Arc 4: What families entail

Road to a Hero:

Three chances in another world

Chapter 5: The mission to save Walgonia begins.

Ryo: “Alright walk with me.”

Gray: “I need to learn how to get stronger…fast.”

Ryo: “I know.”

Gray: “I heal fast by the way.”

Ryo: “Understood.”

Gray: “Where are we going?”

Ryo: “To this boulder over here, just waiting to be punched!”

Gray: “With my full power…or just normal?”

Ryo: “No mana, so normal.”

They walk off the path seeing the boulder.

Gray: “So just punch it?”

Ryo: “Before you do that I must ask you to do something for me. To make a vow.”

Gray: “What kinda vow?”

Ryo: “I want you never to use a magic spell again.”

Gray: “WHAT!?”

Ryo: “Using magic can kill spirits if your spell is too powerful. And because of your high affinity, using anything more than the basic level of spells can be harmful or kill spirits, and I will have no such thing."

Gray: “MAN! I didn’t even get to learn all of them…Can I keep Cenic?”

Ryo: “Cenic doesn’t do damage to Spirits since it's the most basic of defensive spells."

Gray: "Defensive spells? I didn't know that's what I was using. Then what about offensive?"

Ryo: "Unlike me, you do not possess an offensive affinity. So trying to use offensive spells will be ineffective and dangerous …so if you must but I ask you to please better your mana control before you do so. There are a few more types of spells you can learn but for now using them will also kill spirits, so using Cenic is the best bet for now."

Gray: "What about Satic? That's a spell I can use."

Ryo: "You can use Satic? That is an offensive spell. And if you've been using it then you've already killed a few spirits...but since it seems you didn't know that I won't subject you to any rath."

Gray: "Well damn, one spell down then. Whatever I'll get over it. Alright…I vow to never use a high-power or medium spell again, or an offensive spell. Do I punch it now?”

Ryo: “One last thing.”

Gray: “*Sigh* ok what is it now?”

Ryo: “Take that cursed charm off.”

Gray: “This necklace?”

Ryo: “Yes please.”

Gray: “I don’t want to…”

Ryo: “But you must, why don’t you want to?”

Gray: “I…don’t know!”

Ryo goes to remove the necklace with force. Gray tries to fight Ryo off but with no effect. Gray is shoved into the snow in a flash as the charm is removed from his body.”

Gray: “HEY DON'T…wait…why was I…”

Ryo: “Now let us see the cloak's effect on your mind.”

Gray throws up in the snow, rolling over and trying to comfort himself. Tears stream from his eyes, muttering to himself and trying his hardest not to reach for the charm.

Gray: “Wh…y…why, why, why…”

Ryo: “A cursed charm affects the mind. And the cloak of darkness is known for causing the wearer to be depressed, easily aggravated, and somewhat bipolar. But for you, it seemed to cause you to hold in all of your emotion…interesting.”

Gray's mind seeps down, with all the feelings he has held in rushing out at once.

Gray: “Ophelia…Kioshi…Musashi…ALL DEAD! ALL DEAD BECAUSE OF ME! I…I thought I was going crazy…I was so confused why I couldn’t even cry… I thought I was just as bad as I was before…but it’s due to that damn charm….”

Ryo: “A sound mind can handle the cursed charms…I would like you to try using it when I see fit. Until then I’ll keep it with me.”

Gray: “Thank…you.”

Ryo: “Now please punch the rock that all your human body can!”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Gray stands up, shivering from the cold. He takes a deep breath, calming his mind and blocking out all distractions. Then he punches the boulder with all his might.

Gray: “Huh…AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Gray falls to the ground once more, his knuckles crushed.

Ryo: “Huh…nothing happened…not even a scratch to the boulder.”

Gray: “AHHH SHIT! THIS FUCKING HURTS!’

Ryo: “Okay, we’ll go back to the cabin and I’ll wrap up your hand, does that sound good?”

