Chapter 9: Invasion (5)

“Now, let the Catharsis begin!”

A black muck has filled the unholy grail to its maximum. But it didn’t stop there. The sludge has begun to overflow and spill over its surroundings. The upper part of the chalice started to spin on itself, increasing the heat and boiling the black substance it contained. Like the stormy sea, the liquid churned violently until it erupted toward the sky like a nefarious geyser. The dark liquid was now being sprayed all over the surrounding area, splashing over everything, living or not. Everything but Astora, who has collapsed down the moment the rain started. Soon, the giant grail started to fade away, leaving an empty spot where it once stood.

“Defend yourself!” Zeus commanded as he raised his Aegis up. Following his lead, the golden knights raised their shields and magical barriers made of light to avoid the mysterious attack. One could guess that this was some kind of poisonous substance based on its appearance. However, would it be all?

Betraying their expectations, the muck rain somehow passed through all defenses, magical or physical alike. The one thing it didn’t overpass was the Divine Weapon Aegis held by the deity Zeus. Unfortunately, a few drops of the black rain still managed to touch him. Then the rain stopped. It was over.

Strangely, no one felt a thing. With all the display of such a terrifying ritual, the attack was just a common rainfall with no visible side effect. There was no pain. The healers didn’t detect any poisonous substance. It wasn’t even a debuff. So what did the black ooze actually do to them? So far, nothing.

“Ha ha ha it didn’t do a thing.” The soldiers begin to laugh out loud. For a moment, they were scared for nothing. All that was just to summon an useless black rain. Little did they know, their fates were already sealed.

“Hey Master, just what was that about?” Rouge asked curiously the bartender. She too had no idea what just happened. “Did she fail in her spell or something?”

“I don’t sense any curse at all. Just what did it do?” the man in the noble clothing said.

“Look at this!” The bartender showed a flower he picked up from the ground. It was wilting at incredible speed until it turned to dust.

“What the…?” Rouge uttered.

“You won’t because it is not magic nor curse.” The bartender spoke before turning back toward the two. “Did you get hit by the rain?”

“Only a few drops. Nothing much.” The two replied. They too sensed something wrong with the rain but couldn’t quite make out what it was so they both decided to avoid the droplets instead of defending. Both never knew how lucky they were to make that decision.

And then it began. A soldier laughed so hard he tripped down toward a metal bar poking out of the ground. Thankfully he got his holy armor, thought the poor guy. Unfortunately, he forgot to do maintenance for the armor for quite a while and at this moment, it cracked slightly. With no mean to defend himself, the knight was pierced by the metal bar in his head and died instantly. His death marked the first victim.

A small piece of brick from a towering building broke and fell down onto the ground. From such a height, it became a bullet and killed another knight on spot.

A section of the underground sewers has been neglected for years and was a place that gathered toxic waste right underneath the streets. But because it was so deep and protected by layers of cement, the company in charge has neglected their duties and left it there without processing the waste. Years after years, it turned into a corrosive substance that could melt anything upon contact. And now, a group of knights was standing right above it. Have it a been any other day, they would be fine. However, because of the earthquake earlier, the foundations have been broken. The additional weight of these knights was the tipping point and it collapsed, letting them all fall into a pit of toxic acid. Their screams didn’t last long, so did their flesh.

Similar accidents started to occur among those unfortunate enough to be hit by the weird black substance from earlier. No one understood what was happening to them. If it was a trap, how could someone plan it so perfectly? It was as if everything happened for just this moment. They tried to find the culprit behind these accidents but there were none to find in the first place. All these events were not impossible but the chances of them occurring were pretty slim, next to impossible. Yet, it happened. It was no trap. They simply had bad luck, very bad luck.

“What the hell is going on?” Zeus muttered in disbelief when he saw his knights being taken out for some unthinkable reasons.

“Don’t tell me…” Rouge uttered. “That black thing was….”

“Yes, pure misfortune in physical form. We are all sprayed with bad luck!” the bartender claimed.

“Bad luck???” Rouge shouted. Suddenly, the wall behind the woman collapsed on her but she quickly evaded. “Is this for real?”

“No time to stand around. While the enemies are shaken, grab the girl and go!” 

“Wait, where is she?” Cronos looked at the spot where Astora was supposed to be. The girl was already nowhere to be found.

Following his instinct, the bartender looked for the most suspected person: Steven. And as he expected, the guy was no longer here.

“He must have taken the girl.” The masked man launched his scanning magic. “I see him. After him!”

But before the bartender could move, a lightning strike prevented him from going. Zeus emerged from the sparks and suddenly attacked the masked man furiously.

“Damn it, could this be bad luck too?” the bartender muttered angrily.

“Master!” Cronos and Rouge shouted.

“You two will have your shares!” Sparks of lightning converged and two figures emerged from the fulminations. Wielding lightning weapons themselves, the two looked exactly like Zeus. “I will take all of you at once. You are not going anywhere!”

