Aygorzi, Merriheim.
7:41 p.m. 12 th Zelyr 1092.
7 Days to World’s End.
Clang! Clang! Belch!
Aygorzi’s underground smithery belched smoke, flames, and dust. Thousands of dwarfs either pounded away at heavy metals or helped transport needed items from one workstation to another. Dwarfs would never admit it, but they never felt more alive than at this moment. The heat of the forge, the fear of an imminent battle. The knowledge that the weapons they crafted would soon determine if its wielder lived or died.
Dwarfs loved the fires of war! Their only wish, however, was to choose which fires to burn. Thankfully, this time, this was a war the dwarfs were all too willing to take part in. This battle signified a different path for the dwarfs. They had seen it—a future where their talents could be used to create mind-numbing inventions like the skyboats and trains.
The dwarfs were filled with awe whenever they laid eyes on these creations. As long as they made it through this battle… As long as Kashi’s troops emerged victorious! A beautiful age of crazy inventions would follow!
“Dwarfs are as hardworking as ever.”
“Indeed. I am always awed by their zeal.”
Absalon looked at Rider as he replied. He had to repress the shiver that ran up his back. This being’s power was not of this world! If he had not received a heads-up from Leila, he would have packed up his army, the dwarfs, and then fled this place. To think that Kashi not only knew someone like this but—he looked at Zuri, who walked by their side—also was close enough to leave an ally with them.
Absalon shook his head. He could not get lost in Rider’s strength. The fact that Rider was here proved that he, at least, was not an enemy. Absalon thus decided to treat this as any other meeting. Despite this resolution, the old warrior’s eyes perked up when he spotted a female daeben guarding a door.
Absalon released a sigh of relief. “This is Jade’s lab. If she’s around, she’ll be in here.” The daeben bowed and then opened the door to let them in.
Whooosh!
Smoke, heat, flames, and heavy clanging gave way to cold air, wires, boards, and general silence. Five rows of daeben silently worked on inscribing weapons, armors, and special materials with runes. Beyond these daeben was a small group of researchers who chatted softly as they pondered some fresh issues.
“Jade.” Absalon spotted Jade at the center of these researchers. He softly called out to her as he approached. Luckily, she heard him and excused herself.
“Absalon-san!” Jade greeted once she reached them. “Heard you’ve been putting the army through the wringer.” Giggling, she pointed out, “They’re calling you ‘Hell’s Instructor!’”
Absalon rolled his eyes. “Present pain is better than death on the battlefield. The rookies will appreciate this training very soon.” He paused and then gestured to the two behind him. “I didn’t come alone. I hear you’re already acquainted with them?”
Jade’s lips spread in a bright smile when she spotted Rider and Zuri. “Of course! Ah, that’s right. You were still in Rosendun when Rider took Zuri and Hektor for training.” She looked at Rider with suspicion. “Speaking of which. Where’s the hothead? Don’t tell me he croaked?”
“No.” Rider shook his head. “He should be comple—”
“That’s good then! Hopefully, we see him before the war.” Jade then crouched and grinned at Zuri, who watched her with a wary look. “Hey, Zuri! We only met briefly last time. Didn’t even get a chance to talk. How’s your trip been? Was it great? What did you do? Any new friends? Enemies?” Jade raised her fists. “If you got enemies, name them. We’ll wipe ‘em out one by on—”
“Jade-san!”
“I said call me Jade!”
Jade coughed and then rubbed her bloodshot eyes. “Sorry bout that.” She quickly apologized to the researcher. She then looked apologetically at Rider and Absalon. “Sorry. I haven’t slept since Kashi dropped us off. So little time to get everything ready on time.” The beautiful halben sighed as she twisted her locks. “I’m very much on edge right now.”
Absalon observed Jade’s pale complexion and her gaze that always seemed to be out-of-focus. This woman had gone beyond the realm of overworking! This had reached the point of self-abuse. Even Kashi slept in-game to offset not sleeping in the real world. His brows furrowed in concern. “You need to rest, Jade.”
“Nope. Can’t do that.” Jade stubbornly shook her head.
“Why not?”
Jade bit her lower lip. Her shaky eyes betrayed her unease. “I—I’m not much of a fighter. You, Syèl, Shokō, Shadow… You’re all fighters. Best of the best. Hell, even Lunette’s ability is a good boost to have in a fight.” The young woman frowned as she looked at her dirty hands. “I can’t fight like you guys. It won’t be long before you all leave me in the dust.”
