It rocked with each step, producing a thunderous quake that crippled all buildings within the immediate vicinity.

The beast towered over Palvel, reaching an astounding height of 20 disturbing metres. Its main body was an amalgamation of bone, arranged into what appeared like a moving altar with bony offshoots. These offshoots numbered in the dozens, most being no more than 2 metres in length with 4 easily reaching as long as 10. These were its arms. Massive axes in the shape of an inverted mouth replaced the hands of 2, as the last dragged a monumental object behind it.

It was clad in black that rivalled the darkness of the floating orb, with mana-link-like inscriptions that ran across the object’s length like lightning, eventually terminating at a gouge close to its tip. An orb similar to the soul-stealing ones sat in this cavity like an eye.

Where the Undead was steadily damaged by dragging itself along the path, the object proved uncatchable, for everything that dared to remain in its way were ploughed aside with incomprehensible effortless.

But this was not what struck fear in the hearts of all those that witnessed the wake of this beast. No. It was the human face that was grafted into the centre of the bony altar as bones encased it like an iron maiden. Bones anchored the edges of the face as it was stretched so far in all directions that the flesh appeared translucent in the radiant light. Furthermore, despite how stretched it was – the peerless beauty of the face had not degraded in the slightest. The expression was permanently neutral, with vibrant eyes that seemingly robbed the life out of the living with a single gaze.

The fear one felt from merely glancing into those eyes was enough to induce death.

The three instantly scattered out of the building the moment they felt its presence. Khalis and Gruggur were already at the front, both inflicted with the curse of the Undead’s greatest power – fear. No matter how tempered their hearts were, the Undead presented over the distance completely left them unable to lift a single finger.

Alice dropped to her knees, vomiting her heart out.

“Al –!”

Vevi instantly placed a hand over his face as she dropped with him by Alice’s side. With her other hand she guestured for the two Greater Knights to keep as quiet as possible, her eyes begging them to not make a single sound.

She deeply understood what that monster was. Though in her eyes it was hard to discern whether fear ate at her or not – one thing was for certain. She did not want to attract the attention of that monster.

No one protested. All faith was suddenly placed on her shoulders as she motioned for them to begin backtracking along the canal. Her judgement deemed that the tight urban setting would be superior than taking shelter within the already crumbling building.

However, when Khalis took a single step – the clanking of his armour instantly caused Vevi to retch as she threw her hands out in protest. Haiyoto could not understand the situation, however, the severity spoke for itself. He watched the looming beast trample over structures with overwhelming might. He traced its movement back, almost sighing in relief when he realised that the tower was still miraculously standing.

The Undead steadily made its way towards what they assumed was the edge of Palvel. He had no idea how one was supposed to fight something of that scale. With siege weapons and magic a standoff seemed plausible, but they had little on their side anymore. With just hand-held weapons facing a monster like that was worse than submitting oneself to death. At that point one was more likely to ‘live’ by ending their own life on the spot.

The mere sight of the beast caused Haiyoto’s skin to crawl. It made him feel like a measly insect, grovelling as they hoped to not be treaded over by the greater beings above.

Khalis inched his way towards them with Gruggur following behind as Alice drank what was left of her vomit, cleansing her mouth as she shakily sat there in a near catatonic state.

Vevi used the same magical strands from her tome to write her plan in the air, ensuring to erase it seconds after to rid the air of any traces of ambient mana. The simple plan of backtracking was easy enough, but Alice needed to be carried, for her mind had nearly broken.

It was at this point Haiyoto grew curious of who exactly Vevi was. She knew exactly what to do in this situation against a monster none had ever seen before. At least here in Colight. But he held onto his questions, quelling the curiosity as survival became the absolute priority.

Gruggur, surprisingly, scooped Alice into his only arm, hoisting her over his shoulder with careful precision. Aside from Vevi and Alice, he was the only one who did not don his cobalt armour. What he wore was a simple tunic with a strap that constantly applied pressure to his amputated arm. He did not know to what degree that monster could hear, and he was not taking any chances.

They moved as one. It was almost bizarre that not a single sound was made. Not even the stone crackled beneath their feet, as if too hushing themselves away from the Undead beast.

It was still at least 100 metres away from finally passing them. But so long as they remained within the shadows they’d be safe. Vevi was certain of this, convinced that there was no other life to trigger the Undead’s feral response…

But in an ironic twist of fate – they heard a scream.

