The roundtable centered in the assembly hall in Karash was near completely silent. A dozen Hero's sat across from me. I wasn't aware there were so many. Just how many countries are there?

Behind each Hero stood at least two party members, occasionally they would lean over to their hero and whisper an opinion to which the hero would nod or whisper a reply.

"Would you mind proving your strength to us?" A man in his mid 40's says after getting a few words from his robed partners.

"Why should I?" I respond plainly.

A few of the Hero's glance at each other at my response. Perhaps they want to see if they can boss me around? Don't get me wrong, if worse comes to worse I will definitely ‘show them my strength'. But unless they give me a real good reason I'm not showing them shit.

"Ah, you don't have to of course. Personally, my group and I are mainly worried in regards to you and your parties age."

"Why do you care?"

The table begins to mumble to each other with my blunt statement but I cut them off.

"Aren't we just supposed to kill the Demon King? Who cares how old I am, as long as I have something that can kill the demon king."

A bearded man in the corner scoffs at this. "And you have such a thing?"

"Mm, I've got Holy light." I say cueing Aqua, "And a holy sword."

I drop Triff's new sword into my hand from inventory and pulse enough mana inside so the cool blue glow is visible.

"That's…" The first man says standing from his chair. "I've heard about it in stories but it's the real thing. I apologize, Cole, hero of Calistor. I was rude, forgive me."

"No, it's no worries."

"Bah, make a blade glow. Who cares. You think that's strength? Will the Demon king fall to your magic tricks and illusions?"

Illusion? That ball of light will deconstruct your atoms. Wanna try?

No, I shouldn't say that.

But I really want to…

The table broke again into a discussion just as it had when I first arrived.

There seem to be two camps. Those who trust that Calistor has appointed a strong person, and those who believe I am just a poster child with no real abilities.

The positions almost seemed rehearsed though, I suppose it wasn't the first time it had happened. The camp on my side was mostly filled with those under forty years old, while the other faction was the old guard.

Only one at the table stayed silent.

The mysterious one of course.

The lone female. She looked to be a few years older than me, she occasionally rocked in her seat but other than that she sat regally in her chair watching the groups argue back and forth.

Finally, she seemed to have reached her limit of patience.

"Are we going to continue to argue about this all day? You know this isn't the purpose of this summit. Why does it always devolve into squabbling over new members?"

The table instantly cuts to silence at her words.

She commands extreme respect here it seems.

"I apologize for their behavior Hero Cole, it's unsightly, I hope you won't think poorly of us based on them." The woman in the gray shawl says indicating towards the other eleven heroes.

"No, it's no worries. I understand their reluctance. But I can assure them I am strong, although I'm not really interested in proving it." I turn to the antagonist and add a final tag. "But I will if I have to."

His eyes widen a bit at my threat.

"Well I am glad, I believe that will be unnecessary. Possessing both the ‘light of birth' as well as well as the ‘holy chill' is more than enough to prove your worth."

"Mm, thank you."

"And with that, I think we should break for lunch today. I think the old timers need to un-bunch their undies."

The table erupts into chatter for a moment before the other eleven heroes and I nod to the suggestion.

I think we dared not go against her. She seems in charge around here. I don't want to get on her bad side.

~ ~

"Gotta pee, gotta pee, gotta pee!" The refined woman says after she led me and my group in the opposite direction as the rest.

The woman zigzags in the hallway gripping at her hand anxiously.

Just as I begin to theorize that her refined nature may just be an act I realize just how wrong I was. She slides the silver ring on her finger off quickly dropping a dozen cup sizes and half as many inches in height.

"Gotta pee gotta pee gotta pee!!" The Mirna sized girl cries as she sprints in front of us.

What the fuck is going on?

Is that ring what I think it is?

Mirna seems curious as well so she dashes after the girl. "Lemme try lemme try! Come back!"

"Ahhhh…" The girl sighs from behind the door she lead us all towards.

"Did you lead us here just to make us listen to you pee or…?"