“My dad likes to say there’s no such thing as a free lunch. If I’m gonna hang with you guys, I need to bring something to the table. Something you will appreciate.” Jade gritted her teeth and pointed at the materials strewn across several tables. “This. This is something I’m good at. I can’t fail this. If I fail…” Jade suddenly paused.
The young woman frowned and then shook her head. “You’re not here to listen to me whine.” She looked at Rider. “What’s up? If you’re here to see Kashi, I’m sorry, but no one knows where that blockhead is.”
Rider fished out a scroll from his pockets. “Here, this is for you.”
Jade took the scroll. She attempted to unfurl it but found it was sealed with what resembled hot, red ink. Jade instinctively knew not to break the seal. Instead, she looked up at Rider. “What’s this?”
“The Gemini Curse. There are only two of its kind in this world.” Rider looked at the scroll with a grave expression. “The Gemini Curse binds the caster’s level to whomever, or whatever it hits.” He then looked at Jade. “If Razznik does show up, I will need you to hit him with this.”
Jade frowned. “Why me?”
“You need considerable, pure mana and Intelligence to activate the scroll.” Rider looked at the scroll with an apprehensive gaze. “When the seal breaks, dozens of runes will flash by in a few seconds. You need to memorize and chant them in order before the runes disappear.”
“In that case, Syèl’s the better choice.” Jade raised the scroll. She was intelligent, yes. But, she had watched Syèl cast spells. The vampire’s mental processing ability was inhuman!
Surprisingly, Rider refused. “Syèl’s mana is infested with his blood. It will destroy the scroll.” He then shrugged and said, “And, I feel like you are the most reliable amongst the rest of your guild’s mages.” He saw the hesitation in Jade’s eyes. Sighing, he said, “Just hold onto it. Remember not to use it unless Razznik shows up, no matter what! If, at that time, you are still in doubt, you can give it to some other mage you trust. Is that good?”
Thankfully, Jade nodded. “Yeah. I should be able to do that much.” She put the scroll in her inventory and then regarded Zuri with a tired but warm smile. “Heya, cutie. Will you be staying with us?”
Rider shook his head. “Zuri still needs some training before the battle.”
“She’s fighting with us?” Absalon looked at the little girl in disbelief. Zuri was around the age of his granddaughter. A child like that was going into battle? Game or not, this could really leave a mental scar.
“Zuri is strong!” Zuri, angered by Absalon’s gaze, took a step forward and jutted out her tiny chest. “Zuri has been training really hard to fight with Kashi. Red-Ojiisan, don’t get in Zuri’s way!” The feisty little daeben raised her fist. “Or Zuri will beat you.”
“Red…”
While Absalon was left speechless, Jade chuckled and patted Zuri’s head. “Alright. If you say you’re strong, then I’ll be relying on you. Big sis here can’t fight too well, you see.”
Zuri’s cheeks flushed with pride. She crossed her arms over her chest and then put on her best impression of Kashi’s confident smile. “Don’t worry. Zuri will protect Weak-neesan.”
“Weak…” Jade nearly fell over. With a stiff smile, she cooed, “No, you can just call me Jade.”
“Jade?” Zuri cocked her head to the side. “But Weak-neesan is We—”
Bam!
Jade clamped Zuri’s shoulders. Jade’s forced trembling smile appeared absolutely threatening as her red, sleep-deprived eyes grew in Zuri’s vision. “I. Said. Jade.” Suddenly, she broke into a bright, sunny smile. “Okay?”
Zuri shivered. She did not know what kind of fear this was. It was not fear for her life, but it did seem like something terrible would happen if she did not comply. As a result, she rapidly nodded. “Jade-sa… Jade. Zuri will protect Jade.”
“Haha!” Jade laughed as she patted Zuri’s shoulder. “See? Not so hard, is it?”
Rider’s eyes widened in shock. “It was that easy? Then me—”
“Ah, so, Gray-Ojiisan,” said Jade as she glanced at Rider. “No offense, but if that’s all, I’ll be returning to work now. I’ve got sooo much backed up, I think I’m going to lose my mind.”
Rider smiled. “Certainly. [Sleep]. ”
Bam!
Absalon stared at the crumpled Jade strewn on the floor. The fear in his heart instantly evaporated, replaced by instant rage. Mandalas suddenly surround both him and Rider as he shouted, “What did you do!?”
“Relax.” Rider bent down and gently lifted the sleeping girl. “I’ve seen this many times. People who push themselves to breaking point to prove they are worthy of being in their family.” He carried Jade over to a sofa placed at a rest area. He gently set her down and then looked at the stunned Absalon. “I put her to sleep. She’ll wake in a few hours, fully rested. It is infinitely more dangerous to make big decisions while sleep-deprived. As a military man, you understand this, right?”