* * *

With all of his enemies distracted, Steven easily crossed the terrain with his target in his hands. Being in a half unconscious state, Astora could do little to resist. Her mind was still clouded by the desire to revenge.

“Mom….” The girl muttered quietly with tears in her eyes.

“Hey, guy! Where do you think you are taking my mistress to?” Grimora scorned the man.

“Then do you want to stay there?” Steven sarcastically asked. “I don’t mind dropping you back there.”

“Gru…” the book grunted. He too has only recovered his sanity a moment ago. The connection established between the two’s minds was indeed strong, too strong. Grimora remembered the brand on Astora’s hand glowing during the ritual. Could it have some connection with the summoning of that evil chalice? Such a gruesome power, did Astora really wish for it? Grimora could not fathom the thought. He only knew the girl barely but it felt already like for ages. Was it because he has seen through her memories, experienced them himself? He understood how this must feel for the girl. All these years, she survived in the hope that she would see her mother again. And then, that simple desire was snatched away from her. If she lost her reason to live, what would she do now?

Steven noticed the sad impression of Grimora and from the girl’ state, she was even worse. The man sighed tiredly without losing speed. “Anyway, I will get you out of here. After that, you are on your own. I don’t suppose it matters anymore, seeing that you no longer have any reason to stay here.”

“Where are we going?” asked Grimora.

“The place where it all began.”

* * *

Inside a certain underground facility that has been evacuated, Steven was currently preparing for his next step of the plan. Have it not been due to some unwanted interferences, the man would have already accomplished what he intended to do earlier. However, what was done was done. There was no going back but to continue with what he had in hands. Typing assorted data from a virtual keyboard linked to a certain construct, Steven wished to repeat the same experiment doctor Vincent has done fifteen years ago. It was the time after the Traveler helped the Greymen pushing back the Monochromes threat. But as the story went on, the Traveler mysteriously disappeared from the surface of the world, never to be seen again. At least, that was what was written in the official report. However, the CIA director Chris has managed to dig up an unofficial document depicting what actually happened. Using a certain device, doctor Vincent has helped the Traveler in finding a way for him to go back to his original world. Unfortunately, that device was one of its kind and Vincent did everything he could to hide its design, fearing the consequences it would pose if the thing fell into the wrong hands. Still, his efforts were enough.

And for the last few years, a special team of researchers has been analyzing the data and trying to recreate the device. It was called Project Orbis-Exeo II. And it has been completed.

“What is that?” the flying book asked while staring at the strange spherical object stationed at the center of the room. Surrounded by heavy walls of metal, the orb was connected to many large electric cables trailing along the ground toward various machineries. A single bright white light shined upon it, as if it was a precious treasure.

“The Orbis-Exeo Model II. Well they called it model II but it is actually a prototype of the first one. The original can be used in a much enclosed space since it only to spin on itself in order to work. However, the prototype actually needs to be launched into space to acquire the minimum speed before it can actually jump to another space. But that is just a minor set back. The main problem is the durability. For some reasons, the researchers couldn’t replicate a certain component no matter what they did.” Steven explained while typing on the computer. “Essentially, it is a machine that allows interdimensional space travel, or in simpler terms, travelling between worlds.”

“Like a portal then?” asked Grimora.

“In a way, yes. However, some worlds are protected by a barrier we call the Veil, making them almost impossible to travel to without some kind of mechanisms to disable it.” Steven explained. “Of course, that excluded the Gods since they are the ones who created that barrier.” The man muttered quietly.

“Does it work?”

“Yes and no. To simplify, yes, you can use it to travel between worlds. The problem is that it is a one-way ticket.” Steven spoke. “The missing component I spoke of earlier is supposed to last indefinitely no matter how many times the machine is used. But like I said, we didn’t succeed in recreating such component but only a poor alternative. That thing will fry with just one use, making the whole thing a one-way ticket.”

“Not very convenient, is it?”

“Of course not. But it will do for now.” Steven approached the opening sphere. Inside, there were two seats, enough for only two passengers. “Get in!” The man put the half-conscious Astora and strapped her to a seat.

“Wait, we are using it? I thought you said it is a one-way ticket?” Grimora asked in shock.

“You still want to go back here after all that happened? Even if for some miraculous reasons that the humans win this fight, do you really think it is going to be the end of it? They will launch another attack and another until there are none of you left. Especially her! They won’t rest until she is dead. And now, she is far too weak to take them on. That’s why I will send you two to another world, where she can grow and become stronger before the Gods could get to her. Besides, it will be a good side trip for Astora to go there.” Steven said.

“Just what is this world? What does it have to do with her?”

“It has everything to do with her. It is after all the place her father came from. Now, get in! Or do you want to waste more time?” spoke Steven.

Grimora looked at the poor Astora. While the guy certainly had some other motives, what he said was not wrong. The enemies were far too strong and while Astora has demonstrated she had the potential, it was still not enough. Like Steven said, she needed to grow and become stronger before she could come back here.

“Alright. Let me make this clear: I don’t trust you at all. However…for my mistress, I will.” Grimora firmed spoke.

