Arc 4: What families entail

Road to a hero:

Three chances in another world

Chapter 13. Land down under

The Athens group walks through the woods, entering the small town outside the central city.

Rosemary: “So that’s a weapon of Alfheim right?”

Leo: “Yep! Gifted to me by my dad when I was…twelve!”

Rosemary: “How does it work?”

Leo: “My dad made it just for me, so my mark of providence can enter the act with it. It is strong by itself and enchanted, so when I snap my fingers it comes back to me.”

Rosemary: “A spear that returns to you if you throw it… useful indeed!”

Soku: “You got a mark of providence?”

Peter: “YEAH! He can generate mana through it and create lightning! Or something similar to lightning…so it isn’t as fast.”

Leo: “Um…yeah that’s right.”

Peter: “Sorry…”

Edward: “If I’m right…you were said to be a god of war in training while the demi-human war was going on.”

Leo: “Right again!”

Rosemary: “Wait, are you classified as one?”

Leo: “Eh…I might have been but I’m just not strong enough.”

Edward: “So now that Musashi and Kioshi have passed…and Lincoln is nowhere to be found…Ryo, Vergil, Elizabeth, and King Cornelius are the only Gods of war left.”

Peter: “And Kioshi’s the strongest one and she is the only one that wasn’t in the demi-human war, she is so strong that she was able to be named one without a war! WAIT DID YOU SAY THEY PASSED?”

Leo: “Oh Musashi passed? And Kioshi too?”

Peter: “How’d they die?”

Edward: “When we lost Walgonia…the Sect killed them.”

Leo: “Man…they are a big problem then.”

Soku: “Wasn’t Arthur a god of war or something?”

Edward: “Kinda… he isn’t strong enough and hasn’t done much to get the title. He isn’t weak though.”

Rosemary: “Weirdly, Elizebeth wanted to be the leader of Walgonia even though she’s Queen of Raivoria.”

Soku: “Those Ravorine people are weirdos so it doesn’t surprise me that they are that ignorant of their power.”

Peter: “HERE WE ARE! The main city!”

They enter the path with the main city. A place protected by giant walls surrounding the entire city, massive in scale, with sections of it destroyed, burnt, and overall crumbling with age. And instead of it bustling with life and grand buildings, it’s broken down and destroyed. Damaged walls in the buildings, impact holes in the ground, and guards are walking around.

Edward: “Wow…the city is…broken.”

Leo: “*Whispers* hey back here… the guards might see us.”

They quickly walk to an area right outside the gates to the main city. Leo leads them to a tree with a fake patch of grass beside it. Leo lifts the patch of grass, revealing a hidden tunnel underneath the ground, obviously haven been roughly dug out and secured.

Leo: “Come on…get down here we’re almost at the place.”

They enter the long dark tunnel and begin to start walking through it.

Rosemary: “Is it a bad time to mention that I’m scared of enclosed spaces?”

Leo: “Come on you’ll be fine…it’s just a little further.”

Soku: “Ugh it’s dirty.”

Peter pulls out a device from his pocket. It’s a red crystal inside of a metal funnel. He focuses some mana into the crystal and It glows a bright red light.

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Edward: “What’s that?”

Peter: “I don’t know what to call it…but I made it!”

Leo: “Peter here is our little inventor. We give him junk and he makes stuff like this!”

Soku: “You could sell this for a ton of coins!”

Rosemary: “Gray would have a field day with this…I’ll write to him and ask him what you should call it.”

Peter: “That’d be great!”

Leo: “Watch out! There is a small staircase up front!”

They all slowly make their way down the small but steep staircase. To approach a wooden door with sounds coming from the other side.

Leo: “Ready…GO!”

Leo opens the door to reveal a big open area. Built with bricks and stones. With multiple floors having rooms and supplies. And the most attention-grabbing part is the number of people. A couple of hundred people all talking and moving. The loud sounds overwhelm Peter, who quickly runs off to another room.

Rosemary: “WOAH!”

Edward: “You build your hideout right under the enemy's main place of operation.”

Leo: “YEP! And we’re soundproof down here.”

Soku: “Is this stable?”

Leo: “Yep…this place has stood for hundreds of years. It was made during the warring states period. To hide from the enemy, but it was forgotten. This is just the main area but there are many exits to catacombs all around the island.”

Edward: “How did you find it?”

Leo: “When I was a boy I was running and playing outside the castle. While I was running the ground collapsed and I fell into a hole that led me to a part of the catacombs. I called for my dad and he helped me out, and ever since I just snuck back down here. When I knew my brother was going to be the downfall of this great country I led a cue and used this place as my main headquarters.”

Soku: “It’s really smart…you can get all over the island without being found and get resources back and forth with ease.”

Edward: “It explains why the war has lasted this long.”

Leo: “I got lucky…but I used that luck to our advantage.”

Edward: “For a place that’s supposed to be war-torn…the island isn’t that bad.”

Leo: “My brother and I understand that we don’t want the people to suffer. We don’t attack farms or people's homes. We only attack each other's people. My brother is not a bad person…but his values and prejudice are what has caused him to fall down the path he has.”

Edward: “I’m lucky to say I was raised by what I can say is good people…not that you weren’t but my mother…my stepfather…Musashi and my pseudo-grandfather all taught me to do the right thing. Treat people with respect and care, no matter what they look like. And I’m glad that you feel the same way even though it isn’t taught much here.”