Absalon frowned but then relaxed when he noticed Jade’s even breathing. He looked at Rider. “I understand your intentions, but you crossed a line. Please, in the future, do not repeat a similar action without our consent.”
Rider’s lips curled in a loose smile. To think this man was willing to fight him to protect his guildmate. Few would dare stand in Rider’s presence, let alone actually challenge him. Perhaps the Maggots were even closer than he initially thought.
Rider chuckled and then patted Zuri’s head. “Zuri. It’s time to go. We have a few more deliveries to make before we can see Kashi. In the meantime, we can work on your flying. You are not quite there yet.” Rider then looked at Absalon. “Thank you for showing us here. I know this is a hectic time for you all.”
Absalon nodded. “The honor is mine. I’ve heard we might be forced to rely on you this time. It is the least I can do.”
“Well, let’s both hope it never comes to that.” Rider smiled and then turned to leave with Zuri. “If you see Kashi before me, tell him I said I await his progress. He better not disappoint, or he shall feast on Zuri’s dust.”
With those words, Rider led Zuri out of the room, leaving a visibly shaken and stunned Absalon behind.
Jatakem, Imperium.
3:41 p.m. 13 th Zelyr 1092.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
6 Days to World’s End.
Whoosh!
Zuri swooped down through the clouds with Rider gliding just behind her. The little daeben flapped her wings as a beautiful garden came into view. She looked over her shoulder at Rider, who nodded.
Having received confirmation, Zuri folded her wings and dived. She dropped like a cannon but then unfurled her wings just before she hit the ground. Boom! Zuri hit the ground hard. Moments later, her feathers softly dissipated.
“Your landing could use some work.” Rider softly landed by her side with a proud smile on his face. He then looked at the dozens of warriors and mages surrounding them with threatening glares. “Sayen, tell your men to stand down.”
Sayen emerged from her temple with a mischievous smile. “You know flying’s not allowed, Rider.”
Rider raised a brow in ridicule. “Are you applying hume laws to me right now?” He snorted and then gestured at Zuri. “She’s been practicing her flight. What do you think?”
Sayen chuckled as she looked at Zuri. “She is a natural. I very much adored her landing. Although the fish might have a different view.” She chuckled and then waved her hands. “Disperse.”
Whoosh!
“Not bad.” Rider complimented the warriors who disappeared from view in an instant. He could sense their presence, but they were shielded from sight by either a cloak or a formation. The secret guard would only make themselves known when a threat appeared in the vicinity.
“A little project to pass the time,” Sayen remarked as she walked toward Rider. She then patted Zuri’s head and praised, “Your project is coming along excellently, I see. Zuri is truly one-of-a-kind.” She then said to Zuri. “I can’t wait to see how you grow. Your future is bright.” She then chuckled and looked at Rider. “I assume you have something for me?”
Rider took out the teleportation matrix scroll. However, he held onto it. “I think it’ll be better if I do it in front of your Champion and his army.”
“Oh? Is there a message you wish to pass on?”
“Yes. They need to know how this works.”
Sayen nodded. “In that case, follow me.”
Rider and Zuri obeyed. They walked behind Sayen as she led them out of the garden, through the main temple, and then out onto the hillside. Rider peeked at the trees around the hillside stairs. He sensed several of those shadowy figures silently following them. Hmm. So, these were Sayen’s secret guards? Not that she needed them, though.
Sayen, meanwhile, chatted with Zuri as they walked through Jatakem’s streets. Many people, Summoned and Residents alike, stared in shock, but they did not dare approach the saintly fortune-teller.
Eventually, the trio (and their hidden entourage) exited the main city gates and came upon the vast grassland beyond. Unfortunately, it was difficult to see a single blade of grass because of the swarm of bodies that occupied the land. Thousands of warriors from all corners of Imperium, and even M onoch , held the once peaceful level 10 grazing ground.
No monster could be found within ten miles of Jatakem as they could not endure the collective pressure emitted by this impossible force!
“Listen! Like I said! We can’t take everyone!”
Gentle Breeze shouted from atop a platform surrounded by the warriors. The young man sweated under the afternoon sun as he struggled to appease the enraged crowd. Who knew so many people would respond to their summons? The power of Razznik’s name was frightening. To think that so many people were willing to risk their lives for the greater good—
“Haha! Razznik’s former base! Can you imagine the treasures!?”