"No, no. This is just a side trip. I'm bringing you to Mini." The girl replies from the bathroom.

Eventually, I hear fabric rustling and the door swings open. The short girl grips my hand and pulls me again down the hallway.

Did you even wash your hands? That's gross.

If I get pink eye I'm blaming you.

"Captain this is far too quickly. Didn't you say you would consult us first before you add another..."

"Hey, I'm not in control of this situation at all. Don't blame me."

"Quiet, quiet, we are almost there." The kid leading me by hand says impatiently rounding a corner and nearly yanking me into it.

"Hey, can Mirna try that thing? Please?"

"Thing?" The girl asks Mirna who had run to catch up her.

"The boob grow tool!"

"Oh, sure. Here."

That can't possibly be its real name.

Mirna catches the ring and looks over it carefully. She begins to put it on but the girl stops her.

"Not on that finger. Here put it on here." She moves it to her right hand and slides it down her finger.

I knew it.

But forget that. Right now I'm looking at adult Mirna.

"Holy…" I stammer accidentally.

"Holy shit," Aqua says from behind me. "Let me try let me try!"

Aqua clutches at the now taller Mirna's hand. "No way! Captain hasn't said what he thinks. And I wanna see a mirror!"

"It's… You look great Mirna, it's hard to believe it's really you."

Is it obvious I'm blushing? It isn't, right?

So this is how she would have grown up? Obviously, her clothes would be better fitting if she were actually an adult but, she does have a certain charm that my Mirna can't possibly possess.

But it doesn't feel like her. Something is majorly off.

"Ah! That's weird! I don't like it!" Mirna says pulling the ring off and shoving it to me after glancing in a hand mirror. "This is Mirna Captain. That face… It was unfamiliar, scary."

"Mm, I know." I hug her who had begun to tear up. "I agree Mirna. You should just be you."

"I am sorry, I should have warned you against looking in the mirror. It's a strange experience to have a different face."

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

So it doesn't only change the body? I suppose it's useful if this girl has been the hero here for some time.

"Still want to try it Aqua?" Rou asks the sour-faced girl.

"Well, perhaps Captain gives me a hug for the scary experience like Mirna?" Aqua says tapping her fingertips together.

"We are here. Ah, I did this backward. My name is Yutia, Spirit of Loyalty. And this is my sister." She opens the door revealing a fast asleep girl in a lab coat. "Ah! Mini! Put on some clothes you have guest!"

"Huh?!" The girl asks jolting from the desk and glancing around with heavy eyelids.

I can now tell she is shirtless underneath the open lab coat.

"Eh, it was hot! I'm working with… Oh? We have guests?"

"Exactly hurry, hurry!"

"Oh, ok." Minerva looks around the desk at various silver and gold devices. She decides on one and presses it gingerly.

A bright light fills the room for a moment before dimming to reveal a clothed Spirit of Magic.

"Sorry about that. Nice to meetcha." She says bowing to me graciously from behind the desk. "Why'd you bring him here Yutia?"

"Because he had one of your things! The one from Zo!"

"Oh! Really?"

"Mm, that's right. I'm a..."

"You are a demon too? Wow. That's… How's that possible?" She asks rubbing her face.

"Is it so bizarre to be both the hero and demon king?"

"Well, I suppose not. I just feel like I'm missing something." The girl says taking a sheet of paper and jotting a few notes to gather her thoughts.

"Oh yeah, Triff didn't you say you wanted an autograph?"

"Shhhh" Triff says from behind me.

"Oh Clove your necklace is glowing."

"Hmm? Oh. It is, hold on a moment I need to take this." She steps from the room into the empty hallway.

I see her press the gem and then she appears to be listening to something.

I shouldn't eavesdrop. Not that I could if I wanted I suppose.

"Minerva, will you please look over our boat design? Lately, it has had strange reactions to a divining rod, I theorize the magic interference is forming a..."

"Wha…" An utterly shocked voice cries from behind our group.

It's Clove, she is on her knees with her hand over her mouth.