It was faint. So faint in fact that only Haiyoto and Vevi managed to catch it just before it faded. But it was more than enough to cause the rumbling to suddenly subside, and in its absence, a wretched scream to take its place.

The flesh of the Undead’s face acted as an amplifier to the guttural sounds it produced. This was a tool to invoke fear, and thus, causing its prey to lose their minds and scream in the hopes of revealing their location.

A shockwave followed, stirring dust into their lungs as they desperately refrained from coughing, sneezing, or breaking down in a miserable fit of panic.

Haiyoto froze in place but was quickly glared at by Vevi who read his mind like an open book. No matter what he did he could not possibly save that person. He agonised over his inability even though it was at no fault of his own and grounded his teeth before suddenly – the light disappeared.

Or more accurately – it was blocked.

The object was hoisted high above the beast’s body, revealing itself to be twice as large as the creature itself. Its strength broke every logic of reality, for its construct was no more than an amalgamation of bone and necrotic tissue, yet it boasted strength as if it was made entirely of living muscle. An ominous hum reverberated from the object like the hum of a tuning fork. Somehow, deep within the resonance was the sound of a faint ticking.

The scream continued, drawing the smiting hammer of the beast as it swung the object down towards the sound. The world recoiled in its power, to the point where it would be surprising if it was the world that had fallen towards the object. They were all thrown off balance as the foundations of all structures around them bounced from their anchors, causing debris to hail everywhere as a second wave of destruction struck.

“Everyone push yourself against the edge of the canal wall!” Khalis exclaimed, using this opportunity to mask his voice.

They were at the lip of the canal – perhaps the safest place of all as everything swayed all around them. What was partially destroyed collapsed into themselves, leveling everything in its wake as they took cover at the stone edges of the canal.

However – Gruggur was the last to join them. Debris was flung in their direction, nearly colliding with them with deadly accuracy. The strike blasted through a hole in the canal wall just across him, unleashing mounds of powder-like material in its wake.

“RUUUUUUUN! HEAD DEEP INTO THE CANAL! DON’T STOP RUNNING!”

The group suddenly found themselves running for their lives as Vevi looked back at the following material, agonised that she could not use magic else it’d incur the wrath of the Undead towards their direction.

Gruggur was at the rear end of the group, his balance greatly impaired by his missing arm and Alice’s additional weight. Furthermore – he staggered with each step; his legs lacerated by the flung debris from earlier.

A split into the left appeared along the way, being their only option in hopes of escaping the wave of material. It was impossible what its composition was and how it flowed in a near liquid-like state, but regardless of this – it was more than capable of crushing them to paste in an instant.

“Left! Turn left!” Khalis roared, taking the hand of Vevi and Haiyoto as they neared the split. With a mighty turn, the two seemingly floated in the air for only a split second before they were dragged to safety. “Gruggur! It’s right on your heel!”

“I’m aware of that!” He made one last cry before he sharply turned into the split. However – that was when disaster struck. Gruggur was nudged backwards only slightly before Alice suddenly screamed.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH AHHH AHHH AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

She screamed with a voice so loud that even the shifting material could not even attempt to drown out her voice. Gruggur placed her down, shocked to see that both her legs from mid-thigh down were completely bent like warped metal.

“AAAAH AAAAH! I-I! AAAAUUUUUUUGH!”

The issue here laid with how Gruggur carried Lizen. With only a single hand, he had her hoisted over his shoulder. Her legs, by sheer luck, were left dangling behind him. None wished to imagine what would’ve happened if he had carried her in the more traditional sense, with her legs hoisted forwards.

“Alice!? It- it caught her legs! Alice! Hang in there!” Haiyoto exclaimed, hovering his hands over her legs as he struggled to find the appropriate place to apply pressure. It was completely mangled, twisted like a branch infested with ivy.

“NAAAAAGH! AAAAGH AAAAH!”

Instead, as the sound of her voice grew louder as the ambience of destruction began to waver, her sealed her mouth shut with everything he had.

“MMMMGH! MMMMMM! MMM!”

“Alice… Alice – I’m sorry. Please… Please hold on until it passes by.” He begged through retained tears as the girl gnawed at his gauntlet, the vibrations of her muffled screams forever carving themselves into his soul.

Gruggur prepared a magical circle, chanting with irregular speed before he was promptly silenced by Vevi. The magical circle shattered upon his silencing, causing an insurmountable desire to strike Vevi dead on the spot to nearly hijack his greater judgement, bloodlust oozing straight through his pores as Vevi stared at him with defiance.