“Fine with me. Let us depart then!”

With all three inside the orb, all the ceiling above started to pull apart from each other, revealing a cylinder column linked toward the surface. The floor below the construct trembled and began to collapse. A missile launcher has been attached to the orb, preparing to launch. In fact, the orb was just the head of the whole mechanism.

“Three…..Two……One…..Commence launch!”

* * *

Meanwhile, the battle between Zeus and the trio has proven them to be worthy opponents. On one side, a major deity and on the other, three individuals with unknown goal and seemed to be hiding more than they have shown. Furthermore, for some reasons, they have yet to demonstrate their true strength. Thus, even though they had the advantage of number, they still didn’t win.

Suddenly, the fight was interrupted by a loud explosion. Not far from them, a column of smoke was fuming out of some kind of aircraft heading toward the sky at incredible speed.

“That bastard!” the bartender cursed the man responsible for this humiliation.

“What is that?” Zeus asked himself. Then he received an urgent news from his followers still stationed above the world’s atmosphere. The strange aircraft was heading toward a black portal that has just appeared out of nowhere. They had no idea where it led to but from the current situation with the girl missing, there could only be one answer: the person they were desperately searching for was attempting to escape via that portal. As expected from a long-lived deity, Zeus has figured it out and deduced Astora to be onboard of the aircraft. “Station all troops in front of the portal! That thing cannot leave this realm alive.”

Zeus turned back toward his attackers. “I can’t waste any more time here. AEGIS!” Zeus slammed his divine shield and blew away the trio. Using that brief moment, he rushed toward the sky beyond “All troops are to abandon what they are doing and follow me. We cannot let that thing escape.”

“He got us.” Cronos pushed away the rubbles and slowly stood up.

“What do we do now? Follow him?” asked Rouge.

“Don’t be ridiculous! Zeus is one of the fastest god in the whole divine realm. We won’t be able to catch up.” Cronos advised.

“……” the bartender, sitting on the dusty ground, clenched his fist in anger. More than once, his plan has been foiled by that trickster. But unlike last time, there was no excuse for this failure. As the masked man contemplated on his next move, a small butterfly landed on his hand. The thing flapped its wing, as if to cheer the man up. Such a strange timing for such creature to appear in the midst of a battle. Yet, the bartender looked at the butterfly and handled it with care, like he knew that this small thing was no mere insect. “Are you sure?....I understand.” The man spoke to himself. Then he stood up and turned to his comrades. “There no nothing more we can do now. It’s time to go back.”

“What? So we came here for nothing?” the woman shouted.

“We can’t risk being discovered by the enemies. Protecting our identities and origins is the most important priority. As for the girl, we will figure something out.”

“…Fine!” Madame Rouge exhaled a long sigh.

A painted red door appeared out of nowhere and the three crossed it. While they lost the battle, they haven’t lost the war yet. They have waited for a long time now and there would surely other opportunities again. And thus, the mysterious trio retreated from the war, waiting for their next turn.

* * *

Somewhere beyond the clouds, the new Orbis-Exeo has just escape the planet’s exosphere and was now on route toward their destination. However, a problem has appeared. Currently, a golden armada has occupied the areas surrounding their portal, making it impossible to rush through. Judging from the size of their army, it appeared that only a tenth has actually disembarked on the surface while the remaining stayed behind for reinforcement. The absurd reason was that the deities severely underestimated the strength of the mortals below. Furthermore, they didn’t expect the girl’s power to be that strong. After all, the legend of the Usurper was just a myth in the old days no one has thought about for eons. But in the end, the threat appeared to be real and now the Gods’ army would retaliate with full force.

“How are we supposed to bypass those?” Grimora asked hurriedly. The sheer amount of ships in front of them numbered in hundreds while all they had was a simple missile with no means of defense.

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“We will!” Steven hit a button on the keyboard. Instantly, the heavy equipment connected to the orb was disconnected. With the majority of its weight lifted, the orb increased its speed at unbelievable rate. “Strap your belt! We are going in!”. Steven changed the speed to its maximum potential, heading right at the middle of the army.

The sudden change in speed made Grimora thrown toward the back and stuck on the wall. “HELP!!!”

The army began to shoot myriads of light beams at the target. It was truly a bullet hell straight out of a video game. And Steven, like a true player, avoided them all with his skillful driving. His quick reflex and unnatural eyes allowed him to see everything thrown at him as if they were in slow motion. Truly a resourceful man! But the closer he got to the army, the lesser time he would have to change the direction to avoid the bullet. In spite of that crucial detail, Steven has figured out a way: by charging right between the battle ships.

The tactic might seem suicidal but it worked to his favors. If such a small target somehow got in between the many ships of the army, not only would he be incredible to spot because of the orb’ relative small size, a missed fire could hit their own allies. And of course, all commanders on board would never do such a thing.

Because Steven was able to predict their behavior, he easily found his way right pass the seemingly invincible wall.

“Holy cow, how did we make it?” Grimora shouted.