Scratch that! These greedy fucks were just here for Razznik’s treasures. Gentle Breeze expected as much. Any Summoned who played King’s Journey knew the legend of Oni Hill. Even back then, Razznik had a habit of leaving rewards for those who managed to clear each floor. Canonically, 1000 years had passed since then. How many new treasures were stored!?
Summoned and Residents gathered from near and far for a taste of this massive meat-pie.
“It’s Sayen-sama!”
The crowd parted, awe and shock in their eyes as she walked through. Those same eyes then regarded Rider and Zuri with suspicion. Not just anyone could walk alongside Sayen.
Sayen climbed the platform and then smiled at Gentle Breeze. She turned to see Sonic chatting with four influential individuals. She recognized these four as Sayen’s leading generals. Unlike Gentle Breeze, who handled most of the negotiations and administrative work, these four were the real muscle.
The first was Tai Tai, a 23-years-old, bald, cerulean monk who fought primarily with his fists. Sendhelp was a 19-year old master healer. His all-white fashion sense only outmatched his skills as a healer. The 49 th Claw Lord was a beautiful 25-years-old brunette. Clawlord, as her friends preferred to call her, used a pair of Wolverine-like, 1-meter-long claws attached to a pair of gloves. It was a strange weapon that often left her enemies confused, not knowing how they died.
Last, but certainly not least, was Sonic’s left-hand man, Crow.
Sayen shivered as she looked at the bespectacled 19-year-old. The less she thought about him, the better! Sayen cleansed her mind and then walked up to Sonic, who beamed with joy upon seeing her. “Sonic. I assume you recall Rider and Zuri. They are here to speak with you.”
Sonic tensed as he looked at Rider. “Is it time? Did you bring the teleportation matrix?”
Rider shook his head. “The time is yet to come. But yes, I did bring the matrix.” He took out a scroll and handed it to Sayen. He then walked over to Gentle Breeze and tapped his shoulder. “Do you mind if I take it from here?”
Gentle Breeze happily raised his arm and gestured forward. “Go ahead, please. Lord knows they won’t listen to me.”
“Thank you.” Rider placed his arms in his jacket pockets and then approached the platform’s edge. He scanned the hundreds of thousands of warriors gathered.
“Who is that?” “Beats me.” “That’s some hardcore goth cosplay.”
Rider’s brows furrowed in irritation as he listened to the murmuring crowd. “Silence.” The murmurs grew louder despite his warning. “I Said Silence.” Rider slightly raised his voice, but the murmurs only grew louder. Rider’s brows furrowed even more deep-seated.
“Oh, no.” Sayen looked at the crowd with pity. The clueless fools angered the one person they shouldn’t have.
BOOM!
The collective sound of thousands of knees smashing into the ground rung out like a massive thunderclap. The warriors trembled in fear as they found themselves unable to rise due to the otherworldly pressure.
“Seems I finally have your attention.” Rider’s cold voice resounded in the ears of every warrior like he was right next to them. “Do not worry. I intend to make this as brief as possible for us all.” The immortal hybrid’s eyes narrowed. “First, if you cannot even stand, Scram! You won’t even qualify as fodder.”
The warriors’ hearts trembled in fear. Rider’s order was like a massive explosion. It shattered their preconceived notions of power. Many who considered themselves to be at the top of the world forcefully bowed their heads in shame as they found they couldn’t move an inch.
Fortunately, some treasure lay within the mountains of trash.
“Nngh!” One by one, groups of men and women summoned all their strength and slowly began to rise. The field was undulated with numerous bright lights as warriors used their secret weapons or abilities to boost their power.
Rider coldly watched as roughly forty thousand men and women successfully rose to their feet. He waited a few more minutes, but then when he was certain no one else could stand, he ordered, “[Scram]!”
Suddenly, hundreds of thousands of people found that they had lost control of their bodies. The rejected crowd paled as their bodies moved a mile away without their consent.
Rider ignored the rejected and then cast a powerful glare over the ‘few’ who passed. “Alright. You all barely meet the criteria. But I must warn you. If you found it hard to stand, then you will most likely lose your life in this battle. This is your last chance to stand back.” Despite his warning, no one moved an inch. Rider sighed. “Dogs die for food. Humes die for money.”
Rider decided to leave their fates in their hands. He had done his part to warn them. Having cleared his conscience, Rider gestured at the teleportation matrix in Sayen’s hand. “This is a teleportation matrix. It is powerful enough to transfer 100,00o people to a single location. While doing so, it will mark those transferred with a unique signature.” He then pulled out a second scroll. “This is a return, teleportation matrix. When activated, it will send anyone marked by the first matrix back to the point of origin.”