Tears are slowly streaming down her face.

"Hey? Whats wrong?" Alice asks rushing to her and grasping at her other hand which sat shaking.

"Everything ok?" Rou follows after Alice, carefully brushing the tears from Cloves face.

"My father… Calis he…" She sputters trying her best to explain through choking tears.

"Give her a minute, guys. She needs to catch her breath."

Clove wipes her face taking her hand from Alice's grip. She takes a deep breath and begins again.

"My father is dead. Calis proclaimed himself King, and he rescinded your hero status he also put out a warrant for your arrest."

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit

"Is your father's body…?" I begin to ask.

"Mm, one of my men risked his life to get the ashes out of the capital before the lockdown."

"Ashes… So then you think it was..."

"I am sure of it. His first proclamation as king was to spread my father's ashes to every corner of the country. Obviously, he knows of your ability so he wanted that possibility removed first and foremost."

"And your mother is she…?"

"She escaped with my men. She is extremely shaken up though."

"We should return as soon as..."

"We can't he is sending men to burn all the piers and port cities."

"Goddamnit!" I say rubbing my temples. This is far outside my expectations. I knew he wasn't being entirely honest but I didn't expect such quick bold actions. But he knows I am far away, he thinks he can get away with it in this small window. "Triff, how close are we?"

"For Exodus? Oh, geez skipping Genesis entirely?"

"No, we will do them simultaneously."

"Pff, then like 50% maybe, there is no way we can handle that many. We have space for maybe seventy right now. But we're talking hundreds of thousands aren't we? It's impossible as it is."

"We have to try. It will be a lot of clean up but we have to do it now. There's no choice."

"That's… You're right."

"Captain, Triff? What are you two talking about? Is this really the time for..."

"I'm sorry Clove. Your brother just forced my hand. I have to collapse Calistor's economy. Or rather I'm going to steal it."

"Steal it? Steal what?"

"Your country. Or atleast the coastal towns."

"You plan to invade Captain?"

"No need, ECC has been building villages on my islands for weeks. Its mostly practice but it has its use."

"You are going to convince the citizens to move?"

"Mhm, And I'm going to destroy the dungeon too."

"How… you have been planning this for some time then? Did you never come to trust my brother?"

"Not really. And even if I was wrong this plan would still have eventually come to pass. Destroying the dungeon and giving those people a home has always been on my to-do list."

"Exodus?" Minerva asks from behind her desk still. "Did you say Exodus?"

"That's right. It's the name of the plan. It means mass departure."

"Why does that..." Minerva asks herself under her breath. She soon begins fishing through her desk drawers.

Piles of envelopes and sheets flutter as she brushes past them in search of something.

"Aha!" She finally says taking out a yellowed envelope.

The seam crumbles under her fingers as she fishes it open. She carefully removes its contents. An equally yellowed sheet of ancient paper.

She carefully reads over the words. Soon growing a smile on her face.

The smile turns into a full grin as she continues down the paper.

"Ha." She begins at first trying to mask it. She soon bursts into full blown laughter.

"I see. I see." She eventually says after finally containing herself.

She again turns to her desk drawer and retrieves a small box. Instead of opening it she lifts a small metal emblem from her desk.

"Ever see one of these?" She asks tilting her head with a smile still gleaming on her face.

"No, What is it?"

"It's for short range teleportation. You can teleport to anything you can see. It's really handy."

"But I imagine if you glance away from the target you could get into trouble though."

"Ah, I'm not Aquarou I have failsafes for stupid stuff like that." She says with a laugh. "Want a demonstration?"

With the question hanging in the air she reaches quickly for the small box.

It opens and she vanishes before I can even understand what happened.

She's suddenly behind me and I feel a sharp pain in my lower back.

I feel a hand carefully grip my cheek and a mouth whispers into my ear as I begin to collapse to the ground.

"I'm sorry..."

The blade slides further and a white pain overloads my brain. I try to hold on but my consciousness vanishes before I hear the rest of her apology.

So I can die after all.