Gray: “Yeah…yeah it does.”

Gray grabs a handful of snow and puts it on top of his injured hand, acting like a makeshift ice pack.

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After three days of travel, the group finally sees the beach. The waves crashed against the shore, pushing and pulling along the hot sand.

Rosemary: “It’s so pretty!”

Edward: “I used to live on an Island…now that I think about it I haven’t played in the water since I got to Walgonia.”

Soku: “This is what all the hype is about…not worth it.”

Julius: “Since we have reached the shore I say we have about two or three hours left of travel. If we take a break here for an hour or so we will be able to reach Athens by nightfall.”

Edward: “It would be easier to hide our identities in the dark…”

Rosemary: “Come on Soku! Have fun, live a little!”

Soku: “Ugh!”

Rosemary: “P..L…E…A…S…E…!”

Soku: “Fine…But if I drown I’m haunting you!”

Rosemary: “YEAH! LET’S GO!”

They undress their underwear and begin running in the sand.

Julius: “Do you now wish to have fun with them?”

Edward: “No I’m good…they lived together for a while before I knew them…and since I’ve known them they have just been training, occupied with something, or waiting on something. I just want to let them have fun.”

Julius: “It was never explained to me how they met. Do you know and if so could you tell me?”

Edward: “I think they mentioned it once in passing back when we lived at the mansion…something about Soku getting into some trouble with a member of the Sect and Rosemary saw this while walking by and helped her. Then I think Ophelia asked for her to live with them and the rest is history.”

Julius: “I see…I’m surprised Gray didn’t ask at some point.”

Edward: “Believe it or not Gray doesn't like to pry into people's lives. He sees how you are and goes with it.”

Julius: “He is very casual for how flamboyant he acts. It is strange to say that but I feel like it makes sense when Gray is the subject.”

Edward: “Funny enough I feel the same way. It has been a lot less quiet without him here. Like we’re missing a piece.”

Julius: “I see what you mean. Now if you don’t mind I would like to take a small nap.”

Edward: “I mean you’ve been awake for three days, you may need more than a small nap.”

Julius: “I’ll manage…I don’t sleep much.”

Edward: “Alright…I’ll see you later I guess.”

Julius: “Yes indeed.”

Julius lies down inside the carriage and Edward sits back looking into the sky. Rosemary and Soku walk to the sea.

Soku: “Is…it gonna be cold?”

Rosemary: “I don’t know.”

Soku: “Do you…um…”

Rosemary: “Come on, spit it out.”

Soku: “Do you like Gray?”

Rosemary: “Of course I love him, why do you ask?”

Soku: “It's just that…he has had such a weird effect on all of us…”

Rosemary: “Is that bad?”

Soku: “I hadn’t cried in so long…and then after we met him…I cried like two times…”

Rosemary: “You’re young…and you’re becoming a woman.”

Soku: “HEY! I’m already a woman and I don’t wanna talk about THAT!”

Rosemary: “Okay, okay calm down it’s normal.”

Soku: “And you act so differently…you’re loud and chipper…it’s weird.”

Rosemary: “Well to be honest Gray has made me more confident in myself…I have a goal now…and somebody to tell me nice things about me.”

Soku: “Everybody acts like their life is better now when all we have done is lose!.”

Rosemary: “I know it feels that way… it is that way but…we just need to keep moving forward and hope for the best.”

Soku: “You sound just like Gray…”

Rosemary: “Is that a bad thing?”

Soku: “No…not really.”

Rosemary: “Alright then if you ever feel like there is something you need to talk about then don’t forget to talk to me about it.”

Soku: “Are you happy?”

Rosemary: “Kinda…I get sad sometimes but sometimes I feel fine…and recently I haven’t felt sad.”

Soku: “Do you ever feel…sad all the time?”

Rosemary: “Are you okay?”