Rider waved the return scroll as he warned, “The return scroll will be used only if the overall situation at Oni Hill becomes untenable. So, you cannot rely on it to save your individual lives. Understood? There will be no easy escape route from Oni Hill until the situation is either resolved or devolved to the worst possible scenario. Once again, I warn you. There will be no turning back once the teleportation matrix is used.” The hybrid paused and then asked, “Any Questions?”
“Yes.” A famous guild leader raised his hand. “If the scroll can transport 100,000, why did you shrink us down so much? Surely, more numbers will be better, if only to serve as meat shields?”
“Hey! Fuck Your Mo—”
Loud jeers, boos, and shouts screamed out from the rejected. Many wanted to rush forward and beat that guild leader’s smug face in, but their bodies still refused to obey them.
Rider raised his hand. “Eno—” The shouts seized before he could finish the command. Rider nodded, pleased with their attitude. He looked at the guild master that spoke and said, “Oni Hill is at the center of the Land of the Dead, lived in and ruled by undead of all kinds. I would not be surprised if a lich or two lived among them. Unnecessary corpses might end up supplying the dead with ammunition.”
“Ah. I see.” The guild leader stepped back. Now he understood why the weak were not allowed to participate. They were a legitimate threat to their allies.
“If there are no more questions, I will be taking my leave.” Rider looked at Sayen. “I’ll leave their organization to you.” He then looked over her shoulder to Sonic and his generals. “Prepare until the last second. This will be the greatest test you’ve faced since your Summoning.”
Sonic sighed. “Sounds like it will be troublesome.” The kafu chuckled and revealed a lazy grin. “Do not worry. We will do our best.”
“If you say so.” Rider unfurled his wings and then took to the skies, accompanied closely by Zuri.
Sonic’s eyes narrowed as he watched Rider swiftly disappear into the horizon. That man’s power was suffocating. It almost felt he was the Lord of Creation and disdained any who breathed in his presence.
Sonic pushed the thought to the back of his mind. There was no point standing in awe of a hybrid. Instead, Sonic turned his attention to Sayen. “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Sayen, in return, revealed a mischievous smile. “You’ve got a lot of work to do. I’m only here to offer emotional support.”
“Hehe… I guess that works too.” Sonic sighed, resigning to the momentous task ahead.
Ygg, Ederwood.
8:23 a.m. 14 th Zelyr 1092.
6 Days to World’s End.
Rider’s cold gaze traveled over the forty thousand warriors. Intriguingly, there were about 3,000 orcs present. This was a significant number when one considered their small population. “…That is all. The Holy Mother will handle the rest.”
Rider had just given an identical speech to the one at Jatakem. Having fulfilled his duty, he decided it was time to leave. He looked toward Zuri, who was chatting with Sophie at the side.
“Sophie’s fighting too?”
“Yeah! I need to prove to the elders that I’m suitable to lead, or else Brilith will win over the entire Elders Council!” Sophie’s brows were tightly knit. She did not realize just how far Brilith’s connections went until Brilith started recruiting warriors. Sophie had a feeling she had only seen the tip of Brilith’s reach in Ederwood.
Right now, Sophie felt like a man-eating tree trapped her. Its vines were slowly but surely surrounding her from all sides. They would strangle her to death the moment she no longer had any escape routes.
Zuri looked at her friend with worry. She patted her chest with a determined gaze. “Zuri will protect Sophie!”
Sophie laughed when she saw Zuri’s serious expression. Somehow, the innocence in the daeben’s eyes released some of the burdens in her heart. With a cheerful smile, she placed a hand on Zuri’s shoulder. “We’ll protect each other. Promise?”
Zuri grinned as she recalled Kashi’s words. “Cross my heart, and hope to die.”
“An interesting turn of phrase.” Sophie chose not to pursue it, though. She could guess the meaning from the context, and Summoned were famous for having bizarre phrases and sayings.
“Zuri.”
Zuri and Sophie quickly bade their goodbyes, and then the little daeben took to the sky. Within a few blinks, she and Rider had disappeared.
Sophie took a deep breath and then turned to the woman who was in charge of this expedition.
Brilith felt a heavy gaze from the side. She looked in the direction of the glare and then warmly smiled at Sophie. Well, it appeared warm on the outside, but there was a distinct sinister undertone that only the recipient received.
Brilith smiled at Sophie’s pale complexion. ‘Just wait. It will all be over soon…’