Leo: “My father…Lincoln as you know him forced Athens to join sides with Walgonia in the demi-human war because he believed that all people were equal in rights. Most of Athens went against my father but he is strong. My mother and father taught me to be strong warriors and good people. But my brother wanted to be accepted…so even if he knows it’s wrong…he doesn’t believe all are equal…and I don’t know if he’ll ever change.”

Soku: “I know from experience that some people just come to that conclusion…being raised a certain way affects your beliefs, but a lot of the time people come to their conclusions. Even if I was born in Walgonia a lot of people still believe that demi-humans are lesser humans. The only difference between me and humans is that my ears are longer. And yet they hate me for it…and they hate my sister…hated my sister just because of her appearance. A child berated and hated just because of things she can’t change…the world is awful…but there are exceptions.”

Rosemary: “The Golden Knights were in the middle…they didn’t care about forcing children into war but they didn’t have their own opinions on politics…and they reprimanded you if you did. Because if they are bought to fight against people you don’t want to fight because of beliefs then you will be in the way. Money-grubbing people…who died out because of such beliefs…I agree that the world can and may be awful…but sometimes you just can’t hate people just because of the things they think…you have to find them, and who they are. And if you hate them then, then you can’t do anything about it.”

Julius: “It’s wonderful to hear all your various opinions…from completely different origins to yet come to the same answer. Valatrositice is not a good place for such things. They all want power, and need it…so they only care about demi-humans because they are stronger than normal people. They aren’t people…they are like a force…and it is an eye-opener to see all these different views…wants and fears…I’m glad you saved me in the castle…or I would have never been able to do any of this.”

Edward: “Oh…your welcome…”

Rosemary: “I’m glad you feel so happy about it…Gray talks about second and third chances at life…I think when he gets back that you should talk with him about it…he may give you a viewpoint that you also find interesting.”

Julius: “I will keep that in mind…”

Soku: “Alright enough with all this sad sack talk I wanna have some fun!”

Leo: “Alright then…PETER COME OUT HERE!”

Peter runs out of his room rushing right to Leo.

Peter: “SIR YES SIR!”

Leo: “Show them somewhere that they can have FUN!”

Edward: “Actually…I was gonna go get our stuff from the inn…if we can stay here that is?”

Leo: “I would be honored if you stayed here with us. So go ahead.”

Rosemary: “I’ll go with you and help you, Julius do you want to come?”

Julius: “Sorry, I would like to talk to Leo about his brothers' forces and how they operate.”

Rosemary: “Oh…okay then have fun with that…come on Edward it would be best to do this while it’s still night out.”

Edward: “Yeah you’re right let’s move quickly.”

Edward and Rosemary exit the hideout, walking back through the quiet, dark tunnel.

Edward: “I agree…closed spaces aren’t my forte.”

Rosemary: “Heh…do you think we will be able to get the win as Gray would say.”

Edward: “We have the upper hand with our ability to get around…but we have fewer resources and people…it’s probably a forty or thirty percent chance…but depending on Ceasar's help, and if Moro does help us…that might go up to fifty or sixty percent.”

Rosemary: “It’s funny…I ran away from my people…because I didn’t want to fight…only to have joined another battle…”

Edward: “The feeling of just existing…not knowing what you want to do…is a feeling I know quite well.”

Rosemary: “Gray…Soku…we all seem to just exist…not understand what to do…”

Edward: “I didn’t hear all of it…but when Gray was screaming at you before he left back at the castle…I heard him talk about things I can understand quite well…the feeling of not knowing what to do…masks and faking who you are to who you want to be…”

Rosemary: “When he left I honestly thought he wasn’t gonna come back…when he did I didn’t know how to react. He seemed like a completely different person…in tone at least… actually even the way he carries himself is different. I knew something was wrong with him…then he overflowed with emotion and just left. I’m supposed to be with him…his partner and yet I haven’t talked with him about it.”

Edward: “Gray is a strange case…He is almost a prodigy…and I’m jealous of it. But he doesn’t seem to understand that he is good at what he does…or doesn’t want to understand. But now I think he does…to a certain level. I think he found himself…now he just has to walk down his path to get to himself.”

Rosemary: “Don’t we all…hehe…”

Rosemary and Edward walk through the forest, making it back to the inn.

Rosemary: “ERIN! ARE YOU HERE!?”

Erin: “Oh you’re back!”

Rosemary: “We are taking our leave now, I just wanted to say bye.”

Erin: “Oh, okay. Well, I hope your meeting with Moro goes well…and I hope you stay safe, all of you…especially you Edward.”

Edward: “Um…wa..? Thanks…”

Edward blushes, struggling to respond.

Erin: “Because you seem to be concerned with working with the pirates'”

Edward: “Oh! Yeah, it’s a whole other thing…well, I’m gonna go get our stuff.”

Rosemary: “Do you have a pen and paper?”

Erin: “Yeah here you go!”

Rosemary: “If Gray comes by and something bad happens to us, give him…this.”

Erin: “What is it?”

Rosemary: “Directions to the Red Arrows hideout. Make sure to give it to him when he gets here.”

Erin: “When should I expect him?”

Rosemary: “Um…I don’t know sorry.”

Erin: “Oh well that’s okay…well, I hope you stay safe.”

Rosemary: “I hope you stay safe too.”

With that, the day ends with Rosemary and Edward gathering their things. Soku plays cards with some of the Red arrows, and Julius plans with Leo.

END OF : Chapter Thirteen.