“Hehe, you can worship me later. We have only passed the first phase. Now onto the second!” the Orbis Exeo passed its first hurdle by entering the mysterious portal.

Upon crossing the portal, the three were met with a new sight: a cosmic space filled with countless stars among the darkness. Tunnels of light linked to each other like a network spread across the platform with strange unearthly creatures moving around. Some looked like a squid, others only had an eye with its body that looked like a brain, some were just too strange to make out what they were.

“Welcome to the Crossroads!” Steven presented grandly. He directed the orb into going in one of the tubes of light.

“Cross..road?” the girl finally regained herself. However, she still seemed terribly exhausted.

“Mistress, you are awake!” Grimora shouted happily.

“Where …are we?” the girl asked.

“An intermediary space that serves as the bridge between worlds, where space and time intertwine. To go from one world to another, you must pass through here first.” Steven explained. “It is a bit tricky to find the right tunnel but after a while, you get used to it.”

“…..” Astora didn’t seem interested in the man’s explanation. Her mind was clouded by the vision of the death of her mother. “Mom…”

A heavy atmosphere took over as everyone didn’t utter a sound. Astora looked down at her small hands. Grimora wanted to cheer up his mistress but couldn’t find the words. Meanwhile, Steven stared at the window to avoid looking at the gloomy duo beside him. It was then that he noticed something traveling in the tunnel of light next to his: another Orbis-Exeo with similar external appearance to the one Steven was riding in. He could feel a familiar presence inside, one that he wished they would not encounter. ‘Hello Alastor!’ Steven spoke in his mind.

“Hey, what is that?” the quiet voice of the young girl surprised the man.

“What?” Steven turned around, only to see the girl looking at the same thing as he did just a moment ago. She pointed her finger toward the orb outside the window. “It is nothing important. Just another traveler like us.”

“Traveler huh? … Like my dad…” the girl muttered. “Are we going to his world? The world of Astora?”

“Yes!” Steven answered. “Though it is no longer called Astora anymore. Your father changed its name to Valhalla.”

“My dad did? So he is a very important person then, to be able to change the name of a world like that.” The girl muttered.

“He is.” Steven said.

“Do you know him?”

“I am…an acquaintance. Something like that.”

“I see.”

Steven paid attention to his words. He still had a lot of plans for the girl and now was not the time for her to know the truth yet. Even a shred of doubt would bring nothing but harm to his plan. Suddenly, the vessel was hit by a ray of light. Luckily, it only fazed by and scratched the external protective cover a bit.

The culprit soon showed themselves. Zeus and his army have caught up to Astora and they were now firing at the Orbis-Exeo.

“Persistent bastards!” Steven uttered. “Hang on! We are almost there.” The end of the tunnel was near. Just a little more and they would make it. Then, a certain transmission could be heard from the control board inside the orb.

“Lo….can y….he…..me? Abo…r….th…miss…on…” an audio filled with statics could be heard. The voice however seemed very mechanical.

“Eleven, is that you? What are you saying? I can’t hear you because of the statics. Repeat!” Steven said.

“Ab….rt …he….mi..sion…Val..ha..la…too….dan….rous….”

“What? Repeat!”

“Stop….Valhalla….to….dan….Ba..rrier….” the signal was cut off as the orb reached the end of the tunnel. All they could see was a blinding light and nothing else.

…..

“Wow!” Grimora uttered in shock. “Look at the view!”

A majestic world of blue oceans and green forests showed itself at the end of the tunnel. Rays of lights in the form of strange written words trailed across the exosphere of the planet like a circle. In addition, there was something very shiny orbiting around the planet but it was too bright to make out what it actually was.

To Astora, it was something that could only be seen in her dreams when she dreamt about a fantasy world. Her old world has damaged the environment so much to the point they had to live inside the domes like the one her city was in. Forests like these have long rotten and the oceans were grey with little life in it. Perhaps her world used to look like the one she was seeing now. However, it was long ago before she was even born.

“Eleven, repeat!” Steven shouted at the audio board. But there was no answer. “Fuck!” Steven slammed the controller.

“Who was that?” asked Astora.

“No one…” Steven responded coldly. “I must focus on the task at hands. That is getting you on the surface safely.”

The group didn’t even have time to catch a break. As soon as Steven finished his words, a golden army led by a lightning figure poured out of the tunnel they came from and charged at the ship.

“You won’t get away from us!” Zeus proclaimed as he threw a lightning bolt at the ship, taking out one of the engine.

“Damn it!” Steven desperately tried to regain control of the machine. However, at the moment, it was only driving straight toward the planet at incredible speed. ‘Fuck this shit! Should I escape? But then I wouldn’t be able to get away from Zeus. And the girl….’ Steven scratched his head, trying to figure out the solution to his current predicament.

They were so close to their goal now. It would be a shame if they didn’t make it. But how were they supposed to find a way out of this situation? One of the engines was dead. The Orbis-Exeo could no longer run at the same speed like earlier. Even more, they had an army on their tail that was on the verge of catching up to them.

“STEVEN!” Astora shouted, bringing the man back to reality.