“Are you trying to attract it towards us!? Use your head, human!” Vevi berated him for his foolishness.

What she forced him to perform was an incomplete chant, which was known for having catastrophic outcomes to both the user and those within the vicinity. Vevi contested his gaze, unafraid of the man who had nearly killed them all with his foolish attempt to cast a measly [Heal] spell.

This was what he read in her emerald eyes.

“… dammit…” He groaned, only now realising that Vevi was far from the ‘normal’ Elf she had disguised herself as. “You’re – Vevi… thank you.” He eventually humbled himself, realising his fatal mistake.

In the end, the magical circle should not have shattered. A mischant would have at worst created an unintended magic. Basically, magic would have still been casted regardless because he had begun chanting, never mind had already formed a magical circle.

Yet Vevi had somehow broken his magical circle, effectively cancelling the very flow of his mana. Breaking a magical circle was not unheard of, often leaving the user as the catalyst with little repercussion so long as their mana capacity allowed it. Though this was rare. Exceedingly rare.

But what Vevi did here was impossible to say the least. A broken convention of the laws that dictated magic itself. In this environment that lacked any external mana, Gruggur was forced to use his own mana. Under normal circumstances, he also would have lost the mana he supplied to the magical circle once it had broken, spilling into the atmosphere in one half, and magic as the other.

However – it was all returned to him. Gifted back with no adverse effects as far as he could tell. Vevi had somehow controlled the very flow of mana, effectively cleansing it from the ambience.

Thus, the Undead beast could not detect their presence.

Khalis recognised this too and was at a loss for words, equally as stumped by Vevi’s power and Alice’s suffering. But he could not ask her now. Not when Alice was in the middle of suffering from one of the worst injuries a human could face – the broken femur.

“Gods, help us…” Khalis swallowed his damning curiosity and groaned, having already seen enough to question reality anymore. “This is a horrible injury. If only we had something to cease the pain, then this girl wouldn’t have to suffer any more than she already has. I’m sorry Alice… but I beg you to keep silent as much as you can. It’s moving again.”

By now the destruction had ceased entirely. Silence reigned Palvel once more with the exception of the beast’s lumbering movements. The rumbling returned, and with it, the dreaded sounds of scraping bone and flesh – all the while Alice hoarsely screamed into Haiyoto’s hands…

Then they subsided. Fading as her consciousness slipped through the cracks of her broken mind. It was barely just in time as the beast loomed past them, countless metres over layers of buildings. Yet it felt so close. So unbelievably close. The air instantly chilled, its presence syphoning the heat. But it was no more than the trick of the mind, for it was their blood that ran like ice.

No one breathed for what felt like hours. Haiyoto kept a hand on Alice’s mouth, his thoughts solely consumed by the stability of her breathing to remain as still as possible.

What sort of monster was that? He could only imagine what was left of the place it had struck. Salvation for that screaming survivor was gone forever. The Undead was not even interested in devouring its flesh. More than anything – it simply sought to bring the object to the edge of Palvel… and to indiscriminately destroy all those that stood in its path.

It was most likely under the direct order of the Necromancer.

* * *

The rumbling eventually faded as the silhouette of the beast disappeared into a haze of heat, its form soon becoming nothing more than a blur. They could only stare in its direction as the airships passed by, only ever turning when it bordered the edge of the purple [Barrier].

“We’re… supposed to survive against that?” Gruggur was shocked, hardly able to believe that they were still alive. “Of all the things that could have gone wrong… why was it this? Oh Gods… what did we do to deserve this fate?”

“… Alice…” Haiyoto muttered, slipping his hand away from her mouth. “We have to take her back. She’s losing a lot of blood inside… How do you even dress something like this?”

“Poor girl. A broken femur is said to be one of the worst pains one can suffer… Brother Gruggur –”

“Let me take her back Khalis –” Haiyoto interjected.

“S-stop! Don’t touch her… the Undead Brute is far enough now to treat her. But… none of us are healers. Elven [Natural Healing] magic t-takes a while to take effect.” Vevi said, tapping her tome as she drew multiple vibrant, green strands and began to wrap each individual leg like a bandage. “This will stop the bleeding. It will harden and act as a s-splint when she wakes up… I-I hope… she can still wake up. Please be able to wake up, Alice…”

“Brute? An Undead Brute? That’s the name of the beast?” Khalis questioned, watching the girl’s intricate work with awe. “Vevi – who exactly are you? Your magic defies the logic of magic. And you seem to recognise the Undead. You are not a normal Elf I gather?”