Soku: “I just don’t feel right…”

Rosemary: “If it makes you feel any better…Ophelia is in a better place now. She’s not in the slums…or in hiding from the Sect. She died terribly but now she can play and have fun forever.”

Soku: “And if there isn’t an afterlife?”

Rosemary: “I don’t know how to answer that...I’m sorry.”

Soku: “I just..miss her so much…I was supposed to…I WAS HER PROTECTOR…if I let her get on Dema first…like I should have…she would be alive…DAMMIT!”

Soku starts to sob, struggling to continue speaking. To break the tension Rosemary splashes ocean water on Sokus’ face.

Soku: “UGH! IT’S COLD AND SALTY BLEH!”

Rosemary: “Come on distract your mind and play!”

They run and play in the sea while Edward sits in the sand. They do this for about an hour before Julius wakes back up.

Julius: “OKAY LET'S GO!”

Edward brushes all the sand he can off of himself while Soku and Rosemary dry themselves.

Edward: “When we get there I want to get a room at an Inn so we can send Gray the letter.”

Rosemary: “Sounds good.”

Julius: “Now let us embark on the last bit of our journey.”

Edward: “Well said.”

Then they leave the beach and continue on the trail to Athens. After a while, they see the bridge that connects Athens and the mainland in the distance and quickly approach it.

Rosemary: “There it is!”

Soku: “So do we tell them we are a part of the Levitan army or not?”

Edward: “This carriage is unmarked, put these hats on the cover of your hair and ears. We will be hidden as simple commoners.”

Soku: “Weird saying that like I wasn’t a commoner two months ago.”

Rosemary: “I agree, funny how far we’ve come in just a small amount of time.”

Edward: “Alright I placed all our armor and weapons in a hidden compartment in the carriage.”

Soku: “And if they check it?”

Edward: “We’ll just hope they don’t do that.”

They pull up to the guarded outpost right outside of the bridge.

Guard 1: “Hey state your business.”

Julius: “We are moving into Athen, it’s just me and my family. Along with my belongings.”

Guard 2: “So you don’t mind if we check your carriage do yah?”

Julius: “Not at all sir.”

They rummage through the carriage, checking for compartments on the outside and inside. Going through all the baskets and chests only to find nothing. One of the guards checks under a rug to find a small opening on the floor.

Guard 2: “Hey I found something!”

Guard 1: “So what do we get here?”

They open it and find Edwards’ sword.

Guard 2: “The hell is this thing? A damn sword this big.”

Guard 1: “How much do you think it weighs?”

Julius: “Approximately one hundred fifty pounds.”

Guard 1: “Holy shit! You can hardly lift that thing let alone swing it!"

Guard: “That bigger guy in the back might be able to.”

Guard 1: “What the hell’s going on here?”

Edward: “We-”

Julius cuts Edward off, speaking over him.

Julius: “That is a family heirloom of ours, it belonged to our grandfather before he passed. We put it down there so they might not have found it if we got robbed.”

Guard 2: “Alright we’re gonna check your guys and then if you’re clear you can be on your way.”

The guards pat down each of them, finding nothing. The guards wave to the other guards opening the way to the bridge. Then they cross it.

Soku: “How the hell did they not find our stuff?”

Edward: “I hid all of our armor under a separate lair. I put my sword on top so they couldn’t lift it out of the way.”

Rosemary: “That’s genius!”

Edward: “Well I didn’t have a planned out story but Julius came up with one on the spot, nice work!”

Julius: “You’re too kind.”

Soku: “Yeah you’re a really good liar. I couldn’t even tell you were lying even though I knew you were. You’re scary good at it.”

Julius: “I was trained to be good at it, just in case I was captured by an enemy in battle.”

Soku: “Yeah whatever.”

They finally cross the bridge, entering the island known as Athens.

Rosemary: “We made it!”

Edward: “That’s it then, with Gray training and our arrival to Athens…the mission to save Walgonia begins today.”

END OF Vol 2: Chapter Five.