Some black slime has wrapped itself around the external wall of the orb. Even worst, it has started to crawl onto the glass window in the front. It was actually the lifeform that reacted to Astora’s power surge back then. After escaping its prison, the creature sought the reason for its awakening and managed to hide itself in the Gods’ armada. And when it felt Astora’s presence inside the launching Orbis-Exeo, it has latched upon the ship and waited for its chance. From inside the sludge, a deformed long skull with two antlers arose. With its shiny red eyes, it stared at the girl from outside the window.

“Are you the one? The one who awoke me?” the thing spoke in a beastly voice before howling a screeching ear piercing scream. “Usurper, your blood, give it to ME!” The creature started headbutting the glass manically with its skull.

“Oh come on! How can this get any worse?”

*ROAR (Beastly painful outcry)*

Something seemed to have hit the mysterious slime, making it scream in pain. Then another hit it, piercing the creature and almost hit the surface of the vessel. Looking closer, they seemed to be arrows of light that stayed behind even after hitting their targets. Was it Zeus or his men? Impossible! The arrows hit the creature in the back, which was the front of the ship while the God’s army was behind them. But who could have shot it? The only thing in that way was…the world of their destination.

“Warriors of Valhalla, protect our world from the treacherous invaders!”

The voice of a righteous woman echoed across the entire realm. Soon after her glorious declaration, a rain of millions of arrows of light came down from nowhere. Fortunately, the enigmatic creature was the one who took all the arrows targeting the Orbis-Exeo since it has wrapped itself around the orb. However, the majority of the projectiles was directed at the golden army behind the vessel, taking out hundreds of knights in one go. Even Zeus had to resort to his divine shield to guard himself against the unknown assailants. But where did these arrows come from? Who shot them?

The answer was right in front of Astora. She couldn’t really see what it was a moment ago since it was so bright. But now that she was much closer, the girl could finally see the shiny thing orbiting around the world: a shining city of light. Seemingly made out of almost transparent golden light with exquisite architecture, the city was brimming in a holy aura, so grandiose it would make the gods jealous.

Behind, Zeus was stunned by the existence of such majestic city. It rivalled even the most beautiful wonders created by the Gods themselves. But that was not all. What shocked him even more was the planet in front of him. The thing was oozing off mana continuously while the density of mana on the surface was so high it felt unnatural. Normally, a world would only have a fixed amount of mana distributed at the initial stage of its creation given to it by the world’s creator, aka a god. However, that was not the case for this strange world. Instead, Zeus could feel the stream of mana being constantly overflown, thus explaining why mana was even oozing out of its atmosphere. This kind of world would be able to produce highly powerful beings on a frequent scale, making it a factory of monsters from a god’s point of view. But why did a major deity such as him not know about such a world? Was it hidden from him by other gods for some unknown purpose? Or worse, has such a world somehow eluded the eye of the gods after all these years? Even more importantly, did this place have some connection with the fugitive the gods were looking for?

Yet, the city was void of life, with one exception. A giant set of stairs seemed to lead out toward the outskirts of the city onto an isolated floating flat platform. Six odd stone pillars could be seen surrounded what seemed to be a large complex magic circle engraved on the ground. And at its very center, a person wearing a white robe and a veil over their head was praying on her knees.

It was quite far so Astora could see the person very clearly but based on their form, the person seemed to be a woman and by her cloth, the woman seemed to be some sort of priestess or a holy woman. The woman herself exuded an aura of tranquil serenity, one that would soothe all around her. But why was that that Astora seemed to be drawn toward her? Was it because of the place she was in? Or was it something else?

Then suddenly, the calmness of the woman disappeared as she stood up and spoke. Instead, her words rang with determination and valor. The woman raised her arms up, as if addressing the cosmos she saw.

“Invaders of our Motherland

Turn back or face the judgment of Valhalla!”

The commanding knights on the ships showed hesitation upon the warning by decreasing the speed of the fleet. However, Zeus quickly rallied them up and made them resume their full speed. If they let the girl escape and the news got out, it wouldn’t just be a stain on their reputation but also a humiliation for the Gods across the whole realm. No matter the cost, they must succeed their mission. Once again filled with determination and belief in their cause, the armada continued forward. If they had to tear another world asunder for the sake of their mission, so be it.

Even with the incoming fleet approaching her dear world, the lonely woman did not show fear. This wasn’t the first time someone tried to invade this world and it wouldn’t certainly be the last. She didn’t need to think too deeply of this. Once again, it would be her responsibility to protect the world and its inhabitants. But she was not alone to share this burden.

The woman clapped her hands in a praying gesture toward the sky. By her will, six enormous bells of light manifested themselves around the globe. Together, they rang. Their echoes reached far across the whole world and even the whole realm, announcing the dire news.

“By the authority granted to me

By the decree of the Great Mother

I call upon the protectors of our realm

Fulfill your duties to our world

Let these treacherous invaders know the price for defiling our Holy Land

By the Old Accord, grant me your strength

Oh great Pillars of Valhalla!”