Vevi remained silent, choosing to focus her efforts entirely towards healing Alice to the best of her abilities.

“I see… I shall not pry any further. Gruggur. Are you able to take her back alone?”

“You won’t return as well?” Gruggur questioned, nodding once as he accepted to take Alice with him.

“There is bound to be someone else in the direction of the scream. Bless them… they’ve confirmed that there are people still alive in Palvel. Haiyoto – perhaps it is better if you also –”

“Not happening. We know there are survivors now… I can’t go back without saving a single person.”

“The Hero of the Children of Balance will s-stay.”

Haiyoto spoke at the same time as Vevi. The Elf was strangely adamant on keeping him here. He was not dehydrated or exhausted by the heat yet, and judging by his condition, he could remain out here for another few hours – a testament to his resilience as a Hero. Haiyoto pondered on Vevi’s intentions. She did not seem like a bad person. But considering what happened with Anoma – he did not know if he could completely trust her anymore.

“Gruggur... T-the pathway back should be clear. Please take care of her.”

“I don’t need to be told twice.” He grumbled, gently hoisting the girl on his shoulder again once Vevi had completed bandaging her legs. “The risk of a peril is high. But a Greater Knight only needs their wits to complete their mission. I pray for all of your success… Haiyoto, fight.”

“I will… Gruggur, Amy’s a good healer. She might be able to do something about her legs.” Haiyoto said.

“Her injuries are bad, but not the worst. While I bear the full responsibility of her injuries, I will not allow her to be prioritised over others.”

“Y-you must. P-Please prioritise her. That girl is important. More important than you can possibly i-imagine. I’m beginning you – worshipers of the Children of Balance – she must live.”

“I-Important, you say. Ahem. I swear to keep that in mind. Brother Khalis, keep your Hero alive.”

“A line I’ve heard one too many times. Best if you go now before that… Brute returns.”

“Aye.”

Gruggur turned his back and disappeared around the corner into the main segment of the gravel-infested canal, glancing once at Vevi before he completely vanished. Vevi’s existence was an alarming outlier if they had ever seen one, for she possessed magic that bypassed the fundamentals of magic itself. No conceivable explanation was reached as thousands of pondering thoughts moved by like the flickering pages of a thick book.

Her timid nature only caused further confusion. Haiyoto didn’t know if it was an act or her legitimate way of speaking. She did mention that she was secluded for a while, so perhaps that was why. Either way – Vevi remained with them, seated beside Haiyoto as Khalis stood over them, kicking gravel aside.

“Is it ok to leave them alone?” Haiyoto couldn’t help but to worry all of a sudden.

“It’s fine. It will be our confirmation. If she survives, a-and don’t get me wrong, I-I want her to live. Alice… is a good girl regardless of w-what I believe her to be.”

“You never made it clear what she was. Or what power she wields. Vevi. This a confirmation for what?” Haiyoto pressed, leaning forward as the woman clutched onto her tome.

“That she can catch glimpses of fate itself. Whether you believe me or not doesn’t matter but heed my call. History is going to being written once more, and it will all begin here in Palvel.

… in fact, it’s already being written as we speak.”

* * *

“Truebirth was the original staging ground. The Undead were always an inevitability with my power. A byproduct of one’s festering desires rending them clean of their mana. Imagine this sight but above Truebirth’s skies.”

An aberration of darkness projected its voice into her head as it wandered around the airship like a haunting spirit. Its form bordered on the recognisable and the uninterpretable – an uncanny valley that instantly sent all those that had awoken aboard the deck back to their restless slumber.

Talia held onto the safety rails of the airship, her gaze never moving away from the Well of Wishes. The sudden question took her by surprise, causing her face to contort as she carefully though of an answer for the greater being.

“This is all for creating the thirteenth Overlord?” Talia questioned with a strained voice. “Was there no other way of doing this than to have Anoma lead us here?”

“You ask even though you know the answer yourself? Our precious Anoma spared Truebirth. The alternative choice of allowing Palvel to take its place was lapped up. She was dearly aware of the consequences that awaited 20 years later, even for a child like herself. Her desire to protect the home she had always wanted was splendid to watch from beginning to end. And now – at the brink of the end, we will witness a new beginning.”

