Arc 4: What families entail
Road to a hero:
Three chances in another world
Chapter 20. Various issues
Edward is still stuck in the hole and continues to make hit footholds.
Edward {I have made enough to get me about ten or eleven feet up…it’s almost been two days…}
Edward: “CAN YOU JUST LET ME OUT ALREADY!? THIS IS WASTING TOO MUCH TIME!”
Lincoln: “I like the fact that you're yelling at me but…I’m gonna let you out.”
Edward: “REALLY!?”
Lincoln: “Nope. I’m still gonna watch you struggle to climb up.”
Edward: “DAMMIT! MY HANDS ARE BROKEN, I’M BLEEDING EVERYWHERE AND I’M HUNGRY!”
Lincoln: “Look I already went down there yesterday and used some of my mana to heal yah.”
Edward: “Yeah you did…AFTER YOU KNOCKED ME OUT!”
Lincoln: Didn’t want you trying anything.”
Edward climbs his foot holds, bashing another one with his hand.
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In the Athens castle, Rosemary converses with Calgary about their time with the Golden knights.
Rosemary: “So how did you survive again?”
Calgary: “You keep asking me that. But I’ll tell you again anyway.”
Rosemary: “Sorry..it’s just too hard to believe…”
Calgary: “Yeah it doesn’t matter. So there I was listening to Judge's speech right as we were about to sneak up on a Sect base camp! But then an explosion erupts beneath us, killing a lot of the Golden knights…but your father Judge saved me! We stood our ground and fought back. But a few of them had powers…strong powers BUT we were winning! Sadly when we were beating the odds a big black bird flew down from the sky and swooped the last of us up. But heroically your father grabbed me and used the last of his strength to get me out. I fell unconscious due to my wounds…but I woke up HERE! Beauregard explained what happened and I've worked here ever since.”
Rosemary: “Woah…I didn’t like my father…but at least he was selfless in his last moments.”
Calgary: “My time growing up was tough…but it made me…it made us strong.”
Rosemary: “Well said…but I don’t want to sound rude but when can I leave?”
Calgary: “Look I said it before…I know you don’t like it but you have to stay here until Bearugard and Julius come to an agreement.”
Rosemary: “Can I at least write to them?”
Calgary: “Unless you want us to have to read it first. And if it’s coded we can’t let you do it.”
Rosemary: “Last night we just talked but what do you do for fun?”
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Calgary: “We have a nice yard outside, we can walk around if you want.”
Rosemary: “Oh that sounds nice…let’s go for it.”
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Soku blasts wind over and over down in the tunnels while Leo and Peter watch.
Soku: “I can do a total of five gale blasts before I’m tired.”
Peter: “I GOT IT!”
Leo: “Got what?”
Peter: “More like I made it.”
Soku: “What’s that staff?”
Peter holds up a wooden staff, he then presses a button on the side which releases glider-like wings on the sides.
Soku: “Woah it’s like bat wings.”
Peter: “It’s a glider! I learned that elves that use wind magic use things like this to fly and glide through the wind! Since you have wind magic I figured that you could use it to glide!”
Soku: “Is it bad to mention I hate heights?”
Leo: “Well it’s another form of training and I love training so let’s get outta these crummy tunnels and GET TO WORK!”
They emerge from the catacombs, leaving through a small opening in the ground leading to a small group of houses in the woods. Leo grabs Soku, jumping onto one of the homes.
Soku: “WOOH DON’T DO THAT PLEASE!”
Leo: “PETER! Explain how to use this.”
Peter: “*Yawn* It’s way too early for this…OKAY SOKU YOU HAVE TO PRESS THE BUTTON ON THE SIDE OF THE STAFF!”
Soku: “WHERE!? IT’S ALL MADE OUT OF WOOD!’
Soku feels for a button, pressing a small indent on the staff which causes the wings to emerge, spooking Soku and almost causing her to fall off the two-story roof.
Soku: “OKAY…NOW, WHAT!?”
Peter: “JUST GRAB ONTO THE METAL HANDLES AT THE TOP AND PLACE YOUR FEET ON THE SMALL FOOT HOLDS!”
Soku gusts her body, getting into place to glide.
Soku: “OKAY! WHAT NEXT!?”
Peter: “Just jump off and use your mana to glide you!”
Soku: “WHAT!? I CAN’T DO THAT!”
Leo pushes Soku off the roof, causing her to panic and use too much wind mana sending her spiraling to the ground. Just before she can hit the ground Leo catches Soku saving her from the fall.
Soku: “YOU DICK!”
Leo: “You gotta work under pressure!”
Peter: “Yeah don’t do that again.”
Leo laughs while Peter and Soku stare at him angrily. The mood changes when an old lady walks out of the home, throwing a plate at Leo's head.
Old woman: “AND DON’T JUMP OFF MY ROOF AGAIN!”
Leo rubs his head with Soku and Peter laughs at him, lightening the once sour mood.
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Gray continues to fail with multitasking. Getting hit down over and over.
Gray: “I can't, I CAN'T!”
Ryo: “Calm down, you said you wanted to help your friends right? So you must do this.”
Gray: “I know…but I just…can’t.”
Ryo: “Look, you go look after Dema, spend the rest of the day calm.”
Gray: “Okay…and thanks…”
Gray walks to the stables, watching Dema sleep.
Gray { She’s been sleeping all day every day since I got here. I think she’s hibernating…Dema really has been helping since I met her…She saved me at the mansion, then again at the castle…and she saved me the time of climbing this damn mountain.}
Gray: “She looks…wonderful…she doesn’t really look like a drake though…she’s about the size of two trucks… maybe a bit smaller and slimmer…her face is angular and those horns make her look like a demon. The dark scales make her look like a small Dragon, not a Winged Drake.”
Ryo: “Oh that’s because she isn’t a winged Drake! She seems to be an Earthbound Dragon.”
Gray: “AHHH! Damn, don’t sneak up on me like that…”
Ryo: “Sorry but I’m correct. She is Earth Dragon, and only a year or two years old so she isn’t that strong yet.”
Gray: “What’s an Earthbound Dragon?”
Ryo: “Dragons are smart and powerful creatures. But they live in Alfheim, and they aren’t born here. But Earth dragons are. They aren’t as smart or powerful as a Dragon but they are a good substitute. It makes her especially rare, and her liking you this much is even more rare. You need to be curious about this relationship you have with her.”
Gray: “Will do…”
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Hours pass and the sun begins on the sixteenth day of the group being in Athens. All are separated and dealing with various issues. Though most likely the most dangerous issue being faced is Edward's entrapment.
Edward tries to climb up, almost able to reach the top.
Lincoln: “Edward, you’ve almost made it up…but you haven't told me what you want to do.”
Edward: “I told you…I need to save…Walgonia and end this war.”
Lincoln: “Nope!”
Lincoln stomps on the ground, collapsing the wall with the footholds causing Edward to fall. Edward looks up to see the crumbled rocks, so he uses them to slowly climb up finally making out of the hole
Edward leaps out of the hole, pushing Lincoln to the ground and placing his hand on Lincoln's neck.
Lincoln: “Hey nice you made it out.”
Edward: “Yeah I guess I did…took forever though.”
Lincoln stands up and begins to walk toward his home. Edward takes a step, then immediately falls to the ground, worn out and broken.
Edward: “Can’t…move…”
Lincoln: “Yeah figured as much, you ripped every muscle and tendon in your legs as well as destroying the bones.”
Edward: “WHAT!?”
Lincoln slaps Edward, causing him to pass out. Lincoln then picks up Edward and begins to bring him to his home.
END OF Chapter Twenty.