As if answering the plead of the woman, six piers of light rose from various regions of the planet and converged themselves toward the pedestal where the woman stood. One by one, each of the rays of light entered a stone pillar and made it glow a luminescent radiation around the holy lady.

“I have received your powers.” The woman uttered in pain. “Now make yourself known to our enemies, the impenetrable defense!

”

A spherical barrier of light with countless magic circles engraved on its surface began to cover the whole planet.

“What the?” Steven uttered in shock. “When is something like this here? Has something changed in the last fifteen years?” The man intended to change the course of the vessel but it was too late. The damage to the engine has also taken out its functionality to deviate courses. It could only go in a straight line downward the planet. A collision with the gigantic barrier was unavoidable.

Yet strangely, the Orbis-Exeo passed right through the barrier with ease. It was as if the barrier was not even there. However, saying ‘nothing happened’ would be a far too early cheer. The moment the orb passed through the barrier, the monster outside was set on fire and on the verge of being disintegrated. And it was not alone in this agony. Steven also was caught in some strange flame.

“Argggg…” the man growled in pain. No matter what he did, he couldn’t get rid of the flame. “Sorry Eleven…this is it for me.” Placing his hand on his chest, the fiery man disappeared into nothingness, leaving an empty seat and an estranged girl who couldn’t fathom what was going on around her.

This barrier was not like the others in the way that it kept the intruders out. Instead, it let them in and punished them for their trespassing as a warning. However, for some unknown reasons, the only person who was unharmed by it was the girl. And there was also Grimora but perhaps he was perceived as a normal book since he was essentially an artefact, therefore not qualifying as a living being. Still it didn’t explain why Astora was left unharmed while the other two were almost killed. The further the orb went, the bigger the flame engulfed the slime outside, burning almost all of it but the skull.

The strange event has not gone unnoticed by the woman who conjured the barrier. She could feel at least two presences on that odd vessel. A bow of light manifested in her hands as she stretched the cord and shot two arrows consecutively at the ship. One hit the skull but did not destroy it. The other aimed at the girl sitting inside but the creature’s slime has repelled the arrow, as if it was trying to protect the girl.

“So two managed to cross the first barrier. One is quite dangerous. The other...I can barely sense them. Very well! Our forces on the ground will find them.” The bow disappeared and a small chime appeared in her hand. “Send the paladins and the crusaders toward this location! Eradicate the threat with no prejudice!”

“Yes, milady!” a voice echoed from the chime.

While the woman did not think highly of the potential threat of the two who escaped her grasp, it aggravated her that she could make such a blunder in letting two intruders get through. Biting her lips, the woman turned her attention to the incoming horde, which currently was charging through the barrier. Unfortunately for them, they were not so lucky like the previous ones who crossed it. The knights were burned almost instantly, screaming and rolling around in hope it would perish the flame. Ships who lost the control of their riders started to crush into one another. Still, there were a few who continued to charge their ships toward the flying city in a suicidal attack.

“Barbaric fools…” the holy light emanating from the woman disappeared. This time, a dark mist exuded from herself as she pulled out a black scythe out of nowhere in one hand and an hourglass on the other.

“By the decree of the death lord

I remove the seal to the forbidden realm of the dark

Pray for our forgotten. Pray for their tranquility

May the Black Sun consume our enemies!”

A tear in the dimension cracked and released a dark mist at the incoming fleet. All lifeforms that came into contact with the mist were drained of their vitality and sooner turned into mummified corpses. The ships and their equipment however were seemingly ravaged by time, aging rapidly before turning into dust while being covered in the corrupted mist.

Zeus, who managed to stay alive despite being burned by the barrier, was shocked at the effect of the dark fog in front of him. Even staying near it was nauseating even for a deity. “This mist…can it be…miasma?” the god uttered. “It can’t be. That is impossible.” Knowing full well of the danger the mist posed, Zeus used his godly speed to avoid it and tried to find a way to reach the caster. If he could take her out, all the magic she casted would be cancelled.

Dashing in space with lightning speed, Zeus managed to reach the platform where the woman was. His body however was no longer in top conditions. The fight with the trio, the fire caused by the barrier, these have depleted him quite a portion of his power. And yet, perhaps it was because of the pride of a god, he still believed that he could take this person on himself.

Landing on the edge of the platform, Zeus took a deep breath. Confronting the woman, Zeus wielded his might bolt and directed it at her. But just before it could reach her, the bolt stopped dead in its track. Someone caught the bolt with their bare hands.

Enraged by the appearance of a new figure, Zeus shouted. “Who are you?” the thunderbolt used by Zeus was certainly no lesser than a divine weapon. Furthermore, it traveled so quick it couldn’t be seen in mortal eyes. How was that possible for this person to catch it with seemingly no efforts? Zeus examined the person.