“My, if the beginning will invoke calamity, then I’m not sure it is a future I can openly condone. Overlord of Desire… you haven’t tried to injure me. More so, my heart tells me you’re protecting me. But I cannot turn a blind eye to this even if you’re divinity.” Talia’s grip tightened as she steeled herself.

“Your contempt is nothing new. You have always been a kind person, always desiring for a vivid future for your daughter. I am elated that it has come true after countless years of your grief. Do you recall it?”

Talia herself didn’t exactly know. While her these memories were foggy, she could see faint glimpses of lives she had never lived, her face only contorting when she realised that her daughter was not among those ancient memories.

She didn’t know if these were false memories, an illusion, or an affliction of the [Curse of Desire]. Talia infinitely doubted all these memories in favour of her present self, damning them with unwavering contempt.

“Very vaguely. It’s like a thick haze is clouding my mind right now… Déjà vu describes it better. I can only recall knowledge that does not belong to me. I recognise the Well of Wishes because my heart tells me I’ve seen it before. O-Overlord of Desire. My, may I ask a question?”

“Formalities only chain us. Talia – you may.”

“Truebirth would have been the better choice since souls actively fuel the Well of Wishes. Its population is larger than Palvel by a considerably margin. Yet you honoured Anoma’s wish –”

“I rewarded her for showing me something I thought was no longer possible for humanity. Eons of existence has proved to me that the living are woefully inadept at adhering to their desires, changing it on a whim in place of another. Over adherence with little effort will morph it into a wish. A disgusting perversion of reality. Anoma pursued her desire but had not once regarded it as a wish.”

Talia could only listen now, hearing the tantalising voice of the aberration that was Desire, her form obscured and deranged to Talia’s perception. It was not that she lacked clarity. Rather – Desire could not take a form because Talia’s clarity was utterly perfected now that fragments of these unknown memories had joined the vast libraries of her mind.

What was before her was the purest form of Desire. It was silly to believe that the true form of a peerless concept prevalent in all life would bear the appearance of a human. Though it was ironic that the Maidens, and consequently Gaia, were fondly reminiscent of a human in appearance only.

Desire’s form changed depending on one’s perception. But if one’s perception was powerful enough to see her true self, then they would see everything and nothing at once. This was Desire, a being that could not possibly be understood.

And perhaps it was for the best.

“Talia. How many wishes to do you think will be humiliated?”

“My… that is a question I don’t want to hear answered myself. But – there are millions of souls gathered in there, all wishing for something themselves.”

“Interesting. But your number is far too low.”

“L-low?” Her eyes widened in terror.

“Indeed. We are numbering in the billions. Hundreds of billions of souls gathered for countless lifespans for this glorious moment.”

“D-Desire. You can’t – You stated wishes are a perversion of reality. How many Star Children are going to fall from the skies…?”

“Fate will show us its hand. It is only our duty to abide it. Are you prepared for our new beginning?”

“This… this is chaos. Desire… what do you want? What do you and Despair need from all of this!?” Talia suddenly snapped, losing her respect for the deity that loomed before her.

“Chaos is right. You are funny Talia. Despair encompasses six of us. Chaos is one of them. Order is its counterpart, born from Hope. We seek to exploit Desire. To form Will. To harbour Annihilation. To incur Fragmentation. To invoke Chaos. And – to establish the fated End. The thirteenth Overlord seeks to become an amalgamation of all in a world teetering on the edge of endless war. What we require is a Calamity, fertilised by a despair so pungent that even we fear its source.”

“C-C… Calamity…” Talia could not believe what she was hearing.

Perhaps the Children of Balance were truly as malevolent as the legends outside of Colight depicted them as. This was the first blasphemous thought to have ever slipped into her mind.

Yet she could not help but to feel that it also wasn’t the first time.

“Calamity is the final incarnation of Despair. Whether you embrace it or not will not change the future that awaits.”

“You… are you going to destroy –”

“You are highly mistaken. Exrite will release the Gods. How long have they been trapped in their domains for, Talia? Do you believe the world will happily return to normal after they are freed? Eons of bloodlust. Eons of hatred. Eons of endless desires for the one who came before Ephyla have demanded the creation of the thirteenth Apostle of the Children of Ephyla… and it was all at the fault of her of her own. A selfish wish that had forever stripped our world of its time. But Time finally returned, marking the first hopes of a new beginning.”

“Exrite…”

“It is time now. Witness the end, Talia. Let Palvel sleep. When they awaken –

– I wonder who will be left. Let’s make a bet, Talia. I’m feeling childish again with all this excitement.”