The next morning the group started their journey once again while chatting with each other and mostly listening to the stories told by Ken but Raphtalia suddenly interrupted Ken and asked—

Raphtalia: “Guys, I know that it's kinda late but where are we going now.”

Elijah: “Well since we don’t have any major issues now, we are going to travel and gather allies if we come across any church members who are uncorrupted and those who wish to stand against the unjust actions of the church.”

Raphtalia: “I see. I think it is good to not let our guard down in the peaceful times.”

Suddenly there was a bump and the wagon stopped immediately and John who was driving the wagon came and said—

John: “Guys there is a fight between two groups and they look like bandits, should we just avoid them.”

Elijah: “If they are bandits it is best to not involve in the fight, we should just avoid them and go in another—” but he was interrupted by none other than Rapthalia.

Raphtalia: “I think I sense the mana of Lady Meera from the wagons but I can’t locate which one because of the battle.”

Ken: “I believe it may be a lost relic of some sort, it is best if we find it and return it to the Hilmesh church’s branch or use it if it helps us.”

Elijah: “If we decide to use it I think we would need to ask the permission of Lady Meera.”

Everyone agreed with the words of Elijah and they got down from the wagon with the exception of Raphtalia and the non-combatants.

Lilly: “--The water present everywhere solidify and freeze and my enemy ‘Freezy Breeze’--” With incantation completed, there was a very cool air that went toward the fighting bandits and froze them immediately.

Lilly: “Marcus would you please do the honours”

Marcus: “Sure. --Oh mother earth who bears us and supports all, heed my call and crush my enemies ‘Collapsing Dome’”-- Immeaditly all the bandits were covered by an earth dome which soon started shrinking and collapsing into itself and crushed all the bandits.

The group started searching for the relic and found it and they took it to Raphtalaia who was in the wagon. The relic looked like a disc and it has a hole through it in the middle. Raphtalia started to think about it and the answer struck like a lightning bolt on a stormy night.

Raphtalia: “I think this is the relic that is used by either the pope or the saint/saintess but this one was lost at least three hundred years ago and Lady Meera had to give us a new one.”

Sarah: “I see but what is it used for Raphtalia and why is it so important to be only used by the pope or the saint/saintess.”

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Raphtalia: “Well it is a device that can only be used by the pope and saintess/saint because it is a device we use to communicate with Lady Meera as body possession is not something that the goddess can do often because it requires permission from the God of creation.”

Elijah: “I see we can use this as proof to persuade the people who are not corrupted to our side but Raphtalia can you contact the goddess we need to ask for her permission first.”

Raphtalia: “Sure I will do it immediately.”

Raphtalia place the disc on the surface of the wagon and began injecting her mana through the disc. The disc began shaking and a small beam of light began shooting outwards and the image of a beautiful woman wearing a white dress with a beautiful shade of blonde hair and a kind expression on her face. This beautiful Lady was Meera the goddess of Light.

Meera: “I see you have found the lost device my child but why have you contacted me.”

Raphtalia: “Oh Goddess we want your permission to use this device to prove to the ones who have not been corrupted that we are on your side and we wish to make them our allies in case something big happens.”

Meera: “I understand and I will allow this as I do not wish my innocent believers to be hurt.”

Raphtalia: “Thank you Oh Goddess.”

The light from the disc began to dissipate and the projection of the goddess disappeared.

Elijah: “I think this makes a lot of things easier and we can also avoid unnecessary violence.

Ken: “Yup but sorry to interrupt you guys I think we forgot something important.”

Marcus: “What is it, Ken?”

Lilly: “Well all of you forgot about the connecter stone we bought the other day. We need to stop at somewhere quiet or maybe we should go back to the ‘Forest of Thousand Cries’.

Sarah: “Yeah we should do that it has been a while since we have been there.”

Raphtalia: “Wait you mean the Forest of Cries, it is a very dangerous place.”

Jackson: “It will be ok Raphtalia, we are very familiar with the area and we have been there for a year.”

Ken: “Then it is better to get started as it is three days journey.”

Elijah: “Yes. John can you speed up the wagons.”

John: “Sure thing, Elijah.”

The group began to travel faster as they now had a destination in mind and they had missed the forest as the many memories they made in the forest with themselves and Diore were some things they would remember for the rest of their life.

Raphtalia: “So what is this connector stone you were talking about.”

Rian: “You see this is a stone given to your friends and it tells us their location and if the quality of the stone is high they can even communicate using telepathy.”

Raphtalia: “I see it must be very useful.”

Jackson: “Yup.”

The group were all chatting away the travel unaware of what was waiting for them in the forest.

???: “It seems that I have arrived too early it was all because of him I should just leave and come here again after some days.”

That is when the mysterious stranger sensed a presence in his mind and began taking.

???#1: “I see you are here too but may I know why have you taken an interest in these young children?”

???#2: “Well they will play a major role in the near future. They are not limited to the fate of this world they will play a major role in the upcoming pandemonium.”

???#1: “For someone like you to be using the word pandemonium, it might be going to be a headache for sure then.”

???#2: “Yes it is and it will be to listen to what I am going to say carefully.”

???#1: “What is it?”

Then the mysterious voice in the man’s told him something which made hide shocked but also amused for some reason.

???#1: “So who should I tell this to?”

???#2: “Tell that Elijah kid he is the most level-headed guy in the group.”

???#1: “I shall tell him when the time is right.”

???#2: “I understand my friend until next time.”

With these words being said the mysterious voice disappeared from the mind of the mysterious man.

The question is who is this mysterious man and why is he waiting for our heroes in the forest and most importantly what is that the mysterious voice said that shocked the man and why is it best told to only Elijah?

For the answers to this question stay tuned in to the upcoming episodes of this fantastic tale known as Journey of the Damned.