Protecting the priestess, a figure in an ashen attire with intricate design stood. He wore a large white cape adorned with fur around the neck part that extended even to his right side, covering half of his body including his arm down to his feet. The outlines of the clothing suggested masculinity while the clothing itself indicated royalty or a holy knight, almost king-like. However, the most outstanding feature was the beautifully made iron helmet the man wore over his head. The thing seemed fragile, unlike the normal protective helmet with thick iron layer designed to withstand blows, this seemed more likely to be used in the goal of hiding one’s face instead. It covered his head entirely and even his neck. It should have posed some problems each time he needed to remove it, if the person ever took the helmet off at all.

“…..” the knight stayed silent.

“Shouldn’t you disclose your name first before you ask someone else?” the woman spoke by the knight’ side. The veil she wore made it difficult for Zeus to see her face clearly. But her sweet gentle voice hinted her elusive allure and grace.

“….Fine. I am Zeus, lord of Olympus and one of rulers of Estella. Now state your name! A power such as yours could only be wielded by the gods. Which faction are you from? Speak!” Zeus grumbled in arrogance.

“Estella?” the woman giggled. “What a sickening name! So you too are one of them… That makes this easier.” The priestess intended to step forward but the knight stopped her with his hand. “Why are you stopping me? We can do this together.”

“….” The knight shook his head in denial. He gently pushed the woman back, not because he was afraid of the deity but simply out of care for the woman. He didn’t want her to push herself too much, not after all what she did for the world. Turning his back to the woman who understood his intention, the knight stepped toward Zeus who suddenly prepared for battle.

All of a sudden, feathered wings sprouted out from the knight’s back. Strangely, they were all the wings on the left but none on the right. For some reasons, the knight was missing all of his right wings. But there were definitely more than one wing that grew out of his left side.

For the first time in his life, Zeus felt fear. Ever since he stepped into this world, he has been uneasy. But this man in front of him, it caused his body to tremble in fear. He knew he was no much for this man.

What followed wasn’t much of a fight. It was too one sided to be called as such. The knight was able to dispel all of Zeus’ powers. He even voluntarily took several direct hits but nothing could even scratch him. The knight simply brushed it off, as if nothing happened. The deity fell on his knees, powerless. A humiliating sight for such a mighty god!

“…..Wait…wait…” Zeus pled as the knight slowly approached him. Finally pulling out his holy sword, the knight raised his arms. “WAIT!”

*SLASH*

…..

“Not much of a god, is it? For one of rulers of Estella, I expected something…more.” The woman spoke, looking down at the bloody pool under her. “His body might be able to tell us something more than the last one. Do you think we should send it to the Sage?”

The knight nodded in agreement.

“Alright then.” The woman glanced at the remaining debris and carcasses floating in space, what was left of the massacre they performed for the armada. “This should be all of them. It is risky but lowering the defense of the barrier to lure in a few gods makes this worthwhile I guess. Ah!” the woman remembered her blunder earlier. “There is still the two who managed to get in.”

“I will check.” The knight suddenly spoke in a deep yet young tone. Perhaps it was a young man behind that helmet.

“Please!” the woman bowed slightly. “Be careful, brother!”

* * *

Location: Somewhere in the Central region

*SPLISH SPLASH*

‘What is this watery sound? ….I feel heavy…..Did I die? Is it heavens?...or hell? Or some place in between? Is it where my mom is now? ….Someone….anyone…please answer me!’

“MISTRESS, WAKE UP!” a loud voice brought Astora back to her sense.

Just now, the girl almost drowned. Outside the half broken window, it was night time. The stars were so bright Astora could see the trees near a surface of water. It seemed that she somehow landed safely on the surface of that planet she saw up there. However, the danger was not yet over. Half the cabin was already filled with water and the machine continued to sink deeper as more water poured in. It looked like that they landed in some kind of lake, which was fortune and would explain how they survived. Although, now the girl had to figure out how to escape before the orb completely sunk to the bottom.

But it was no use. Her weak arms could not even move the handle. The mechanism seemed to be broken by the impact, locking her in.

“Oh god, what are we going to do?” Grimora panicked between the girl’s arms.

Was it really how she died? After all that happened, even though she managed to come into this world, she would die before she even had the chance to do anything? It wasn’t fair. It just wasn’t fair. The girl cried at her cursed fate as the waterline reached her chin.

It was then that a miracle happened, a star of hope came to her aid. The door tore itself apart and a hand reached inside and pulled Astora out together with her precious book back to the surface.

“Ha…ha…..ha” the girl breathed heavily and spitted out the water that got in her throat. But before she could even catch her breath, a sword drew close to her neck. Slowly turning back, the girl finally caught a glimpse of her supposed savior.

A kingly knight in white clothing who wielded a sword on his left hand stood in front of her. His iron helmet made it impossible for the girl to see the man’s face. The girl couldn’t even understand why the man who just saved her was now threatening to kill her.

“Who are you?” the knight questioned firmly, his sword picked at the girl’ skin. “Why are the gods chasing you?”

“……” Astora couldn’t utter a word. Shock after shock, the girl was just too traumatized to say anything. And she barely escaped death a few times in one single day. The shock was simply too much.

“Hey hey friend, be easy on the girl! She just….” Before Grimora could even finish, he ate a magical blast right in the face. “What’s wrong with you, man? Hitting people in the face like that?” the book raged.

“…..A magical artefact? So you are not ordinary as you seem.” The knight said. “Now speak! I would prefer not to hurt a child.”

“…..*cry*” the girl suddenly cried out loud, making the knight panic. He didn’t intend to threaten a child to tears like this. “What the hell do you people want? First you destroyed my home. Then you killed mom. And now this? What did I ever do to you?”

All the emotions she kept inside her, the girl was now releasing them. She didn’t care if her words were not directed at the right people. She just wanted to say them. Else she wouldn’t be able to keep her mind sane anymore.

The whole time, Astora didn’t even care for her life. She was so sick of the misfortunes that befell her, she wanted to vomit. Like a child throwing a tantrum, the girl kept hitting the knight with her small hands. Yet strangely, the man in iron helmet just let her do it. Just a moment ago, he was pointing a sword at her neck and now, this happened. It made one wonder what kind of expressions he was showing behind that iron mask.

The strange situation lasted for quite a while until the girl eventually collapsed and fell asleep. Perhaps it was for the best. She needed her sleep after such an eventful day. The knight put away his sword and let the girl lie down on the soft grass. In his mind, he contemplated what to do with the girl. His order was to kill on sight. But killing a child would leave a bad taste. Should he bring her back and question her later?

“Hey!”

The knight immediately drew his sword and pointed at the source of the voice, Grimora. “I still haven’t forgot about you.”

“Now, I don’t care what you do to me but just let the girl go, please! A lot has happened….” The book spoke.

“Speak!”

“It is a long story though.”

The knight seemed to be a reasonable sort of guy. And compared to others they have encountered so far, the man certainly didn’t sound like an evil man. Besides, their lives were on the line. With any other choice, Grimora decided to retell the story since his encounter with his mistress and how they ended up here. The whole time, the knight stayed quiet but sometimes threw a glance of pity at the girl.

“So you see, she is not a bad girl. A few quirks here and there but certainly not evil. The poor girl just wants to find her father. So could you please let us go? Or at least her?” Grimora pled.

“……”

“…And her father came from our world, you say?” the knight said.

“It appears so. Or at least, that is what we are told. His name is Alastor, I believe. Do you happen to know someone by that name?”

Alastor. Just a name, yet signified something much greater. A long forgotten name buried in history with only a few could even remember. Upon hearing the mention of such name, the seemingly expressionless knight froze for a moment. He was surprised, awed, stunned to hear that name once again. The last time he heard it, it was from a time so long ago. But then again, it could be someone of a similar name.

“No I don’t.” the knight flatly denied. “Do you know his family name perhaps?”

“Unfortunately, all we know is his name, not his family name. Well I don’t expect we are going to find him the moment we end up here. Poor Astora though, the girl just keeps getting herself into trouble.”

“Astora?” the knight suddenly rose his voice in shock.

“Yeah, it is my mistress’ name. It is apparently the name of this world so that’s why her mother named her as such, so she could find her father.” Grimora carelessly revealed.

‘Astora….this cannot be a coincidence. Is she really a daughter of Alastor? But that’s…..’ the knight thought silently in his mind.

“Now that I have said everything, can you let us go? Please?” Grimora said.

“……” the knight considered his course of actions. With these new info he just learnt about, it was an entirely different situation from what he thought it would be. “Fine, I will let you go.”

“Really? I mean for real?” the book shouted.

“However, I will leave you to your own device. Do what you want in this new world! As long as you don’t cause any trouble, I won’t hunt you down. And the people will treat you well.” The knight stood up.

“Wait, you are leaving? You are not gonna to help us?” Grimora spoke.

“I have no obligation to help you. But I will give you three pieces of advice.

Number One: Avoid the southern region. If you have to go there, stay away from the Blighted Woods!

Number Two: Do not reveal the purpose of your journey carelessly, especially the name of Alastor.

Number Three: Never engage in a conflict with the Pillars! You will definitely die.”

“One, two three….got it!” Grimora remembered the advices given to him.

“That should be it. Don’t make me regret this! ” the knight warned. “When the girl wakes up, tell her to head north of here until you find a town. It would be a good place to start.”

“Thank you!” Grimora cheered.

“With that, I bid you farewell.” The knight walked away a distance.

“You really are going to leave us like that?” asked Grimora.

“With luck, we shall meet again.” The knight said. ‘A true daughter of Alastor will find her way back to me, eventually. Now go and become stronger!’ the knight thought in his mind.

“Okay. Bye bye! Thanks for everything!”

“I wish you luck. Oh by the way, it is a little late but: welcome to the world of Valhalla!” With that said, the knight disappeared from sight. Whoever he was, he was strong, very strong. His absence left a void in the air, as if something heavy has been lifted from the area.

“Look at that! I hope you will reach that level some day.” Grimora spoke to the sleeping girl. “For now, sweet dreams, mistress! Our adventure only begins now!”